Laura J’s review of Over Hexed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Onyx Publishing 2 Oct 07

As you all know, I love the funnay stuff. So a couple of years ago when a friend showed me one of Ms Thompson’s books, I said sure I’ll give her a try. I am so glad I did. I have read all of her Nerd books and have been trying to locate as many of her backlists books as I can find. It’s a pretty funny sight to see a grown woman at a flea market getting a little excited when she locates one.

In her latest release, Ms. Thompson takes us to the fictional town of Big Knob, Indiana named because of a rocky cropping that looks phallic. This small town is where witches Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell are banished after using an “untested potion” to help the High Wizard’s brother in law that failed in a sense. They are required to stay their until they are able to straighten out George the dragon who lives in a nearby forest.

Sean Madigan is the the town hottie, which he is quite tired of. He can’t go anywhere without woman throwing themselves at him. When Dorcas and Ambrose offer to help make him less attractive in exchange for them building them a particular style of bench, he agrees. This seems to work well until Maggie Grady shows up in town to scout out a location for a new grocery store and hopefully save her career. Unfortunately that location is the same one that Sean hopes to purchase and one that was once his childhood home. Not only is Maggie trying to take away the home he wants to buy, but he is extremely attracted to her and not looking exactly like himself. Sean needs to find a way to get his childhood home and win the girl of his dreams and all with a bad haircut and ugly glasses.

Over Hexed is the first in the Hex Series and I hope many more to come (Wild & Hexy will be released in June 2008) . I love the characters and I really enjoyed the change from nerd to hunk hero to hunk hero to nerd. While I was reading this book (the first time, I’ve read it twice now) I kept trying to come up with who should play the parts if this book was ever made into a movie (yeah, I know I’m a real dork, but in my defense this would make a great movie).

Sean is adorable. He’s a good guy who only wants people to see him for more than his good looks and this made him even more endearing to me. The scene when he “rescues” Maggie was funny and tender at the same time. I think all girls want to be rescued by a “knight” at sometime in their lives and Sean was a true knight.

Maggie is a warm and tender person who is tired of being taken advantage of. Someone has be sabotaging her scouting locations allowing the competition to beat her out great locations for the company she works for. She wants desperately to prove that she is good at her job and finally has that opportunity. She could have easily gained the property by making an immediate offer on the property or through underhanded means, but instead she takes Sean’s feelings into consideration. I liked her immediately for not taking the low road.

Dorcas and Ambrose. Well let’s just say I am really looking forward to what they conjure up next.

If you missed this book when it first came out you still have time before the second one comes out. It was a fun, romantic story with great characters and lots of laughs that I highly recommend you pick up if you haven’t already.

Grade: A

     Summary:

     The secret to happiness is a good hex life.

     Banished. Until their unconventional techniques landed them in hot water, Dorcas and Ambrose were the matchmaking sex therapists for lovelorn witches and wizards. The Grand High Wizard has exiled them to the very conventional and unmagical town of Big Knob, Indiana, Pop. 947. But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up matchmaking…

     Now they’re doing it for mere mortals-although all agree: Sean Madigan is something of a god. Because he’s tired of being the town sex object, Dorcas and Ambrose strip him of his appeal and then introduce him to his destiny, Maggie Grady. This time winning a girl’s heart won’t be so easy for Sean. It means rediscovering the charms buried beneath a gorgeous surface.

     Read an excerpt.