The Revelare family is known for magic, but it comes at a price, your own personal curse. Sadie is determined to shut everyone out in order to avoid hers, four heart breaks. But as she fights to save her twin, Seth, she realizes magic has been what defines her.  And it's cost too much already.  Will she be able to save him before his curse takes hold?

There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this book.  It was a cozy, magical read that definitely reminded me of Practial Magic. This story was set in a small town, and the main characters lived in a quirky, magical house that had a beautiful garden. There was generational magic with a matriarch who held the group together.  The plot was interesting and engaging and held a lot of promise. It was also really cute to include recipes since it was a big part of Sadie's magic. I loved her Grgrandmother "rules" and wish they were listed in the front of the book since they were mentioned or repeated quite a bit.  I just personally wanted to see them all written out in one place since I enjoyed them. 

What I found frustrating about the story was the characters' actions.  Sadie was so stubborn that she had to push everyone away multiple times and still didn't learn her lesson. Seth and Sadie spoke to each other like they hated each other through most of the book even though it was clear they loved each other.  Jake, Sadie's love interest, was way too trusting. I also didn't get the Gilmore Girl reference since the banter wasn't particularly funny. Maybe because it took place in a small, close-knit town?

I think this would be perfect for you if you're looking for cozy, fall, witchy vibes.  Just expect the characters to be frustratingly flawed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc of The unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic by Breanne Randall.

So cute, magical and cozy. Beautiful magical romcom. Recommend.

This seemed like a book I would love considering it was described as a crossover between practical magic and gilmore girls. There were definitely some similarities but I found the pacing of this book to be extremely slow. I did enjoy it but was hard to get through.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book!

This was pitched as Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls, which isn’t inaccurate, but it gave me different expectations. We follow Sadie, who runs a cafe in a small town. Sadie’s magic enables her to incorporate herbs in baked goods and other food to imbue them with some power (based on the magical correspondences of the herbs).

The inspiration from Practical Magic is evident and quite cosy. There is a strong sense of family and hereditary magic. Going into this, I was expecting the wit and humour of Gilmore Girls, but was disappointed. Instead, the Gilmore Girls inspiration seems to be more related to the small town vibes and the amount of drama and messiness that was in the show.

Some aspects of this were really enjoyable - it’s always heartwarming to read about a close-knit family, and the descriptions of baking and cooking put me in a baking mood. Each chapter also ends with a recipe for a cake, meal or drink that was referenced in that chapter, and the recipes look delicious for the most part.

Where this didn’t work for me was in the characters. We’re in Sadie’s head for the whole book, and quite often she seems to do, say, and think stupid things which got quite frustrating. I didn’t connect to any of the characters, and I found some of the side characters irritating. I found the motivations and behaviour of the romantic interest, Jake, to be unbelievable (for reasons that would be spoilers).

I would recommend this if you like a lot of messy drama and some magic. then this would be a good pick. If you’re after a book with the quippy dialogue of Lorelei Gilmore, then this will probably disappoint. I point this out because that was what I was hoping for (it’s what I enjoy from Gilmore Girls), and having the wrong expectations affected my enjoyment of the book, which is a shame.

I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me and I ended up DNFing it. The characters and plot is very fluffy and cute, with a few hard knocks thrown in and every chapter ending in a recipe which others would definitely find charming but definitely not my style of book

This book has the air of a Taylor Swift song, self-titled era. If you are a fan of Jane Linfoot and books like 'The little wedding dress shop by the sea' this book is totally the same vibes.

The story starts with Sadie who works with her Grandma Gigi in a cafe. Sadie and Gigi both have magic and Sadie bakes her magic into the items for sale in the bakery. The setting is a small american town in a modern era. The towns foke are aware of the magic and are accepting. Sadie has a curse on her which means if her heart is broken she will lose her magic.

This is not anything like I normally read and didn't realize it was exactly what I needed right now. Randall's descriptive narrative puts you right there with Sadie. Such a fun journey!

Thank you Breanne Randall, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the book, especially what one could call the atmosphere: I enjoyed the magic, the senses, the smells – very descriptive. Maybe it was a tad overdone, but still... That magical atmosphere was the best part, for me. I appreciated how much the author payed attention to all senses! The sounds of everyday life in the shop, the smells... And yes, it may be akin to Practical Magical, but not so much to Gilmore Girls – and for me, that’s a plus! I don’t care that much for Lorelei’s endless banter, but the small town vibes are really cozy, really nice.
The story is well written, although in the beginning, Sadie, the leading character, felt sometimes a bit like a pushover – but forgiving was important to her story arc, so be it. There’s also the trope that magic has a price – it was already four heartbreaks, she shouldn’t pay that and lose her magic.
By the way, it is fall in the Southern Hemisphere, so it’s a perfect reading for this season, here.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC.

The comparisons to Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls is apt. I wasn't convinced of Gigi's character. I think she was supposed to be brusque and no-nonsense, but loving, but shortcuts like her cursing didn't quite fit. The sense of place felt off as well - I never felt grounded in a specific region. Perhaps that was intentional. The inclusion of mainstream religion was an interesting choice, as you don't normally see that alongside witchcraft. While there was a lot going on the actual conflict was fairly passive. Not bad, but for most people seeking witchy reads today, it's probably not a top-20 choice. However, if there's a devout Christian who doesn't mind Halloween, I'd probably head straight for this.

I had mixed feelings about this book - it had some definite positives, and also some things that were a little frustrating and difficult for me as a reader. I appreciated the magic and the witchy vibes, but I think the characters were not for me. There was a lot of introspective angst but I never felt like it was leading to character growth or change, which can be exhausting to buy into as a reader.

The writing improved as I made it though more of the book, and I can absolutely see where the appeal will be for some. I can see how this will definitely be a fun read for some who like cozy book, but overall the writing was not for me. It felt too slow and I struggled to get into it. I also found the main character to be fairly mean spirited, and some of the things she's said and done in her past felt like bullying. The best friend character felt a little flat and two dimensional to me.

I did appreciate the focus on all types of love, not just romantic. I think that's sorely lacking from many recent releases. Overall, I would probably not read a sequel, but I will definitely keep this in mind because I firmly believe the right reader is out there.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so cute and magical! I loved the cozy vibes. Felt like a nice fall day while reading this!

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is described as being a cross between Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic.
It definitely is more Practical Magic set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and their business.
I really loved when the whole family came back in town. Such sweet characters and I want to be a part of this family.
I did guess the riddle and ending pretty early on but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. The ending definitely lends itself to a sequel which I cannot wait for!
I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter! So fun!
Huge thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Breanne Randall for a eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very sweet and cozy read. I did have a hard time getting into this book at times. I am not sure if it was the pacing or just my reading mood. The world does give me Practical Magic vibes and I had no issues imaging it. This gives such cute small town vibes. The plot has a lot of drama, and messy relationships. But I did enjoy the magical elements. This was a solid read but I did expect more? I couldn’t really connect with some of the characters. I am not sure but I wasn’t 100% in love. Overall, I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars! A really solid debut novel. I look forward to what else the author writes in the future.

What I did enjoy:
- the magic! I loved how the magic worked in this book. I loved how everyone had their own specific powers
- The Practical Magic vibes! I love Practical magic and I felt that in this book. The cozy small town and magic were my fave parts.
- The recipes! They were so cute and sounded really delicious!
- Cozy vibes from this book make it a perfect fall read.

I did enjoy this book! This feels like the perfect read for fans of small town romance and cozy vibes. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Hearing this book was supposed to be like Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls, I was excited. This book was slow like Practical Magic, but nothing like Gilmore Girls. The book takes place in California, but it felt like it belonged in the Southern US. The beginning felt choppy, but I felt the writing got better as it went on. But it was so slow, I was skimming large chunks of the book to just find the important parts. It took about 60% of the book to finally pick up and get more interesting. A lot of people will (and do) love this book, but it just wasn’t for me or what I was I was expecting based on the description.

The Unfortunate Side Effects Of Heartbreak And Magic is an absolute gem of a novel filled with cozy magic and heartwarming family.
This book is the story of Sadie, a young woman who is having a bit of a rough time. Her twin brother has left town, she's measuring her heartbreaks against her magic because she's worries she'll lose it, as per her curse, after too many.
This story is well paced and was a joy to read and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves magical realism.

For my more indepth (but still spoiler free) review, you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6wKwiIlyV4

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Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Alcove Press for the ARC ✨

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 Fiction/Fantasy/Romance
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 Breanne Randall
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆
Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, her carefully structured life begins to unravel.

With the news of their grandmother's impending death, Sadie's estranged twin brother Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried family secrets that threaten to tear Sadie's world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the family for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn't sure she'll have the strength to keep the family, and her magic, together.

As feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, Sadie faces the last of her heartbreaks, and she has to decide: is love more important than magic?

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 3/5
𝟮. 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 3.5/5
𝟯. 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 3/5
𝟰. 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 3.5/5
𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 3/5

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 3.2 (rounded to 3)

𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
This is such a cozy, witchy, culinary read! The author clearly put a lot of time into making sure all the magic has meaning behind it and then went a step further by putting recipes in between the chapters using some of the ingredients mentioned. I loved the lessons taught from this book! I feel like this book would be a PERFECT YA read. I think that is what is throwing me off my rating just a little bit. As a high schooler/new college student I would’ve devoured this book in one day, but as it stands right now (I’m 26) it fell a little flat as an adult book. The character ‘Gigi’ grated on me a little bit because I feel like most of her dialogue was riddles/advice, but reading the Author’s Note, I can see that the author lost an important family member and this might’ve been her way of paying tribute! Overall, very cute book, would read a sequel!

Song Pairing: If You Ever Did Believe by Stevie Nicks

I would recommend The Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic to someone looking quick and cozy read. Brienne Randall has created a heartfelt story of love, family, and sacrifice that will warm readers' hearts. The recipes at the end of each chapter are an additional bonus for readers who like to bake.

The Unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic was sweet. It was a cute, predictable witch-finds love story. The writing was terrific and very engaging. IT really sucked me into the story. I also really liked the magic system. It was clear that much thought and research went into developing a magic system where food was used to change moods. A lot of small-town drama felt unnecessary to the story, but that is my only critique. This is a feel-good book that anyone interested in cozy fantasy should read.

3.75/5

Many thoughts! The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a love story, but it is by no measures limited to just romantic love - the exploration of family and familial love is integral to the plot. Sadie has magic, her grandmother, and a bakery/cafe as the roots of her life. She hates change (relatable), but can't help be drawn into a storm of changes when her ex-lover (with a secret of his own), her brother (who she can't help but hold a grudge against), and other unnamed people (no spoilers here!) return to her small hometown and turn her life upside down.

This book covered so much ground, maybe almost too much? I was worried that it would focus too heavily on a romance to the detriment of the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised to see otherwise! But again, the amount of plot lines that went into this book was almost too much - I feel like I couldn't fully appreciate all of them. Some of them also felt very obvious to me - there would be a small hint or two that just screamed out what the twist would be, but I was still pleasantly surprised by a few of them.

The characters I found myself liking. Sadie herself is a good, strong main character. Some of Gigi's dialogue felt inconsistent with her character, but that may have just been preconceived notions of my own. I did very much appreciate the discussions of family love, grief, resentment, and every other emotion felt throughout this book. I did, in fact, cry at the end of it.

The book also contains a fun little recipe with each chapter (magical, of course)! Personally, I skimmed those, but I loved the attention to detail and what a cute little addition that was to each chapter. Particularly since each recipe related directly to what has just been read.

It seems to be setting up nicely for a sequel or series, and I would certainly read the next one! Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review :)

One of the five laws of library science states that “every book has its reader.” Another states that “every reader has their book.” Why am I referencing my grad school classes in this review? Because I can recognize that this book was for a different reader, and I was not the reader for this book. I was seduced by the title and description of this book, but the reality of this title is that it was too cute and sweet for my taste.

I’d call this a cozy romatasy book, as it’s meant to read as very wholesome with magic and romance involved but is ultimately very low-stakes. I really do think this book will appeal to a specific audience who does not want complex fantasy or sci-fi, enjoys a small-town setting, and reads/watches a lot of contemporary romance. Bonus points if you enjoy gardening and/or baking (none of these descriptions applies to me). The book has lots of biblical and church references, which actually made me think it would appeal to fans of Christian fiction…except they might take issue with all the magic and light profanity.

More objectively, I didn’t enjoy the writing style of the book. The author takes great pains to over-describe everything and everyone, but the characters themselves felt very one dimensional to me. To be frank, I was very bored throughout the story and would have DNF’d it if I hadn’t promised to review it. Just keep in mind that this poor review is only my opinion, and someone else very well could love this story! As I tell my students all the time, one of the best parts of being a reader is getting to share reading experiences with others who have different opinions!