I did not like this book, I forced myself to finish it because I had hope that it would improve. This book was sold as being for fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls but it’s not really like either of those. Other than there being coffee and witches…
Sadie was so immature as a character and I didn’t like her at all. She also stole a dog and that was apparently cute. She meddled where she had no business meddling and was just so unlikeable. Also, people are allowed to move town, they’re allowed to move on with their lives.
Jake was awful. Other people’s behaviour doesn’t negate his terrible behaviour. Sadie and Jake were 28 but acted 14, I just didn’t care about their romance.
This book had time to give 19 recipes (some more relevant than others) but felt the need to rush the ending. I assumed this was part of a series when I got to 94% and the wrap up was yet to come.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Also, just a heads up that these witches were deeply involved in the Christian church, and the book had moments of religious allegory. Personally, I would never have picked this book up had I been aware.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is the debut novel of Breanne Randell and is the perfect October read, full of cozy, witchy vibes.

Twins, Sadie and Seth have magic in their blood. But with that magic comes their own individual curse. Sadie has a curse of four heartbreaks and must choose between the magic she cherishes and the ones she loves.

I loved the magic in this book. There is something about practical magic that feels like a warm hug. I loved the writing style, and while the pace was much slower than I normally prefer, it was perfect for this story. I would have loved to know more about the Revelare lineage and where they got their magic from.

I absolutely adore all of the recipes scattered through the chapters and the meaning behind certain herbs and spices. No book has ever made me hungrier than this one.

As the title suggests, this book has plenty of Heartbreak, and while there is romance throughout the whole book, it is quite minimal.

This was such a cozy and magical read and would be the perfect reading material on a rainy day.

DNF at 40%.

This is a cozy book with some magic and a lot of family drama.
Despite the coziness, I could not continue with this book. It was way too overwritten, with cringe-y dialogue that goes on for too long to make sure you get it, and descriptions that equally, went on for too long. There were recipes at the end of the chapters but I am not much into cooking so these did nothing for me.
The main character is whiny and annoying, doesn't seem to have a direction in life apart from being mad with everyone who leaves the little town. Most people who leave don't seem to disappear or going extremely far, so they could just have kept in touch somehow.
At the end of the day it was boring and annoying.

"Dont borrow trouble unless you've got the shoulders to carry it."

GENRE: Fantasy RomCom
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eBook
Would I recommend to others?: YES I would, especially for a cozy read during this season but beware, this book does deal with heavy topics.

Review:
This book came at a much needed time. The unfortunate side effect of heartbreak and magic focuses on many important theme that we encounter in life: grief, denial, and harsh realities in life that we need to accept

We go on a journey here with Sadie Revelare, as she learns to accept that she is unable to control everything and that sometimes, no matter how much she wills it, there is just no way to change fate/destiny. I love how this book makes you realise that there are certain things we are all in denial in and that prevents us from moving forward to other things. It portrays Sadie's personal growth, which you feel happens naturally throughout the story.

She and her Grandma (Gigi) owe a cafe together called A Peach in Thyme (such an adorable name!) and they lived in a town called Poppy Meadows, which "much like Sadie herself, ran like clockwork". But like how cute are the names!! And this book has recipes in it as well!!!! And Sadie is a big fan of bookstores, just like the rest of us here:
"Time ceases to exist for you in bookstores"

This book is truly magical and if you like cozy reads, it is the right book for you!

I loved this book in particular because I had just lost my grandma 3 weeks ago and reading this book was like taking a deep breathe and remembering my grandma as Gigi and Sadie's life unrolled, cancer took over and took her best friend/favourite person. I could relate to Sadie so much and cried reading this book. I want to thank Breanne for writing this, so that we can grief together over our lost loved ones.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know where to begin with this one. I desperately wanted to love this, i kept seeing it everywhere on instagram, it was sold to me as practical magic meets Gilmore girls and i've never read a cozy witch read before so i thought i'd give it a go. I now wish i hadn't, this book really didn't work for me, unfortunately i skimmed the last 40% because i couldn't force myself to read this for any longer than i physically had to. There was just no plot to follow, the whole premise was just family reunions, church, cookbooks and a sorry excuse for a romance.

I’m going to preface this review with the fact that this is the first ever book I’ve read in this genre and I was incredibly impressed with how much I enjoyed it. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is the perfect read for October as it gives off such cozy, witchy vibes. I was able to cuddle up with my blankets and get entirely immersed in this book. It gave me the feeling of drinking hot chocolate on a cold day, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!

From the very first chapter, I could tell that Breanne Randall’s writing was absolutely beautiful. The way she described things made my book loving heart so happy and made me smile to myself whenever there was a particular sentence or paragraph that really stood out to me. I really enjoyed how she would describe the environment as it was very unique and almost poetic with things like ‘the promise of a sharp noon wind’ and ‘weaving the magic around her like ribbons on a maypole’. I liked the amount of background we got on the magic system within this book, I didn’t feel like it was too much or too little and I felt as though we got all the necessary information to truly understand the way it worked. I also really loved the use of baked goods as metaphors throughout the book. It was very well thought out and really fit the story since it surrounds a FMC that owns a cafe and puts her magic into baked goods. The inclusion of recipes after each chapter really keeps in line with the story and it's a nice addition to immerse the reader in the story. I adored how Breanne was able to keep the mood of the book lighthearted despite addressing the FMC’s sad prospect of being forever alone. I feel as though I could ramble on about Breanne’s writing for an entire day. The way her words evoke emotions is incredibly brilliant and she is beyond talented, Breanne Randall is something special.

Sadie comes across as the perfect ‘sad girl’ FMC but she is so much more than that. We immediately start to see how her life has been impacted by the curse she has without even knowing the details of what it is and why she has it. She is also incredibly relatable with how she keeps all of her thoughts compartmentalized so they don’t hurt her. The author did such a good job with making her seem like a real person going through real struggles. A quote from the first chapter brings one of Sadie’s main struggles to life. “I’ve told you a hundred times. Love is more important than magic, sugar.” Something I really loved about Sadie as a character is that she is perfectly okay with being different and strange which really makes my heart warm. It’s just another thing that makes her come across as real and not just a character in a book. Throughout the book, the reader watches Sadie grow from the girl that was scared to let hope in for fear of having her heartbroken and losing the thing she thought made her who she was into a woman that loves so hard that it is a magical power all by itself. She sacrifices who she thought she was for the person she loves most in the world and it truly is a beautiful thing to read.

Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the trope Breanne chose to portray with the characters. Sadie and Jake’s story really pulled at my heartstrings as it was something I could genuinely connect with due my own personal experiences. There was this otherworldly pull between the two that made me hang on every interaction they had and made me excited to turn the page so I could know what happened next but there was also so much heartbreak. I loved them so much that when it was revealed that Jake was engaged and how it was out of necessity, I was broken. I cried and had to take a small break from reading because it was such an unexpected twist. With the help of her mother, Sadie makes the mature decision to not tell him the truth about the pregnancy which is something a lot of people wouldn’t be able to do. Even though she uses her magic to help Bethany tell him the truth, they come together naturally at the end of the book which really makes the story come full circle. I had no complaints about the way the book brought them back together, it was just extraordinary.

The Revelare family is such a beautiful and dysfunctional unit. All of Gigi’s children are different from each other but they compliment each other so well. Anne is structured and strict whereas Tava is quirky and carefree and Kay is loud while Brian is quiet. Florence is wild but there is a sadness that surrounds her which makes her intriguing to the reader when she finally shows up once the curse is broken with Gigi’s death. They all care for each other so wholesomely that it’s hard not to love the family and wish the best for them despite the utter heartbreak that came with their matriarch's death. The way we get to experience Sadie and Florence forge a relationship that they’d never had the chance to before is something to behold. It’s thought provoking and beautiful.

I feel as though I have used the word beautiful way too many times during this review but The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic truly is a beautiful piece of art that was a pleasure to read. With the cliffhanger ending of Florence going off in search of a way for Sadie to get her magic back, I really hope we get more from this spectacular world that Breanne Randall has created.

This was a very cute read!

We follow Sadie who as a Revelare knows that all magic comes at cost of a curse. She believes it is worth it.

We follow her working in the café with her Gigi whom I love as a character she is a wonderful Matriarch to the family!

The witchy vibes are perfect and at the end of each chapter we are given recipes with a little description by the witchy author.

I could tell where this story was going but I thought it was end a little bit different: [ I thought she would have to give up her magic which would be her fourth heartbreak thus ending the magic and her curse ] but overall I enjoyed the story and would happily read more!

This was the perfect autumn cozy book. It feels like Gilmore Girls small town community mixed with Practical Magic family ties.

Sadie has known she was cursed for most of her life. She’s already been through two of the four heartbreaks she’s been cursed with, and her first heartbreak has just strolled back into town. Now her ex is back, her grandmother is dying, and her twin has returned as well after leaving without a trace (heartbreak #2). Sadie is spiraling and her magic and her loved ones are being affected. She needs to decide what is most important to her and time is running out.

This book is cozy, heartfelt, and it made me cry multiple times. It has romance, but the central themes are more family and personal growth driven. It was whimsical and magical and the garden at Sadie’s house is now something I will always dream of having.

Sometimes, in a story where a community and a large family are so central, it can be hard to keep track of all of the characters and that was definitely present in this book. I knew I loved them all, I just couldn’t keep track of them.

I recommend this book if you are looking for something to get you into the autumn mood that will make you wish you had a large family to bake a million muffins for.

Thank you NetGalley, Aria & Aries and Breanne Randall for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited to start this book, being touted as 'Practical Magic' meets 'Gilmore Girls'. It started off with very cosy vibes and I could definitely see the influence of Practical Magic in the everyday witchery. Following witches Sadie, cursed to endure four heartbreaks, and her feisty grandmother Gigi as they run a small town bakery and cafe, the second half of the novel takes a turn and introduces a swathe of other characters.

I was anticipating a romance with a bit of family drama thrown in, but the book got slowed down in the middle with heavy themes and didn't seem to know which direction to go. As such, it felt drawn out and was a bit of a slog in these parts.
What I did really appreciate were the recipes at the end of each chapter, this was a cute and quirky touch that added to the atmosphere of the book. I really did enjoy the start and end and wish the rest of the book had followed suit. If you enjoyed the book 'Practical Magic' moreso than the movie, or other Alice Hoffman books, you will welcome this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

First of all, unlike other reviewers, I don't think this book was oversold to me. It had the perfect small-town Gilmore Girl feeling I was expecting, and the cottagecore/witchy atmosphere all throughout. It was very difficult to like but impossible to stop reading.

The main character, Sadie, is described as a person who is impossible not to love, and always kind to others, even though she won't let herself love anybody. We didn't see anything that would support this thesis, we were simply told. She was always rude to everybody, holding grudges against everyone, harbouring a bunch of anger issues, putting herself first over others, stealing pets, and trying to decide if she should steal an engaged man from his finacé. Proper good girl.

The story pretended to be driven by characters rather than plot but that doesn't work if the main character is a Mary Sue, so we got some ill-fitting plot too. The magic system worked very well at the beginning. Gigi insisting that they are not witches actually made sense. Until we learned about The Secret, and the magic their mother is capable of. <spoiler>So they are not witches, and they don't do proper magic but Florence has such abilities that draws in bad guys like a beacon, and is capable of bringing about the apocalypse. Also Gigi was able to bind and manipulate their lifeforce in whatever way she saw fit.</spoiler>

After all of these contradictions, the book ends in a very predictable way but it at least makes sense. Even though it doesn't make sense how none of them figured out sooner that this is what they should do.

The story did not end on a cliffhanger but there were a couple of hanging threads, and strong suggestions that this is not the end.

All in all, I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the majority of my pain points could have been taken away if the main character acted like a normal person her age does. Hopefully we'll see some character development in the next book.

I loved this!!!! It was such a fun read and really enjoyable. I definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC on exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant debut novel that explores the shields we build a round ourselves and our hearts to retain our own magic. A novel for readers who love magic and the sense of community found from the family we make ourselves. This is a beautifully warm novel that focuses on dynamic relationships, characters with promise and above all the power of family.

Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse if four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be wroth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnoses with cancer, and only weeks to live, this is another heartbreak she can’t bear to face. Her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, and her carefully structured life begins to unravel.

With the news of their grandmothers impending death, her estranged twin brother, Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried secrets that threaten to tear her world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the daily for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn’t sure she’ll have the strength to keep her family together. Or her magic, for that matter. But as her feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, she faces the last of her heartbreaks.

And she will have to decide: is love more important than magic? After all, is all the magic in the world worth anything when those we love are not their to share it with us. This is a story about the power of love, the importance of family, and what we would be willing to do to keep it. Perhaps love really does conquer all, even our own desires for magic, and a place to belong above all else.

Thank you to Aria & Aries for an advanced reader copy via NetGalley of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I ended up DNFing this one at 20%, I was just so bored and was not really enjoying it. The premise sounded great and I thought I was in for a cute and cosy autumnal read, but right from the start I just wasn’t connecting with the writing. The chapters were so unnecessarily long with also overly long setting descriptions and I was finding the main character a bit annoying.

I’m sure this book will be great for some people but it just didn’t work for me.

The writing was very good. The descriptions really came to life and the recipes were an interesting addition I haven’t seen before in a fantasy book.

This book was nothing like what I expected it to be. When I requested an ARC from Netgalley, I thought this was story of romance. But instead I got a story of love, self reflection and sacrifice.

I love everything about this book. It reminded me of when I lost my own grandmother and how my family rallied around to make sure we pulled through. It reminded me to let go and that sometimes we just have to deal with what life deals us with. I truly believe this book is something special and I would recommend everyone to grab a copy.

Escape into the pages of this magical story!

Sadie Revelare lives with her Grandmother Gigi in a small USA Town called Poppy Meadows.
Working together in a joint business Sadie is happy, but she longs for more, for the missing people in her life.
Where are they? Will they return?

From the start of the book I just loved the writers words and style. Some of the lifestyle being vastly different to mine, as the book is written and set in the USA, and myself being from the UK. I loved the heartfelt poignant words, and absolutely loved some of the thought provoking sentences.
The food and sweet delights featured throughout the book made me want to grab one of the delicious sounding coffees and savour the cake! The recipes peppered through is a good idea, and I have saved them to try- well it would be very rude not to, I say smiling at the thought.
There are sad parts in the book, but they were delivered with such love and care.
A book of family love, fears, hope, sorrow, joy, friendship and growing up. Enlightenment.
Hope is the theme that runs through the book.
I definitely escaped into the pages of this magical read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

This book was like drinking a hot cup of tea on a rainy Autumn day.

Really enjoyed this book that gave me all the spooky witchy vibes. You can't help but love and support the FMC through her internal struggle throughout the whole book. It was full of angst and twists and turns.

This wasn't my cup of tea or my usual style of writing, but after a length start and stop, I have finished.

This is a good book and I can see that it should be more aimed towards romance girlies. Anyone who loves drama, rom-coms and a steady storyling then this is for you.

I do feel it was lacking excitement but I am going to blmae some of that on my own reading taste.

I was ARC reader for this book.

I wanted to like this, and there were parts that I found enjoyable, such as the recipes at the end of each chapter, I thought that was a cute touch. But sadly, I don't think this book was for me. I found the pacing strange; it was really quick, there was no building tension for what this book was based around, and yet some tiny unimportant moments seemed to go on way too long. I found the writing was trying a little too hard to be whimsical in moments that did not need it and made it hard to read. I felt that the characters were also a little rushed, though there was a good description of the environment, the characters felt slightly underdeveloped, and I sometimes sat here thinking, why should I care about these people?

2.75/5 rounded up to 3. I enjoyed reading this, and I read it in one session as I was invested. Magic runs through this book and if you want an easy, small town cozy read this will be a nice addition to any TBR.

I’ll start with what I really like:
- The small town setting, although at times it felt it was trying to be a little too quirky.
- The recipes between each chapter
- The nod to practical magic in the magic system, I loved the earthiness of it. I also got heavy Sookie Stackhouse vibes as well.

What I didn’t like:
- The 2nd chance romance, I just felt no connection to it.
- The dialogue, it reads like a film or tv show rather than a book,
- The over descriptive writing, I think a little bit more showing not telling would work wonders. However please describe how characters look when we meet them? Rather than mentioning their hair colour and other features randomly later on.
- the sheer number of characters, my head was spinning. Especially when aunties and uncles were introduced. There were so many random townspeople who offered nothing to the story.
- some further editing is needed: at one point she obsesses over 1 tooth brush in her bathroom but she lives with her grandma so unless they share a toothbrush? She introduces you to her brother and then later refers to them as the ‘the twins’ rather than mentioning Seth is her twin brother initially, The whole timeline of the relationship. Who Gigi even was? I’m a UK reader so I initially thought it was her sister until I realised it was her grandmother. These were early errors I picked up and I stopped keeping track.
- they are practicing witches but also practicing Christians? Which makes no sense as surely any form of paganism or witchcraft is heavily denounced by Christian teaching?

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.