I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Giving this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because there were parts of the book I thought were dragged out. I did like the sisters and the niece. Alex was super cute midway but confusing I will say in his randomness. I wasn't feeling much of the chemistry between them but it was ok. I will read the other books in this series when they come out because I liked the sisters and I can't wait to see where it goes plus the first book I read by this author was amazing.

Florist Romina, who uses magical help of the flowers to manislfest everyone's love lives, needs a financer for her shop. So when the opportunity comes, she jumps to impress the potential finances at his wedding. But all hell breaks loose when her high school sweetheart and the boy who broke her heart comes back into her life.

Uff!! You guys, I've always been a fan of Sarah's main characters, but it's hot damn these two gave a tough competition to become my favorites.

If you've read all of Sarah's books according to their pub dates, you'll see how cleverly each book get a bit more whimsical than the one before.

Romina & Alex's banter me blush, giggle, & roll my eyes. The chemistry they had was off the charts like literally. I mean the teasing, the taunting, the pining, the angst, everything was on point. I loved how Alex started behaving like a child when he thought Romina was with Trevor. God these two had banter for DAYS.

Honestly all my stars are for Romina & Alex solely. But I kinda felt overwhelmed reading because it was too busy for me. And I don't even know how to explain it. It took me a long time to get through it, but it was only possible due to these goofballs.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Hogle 's magic is bright and full in this new novel. I was so happy reading it. She's able to create these genuinely over the top feelings and moments that still strike you as sincere and real.

This is second chance but so much more than that. I loved the town, I loved the shop, her friends and sisters. Romina's backstory and desires are not often featured in contemporary romance, but it worked so so well.

Alex was lovely and kind. Very swoony and delightful moments from this couple, although if there's any weakness it is indeed that Romina's more known; her life is more central.

I may come back to review with more coherence but for now I can best sum up my review by saying this filled me with bubbles of light and joy and made me believe in them.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free copy of this book, which has not affected my review.

Sarah Hogle’s debut — You Deserve Each Other — lives rent-free in my head more than two years after I read it as a really clever take on enemies-to-lovers. (And I’ve definitely enjoyed her others as well). So it was with glee that I picked up her latest, witchy-lite second-chance romance, Old Flames and New Fortunes.

Romina Tempest has never really gotten over having her heart broken by her first love, Alex King. When Alex reappears in their small (and a bit magical) hometown, Romina and the owner of the shop where Romina sells her floral fortunes agree to fake date to make their exes regret ever letting them go.

The good news is that while Hogel has a fun time as Romina tries hard to convince Alex she and Trevor are definitely for real in a relationship, they get on the same page pretty quickly. And then the story really turns to whether Romina can move past her pain and fear and open herself up to trust Alex won’t hurt her.

I say witchy-lite because the magic and any other part of the plot that isn’t the main romance takes a pretty significant back seat in the second half of the book, which is too bad, because I loved the vibes of The Magick Happens (the store Romina co-runs with the other two Tempest sisters) and enjoyed the hell out of Trevor as the goofy, hyperactive store owner and Romina’s fake boyfriend. It does seem like maybe we’ll get at least two more Moonville, OH, romances - one for each Tempest sister - and I will be so delighted to read them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/GP Putnam’s Sons for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A second chance romance with hints of magic woven throughout, Sarah Hogle's "Old Flames and New Fortunes" was a cute read.

This was my first book by Hogle. I truly enjoyed the incredible banter and dialogue between the characters from start to finish! The book was easy to read, fast paced, and kept me entertained.

I was a little surprised at how rare magic was in the book - beyond descriptions - but appreciated the small role it played nonetheless.

The bountiful characters are interesting and well developed with the discourse and dual timeline.

Thank you for a fun adventure, Sarah!

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle was a cute second chance romance with a unique magical realism.
This still was such a pleasant surprise.
The dialogue and banter between the two main characters was fantastic.
This was a cute contemporary romance with an unusual, but charming setting
Romina and Alex were so great and I loved the dynamic they had with each other
The characters were well developed and I laughed out loud….. a lot!
Definielty loved this authors writing. It was really entertaining.

Thank You NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Sarah Hogle is famous for her banter and it was here and I loved it! There was some of the cute magical realism that Just Like Magic had. But the deeper I got into the story, the less I liked Alex and the way Romina bounced back from his secret so quickly kinda shocked me. But my biggest issue with this was that the fact that despite this being meant to be magical realism, there was very little magic. Nothing other worldly happened at all and other than the fact that they owned a shop that sold “witchy” candles and crystal and Romina is a floral fortinist which means she makes floral arrangements based on what the flowers mean according to what the people need in their life at that time, like love or health, etc. There’s no Magic involved in that whatsoever.
Not a lot happens somehow despite it being a very flowery, wordy book and I just wanted to love it more than I did. Oh well. I’m sure her next book will bring me the joy that I’m used to from her stories.
Thanks to G.P. Putnam Sons and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

"The fern is a reminder that I can always start over. That I can let go of a life that isn't working and begin anew."

In the flowery sweetness of Old Flames And New Fortunes by romantic comedy author Sarah Hogle, there are laugh out loud moments but there are also quiet reflective times that lead to some much needed life lessons and affirmations.

Romina Tempest is a "flora fortunist." She uses the "language of flowers" to help others navigate their love lives; yes she realizes the irony that her love life is currently non existent. Living in the magical small town of Moonville she's shocked to run into the former love of her life, Alex King.

Turns out Alex's mother is marrying Romina's BFF Trevor's father, who they are trying to get a loan from for the shop they co-own with Romina's sister, Luna.

Through a rom com mix up Alex thinks Romina and Trevor are dating. They decide to keep up the ruse to make Alex see what he's missed out on these past 11 years since their tumultuous break up. But Alex doesn't buy their fake dating and does everything from a "how well do you know your partner trivia game" to sleeping in Romina's house, forcing her and Trevor to sleep together in her room.

Part one of this RomCom was a bit chaotic with all the lies, Trevor's over the top silliness, and Romina's insecurities from another past relationship. But part two made up for it with a surprising twist and some very honest conversations. There were also a few funny flirty lines like:
"What's your favorite color?"
"What color underwear have you got on?"

This second chance RomCom, with a bit of a fake dating trope, has laughs, some bittersweet self reflections and a sweet rosy romance in the end. There wasn't much witchery but we can make our fortunes magical all on our own.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Hogle has such a unique writing style and voice; I'm always interested in what new stories she is going to dream up. Old Flames and New Fortunes was a fun and whimsical second chance romance with magical realism. The characters were a bit quirky but memorable. Overall an entertaining read

This isn't my favorite from Sarah Hogle, but it's still a charming, whimsical second chance romance. I think my favorite parts revolved around the sisters fixing up the family shop they have inherited. I also would have liked a bit more magic actually used rather than just described. That's probably just a me thing though because aside from that, it really was a fun read. 3 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing the ARC.

I really like Sarah Hogle as an author, but this book was kind of a mess from start to finish.

First off, I actually kind of despised Alex. These people are supposed to be adults and they still act like they're in high school. If his goal was to woo Romina back he did it in the most backwards ways possible. And their overall lack of communication was just so unbearable that I just couldn't deal with it. I'm supposed to root for them to them to get together? I was rooting for them to learn that they were all wrong for each other.

Also, there's an element of magic that honestly plays no part. Like Romina can understand flowers, but honestly, just having her be a florist would not take anything away from the story. Instead there's this element that's never fully explored and just kind of there with no real relevancy.

Very disappointing.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Just finished "Old Flames and New Fortunes" by Sarah Hogle and it was an enchanting read! Loved the premise of a witchy candle/flower shop run by sisters, though I found myself frustrated by the predictable storyline and initial dislike of Alex. Despite some confusion with character names, the surprising reveal of the "prophecy" kept me hooked, and the ending left me satisfied yet curious for more. Overall, an enjoyable read with a few bumps along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I only made it about 20% in before I called it quits. My biggest issue was that the characters were in their early 30s but yet they acted like teenagers. I love YA and read it often, but if a book isn't a YA book, and is about fully grown adult humans, I want them to act that way. The petulant, juvenile tone just set my teeth on edge, so I had to stop reading. Maybe one day I'll try again, but I don't know. What i did love was all the witchy info on different flora. That was fascinating, but not enough to override the childish antics.

In "Old Flames and New Fortunes" by Sarah Hogle, readers are introduced to Romina and her two sisters, who are all witches, gifted with their own unique manifestations of their powers. Romina has the (very cool!) ability to create beautiful floral creations that influence desired outcomes, particularly in matters of love. Despite her magical abilities, Romina hasn't always been fortunate in her own love life, especially after her relationship with her high school sweetheart, Alex, ended abruptly a decade ago.

Unexpectedly, Alex re-enters Romina's life, setting off a series of entertaining events in their small-town setting. Throughout the story, readers are introduced to lovable characters and witness the complexities of love, trust, and second chances. Unlike many love stories, "Old Flames and New Fortunes" offers a refreshingly realistic portrayal of the challenges of moving on after heartbreak. The characters grapple with their pasts and navigate the complexities of opening their hearts to love once again.

For those seeking a heartfelt and relatable love story with a hint of magic, "Old Flames and New Fortunes" is a delightful read that will leave you enchanted and hopeful.

A second chance romance for former high school sweethearts. Not going to lie, I was hoping for more witchy-ness and less high school-ness with the characters. The main characters never seemed to really mature since high school and it becomes insta-love.

I chop at the bit for Sarah Hogle’s new books. I can still remember exactly where I was when I read You Deserve Each Other and if you haven't read it, I HIGHLY recommend you do as soon as you finish this magical read first!

I devoured this book over the weekend and am now actively trying to figure out how I can be a flora fortunist. I became a plant mom this year and am flourishing (pun intended) in my green thumb glory and would LOVE to be able to magically make someone’s hopes for true love come true using my own floral arrangement creation!

There is so much about this story that you are going to love. The witchy vibes, the second chance romance, the humor, the banter, gosh just the vibe of the book will put a smile on your face! I loved the characters and the magical small town too.
I also really loved how the chapters are labeled with types of flowers and little descriptions.

This is a romance you are definitely going to want to get your hands on and the perfect story to kick of spring!

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this e-ARC I’m exchange for an honest review. There was so much that I loved about this book. The small town of Moonville, The Magick Happens shop, Romina’s magical connection to flowers, her understanding of their symbolism, and her skills to combine them in a fortune-telling bouquet. I am also such a sucker for a great sister dynamic. I loved that Romina, Luna and Zelda each had their own unique talents and paths but they felt supported by one another no matter what the future held. I also felt that Hogle’s writing style really conveyed Romina’s emotions about having Alex back in her life and processing the fears and trauma from her past relationship. I literally had my heart in my chest for the last third of the book. Surprisingly, the fake dating and the romance was my least favorite part of the book. I found that Trevor didn’t seem to put forth effort into making his fake relationship with Romina seem believable. It annoyed me that Trevor immediately wanted to end their scheme once he found out that his potential love interest was jealous of Romina. I also had a love-hate relationship with the love interest, Alex. He and Romina had great banter and sexual tension, but he always seemed to act like he knew better than Romina and appeared to judge her for the ways her life had changed since they’d been together. I also thought that Alex rushed their relationship, even after hearing Romina’s fears due to her last relationship.

Overall this was a really enjoyable read, and I hope we get to see the love stories of Romina’s sisters in future books! Old Flames and New Fortunes will be published April 2nd 2024.

I don’t typical enjoy books with fantasy undertones but I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It had everything you could want from a romance book – angst, banter, slow-burn, and spice. All mixed up it created the perfect potion for an enjoyable read ❤ Right from the get-go you can’t help but laugh at Romina’s misfortune while attending what she thought was going to be a meeting with her shop owner’s father for a potential loan to complete repairs. Her “business meeting” ends up being an announcement of her financier’s engagement to none other than her former high school sweetheart’s mother. What’s a girl to do but to pretend to date her financier’s son and her ex-sweetheart’s future stepbrother? The chaos that ensues from this decision made me literally laugh out loud.

I did get frustrated at some point’s with Alex’s (the HS sweetheart) teasing and overall lack of communication and there are some important details about his life that he leaves out and doesn’t disclose to Romina despite her sharing serious details of what has happened to her in the past. Without any spoilers but once Romina disclosed these details, it does seem odd to me that Alex at that point would not have opened up about his life and been forthright about what he has been up to. Aside from this slight plot hole, I enjoyed the re-blossoming relationship between them enough to ignore this fact.

And the ending! Chef’s kiss to Sarah Hogle for tying together everything at the end with a pretty little bow. I low-key teared up a bit with how sweet it was.

This book is one that I knew would be up my alley, fake dating, fated love, and witches? Sign me up! However, it was actually harder for e to get into than I anticipated. I did power through since I liked the character of Romina so much and thought she and Alex made a great couple. I think my main issue was that there were parts of the conflict that I just couldn’t identify with, and that took me out of the story. By the end though, I was back in it and loved the conclusion!

Title: Old Flames and New Fortunes
Author: Sarah Hogle
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Old Flames and New Fortunes" by Sarah Hogle

My Thoughts:
If you are into 'fake dating, second chance romance, scavenger hunts, small town, florists and weddings', family dynamics, and sister's relationships, then you have come to the proper novel to get a little bit of it all from this story. Also, if you are into the magic and fantasy this author brings to the story, you will also be in for a delightful read. The part I enjoyed best was the various descriptions of the flower arrangements presented since I love flowers. This novel may be riveting if you want an easy romantic second chance read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for gifting me a copy of OLD FLAMES AND NEW FORTUNES in exchange for my honest review.