Hot hex boyfriend

Bloom (Must Love Cowboys) successfully mixes Southern charm with magic in her first foray into the paranormal. Delia Merriweather has been told all her life that she is a blue witch with power over love and matters of the heart. Under the blue moon on her 30th birthday, she will finally come into power--or she would if her family were able to access their magic. Unfortunately, the Merriweathers have been hexed into powerlessness, and, with no proof of the mystical, 29-year-old Delia has stopped believing in magic altogether. As her birthday approaches, she struggles to balance her family's eccentricities with public opinion in small town Willow Root, Tex. Meanwhile, Max Halifax, her hot new next-door neighbor and a witch in his own right, has been sent to Willow Root from the hidden magical realm of Shadowlark to watch the Merriweather women and ensure the hex holds. If Delia manages to break the spell, magical mayhem will ensue and Max will no longer be able to tell if his growing feelings for her are true or the result of her blue witch powers. Bloom creates a whimsical and enchanting world in Willow Root and conjures some real chemistry between her leads. Fans of Practical Magic and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch will be hooked. (Sept.)

Cordelia Merriweather has always been told that she is a blue witch who will break the hex that prevents her family from having magic. Yet as her 30th birthday and another blue moon approach, Cordelia has lost her belief in magic; now she simply enjoys her family's quirky traditions. Maximus Halifax, however, knows that magic is real. He is a finder of dangerous magical artifacts, which is why he is tasked with packing up his uncle's mansion next door to the Merriweather women, along with ensuring that Delia does not break her family's hex. However, Max was not expecting to encounter Delia's endearing family or the feelings that Delia sparks in him. When it becomes clear that Delia has mysteriously broken the hex releasing their magic, the high priestess wants Max to rehex the Merriweathers, so the couple must come to terms with what heart magic really means. VERDICT Bloom (Must Love Cowboys) creates a delightfully cozy and magical Southern town that will make readers wish they could visit. Hand to those who enjoy a slow-burn romance with strong family ties; the humor compensates for the delayed start of the sizzling heat between Delia and Max.--Morgan Lockard