This was pure magic. I sometimes struggle to fall into Hogle’s voice/writing, and still felt some of that disjointed nature throughout. But by the end I was thoroughly won over. Flora fortunes is my new favorite concept! The twist got me right through the heart and the growth and love and healing these two characters went through was so lovely. Ugh, the devotion and the history!! I lived for the flashbacks and the banter throughout and the humor and joy and heartache. There was a lot going on but it all had meaning and purpose. So good!

Thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book but I did have some issues with it. My main issue was that it just felt very long. I also didn't like Alex at first, he was such a dick. He started to grow on me once he stopped acting the way he was. I wasn't a huge fan of the twist/secret that Alex has. Part of me understands why it needed to happen for Romina in the book but at the same time the guy shouldn't have kept it a secret and told her.

But there were things that I loved too. Trevor was hysterical and made me actually laugh out loud. Alex and Romina's relationship when they're together is fantastic and I love them together. Romina's family is great too. I also LOVE the town and the tiny bits of magic. I'd love more magic in the next book which I will definitely give a chance. (I'm assuming it's Zelda's book)

3.5 stars rounded up

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Romina had returned to Moonville over a decade ago with a broken and hardened heart. Though she no longer believed in romance, she had made a career in the love industry as a flora fortunist - telling fortunes via flowers. When, Alex, her first love returns to Moonville, Romina found those long dormant love flutters return, but is Romina willing to put her heart on the line again?

This book was such a delight! Maybe my summary up there sounds a bit gloomy, but I feel confident in calling Old Flames and New Fortunes a rom-com. There were laughs and smiles galore while some parts of both Romina and Alex's past give the book some emotional heft. Hogle did a beautiful job weaving these elements together resulting in a tantalizing tale.

The Tempest family was a definite highlight for me. The three sisters along with Romina's niece had a great dynamic. There were the usual family antics, but I could also feel the love. These ladies were there for each other and supported one another as they built a successful business together. It was a pleasure getting to know them all.

One plot point revolved around the expansion of the family business - The Magick Happens. This shop had been in the family for many years, and the girls grew up there watching their grandmother share her "magic" with others. It was fantastic being in the shop, and I relished learning about all the Tempest magic and the services and products they purveyed.

It was this expansion plot that lead to the fake dating between Romina and her friend/boss Trevor. I would say that some of the best rom-com moments in the book were a direct result of Trevor and Romina's fauxmance. Trevor was already hilarious on his own, so over the top, but add in a pretend relationship and two exes, and there was plenty of comedy gold to be mined.

The fake dating trope was lots of fun, but I was really here for that second chance romance. Romina and Alex's love story, as well as its demise, was shown via flashbacks, but the whole story wasn't revealed until Alex and Romina actually discussed it. They were young, it was sad, but the best part was that they still had such strong feelings for each other, and here they were, both unattached and maybe ready to embark on something together. And there was the wedding week which was packed with fun activities and provided the perfect backdrop for their reunion to unfold. I am sure Hogle fans will appreciate the initial sparring while also getting a thrill out of seeing the sparks fly between these old flames.

I would be remiss in not mentioning how wonderful Moonville was. I instantly fell in love with this charming little town. Lovely in its description and filled with some fabulous characters, the town was the perfect setting for this second chance romance.

Overall, I had such a wonderful time seeing Alex and Romina reconnect and reignite their love for each other. Great characters, fun rom-com moments, and a bit of magic made this a brilliant and heartwarming read for me. I am crossing my fingers that we will get a chance to return to Moonville, as each of the Tempest sisters deserve their HEA.

I've read all of Sarah Hogle's books, and Old Flames and New Fortunes is just as cute and enjoyable as her others. It was a great mix of magical realism and rom-com. If Sarah Addison Allen and Emily Henry had a book baby, this would be it!

It was cute and funny and the main characters, Alex and Romina, seemed realistic without being annoyingly flawed. The secondary characters were all fantastic. I wish I could live in Moonville. This lifelong Buckeye appreciated all the references to tOSU! This is a great spring read that has heart and depth.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for a review copy of this book.

I usually really enjoy Sarah Hogle's books, so I was disappointed by this one. I did not like Alex. From the start, he came across as annoying, immature, and a know-it-all, and he didn't really redeem himself throughout the whole book. The most important thing in romance books for me is liking both main characters individually and together, so I just couldn't get behind their relationship. The banter and flirting felt cringe and not cute.

I did like the setting. It was very springtime with all the flowers and a touch of "magic." I liked the parts of the plot that weren't focused on the romance, and they even had a few funny moments. I have found her books laugh-out-loud funny in the past, but this one overall wasn't doing it for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review!

Old Flames and New Fortunes is, well, simply magical! This was such a fun and lighthearted fake dating romance, and I loved every minute of it!

This book was nothing short of magical! A definite read for anyone who loves Practical Magic. This was full of the tingling toes and butterflies that I love in a steamy build up. And it makes you believe in the perfect love. A sweet story full of flowers and buzzing with magic!

📣 a whimsical second chance romance

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s your current read? This was my last one & I haven’t started a new one yet.

Whew, the emotional journey Old Flames & New Fortunes took me on!

You never know what you’re gonna get with a Sarah Hogle book & I love it. It’s hard to compare any of her books to any of her others bc they’re all so different—but I’d say the overall vibes of this one are more like Twice Shy, but with magic, second chances, & a strong bond between sisters & friends added in & some other things taken out 😆.

Romina Tempest—who makes magical floral arrangements—runs a magic business with her sisters & their friend. Everything is as it should be when an old love, Alex, returns to town just after Romina & her friend have lied & said they are dating.

This romance doesn’t rest on its laurels—it produced so many different feelings in me, from laughter to sadness to swoons to nervousness. I was all over the place. That’s something I really love about Sarah Hogle’s books, how they go for it & you basically have to lean into the experience.

The aforementioned swoons in this book are real & serious & I will follow a devoted, lay-all-his-cards-on-the-table hero to the ends of the Earth.

Though I didn’t 💯 love all of the details surrounding their first relationship imploding, I also found much of it relatable. Sometimes people do dumb, hasty things…& if they’re lucky, they get a second chance.

So I ultimately really liked this book & love Sarah Hogle’s imagination. I’m truly so excited to see what she writes next!

4.5 ⭐️. Out 04/02.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a bed of tulips.]

DNF at 35%. I’m so sad cause I really wanted to like this and I like Sarah Hogle’s writing, but I just couldn’t get into this story. I don’t like Ro, I don’t like Alex at all, Trevor got on my nerves. I wanted more cute witchiness. I’m not a big fan of second chance romance but was willing to give it a try but this wasn’t it for me. If I don’t want to follow the main characters then it’s going to be hard for me to want them to fall in love.

i didn’t love this book and i am a total sucker for 2nd chance romances, however this one fell flat. i wasn’t sure what to expect but i didn’t really buy the chemistry

Thank you for the ARC, Putnam Books.

Those familiar with Sarah Hogle's work will probably agree that her strength lies in Magical Realism. But that plus second chance romance?! Us fans of You Deserve Each Other are screaming.

This book was magical. I absolutely loved the witchy, small town romance. I loved the tension between Alex and Romina. The banter was excellent, too.

The slow-burn was, indeed, quite slow but the payout was totally worth the wait. HOT.

In short: cozy, witchy, small-town, second chance romance magic. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this story about a trio of magical sisters living in a small Ohio town. Romina has a gift with making flower arrangements with a touch of magic, and has just found out that her high school sweetheart is back in town years later. Alex is the 'one who got away' and Romina has never really gotten over him. Unfortunately, when she sees her for the first time after many years, she is already fake dating her friend so that he can save face in front of his family.

I loved Alex and Romina and their romance with its one step forward, two steps back throughout the book. The themes of flowers throughout the book and each one's meaning was really a sweet theme that spun throughout the story and was really fun. The characters of this small, rural town were fun and well fleshed out. I'm really hoping that Sarah will continue to write about the remaining two sisters and their expanding magical store!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for providing me an ARC of this book.

Old Flames and New Fortunes starts off strong with Romina our lovely main character. She has a magical gift involving flowers and and has used it in her business to create individualized bouquets that can draw love for her customers. Her, along with her business partner Trevor are in need of funding for their upcoming expansion and Night Market. In their enthusiasm to get funding from Trevor's father they find themselves in a fake dating lie. Ah, but their is also Alex, Romina's high school ex boyfriend, who was her only real love, and also broke her heart. Alex is back in town because his mother is marrying Trevor's dad. Yep, it is complicated. Of course, Romina really still has feeling for Alex, so things get even more complicated.

The story is told in a dual time line so we learn about Alex and Romina and their relationship in the past. Most importantly, we learn how things ended. I liked the Witchy aspects of the story and wanted more of that, especially the Night Market. There are also many fun interactions between the characters. The one piece that bothered me was Alex. While he is Romina's love interest, I didn't like him and it affected my enjoyment of the story. Overall, however, the story is a quick and fun romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

🕯️💐🪻🌺
Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle
Magical realism, second chance romance, fake dating/wedding trope
384 pages

⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
This cozy rom-com follows Romina, a witchy florist who is desperate for some money to keep her magical shop open. The cover and tropes immediately drew me in, and I recognized the author’s name. Romina’s passion for flora was very interesting, but the “magical” aspect was underdeveloped. I will admit, I found myself skimming a lot of this book and I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style or characters. There were a lot of characters and this felt unnecessary. For it being a second chance romance, there were only 3 “then” chapters and I would’ve loved more to better connect with the love story. There was so much dialogue and I was left feeling like I was missing part of the joke. Lastly, the MMC gave me the ick but maybe that’s just me…
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

🌺 Book Review 🌺

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: April 2, 2024

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was my first book by Sarah Hogle and it was a fun read! I loved the quirky characters, the banter and the magical realism.

I wasn’t a fan of Alex needling Romina over her fake dating because it almost seemed borderline bullying. I can see some readers being okay with it while others may struggle.

I also think it’s important than readers know that the story doesn’t focus solely on the “magic” and it’s more along the lines of magical realism.

Perfect for fans of:
🌺 Opposites attract
🪻Second chance
🌺Fake dating
🪻Magical realism
🌺Dash of miscommunication

Similar vibes to:
🪻Practical Magic movie
🌺The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
🪻Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

THAT was the twist????? I enjoyed the book more or less. Standard romcom fair with a fun witchy town (I loved it) and some good old cozy tropes. I would happily read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love(d) You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle. It’s one of my top ten books ever. Her voice and humor is so quirky, fun, and quick witted. That being said, I didn’t love this book. It felt a little disjointed to me.

I loved the magic realism and small town antics. It’s chaotic in the typical amazing Sarah Hogle way.

I was feeling iffy about the book and then the big secret was revealed around 60% and it felt too cheesy. A tad unbelievable. I wasn’t convinced.

The main characters’ chemistry was nonexistent. The 2nd half was very reminiscent of YDEO and except the main characters had a short fling in their teen years. Not a years long marriage in crisis.

My main downfall was Romina as a female character. She felt unrelateable and confusing. Almost as if she was a square peg forced into a round hole.

I can see why some readers will love it but alas it was not for me.

Oh my goooooodness. I love second chance romance, and this man…..this man was not afraid. There’s also fake dating of NOT our leading man. So fun. I loved all the fun magical elements and seeing the siblings as well. I really hope we get to see their love stories too!!

I am a Hogle-stan and will continue to be if every book is gonna be this fucking adorable.

Thank you NetGalley/Penguin for the ARC!!

DNF'd. I couldnt get into this one. I found myself skimming and not wanting to pick this one up. This is the second book I haven't enjoyed by this author, maybe this author's writing style just isn't for me.

A sweet and silly magical story about a second chance with your first love.

The side characters made me laugh, the romance was sweet and the characters were lovable.

I did feel like the silly overpowered the plot at points. And I thought it was a little too long.

Read if you love little touches of magic, second chance romance, funny hijinks with cute side characters, and no third act break up!

Release date April 2, 2024!