I was gonna DNF this because I STRUGGLED getting through the beginning. I was bored. I felt like there was too much happening and nothing at all.
Really glad I powered through because I adore this book. Alex is 🥵🥵🥵 delicious. Everything about this man is top tier. Romina is such a different character than ones I normally see. She is so dedicated and wants to do what is best for her business. She has such a kind heart.

Old Flames and New Fortunes is a captivating exploration of soulmates and second-chance romance. I found myself drawn deeper with each turn of the page until I was thoroughly enchanted. This delightful tale weaves together various tropes, including second-chance romance, elements of magic, the enduring bond of soulmates, the power of true love, the intrigue of fake dating, and the charm of small-town life.

What truly captivated me was the dynamic interactions between the main characters. Their journeys, filled with ups and downs, resonated with authenticity and heart. By the end, I was reminded that family isn't solely defined by blood ties but also by the connections we forge and the bonds we nurture.

Despite the initial challenge in connecting with the story, its compelling narrative and rich character development left a lasting impression on me. Moreover, it sparked a newfound interest in floriography, inspiring me to delve into the intricate meanings behind the language of flowers.

'Old Flames and New Fortunes' is not just a story; it's an immersive experience that lingers in the heart long after the final chapter is read.

Sarah Hogle writes a whimsical romance story between exes that makes you believe in right person, wrong time exists.

I really liked the unique plot that Sarah starts the book with. The fantasy lore and natural whimsy that the book starts with and the charming town that paints a picturesque imagery to the setting. It follows Romina trying to save her business by fake dating the owner and incomes her ex boyfriend that she clearly isn't over and nor him of her. I loved the angst, mutual longing and pining and jealousy that we see both go through and how maturing as adults they can communicate their past issues and admit that they were young and too immature and now can fix those issues and realize the love between never left. Alex was so brooding, jealous and swoon and he's a single dad? Talk about plot twist but I liked that that wasn't a deal breaker for her and they could accept that they grew up and can form a family now. The banter and history between was so much fun to read. I really enjoyed this book and I loved seeing them get back together after all these years. Sarah Hogle knows how to write angsty romance with such folklore and whimsy and I loved this book a lot.

I had good hopes for this one because I loved the premise of the witchy vibes and a second chance romance, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one from the beginning and by the end completely found myself skimming in order to get done.

I enjoyed Romina and her sisters a lot. Each witch had a unique talent and I thought the flora fortunes were really interesting and unique. I loved the town vibes and how much history and folklore the town had along with the story of the sister's shop growing. But the things I liked pretty much ended there.

Alex, the MMC, was insufferable from the first instance he showed up. He was rude, jealous, kind of a gaslighter and kept being mad at Romina for lying about things and then bomb drops the BIGGEST lie of all time and expects her to just be okay with it. Because I really didn't like Alex, it was really hard to cheer for Romina to get back together with him.

I would definitely try others from this author in the future, but this one didn't work for me.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a bit skeptical when I started reading Old Flames and New Fortunes. So many connecting lives get thrown at you at once. It took a few chapters for me to get everything straightened out.
Once I did, my first impressions were:
Alex is a jerk
Trevor is a human golden retriever

I enjoyed the second chance romance story line of Alex and Romina. Teenage first love is all consuming and their breakup was inevitable. Romina's life after breaking up with Alex was heartbreaking and hard to read at times. Alex totally had a mike drop with his announcement. I did not see that one coming at all!!

I was never onboard with the fake dating story line between Trevor and Romina. Thank goodness not a lot of page time was given to them.
The flowers and magical realism was enjoyable. This is the second book I have read showcasing the love language of flowers, and I enjoyed this one so much more. I think it was due to the underlying witch vibes.

3.5⭐️ Old Flames and New Fortunes is a decent enough love story, full of fake dating antics and second chance romance and miscommunication/ misunderstandings, and a touch of magic. It didn’t feel entirely cohesive and was a bit uneven, but overall it’s an entertaining enough way to pass the time.

Thank you Sarah Hogle, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this one was cute, and I loved how every chapter was named after a flower with its meaning attached. The bits about how Alex picked up on their meanings were so sweet, too.

The banter kept the story light and fun but Romina’s trauma is heartbreaking all the same. I'm not so sure how I felt about Alex’s secret, but I think it was because of how it was delivered that made it shocking. It pretty much dropped out of nowhere. However, I’m glad he was all in and meant what he said. The characters, especially Trevor, were so silly, that it was good! And there was a HEA and hint of a series coming.

I had a lot of fun reading Old Flames and New Fortunes. From fake dating to the magical flower knowledge, Riminas family, and the adorable yet still angsty flirting this was a win from start to finish.

Rimina was such a great main character, I loved her friendship with Trevor and when they started fake dating many moments had me laughing out loud. I loved Rominas family, especially her niece who was a favorite in whatever scene she was in.
Alex, especially in the beginning came off as a bit of a tool to me but the more he and Rimina interacted and I could feel all their chemistry flying all over the place he began to grow on me, and by the end, I was rooting for their relationship wholeheartedly.

The ending was super cute and left me with that warm fuzzy feeling after reading a good romance. I'm not sure if this is going to end up being a series or not but either way I'll be reading whatever Sarah Hogle comes out with next.

I received an early copy of Old Flames and New Fortunes back in October of 2023, but wanted to wait until after the holidays to read it and I’m so glad I did! Sarah Hogle told me in her comments section on Instagram that she had rewritten some of the story and that “the dynamic between two particular characters has been tweaked” since the earlier draft. Since the Netgalley was updated after early reviews started popping up I thought it was worth mentioning for prospective readers who are trying to decide if this book is for them. Old Flames and New Fortunes was truly such a cozy, delightful, and romantic book and it’s a new favorite of mine!

I think the best part of the book for me was the cozy, springtime cottagecore atmosphere. Romina is a witchy florist who tells fortunes with flowers and helps her clients find the magic of romance in their lives. I’m not usually a fan of witchy stories, but the magical touches are so subtle and definitely enriched the story. I love flowers, and I had fun reading about what different flowers mean. I really enjoyed the setting. Moonville is dripping with lovely, small town vibes. Romina’s house sounds like a colorful fairyland, as does her garden and flower shop. There’s quaint shops filled with unique small businesses (no big box stores or chain restaurants here!), lots of trees, and it’s all coated in sunshine. I could hear the birds singing and feel the springtime breeze kissing my cheeks, the warmth of the sun enveloping me in a hug. I didn’t want to leave!

This town is filled with so many wonderful characters. And wow, there are so many of them. lol. I’ll be honest, I had a hard time keeping track of everyone at times and how they’re connected, but they were all so much fun! Romina shares a building with her sisters, Luna and Zelda, who each have their own small shop within. Romina has a flower shop, Luna makes candles, and Zelda has a bookstore filled with magical and paranormal tomes. They’re in the process of expanding, and will have a greenhouse and space for an outdoor night market soon (if all goes according to plan). Trevor, Romina’s close friend and fake-dating partner, is a not-so-silent investor in their business as a whole. I LOVED Trevor. He’s hilarious and might be my favorite character in this book, and I’d like for Sarah to please write about his love story. And then you’ve got Alex, Romina’s childhood sweetheart, and Trevor’s future stepbrother. Yep, you read that right. Romina is fake-dating her best friend to make her ex-boyfriend jealous and oops, these two guys just found out they’re about to become family. And oh, the wedding between their parents is very soon and everyone’s family shows up and there’s fake feelings and real feelings floating all over the place and sooooo many people in such a small town. lol. Phew!

I loved watching Trevor and Romina try to pretend to date because they were so bad at it. lol. It was so silly. Try picturing what it would be like if Joey Tribbiani and Phoebe Buffay from Friends had tried to fake date and convince people of their love. That’s how Trevor and Romina felt for me, and I loved it. Because of Alex’s suspicions surrounding their relationship, he decides to invite himself to sleep on Romina’s couch since he has nowhere else to go… so of course, Trevor has to move in and share Romaina’s bed and oh my gosh, I was giggling at their antics.

Second chance love stories are one of my less favorite romantic tropes, but I enjoyed how Sarah Hogle wrote about Alex and Romina. The flashbacks to their previous relationship were so swoony, and these moments softened my heart to the initial animosity between them in the present. I don’t like it when a book’s love interests don’t like each other (or hate each other) at first, but it was so obvious that it was all for show in this book and because of some deep-seated longing that was very thinly veiled. I love how it was done. The angst felt very real. Watching Romina and Alex fall in love all over again was so sweet. He says some of the most romantic things to her, and the grand gestures were on point. I need an Alex. Unlike Sarah’s other books, Old Fortunes and New Flames has some open door (or just… outdoors in the open lol) steaminess. The spice level is still on the mild side, but enough to leave me fanning myself and needing a glass of water.

Sarah Hogle is such an amazing storyteller. I’ve read and loved all of her books, and you can always count on them to contain unique elements, some quirkiness, characters you fall in love with, magical writing, and extremely romantic conversations and encounters. She can turn me into a puddle of goo just by having the male character kiss the female character’s wrist. It’s such a small gesture, such a tiny moment, but hundreds of these gestures and moments make up what I’ve come to expect from a Sarah Hogle book. They’re unlike anything I’ve ever read, and each are so unique on their own as well. I keep thinking she will never be able to get another 5-star rating from me and she just keeps on doing it. I can’t wait for what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f paranormal romance
-second chance
-high school sweethearts
-flower magic
-incredible banter
-it's always been you

Sarah Hogle has such a magical to her writing, each book with a different vibe but also a coziness that is just Sarah's hug of writing. This book had such inredible banter and antics and just a great progression of a second chance understnading why they didn't wokr before and seeing them now.

Romina was her own independent person who struggled to trust so understandably with the past she had. But it was always Alex for her. I loved the insights of their past to see how gone Alex was about Romina as well. Seeing them clash and fall for each other as adults. This book had such cozy magic vibes and such a lovely romance at its heart.

3.75 stars

Such a pleasant introduction to Sarah Hogle's work! . Set in the whimsical town of Moonville , Old flames and new fortunes was charming and sweet, topped off with sizzling banter between the main couple that made me me laugh and swoon . I loved the setting , although (and this is most likely my fault ) I was a little thrown off that this story took place in the modern day . For some reason I thought that this book would , for a lack of a better phrase have "old timey vibes" , not that it bothered me , I was just surprised .

The only reason that I rated it 3.75 is because I am in a MAJOR slump and was not as engaged as I wanted to be at parts but this was rather delightful.

This book was so adorable. A little witchy shop in a town making their name off of mystical love. Romina, her sister, their 'boss' and friend, and their 'volunteer' all work to keep the place going, and need help to make their dream of a mystical night market to come true. When Romina and her friend end up having to pretend they're together, only to find out his father is in town to remarry the mother of her ex-boyfriend. The fake dating, second chance romance, small town, witchy love vibes were cute. I loved the flower magic and the sparks of her power spread throughout the novel.

*spoilers*

I did have a few eh moments, one of them being Alex for about the first 75% of the book. He just gave off entitled, I-know-I'm-better, frat boy energy. While their chemistry was undeniable, he gave me the ick quite a few times and I wasn't really as invested. My head also spun when a son just dropped in out of nowhere. No mention, no hint of one, no toy left in his car or anything, and then a kid shows up? That was a little weird as well, even though it definitely brought the opportunity to talk about Romina's trauma and for them to work through it and get to the point they needed to be at.

Overall, a cute witchy second chance romance, but there were parts where I needed to push through. I am also not the biggest fan of small town romances, but this ended up being super cute in that aspect.

However, the most interesting part of story comes when Trevor's father decides to get married. This brings some surprises to Trevor and Romina. The Bride is the mother of Romina's high school boyfriend, Alex. We learn that Alex and Romina had once been incredibly in love, but broke up around college age. Each thought the other left the relationship and they are still deeply hurting. Another life circumstance left Romina devastated and additionally cautious about loving relationships.

Once Alex and Romina begin to thaw, the heat really blasts out. They force themselves to take tentative steps toward a relationship, while craving each other's presence. I really enjoyed reading about their growing new relationship.

There is some explicit sex, so this book may not be for everyone. But I enjoyed it.

🌟: 4.5
I've been a huge fan of Sarah Hogle's books for a long time now, and this one is at once wholly unique with its witchy vibes while also delivering the exact kind of swoon-worthy love story I expect from her.

This book presents a different take on the fake dating trope in that two friends, when faced with their exes who they are both very much not over, stumble into a pretend relationship to make their old flames regret ending things.

Immature? Possibly, but also so much fun, because it created such an entertaining dynamic between Alex and Romina. It's clear that Alex is jealous of Romina's supposed relationship with Trevor (and who doesn't enjoy reading a bit of jealousy), but his skepticism of their relationship was so much fun to read. His smug interrogation, him crashing at Romina's house and therefore forcing Trevor to stay with them as well to maintain the ruse, and the moment his suspicions were confirmed made for a comedic romp that is just too much fun.

Speaking of Alex, I utterly adored him, both in the flashbacks and in the present day. Him and Romina had such wonderful chemistry, and I loved how patient he was in showing Romina that he was committed to their relationship for the long haul. And don't even get me started on that plot twist going into part two!! I'm also obsessed with the way he calls her Romina Romina and the flashback of how that came about was downright adorable.

I also really enjoyed reading about Romina's love for using witchcraft through the language of flowers. Not only did I love her passion for her and her sisters' business, but it was touching seeing just how she fell in love with flowers and gardening. The stark difference between her and Alex's viewpoints on her passion allowed for some really interesting conversations, and I loved how Alex, despite his skepticism, wanted to learn about the things she loves.

Naturally the small town charm of Moonville was downright magical. All the different small shops and restaurants were so cute, and I loved the setting of the Tempest sisters' store, as well as learning the lore of the town as Alex and Romina argued their way through a scavenger hunt together.

Overall, this a witchy second chance romance that is the perfect addition to your springtime tbr!

This book was great, it felt fresh and not like anything else I've read lately. It kept me intrigued all the way through, I didn't want to put it down.

This one has all of the best tropes, second chance, fake dating and forced proximity. Romina and Alex were high school sweethearts. After eleven years they find themselves together in their home town reliving memories and feelings. To help her best friend and business partner Trevor, Romina is pretending that they are dating and are in love. The problem is that Trevor’s dad is marrying Alex’s mom and there are wedding events that Romina now has to attend as Trevor’s date. Alex and Romina still have some chemistry and some unresolved issues that are threatening to surface and jeopardize her business.

This was a sweet romance full of great banter, grand gestures, magic and a little spice. A perfect read for Spring!!

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

sigh. i was so hopeful for this book. it sounded cool and i loved the cover but man i did not like it.
the MMC was such an arrogant ass and i was like is the author trying to get me to hate him? bc it worked. and i wish there was more magic???? like it was almost like they were making fun of magic bc it’s barely there and i was just not connecting to any of the characters. i found the FMC annoying and she was so back and forth and the MMC was a dick for what he did and i can see why others DNF. i was just not feeling it. 3/5

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Small Town
✔️ He Fell First
✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Magical Realism
✔️ Mayhem and Hi jinx

I love the fake dating trope and it was incredible to see it flipped on its head here with Romina fake dating a friend (not the MMC, Alex).

I loved seeing Romina and Alex verbally spar-flirt. Each interaction amps up their attraction while their stubbornness and need to protect their own feelings is really the thing getting in their way.

I loved Alex as the pursuer and that to the readers it was very clear what he was thinking/feeling even though this book is from Romina's POV.

I always say I learn so much from romance and now I can say floral meanings is another thing I picked up. Now I want to take a flower arranging class!

Other things I enjoyed
- small town of quirky folks
- the bf shenanigans with Romina and Trevor, particularly when combined with Alex being upset by it
- flashbacks to them as teens

Highly recommend this hilarious and emotional slow burn. 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

Such a whimsy second chance romance! Romina and Alex were high school sweethearts that broke up before college, life took them both down different paths now it's brought them back under strange circumstances. I really enjoyed it. Now I'm looking forward to reading more Sarah Hogel. Books with playlists are making their way to becoming my favorite thing.

This just wasn't for me unfortunately.

I adore Sarah Hogle's writing style typically. I think she normally has an awesome ability to make the everyday whimsical, yet grounded in real emotion, and make me swoon at the same time. But this was missing the signature spark for me and I felt like the story's direction was a bit all over the place.

I can appreciate some things though. I really was intrigued initially by the MCs and I loved their history. I thought their teenage drama and intensity of that love felt realistic to that first love experience. Even though witch stories are really not my jam, I was into the magic of the flora fortunes and loved how it was described. I also loved their "meet cute" moment and some of the bits of jealousy early on were really good. I also cackled at least once, which is totally par for the course with SH for me.

But the things I didn't like were pretty big for me. First, it took me too long to get interested in the story and I thought the whole premise with the shop was a bit forced. I really didn't care much and there were too many side characters introduced too early and I think the first few chapters do not make you want to read on. Once I got invested though, I wasn't all that into the MMC. He comes off know-it-all, rude, condescending and cocky- in the worst way. It wasn't cute and we don't know him enough as the reader to excuse it. Lots of other reviewers agree with me in that arena. But even trying to look past that, I didn't have fun with the fake dating scheme because it was SO laughably unbelievable. Trevor was over the top in a fun way, but the execution of their fake dating wasn't even half cocked. There were so many cringe moments between Alex being the worst, and Trevor and Romina's fake dating being so obviously fake. It took me out of it because I couldn't suspend my disbelief.

Then, the real biggie for me was the "reveal" we got about the MMC way too far into the book. After that, I had a bad taste in my mouth and the whole mood of the story changed. I didn't like using a child as a conflict in this context, and it made me so sad for Romina because it felt like she wasn't getting the story she deserved. Maybe it's realistic, but I think she can do better than an old flame who shows back up, condescends her, and then neglects to mention he (view spoiler) It's poor taste, and then it wasn't even handled to my satisfaction because she just says "ok then" and it's like it's no big deal. The last 20 percent just irritated me so bad because of this.

But I've also seen rave reviews, so if the premise interests you, you can accept a lot of silliness, and don't mind a dick hero, go for it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.