I’ve spent a lifetime cracking what I like to call parental puns, starting far before I was a parent. This was exacerbated by 15 years of teaching high school English, every one of which included me enthusiastically telling kids we were going to get lit…erature. Anyone who has met me would not be surprised to learn that I infused my debut novel with puns, starting with the title. As I head back into an English language arts classroom — this time a middle school with a crab mascot — well, it’s safe to say I won’t be shellfish. I predict crabbulous opportunities for in-person punning on top of the authorial quips brewed into Hopelessly Teavoted.
The thing about word play is that it’s a sort of magic in itself; like all humor, it allows us to grapple with some of the most difficult things about being human. Blending puns with magic gives us a tool for not only surviving life, in all its beauty and its sadness, but also for leaning into the emotional fluidity of feeling moments of joy when we need them, even if our lives aren’t cooperating. There is so much in this world that is out of our control, so much of cruelty and heartbreak. Magical romance and humor can grapple with serious issues, and in doing so, help us process grief and pain so that we can have times when we don’t simply survive; we also thrive.
I set my debut Hopelessly Teavoted, and its standalone companion, Vengefully Matched (coming fall 2026), in a world like ours, but slightly kinder. The characters face painful issues, just like we do. But they also have magic, and more importantly, they have an unabashed sense that it is fine to be just exactly who they are. To tell the jokes that make others groan, but to do it wholeheartedly and keep the faith that there are people out there — their people — who will not only indulge, but truly adore, their senses of humor.
So because romantic magic and parental puns are my Special-Tea; here are a few of my favorite witchy romances with punny titles.
‘Witchful Thinking’ by Celestine Martin
Set in the seaside town of Freya Grove, this charming witchy romance follows Lucy, a high school teacher and witch, and Alex, a merman and her old crush from high school. They agree to help each other, and when they dive into it, the results are bantery and magical. Even better? This book is part of the Elemental Love series, which means we get MORE. In fact, there’s a whole trio of punny titled and delightful Freya Grove books: Witchfull Thinking, Kiss and Spell and Deja Brew.
‘Mr. & Mrs. Witch’ by Gwenda Bond
A magical and swoony play on Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mr. & Mrs. Witch is about a seemingly perfect couple, Savannah and Griffin. Except Savvy is secretly a witch and Griffin is secretly essentially a witch hunter, and their trip down the aisle takes an enormous detour when they discover each other’s respective identities. I love an enemies-to-lovers, and I love a second chance, so it’s no surprise that lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers-again won my entire heart.
‘Big Witch Energy’ by Molly Harper
This is a second chance romance about a cursed heroine (a soft spot of mine to read and to write!). Caroline cannot leave the small town on the island she grew up on, something that came between her and Ben, the high school sweetheart who left town for school, became a doctor, and then returned divorced, with two children in tow.
But this time around, he begins to notice the magic — both literal and figurative — in Caroline. There are haunted objects and charming moments galore. The beauty of a witchy romcom really is that so many of them come in multiples. This is yet another book that comes with friends; it’s the second in the Starfall Point series that also includes Witches Get Things Done and Never Been Witched.
‘Rules for Ghosting’ by Shelly Jay Shore
There is a specific subcategory of magic romance books deal gently with death, that thing that is as much a part of love and life as any amount of comedy, tropes and beats. Rules for Ghosting is so poignantly honest about the pain of grief, but also about the love of it. The thing about grief (that I think we all learned from Wandavision) is that it’s just love enduring, and the thing about love is that it’s always a risk. We always, always risk that the people we love will leave us, by choice or by nature.
Ezra is a doula who can see ghosts, and Jonathan is a widower mourning his late husband, Ben, who Ezra can inexplicably both see and hear, even though that definitely breaks ghost rules. The big point here is that it’s quite possibly the bravest thing in the world to love anyway, especially after losing love to time or death. And the beauty of this book is not just in the new beginning of a love story between Ezra and Johnathan, but also in the realization that we don’t ever truly lose love, that it stays with us, the memory of our beloved a blessing even after they are gone.
‘The Ex Hex’ by Erin Stirling
This is one of my all-time favorites for both the wacky small-town vibes, and the grumpiness of Rhys, the lingering anger of Vivienne, and the measures they must take to protect the town after an accidental angry Vivi’s teeny, little curse on her ex as he left her a decade earlier turns out to be a mighty hex once he returns to town.
It’s hot, the characters are enjoyable and there’s a talking cat, who I can only describe as paw-some. See also: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsokawa if you’re looking for a talking cat in a book that is not a romance. That one is a favorite of mine this year, and I can’t not think about it any time I’m discussing books or cats. So all of the time.
‘A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon’ by Sarah Hawley
Two words: Horny horns. Mariel is supposed to be a gifted witch, but all of her spells seem to go awry, including the one in which she accidentally summons Ozroth the Ruthless, a grumpy and — you guessed it — hot demon. The summoning precipitates a soul bargain she’s trying to avoid, and in the navigation of him trying to collect and her trying to avoid leads to fake dating, and then (as it does) fake dating leads to real feelings. Those real feelings include a lot of sexy time, which is when we learn that demon horns are … particularly sensitive. It’s a charming detail for a charming, funny, and sexy book.
‘Payback’s A Witch’ by Lana Harper
I love a sapphic, witchy revenge romcom, it has to be said. And this book delivers on that in the story of Emmy and Talia, two witches working to get revenge on town heart breaker Gareth. The tension between Emmy and Talia is delicious, the small-town vibes are charming, and The Witches of Thistle Grove series is the gift that keeps on giving: after Payback’s a Witch, this universe also includes From Bad to Cursed, Back in a Spell, In Charms Way and Rise and Divine.
‘Do Your Worst’ by Rosie Danan
This one has one of my favorite pairings: a scientific skeptic and a true believer, which of course also means that it’s got grumpy and sunshine energy. Riley doesn’t describe herself as a witch per se, but I’m going to include it, because her skills are definitely witchy.
Set in a Scottish castle, the book has both actual magic and aesthetic magic at play, and the love scenes are so hot, it’s almost ridiculous. Bonus points for a ritual curse-breaking activity that involves both sex and love. Everything Rosie Danan writes is pure gold, and for more paranormal fun — especially if werewolves make you howl — check out Fan Service, which I am unable to stop rereading because of its hotness and goodness.
‘Witcha Gonna Do?’ by Avery Flynn
Tilda, despite coming from a powerful witch family, is not magical, which complicates things when she needs to break a curse. Gil, her nemesis, is hot, arrogant and unfortunately extremely kissable. And, oh, she needs him to fix magical problems, and in the process, she begins to discover things about herself. The dual point of view is perfect, the banter and pacing are excellent and the cover is absolutely gorgeous.
‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna
I snuck this one in; it’s a play on secret societies and not quite a pun, but I simply can’t help my shelf. There is something truly magical in the pages of this book, something that blends together romance, and magic and the love of found family. There’s a deep sadness to Mika Moon, a witch who has been raised to hide her magic, and there’s also sadness to witchcraft in general in this world, in which any one with magic is orphaned.
Mika takes a job teaching three young witches, and getting to know a grumpy and overprotective librarian, Jamie, who is also in charge of their care. Mandanna weaves together the threads of Mika and Jamie, as well as the children and a charming cast of other characters, in a way that honors their pain and their ultimate hope in learning that with human connection, people (and witches) can overcome any amount of sadness. It’s cozy, it’s romantic and it feels like a warm cup of tea for the soul in a cold world.
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