Don't Hex and Drive

Stay a Spell, Book 2

By: Juliette Cross

Narrated by: Johanna Fairview, Aiden Snow

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.

©2021 Juliette Cross (P)2021 Podium Audio

love this story!

The narrators for this story truly made the characters come to life! I really liked how they switched back and forth in each chapter.

Holy smolder!

“Abort! Bad decision! Very bad decision!”
The comedy to romance ratio here was a vast improvement over the first, which veered too much into teenage cringe and pop culture geekdom. I’m pleasantly surprised how much I liked this one, given that I don’t care for romances starring actors or guys driving cars worth more than my yearly salary. But, even though this features Devraj, a former Bollywood actor and current flirt, he turned out to be a genuinely good person. I also liked Isadora, a witch more comfortable with pets and plants than people.

“One smile and I was devastated, swimming in an ocean of WTF.”
Like the first book, the mystery takes a back seat to the romance, only coming into play in the beginning to bring our couple together and in the end to give him the opportunity to be the hero. But, given the smolder, and the four smoking scenes, the romance focus worked just fine. Both narrators did an outstanding job with Devraj’s Indian accent, but I think Ms. Fairview gets the biggest kudos for selling his sexy, exotic self.

Minor quibbles:
-Isadora’s angst over him being a love ‘em and leave ‘em guy drags on way too long
( even a smidge of communication would’ve cleared that right up)
-The Jerry Maguire finish was a little too high school for this couple
(but it was sweet and forgivable, considering the overall fun tone of this book)
-I wish Isadora wasn’t such a damsel; where’s her smarts? Or her formidable witchy-ness? Her role is mostly to be the bait, damsel, and tag-along to the men, who do all the sleuthing, fighting, and saving. For that matter, why couldn’t the other witch sisters have been part of the sleuthing, fighting, and saving part of the equation?

Love this book

This couple is the best. They both have so much depth, stick to their beliefs while also staying open to growth. Shy heroine without being a doormat. Love this book

great books

I've read #1 and 2 so far and really love them. so well written I'm looking forward to #3. Johanna and Aiden do such a great job.
I'll look for other books they read.

I usually don't like blushing FMC!!!!

This book Surprised me!!!
I usually don't like blushing FMC but the author did a great job making her relatable. She is strong in her own right just an introvert. They (author and Narrators) made me smile through this whole book!!!! It's a slow but Hot burn this is So balanced!!! The perfect amount of everything I needed!!! I can't wait for the next the next one!!!

The Indian Accent 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

Love the story and the romance but you didn’t have to to do a Appu from Simpson’s voice. Ironically for Devraj’s narration you got an American Narrator.

It was done in poor taste.

You actually did have to do that. If you were true to your story after 300 years of globe trotting Devraj won’t have an Indian accent at all.

Loved it!

Very sexy and good plot ! I want to finish the series on the rest of the sisters!!

Devraj Kumar could hit me with his car any day!

After reading Wolf Gone Wild book one in the Stay a Spell series, I knew that every sister's road to happily ever after would involve a bit of chaos and a lot of heat and Don't Hex and Drive did not disappoint.

Isadora Savoie is a bit of a homebody who likes to keep to herself. Home by 10:00 every night and in bed by 10:30 her only companions are her best friend, her witchy sisters, and the dogs at the shelter she volunteers at. Other than that, she likes to stick to her greenhouse and stocking the backroom at her family's witchy shop. All that changes when Devraj quite literally crashes into her life.

Devraj Kumar never intended to hit the lovely witch with his car, but he was a bit preoccupied and new to town. Plus, who wears dark clothing while they are on a bicycle? After getting the witch home safe he can't help but wonder if she could keep him company while he is town hunting down the vampires responsible for the missing girls.

Encounter after encounter and Isodora is not warming up to the vampire no matter how hard Devraj tries. He isn't used to having to fight for a woman's attention but if there ever was a woman worth the fight it was Isodora.

As Devraj and Isodora work together to stop the kidnappings they both realize that there could be something here if only they both learn to give a little. Devraj might have been around for hundreds of years, but a woman has never made him feel the way Isodora does.

After the blood settles, what happens to the lonely witch and the vampire who has been longing for a home for eons?

Can I somehow get Aiden Snow's voice as my Siri? Asking for a friend. Anyway, Johanna Fairview and Aiden Snow made this narration. Especially Aiden for me, he can do the alpha male growly thing so well and I just turn into a swoony little puddle of goo.

These witches are slowly stealing my heart with their quirkiness, love, and magic. Looking forward to reading book three later this month, I wonder what sister will be next to find her happily ever after...

Absolute banter, comedy, and sappy romance

NARRATION
Johanna Fairview narration was definitely must better in this book for both the MMC and the FMC. She changed inflections and made it quite clear that when a different character came into the story. I absolutely loved her giving the MMC his accent because it made actually go with the story. This is my second story with Aiden Snow as the narrator and i was smitten with his narration of the MMC and FMC. I loved his change of voice for each character and the passion that he had for all the characters. I would have liked to have an Indian narrator so it went more with the character itself.

Story
This story was quite entertaining but it took some getting into at the beginning because of FMC (Isadora Savoie) stubbornness but it was definitely needed for the story. Isadora took some getting used to tbh (literally until almost the end of the book lol) but i think i just couldn't get behind the automatic defensiveness. Also the MMC (Devraj Kumar) was an amazing character which had me more interested in him. Dev is the ideal man, i absolutely loved his character and his development and his kindness/love towards Isadora. I especially loved the continued appearance of Ruben, I feel like reading these books is entertaining but i am in it to get to his story haha

Cute, Entertaining Story

The story was cute. It was predictable in the way most romances are, with very little depth to any of the supporting characters or villains. It had its charming moments and I really enjoyed the little universe this series takes place in. I'd be tempted to read more if the main story arc had any meat to it. I was really disappointed to get to the moment of confrontation with the 'bad guys' only to have it over quickly, resolved without follow up, no further development of the heroine or her powers. In the end it was predictable and anticlimactic.

I think the performance is what saved it honestly. The woman actors voice as the male lead was funny in contrast to when he was actually narrating his own chapters. Both actors did a great job and made this story worth listening to on a very long drive.