Publication Date: September 23, 2025
In this holiday romance with an enchanting twist, a magic-averse witch returns home to save her small town’s beloved winter festival in time for the holidays with the help of her estranged coven and distractingly handsome childhood rival.
Rowan Midwinter has sworn off magic after a spell gone wrong back in high school, so she’s not exactly thrilled when she’s guilted into returning to her quaint mountain hometown for the holiday season. But it’s already Yule and much-needed snow still hasn’t fallen, so Rowan decides she can put up with her former coven and unwanted memories if it means saving the town’s beloved winter festival from the megacorporation threatening to buy it out.
But Rowan’s plans to save the beloved tradition and make it through the holiday magic-free go awry when Gavin McCreery, prodigal son of the festival’s landlord, insists on helping, and their unwanted chemistry keeps setting off holiday lights…literally.
As the end of the festive season draws closer and Rowan realizes what is truly at stake, she must reconnect with what she tried to leave behind, overcome the fear of her power, and let her heart lead the way.
A Spell For Midwinter’s Heart is a debut novel by Morgan Lockhart, and I hope to read more of her books. The story is filled with magic, spells, festivals, covens, witches, and their rituals. At the center of it all is Rowan Midwinter. She left their small town eight years before when her magic went astray and has been magic-averse ever since.
She created a life for herself elsewhere, but her jobs don’t fulfill her, and she can only afford a small apartment. She also realizes she doesn’t really have friends, and she has recently broken up with her boyfriend, Dade, with whom she also works.
When her and Gavin’s paths unexpectedly cross at the airport as they are trying to get home for the holidays, there’s a different kind of magic that leads to romance. They had been friends growing up, but went their separate ways, especially when her magic intervened.
Multiple stories are being told all set at Yule, Christmas and New Year’s as Rowan and others try to save their town and their livelihoods from being bought up by a large corporation that doesn’t have their best interests at heart. And willing to make a deal with the outsiders is Gavin’s dad.
The story has a few unexpected twists and it was heartwarming to see Rowan embrace her town and her family ties even if magic is involved.
There are a variety of characters who were endearing. Some were family and others were friends. There was some closure and a happily ever after in the offing, but the story ended abruptly. The epilogue needed to go on a little longer unless this is going to be a connected story or a series.
A Spell For Midwinter’s Heart is a romance filled with magic and vivid descriptions of spells, the town and its surroundings.
Morgan Lockhart hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she currently lives with her family, including her partner, two children, and a pack of fur babies. Growing up in the woods of Washington State, Morgan has always been telling and consuming stories in all shapes and sizes. She roamed her way to California, where she graduated with highest honors from the creative writing department at UC San Diego. Her path forked into video games then, as she put off her final trimester of college to work on her first video game. A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart is her first novel.
