Title: Enchanted to Meet You
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Contemporary romance, fantasy romance, romantic comedy
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers 
Publication Date: 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 347 pages

Read if you like: very light fantasy, small town romance, witches, fall vibes, paranormal activity, plus size character

Rating: 

I feel like I’m on a bit of a romance streak lately, which is rare for me. I do read a lot of fantasy romance, but I consider that a very separate genre from contemporary romance. That’s why when a friend told me about Enchanted to Meet You, I was incredibly intrigued. A contemporary romance with magic, but one that still mostly fits the romance archetype?! Sign me up. 

Enchanted to Meet You was a super fun little novel with a ton of elements that I love in a book. All of the characters were just the right amount of quirky, the setting made me want to take a weekend road trip to Connecticut, and the magic was this almost folklore-inspired, Salem witch style that had echoes of historic tangents while also feeling unique and relevant in the contemporary setting. Not to mention the romance, which had me swooning from very early on. 

This was a hyper-cute novel that I consumed very quickly and left me wanting more. This is the first novel in a series that will be set in the same small town, and based on my experience with this one, I’ll be picking up the next book in the series when it eventually releases.

The Book: Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

Enchanted to Meet You follows clothing retail store owner and witch Jessica Gold. Jessica originally took up witchcraft when she was a girl when her mother gifted her a grimoire from a witch long passed without realizing what she was passing along. In Jessica’s youth, she used the book as a means to craft a love spell for her then-high school crush Billy. However, she quickly learned that magic was something to use with caution when Billy fell so head over heels for her that he promptly decided to give up his scholarship to follow her wherever she went. While Jessica does manage to break it off with Billy, he’s never really the same again, and she learns that if she’s going to use magic, it needs to have the best of intentions for everyone involved.

Now, Jessica owns a trendy clothing boutique where she channels her magic into making people feel good about themselves. She’s found a lot of success in her chosen field, but ever since the scarring experience with Billy, she’s mostly led an independent, man-free life. 

One day, while she’s helping her customers prepare for her town’s tricentennial celebration (which just so happens to be at Halloween), a dark, handsome stranger by the name of Derrick Winters enters her life to proclaim that Jessica is “the chosen one” and must now work to find the “Bringer of Light” so that they together can save the town of West Harbour from certain doom. It turns out that a series of strange events have been occurring, and they’re all related to the predicted downfall of their town and all those in it. Derrick insists that only Jessica and her Bringer of Light, a young girl named Esther whom Jessica has never met, are the town’s only hope.

As Jessica connects with Esther and they begin to train against the forces of evil, she also finds herself drawn to Derrick in ways that she simply cannot resist. Derrick, who is mostly a loner, finds himself feeling the same, and before either of them knows it, they find themselves in a budding romance while simultaneously working to save the town. 

Despite their preparation, nefarious plans are underway in the town, particularly with Jessica’s arch-nemesis Rosalie. Jessica, Derrick, and Esther will all need to come together alongside others in their town if they hope to overcome the evil that threatens their lives and the relationships that they hold most dear.

The Review

This book was adorable and fun from start to finish. I haven’t read any Meg Cabot before, but I’ve been told the feel and style of this novel is consistent with her other works.

I loved the setting in a small, touristy town in Connecticut. It made me want to take a road trip through New England during peak leaf-peeping season. The town itself felt young and quaint and hipster-y while being connected to significant historical roots in the witch-burning era that the region was known for. This was an important tie-in to the plot and also gave some extra depth to an otherwise cutesy small town.

I also liked the characters. Jessica was quirky and strange and overwhelmingly kind, almost to the point that any malice on her side didn’t feel like it could permeate for long, and Derrick, her love interest, was a fun compliment to her bubbliness with his broody, grumpy disposition. Seeing the various facets of Derrick unfold as his secrets come to life added more depth to his character beyond the crankiness which allowed him to move into a relationship with Jess that felt truly endearing. 

While both main characters were good, my favourite character was actually Esther. I felt like she was a super fascinating witch with some interesting opinions and edges that I would love to see explored further. I know that this is the first book in a series set in this town so I hope that we get to see more of her.

In terms of plot, it felt a little over-the-top with aspects like “The Chosen One” and “The Bringer of Light” but honestly, that was half the fun. Cabot does a good job of slowly raising the stakes as you go while simultaneously building out a super fun cast of characters in a town I’d actually want to live in. The result was this heartwarming and uplifting book that had me swooning and kicking my feet.

If you’re like me and like spooky season but don’t like being scared, this was such a fun alternative to the usual horror or dark witchy reads of the season. It was light and super enjoyable and heartwarming, and I’ll definitely be returning to this series when Cabot releases the next book.