“The Witching-Hour Lovers” by Victoria Foster

The Witching-Hour Lovers

Victoria Foster
Independently Published (2026)
ISBN: 978-1837096084
Reviewed by Ada Jenkins for Reader Views (05/2026)

One of the hallmarks of love is intense longing, and I could feel it in almost every page of The Witching-Hour Lovers by Victoria Foster. Sophie lives in London and has unexpectedly fallen in love, connecting intensely with Alan via text and voice messages. But can they make the relationship work in reality?

This book enchanted me from the first page onward! The author’s writing style and literary finesse drew me in, creating clear pictures in my mind’s eye of London in the sweltering July heat: “Across the city, trains rattled through tunnels and buses sighed at their stops, carrying thousands of people home to lives that made sense.”

I have to say, I found this to be an unusual and immersive romance. I was swept along by it! The structure of the narrative cast a spell over me, pulling me into the unfolding story through the use of short sentences to build up tension. For example, in chapter one, Sophie describes the special time of evening (the witching-hour) when she communicates with Alan: “Her favourite moment. Her quiet moment. Her private ritual. Witching hour.” There is real intimacy and connection between these two characters, and I found myself wanting to know more about Sophie’s complex thoughts and feelings surrounding her special relationship with Alan.

Characterization is another aspect of this romance that got my attention. The use of the third-person perspective from Sophie’s point of view means that Alan remains elusive until the end of the story, which kept me wanting to know more about him. Sophie is a character many women will be able to relate to. She is deeply affected by Alan. He can connect with her on an emotional level that few others can access: “Every day she carried herself like she is wearing a suit of armour, confident, competent, composed, but Alan had a way of touching the soft underneath without even being in the room.” While she appreciates his solicitousness, she’s afraid to reveal too much, to make herself vulnerable to this man whom she doesn’t know very well, yet feels deeply connected to.

This bittersweet romance is firmly rooted in its London setting. For me, this made the book very atmospheric. For instance, in chapter nine, the physical landscape and atmosphere shift to mirror the changing relationship: “The storm rolled overhead, thunder rumbling through the sky like a heartbeat too big for the clouds to hold.” The heat has abated, and it’s the calm before the storm, mirroring Alan’s lack of presence and subtle withdrawal from their intense emotional connection.

I think fans of offbeat contemporary romance will be captivated by Foster’s The Witching-Hour Lovers! I particularly liked the way this moving story focused on love as a lesson learned rather than an outcome in itself. To me, this is a story about love, loss, and the power of letting go. I could relate to Sophie’s emotions and internal struggle to reconcile her idea of what could be with what is, and must be. Highly recommended!