Juliette Cross

Don't Hex and Drive

marta 

ariah west

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.

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

*This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.*
 


Don’t Hex and Drive is the second book in the “Stay A Spell” series and I have been wanting to get back to this series, as I have fallen behind on it here. I will say that while I didn’t love it I did enjoy this one here. It is the type of book you could easily read in one sitting and it did contain some fun tropes and is so interesting to see this author write something so different, while I like the more serious toned PNR she did previously, this does have a unique flair that is quite entertaining and will definitely satisfy the crowd that lives for romantic comedies these days (aka books with illustrated covers). I will admit that I wasn’t sure what I would get in this book, I did remember how much I enjoyed Wolf Gone Wild but I don’t always connect with enemies to lovers type of stories but I found that I really loved the bantering and unrequited love that is built within this story.

Christ. One smile, and I was devastated. Lost. Swimming in an ocean of what-the-fuck.

The gist of the story is that our heroine, Isadora, is a witch and a powerful one at that. She lives in her garden and rides her bike everywhere she goes. What she doesn’t expect is to get hit by a vampire who also happens to be a famous Bollywood star. Devraj is known to be infamous in his talents as an actor but also has lived for centuries as a vampire and he is tempted to take a bite out of Isadora who only tempts him. She is so resistant to him but he is determined to prove to her he isn’t a bad guy. But when a series of events have them working together to bring down a ring of vampire-human trafficking down, they realize what a great team they make together. But Devraj is here in New Orleans on a temporary basis, and Isadora doesn’t do long-distance and can’t put herself in an emotionally fragile spot no matter how tempting Devraj is to her. But love has a way of making a mess of best laid plans….

We stood there in a silent hug for what might have been one minute. Maybe two. But that small moment filled me with dizzying bliss. Her slender body pressed to mine felt like holding home in my arms. I knew then that there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Isadora Savoie. 

Don’t Hex and Drive was such a fun enlightening read and I had such a fun time with it. I won’t say that it was a page-turner because as much as I love this author, her books can be a hit or miss for me when it comes to if they are page-turners for me or not. But I did have an enjoyable time with this one, and it turned out to be a quicker read than I expected it to be. I was really intrigued to see where this one would go here. I really liked the opposites attract/enemies to lovers type of setting here. Isadora and Devraj are so different from each other, but it was quite fascinating to see how they managed to make a relationship between them work. I loved how determined Devraj turned out to be and loved how he was such a solid guy at heart. He is always all-in for Isadora and seeing such a hero being so devoted was a thing of beauty. I do wish we could have seen Isadora be willing to fight for Devraj a bit more. There were paranormal elements to this story, but it wasn’t that focused. It’s definitely on the lighter side of things, and there is some fun bantering to really make this a light read.

Overall I found Don’t Hex and Drive to be a truly edge-of-your-seat fun wild ride, that delivered in some unique setups and beautiful magical delights to curl your toes!

Isadora- sweet, dog loving, plant obsessed, incredibly shy and introverted girl (afraid to drive which was very relatable)

Devraj- charismatic, arrogant, wealthy and famous Bollywood actor/super powerful Stygorn vamp who has it all but is lonely

Opposites attract? That's what the author was going for. However, I just felt like these characters did not mesh, and the steam seemed very forced. Like, I would actually cringe at how forward Devraj is toward Isadora because in my mind I heavily dislike men like him (overly charismatic and arrogant guys who have it all). I get that we're supposed to see past that, but just because he's not a bad guy doesn't mean he's not still those things. It just seemed so forced, and I could not get on board at all.

Also, the mystery plot didn't really do it for me either. The ending was way too easy, and then the romance ending was way too cheesy. Also, I think these characters were straight up not good at communicating how they felt about each other, which is a sign that a relationship might not work. I hate that as a plot point in romances. Overall, I was so very disappointed and struggled to finish this book.

I highly recommend the first book in the series, and possibly the series as a whole (still have to read the rest), but this book is a weak one in my opinion.

Kelly Casey

Where do I start?

Isadora- sweet, dog loving, plant obsessed, incredibly shy and introverted girl (afraid to drive which was very relatable)
Devraj- charismatic, arrogant, wealthy and famous Bollywood actor/super powerful Stygorn vamp who has it all but is lonely

Opposites attract? That's what the author was going for. However, I just felt like these characters did not mesh, and the steam seemed very forced. Like, I would actually cringe at how forward Devraj is toward Isadora because in my mind I heavily dislike men like him (overly charismatic and arrogant guys who have it all). I get that we're supposed to see past that, but just because he's not a bad guy doesn't mean he's not still those things. It just seemed so forced, and I could not get on board at all.
Also, the mystery plot didn't really do it for me either. The ending was way too easy, and then the romance ending was way too cheesy. Also, I think these characters were straight up not good at communicating how they felt about each other, which is a sign that a relationship might not work. I hate that as a plot point in romances. Overall, I was so very disappointed and struggled to finish this book.

I highly recommend the first book in the series, and possibly the series as a whole (still have to read the rest), but this book is a weak one in my opinion.

Catarina Silva

4 stars

I'm in love with this series. Although I think I still prefer Evie's book, Isadora and Devraj's story was also cute. Protagonist doesn't like her hot new vampire neighbour? Hum, yes sign me in. 

Jules and Ruben though... I can't wait.

Sheena

The predecessor to 'Wolf Gone Wild', this was a decent followup to the 'Stay & Spell' series which centers around the next Savoie sister in line, Isadore. 
 
Isadore was far more relatable and due to our similarities, I was able to connect with her a lot more than with Evie. Then we have our vampire Bollywood star, Devraj Kumar (who I picture as Ranveer Singh because I mean… look at him!). He was woo-wee hot! And the diversity, bravo! They were complete opposites in every single way but what I liked the most about their relationship besides the scorching chemistry was how they were able to balance each other and work seamlessly together when searching for the missing women.
 
Addition to that, the side characters were everything! I seriously can't wait to read Jules and Ruben's story and what led to their disastrous relationship as well as Violet and Nico. The cousin to Mateo, Nico seems like a troublemaker and I'm here for it.
 
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this more than 'Wolf Gone Wild' and can't wait to see which sister is next. Fingers crossed it's Ruben and Violets because I need to know what their history was and the nature of their relationship.

Laja

Firstly, I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of the second book in the Stay A Spell series, Don’t Hex & Drive. This book was just what I needed and more! The characters were relatable, hilarious, swoony, and fun to read. Releases September 8th!

This is Isadora and Devraj’s story. First impressions of Devraj? He is FINE! with a capital F!
What wasn’t there to love? He’s tall, dark and handsome. He’s a Bollywood star, a powerful vampire, and so sweet and thoughtful (cue the heart eyes). Isadora is awkward, sarcastic, and a powerful conduit. The dynamic between Isadora and her sisters is so fun and I love getting to see the magic each sisters possess. I absolutely loved Devraj and Isadora together. They were HOT and had such great chemistry. Can I also mention my appreciation for Devraj being a POV and according to the author he looks like Ranveer Singh?! Like I don’t know about y’all but he is SEXY! I have been a huge Bollywood fan since I was a kid, and this book gave me all the Bollywood vibes sans the dance breaks Lol. This book had me watching Bollywood movies into the wee hours of the morning! I also loved seeing characters from the first book and I am super excited for the next book which is Violet & Nico’s story. If your looking for a great PNR with POC love interests, then I highly recommend picking up this series! 4.5/5 stars!

Megan BV

I loved reading this. A little vampire-witch love. Sexy and fun. 

Lauren Sullivan

Content warnings: (view spoiler)[violence, social anxiety, panic attack (hide spoiler)]

The second in the Stay a Spell series, this book features Isadora, another one of the Savoie sisters. Like the rest of her sisters, she’s a witch, and she’s specifically a Conduit, which means she can heal people using her magic. Isadora is very much a homebody, content in her greenhouse and with her family and close circle of friends, partly because of her social anxiety. Her life revolves around gardening and selling potions at the family shop, and frankly, the only thing she thinks is missing is a dog. And then a hot vampire hits her bicycle with his car.

“Let me get this straight.” A shocked laugh belted up my throat. “You speed down an unfamiliar road, hit someone with your Porsche, send her flying into the air, injure her ankle, break her expensive, imported plant, and then decide to flirt with her?”

Devraj is an extremely powerful vampire – a Stygorn – who also happens to be an extremely attractive and rich retired Bollywood actor. He’s there at the request of the head New Orleans vampire, his friend Ruben, to help track down several human women who’ve gone missing from various bars around the city. He’s a jetsetter, fixing issues in one country before setting off for another, partying with actors, basically living a dream lifestyle. But it’s begun to pale lately and what he’s come to the realization that want he really wants is to finally settle down somewhere.

“I’d stopped dating a few years ago, immersing myself in happier pursuits. Like gardening. Men just didn’t compare to the joy of hyacinth in bloom, sorry to say. Not in my experience anyway.”

Devraj is attracted to Isadora initially because of how authentic she is, but it’s also that quality of hers that makes her think they can’t work out together. Sure, Dev’s actually a sweet and humble person, but his movie star lifestyle sounds like a nightmare to introverted Isadora. She describes herself at one point as Mr. Darcy, and there’s definitely some P&P similarities here in how she initially treats Dev. Plus Isadora know that as soon as the case is wrapped up, Dev will leave, so what’s the point of risking getting attached to someone who can’t – or won’t – stay?

Despite the mystery around the missing girls, this is a lighthearted book. Yes, it’s a bit over the top – he’s a retired actor AND a really powerful vampire AND rich AND a mama’s boy – with a side of insta-lust, but it’s ridiculously fun. There’s dates with delicious food, lots of Savoie sister banter, and the inevitable “well, we’ll just sleep together once to get it out of our systems” rationalization. Mmmhmm, we know how that works. Isadora and Devraj are just so cute together – not too mention their great chemistry – and basically everybody besides Isadora realizes that quickly. Luckily, it’s a lot of fun watching her figure that out!

Isadora has both social anxiety and anxiety related to being in a car. While everyone seems to accept that she’s the quiet Savoie sister just fine, I was a little off-put by how some of the other characters treated the car-related issues – her sister brushing off her worries and saying that the person was a good driver, Devraj deciding to teach her how to drive without asking if that’s something she even wants.

Overall, this was a sweet and funny paranormal romance, and I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the next Savoie sister’s book!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Aundreya Rich

Don't Hex and Drive is a fun twist of Fantasy, Romance, and Crime Drama. Davraj, a Stygorn vampire (yield from some of the most ancient and powerful in the vampire bloodline) whose known for his Bollywood acting carrier and being one the the most desirable men/vampires, joins forces to find the head honcho do an underground trade of women kidnapped and used as blood hosts to vampires. While working along side his friend Reuben, Davraj accidentally has a little run in... with his car, and one tall glass of witch. Isodra despises people in general, especially those who lack the proper skill of safe driving. As a conduit and dog lover, she loves to help use her powers for growth and healing, but finds herself wrapped into the investigation with Devraj to find the missing girls.
Devraj is sweet, flirty, and ready to steal the heart of Isadora, but Isadora will fit him with everything she has.

This book was very funny and all around enjoyable. The mix of crime and romance was fun and easily intriguing although if I'm honest I was living for the moments Devraj and Isadora were together.

What I struggled with a bit was the fantasy part. I love the genre and tend to read very detail rich novels, and I just kept wondering... ok a witch and a vampire.... what happens when she ages? does she not age? they can have kids then? what happens then? I just wanted a little bit more development there since it seems the folklore idea behind vampires changes drastically in each book. Some they sparkle... some they can't go in the sun at all. Some I guess survive on blood and never die but otherwise can do everything humans do?

Overall really enjoyed this light hearted tale!

Leah | @LeahsLittlePleasures

Oh my goooosh. This book!! Dev and Issy are everything! I love them so much.

Isadora, one of the many Savoie sisters, is a witch with healing powers and her organized routine and simple world is, happily, turned upside down when Devraj, a vampire and Strygon, a legendary vampire warrior, shows up on the scene. She is a plant mama, animal lover, and introvert. He is a charming, famous Bollywood actor with a knack for pushing people's buttons and always on the move. What could go wrong?! 😁

Issy is yet another relatable character that I can see pieces of myself in 🙌🏻 And I do love her to pieces. AND DEV 🤤 The sweetest, most zealous man alive. He's the best. I couldn't put this book down!

• READ THIS IF YOU LIKE •
— supernatural factions
— witches, vampires, reapers, and magic
— New Orleans setting
— lots of plants 🌱 and all the pups 🐶
— sisterly bonds, banter, and love
— steamy friends? enemies? both? to lovers 🔥

Have you been convinced to read the Stay A Spell series yet?! If not, you just need to. K? K. ✌🏻

Dani Edgin

An introverted (not hermit, don’t use that word!) witch bumps into a vampire warrior trying to track down a few of his kind who are abducting girls. Devraj reluctantly ropes Isadora into his investigation and sparks fly between the two. 

Didn’t even realize this was a series until I looked a little further on goodreads, but such a cute book. Gotta catch up on the first one & cannot wait for more!

Nicola Sarah Brooks

OMG! How has this fantastic little series passed me by? I have slapped myself appropriately and have added book 1 to my TBR!

Isadora's magic isn't exactly the stuff of legends. She concentrates more on being a conduit and sharing good vibes with the little lost souls at the rescue charity. She literally bumps into a hottie when he almost runs her over on her bike. He takes her home and soon after they discover they are going to be neighbours!

Devraj is a Stygorn, think Vampire Warrior, he usually goes where the trouble is and as such has been pretty rootless. He made a name for himself in Bollywood, not exactly hiding under the radar!
New Orleans has a problem and magic users are going missing. Devraj has been drafted in to help. 

Devraj initially wants to get Isadora into the nearest bed but he soon knows there is more this witch than a one-and-done. She cannot be less interested in his fame, money, or celebrity status. She is making him work for her interest, a true novelty for him. Isador may be a bit timid and shy and a true introvert but that doesn't make her 2 dimensional. She has quirks and flaws and really grabbed my imagination. 

All of the Savoie sisters are great characters, especially mouth-of-a-sailor Violet. Jules has Ruben dancing to her tune as she ignores her existence as much as she can! Henry the Grim (and IT tech geek) looks like he will be a really interesting character too. 

Can't wait for more!

Belle Waters

Sarina Sherman

4 stars ⭐️ 
Even better than the last one! I loved this. The romance was so heartfelt. And the world building continues to be good! I’m glad the main focus was on the romance because I didn’t really care about the whole side mystery that was going on, though the peeks of Jules & Ruben were something 👀 I only docked a star because the ending was way too cheesy for my liking.

Amanda J 

Liked better than the first. The relationship between Evie and Devraj was excellent--could see what they liked about each other. There was a bit more "miscommunication" trope in this one, but not enough to bog down enjoyment. The side plot had more substance; would like to have delved into that a bit more. There's less side-character interaction in this one but it's not missed. Once again, audio is great.

Lisa W.

Whoa Juliette Cross... 
You spared no punches with this one... I walked into this book thinking it would be a cute light read like Wolf Gone Wild especially since Isadaora was painted in such a soft gentle light. However what I received was a hot steamy adult paranormal delight. 

This book also touched on so many interesting topics without trying too hard to be deep. It touches on human trafficking, religious practices, cultural differences, and more. 

I can't believe I have to wait until Summer 2021 for the next installment. Pure agony.

Ann-Loy

Didn't enjoy this as much as the first one. The world the author is building is fascinating though and I wonder which sister is next.

Aubrey Erskine

Don’t Hex and Drive was one of the cutest witch and vampire romances I’ve come across. While I loved Matteo and Evie, I LOVED Izzy and Devraj. 

Isadora is a conduit witch meaning she can heal not only herself but others. She’s one of the most powerful conduits but likes to fly under the radar and is passionate about helping others. While her social circle may be small, she likes it that way. I found her totally relatable and loved that she talked about having social anxiety. As someone who suffers from anxiety as well it was nice to have that representation, mostly people just think it’s shyness.

Devraj is a powerful Stygorn vampire, one of the most powerful kind from an ancient bloodline. He’s also a famous and talented Bollywood actor to boot, very outgoing and charismatic. While he may come off as a but pompous or shallow in the beginning that couldn’t be further from the truth. I enjoyed his story and learning about his past through his cultural dishes and the pieces he’s collected from his home. He was handsome as hell and incredibly caring, if not a tad over the top sometimes.

Izzy and Devraj were the opposite attract kind of love. He never gave up on her even when she tried to walk away many times. Their interactions ranged from genuine and cute to sizzling hot. They had some serious chemistry and I had to put down the book in the middle of their smutty scenes a few times to compose myself. HOT. I think they balanced each other out perfectly and look forward to glimpses of them in future books.

So there is an actual plot to this book besides the romance, vampire related obviously. Girls were going missing and a vampire ring was thought to be behind it; enter Devraj mighty Stygorn Hunter. While sidelined by the smut, it was never too far from conversation and I enjoyed seeing how the witches and vampires worked together. With each book I feel like we get to see this new piece of the world Cross has created.

Nico and Violet are the next couple up and I’m so excited! We get to see a tiny bit of them this book, had some glimpses or Evie and Matteo being all in love and a smidge added to the mystery that is Ruben and Jules. We also got to meet a new character, a grim named Henry, and I’m so curious if he’ll he Clara’s love match. I love love and these books do it so well. Definitely a series to check out of you like contemporary romance with a twist of paranormal. 

Don't Hex and Drive

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