Uncharmed
by Lucy Jane WoodSetting: England
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Witches
Published on September 16, 2025
Pages: 384
Format: eBook Source: Library
Andromeda "Annie" Wildwood is the perfect witch. She is sugar, spice, and everything nice, each element of her life finely curated and polished to irresistibility by her nightly hex-laced potion routine. She loves to please and nothing makes her happier than when everyone else around her is completely happy.
When Annie’s coven tasks her with guiding an orphan teenage witch through the process of getting her blossoming magical powers under control, Annie is excited for the chance to please and to prove herself. But the ramshackle cabin they’ll be housed in isn’t quite the staycation of Annie’s dreams—and she and Maeve, the headstrong teen, couldn’t be more different.
Just when they’re starting to understand each other, the owner of the cabin unexpectedly returns—and this quietly gruff and handsome warlock is not pleased to find that the coven volunteered his house to a high-maintenance witch and her angsty teen companion.
As this seemingly unlikely trio develop a loyalty and fondness for one another, Annie slowly learns that her people-pleasing may have led her down an impossible, lonely path. If everything about her is so right—why does it all feel so wrong?
“The promise and power of a little treat is perhaps the most magical concept that a mind can manifest.”
Annie is able to do it all – run a perfectly adorable bakery, apprentice at a coven, spy for a secret society, and make it look effortless – because of a daily spell that makes her perfect. It is just taking a toll on her over time.
When her coven saddles her with an out of control teenage witch, she realizes that teenagers have no use for adult perfection. For the first time, her spell can’t help her.
“Children don’t bat an eyelid when a fairy comes to remove a tooth previously lodged within their own skull, right from underneath their pillow as they sleep. The little miscreants are alarmingly relaxed with most manners of the supernatural.”
“Oddly enough, that does make sense,” Annie conceded.
“And,” Morena continued, not even glancing up from her work, “the cherry on top of the cauldron comes in the form of opportunity to scare the living daylights out of any little blighters who do fall in. I shall be appearing in their nightmares for years to come with any luck.” Morena gave a rare smile at the thought.
“I wouldn’t have a clue where to even begin.”
“It’s hardly rocket science, Andromeda. What do they enjoy these days? I’m fairly sure it begins and ends at rock music and Satanism. Some ghastly application of eyeliner thrown in for good measure,”
Annie isn’t known for roughing it. She believes whole heartedly in comfort with a pile of pink and glitter on top.
“You are pathetic. What would you do in a zombie apocalypse?” Faye replied.
“Die and be glad of it,” Annie said.
(That is actually my zombie plan too. I don’t want to survive that nonsense.)
So when she has to live outside London in the countryside to train a newbie witch, she’s horrified. Of course, she comes to love it and starts to realize that her quest for perfection to please the people in her old life wasn’t the great goal that she though it was.
I liked the magical system in this book. I would find it useful to be able to fetch baked goods from the bakery in London to wherever you are for breakfast. That’s efficient delivery.
I also liked that the coven used baked goods to send messages to get Annie’s attention.
The cherries began to levitate and flew across the wooden worktop to scatter themselves across the buns. They hopped to and fro before settling with purpose. Eventually, Annie understood. They spelled out a distinct red message in the white icing.
Hecate House requests you.
- on page 56
This was a fun, cozy book that is perfect for fall. It would be great with a cup of something warm and a pastry because all the food descriptions will make you hungry.
Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader. Friday 56 is hosted at Head Full of Books. Also linking up with Foodies Read and British Isles Friday.
