5 witchy romances to fall in love with in October 2026 Charming witches, talking cats and toads just in time for Halloween

I've always said that if I ever got married I would do it in October. Especially since I would fulfill that hidden desire for the total black dress code for the guests and also for myself. Falling in love in summer is easy, with the holidays in between, the fleeting hotties that last not even a weekend... the real challenge is to fall in love in October, when it starts to get cold and real life has already started a while ago. But it's a really nice month to fall in love, because there's that poem about falling leaves, about walks in the bookstore looking for the perfect book to read in front of the burning stove... can you think of an appointment like this? Me always! I took a look at my list of books I want to read (almost endless) and the list of books I've read in recent years, and I foundfive witchy novels to get into the perfect haunted mood, but always keeping love first. Almost. I mean, maybe we should also think a little about magic, right?

Five books to read in October 2026

A Dark and Secret Magic, Wallis Kinney (Beaver OFF, 2025)

Ecate “Kate” Goodwin is a witch who lives the classic life of a witch, complete with a black cat named Merlin and the power to heal with her magic. For her thirty-first birthday (which falls precisely on October 31) she is asked to host the coven's Halloween gathering, but a man who comes directly from her past and who is not exactly what he seems to be complicating things. If you add to this a cursed book and an ancient family secret, I would say that fun is guaranteed. A dark and secret magic is one of those books that you keep aside for this period, because it screams October right from the cover (and a special edition has just come out).

The Ex Hex, Erin Sterling (Oscar Mondadori, 2024)

Never mix exes and magic. Especially if you're a witch, especially if there's vodka involved and a hot bath that should theoretically be restorative, but that actually seems to fuel your thirst for revenge. That's how Vivienne Jones cursed her ex ten years ago, and she doesn't even remember it anymore. But when dear Rhys returns to Graves Glenn, Vivienne realizes that there are some accounts that cannot remain unresolved... especially if the spell she cast has decidedly unpredictable effects. Anyone who ever had a former idiot would have liked to do what Vivienne did, but this book teaches that every action has a reaction, and that ten-year-old spells can have unpredictable consequences, specifically a talking cat and really, really too many accidents for a small town like Graves Glenn. Why doesn't anyone ever think about the inhabitants of the towns when these things happen? The sequel, The Kiss Curse, is also already available.

Mountains made of glass, Scarlett St. Clair (Ne/On Libri, 2025)

For as long as she can remember, Gesela knows that her village has always been cursed several times. So, when it's her turn to break the current curse and kill the toad that infests the well, she discovers that in reality that toad was a prince who was the victim of a spell. But he was not alone, but he had as many as six brothers who, to punish the girl, decide to send her to the “baddest” among them, the one they call the Beast. Spoiler: no, it's not a horrible and dangerous monster. In fact, to be honest, it's pretty fascinating. The prince offers Gesela a pact: if she guesses her name within seven days, she will be free to go. Simple, isn't it? This isn't a simple re-adaptation of the Beauty and the Beast story. Here we find several fairytales by the Brothers Grimm adapted to a romantasy capable of capturing you from the front pages. The second book in the series, Golden Apple Trees, has already been released.

The Spell Shop, Sarah Beth Durst (Rizzoli, 2025)

After years spent in the Imperial Library, due to a revolution in the capital, Kiela is forced to flee to the island of Caltrey, which, however, is not at all as she remembered. The enchanted animals are weakening, thanks to the fact that the magic of the place itself has completely vanished. Kiela decides to open her own jam shop, so as to use it as a cover to help the population with magic remedies. It's a pity, however, that he hasn't come to terms with Larran, the horse-breeding neighbor who is sticking his nose a little too hard into his business. While it may not exactly scream Halloween, The Spell Shop is a book that makes you a little want to be a witch. After reading it, you too will want to drop everything and start all over again in a place like Caltrey. The second self-contained volume, The Enchanted Greenhouse, is also available.

The Little Magic Coffee, Jessica Rosenberg (Storm, 2026)