OLD FLAMES AND NEW FORTUNES is a charming and whimsical love story with a touch of magic that makes for a fast and easy read. It is definitely a rom-com and felt more on the fluffier side of romance. I enjoyed the playfulness between Alex and Romina and how the author started each chapter with a flower's meaning pertaining to the moment in the storyline. I loved the concept of "flora fortunes" that Romina creates, combining flowers and witchcraft to find her customers the love they so desire. If you love light-hearted second-chance with a hint of spice, this book is for you!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I could have enjoyed this if Alex would have had any redeeming qualities at all, but there was just nothing likable about him. He was arrogant, impatient, and rude…even in the high school flashbacks when Romina first met him. Romina was LITERALLY running away from him and he wasn’t deterred, and the whole thing just really rubbed me the wrong way. He was a little better at the very, very end, but I just didn’t like his character at all and it really affected the rest of the story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Such a sweet small town, slow burn, second chance romance. I loved the added witch aspects in it! It was a little repetitive like picking the petals off of flowers, she wants me, she wants me not, etc. And easy and fast read with a little bit of spice. I loved Alex’s character although he was very cocky. Trevor was also a very fun, loose cannon character! I love the bond between the Tempest sisters and Aisling. I do wish there was an epilogue about a specific ring that was mentioned near the end! Also wish I could have seen Romina be the mom she always wanted to be! But overall loved this book!

I’ll preface this by saying that I’ve read this author’s three prior books and loved them. I found them witty and funny with a lot of heart. I was eagerly anticipating her new release.

Hogle’s storylines can be somewhat chaotic (and I mean that in a complimentary way!) and this one was no different. So Romina is fake dating Trevor but then Trevor’s father is marrying Alex’s mother and Alex was Romina’s first love who broke her heart. See what I mean? Chaos ensues! There are several other side plots as well, like Romina and her sisters trying to save their family’s shop, a slight magical (?) element, and Romina healing from a bad breakup.

I really enjoyed this at the start. Unfortunately, it lost steam somewhere around the halfway point for me. Alex didn’t seem realistic at all, and their reasons for not being together were kind of flimsy. The multiple threads of the plot didn’t really come together cohesively.

It makes me sad to give this only 2.5 I stars overall. A big part of that for me was Alex. I just didn’t warm to him as a character. Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me. I’m still looking forward to this author’s next release though!

RATING: 5/5 STARS

OLD FLAMES AND NEW FORTUNES was so precious!! I'm fully convinced Sarah Hogle cannot write a bad book. This book felt like a wonderful combination of the best elements of her previous books - the sparky wit and banter of YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER, the soft gentleness of TWICE SHY, and the whimsical magic of JUST LIKE MAGIC - but it was entirely its own unique story. Romina and Alex were perfect together. Their interactions were quirky and so sweet. There were many lovely moments between them, and some steamy ones too! (More than I was expecting which was amazing.) The side characters felt so real, and now I'm dying for a book about (view spoiler) This book had the best cottage-core witchy vibes. If anything else, read this for the hero who communicated his feelings and love for the heroine via flower messages (yes, this was as cute as it sounds).

3.5 stars

I received this book as an ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was really excited to get the chance to read this book ahead of its publication date (April 1, 2024). I have been really eating up books with a witchy ambiance and this one definitely has that. I’m not 100% certain, but I believe this could be the first in a set of books, each following a different sister. This book follows Romina (Ro) Tempest, a “flora fortunist” who’s particular area of witchcraft is in creating floral arrangements that can also be read as portents to the future, similar to Tarot cards. I loved the use of the language of flowers, which is something I’ve been interested in for years.

It took me a few chapters to really get into the book, but once I did it was a fairly easy and fun read. My biggest pet peeve was the “miscommunication” trope that was used abundantly, wherein 90% of the conflict could have been avoided with one or two honest conversations or direct questions. The romance was sweet (once they finally stopped being dingleberries), and the supporting cast of characters were interesting as well.

Quick & fun read!

I absolutely screeched when I got an advanced copy of this book to read. Sarah Hogle is one of my top 5 favorite authors and I was thrilled that I didn’t have to wait 8 more months for this book to get in my hands. Add to the fact that second chance romance is my very favorite and, well, let’s just say I read this book in one day.
My favorite thing about Sarah’s books are how she weaves in hilarious situations, quirky characters, and funny little quips throughout the entire book. Sometimes I feel like I don’t even notice all of them and need to go back and reread to really appreciate them all. There’s always a healthy dose of whimsy and beautiful settings as well, small town charm, and her books are always just happy and fun.
The pacing of this book was a little strange in that I felt the first half went by really quick with lots of things happening, while the second half was a little slower. There was a point when I wasn’t quite sure where it was going, but I ended up really liking it in the end. There were several little twists that surprised me beyond just “what happened to break them up the first time”. I will confess that I wasn’t a big fan of Alex for the first half of the book, but he grew on me later on.
All in all I really enjoyed this as I knew I would and am a little concerned that now I’ll have to wait even longer for the next book, since this one still isn’t out until 2024!

There is plenty to enjoy in this whimsical story. Romina has a cool job of creating flora fortunes which are rumored to help spark love, and the town of Moonville seems adorable.

I was charmed by the premise and the magical setting though not as charmed by Alex who uses bizarre flirting tactics and withholds a crucial piece of information about his life while pursuing Romina. That and the miscommunication sprinkled throughout distracted from an otherwise cute and breezy story.

Recommended to fans of the author’s other works, second-chance romance, and stories with a dash of witchcraft.

Thank you very much to Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I loved the witchy vibes in this book, especially how Romina uses the language of flowers to create "flora fortunes" for customers, looking for that perfect combination of flowers and that magical zing to help people find their hearts' desires. Romina and her sisters Luna and Zelda, along with young Aisling and friends Trevor and Morgan, create a warm magical environment for neighbors and tourists alike, though not everyone -- looking at you, Alex King -- believes in magic or sees what they do as filled with potential.

This is one of those "fake dating" stories that, despite how I like the characters, doesn't fully work for me. Romina gets pulled into pretending she's her landlord/friend Trevor's girlfriend just before they find out that (A) Trevor's dad is getting remarried and they have to continue the pretense around the whole family, and (B) Trevor's dad is marrying Kristin King, mother to Romina's high school boyfriend Alex, who (C) is there as well. And since Trevor and Romina decide to continue the deception to make their exes jealous, this leads to a LOT of sometimes painful bickering between Romina and Alex, despite their continued attraction to each other. So that, for me, was really difficult to get past. It does get better, and it of course resolves happily, but that alone diminished my enjoyment of the book.

On the up side, each chapter was named for a specific flower, with meaning attached, to parallel what was happening in the story at that time. Well done. Overall, I'd give this 3.5 stars but am not rounding up. For once.

Thank you, G. P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Stoppppp I love this book so much! I've been a Sarah Hogle fan ever since I first read "You Deserve Each Other". She writes the most unique romances with almost peculiar, yet lovable characters.

The first half of the story had me in peals of laughter. Between Trevor's antics and Romina constantly trying to get one over on Alex, I didn't even care if the story had no romance, the comedy alone was enough to keep me happy!

Romina is such an easy-t0-love FMC. She is fierce and strong and incredibly stubborn (I promise this part is endearing).

As for Alex, he's ridiculously annoying for the first half of the book, but you can't help but love his wit and the fact that he knows Romina so well.

Romina's history is so heartbreaking. Spencer definitely didn't deserve her. But, Alex? If there's anyone that was so clearly made for her, it's him. Since this is a second-chance romance, you can't help but feel sort of gypped that they didn't communicate and work things out the first time around. In the end it becomes so clear, that all that it would've taken was one honest conversation, but what do teenagers know anyway, right? But, then again, had things worked out, Miles wouldn't have been in the picture. And what a loss that would've been.

I can't recommend this story enough. It's so unique in its voice, and despite it being such a slow burn, it's not frustrating in the least. It's so entertaining and engaging from beginning to end!

4 ⭐️

I love everything Sarah Hogle writes, and Old Flames and New Fortunes did not disappoint!!

This was fun, magical, witchy, romantic, sweet, heartwarming, and funny all in one! I am so glad I was able to receive an arc for this — thanks to NetGalley for that! This is such a great cozy romance, and not at all what I expected it to be at first glance (in the best way). I thought the book was going to end right where the first part did, and I was delighted that it didn’t and had so much more depth than a typical fake dating romance! I love Sarah’s writing style, and this did not disappoint!

I fell head over heels for this book! It's like that all-time favorite movie you can't get enough of, the one you watch on repeat until you've got every line, gesture, and facial expression memorized. Seriously, this has got to be the author's ultimate masterpiece. I've been itching to get my own copy so I can relive the magic of Moonville whenever I need a dose of enchantment!

Enter Romina Tempest: a flower whisperer who knows the secret language of blooms, using their magic to channel the unique emotions her customers seek. She's got this incredible flower shop, kind of like a fairyland, where lovebirds flock to find their own happily-ever-afters. Yet, despite her knack for crafting love stories, Romina herself remains stuck in the past, nursing a heartbreak inflicted by her first love, Alex King. He shattered her and ruined her chances of giving love a second shot.

Sharing a building with her elder sister Luna's captivating candle business and her eccentric sister Zelda's paranormal bookstore, Romina is surrounded by intriguing ventures. Let's not forget their spirited investor Trevor, who's like a big-hearted kid brother. With the opening of the night market drawing near, they need more funds to cover their expenses, which means they have to turn to Trevor's dad for financial assistance.

Romina and Trevor decide to team up and pitch their ideas to Daniel, Trevor's father, at a pub. However, this outing also leads them to bump into Trevor's ex and her not-so-friendly cousin. Romina's protective instincts kick in, and she blurts out a lie about her and Trevor being in a relationship before they meet Daniel.

Unfortunately, this lie takes an inconvenient turn during their meeting. Daniel has news of his own happily-ever-after: he's getting hitched to Alex's mother. Yes, you heard that right. The guy who broke Romina's heart into a million pieces is going to be Trevor's stepbrother. As if that's not enough, the annoying cousin declares she's dating Trevor! Trevor and Romina are pushed into a fake dating scenario, and they decide to keep up the ruse to make their exes jealous and show how content they are together.

Right from the start, Alex gets suspicious about their so-called relationship. He's determined to uncover the truth, resorting to a wildly inappropriate compatibility quiz and even invading their shared living space, watching their every move like a hawk.

Trevor wants to come clean with his father, especially as Alex's relentless probing becomes more unbearable by the day. But revealing the truth might brand them as untrustworthy and jeopardize their chances of securing the business loan. However, the sizzling chemistry and lingering emotions between Romina and Alex also add fuel to the fire. They're like a ticking bomb, with their intense intimacy capable of setting the whole town ablaze.

What if Romina stands to lose more than just her business by opening her heart to a man who could shatter it all over again? What if moving on is simply not in the cards for her? And what if the secrets they're hiding from each other could alter the course of their lives forever?

Oh boy, I wish I could read this book for an entire month! I never wanted it to end, and I'm secretly hoping that Sarah Hogle treats us to more Moonville magic with Luna and Zelda's love stories, giving us glimpses into Romina and Alex's future. Everything about this town, these characters, their love story, the enchanting flowers — it's pure literary magic! Words hardly suffice to convey just how much I savored this read. It's definitely a five-star contender and then some!

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for generously sharing this phenomenal book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Possibly one of my favorite second chance romances ever. This story was so beautifully written, with the perfect blend of whimsy, friendship, and romance. This book broke my heart and then put it back together again.