In The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic, readers are treated to a rich tapestry of emotion, magic, and the intricacies of human relationships. From the onset, it's clear that Sadie Revelare's story is one that intertwines love, loss, and the often overwhelming burden of magical gifts. The reappearance of Sadie's first heartbreak evokes the bittersweet nature of old flames and the passion and pain they often bring with them. Seth, Sadie’s twin, adds an unexpected twist to the narrative, presenting a multifaceted look into family dynamics, especially against the backdrop of impending grief.

This is a solid book. I gave it three stars because some of the plot and writing was kind of iffy, but I enjoyed the story. If you like witchcraft, love, family drama, and baked goods, this is a book for you.

Sadie's family is well known in her town for having magically gifts. Sadie in particular is known for her kitchen witchery. The baked goods she creates are infused with different abilities that the townspeople absolutely love. However, things aren't as perfect as they seem. Everyone in her family has a curse attached them, and hers is a curse of four heartbreaks. As she experiences heartbreak after heartbreak, Sadie realizes that she must choose between the two things she holds most dear: her magic or love.

Like I mentioned above, I enjoyed the story. I always love a strong female protagonist. The reasons I knocked it down a few stars has because I felt like there were gaps in the writing sometimes. There were a few times where I had to go back and reread a section because it seemed like I was missing something. The coolest part about this book though is that at the end of every chapter, there's a recipe. It's usually something Sadie or her grandmother made in that chapter. I loved it. As a baker myself, I thought it was neat to see these recipes and it helped me visualize what they were actually making.

Enchanting story of family, love and sacrifice. I enjoyed the character dynamics and the simplicity of the story telling. A sweet picture of small town life with a dash of magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

1 part witchy plot line
3 parts adorable furry companions
1 part second chance romance
3 parts family drama
several pinches of cookbook recipes

Bake at 336 in halmark fall movie vibes

If the above recipe sounds like something you would gladly eat up then this book is for you. The characters are lovable and the vibes are perfect for the change from summer to fall.

So charming and it’s easy to root for the main characters. This novel explores many normal themes (coming of age, youthful indiscretions, love lost, estranged family, grief, life aspirations) amplified by magic. It’s a lesson that you can’t give up when things get hard and to trust yourself because deep down you know what to do.

Solid four stars. I would pair with Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan. I recommend for fans of Practical Magic, Charmed, and the Witches of East End.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for reading this book. This book is touted for lovers of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic so I knew I had to read it! I definitely think this book lived up to those expectations. I loved the characters and the story, but it did drag a little bit to get there. This is the perfect witchy sprinkled with a romance book for this time of year. Readers will love it.

I cannot string words into coherent sentences to express how much I enjoyed The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.
So here are a few phrases to give you an idea of what this gem of book contains:

Magic and Curses
Family and Forgiveness
Love and Sacrifice

Magical Recipes
Small town
Second Chance

Similar to:
Practical Magic
Gilmore Girls
And for some strange reason Sweet Home Alabama

“Her whole life and been about building a legacy. Not of magic. But of family. Because magic without family was nothing, but family with love was everything.”

The recipe chapters are an added bonus.
Cooking/Baking are my love language and I am looking forward to making some of them for my family.

An entertaining witchy read with the cute touch of a recipe at the end of each chapter. At the end it got bit rushed, but overall it was a nice enjoyable read. I do wonder of there is gonna be a sequel because it some plotlines felt not quite finished.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much. But unfortunately I just had a hard time connecting and digging in. Being a mood reader though this was probably because of that.

A cozy small town witchy book with second chance romance.
Perfect for an autumn read or an easy read between heavier books.
The book does have Practical Magic vibes. I would also compare it to Netflix shows Virgin River and Sweet Magnolias, if these were witchy. You get the same sweet moments, romance, family dynamics and slow pace of life.
Throughout the food descriptions are vivid. I enjoyed the inclusion of what herbs are good for certain spells and how the magic worked. The recipes at the end of chapters means you could also use the book as a cookbook so 2 for 1.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This was such a perfect book to read in the fall. It's pitched for fans of Practical Magic & Gilmore Girls and it does fit the bill on that.
I would say if you love Practical Magic I think you'll really enjoy this book. It's got amazing witchy vibes and a second chance romance. There is also a recipe at the end of each chapter which I loved.
Overall great read for fall if you want a witchy, family & romance time.

This is a cute, cozy magical read. If you want something cute fun with that practical magic feel yes, this is the book for you. It’s very descriptive, so it’s very easy to imagine what’s going on. This is a second chance romance, which normally I am not a huge fan of but this was done very well and I enjoyed every second of reading this..

I was very interested in reading this title as I love magic and romance novels. However, I was pretty disappointed to see that the archive date is marked as two months before the publication date. I was approved for this e-arc on 7/5/2023 and the archive date was 7/25/2023 so I never even got a chance to download it to read. I wish I could have read and reviewed as this was a highly anticipated read of mine! Hopefully I can find a way to read once published.

Loved this book so much! I would read anything from this author. If you like the movie Practical Magic and recipes then you will need to read this book. It’s so cosy and sweet but also magical. 5 stars!!

A charming cozy fantasy that is perfect for Fall.
I found the characters lovable and the magic, well magical.
I'm not usually a fan of second chance romance but the way this book does it is the right way.
And any book with recopies is a big win for me. In this book it made it feel like you get to have a little of the magic from the book right in your home.

A sweet, magical tale of love, heartbreak and family values.
This story flowed along beautifully. Sadie and her family all possess magical abilities. Her twin Seth has left the town of Poppy Meadows and she is really sad about it, maybe angry too, because she doesn't know why. She owns and runs a cafe with her grandmother (Gigi), who brought her and her brother up as their mother wasn't around. Jake is a boy that Sadie loved when she was younger, but he left town and broke her heart. She's been through the mill!.
As the story progresses, and people return to town, she is full of emotions and trying to control her magic and get the ending she craves.
The plot and characters are wonderful and I really enjoyed reading this. I hope there's more and this is made into a series as there's lots you could do with these characters and their stories
I received this free arc book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #alcovepress, #houseofrandall.

In Randall's novel, we follow Sadie Revelare as her life is thrown into chaos with the return of past heartbreaks and the revelation of deeply rooted family secrets. Amidst the turmoil, Sadie grapples with her magical inheritance, its associated heartbreaks, and the looming loss of her beloved grandmother, who has been a central pillar in her life.

While the narrative promises a blend of magic, romance, and family, its pacing often feels sluggish. Overly detailed descriptions of the town and its inhabitants, rather than enriching the story, often feel like a detour, slowing down the core plot. However, the novel's culinary elements are its saving grace. The tantalizing food descriptions and interspersed recipes offer a delightful sensory experience, standing out as a unique and enjoyable feature.

Winding through the story's magical tapestry, one can't help but be reminded of a rich stew – while some ingredients might overwhelm, others simmer to perfection, leaving the reader hungry for more.

I had high hopes for this book after seeing it compared to Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, as they are two of my favorite things to watch on tv. I can't say I was disappointed, but this one leaned a little more towards Practical Magic and less towards Gilmore Girls. Moving past that, there was a lot to like with this one and a few things I wasn't crazy about.

First, the parts I liked. I loved when all her aunts and uncles came to town to surround her grandmother with love. They all brought their unique magic and you could see it displayed through the pages. I loved that the house and garden responded to them as well, creating a scene straight from Encanto. I loved the bits of magic sprinkled throughout. There was no question that the characters knew magic and it was perfection.

Now, the parts I wasn't crazy about. I'll come out and say it: I didn't really like Sadie. I couldn't connect to her as a character. I thought some of her actions were childish and just not believable. I also didn't like the part with Bethany. There was already so much going on with the plot that it just felt like a side plot that wasn't necessary. It made some of Sadie and Jake's actions feel icky.

All in all, it was a cute read that is perfect to bring in October and spooky season. I give this one 3.5/5 stars (rounded to 3 stars for net galley and goodreads).

I struggled to get into this and ended up DNFing. It’s probably a fine book, but sadly not my style despite my love for Gilmore Girls and magic.

Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This comes out Sept. 19, 2023.

I think my husband nailed the summary of this book when I described it to him: “The less you think about it, the more it makes sense.” I was left feeling confused, and frankly, a bit misled.

The pitch of “Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic” is enough to draw in any 20-30-something white girl in the fall. So, yes, I was intrigued. And, yes, it’s set in a cute small town like Stars Hollow, but I quickly learned that’s where the parallels end. There’s really no equivocal witty banter to be found, and the relationship between the grandmother and the MC doesn’t really scream “Lorelai and Rory.” Not to be a prude, but grandma cusses a lot. And the word “pissant” came up so often that it became distracting.

Full disclosure: I’m more of a plot vs. *vibes* reader. So if you’re into just *fall vibes*, you might like this. It wasn’t for me. Perhaps I don’t read enough fantasy/magical realism to understand the world-building (or lack thereof) here. I was left with too many questions about the rules of their magic – for instance, the basic overall question: “what even is a heartbreak?” I really didn’t like having to read so closely or else I felt I would miss one of the “rules” of the characters’ magic. It really took away from my enjoyment.

Additionally, this book was plagued by…too much. Too many underdeveloped side characters, and too many side plots for me to care about. It’s also so repetitive to the point where I actually rolled my eyes when the garden died for the fifth time (and then came back to life…). Also, to top it all off, revealing that the pregnancy was fake in the final act felt like a cop-out way to save the romance.

Honestly, what really sent me is the stolen dog plotline. It’s just one of the weirdest character choices I’ve ever read. As a dog owner, it actually made me kind of angry.

To end on a positive note, I think this author would make a wonderful food writer. Her vivid food descriptions saved me from DNF-ing, and the little recipes at the end of each chapter were a cute touch.