*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher; the review is my own.*

This book is kind of like a teeter-totter, in my opinion. Sometimes it was really cute and funny, and then it would swing into the strangest and most awkward scenes in compete opposition to the rest of the book. The highs of this book were enjoyable and entertaining; the other parts were like finding a hair in my food.

I liked the banter between Romina (29) and Alex (29). And I loved seeing Alex pursue her with such fierce determination, even when she tried to evade him. Romina's close relationship with her sisters, Luna and Zelda, provided her with much needed stability and support--and lots of giggles. Trevor and Morgan were also quite funny. (I have suspicions about Morgan, btw.)

Overall, I think this book could have been much better if certain things had been omitted, and not only because I prefer my books without them. I also feel like they interrupted the flow of the book and just made it . . . weird. I wouldn't even call it "steamy" like GoodReads does; it was more cringy. Like I said earlier: teeter-totter.

Note: Language, including f words. Two cringy sex scenes.

The NetGalley book description did not say "steamy" like the GoodReads description does, and I wish it had. I wouldn't have requested it if I had known.

I liked Old Flames and New Fortunes but I didn’t care for the dynamics.

Alex kept pushing Romina to spend time together even though she was “in a relationship” with Trevor. I know Romina and Trevor were just faking it to stop Trevor’s cousin from making fun of him, but as far as Alex knew they were together. He pushed to try and prove they weren’t actually together. This part of the story rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall, I liked the story but if the push from Alex hadn’t been as strong this would have easily been a four or five star read.

so so so fun! you deserve each other is one of my favorite romances of all time so of course i was excited for this. and it did not disappoint

This is a great second-chance romance with magical aspects. The Tempest family is rooted in a witchy upbringing. Before their grandmother died, she prophesized that her three granddaughters would find love at the time, but each under slightly different circumstances. Though Romina hardly believed it, she was the one who was already in love but was hung up on it not working. As Romina and Alex's story unfolds, we understand what happened before and how they fix it now.

Bouncing between a 2.5-3 star read.
A cute, barely witchy, romcom that couldve been much shorter. Truly might just be a "me thing".

It had the fake dating (which I usually like) and miscommunication (not so like) tropes. Though I was hoping for more whimsy and less whiny. The characters were all very much stuck in high school, except no they weren't. They were adults.
I feel like I had a hate-love-hate relationship with, the ever mature, Trevor (intentional?). He had some of my favorite one-liners AND the worst, also how was this manchild running any kind of business? The witchy bit was more New Age Hippy running a flower shop than anything. However I did enjoy the chapter headers with a nod to various flowers. I thought the love story was wrapping up nicely until the 3rd (or was it the 4th?!) act twist. I was kinda over the story by that point, yet I trudged forward and made it to the actual wrapping.
Overall, it was cute, like just cute, fine, good. Maybe I was in a mood? I dunno, I might give Hogle another try.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the eARC!

So cute!!! I loved this so much! I loved the fake dating aspect, and that it was a side character that was involved, so many funny moments because of that! Throw in second chance romance, some family drama, a wedding, witchy sisters and their magic shop, and sprinkle it with spice! Chef’s kiss! I’m hoping to see more from Moonville and the other sisters, and also revisit the Luna Moth prophecy in future books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I have loved all of this author's books but this one was a miss for me. I couldn't connect with these characters. I look forward to more from the author. I think the right audience will enjoy this book.

I loved this book. I find I am enjoying the fake dating troupe more and more. I enjoyed the storyline and characters in this book. I would definitely recommend this book.

A very fun and cozy read. I was really wanting the vibe of something light but still engaging and this one really hit the nail on the head for me.

Second chance romance and lovers to enemies to lovers. I loved the banter while the couple was fighting however the second half or last third felt a little slow to me. The magical aspect didnt add much to the story imho. Will continue to read anything by this author

Get ready to be swept off your feet by this amazing romance, where the perfect mix of tension and flirty banter will have you smiling and giggling. The clever use of the fake dating trope added an exciting twist to the story, which I absolutely loved. I found how the main male character showed jealousy and inner turmoil compelling. It made me yearn for that passion because when a man is jealous, it's a touching reminder of how deeply he desires and cherishes the woman in his life. Every woman deserves to feel desired and wanted, and these emotions can be a powerful confidence boost.

I just loved the FMC Romina! She's so sweet and fun, and her lovable personality made me feel a strong attachment. The MMC Alex was absolutely fantastic. I truly admired his direct honesty. He makes it undeniably clear how deeply he adores and longs for Romina, and I completely fell for him. The magic of this story truly captivated me.

I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Hogle.

Tropes:
second chance romance
funny banter
opposites attract
Small town with magic

Love Always, Catherine

I just want to take a moment to express my gratitude to Netgallery, Penguin Group Putnam, and Sarah Hogle for sending me this lovely ARC in exchange for a review. Thank you so much!

Sarah Hogle has done it again! She finds the perfect balance between cozy rom-com and witchy wonder in Old Flames and New Fortunes. With a cast full of likeable characters, spelled flora, one hilarious fake relationship, and steamy romantic moments, this fast-paced story is a wonderful addition to the cannon of second-chance romances.

The story's heavy exposition and underdeveloped magical element made it lackluster. Romina, a witch using flower magic, is undermined by her love interest's skepticism, making her character feel insignificant. It would have been better if Romina were just a florist using the language of flowers. The forced relationships with her sisters and the underexplored setting of Moonville further detracted from the story.

Despite appreciating Romina's caring nature and the floral elements, the second-chance romance plot was poorly executed. Alex, the love interest, was annoying and childish, and the other characters were forgettable. The lack of chemistry between Alex and Romina and their forced relationship made the story unconvincing. While the book had potential with its small-town romance and second-chance elements, it fell short.

"Old Flames and New Fortunes" by Sarah Hogle is a second-chance romance set in the magical town of Moonville, Ohio. Romina Tempest, a florist who uses flower magic to help others find love, faces her past when she fake-dates her colleague Trevor to secure her shop's future, only to discover her high school sweetheart Alex is Trevor's soon-to-be stepbrother. While the premise is intriguing, the execution fell short for me. Alex came across as petulant and smarmy, and the chemistry between him and Romina felt forced. The fake dating plot with Trevor was unconvincing, and the magical elements seemed underdeveloped. Romina's talents and the town's enchantment had potential but were not fully realized. Though the book had its enjoyable moments and a charming setting, it didn't capture the freshness and interest of Hogle's previous works. Overall, "Old Flames and New Fortunes" was a quick read but ultimately disappointing.

Sarah Hogle's books always make me want to curl up with a warm blanket and a cat. They bring a feeling of being in a cottage with a bounty of beautiful baked goods and Old Flames and New Fortunes is no exception!

I loved Romina and Alex and the town of Moonville was so charming and adorable, but I felt like this book was so long and it just kept dragging. I honestly struggled to power through it because it seemed like there was so much unnecessary plot that did nothing to advance the story.

This book had the perfect spring vibes that I was going for. The characters were so great, and I loved watching them grow together as well as grow into their own. Sarah Hogle is a repeat author for me, and I will definitely be looking forward to her next works (especially the ones following the other two Tempest sisters!).

This is an interesting story. I liked the relationship of the 3 sisters and the owner of their store. The characters are well developed and the storyline is strong. Personally, I would have preferred less sex scenes and fewer of the "I can't get hurt again" on repeat. Understandably, the main character, Romina, was devastated by the break-up with her high school boyfriend and then the betrayal of her so-called boyfriend, Spencer. She is a gentle, compassionate soul and doesn't deserve any of what life has thrown at her; but, as they say, "what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". I am hoping that the author expands this story to have a book for each of the sisters: Luna and Zelda.

A good witch romance
A second chance romance fun characters and story..
Romina need some help with her flower shop ,she pretend to date Trevor to get to meet his father but didn't realize his new stepbrother was her old love Alex.. The fun begins.
Voluntarily reviewed.

This is a quirky second-chance romance that maybe also has some magical realism? The FMC and her sisters are “witches”, but honestly, I don’t see how that was relevant to the plot. The characters and their dialogue and actions felt cartoonish and exaggerated, and then the twist at 60% sobered everything up in a weird way. The MMC was actually a great character, but the plot dealt with the one thing that I find very hard to read about sometimes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Genre: Romance
Age Level: Adult
Content: some strong language, 2 open-door scenes