Payback's a Witch

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets *The L Word*’ comparison at first—how many times have we heard that? But *Payback’s a Witch* actually delivers on the promise. The audiobook’s strength lies in its narration: Jeremy Carlisle Parker doesn’t just *read* the story; he *performs* it, with a knack for timing that turns even throwaway lines into punchlines. His Emmy is deliciously prickly, all clipped tones and repressed longing, while his Gavin oozes charm without tipping into caricature. The real standout, though, is how he handles the ensemble—Thistle Grove’s witchy families each have a distinct cadence, making the town feel alive in a way that’s rare in audiobooks. That said, the pacing isn’t perfect. The first act drags slightly as Harper sets up the town’s lore and Emmy’s backstory, and there’s a mid-book lull where the romantic tension stalls out just a beat too long. (I found myself fast-forwarding through a few of the magical tournament scenes—sorry, not sorry.) But the payoff is worth it: the last third is a masterclass in emotional whiplash, swinging from laugh-out-loud humor to gut-punch revelations. The production quality is flawless—no odd pauses or volume dips—though I’d kill for a dramatis personae in the accompanying PDF, because keeping track of the Harlows vs. the Avramovs vs. the Blackmoores gets tricky. Still, this is the rare audiobook that’s *better* than the print version, thanks to Parker’s ability to sell both the snark and the sincerity. If you love enemies-to-lovers with actual stakes, magic that feels lived-in, and narration that makes you forget you’re listening to a single person? This is your next obsession.