Acquisition Announcement: LOVE, WITCHES, AND WAHALA by Christine Cowan

We are incredibly excited to announce that Orbit has acquired Love, Witches, and Wahala, a swoon-worthy witchy romance by debut author Christine Cowan! Set within the walls of a cozy bakery in Nigeria, Love, Witches, and Wahala is the first in a series of romantic standalones that brings a fresh new voice to cozy, romantic fantasy.

If you love books like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches or The Ex Hex, then Love, Witches, and Wahala is sure to be your next favorite read.

Here’s more about the book:

Wahala (noun, Nigerian): Trouble; inconvenience; problem, bother

In Kamalu Lane, Nneka is a witch grappling with an ancient family curse that says she must find her soulmate or risk all the witches of Kamalu Lane losing their powers forever. 


In a desperate attempt to force fate’s hand, Nneka brews a love potion, but chaos erupts when the potion is accidentally added to Nneka’s famous puff puffs, causing every man who eats them to fall in love with her, except Dakoru, the handsome architect determined to reshape Kamalu Lane. 



Though Nneka feels an undeniable connection with Dakoru, she knows falling for a human could doom them both. But Dakoru is no ordinary man and it’s clear he is connected to magic in some way. 


As their connection grows, Nneka must determine if Dakoru is the key to breaking her curse and restoring balance to Kamalu Lane before its future is lost forever.

Love, Witches, and Wahala will be published in Fall 2026!

Christine Cowan is a Nigerian-American romance author based in Virginia. With a flair for blending humor and depth, her work invites readers to escape into stories that feel both relatable and unforgettable. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with family.

Nour Sallam at The Caldwell Agency sold World English rights for three books set in the same world to Orbit US Editor Tiana Coven.