2.5 stars rounded up only because I want to give Sarah Hogle the benefit of the doubt

Look, I have enjoyed Sarah Hogle's other books. You Deserve Each Other was one of the few books I have 5 starred in the last few years. I just like how she writes. Her books are always a little chaotic, but it's generally been a chaos I can handle (Just Like Magic ended up being a lil too much for me).

But some of the choices made here were...not it. I understand that for second-chance romances, there is always some level of miscommunication that happens, but this was on another level. And then, when the big reveal happened, Alex didn't even apologize or have the decency to act ashamed that he just hadn't told Romina. She was obviously struggling with it at first and he was just like "It's great, right??".

Also, I liked Alex at first, but the more his personality was revealed, the less I liked him. The overly-controlling male love interest type is one of my least favorites to read. Like, chill, bro. Romina can do whatever she wants.

Will I still read whatever Sarah Hogle puts out next? Probably.

Thank you for allowing me to read this title.

Sarah Hogle does angst and frustration super well! I love reading the banter between her characters. This title was no different! It definitely was more spicy than her others. I also love the magical elements.

Something was off for me on the dynamic of these two characters. I needed more flashbacks to get the full scope of their relationship.

Sarah Hogle is my auto-buy. While second chance romance is not, strictly speaking, my favorite trope, she's the only one I really trust with it. Here, Romina is roped accidentally into playing her boss's fake girlfriend for a family event that turns out to be the engagement announcement of boss's dad to her ex-boyfriend's mom. Awkward. In true Sarah Hogle fashion, this is a riot. When Romina decides to continue to charade to annoy her ex, Alex, things get even more awkward fast. Alex is surely on to her, and Romina keeps wiggling out of his clutches, while the slow burn starts to simmer.

Things I loved about this book: Romina's flowers, Alex's instincts, the tiny little details that actually matter, subtle witchcraft, that classic Sarah Hogle bonkers plot, some of the most adorable side characters you'll ever meet, and a heartwarming story that doesn't pull any punches.

There is no third act breakup here. There are some shocking revelations that, when a step is taken back, totally make sense for the characters. And it all rolls into a satisfying ending about a girl learning to find her courage. I loved this. Hoping for another Sarah Hogle book soon!

I would read Sarah Hogle's grocery list. I just love everything she writes so much and the this book captured my attention from the very beginning. Such fun fake-dating shenanigans with so many laugh-out-loud moments. Unfortunately, the second half of the book was not as engaging to me as the first half. I was a little disappointed by how quiet the second half of the book was and frustrated by how slow things were after the midpoint. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this read and think my enjoyment of the first half made up for that. The atmosphere and environment were really fun, as were the supporting cast of characters. And there were some lines I highlighted (which I never do) because of how impactful they were. Overall, a lovely read!

My Reaction: This was my first Sarah Hogle novel & I enjoyed it! Sarah’s way of describing settings makes you feel like you’re being wrapped in a blanket. This story evoked a lot of emotion from me that I didn’t expect - that’s a testament to the writing. The multiple storylines added to the character development. I enjoyed the flashbacks between Romina & Alex in high school + Romina’s lookback on her relationship with Spencer (even though I hate him) - it helped me better understand her. The magical realism was fun & light- it could actually be part of our world. It elevated the story to something more whimsical. We had some brief deeper topics such as love after loss & spotlight on women’s value being on childbearing. I enjoyed that once Alex & Romina got past the initial hurdle, there wasn’t second act break up. It was all about her getting comfortable in opening her heart to his child. I loved this – it was different than most romances I read.

The characters were SO much fun. I really hope we get a story about each Tempest sister because they’re each unique…. It feels like we will with a certain fortune a certain sister received. I also found Alex very swoony. Humans aren’t perfect, he certainly wasn’t, but I loved him regardless.

The ‘secret’ Alex withheld may cause anger with readers, however, this is an emotional story and we need to look at the situation realistically.
1) Alex thought Romina was in a relationship with Trevor. He did not owe her any information about his life.
2) Romina lied repeatedly as Alex tried to uncover the truth. She purposefully put him in situations where he was hurting with jealousy. I don’t fault her though & understand her feelings in trying to protect her heart!
3) As a reminder, books are here to make us think critically & evoke emotion. Humans make mistakes and we don’t always like the choices other humans make.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really enjoyed the first 3 quarters of the book but it kind of lost me there towards the end. I liked this cast of characters as a whole but something felt a little off about the main characters. Can Trevor get a spin off? He had me laughing out loud.

I am a big fan of Hogle’s You Deserve Each Other but this one didn’t hit its mark for me.

Sarah Hogle is the queen of soft boys and whimsy love stories with heart and soul and sometimes even a dash of magic ✨

At first, I was quite skeptical of this book. Actually I thought I was tripping. I couldn’t get a solid read on the world or the magic and the writing felt very scrambled to me. My notes from the first chapter just say “I feel like I just got slapped in the face by cottage core. But why is there a red Nissan with yellow rims? Is this set in the world of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?”

Turns out this is much less ridiculous story than I first imagined, set in current day in a novelty tourist town called Moonville somewhere in the depths of Ohio. The novelty is in its “love magic” and its unbelievably cutesy landscape, shops, and eateries (the bar is called Moonshine, the pastry place is Wafting Crescent—you get the point).

Romina Tempest and her sisters run are purveyors of this so-called love magic at their family store “The Magick Happens” a bookstore/magic shop that specializes in candles and flowers that influence the love lives of their customers.

All fun and adorable and good. Even if it the writing still felt a bit jumbled at times. But what was not fun and good was Romina fake dating her boss/friend Trevor in an effort to score investment money from his dad while making both of their exes jealous. Because, in a twist of fate, Trevor’s dad is in town to marry the mother of Romina’s high school sweetheart. Which puts her face-to-face with Alex (said high school sweetheart) for the first time in 11 years.

I don’t like fake dating on a good day. But you know what’s even worse than love interests that fake date? A main character that fake dates a side character in an effort to hurt the love interest. My stomach actually sank when I finally realized what we were in for, and I enjoyed very little of the high jinks and persistent, petty lying that ensued.

Thankfully that jig doesn’t last too too long though. And once it’s up, thus began the most achingly sweet second chance romance I’ve been privy to in a long while.

I get why people might not love Alex and resent the discovery that very nearly upends the story halfway through. But I disagree wholeheartedly. I fell so hard for Alex. He’s the softest softest boy who’s so clearly still in love with Romina from the get-go and just wants her to be honest with him.

Romina’s fake dating scheme bothered me to no end but her backstory had my heart bleeding. It was something I’ve never read about before or even considered. It was poignant and raw with the sharpest edges but I thought it perfectly complimented the healing journey that these two go on together.

This really is a story about old flames and new fortunes. Love that haunts you and love that heals you. And although there were bits that didn’t work for me, I loved loved loved how this story turned out.

If you’re into:
- second chance romance
- fake dating (not w/the love interest)
- cottage core galore
- quirky small town vibes
- sister witches
- a sprinkle of magic
- guys who fall first
- adorable children
- mild open door steam

Then you should definitely add this to your TBR for next April!! 😌🌷

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group at Putnam for the opportunity to read this book early! This review reflects my honest thoughts.

My face actually hurts from how much time I spent grinning like a fool while reading this book. I even loved this book so much, I immediately did a second read through of it immediately after I finished it—TBR pile be damned. I have read a lot of great rom-coms this year. Seriously, some grade-A, magical memory making books but this one….this one has immediately surpassed all of them. It has every thing I look for: banter (oh gods, the banter was perfection), chemistry (it was oozing off the pages), characters that I immediately wanted in my own circle (I seriously loved every single character so, so much), a town that I would pack my bags up in a heartbeat to move to, no annoying miscommunication trope that gets drown out for 500 pages (miscommunication did take place in the characters past but gets resolved in their present), magical elements that really resonated with me, and love interests that I would die to ensure get their happy ending….seriously, Alex and Romina might just be my favorite book couple of all time. I want a book devoted to their high school relationship, their future and their ghosts in the afterlife. Have I mentioned that I love this book? It’s my new personality trait. (Review will be on goodreads and I’ll post to my Insta and tiktok pages as well upon release)

Definitely a must read. I couldn't put the book down. I read the book in 24 hrs & could Definitely read again. I will be looking fir other titles from this author

Romina and Alex were once high school sweethearts. They were torn apart, not surprisingly, through miscommunication and their own immaturity. They hadn’t seen each other in years and now Alex is back in town for his mother’s wedding. Romina is determined to avoid Alex and the heartbreak he’s sure to cause her.

Words cannot express how much I love, how much I feel when reading Hogle’s books. The magic in this one was almost peripheral which was fine with me. The sweetness of watching Romina and Alex find each other again was everything. The very beginning of the story threw me for a loop, though, the writing felt a little chaotic, almost frenetic. Looking back, I realize this just showcased the supporting characters’ personalities and Romina’s state of mind at the time.

Once Alex came on scene, things seemed to calm (much like he calmed Romina), and I was hooked. More so as each chapter unfolded to a very satisfying, very romantic end. I don't think anyone can write a romantic hero or invoke a romantic atmosphere better than Sarah Hogle.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.
I very much enjoyed the witchy theme and I usually like second chance tropes.
However, this book left me underwhelmed and I didnt really feel a connection between the two main characters.
It definitely wasn't a bad read by any means, just perhaps wasn't my cup of tea!

I loved every second of this book. Sarah Hogle is always one of my auto-buy authors and when I saw this book I jumped for the chance to get to read it early. I was so pleased to get the honor to do so. Normally, I am not the biggest fan of second chance romance- but, this was AMAZING!! What I liked the most about this book was how downright ROMANTIC it was. From the setting, which was an atmospheric and delightfully drawn magical place, to our characters, who were real and full of emotion that gripped me and kept the pages turning. I really liked how vulnerable you can see Romina be about her feelings of wanting to be a mother. Personally, I never have felt the strongest urge myself to be a mom, but living those feelings through her got me in a place deep inside I did not know was there. Alex was delightfully stubborn and had some interesting intricacies. I liked how both of their personalities grew and shifted as they turned into adults. The chemistry, for me, was electric and I was often squeeing with delight when they interacted with each other. I liked all of our secondary characters a lot as well, which I feel like it is rare to enjoy all of the secondary characters, but the cast to round out this world and flesh out this story made it all that much better. The sisters give me Practical Magic vibes. Also, my jaw dropped when we find ourselves that large new piece of info about Alex. Did not see that coming at all, but definitely liked the twist a lot! I think the tempest quote at the beginning of the story was chefs kiss, and I loved all of the victorian flower meanings at the beginning of each chapter. Overall, I loved how swoony and romantic this book was. It was delicious and delightful and I loved every minute of it. I wish it would have never ended! I can't wait for the next Sarah Hogle release!

People who didn’t like this book, I am here to tell you, once and for all, YOU are wrong. Come at me, I don’t care. I have read 155+ books this year already, and this is absolutely at the top of the list for me. So I am here to tell the world, without a shadow of a doubt, if you thought anything negative about this book, you don’t know what you’re talking about, and this is a hill I will die on.

I really enjoyed You Deserve Each Other, I thought it was a delightful and quirky-ly written take on the miscommunication trope. Sarah’s writing style is absolutely unique, it flows more like poetry or song lyrics, it’s so beautiful to me.

Old Flames New Fortunes takes the second chance trope and throws it completely on its head. This book was so emotionally beautiful and reeling, that I had to take a break before part two. Romina and Alex were so heartbreaking, so soul wrecking, that I couldn’t even think about putting the book down. Their story grasped my attention and never let go. And the plot twist before part two?? Killed me, dead. The ending made me burst into tears of happiness, about how beautifully full circle the entire book had come. Sarah knows how to make you so emotionally invested, that you entire existence depends on her sweet and well thought-out characters.

So if you hated this book, you need to take a hard look at why you didn’t deserve Romina and Alex in the first place.

Thank you to Putnam for giving me an arc but it is becoming abundantly clear that Hogle’s writing just isn’t for me. I thought the plot was cute, the blurb is what hooked me but I’ve read Hogle before and I didn’t necessarily feel wow’d. It felt forgettable, just like this one.

I loved this everyday witchy book! It’s the sort of story and setting that you could pick up year round for some witchy, magical vibes.

Sarah Hogle writes romances that don’t follow the conventional formulas. Her writing is chaotic in the best way and funny and fresh.

Romina and Alex’s journey in this book is a veritable roller coaster and comes with a whole cast of lovable side characters. I had no idea what was coming next but enjoyed the ride and had quite a few laughs.

This was cute. It has spring vibes which is great because it publishes in April of 2024! Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC.

Sarah Hogle’s characters definitely all have a maturity problem. Lots of running away from confrontation and problems and some miscommunication. In this book in particular, I found it a tad annoying. Romina runs into her old high school sweetheart and pretends to date her boss? And won’t own up to it. It’s all very childish.

But I forgive a little since there’s magic and every chapter has a flower theme! Definitely loved those touches.

I dropped everything to read this, and am SO glad I did. I absolutely love Sarah Hogle's humor and how she approaches romantic tropes and traditional structure. Although her books are generally "light", she is still able to create fully fleshed-out characters with nuance, unique pain points, and an arc of earnest growth!

Old Flames and New Fortunes does a beautiful thing I haven't seen too much in the romance genre: it leans into the idea of magic having BOTH believers and nonbelievers. Hogle never seriously states, in one way or the other, that magic is REAL in this world, but she allows readers to come to their own conclusions through the progression of the story. I absolutely adored this, as it parallels well with the concept of True Love/Fated Mates and many other ideas about romance as both Book and Life genres that I myself have gone back and forth on.

As with her other books, her side characters are fantastic and support the overall comic relief that both hero and heroine also actively participate in. They don't feel like plot devices and have their own competing interests and desires that make them wholly unique.

Finally-- Alex and Romina. Oh my did I love their dynamic! One of my biggest pet peeves with second-chance romances is when the time passed between reintroduction doesn't change anything significant about the two love interests. But with both of them, the last eleven years are NOT simply time passed. They are changed, slightly damaged, and have a lot to unpack. This makes the payoff so much sweeter and, dare I say, magical!

The only reason I didn't give this a full 5 stars has to do with length. But part of this might be because of formatting issues with my netgalley copy. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical edition of this book and I caNNOT wait for more people to read this next Spring (which, for anyone who has access now, YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK THIS FALL. It's such an excellent Fall book tbh).

This is a perfect read for anyone searching for:
- SMALL TOWN VILLAGE VIBES
- SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
- MAGICKAL ENERGIES
- HAPPY FOR NOW ENDING (I know some people don't like this, but I LOVED it)

Some content warnings:
Mention of previous abusive relationship and loss of a child, lying by omission

I love when a second chance romance just hits. After You Deserve Each Other, I was so excited to see Sarah Hogle writing another book involving a trope I love but not a lot of authors can write how I like it. Romina and Alex were adorable. I loved the banter between the two. The town of Moonville, had Stars Hollows vibes which made it a great cozy read. I will be honest and say the twist in the back half of the book threw me off, and I have to knock a star off for it. I did not like how it played out especially knowing Romina's history. All in all a solid 4 star read for me!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

This book is about Romina, who works in a florist shop and uses her magic skills to help her customers in their love lives. One customer, who is also a financial backing for the shop, is getting married and Romina decides it is the perfect opportunity to showcase why her business should be purchased. So, she she pretends to date her co-worker Trevor in order to gain access to the wedding. She then learns that Trevor is soon to be the step-brother to Alex, her boyfriend from years ago who broke her heart. Romina decides she wants to show Alex what he has been missing, but then she also struggles with the fact that their connection is still present. Should she let go of the past? Give love a second chance? I liked this storyline except for the major secret that is kept through the majority of the book - in real life, it is hard to trust someone after something like that and just didn't work from me. Aside from that, though, I did enjoy the way the story flowed and I enjoyed the magical and flowery elements of the book, which was a fun twist to magic rather than typical tropes of Halloween-themed settings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Hogle books never miss and Old Flames and New Fortunes is no exception. This whimsical novel will have readers flying through the pages and completely enveloped in the story. With such beautiful world-building I honestly never wanted to leave. Highly recommend for fans of romance novels that require a touch of suspension of belief.