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.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC of this novel!

Sadie belongs to a family of witches, each of whom is given a magical ability and a curse. For Sadie, she knows that after four heartbreaks, she will lose her magic. She adores her magical skills and loves to use them to create mood-altering baked goods to warm anyone's heart. But she has already faced two heartbreaks, and her ex, Jake, has just moved back to town.

I absolutely adore the quaint town in this novel. It has cozy Stars Hollow Vibes. Where everyone knows each other, for better or worse. But it is community-focused. The themes of family and community are at the forefront of this novel. I loved the characters, especially those in Sadie’s family. They felt real and were perfectly quirky. There were scenes pulling at my heartstrings because the characters were just that good.
I also loved the recipes at the end of each chapter! I took screenshots of some of them I want to try myself. What a great idea, to further immerse your readers into the story. I love it!

Some of the plot points were very predictable, which took away from the book for me. And some parts were a little drawn out. I like a little mystery, but I could figure out the solutions to most of the problems in this novel long before the characters figured them out.

Overall, this is a great autumn story. It feels cozy. You get a dabbling of magic and love, family, and loss.

An interesting book full of melancholy and heartbreak, yet still enjoyable. Sadie has lived her whole life surrounded by the love of her grandmother and the comfort of her home town. When her grandmother dies, Sadie's life begins to unravel, and when her twin broth Seth returns to town things get even weirder. Magical lives and ways require a balance - good bad, dark, light, and Sadie has to come to terms with what she wants more and what price magic comes with.

I liked the characters and the descriptions of all things magic. Fun and fascinating all at once. I appreciate the chance to read this book from Net Galley and the publisher. Very enjoyable.

I did enjoy this book but there were a few things I thought could've made it better. For one, I don't think we got enough character development for Jake or Seth. I wish we had more. Jake's character fell flat for me and maybe if we knew more of his background or motives, I would like him more. I did love Seth, I just wish we got more from his character. I adored Sadie's aunts and grandma.

This book was pitched as being similar to Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls however I found it to be more Practical Magic. Our main character, Sadie has grown up with her Grandmother as part of a magical family and finds that she and her twin brother have a curse that needs to be broken.

I fell in love with this family and how they all pitched in to help. There is heartbreak yet a lot of love in this one. I highly recommend!

3/4 stars - Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Breanne Randall for giving me the opportunity to read and ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed pieces of this book and was instantly pulled in by the cozy nature of Randall's storytelling. However, I found myself not wanting to reach for the book and feeling like I had to force myself to finish it. Was it boredom? Maybe. Ultimately, I just didn't connect with the dialogue or the cast of characters (and there are a lot of characters to keep track of in this book).

Regarding the characters, our FMC, Sadie is a mess, which I believe is the author's intent. However, Sadie is a 29-year-old with the mentality and problem-solving of an 18 or 19-year-old; so, at least a decade younger than she's made out to be, which made this novel feel very young to me. In addition, the constant bickering between various characters stressed me out and annoyed me more than endeared them to me. And don't get me started on Jake, Love and life are indeed complicated, but this man is the WORST, stringing Sadie along and diving into his old feelings with no care of anyone's feelings but his own. For being a Golden Retriever type man, Jake gave me the ick!

I wanted to love this story and it has quite a bit of potential with the storyline, but I found myself uninspired while reading and wish that there was a bit more depth. Overall an easy read when I picked it up, though.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall. This publishes September 19th, just in time for fall/cozy/witchy reading season.

This has been described as a novel for fans of Practical Magic, Gilmore Girls, and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches–all things I love. And I can see the comparisons for sure–Sadie is a witch who can bake feelings into her goods. It takes place in a cozy small town where everyone knows each other.
I’m still not exactly sure why this one didn’t work for me considering it has all the elements I love. I felt dropped into the middle of the story when it started, which made it hard to figure out what was going on. The recipes (which sound wonderful) are included at the end of each chapter instead of at the end of the book and that placement felt jarring–just as I was getting into it, then here comes a recipe. There were also a lot of similes and metaphors and it made it feel long.