5.5.2025 | Monday

Don’t Hex and Drive

Item: Don't Hex and Drive
Rating: 4.5
Author: Kim

category: Book Reviews
tag(s): adult
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title: Don't Hex and Drive
author: Juliette Cross
series: Stay a Spell #2
published: 9.8.2020
publisher: self-published
genre(s): paranormal, romance
pages: 339
source: Kindle Unlimited
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | B&N | BookBub | BookHype | StoryGraph | Goodreads
rating:

| series rating:

the blurb

Notoriously bad at peopling, Isadora Savoie spends most of her time in the greenhouse or at the local animal shelter, using her Conduit powers of growth and healing. Content to remain in the background of the Savoie sister shenanigans, she’s reluctantly roped into the mystery of missing neighborhood girls. Now, she’s partnered with a flashy, flirty vampire to find them before it’s too late.
Devraj Kumar has seen and done it all. Three hundred years roaming the earth as a Stygorn — a legendary vampire warrior who operates in the shadows — has its perks. But ennui has set in. That is, until he has a run-in — literally — with an intriguing witch while on a new assignment in New Orleans. Fascinated by her resistance to his charms, Devraj can’t help but push her buttons in an effort to get to know the shy witch. Fortunately for him, she’s been recruited by the Lord of Vampires to assist Devraj on the case.
Between a Bollywood marathon, supernatural dating app, secret package, and sexy driving instruction, Isadora is in over her head. And Devraj? After just one taste, he’s playing for keeps.

a few notes

trigger warning: ❗some graphic violence❗

POV: 1st person; dual
setting: New Orleans, Louisiana
keywords/phrases: magic, witches, werewolves, family, betrayal
tropes: evil antagonist, high stakes, unlikely allies, opposites attract
spice: 5/5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
language: 5/5🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

cover notes: so pretty
mood reading: in the mood for steamy paranormal romance with a great plot.
bonus points: Archie the dog!

my review

One of the best meet-cutes I’ve read in a while, and I won’t spoil it for potential readers! But it certainly set the tone for the beginning of Isadora and Devraj. The two characters are very much of the “opposites attract” vibe. She is a nature-loving witch who’s most content at home with her sisters, communing with animals or in her greenhouse. He’s a jet-setting elite vampire with a wide range of skills, to include being a Bollywood movie star. Yet together, they make perfect sense, even if it takes a while for them to realize it.

The romance is oh-so-steamy, but also very beautiful. It also took time to build, each of them coming at it from very different places. So many times, the main obstacle between the romantic protagonists is simply miscommunication or misunderstands/misconceptions that could be solved with a single conversation. And too many times, that is drawn out in a plot until it just feels nonsensical. This is NOT the case here. There is miscommunication and misunderstanding, but it was handled in a way that made sense. And it was solved without the too-lengthy period of time.

And the mystery… it was so engrossing. The action level was on point and certainly kept me turning the pages. The perfect amount of suspense, too, led to some on-edge moments that I loved.

About Juliette Cross

JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance, including the best-selling STAY A SPELL series. As a native of Louisiana, she lives in the heart of Cajun country with her husband, four kids, and sundry animals. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine or whiskey.