I’m starting to realize I don’t really like cozy low stakes stories. If you do this is for you! Had a hard time getting through this book just because I felt it didn’t have enough to hold my attention. When I am in the mood for a book like this I will definitely give it a re read.

Thank You to Netgalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read this book!!

I first heard about The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic on Tiktok. I was immediately drawn into the concept of Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls. From the beginning it is clear Sadie has a lot of anxiety surrounding the curse. I personally felt the anxiety Sadie felt was being shown as the curse. As someone with anxiety and other mental illness I don't think they should be shown as a curse that needs broken. It just makes it seems like I need to be fixed.

This book is the witchy romance of my dreams. As promised, it is a perfect mix of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls with magic laced through every page. The characters were written in a way that made them feel so real that I found myself missing some of them after I finished the book. The inclusion of the Revelare family recipes was such a special touch that drove home Sadie's passion for magic and baking. This is an absolute must read for those who find comfort in the strong bond between Lorelai and Rory and who wish they could have midnight margaritas with Sally and Gillian.

"The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" by Breanne Randall takes readers through the experiences of love, loss, heartbreak and gried, with a little magical twist. Sadie is reticent to call herself a witch, but she definitely has a way with baking and gardening that is otherworldly. Her magic occasionally goes berserk, particularly when she is overwhelmed by her emotions. So, when her first love, Jake, walks back into her life, she steels herself against him, only to find herself being pulled to him like a magnet yet again. The romance burns slowly, but passionately. Sadie also finds herself at odds with her family, and has to overcome some very mystical barriers to find true happiness. Overall, this novel was a fun read that will appeal to many, and especially those who love a little bit of "Practical Magic".

Once I had heard "Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic" I was sold and knew I had to get my hands on this book! Thanfully Netgalley granted me an ARC and I found it to be a delightfully heartwarming read. The author did a great job of creating a magical and cozy atmosphere, and I loved how magic is woven into the story. The main character, Sadie, was well-developed and relatable, and her journey throughout the book was one I think many of us experience in our lives (minus the magic of course.)

The book follows the story of Sadie Revelare, a 28 year old woman that belong's to a family that possess magical abilities. However, each member of the family also has a curse. Sadie's curse is almost at full swing and to make matters worse, she learns terrible news about her Gigi and her relationship with her twin brother Seth is strained. Throw in her ex-boyfriend Jake, who has moved back into town and it's almost more than she can handle.

Throughout the book, Sadie learns the importance of believing in herself, following her dreams, and learning to stop pushing away the people she loves most. The story also has some cute touches like the inclusion of recipes at the end of each chapter. I appreciated that each one was tied to either a certain emotion conveyed in the chapter was or related to a recipe that was used directly in the chapter. It added a unique element to the book and made me want to try some of them myself.

The themes of family, love, and mental health were handled well and added depth to the story. The author did a great job of exploring Sadie's family dynamics and the impact of her curse on her relationships. I also appreciated the emphasis on therapy and the normalization of seeking help for mental health issues.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I did feel that there were some aspects that could have been further developed. I would have liked to see more exploration of the other founding families and their magic, as well as more backstory on Sadie's grandmother Gigi. And while the romance was sweet and well-written, there were moments where it felt a bit cliché and I wish had been expanded more.

So if you like small town cottage-core, with a dash of magic and hint of romance, I recommend checking this out!

This was a really cute and cozy read. Perfect for fall. I liked the representation of magic and the story in general. I am not a fan of third person writing, so that took me awhile to get used to, but I recommend it.

I was drawn to this book because it was suitable for readers of Practical Magic and fans of Gilmore Girls. I am both so I thought I was the perfect audience for this book. I thought Sadie was an okay FMC, but couldn't really connect with her. It started when she found Jake's dog and wanted to keep him to herself and after that I didn't think she was very likeable.

After reading the book, I found the comparison to Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic had raised certain expectations that weren't met. But maybe I'm a bit too familiar with Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls... I expected witty banter, a complicated family dynamic (with a strong focus on women) and dreamy magical realism. The book fell short on the witty banter for me and there was a bit of a dark/mysterious tinge to the family dynamic. Not that it's a bad thing, but somehow the elements of light and fluffy baking and dark/mysterious family past didn't match up. All in all, I feel like my expectations of this book were perhaps a bit too high due to the comparison to PM and GG. I really wanted to like this book.

Sadie and Seth’s story has me fascinated! I loved this book. Family, love, magic, curses, and more this book has it all. Any fans of magical realism will love this story. It reminded me of Sarah Addison Allen. Such a full unexpected world.

When I seen the synaposis of this book and it listed fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls I had to read it! Those are two of my favorite things to watch on tv. This book was so perfect and it really was a mix of both! This book was full of heartache and love and passion and it just had my feelings up and down in the best way. I couldnt put this book down.

This book tells the story of Sadie Revelare and her family that has something special. They live in a small town where everyone knows each other and Sadie's grandmother, Gigi, is well loved. Sadie has a twin brother, who leaves town and leaves his sister heartbroken. She has a cafe, where each recipe has a special "power" for those who consume it, and it is quite popular.

But just as she has a magical gift, she also has a curse, as magic is made of balances and Sadie has to make decisions throughout her life, especially after discovering that her grandmother has cancer.

It's a super interesting book, where it mixes fantasy, pains and "heartbreaks" of life, some culinary recipes and everyday magic found in plant properties and moon phases.

For me, it was quite an enjoyable read. The characters had thoughts that, to me, made them very real. Sadie managed to bring me very different feelings about her, mostly positive but sometimes, eye-rolling, because even though she is all adult and responsible, sometimes I forget her age.
The story was well developed, however I think the beginning was much slower than the middle to the front. I think I could give more time to some situations, instead of going around many other situations that are less interesting, in my opinion. However, a 4-star read, quite well done and I recommend it to anyone who likes this type of book! Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this book before it goes out!

This was an amazing story about family, magic, and love! I would definitely read again! I love that recipes are included as well, can't wait to give some a try!

While I felt the Practical Magic in this by the family lineage and affiliation to magic, I didn't get the witty banter or fast talking one expects grom Gilmore Girls.
This moved too slowly for me.
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was so cute! Such a feel good story, with magic and baking and love! It definitely gave Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls as promised! It was a little predictable, but in a way that when you saw things coming and they go exactly as you thought they would it gives you a cozy feeling rather than making you mad you know? I would 100% recommend this to anyone who loves a cozy small town read. Also, I will definitely be making some of the recipes included! I thought that was such a cute touch for a book about a girl who owns a bakery

“Every Revelare leaves, but they always come back”
“Rule number five: A legacy without love ain’t worth a damn, sugar”
I tore through this one, and it tore through me.
It reminded me of a cross between practical magic and something i can’t put my finger on..
Sadie Revelare is such a great character, albeit a bit oblivious at times. The story, the town and the family are described very well. It never got confusing. The writing was really good. All the characters were well developed and growing within the story.
This story is like a warm hug, i didn’t want it to end.
I hope with all my heart that her story continues!

I was so excited for this one, with the promise of practical magic and anyone who is fans of Gilmore girls loving it.

The story was whimsical and definitely had the small town Gilmore girls vibes, and it is good for anyone who loves small town drama, second chance romance, and romance being the sub plot. This had so much more than just romance as this family is trying to over come their family curse while racing against a clock for their grand mother.

What I didn't enjoy was the writing was a little bit scattered because it was 90% internal dialog through Sadie. I found myself struggling to pick it back up throughout.

3.5/5

The magical feel of this book really roped me in, but the romance advertised was not there for me.

What I liked was the deep dive into magic which did have a practical magic-like feel as Sadie walks through various meanings of herbs, identifies warning signs, and recites her grandmother's rules for practicing magic. I also really resonated with the themes of loss and moving on - Sadie's fear of losing people really played well into her character and her heartbreak curse.

However, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters or their relationships with others. It was written out that I should feel certain way that wasn't described in the book. For example, Sadie's and Jake's relationship - I was get how heartbroken Sadie was about losing him but I couldn't really connect to it - their relationship would have benefited from flashbacks to build that connection. Additionally, I couldn't connect to their budding relationship in the present. Jake turned me off hiding what he was hiding from Sadie for so long that it made me unable to root for them as a couple.

I definitely think the magical/family side is more compelling in this book than the romantic aspect!

The description of this book compared it to Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls. As a huge Practical Magic fan, I was quickly intrigued. I get where the comparison comes from. The story follows Sadie and her family of witches as they struggle to cope with the death of Gigi. I really love the idea of this book, but I don't know if I'm sold.

I thought the end of chapter recipes were a great addition and I thoroughly enjoyed the last sentence of the book. It mirrored the ending quote from Practical Magic. My concern comes with the story. While reading, I was constantly waiting for something big to happen and it never did. Overall, I rated it three stars. I loved the concept and idea of the book but I don't think it delivered on my expectations.

Additional notes: On Loc 1864, Abby is spelled Abbi.

Cute and amusing cozy witchcraft story, similar to Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. I loved the recipe book scattered throughout and the baking descriptions were a highlight. While I enjoyed most of the characters, parts of the plot felt too long and drawn out.

This book took me a few attempts to get into, but once I was in, I needed to know how it was going to end. I enjoyed the witchy aspect, but it took a bit to understand how their magic was working and the relation to the outside world. I enjoyed the characters and storyline. I thought the recipes were a cute touch and hopefully people can make some great things from this book!

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" by Breanne Randall is a delightful novel that intertwines magic, family, and old love. The story follows Sadie and her family as well as the curses that follow each of them. For Sadie, she is cursed with potentially losing her magic after experiencing four heartbreaks. This has made her fearful of love her whole life. Her twin brother, Seth, has his own curse and has been away for years, as has their mother. That has left Sadie and her grandmother, who, together, own A Peach in Thyme cafe. Gigi is dying of cancer, and time is running out on both their time together and the estranged relationships Sadie has endured over time.

This story is full of heart, humor, and touching family moments. One of the standout features of the book is the character Gigi and her love for home remedies: "Always bury found pennies in the garden at midnight to make a wish come true. Never whistle indoors or you'll invite bad luck. Always wear green in some form or another." Gigi's quirky and inventive remedies will make readers laugh and feel like they have a taste of home.

Breanne Randall has crafted a cast of relatable and lovable characters. Sadie's journey is relatable for anyone who has experienced heartbreak, and her relationship with her twin brother, Seth, and their mother adds an extra layer of depth and emotion to the story. The rekindling of Sadie's romance with her childhood friend, Jake, is also a heartwarming addition to the story.

The magical elements of the novel are woven seamlessly into the plot, adding an extra layer of intrigue and excitement. The curse on Sadie's magic and her journey to overcome it add tension and drama to the story.

Overall, "The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" is a charming and uplifting read that will leave readers with a warm feeling in their hearts. Breanne Randall's writing is engaging, and her characters are relatable and endearing. This novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a touch of magic, a bit of romance, and a good dose of humor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Breanne Randall for an advanced reader's copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.