Aamna Qureshi’s The Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison looked fun. It has a light-hearted sort of cover: a fantasy “holiday read”. Enemies to lovers, with some poisoned sisters to save.

It was certainly not something that required much thought. I haven’t read much Romantasy – I suspect this falls into that category – but I do like a good Holiday Read, and I love a good Romance novel.

However. While I’m not one for respecting age-guides for books, I think, in this case, I might have to make an exception.

I really did feel quite old reading it. I don’t think I’m the target age/audience.

Female lead, Bisma, is a garden-witch with a penchant for poisons; male lead Xander, a garden-witch with a penchant for remedies. So far, so good: natural enemies. Then Bisma’s younger sisters, for whom she has responsibility, start being poisoned, and she needs Xander’s help with the remedy, while her spirits are being bolstered by an anonymous correspondent.

Except. None of the “twists” were particularly twisty, which really is saying something given my lack of interest in solving mysteries before the murderer is unveiled. Not the poisoner. Not the mystery letter-writer. Frankly I didn’t find the “enemies” part particularly convincing either.

Mind you, I suppose this might not have been an actual enemies-to-lovers. Just Bisma refusing the allegedly charming Xander or something to protect her heart. There was a lot of unnecessary rudeness and attempting to convince herself that she didn’t like him, or he didn’t like her, or it was better all round if they didn’t get together. [Ah, I see from a blurb that it’s a “grumpy/sunshine romance”, whatever that is. This, apparently. Not sure that makes me feel any better about it.]

All very silly. Like I said, probably too old for it.

On the other hand, I have one of Qureshi’s Adult novels in my TBR pile, The Baby Dragon Cafe, so that has climbed the ladder to see if that makes a difference.

As long as it doesn’t have too many “snuck”s. I do not like “snuck”. It jars. And it occurred entirely too frequently in A Witch’s Guide for my comfort of reading. A little thing, perhaps, but irritating, and I don’t accept American English as an excuse.

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