Ann Aguirre’s Fix-it Witches series is doing some really interesting things within the contemporary small town romance genre. In Extra Witchy, Aguirre puts two characters who would typically be side characters in the middle of the action. Leanne is the ambitious career woman and Trevor is the stoner slacker who lives in his parents’ basement. In Witch, Please, their bathroom hookup at Danica and Clem’s party was a source of amused befuddlement, (though not unkindly because Ann Aguirre doesn’t do unkind). In another romcom, they might have been paired up for laughs, or maybe Leanne would subvert her political ambitions by making Trevor her fixer-upper. Neither of those things happen here. Leanne never tries to fix Trevor and after some reasonable side-eye, their friends accept them as a couple.
We know that Leanne brings the wine to coven meetings and is gorgeous, competent, and a bit sharp edged. Trevor is sweet, reliable, unambitious, and likes to smoke weed and play video games. He’s the guy Titus calls when he needs help. The beginning of Extra Witchy gives some background on why Leanne walks up to Trevor and invites him to become her third husband.
Twice divorced Leanne wants to run for city council, but she knows she’s a hard sell as a single woman. Leanne thinks Trevor is charming and sweet after their hookup turns into a one night stand. He’s also convenient. Conveniently single and available for a marriage of mutual convenience. She needs a husband who will make her more relatable and will support her run for office. He needs to get out of his parent’s basement and some breathing room to build his own life.
I love the way Aguirre explored the double-edge sword of expectations. Trevor doesn’t meet his father’s expectations for what a man should be, so Trevor is told he is a disappointment. His family expects only failure from him and his anxiety and depression amplify that message. Leanne accepts him for who he is and values his kindness. She expects that he will figure out what he wants eventually, and leaves him to it. She gives him the freedom to succeed in whatever way he chooses. But undefined expectations also cause friction between them.
I loved this. I loved Leanne and Trevor. I loved the middle finger to toxic masculinity and gender expectations. I loved the way characters made missteps, apologized, and tried again in a constant dance of evolving relationship. Only the people who aren’t willing to try are shut out of relationships.
There is a lot of plot in the back half of Extra Witchy. I thought it holds together well, thought a lot of different things happen. For people uncomfortable that Danica doesn’t tell Titus she’s a witch in Witch, Please, that issue is resolved in this book.
CW: Toxic families, past child neglect, discussion of abortion, discussion of hunting and death of an animal, depression, anxiety, low self esteem, misogyny, death of a parent, HEA baby.
I received this advance reader copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.