witchbuns

Joanna Thurlow, 2026. Four Stars.

This was wicked fun, because we meet Cleo, a FMC making a dishonest living as a bartender who tends to overcharge drunk misogynists and the hopeless twits at her work. She is in debt because her former boyfriend swindled her, and she’s down bad for cash. Then she finds a completely shady opportunity to join a dating show for 250K and it’s the only choice worth pursuing. The book moves quickly into the dating reality show, coupling off in barren Canadian woods, and we know this is a trap, a farce, but the contestants have faith in (humanity? television?). Her primary love interest is a musician named Kei who is all kinds of kindness and a lovely representation of Canadians everywhere, finding food, taking on work, and looking out for the group. 

I was interested in this being set in Canada and because I love an antiheroine who scoffs at dating conformity, and I had a great time reading. Joanna Thurlow, you had me at page one and your writing was really well-developed to keep propelling us through the forest, the dating disasters, and the villains running the show.

The last third might move a tad too quickly, because I needed more time with Cleo and Kei to see why they loved one another and could last. I also wanted to see why Kei (who was goodness personified) was attracted to Cleo and where he found her personality compelling. Maybe one more scene of them being truly unique together without cameras, with a real relationship or “connection” that had roots. 

I’d still highly recommend this book because it’s a true romp of a book and the speed we take to move through the story was one of my favourite assets. Highly recommend, I want more crooked female characters and I want to read more from Thurlow. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Pownal Street Press for the ARC to review.