Heat Factor: It’s kind of a slow burn but it’s hot with angst

Character Chemistry: It’s pretty good, I must admit. Garden witch meets contractor.

Plot: Romina is thrown together with her first love, Alex, when her business partner’s dad becomes engaged to Alex’s mom. And then she has to sort through all her baggage (which is substantial).

Overall: Haters are going to hate but the adolescent yearning and angst flat out works in this setting and with these characters.

I have found a book that will make Erin’s face get all the disapproving wrinkles—and it’s the first in a series.

In this we find Romina, who is a garden witch and lives in a shop run by her and her two sisters. They lost ownership of the property itself when her parents divorced and her mother sold it to Trevor, who is their eccentric business partner. The sister’s grandmother, who was also a witch, told them that in the span of one year, they’d each fall in love with the person they were meant to be with, and they’d know it’s meant to be so when they saw a silver luna moth.

So anyway, Romina and Trevor end up pretending they’re dating in order to convince Trevor’s father to invest money into their magic shop so they can expand Romina’s garden and make a little market. Alex is…visibly skeptical and obviously not cool with it. There’s a whole lot of angsty drama around this subterfuge, obviously. Very teen.

Around 60% of the way through the book there is a HUGE, HUGE plot twist that I really can’t tell you about or it’ll ruin it for you. But suffice it to say, there’s another layer to Romina’s baggage from a previous relationship and it all kind of comes to a head. Again, a lot of angst and drama.

So I think at this point it’s quite clear why Erin’s head would pop off drama-wise: we have lying for ridiculous reasons, misleading investors, people brooding and making ridiculous missteps when they could just open their mouths and talk it out, et cetera and so forth. But here’s why it works:

Romina and Alex fell in love as teenagers, and Alex apparently loved Romina starting at fourteen. You know how you go home for holidays and your family knows exactly how to push all your buttons (because they created them in the first place) and you regress to seventeen? Well, that’s how this reads. Romina and Alex have BOTH worked really hard to become the adults they are now, but when you put them together they’re just hormones and hurt, all over again. And that’s how it reads! I think it would be weird if they fought over teenage hurts like adults. That would make them very childish. But to have two adults temporarily regress? I think that works.

Also by 75% they’re connecting as a do-over. Slowly, carefully unpacking their pasts, discussing ways they could move forward. Their maturity rebalances as the plot progresses, just as I would expect it to.

Ultimately, this book kind of cemented that I may be entering my witchy romance novel era, which is fitting because I have recently acquired two jet black kittens with green eyes, so, I’ll probably be waiting for the next books in this adorable series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

Sarah has such a great voice and knack for capturing emotions in her books. Add a little magic to a small town second chance romance and I’m in.

I love the details that went into this story. The flower name and symbolism at the beginning of each chapter was such a fun touch since Romina is a self-dubbed flora fortunist.

Old Flames and New Fortunes had a softness to it that I really appreciated. Sarah writes so beautifully and her gift for telling stories is what keeps me coming back every time.

Thank you to Putnam Books and Netgalley for the arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'll start by saying Sarah Hogle has been a hit or miss author for me. This one was just ok.

There was a lot of elements that I was excited about.. I love books that talk about the language of flowers; I love second-chance romance; I usually have a lot of fun with magical realism. This book almost felt like it had too much going on though, and I never ever felt truly invested in the characters, and didn't feel like a lot of the aspects I was excited about got developed very much or came together at all. Which was disappointing.

I also thought the tone of the book and the maturity of the characters, and their conversations, made it feel like they were teenagers instead of mid to late twenties. There was no banter here that hooked me, and I felt like the book kinda dragged most of the time and felt too long.

I LOVE YOU SARAH HOGLE!!! sarah has a superpower where everything that comes from her mind and fingertips is pure magic!!! i love her ruthlessly chaotic heroines and her simp-y boyfriends! i was GLUED to my book in this one and i wish i could live with these characters longer. i am forever a sarah hogle super fan!!

One of those books I can’t decide if I liked it or not. There were things I really didn’t like and then things I enjoyed. I couldn’t relate to the characters at all. I really didn’t like the secret that was kept, revealed towards the end, and kind of brushed aside without a full conversation. I did like the little bit of magical realism. There were some amazing and romantic one liners. I think the things I didn’t like out weigh the things I did, all in all.

🤍 second chance
✨ magical realism
👏🏼 no third act breakup

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

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.