Love and Magic: Exploring the Charms of Erin Sterling’s The Wedding Witch
The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
CAWPILE Score: 9
Bowen Penhallow has always been a loner, studying dark and ancient magic on a mountaintop in Wales. He prefers it that way. But when his friend Colin—who happens to be a ghost—asks him to attend a Yuletide wedding at a grand estate deep in the Welsh countryside, Bowen reluctantly agrees.
Tamsyn Bligh is not a witch, but she makes her living off of them. As a procurer and seller of magical items, Tamsyn’s business is not always above board, but she’s been trying to fix that (mostly.) Bowen is an occasional customer—as well as the star of several of Tamsyn’s dirtiest dreams—but she’s been around enough witches to know that, as a human, getting involved with one is not the smartest idea. She’s finagled an invite to the Witchy Wedding of the Century in the hopes of finally making a score big enough to retire. Just one priceless magical artifact from Tywyll House would set her up for life.
But Tamsyn isn’t the only one sneaking about in Tywyll House, and the mix of a very strong spell combined with a wedding mishap transports Bowen and Tamsyn into Tywyll House’s past, to the Yuletide Celebration of 1958. As Bowen and Tamsyn work together to get back to the present, they must also face off with the origins of Tywyll House’s haunting, the suspicions of their fellow witches…oh, and the fact that somewhere between the mistletoe and the bonfire, they might be falling in love.
What was the soundtrack for the movie that was playing in my head as I read? Click the button below to listen on Youtube.
See how I rate my reads using the CAWPILE system.
If you're looking for something magical and heartwarming The Wedding Witch is for you. This story is a delightful, funny and enchanting read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended for fans of magical/paranormal Rom-Coms.
I was captivated by Rhys and Vivienne in the Ex-Hex, charmed by Llewellyn and Gwent, and now I am spellbound by Bowen and Tamsyn. The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling is the perfect addition to the Graves Glen Series.
Characters: 8
Erin Sterling’s characters are positively loveable, hilarious and full of personality. Since I have read the first two books, I think Bowen’s character is a bit more fleshed out since he shares a big chunk of his backstory with Rhys and Llewellyn. Erin also introduces another piece of the puzzle that is separate from his brothers. There is a missed opportunity to build up Tamsyn’s character. I would have liked to get a bit more of a backstory on her separate from her encounter with Vivi and Gwen in The Ex-Hex.
Atmosphere/World Building: 10
The change of setting was a wonderful surprise! Erin’s Sterling’s attention to detail ensures that the world of the Graves Glen Series remain consistent and coherent throughout the story. Not only did she change the holiday, but also the location. We went from the cozy autumn vibes of Halloween in Graves Glen, Georgia to the holly laced wintery season of Yule and Christmas and the Welsh countryside! And she did it seamlessly. The overall vibe of the series remained intact. There is also the blend of the different holiday traditions that made this world unique compared to any of the other holiday inspired books I read this past December. Bowen is a witch and celebrates Yule while Tamsyn is human and celebrates Christmas. There are a few scenes that highlight the different celebratory traditions, and how our characters experience them that I found to be genius and fresh. Overall, I found the atmosphere right up my alley. Winter/Holiday vibes without being overcooked.
Writing: 9
There is just SOMETHING about Erin's writing that I love. The pacing is smooth, the character dialogue is realistic and natural. There were sometimes I thought that she circled around and repeated some plot points that weren’t really necessary for a book this size, but I got over it fairly quickly. If you’ve read either of the first two books the series, then you know there’s some spice, and they are open door, and are well written.
Plot: 8
The Wedding Witch follows Bowen Penhallow and Tamsyn Bligh as they navigate a spell gone wrong at a Yuletide Wedding that transports them back in time to 1957. The plot was well thought out and kept a nice page turning balance between hilarious quips and jokes, and more serious moments between the characters, but when I finished the book, I seemed as though there were about a hundred pages missing. I didn’t get the feeling of everything being wrapped up in a big red bow.
Intrigue: 10
I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading The Wedding Witch. I just knew that I was going to love it. When Bowen and Tamsyn were Back to the Future’d tho! There was no stopping me. There aren’t any surprising revelations or clever plot twists. This isn’t that kind of book, BUT the shenanigans are hilarious and wanting to know if they make it back to 2024 or remain stuck in 1957, the unpredictable outcome kept me flipping the pages.
Logic: 8
Yes, The Wedding Witch is a paranormal romance and is set in a magical world. Despite the whimsy, the story line maintains a strong sense of logic. The characters actions, decisions, and desires are driven by clear motivations making the story feel authentic and relatable. I rated logic an eight because it works hand in hand with plot, and there are some missed opportunities that could have elevated the story from amazing to magnificent. I can’t really review logic in depth without revealing some spoilers, but my biggest critique that I have is the story seems to want to connect the human and magical world together through romantic relationships and forming families together, but how the magic works with their offspring is pretty vague and by the end of the book I had some question marks.
Enjoyment: 10
Ever since reading Rhys and Llewellyn’s stories, I have been eagerly waiting for Bowen to get his book written. I didn’t even bother about reading the synopsis. As soon as my Libby reservation was ready, I downloaded it and started reading turning page after page without wanting to put it down. The first two novels in the series had love interests that both belonged to the magical world. It was refreshing to have the different perspective. The addition to magical time travel added an extra layer of fun.
