By looking at other reviews I was super nervous to read this after requesting it as an ARC but I really loved it.The romance is angsty, there is tension and flirty banter that will have you smiling and giggling.

Magical realism elements in a romcom with all the fun tropes - forced proximity, high school sweethearts, fake dating, witty/fun banter and second chance romance is perfect for romance readers who prefer light magic touch. Romina and Alex were very much likeable and were well -suited for each other and get us to root for them right away. My only issue was more detail about their personalities would have been good and the book could have been trimmed a bit.

Old Flames and New Fortunes is a story filled with magical realism and such vivid imagery it was easy to get lost in Hogle’s words and the town of Moonville. I love that the main character, Romina, calls herself a flora fortunist since “creating floral arrangements using the language of flowers to magically bring a person's romantic hopes to fruition" is a mouthful 😉 I thought it was really interesting that her magic is unique to her and it’s never forcing love on anyone, only opening them up to the possibility.
While the entire story was charming, what I really loved was the relationship between the sisters and I wish their dynamic was explored more, instead of the romance, which unfortunately fell flat in my opinion.

Read if you like:
second chance romance
cozy small town
close sister relationships

** thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC and chance to read and review **

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Sarah Hogle! I reread her books and can't wait for new ones. This one didn't start with the same quirky charm to me but with a more surreal feeling but I enjoyed Romina and her sisters. Characters were great.

I really wanted to like this bus but it had me a bit on the struggle bus. I could not get into the second chance romance because I felt like Alex came across as a bit of a jerk. Even if Romina's romance was fake, he didn't know the situation and didn't care. It made it difficult to get on board with a second chance romance. Hate that I couldn't get into this one but it might be great for someone else.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

I lost count of the number of times I laughed and went “awww” during this book! The cover pulls you in, but it’s the plot and characters that keep you engaged through the story.

This group of sisters brought me so much joy! Their close bond was enviable, just so full of love and laughter and magic (of course). I hope we get more from Luna and Zelda.

I loved all the flower meanings and their significance through the plot! I’ve always loved exploring these meanings, and it was a nice touch to this story.

The flirty banter was perfect, exactly what I would picture for a second chance romance when they grew up together. Normally flash backs can be hit or miss, but these ones added the right amount of backstory to push the plot along.

Yes, Alex was grumpy and rude to Romina at first thanks to miscommunication. But haven’t we all lashed out and been mean when we’re hurt to protect ourselves more? I found myself rooting for him more and more each chapter.

I wasn’t fully into the big secret that hit before part 2, but I do get why it was important to the story after finishing the book. Being in a point in my life where similar emotions arise, I related to Romina and was so relieved she gets to experience her happy ending. It took me longer to read because of this, but I’m so glad I pushed through and didn’t miss out on this sweet romance.

Okay, I got into this, in spite of the clunky title. It felt cozy and sweet. A perfect spring rom-com if I ever read one. I loved all the talk of flowers and their different properties and what they mean. While there were funny parts – I personally loved the banter between the two main characters, Romina and Alex – there was also a good deal of angst and drama that made the characters feel real and didn’t leave the book with a squeaky clean shine on top. Overall, a sweet romance with a twist of magic and angst that made my heart happy and sad and happy again as I read it. I enjoyed it and will most likely read more of Sarah Hogle’s novels.

This was such a cutesy rom com with a sprinkle of magic! It’s a mix of fake dating trope with second chance romance- two of my favs! The main conflict was resolved with a little over 100 pages still to go. The last third of this book felt stilted and unnecessary, honestly. I struggled to finish and lost interest. Still a fun and easy read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! ❤️📚

I really liked this paranormal romance. Romina is a flora fortunist who lives in the small, magical town of Moonville, where she helps couples get together through her flowers. She works in the store previously owned by her family, now owned by a guy named Trevor whose father invested in him. His dad is getting married, and Romina is shocked to see that the bride is the mother of her HS boyfriend, Alex.

Alex is love of her life, but she’s fake dating Trevor because she wants to buy the business back. Unfortunately for her fake dating scheme, the chemistry between she and Alex is as strong as ever. Can she buy back her business and still have Alex?

I loved the tropes in this one, fake dating, small town, and second chance romance. The romance between the two feels very real, and they have great banter. I enjoyed this fun read, 4 stars.

Thanks to G.P. Putnam and Sons and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this is one of my favorite romances of this year so far! it is the second chance romance that is going to deliver all of the angst, tension, jealousy, and pining, all wrapped up in the most whimsical, small town setting.

i know i always rave about banter in books, but this one is on another level. i genuinely was highlighting full pages of the book because alex & romina's conversations were so flirty, funny, and snarky. alex is down BAD for romina from the moment he steps foot back in moonville and we get flashbacks to their time together back in high school too. the way sarah weaves in little moments that show us how much he remembers about her absolutely ups the ante as well.

i love their love, romina & alex you will always be famous!

I am absolutely obsessed with Sarah Hogle’s writing. I loved her writing style and story telling in her previous books and fell even more inlove with it throughout Old Flames and New Fortunes. This book had such a perfect mix of magic and love. I loved Romina’s character, the relationships she had with the people surrounding her made me so happy. I loved watching the friendship she had with her sisters, as well as her niece. I loved that we got so much detail about her flora fortunist work, I was worried we wouldn’t get any in-depth information about it. Sarah Hogle put so much detail into Romina’s livelihood and I loved reading about it. Now Alex King on the other hand ??? Oh I L O V E this man. He was such a well written and well thought out character. The way he was so perfect for Romina. I loved it so much. I did love that we got some flashbacks to their previous relationship, as much as I was heartbroken for their past selves, the way that their current romance was flourishing made my heart so happy. I don’t usually reach for second-change romances but Sarah Hogle has a way of making me obsessed with any trope just by the way she writes it. I loved how much we saw into their lives throughout the small amount of time that the book lasted, I felt like I was living the few weeks with the characters.

I loved Romina and Alex as a couple and I loved them by themselves as well. Alex is now the standard for future romance books. I loved his character so much<3

Huge thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In small, magical town Moonville, OH, Romina Tempest and her sisters own a shop in which they practice magic. Romina is well versed in the language of flowers, which makes her flora fortunas well sought out by many to manifest love into their lives.

Romina herself has sworn off love, but when a potential funder shares the news of his wedding, she finds herself fake-dating her colleague to get an invitation. When Romina and Trevor meet with his dad for their sales pitch, she finds out that the bride-to-be is none other than her high school ex boyfriend’s mom.

Things didn’t end well between her and Alex, but here he is back in town years later. With Alex’s increasing suspicions that her relationship with Trevor is fake, Romina finds herself doubling down on her lie. But will she be able to deny the chemistry and lingering emotions between them, or is fate giving them a second chance?

Read if you like:
* witches
* magic
* forced proximity
* second chance romance

I liked this book, but it isn’t a standout for me. Romina is a good character, she’s smart, strong-willed, and passionate. Alex is cocky and annoying - I was irked by him a majority of the book, and after his secret was revealed it was a hard no from me. Sure, it was nice that they were able to work through their issues, but I was underwhelmed by their romance, probably because of how Romina quickly gets over Alex’s secret, especially since she laid her past experience with a similar situation and heart on the line in an earlier conversation with him..

That being said, if you like second chance romances (which I’m starting to think aren’t for me), then this is a decent book with lovable side characters and funny banter. I am hoping that Hogle redeems this series in the next book for me, because I am interested in seeing how things turn out for Romina's sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: April 2, 2024.

This writing felt a little juvenile for me (the dialogue, etc) but the premise was good and I liked the setting a lot.

Magical, funny, steamy, and angst filled!

Sarah Hogle books always make me laugh and the banter between characters is always top notch, this one especially. The tension between Alex and Romina was both very hot and very heartfelt. The little magical town setting adds to the dynamic to them and makes this such a cozy read!

Nothing is sweeter than coming back to an author whose previous books you have loved only to fall in love again with their newest story. Old Flames and New Fortunes gave me all the tingly memories of first love, deep infatuation, and the hazy cloud of feelings that surrounds them. This book is woven with magic literally—Romina creates posies of flower fortunes, intended to help the procurer fall in love. She and her eldest sister Luna run a magic shop selling candles, flower fortunes and fantasy novels. When Romina’s high school ex, Alex surprisingly comes back into her life, its animosity at first sight when Alex mistakenly believes Romina is dating her boss, Trevor. A little fake-dating to save face never hurt anyone, though, did it?
Trevor was ridiculously funny and the fake-dating scenes, were so fake, Alex had every right to question whether Trevor and Romina were actually dating. The book is divided into two parts, and part 1 is all the glorious tension of enemies to lovers where the enemies already know each other very well and have to discover if what they feel is really anger or denied desire. Hogle writes from Romina’s point of view only which works so well for her questioning everything she knows and remembers about Alex. Did she misread his expression? Does he still harbor feelings?—the internal monologue is excellent.
Part two begins with a surprise discovery that shifts the narrative away from past thoughts and feelings and more towards how the present and life circumstances play into a relationship (I’ll leave this spoiler free!) This is a perfect example of how the idea of an ex lover and your memories of them are possibly different from the reality of what it would really be like to date them. As much as I loved the tension in Part one, I loved the re-learning aspect of Part two even more. There is NO SECOND ACT BREAK-UP! The reader just gets to see how Alex and Romina navigate their relationship as adults with jobs, and family, and realistic expectations. Believe me when I say this is the most tender hearted sweetest part. I loved the text messaging, I loved the “non-date dating” IYKYK, and I loved seeing Alex woo Romina all over again. I hope you give the little magical town of Moonville, OH a try and allow Hogle to work a little magic in your heart. I received an early copy from Putnam. All opinions are my own.

Romina Tempest uses the language of flowers to manifest love for buyers of her flora fortunes. To expand her business, along with her sisters, she needs an investor to expand the shop. Her friend and business partner, Trevor, convinces her that a fake dating scheme to get his father to invest.

But things get complicated when Trevor’s dad announces his engagement to the mother of her high school sweetheart, Alex. Should she keep up the ruse with Trevor OR give Alex a second chance?

Alex and Romina had such great chemistry and Trevor’s antics had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. The magical element is light enough that even non-fantasy readers will enjoy this one.

My initial feelings about this book are very similar to the last book I read by Hogle (You Deserve Each Other).

Did I enjoy it? Yes.
Was I engaged? Yes.
Would I recommend it to others? Maybe not.

genre: magical realism, romance
format: digital
rating: 3.50 ⭐️
release date: Out Now (April 2, 2024)!

The first half of this book with the hijinx and fake dating was a real hoot! And I really loved seeing (reading) about Romina's floral fortunes and the variety of plants she grew and all of the meanings behind them. (Honestly, it made me want to dig up my yard and just plant a whole bunch of new and exciting things...but I have a feeling my kids and my husband would take issue with that.)

The romance in this story was really well done. I really enjoyed watching Alex and Romina banter and poke at each other - A. because it was ridiculously entertaining and B. because it really showed just how well these two still knew each other even though it had been, like, a decade since they interacted. I also enjoyed that they were able to get together with very little drama (and no third act breakup!)

I would recommend this one if you're looking for an easy read & a fun step into a little magical realism.

Read if you like:
Small towns and Small town romance
Witchy things
Second Chance Romance
Charmed
Romances with no Third Act Breakup

I’m overwhelmed, because this book was so magical and I felt loved the entire time I was reading it. Sarah writes chaotic characters, and these are my absolute favorite characters. I loved everything about this book, from the flower language, to the magic that quite literally oozed off the page. I swear I could smell the flowers while reading. Second chance is my favorite trope, and this books tops all others I’ve read. Alex was such a gentle and caring man, I loved him from the moment he was introduced. I love Romina, she is me, and I am her. Their banter was top tier, the communication was beautiful. The flower puns and overall humor were elite. AND THE SPICE in this book rendered me speechless. I loved the found family, and the sisterly love. This book made me want to do cute fortune flora now. Sarah, I hope we get a book about Luna and Zelda, because I’m not ready to leave this perfect little world that was Moonville.

This was such a cozy and unforgettable story for me. The writing was so beautifully poetic, I felt teary eyed a lot of times. The characters just struck me, with their quirkiness and unconditional love. I will be thinking about Romina and Alex for years to come. 🩷

Having an e-arc, was not enough, I had to immediately buy a physical copy and transfer my annotations. This is now the most annotated book I own.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random / Putnam for an e-arc ✨

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book and think it would make a sweet movie. The humor and small town romance have me smiling.

When I heard about this romcom with magic, I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s a second chance, small town romance with angst and longing, but while I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it.

Romina Tempest makes floral fortunes (bouquets with love spells) in her magic shop in the small town of Moonville, OH. She shares her business, The Magick Happens, with her sisters, Luna, who makes magic candles and Zelda, who has a paranormal bookstore. Romina and her sisters are successful witches and their business is doing very well.

Their friend Trevor is an investor in their business and handles their marketing. He is one of my favorite characters in the book. He is like a younger brother to them and is lighthearted, funny and steals every scene he’s in. Romina introduces Trevor as her boyfriend when his friends embarrass and tease him in front of everyone about how quickly he goes through girlfriends to protect him. Trevor goes along with it but soon he wants to tell the truth. This part gets funny because Trevor is not good at fake dating and keeping secrets. They are afraid of what everyone will think, especially his dad, if they tell them that they aren’t really dating. It makes them sound dishonest, which isn't good since they are asking him for a loan.

The sisters recently purchased a lot they want to put a night market on but they need funds to help prepare the lot for vendors. Trevor asks his father, Daniel Yoon, a wealthy businessman, if he would invest in their plan and Daniel makes a trip to Moonville to see them. They are all surprised when he introduces them to his fiancé, Kristen, who is Romina’s old high school boyfriend’s mother. And, surprise surprise, Alex (the old boyfriend) is with them too.

Romina and Alex dated for two years when they were teens and broke up before college. Their storyline interested me and I wanted to know what caused their break up. Even though it’s been eleven years since their break up, they still have strong feelings for each other and Alex is very jealous of Trevor. He doesn’t believe that Romina and Trevor are really dating and behaves badly and is arrogant while trying to get Romina to admit Trevor isn’t her real boyfriend. I didn’t love this part of the story - it felt like they were just trying to antagonize each other every chance they got.

There is a big twist in the middle of the story I didn’t see coming that I won’t reveal because it’s a big spoiler! I did enjoy the second part of the story more because it was more romantic as we see Romina and Alex begin to heal and reconnect. Alex lives in a nearby town where he works as a roofer and he begins to come over to Moonville to visit Romina and does kind things for her to win her back and we see a more playful and loving side of them as they rekindle their old flame. The spice level felt mild although the one sex scene is an open door scene.

Romina had a recent breakup which was pretty sad to read about. There’s also a lot of angst between Romina and Alex in the first half and while I rooted for them to get back together, I didn’t love their characters and then there’s the surprise spoiler that was awkward.

The story really shines in the descriptions of Moonville, especially the Night Market. It sounds so beautiful - it has trees with fairy lights, moonflowers, and vendors with magical trinkets, Tarot, teas, tapestries, crystals, suncatchers, tote bags, love oil, and Rowena’s midnight floral fortunes. I could feel the magic! It was fun to read about the meanings of the different flowers and charms used in the bouquets. I also liked Romina’s sisters who helped each other and I admire how passionate they are about their family and business.

I think readers who like second chance, small town romcoms with a little witchy magic might enjoy giving this a chance. It wasn't my favorite but there's much to enjoy here.