An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating
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Overview
A laugh-out-loud witchy rom-com full of humor, heart, and a sprinkle of magic — perfect for fans of cozy fantasy who love their romance with a side of time travel chaos.
Thorn Scarhart is thirty-nine years old, a powerful witch, and hopelessly unlucky in love. She lives in 17th-century England, where the local matchmaker has tried and failed, and even Thorn's most potent love potions haven't conjured so much as a spark. Between the disappearance of her sister and the loss of her mother, romance kept slipping to the bottom of her list. Now, with years behind her and no prospects ahead, she's starting to wonder if she's missed her window entirely.
Reviews and Author Praise
"An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating is a laugh-out-loud delight from start to finish! You'll find yourself rooting for Thorn as she grapples with 21st-century dating conventions and learns that self-discovery is more powerful than any potion. Perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a witchy romcom full of humor and heart."
— Stacy Sivinski, national bestselling author of The Crescent Moon Tearoom
"I enjoyed AN ANCIENT WITCH'S GUIDE TO MODERN DATING! Author Cecilia Edward's writing sparkles with cozy charm and gentle humor, balancing whimsy with heart."
— Harlequin Junkie
"An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating is a laugh-out-loud delight from start to finish! You'll find yourself rooting for Thorn as she grapples with 21st-century dating conventions and learns that self-discovery is more powerful than any potion. Perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a witchy romcom full of humor and heart."
— Stacy Sivinski, national bestselling author of The Crescent Moon Tearoom
"An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating transports readers to an enchanting and romantic world of magic, unexpected friendship ... and newfound love."
— Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchcraft Mysteries and the Haunted Home Renovation series
"Charming, funny and sweet, this book is like a warm hug for the soul. The epitome of cozy fantasy!"
— Katrina Kwan, author of The Last Dragon of the East
Topics and Key Themes
Narrative Tropes
Fish Out of Water
Slow Burn
Opposites Attract
Best Friend's Brother/Sibling
Accidental Time Travel
Key Themes
Magic Can't Fix Loneliness — centuries of power couldn't fill the void that human connection finally does.
Self-Discovery Through Culture Shock — navigating dating apps and modern chaos rewrites who Thorn thought she was.
Love Found After Giving Up — Thorn stops searching and stumbles into the connection she'd stopped believing in.
Past Grief Delaying the Present — lost family anchored Thorn in sorrow long before the time travel ever did.
Old Rules, New Heart — a 17th-century mindset meets 21st-century romance, and neither survives unchanged.
Who is this book for?
Primary Genre: Cozy Fantasy Rom-Com
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5: Light Spice
Behind closed doors. Tension builds to intimacy; scenes fade to black—brief and non-graphic. Chemistry is there, without the details. Want a hint of heat without anything overt? This is it.
Fans of Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will enjoy the fish-out-of-water humor, warm witchy magic, and slow-burn romance woven through this charming time-travel rom-com.
About the Author
Cecilia Edward is the pen name of Remy Lai, a celebrated Australian children's author and illustrator who has won the Australian Prime Minister's Literary Award and the SCBWI Sid Fleischman Award for Humor. Continuing to publish in the middle grade, YA, and graphic novel spaces, she is thrilled to make her adult fiction debut with An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating. Remy is based in Brisbane; you can find her on Instagram @ceciliaedwardbooks.
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Reader FAQs
It leans heavily toward romance. The fantasy elements — witchcraft and time travel — establish the premise and setting, but the story's focus is on Thorn's emotional journey and relationships rather than complex world-building or magical systems.
Like Erin Sterling and Lana Harper, the book features warm witchy magic and contemporary romantic comedy beats. The time-travel premise sets it apart, adding a fish-out-of-water layer that neither author typically employs, alongside a slightly more introspective emotional tone.
The book is written for adult readers. Its protagonist is thirty-nine, and the themes — grief, loneliness, and self-discovery — reflect adult experience. The spice level is low, making it suitable for mature teens, but the target audience is adult romance readers.
The story includes themes of grief, loss of a parent, and a missing sibling. These elements are handled with a light touch within a comedic framework, but readers sensitive to family bereavement may want to be aware before starting.
The romance follows a slow-burn trajectory. Thorn's connection with the veterinarian brother develops gradually alongside her adjustment to modern life, which means the emotional payoff builds across the full arc of the story rather than arriving early.
Info
ISBN: 9781668087145
Published Date: June 24, 2025
Publisher: Saga Press
Language: English
Page Count: 311
Size: 8.25" l x 5.50" w x 1.00" h
Category
Fiction