⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

What a fun and happy book! I absolutely adored this and it was just what my heart needed!

Romina and Alex were high school sweethearts. Afterwards though, they had some miscommunication and their relationship ended with them both heartbroken and confused. Fast forward 10 years and Romina is working at a magical floral shop with her sisters and her best friend Trevor. When she realizes that Trevor’s soon to be step brother,Alex, is her ex boyfriend, her and Trevor decide to fake date each other.

This is a second chance love story done right! Hogle’s way with words made this book so magical and bright! A definite must read!

📘: Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle
🗓️: April 2, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Hogle, and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Romina is a florist and uses magic through the flowers and the flower's meanings. She pretends date a guy who ends up being a soon to be step brother of her ex,
Alex was her high school sweetheart and she never got over him. As we read more about him then he never got over her either.
I thought the book was cute.
The one thing I don't like with books meant for adults are the cutesy cartoon covers. It looks like a mid grade fairytale cover.
I received the arc from netGalley for review.

One of my favorite romances ever is You Deserve Each Other by the same author, and I was hoping for the same banter-filled joy from New Flames and Old Fortunes. So, it makes me sad to say that I have decided to DNF this.

The characters act and speak in a manner that makes them seem like they are in high school, not almost 30 years old. Making the story seem immature and annoying. It also made it extremely difficult to follow the flashbacks when they were actually in high school.

Also, I never got a sense of the setting. Small Town Romances need the small town to be a character. It is part of it. I felt like I was watching a blurry movie, never fully immersed in the world.

Further, the main love interest is horrendous. I have heard he redeems himself at about 75% in, but I don't have the patience to read a romance where I can't stand the main love interest for a third of the story.

I love this author! This was a fun wacky book and I liked the different set up. I enjoyed the relationship between our main characters. Full review to come.

Nope, this wasn't the one for me.

On the surface, it looked like the perfect recipe for a great book. Fake dating, second chance romance, and the chance to save the "witchy" shop she owned with her sisters? What a treat.

I think the best way to describe my dislike for this book is that none of these characters had any depth to them. The fake-dating and the fake boyfriend were so half-assed. The floral business really didn't play the role in the story I wanted it to. The witch elements were -- two girls who owned a shop with witchy vibes -- if you're looking for magical realism you won't find any where.

And the MMC, Alex, was so condescending and unlikeable and this never improved for me. Girl THIS -- this is the man you want to claim as the love of your life?! He acted hurt that Romina moved on when he had a whole ass life in the eleven years that they were apart that he didn't fess up about until way too far along. The reveal of his secret is when I started to hardcore skim the rest of the book because there was no redeeming him at that point as far as I was concerned.

Their original breakup was bizarre and yup sorry I just really hated this whole damn thing. It read so juvenile and immature that I wasn't rooting for them to end up together and I wasn't satisfied with the relationship they ended up building the second time around. They still felt like a high school relationship in far too many ways. It also was nearly 400 pages and major plot lines felt like they just faded away into nothing?? What am I doing here?

A big flop for me, sadly!

Romina Tempest is a witch, creating magical fortunes through bouquets and floral arrangements to help her customers manifest their wishes for their love lives, even though her own love life has been less than what she'd hoped since breaking up with her high school sweetheart, Alex, over a decade ago. So when her best friend and business partner, Trevor, ropes her into pretending to be his girlfriend in order to save face at a family function, she goes along with it. They're both in for a big surprise when Trevor's dad announces he'll be getting married in a week, and Alex's mother is the bride. Coming face to face with Alex for the first time in years doesn't cool Romina's anger over the way things ended between them, so she resolves to get him back for the heartbreak that he put her through. The only problem is that the more time they spend together, the more her desire for revenge turns into a desire to get back together.

I loved the concept of the flora fortunes and the way the language of flowers kept cropping up throughout the story. I do wish the magic had played a bit larger of a role in the overall plot, as I found it fascinating. While I did enjoy Old Flames and New Fortunes overall, it did feel a bit long and a touch slow in places. Part one took place over just a few days and was approximately sixty percent of the whole story, while part two was over a much longer span of time, seemingly a few months. The timeline did start to get a bit confusing for me in part two. When I picked this up, I was hoping for a sweet, quick read to finish over my weekend. Due to work and life happening, it took me just about a week to finish, so that may have colored my perception of the pacing.

The main characters and several more prominent side characters were so well rounded and written in such a way that they practically jumped off the page. There were some side characters introduced that I had difficulty keeping track of through the story. I really enjoyed the hijinks the ensued as a result of the fake dating plotline, which I did expect to figure a bit more prominently into the overall plot. Typically, I am not a huge fan of second chance romances, but Old Flames and New Fortunes is beautifully done.

If you are a fan of magical realism and second chance romances, I think you will love Old Flames and New Fortunes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to review!

I have mixed feelings about this book. So many parts I loved and others I thought were a little too much.

Let me preface this review by saying this book isn’t going to be for everyone. I really enjoy Sarah Hogle’s writing and loved the romance in her last book, Just Like Magic. If you didn’t like Just Like Magic, I would probably skip this one. I found it to be equal parts romantic and chaotic, a teeny bit bonkers with underlying themes of magic in present times. I still don’t feel I have a full grasp of the magic component.

Despite the magical elements woven throughout the story and her unique profession, this story felt relatable. Alex isn’t a millionaire; he doesn’t take her on exotic trips and fancy dates. He is a roofer with a middle-class income. This book forces you to look at the magic around you- in the small, simple moments- in nature and in our daily life.

Candidly, second chance can be a tough trope for me. I have mixed feelings about the drama surrounding their breakup and subsequent hurt caused by actions and words post break (Being vague to avoid spoilers). There was also a reveal around the 60% mark that made my stomach drop. Even though most of our forever relationships aren’t our first relationships, sometimes it is hard to accept that even for these fictional characters, their stories aren’t always linear. Despite my complicated feelings surrounding their breakup, ultimately, I was able to move past it since they were young, immature and didn’t have the emotional intelligence or communication skills to talk it out.

The romance in this one is a classic second chance, “always been you” situation. I could feel Alex’s adoration of Romina coming off the page. He just has stars in his eyes for her and I love that. The main conflict happens between 50%-60%, so the rest of the book is spent rebuilding the foundation of their relationship. Alex is so patient and unwavering in his commitment to showing Romina he is here for the long haul. He made Romina pursue him at the end and I thought that was perfectly fitting for how their love story developed.

Spice: this book is open door and had more spice than I was expecting from a Sarah Hogle novel. It was done so well and felt so intimate. I love when these moments intertwine with emotional intimacy and tenderness, it furthers the story so beautifully. Alex is 100% in the camp of “I am undone by the privilege of touching you” which is one of my favorite micro tropes. When he undresses her slowly over the course of many hours, DECEASED.

Final thoughts:
Despite my issues with the past conflict and questions surrounding the magic, I devoured this second chance romance. Alex’s patience and commitment to Romina in the 2nd half of the book- all his tiny and grand gestures- were so SWEET. 10/10 stars.
I will say that having read all of Hogle’s books, this one is closer to Just Like Magic than You Deserve Each Other- so take that into consideration when deciding to read.

Fingers crossed, we get to visit Moonville again for Luna and Zelda’s stories.

Thank you to the publisher for the early copy.

What a fun second chance rom com.
Romana has a special affinity to flora magic. She works with her sister in a little magic shop of her hometown. When her friend Trevor and Romina bump into their exes, they decide to pretend to be together.

However Alex is very astute he doesn’t believe Romina is really with Trevor. Alex becomes a fun nuisance for Romina to unravel her lie but in the process he nudges with small gestures that he still loves her.

I was surprise there was some spice! I think it was a perfect amount for this book and how it ended was tender.

This is a story about small town second chances for high school sweethearts. The guy fell first. Family is important in this story. It also delves in the social culture of woman - their decision to regarding kids.

Would definitely recommend

3.5 rounded to 4

"Old Flames and New Fortunes" by Sarah Hogle is like a rom-com cocktail with a twist of hilarity and a dash of heartache. Picture this: a quirky protagonist, a blast from the past, and enough awkward encounters to make even the most confident reader cringe with delight. Hogle serves up a delightful concoction of humor and romance, leaving readers with a smile plastered on their faces and a newfound appreciation for the chaos of love. So, grab your popcorn and prepare for a rollercoaster ride of emotions—just make sure to buckle up for those unexpected twists and turns! This won't be for everyone as its completely bonkers but it will find its place with the hearts of some.

My thoughts on Old Flames and New Fortunes are such a jumble, so I’m going to list them out

What I liked…
- Sister bonds!
- The magical realism. I love when there’s just a touch of magic in the world. Romina’s flower fortunes were so unique and interesting. The shop was fascinating— I’d absolutely shop there!!
- The scavenger hunt
- The sort of short timeline up to the wedding
- The audiobook narrator. I thought she was fun and easy to listen to!

What I didn’t love…
- All of the characters were kind of flat, like they didn’t have a lot of depth or change through the story
- I can’t stand second chance romances. Yall, there’s a reason you broke up in the first place

In a small and magical rural town is where Romina has decided to build a life doing floral fortunes. When the chance to meet her colleague Trevor's dad and possible financier comes up at his wedding, Romina jumps at the chance to meet him. What she doesn't expect is to run into her ex-boyfriend, Alex, there as Trevor's fake date but when Alex hears this news, he doesn't believe it. Mainly because he knows Romina better than anyone else. As wedding and fake dating shenanigans go on, Romina can't resist the chemistry they still have.

I love love love Sarah Hogle's novels but I was a little nervous about this one but there really wasn't any worry to be had. This was written in a classic Sarah Hogle way filled with cozy moments, fun banter and characters you can't help but loving. Alex and Romina's second chance story gave me butterflies and had me giggling too. Hogle seems to just know how to write a pair who are undeniably made for one another.

So, this book had its ups and downs for me. It was like a rom-com I'd watch but wouldn't call my all-time fav.

Our FL Romina Tempest runs a magical flower shop and talks to flowers. She's hung up on her ex, Alex King. When her business hits a rough patch, she gets tangled in a fake relationship with Trevor, her investor's son. Of course, that's when Alex strolls back in, messing with her heart.
The story idea caught my attention, but I wished it went deeper, especially with the sisters' business and character development. They had potential but needed more depth to make me really care. And I always love a good sismance so this was a huge missed opportunity.

Romina and Alex had their spark, but the back-and-forth drama got repetitive. Sometimes, Alex's moves felt pushy instead of romantic. I did love the flower magic and the charming small-town vibe though. It wasn't my favorite, but if you're into second chances and flower magic, you might like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for the ARC

Unfortunately this one wasn't a hit for me. I did love the idea of the plot itself, and I LOVED LOVED LOVED the magical vibes and the floral connections and magic shop. A big thing for me is connection to characters, and unfortunately I didn't feel anything towards them.

I wasn't sure about Old Flames and New Fortures when I first started. I don't always enjoy magical realism. Magic that happens in a magical world I have no problem with, but magic that happens in the real world stumps me. So when I tried to classify this book I got confused. Does Romina think she's actually a witch? Or is this supposed to be a magical world? Once I decided to stop trying to figure it out and just enjoy the story, things got better for me.

Romina and her sisters own a shop in town and they want to expand to the building next door, but they need some additional funding to renovate the space. Trevor's dad is just the investor they need. But Trevor doesn't have the best relationship with his dad. When they think his dad has finally agreed to meet with them about the loan, they come to find out that Trevor's dad is just trying to tell him that he's getting married.

I can't remember if the fake-dating scheme came before or after running into Alex. I feel like it came before. If I remember correctly, Romina tries to jump to Trevor's rescue when his cousin or a girl he likes cousin starts putting him down. And then Alex kind of witnessed or overheard Romina's declaration. Romina and Trevor decide to roll with it in hopes of making the girl that Trevor actually likes see what she's missing and for Alex to see that Romina has moved on with her life.

If there's one thing Sarah Hogle knows how to write, it is relationships that have gone bad and are restored again. The tension between Alex and Romina was so strong and intoxicating. Alex was so obviously still into Romina. Romina was trying so hard not to be still affected by Alex that it was comical. As a matter of fact, I think I did laugh out loud at least once. But man, the steps that Alex took to prove himself were so attractive. How could anyone not be won over by actions such as that?

Favorite quotes:

-We are a vast population of hurting hearts that miss people who haven't come into our lives yet.
-...it feels as if he takes something; as if, every time I meet his gaze, he siphons off a little piece of me to keep.
-"We'd be a lot further ahead right now if you'd just been honest."
-Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
-"Romina, I would've picked up the sun with my bare hands and moved it if you didn't like the position of your shadow..."
-I don't get to be part of what happens next, who she becomes. But I can take heart in knowing I did my very best in the short time we had together.
That last quote reminded me of a particularly emotional piece of the book that I don't want to say anything more about so I don't give anything away. Given my cousin had an experience that reminded me very much of the one that Romina experienced makes it even more so for me.

Old Flames and New Fortunes was so much better than I thought it was going to be when I first started it. Keep pushing forward if the beginning is a little confusing or off-putting for you like it was for me. Old Flames and New Fortunes gets 4 Stars. Have you read Old Flames and New Fortunes? What did you think? Let me know!

Old Flames and New Fortunes didn’t quite have the same pull that Sarah Hogle’s previous books had for me at least. I don’t know if it’s because I’m not a fantasy reader that it didn’t have the same appeal to me or if it was a combination of things on why I didn’t work for me. I enjoyed parts of the book but the slowness of the beginning really dragged for me only to have the gas pedal slammed down really fast and then let up again. I do think Romina and Alex have chemistry but I just couldn’t wrap my head around how they were at the beginning of the book vs the middle and then the end of it.

My favorite (and in my opinion) peak Sarah Hogle book is You Deserve Each Other and think everyone should pick it up if they are interested in giving her books a read.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

It was fun to see Alex try to out Romina and Trevor’s fake relationship. Full of emotion, humor with fun characters and a few witchy vibes.

Not your typical fake dating. Loved the witchy attributes and the fake dating trope. The setting of small town Moonville is so cute. I love the whimsy and magic. This is my first read by Sarah Hogle and I am eager to read more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was given the opportunity to read the arc of Old Flames and New Fortunes, and I absolutely loved this second chance spicy romance.

I understand that some people found the character of Alex frustrating, but I found him entertaining. They were both pining and jealous, and he was definitely putting up a front to disguise his true feelings.

Romina was sweet and a very relatable character. More than anything she wants to be a mother, and despite the fact that certain people took advantage of her kindess, she remains a sweet person. She definitely speaks up for herself more and isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with Alex.

This story features magical flowers, modern witches, fortune telling, language of flowers, fake dating, angst and pining, as well as a lot of banter that was massively humorous.

There is a suprise that some might hate, but it made sense and fit into what the Romina wanted. I also think that Alex was very respectful of her triggers and patient. She definitely made the decision she wanted in the end in my opinion.

I loved this book so much. I ran to the bookstore to get my copy to reread and cry to one day again.

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for this Arc.

✨✨✨✨✨/5

4.5 stars rounded up!

Romina Tempest is a flora fortunist in the mystical town of Moonville - that is, she uses the meanings behind flowers and plants to help people with their love lives. Unfortunately, Romina's own love life is pretty stagnant after her high school sweetheart Alex broke her heart, and her only other serious relationship ended in an incredibly painful way. When Alex returns to Moonville for his mother's wedding, Romina ends up pretending to date her friend Trevor, who is also Alex's soon-to-be stepbrother after a mix-up that she decides to keep going because she doesn't want Alex to know how hurt she still is from their breakup all those years ago.

This book was simply EVERYTHING to me and I will think about it for a long time to come. I was a little hesitant to read this, after trying another book from the author in the past and the magic realism premise just not working for me. This book did have some magical elements with Romina and her sisters owning a mystical candle/floral/bookshop, but this felt more realistic and worked. It took a little bit for me to really get into the story, but once I did, I loved it. Romina and Alex had me laughing out loud and kicking my feet. This book was equal parts hilarious and SO tender, with depth and plot twists and secrets galore. The payoff at the end was so incredibly sweet, heartwarming, and tender and I'll be thinking about Alex's declarations for a while.

TW: mention of past psychologically abusive relationship, mention of neglect of a child, death of a parent (off-page), death of a grandparent (off-page)