How to Flirt with a Witch

Okay, let’s be real: I picked this up for the ‘cursed kitten’ premise and stayed for the way Tiana Warner turns a simple college romance into a story about power, consent, and the weirdness of modern intimacy. Katie’s voice is so refreshingly *normal*—she’s not a Chosen One, just a girl who adopted a cat and accidentally inherited a magical dumpster fire. The romance with Em avoids the usual paranormal tropes; their dynamic is less ‘fated mates’ and more ‘two traumatized people circling each other with knives and bad jokes.’ Warner’s worldbuilding is deceptively casual: the magic system (blood contracts, witchy academia) feels lived-in, not info-dumped, and the humor lands because it’s rooted in character. That said, the middle act drags slightly with repetitive ‘will they/won’t they’ beats, and a subplot about Katie’s roommate feels undercooked. Adrienne Fleming’s performance is *chef’s kiss*—especially her Merlin, who she voices like a cross between a Victorian dandy and a TikTok troll. Her Katie sounds like the friend you’d vent to over cheap wine, and her Em is all smoldering restraint until she’s not. The audio production is crisp, with no distracting edits, though I’d have loved a touch more atmospheric sound design during the magic-heavy scenes (a whisper of wind here, a crackling spell there). Minor quibbles aside, this is a standout in the queer paranormal romance space because it’s *funny* without sacrificing depth. If you’ve ever wanted a romance where the love interest is hot *and* morally dubious, and the real villain might be your own cat, this is your book. Just maybe don’t listen while cuddling your pet—they’ll sense your suspicion.