A magical romance? An automatic yes for me! I loved the characters and the plot. So good!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

This magical romance novel gave major Hallmark vibes, if Hallmark movies were allowed to curse.

I both am and am not a fan of those cutesy novels that feature a young man/woman who lives in a small, quiet town and owns a bakery… or a flower shop… or a bookshop. It’s sweet. It’s cute. I desperately want to live that life… But it needs ~something~ more. I liked that “The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic” had a magical spin to it, making it less of a basic romance novel.

I didn’t find myself obsessed with this book, but I believe that is purely due to my personal reading preferences, not anything to do with the content or writing. I felt it was written well, the plot was solid, and the lessons on family and friendship were golden. I really LOVED when the extended family made an appearance and we got to see some of their magical abilities. I also liked the herbal information and the symbolism that different plants can hold. This book made me want to curl up and sniff essential oils and eat a lemon poppy muffin.

While overall I enjoyed the read, I think there were too many times the author chose to describe smells in a symbolic way. For example, I read phrases like “...that smelled like promise” too many times to count. I appreciate this aromatic symbolism in writing, but it can be overdone. On the flip side, the main character, Sadie, is a baker. She is always surrounded by different smells and tastes, so it makes sense to have several of these phrases in the text. I guess it just kind of got old for me.

I would recommend this book to people who love a cozy romance and appreciate a rural small town. This hit the nail on the head.

I rate this 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars.

Such a cozy read. I found the author Breanne Randall on TikTok and was instantly drawn in to this book just by saying that it was Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls. While that is not inaccurate, but it gave me different expectations. With that being said I still went in pretty bling to the story. I really enjoyed the story and the relationships we see. I also loved that there were recipes included in the book. Always so fun when authors do things like this. I cannot wait for this to be released and everyone can have the chance to read it.

Thank you NetGalley and the Author for the ARC in return of an honest review.

3.7/5 stars, this book was written for those of us who need help accepting the pain that love brings with it.
I sought this book out because I am dealing with the death of my own grandmother, and I am so lucky to have been allowed to get an ARC of it.
This book's witchy small-town clean romance vibes are immaculate. I did have some qualms with a few writing quirks and flaws, but the beautiful way it explored grief and choosing vulnerability over distance far outweighed any problems I had with the writing's technical aspects. I'd give it a solid 3.7 out of 5, and the 1.3 stars taken away all on writing techniques and story choices. But like I said, the message far outweighed them all, so don't take the 3 stars too seriously.
Everything from the recipes at the beginning of ever chapter, to the gentle examination of what makes love worth it, made this book exactly what I needed. Vulnerability is scary, and, it is one of the most integral aspects of love. It is required to make the recipe work. You can't have cookies without the eggs and milk (lovely vegan replacements nonwithstanding) and you can't have love and connection without first allowing yourself to be vulnerable.
Halfway through, I got the courage to open up the letters my grandmother sent me, in her half-cursive scrawl on the golden-edged stationary. I read her letters, and cried, (good cry), and I accepted that love had brought pain into my life, and that I was glad that I had the love anyway. This book helped me reach that point.
Vulnerability and pain are part & parcel with love, and I needed to be reminded that, more now than ever.
Thank you. I will be purchasing my own physical copy.

Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon hearing about a book described as Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls, I knew I had to read it. And over all I think it delivered on that promise and made for an enjoyable read but I have a few major critiques that kept me from truly loving it.

Pros:
As a sucker for cozy fantasy I Immediately loved the vibe of the book and I think the first few chapters do a great job setting up the background and magic system while leaving you with enough questions to hook you. And I thoroughly appreciated the characterization of the whole extended family. They each felt vibrant and individual and I would gladly read more about any of them. Lastly I was obsessed with the inclusion of recipes in between each chapter and I can’t wait to try them for myself. I think they added to the atmosphere the book was creating in a creative way.

Cons:

One minor disappointment was that I would have liked to see more interesting dialogue and more banter/quips. It nails the Practical Magic inspiration but it was missing that iconic fast pace wit of Gilmore girls that I adore. However, that was not the main issue that kept this from a much higher rating in my eyes.

(Spoilers Ahead)

I was initially too annoyed by the ending to write this review until a couple days later. This might be a personal issue but I am sick of books where the female main character has to sacrifice her magic or herself for a man/a kingdom/the world. Don’t get me wrong I understand that of course she would choose to do so in order to save her brother but I hate that that was the solution to this “riddle” in the first place. I was further frustrated that I immediately knew that was going to be the answer when presented with the curse.

At several points during the book people told Sadie that she was being ridiculous by being scared of heart break and that losing her magic isn’t that big a deal in a way that feels callous and untrue. Magic in any book almost always functions as an integral part of a person and it is especially true in this book. Sadie had to give up one of the things she loved the most, a crucial part of her identity, and a important connection to her grandmother, and she had to do so after already losing her grandmother. I know they say Florence is searching for a way to get her magic back but that feels like a cop out, and leaves me wondering that if there was a way to get it back wouldn’t that defeat the magic of saving the brother? The only thing worse would have been if she gave up her magic in order to be with Jake.

I absolutely adored this book. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is such a comforting and compelling story. I loved all of the characters and I’m hoping to learn more about the family in upcoming books! This is a book that I would read again on a cozy afternoon.

“Hold on to hope no matter the cost, because as long as there’s hope, everything else is just the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak and magic.”

Cozy fantasy is fast becoming one of my favorite sub-genres—and with a romance subplot, this book was right up my alley, despite a few sizable, and mostly lazy, storytelling flaws. 3.5 stars.

This book had it ALL: romance, magic, family secrets and drama. The storyline came together wonderfully at the end, pulling all the pieces together so that every plot line made sense in the overall story. I loved the main character and how she changed and grew throughout the book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like a warm hug from an old friend.

I enjoyed every page, every homey recipe, every joke that made me crack a smile. I really, really loved the sense of family and community, and the message that having those you love most around you can help you combat any curse out there.

Sadie was an incredibly relatable character to me. I related to her insecurities and dreams, to her wistfulness and anxiety, and to her ability to hold a grudge until the end of time. However, I also related to her wish to become better, let go of the past, and embrace a brighter and better future for herself.

The story itself hooked me from the beginning, and I couldn't put the book down. Still, I have to say that some parts were quite predictable, so the plot twists weren't as hard-hitting. But in the case of this book, it really didn't bother me! I had an incredible urge to see these characters happy and to have their conflicts resolved, so I truly didn't care that it was easy to guess how all of it would go about.

I just really, really loved this book and I'm incredibly grateful I got the chance to read it before its publication date. If you're into cozy fantasy with beautiful familial vibes and characters you can't help but love, and if you're a sucker for second chance romance and stories that explore grief and what it brings into our lives, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I know I enjoyed every single word.

Such a wonderful witchy read! It has so many of my favorite things from a small town setting, to second chance love, mental health rep, and undeniable family bonds. Plus there’s magic! I truly loved each character and what they brought to the story. Be prepared to both laugh and cry as you grieve alongside the Revelare family, while they lighten the mood with a little sibling banter. Perfect for fans of Rachel Griffin.

It wasn't for me. BUT you may like it if you are after a simple, charming book about Southern family with some magic sprinkled in! Some of her descriptive writing was really lovely, and that was definitely my favorite part.

That said, this book was a bit of a mess. I would have DNF'ed it if it wasn't a Netgalley arc, but I wanted to give it a fair shot, so I stuck it out until the end. The plot and character dialogue were rough. The first half of the book gives us Sadie Revelare, a small-town girl from a family of Southern Christian witches (though they don't call themselves that), who is navigating her deep codependence and feelings of betrayal at her brother and boyfriend both moving. Every member of her family has a different kind of magic that is also accompanied by a curse, and the second half explores how her family will break a curse that comes into action following the death of her grandmother. The plot jumped around so much in the first half, but then repeats itself over and over again (down to the description of the grandfather clock) in the second. I feel like this story had potential! The magic of the different characters was interesting, but almost nothing was actually done with it. The characters could have been fun to explore more deeply, but they ended up being flat, as most of the focus was on the plot (in which, again, not much actually happened). There was even a love story in there, but I found myself struggling to care very much, since the characters felt so one dimensional. I wanted to like it, and didn't, but I feel sure that someone else will!

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Alcove Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this book, and I'd only quickly read the synopsis. A chapter or two in I was convinced this was actually going to be a witchy romance, but it was so much more than that. The romance actually takes a backseat in this story. The family is where it's at.

I want to preface this review by saying, I LOVED Sadie's magic. I love to bake myself, so the fact that her magic basically involves gardening, cooking, and baking was super enjoyable to me. And, those recipes at the end of every chapter were such a treat! I've saved a few of them to try!

The family dynamic shifts so much during this story that you're on a rollercoaster of emotion. I cried at least twice, maybe three times. I don't want to go into too much detail and spoil the book, but the characters are incriminating endearing and the author definitely creates a world where you can feel both their pain and their joy.

I will say that there were a couple "twists" that I definitely saw coming, although I think the author was setting it up so that the reader saw them coming, but our MC Sadie did not. I think that knowing where the story was leading, but Sadie not knowing, is part of what keeps the pages turning in this story. You want to see her work it out, you want to see her put the puzzle pieces together.

This was also definitely left very open for another book, which I wasn't expecting. I really wanted this to be wrapped up nicely, but the author did exactly what she set out to do and left us with HOPE.

This is a beautiful story of love, and magic, and family, and all the things that tie us together.

I will say, it feels like we missed a big chunk of the story with Raquel and Seth. While it doesn't come out of left field, we really never see any chemistry between them. Maybe an idea for....a prequel!

One of the best parts of reading is when you feel it - the magic in the words, the magic in the mundane, the magic in the characters. Breanne Randall didn't even give me the opportunity to feel it because from the first page she was literally shoving the magic down my throat. I continued on with the hope that the writing style would improve but it did not. I honestly cannot recommend this book.

What a lovely story! I understand why it was compared to Gilmore Girls: all the cozy feelings and food are indeed special. This is a nice read for when you want an escape from heavy, dark and deep plots, but are not necessarily looking for a romance novel. Yes, there is some romance, but the core message here is about family, friends, bonds, and trust.
I’ll give it 4 stars because some of the major issues and internal conflicts of the beginning of the story suddenly disappear. Not giving any spoilers here, but imo some of these mysteries could have been better developed. They are a huge topic in the beginning, but all of a sudden are taken for granted.
But all in all, a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I lovee this book!! I love Revelare family!! Every magic in this book make me happy, magic is around us, you cab see it through sign and symbol. Sadie and Seth curse was different to save each other sacrifice needed. Sadie so strong and stuborn but she love and care her family. Then there is Jack the old flame, her true soulmate but WTF???!!!!! SIRIOUSLY!!! UGH!!

“Hold on to hope no matter the cost, because as long as there’s hope, everything else is just the unfortunate side effects of heartbreak."

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#TheUnfortunateSideEffectsofHeartbreakandMagic #BreanneRandal #AlcovePress #NetGalley #ARC

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. The review below is all my own opinion

This book is the perfect combination of witchy, magical, and cozy very much like a witchy warm hug. My only criticism is that I read this when the weather was warm, this book gives me fall vibes and I wanted to lean into that aesthetic TOTALLY.
The story grabs you right from the beginning and doesn't let up. I never felt that the story was dragging, not once. The blurb about this is absolutely correct, if you love Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic then this is the book for you.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I readily admit that witchy magic stories are not my usual style. However, the title of this one caught my eye, and the description of it as "Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls" is pretty much spot on.

It's light and easy, although I found the second half a better read than the first - the writing style didn't quite sit right with me but that's more likely my preference. The characters were strong, and it has a recipe at the end of each chapter which is sweet.

Sadie's life has always been under her control, just the way she likes it. Her business is good, her garden is great, and life with her Grandmother Gigi is wonderful.

As we all know, though, there must be times of change - and Sadie tries her best to ignore all the warnings, but just cannot stop the waves of change headed her way.

Far from being heartbroken, my heart is very full after reading this magical story of family and forgiveness.

Sadie’s magic and her grandmother Gigi are everything to her, and that’s how it’s going to stay: After two heartbreaks, she can’t afford any more or else trip a curse that will destroy her life. But when her grandmother reveals she’s dying and her first love - and first heartbreak - Jake comes back into town, looking every bit as gorgeous as she remembers, Sadie is determined to protect her heart and herself.

This is billed as a paranormal romance, and while Sadie and Jake’s story is enjoyable (if maybe a bit predictable), it’s Sadie’s magical family where [book:The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic] really shines. Gigi is an absolute riot, and her relationships with her twin brother Seth and her (lack of a) relationship with her mother, who is “gone” are imbued with love, loss, pain, and ultimately, healing that show they’ll be all the stronger for it. Add a pinch of Sadie and Gigi’s amazing baking and cooking, therapeutic gardening, a hilarious and (very) minor subplot involving the musical version of <i>Carrie</i>, and several adorable animals and you have the recipe for a delicious confection.

[book:The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic] by [author:Breanne Randall]
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5 stars rounded up
🌶️🌶️ A lot of heated looks and suggestive touches, bit of action.
🥐🍪🧁 When they say her baking is magical, they mean it
👨‍🚒🐶🐈‍⬛ Is it relevant to the plot that Jake is a firefighter? Not a bit! Is it great anyway? ABSOLUTELY.
🍀🌿🪻🌾 Next time I’m gardening, I’m going to pretend I’m also spellcasting

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

The book overall does a good job of building cozy fantasy vibes. Our main protagonist Sadie infuses magic into the treats she creates at the cafe in the small town and is known for her delicious desserts. There is a lot of baking in the book (and doing dishes) along with recipes at the end of each chapter if you too want to fall into a magical sugar rush, LOL. Not kidding.

The book starts with the “sign” of a river flooding, which apparently means someone from the past is going to return. Sadie has some past angst with her twin brother, an old flame, and her mother, all of whom left her without explanation years ago, so it’s clear pretty early on who will be returning.

I appreciated the twin dynamic / magic part of the story but wish it had gotten deepen into some of that. You don’t get a sense of what the twin’s magic really is until the end of the book, and even then it’s all a little fuzzy and things are quick to be resolved. (Not sure if this is first in a series but the ending did leave some opening there.)

Things that bugged me about the book was the overly descriptive nature of things and repetitive nature of the storytelling, especially at the beginning. Like I said there was lots of baking and doing dishes… again and again.

There wasn’t much tension being built given the length of the chapters and menial details that seemed like they could have been edited out to keep things moving quicker. The chapters were all pretty much 20 - 30 minutes long on my Kindle and I found myself skimming plenty of times. And seemed like the recipes could have been moved to an appendix at the back to help keep chapter closings from being disrupted.

Also way too much swearing, IMO. That started to grate on me and doesn’t really fit with the cozy vibes this seemed to be going for. Some of the characters talked to each other quite disrespectfully.

I’m gonna do a count real quick to show y’all how many times curse words or derogatory / insulting words showed up…

“Shit” - 29
“Stupid” - 27
“Ass” - 24
“Fuck” - 19
“Idiot” - 11
“Bitch” - 6
“Dumbass” - 3

If that list offends you, probably not a good fit here, haha. I get putting in a swear word for emphasis but using them on every other page seems like lazy writing, and honestly felt like a YA fantasy novel trying to be more adult.

And the romance piece was not much to write home about. That part was weak and unbelievable. How many times Jake’s “secret” was dragged out for half the book only to quickly be resolved at the end with a little food magic 😂

Ok, all in all this is for those that like the cozy fantasy witchy vibes and fits nice into the upcoming fall season, and it is a debut, so promising, strong bones to the story… but not exactly what I was hoping for.

Potential triggers: death of a loved one and suicide

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn't disappoint! I binged it in a day. It was a fast, fun read. The characters, the magic, the friendships, the humor made for a great combination. Calling it a book for fans of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic was spot on.