Let me just say that this cover is gorgeous! This is a contemporary romance with a bit of magical realism. Think Encanto without the singing and a little romance instead.

The family being magical (mostly the females) and the flower farm was lovely and I would’ve loved more of that. Our FMC is going through a break up and job loss and ends up having to stay and watch over the family farm while her mother vacations. She becomes worried because she doesn’t carry a “gift with the flowers” like everyone else. Problems arise and then she meets Ben.

I expected this to be more about an enchanted house as the title would suggest but I feel it leaned more towards the love interest and romance portion which would’ve been find had I not found the romance to be bland. I did not feel the chemistry or excitement here.

There was a bit of mystery that encompasses our FMC and a flower that I enjoyed and that was honestly what kept me interested but I would’ve liked more of the mystery there too. She experiences some foreshadowing events throughout the story like dreams and “premonitions” from family and friends of “something to come.” There’s unfortunately not a whole lot that happens in terms of the romance or mystery with the flowers to come to our conclusion. I went into it excited and intrigued and by 60% I was ready for it to just be over.

Overall this was an ok book but I found it to be more lackluster in several areas and myself bored for the majority of it. I did absolutely love the writing though.

Looking for a cozy, magical listen? "The Enchanted Hacienda" is the perfect audiobook to get lost in. The narrator brings to life the enchanting world of the Estrada family's magical flower farm, where you can practically smell the blooms and feel the warm Mexican sunshine. It's especially wonderful to hear the Spanish phrases and family dynamics come alive through voice performance. Perfect for your commute or winding down in the evening, this story about finding your inner magic will make you feel like you're right there with Harlow as she discovers her true powers. Think of it as a warm, comforting listen that mixes family drama, romance, and just the right touch of magic.

This book was such a disappointment. Where is the magic? Where is the family? Where is the heart? Also the romance was incredibly lack luster. This book just missed on every occasion.

Oh, I just loved this. It was sweet and romantic and just lovely. I am so sad it took me so long to finish this gem.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me access to the audiobook!

What a fun captivating romance for plant and magic lovers! The plot and character development are both extremely solid. The magic system feels light, but that’s what I like about it. The story flowed and was relaxing and enjoyable to experience. There was one plot point that I felt was left unaddressed, but that is really my only complaint. Overall a very very solid romance and sweet story!

Thank you J. C. Cervantes, NetGalley, and Harper Audio for my advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 4
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 4

I really enjoyed this book. Like other reviews have said, it is a bit like an adult version of the kids movie Encanto, but THE ENCHANTED HACIENDA was an enchanting, romantic, magical story. I loved imagining life on the hacienda, the scent of the jasmine, the magic of knowing you are tied to a legacy that goes beyond the real and into the surreal. I enjoyed the characters, rooted for our heroine, and loved the way it ended. Excellent narration as well. As a Mexican-American, it is a rare treat to have a novel take me to Mexico as a setting for self-discovery and love, and it was much appreciated!

A beautiful story of family, romance and magic featuring Harlow Estrada, one of the only Estrada women without magical gifts. When she returns to the family hacienda in Mexico after breaking up with her boyfriend she meets a new man, starts to grow enchanted flowers for the first time ever and gets caught up in a love bond she isn't sure is true or forced.

Great on audio narrated by Frankie Corzo and perfect for fans of Encanto and Practical magic. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Raquel Vasquez Gilliland and Yamile Saied Mendez. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! I am OBSESSED with this beautiful cover and can't wait to read more by J C Cervantes!!

I love books with a magical theme or element to them, and was so excited to read THE ENCHANTED HACIENDA. This was the perfect read for a fun escape.

🎧I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator, Frankie Corzo to be a great choice. It really flowed so well with the writing style of the story.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-a coming of age story
-romance
-a fun twist on Encanto
-magic, of course

*many thanks to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Born without magic in a family of women who run a magical hacienda, Harlow Estrada has always felt out of place. When she loses her job and her boyfriend in the same day, Harlow returns to her family’s hacienda to regroup and decide what she wants to do with her life. While her family takes some much needed time off, Harlow takes over the magical duties of the farm. When she saves a stranger from being trapped by another girl with bond flowers, Harlow soon finds herself having a whirlwind romance while dealing with other magical mishaps. Still fresh from her last breakup, however, she wonders if the romance was divine intervention or if there might be something more she is missing. Can Harlow find her place among her family of magical relatives? Is her new romance too good to be true?

Narrator, Frankie Corzo’s narrative style matches well with the author’s writing style. Her intonations match well with the characters and events of the book. Characters are likable and easy to relate to. Plot is predictable, but enchanting. Fans of magical realism, romance, and uplifting novels will want to listen to this book. Recommended for most library collections.

This book did not work for me. I was very excited to read an Encanto inspired book, but I couldn’t connect with the main character and many of her choices, and I wasn’t a fan of the insta-loveness.

This book was absolutely magical. Perfect for readers who want a grown up romantic twist on an "Encanto"-esque vibe with a main character who feels out of place in a family full of magic. Also she is a writer trying to reconnect with her writing. Beautiful and soft and fun. JC Cervantes always triumphs for me writing about magic and fate and family legacy.

This magical love story features beautiful descriptions of flowers, a main character that hasn't blossomed into her true gift yet, and an instalove that may or may not be for real. Harlow is at a crossroads in her life and I appreciated the challenge of finding where she belongs and who she wants to be. I really liked Ben and his patience with her, and kinda fell for him myself. I enjoyed all the familial support and loving interference, and the sensitive way dementia was handled in the story. A fun coming of age book with a hint of magic.

3.5/5

This was the perfect intersection between magical realism, disaster millennial woman fiction and romance.
If you like quiet, nature based forms of magic, sweeping love stories, large and unhinged familise, fighting for your dreams when they feel out of reach, and coming into yourself in your adulthood - this is just the book for you.
All the comparisons to Encanto feel appropriate.

J.C. Cervantes' novel, "The Enchanted Hacienda," is about a woman named Harlow who is suddenly fired from her dream job in New York. She returns home to her "Enchanted Hacienda" where the women in her family are all named after flowers. The reason for this is because their hacienda is enchanted by magic that the women all exude and use to heal others. Harlow, on the other hand, is named after stones and doesn't quite know why she has no magic in her. As her time in the Hacienda increases, Harlow finds mystery, adventure, and a little romance along the way. This story captured my attention from the start and I found myself listening to it constantly. This is a perfect, light-hearted book that will enrapture the readers looking for an engaging read.

While I’m not typically a fantasy reader the magical realism made it easier to digest the fantasy Elemis of the story.

Reading this book was like watching a Hallmark movie with the Good Witch series mixed in. It has romance, magic, heartbreak, sisterhood, and love, what more could you want from a novel.

Frankie Corzo did a great job narrating this book. I was able to listen to the book at 2.5x and still easily understand which character was speaking and what was being said.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The story is a romance on a magical flower farm. It was an ok romance story. The magic was just a background element.

This reminded me so much of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divína and while it was lovely, it just wasn’t quite as lush or magical as that book. Regardless, I enjoyed the reading experience.

If Hallmark Channel decided to remake Encanto, this would be the story. In the Hacienda lives a family of woman who each have magical powers depending on the flower they are named after (except for Harlow - our main character). When Harlow’s life is turned upside down, she returns home to be with her magical family and while there is voluntold that she must watch over the magical farm. Enter an intriguing guy and the Hallmark plot begins.

I picked this up because the blurb made it sound a lot like Encanto and I thought that would be fun. I wasn’t expecting it to be a contemporary romance (it leans much more into that than it does anything else) but I still really enjoyed it. I appreciated the many descriptions of the flowers, their symbolism and meanings, and how the Estrada family used them for magic. I liked all of the characters and actually wouldn’t mind getting more books around the Estrada women. I’m not much of a romance reader so not sure how this ranks in comparison to those, but if you like Encanto and you like Hallmark movies, then this one might be a hit for you.