1920’s Brooklyn
1980’s Florida
These are the two timelines…we go back and forth to learn the story of Augusta (Goldie) Stern, a pharmacist’s daughter.. we see her grow up and she loses the love of her life …Irving, when he disappears from town and leaves with another young woman and her family just when Augusta and her family thought he was about to propose.
Augusta never married…. she went to pharmacy school and had a long career in the medical field. She worked until just before her 80th birthday.
When it’s close to her 80th birthday… her niece has talked her into moving into a retire community in south Florida, there she meets new friends and some old friends from Brooklyn. Irving, among them!
This is a story about second chances.
A lovely story!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of "The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" by Lynda Cohen Loigman. I was so hooked by a preview that I also grabbed it as my Book of the Month, so now I’ve got both versions!

This book flips between the 1920s and 1980s and tosses in some magical realism, exploring women's issues, cultural shifts, and the intersection of science with old-school pharmacy vibes. It dives into the dynamics between the MC and her family, especially a great aunt and a father, a sister and a niece, a childhood love; weaving through themes of love and misunderstanding. Definitely a fall read.

Quick Synopsis: Never too late to start over. As Augusta Stern hits her eighties and steps into retirement, she finds herself feeling a bit lost. Moving to Rallentando Springs—a lively senior community in Florida—she bumps into Irving Rivkin, the guy who first stole her heart in her dad’s pharmacy sixty years back. Growing up in 1920s Brooklyn, Augusta always looked up to her dad, Solomon, the go-to pharmacist in their neighborhood. But when her mom passes and her Great Aunt Esther steps in, things start to shake up. Esther's got all these wild remedies that really contrast with her dad’s more traditional methods. Caught between her dad’s doubts and her aunt’s magical concoctions, Augusta’s life spins out of control, leading her to a major crossroads about her past and her feelings for Irving.

What I Loved:
• The characters are super well-drawn and easy to get attached to.
• I loved how the book mixes science with the unexplainable.
• It tackles women's issues in a way that adds real depth to the story.

Favorite quotes:
"To ignorant men, every gifted woman is a witch."
"Because we can bear witness to a woman who suffers when her doctors refuse to see her pain."
"Because even when we cannot heal, a bowl of chicken soup can offer comfort."

Totally loved this book—easy 5 stars from me. Highly recommend for anyone into a mix of historical fiction, women's fiction, magical realism, apothecary themes, etc.

I don’t often start books and finish them within 24 hours, but when I do, I rate them 5 stars. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern pleasantly surprised me. I did not expect to be entranced by 1920’s pharmacy life in Brooklyn, and Aunt Esther stole my heart and made me wish longingly for a great aunt like she who can make wonderful soup and medicines. The alternating timeline chapters expertly built suspense, and a second-chance romance with two protagonists in their 80’s made my heart melt. Loigman may have made it to my favorite authors list, despite the fact that the book was not high fantasy or a space opera scifi. It’s amazing when we break out of our genre shells and try new things.

Characters make or break a story for me. Loigman’s character writing is among some of the best I’ve read. Solomon Stern, widowed father of two young women, stands aloof with his grief and pain yet supports his daughters in their endeavors, both professionally and romantically. Augusta, the young teenaged girl without a mother, takes an interest in her father’s profession and makes him proud with her diligence. Irving, the young boy in search of a way to escape poverty, never loses his moral compass in exchange for the easy way to affluence. And finally Esther, wonderfully eccentric Aunt Esther, who brings the old world with her to Augusta’s doorstep and leaves magic and healing whenever she cooks. (I definitely looked up several recipes for kreplach and plan to try and make some one day.) It is no small thing for an author to write a myriad of characters who equally worm their ways into a reader’s heart, but Loigman certainly did. 

The 1920’s, right after WWI but well before WWII and the Great Depression, has always been a time period of great interest for me. Loigman gives such a vivid representation of 1920’s Brooklyn; I felt, saw, and smelled all the places described. Pharmacies and speakeasys, department stores, and even just regular homes come alive in this story. Within this expertly constructed setting, we meet Augusta, a forlorn young girl who takes up her father’s mantel to make medicines for people and one day help advance medicine to a degree that will help find cures or treatments for diseases that currently have no positive prognosis, which always provides compelling motivation for a main character. She slowly falls in love with the young man who works for her father, Irving, who matches her resolve with his abundant integrity.

Augusta Stern ultimately gives readers a heart-felt second-chance romance with a side of miscommunication (which usually irritates me to no end, but here I felt it done well). The two lovebirds meet up again much later in life and rebuild their relationship, all the while seemingly making the same mistakes twice. The second time around, however, they’ve got quite a bit more maturity and experience behind them to solve the problem and make things work out how they should.

I can’t wait to pick up Loigman’s backlist and give it a read. If those titles are anywhere near as amazing as Augusta, I’ll absolutely love them.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

A seventy nine year old pharmacist is finally forced to retire. She moves to a retirement community in Florida and is stunned to realize that her estranged childhood sweetheart also lives there. Told via duel timelines in the 1920s and 1980s, we slowly piece together the story of their heartbreak while alternating with their reunification and and second chance 60 years later.

This book was so lovely and I enjoyed every moment of it. There was never a point where I felt bored or disengaged; it captured my attention early and kept me invested throughout. The secondary characters - an aunt whose homeopathic remedies seem magical to a child, mobsters during prohibition, charming seniors in the retirement community - add to the richness of the story. Although Augusta and Irving's relationship is at the heart of the story, it also probes at larger questions including the difficulty of a woman who wanted to have both a career and a relationship at a time when this was unusual. There's a touch of magic in this story of second chances!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel via NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet book. It tells the story of Augusta Stern in two different timelines- 1920s and 1980s. When the story starts Augusta is a seventy-nine-year-old retired pharmacist who has moved from Brooklyn to a retirement community in Florida where she encounters her first love who broke her heart. I thought this was a very lovely story of second chances.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you St Martins Press for the complimentary DRC.

This was endearing. Second chance love is one of my favourite tropes - throw in a feisty, accomplished, 80-year-old FMC and I'm hooked. I enjoyed the dual timelines and trying to figure out how these two came to be separated for so long. However, often the writing fell flat for me, and the story lacked real depth. Much was told through dialogue that didn't always feel natural, and while I was rooting for the couple, I never truly felt for them. I finished the book with a smile on my face but didn't have the warm and fuzzy joy that my favourite romances have left me with. Overall, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern was cute, and I would recommend it if you were in the mood for something light and easy to read.

Augusta Stern has just recently retired from a long, successful career as a pharmacist. She moves to an active retirement community in Florida and is shocked to run into Irvin Rivkin, the former delivery boy from her father’s store in the 1920’s and the man who broke her heart 60 years ago.

This dual timeline, second chance romance takes us back and forth from the 1920’s and the 1980’s to learn the story of Augusta’s pharmacist father, her aunt who was a holistic healer, her history with Irvin and her uncertainty in believing in both her father’s way and her aunt’s way of healing. This book is historical fiction and romance with a touch of magical realism. It is an amazing story with interesting characters and ultimately shows the lasting impression people can have on our lives. If you are looking for a feel good read, look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Love elixir of Augusta Stern in exchange for my honest review.

📖 Book Review 📖 Lynda Cohen Loigman illustrates the poignantly beautiful way that life always has a funny plan. Even though Augusta has been dealt some pretty unfair hands throughout the course of her eighty years, the idle time that comes in her retirement might just be right up there with the worst of it. However, the retirement center in Florida, a world away from New York, may just offer a second chance. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is an absolutely flawless tale.

Really enjoyed this novel, thank you NetGalley for the e-copy. This book is told in duo timelines, 1920’s Brooklyn and 1980’s Florida. Usually when books are written this way I enjoy one timeline more than the other, not the case this time! I loved both timelines equally. This book has great characters, grief, friendships, a bit of magic, laugh out loud. moments and reclaimed love. Highly recommend.

Master storyteller (favorite author) Lynda Cohen Loigman returns following The Two-Family House, The Wartime Sisters, and The Matchmaker's Gift with her latest magical and timeless journey, THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN —it is never too late for love and second chances.

Captivating. Exhilarating. Magical. Heartwarming. Charming. Uplifting!

About...

Brilliantly told in dual timelines, this story features a cast of memorable, well-developed characters full of heart and wit, whom you will root for until the end.

1987: Augusta Stern has been a pharmacist for many years and is retiring. She is nearing her 80th birthday, even though her paperwork says she is much younger.

Jackie, her niece, has found a wonderful new retirement community for her in South Florida, Rallentando Springs. Upon arrival, she is shocked to find her first love, Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy at her dad's pharmacy who broke her heart sixty years earlier. He called her Goldie and has not forgotten her.

1920s: Brooklyn, NY. Augusta was working in her father’s pharmacy. He was all about medicine. Her mom died, and her quirky, fun great aunt, Esther, moves in with them. She brought unconventional potions for spiritual healing powers, remedies, hope, love potions, and more. Augusta finds herself caught in the middle of both medicine and miracles.

While Augusta attempts to find her place between her father and her mysterious aunt, she falls in love with Irving, the delivery boy.

But when she gets involved in the elixir, a mysterious concoction with the power to change lives, things take a turn. Here she is sixty years later, face to face with the love she wanted back then. What happened long ago to tear them apart?

Will Irving and Augusta have a second chance at love?

My thoughts...

I loved this book! I have read all of Lynda's books, and this is my absolute favorite.

With dual timelines (equally as engaging) and well-developed characters, you will be enchanted by this charming, magical, and delightful love story of second chances! It's a narrative that will captivate you, proving that it's never too late for new beginnings. No matter your age or time. Top Books of 2024!

Fully immersive and engaging, a mix of lyrical, romance, nostalgia, and mystery! I fell in love with Augusta and Esther, who grew up in a time when it was a man's world. Augusta is tenacious and witty, full of hope, heart, and soul, and finally opens her heart to second chances.

As always, I love Lynda's storytelling and the power of words. I enjoyed the South Florida setting. (Part of the inspiration was Lynda helping her dad move from Boynton Beach- in my backyard.)

THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN is not just a novel; it's an experience. It's an ideal pick for book clubs and further discussions. Check out the author's letter, inspiration, and book club discussion questions. From the stunning front cover, the story, the characters, the setting, and the superb writing—a first-class novel that will warm your heart.

Recs...

This book is a must-read for fans of the author, Sarah Addison Allen, Patti Callahan Henry, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Kristin Hannah, Nicholas Sparks, and Rochelle Weinstein,

It's a story that understands your love for fiction, literature, storytelling, romance, historical novels, and the power of love. It's a perfect addition to your reading list. I am a huge fan of the author; everything she writes is enchanting!

Interview...

Be sure to check out my upcoming featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Lynda on pub day (Oct 8). In this exclusive interview, we will go behind the book and explore up and close and personal from this mega-talented author! (sign up for my newsletter on my blog).

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for the honor of reading a digital advanced reading copy via NetGalley for an honest opinion. I also pre-ordered the hardcover copy for my home library and look forward to the audiobook, narrated by Lynda and Gabra Zackman. #SMPInfluencers

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 8, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
October 2024 Must-Read Books
Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A

Lynda is one of my favorite authors, and one of the few who will make me love a historical fiction book! The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern was such a unique book, I loved the premise and the dual timelines of the 1920s in Brooklyn and 1987 in Florida that told Augusta and Irving's stories.

In the 1920s, Augusta's mother has passed away from diabetes before doctors knew how to treat it. Her father is a pharmacist and she questions how medicine couldn't have saved her mother. To help the family out, her great-aunt Esther moves in. While her father works to cure their neighborhood with medicine, Esther takes the homeopathic route. Augusta is drawn to the "magic" Esther works for the women who visit her, and begins to shadow her. When her friendship with her friend Irving turns into more, but she questions if he truly loves her, against Esther's warnings, August makes a potion to reveal Irving's true feelings, which ends up breaking her heart. 62 years later, when Augusta moves to a retirement community in Florida, one of the first neighbors she meets is Irving.

I enjoyed learning about the alternative methods Esther created throughout the book, and how she helped shape Augusta in who she became. Augusta was such a strong character, who even with the losses she faced throughout her teenage years, stayed true to herself and her dream to become a pharmacist and a healer. I loved both timelines, as Augusta and Irving's relationship began and Augusta resenting her aunt at first and then forming such a close bond with her, and later, having characters in their 80's who were continuously making me laugh and learning that it is never too late in life for a second chance. The Jewish representation was incredible and I know I can always count of Lynda for writing some of the best Jewish characters!

This is a gentle, easy-going story that follows the life, love and work of Augusta Stern that is filled with secrets, grudges and misunderstandings that impact a couple for decades.

This book has lots of great themes, but it fell flat for me. Despite it being a character-driven story, we don't get to know many of the characters well. There is a whiff of mystery about why Augusta and Irving were separated, but it soon became apparent, and the intrigue felt forced.
There are a few memorable characters, but they are all secondary and include Augusta's firecracker friend Shirley and her great-aunt Esther who was the most intriguing character but got very little page time. They were both a hoot!

The story begins with an interesting start, followed by a lull in the middle and a final 'ta-da' not being surprising as it was delightfully anticipated. I love the message of the book that is full of hope and how the author shows that being older doesn't mean you stop living, loving and experiencing life.

This is a simple character-driven read that features two timelines, long-held secrets, family dysfunction, sexism in medicine (women healers known as witches, while men are considered doctors) and not what I'd call magical realism, more like homeopathy versus modern medicine.

Note: I wish Augusta's sister Bess and her husband George were given different names - I immediately thought of Bess and George, Nancy Drew's two BFFs from the popular mystery series

Disclaimer: Thanks to St Martin's Press for the complimentary digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Augusta's story. She learned to be a pharmacist when she worked in her dad's pharmacy. But she also has an aunt Esther that teaches her some different ways to heal others. Then there is Irving, a delivery boy for the pharmacy. Augusta tries to use a Love Elixir with him, but things go awry. This is a story with various timelines in Augusta's life and I just loved it. The characters are good people and likeable and I just enjoyed this feel good book! Highly recommended! I love other books by this author too!

Augusta is such an awesome character! We follow her present life in Florida in the 1980's and in the past in Brooklyn in the 1920's. I love Augusta's story. I don't want to say much and ruin anything, but just make sure you read this book! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is an enchanting novel that shows that it’s never too late to forgive and love again. This is a dual timeline novel, and when we first meet Augusta she is a teenager, working in her father’s pharmacy and mourning the loss of her mother. It was a joy to watch her grow and learn as she helps her father and also as she learns about alternative methods of treatment from her great aunt. Sixty years later, Augusta has just retired to Florida, where she is reunited with the man she had loved when she was a teenager, opening up old wounds, but also forcing her to wonder what might still be possible for the rest of her life. This book is filled with warmth and heart, possibility and hope.

Absolutely loved. This is what people need to read right now—smart, historically accurate, heartwarming with a little bit of magic. I love Loigman’s writing and find her to be such an easy sell to a multitude of customers.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a feel good read for readers of all ages and genres.

This book is told from two points of view. In one, Augusta is a young adult discovering who she is. Her father owns a pharmacy and Augusta has always been interested in following in his footsteps. Her aunt Esther also provides remedies to people who need them, but in a more homeopathic way. She is determining her future in a town with several lovable characters and one in particular catches her interest. As she falls deeper toward her future there are events along the way that will determine her path seemingly forever.

Sixty years later Augusta retires to Florida where she runs into familiar faces from her past. Her grudges and misunderstandings give her a rough start into the community but she quickly forges friendships that help thaw her heart.

I absolutely loved this book! The main characters and the supporting casts in both timelines are flawed but extremely lovable. While the story is a bit predictable it wasn't off putting because this is such a comfort read. This is the kind of book that will make you smile and melt your heart.

I couldn’t put this book down. I loved Augusta as a teenager and as an octogenarian and the delightful way the pieces are woven together. I laughed and I cried, highly recommend.

All the stars……..Fun, light, lovable characters is what the Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is all about. If you are Jewish and go to Boca Raton for the winter this is a must read. This book by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a crack up.

Augusta moves into a 55 and over community in Boca, and finds out that Irving, the love of her life and the man she was supposed to marry is living there. Well…..you can imagine what happens from there.

Augusta believed “That even on life’s darkest days, a bowl of chicken soup could offer comfort.” When Augusta and Irving were young, Irving would go to the ends of the earth to make sure Augusta and her family were happy. What then, could have possibly kept them apart.

If you liked Don’t Forget to Write you will LOVE this book!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.