I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. The title alone was enough to make me want to read this book, but the book itself is perfection about Augusta Stern, an 80-year-old who has lied about her age to keep working as long as possible since the rest of her life didn't work out as planned. The characters in this book are delightful and well-created. The story kept me reading and made it hard to walk away.

I loved this story. It was fun and unexpected. I loved the life and loves of Augusta. 80 year old Goldie has her share of heartache and is still living for what is to come.

Charming little story which switches back and forth as the main character Augusta retires to Florida at 80 and her youth/first love in Brooklyn in 1920s. It was a quick read, but a little drawn out and longer than it needed to be..

This dual-timeline story follows Goldie through her teen years in 1920s New York City, along with a supporting cast of characters who later all show up at the same senior living facility in 1980s Florida. While there is a love story, it's not the main focus of the story. Sacrifice, friendship, grief, healing, and herbal wisdom are central themes, along with a little history about the mafia, pharamaceuticals, and the role of women during this era. There are many twists and turns, and several mysteries that continue to unfold while you're still trying to figure out the previous one, but the author does an excellent job of honoring the reader's patience and revealing the answers a bit at a time, until everything is revealed...and it isn't what you'd guess. My favorite character was Aunt Esther, who shapes Goldie into the woman she becomes. I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author!

Second book to hit my heart from Lynda Cohns Loigman! What a fun twist on a romance, a little bit old school charm and second chances. Two timelines, Augusta and her lovable buddy and that soup. Heartstrings and laughter.

Thank you Netgalley for an early peek!

Oh what a fun book! Perfect beach read. 80 year old pharmacist Augusta Stern is quite the character. The book captured me right from the beginning. You are never too old for true love.

Thank you #NetGalley, #St.Martin’sPress, #LyndaCohenLoigman and #TheLoveElixirofAugustaStern for the advance copy for my honest review.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a dual timeline novel with the first timeline taking place in 1987, with the soon-to-be eighty-year-old Augusta retiring from her job as a pharmacist and moving to Florida. The second timeline takes place in the 1920s as Augusta, nicknamed Goldie then, is growing up. Her mother died when she was 12 and her great-aunt Esther comes to live with the family, bringing amazing cooking and herbalist skills with her, skills she teaches to Augusta. The author skillfully weaves this tale back and forth between the two timelines of Augusta as an older woman and in her youth with all the angst and longing coming to life. This is an amazing story of strong women, second chances, the power of forgiveness, and the magic of family. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it - as well as all of Lynda Cohen Loigman's books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a fun read, very heartwarming. This book spans over 65 years of Augusta’s life. She has a grieving father that is an apothecary. Her beloved older sister. Her elder aunt an holistic apothecary, that moves in with the family to help after Augusta’s mother passes from diabetes. Irving, Augusta’s true love that works for her father delivering medicine. Wonderful storyline and characters that had me hooked from the first page to the last. I was given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

I enjoyed the dual timeline of Augusta's story. This was the kind of book that is hard to describe because the love story is not the main story - it is a story of a family, a coming of age, a senior citizen, friendships, and more. I will recommend to a wide range of readers of all ages. This is strong women's fiction. It would be great to see young women in a book club combine with an older ladies book club for discussion (and I think I will recommend it!). I look forward to the next book by Lynda Cohen Loigman = she is quickly becoming a must-read author for me.

Another great novel by Lynda Cohen Loigman! From 1920s Brooklyn to a 1980s retirement community in Florida, this is an endearing story filled with second chances, the power of healing, and forgiveness - not to mention the magic of chicken soup! Both Augusta and Aunt Esther were my favorite characters, followed by 82 year old Irving Rifkin, Augusta's long gone but not forgotten true love. A wonderful tale that will leaving you smiling long after you read the last page. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Like any life, Augusta Stern's is filled with tragedy and joy. Her mother dies of diabetes a year before insulin becomes available. Her boyfriend suddenly disappears and then Augusta hears he's married someone else.

Like any life, new people enter and maybe don't even seem that likable at first, but then become so dear and make our lives so different from what they would have been. This was the case with Augusta's great-aunt Esther. Born before girls could become pharmacists, it became clear that Esther was a healer nonetheless. Augusta learned from her great-aunt but also became a pharmacist.

This story is told with a dual timeline. In 1987 Augusta is just getting ready to retire, although she'd really rather not. Then we start to learn of Augusta's young life, in 1922.

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" moves quickly. Bit by bit questions are answered and the mysteries become clear.

I highly recommend this latest book by Lynda Cohen Loigman and her three previous books. I especially liked "The Two-Family House."

I received an advance reader's copy and am leaving an honest review.

I finished reading the last page and said Wow!!! I absolutely loved this book!! It is a book about love, family, second chances, magic, secrets and so much more!!! I was sad when it was over!!

Dual timeline of 1920s NY and 1987 in FL. Augusta and her sister Bess grow up above the pharmacy where her father is the pharmacist. Augusta loves watching her father make the medicine and the care he gives to all his customers. Irving is the deliver boy and Augusta spends a lot of time with him until one day he disappears. Why did he leave??

Augusta retires to Fl just short of hey 80th birthday and this is where lots of stuff begins to happen!!!

Readers will be treated to very funny moments and very touching moments!! I loved this book and highly recommend!!

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is historical fiction with a hint of magical realism. The story is a dual timeline set in the early 1920's Brooklyn, New York and 1987 Florida retirement community. The main character Augusta is the daughter of a pharmacist and is grieving the death of her mother who died of complications due to diabetes just before the invention of insulin.

Augusta is the smart one in her family and wants to follow in her father's footsteps and become a pharmacist. ( A great feat back in this time period for a woman to accomplish.) After the death of her mother, Great Aunt Esther comes to stay with the family. She brings with her an apothecary chest which she uses to create mixtures with mysterious ingredients. The story combines the use of modern medicine and folk remedy healing.

In 1987 we see Augusta approaching 80 and forced to retire. She never married nor had any children. With the help of her niece Jackie, Augusta relocates to Rellentando Springs a retirement community in Florida. It is here that Augusta meets Irving Rivken, an old flame from Augusta's past. The story commences in dual narrative fashion as Augusta's story unfolds and we learn more of what happened in Augusta's past to get her to this moment.

I loved learning the story of Augusta. She was a woman before her time and had great chutzpah. I had a personal connection to the story as my son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and lived first hand to see the marvels of Insulin. I am sorry for anyone that tried to manage this disease before the invention of Insulin.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this great novel.

This book was a little gem to read! I was hooked from the beginning and even though i knew how it would end i enjoyed it immensely.

Augusta Stern is about to turn 80, was forced to retire from her job, is moving to a retirement community in Florida and has no idea what to do with the rest of her life. This was a lovely story about a woman coming into her own late in life, after rediscovering people she knew in her youth, recalling the passion she had to heal and help others using both science and unorthodox practices and remembering how sweet love is.

This was my first time reading the author and I very much enjoyed her writing. The style kept the story flowing, even with the transitions between present day and the past. I enjoyed the characters as well, Aunt Esther was such an interesting character, it was someone I would have wanted to know, the relationship of the sisters and between the sisters and father was heartfelt. As a reader, I wanted to know this family, I could visualize the setting of the story, the times, people and locations. Overall, this was a sweet story, one that brings a smile to your face, a warmth to your soul and makes reading it a pleasure to enjoy.

Meet Augusta Stern, an eighty year old retired pharmacist. Also meet Augusta Stern, a young woman falling in love for the first time and beginning her adult journey in life.

This book takes us through Augusta’s past and present lives and tells her story of love, family, heartbreak,hard work and regrets. I usually don’t like time lines that jump back and forth, but this one is done so well and I was hooked on Augusta’s search for herself. Well written and engrossing.

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern", by Lynda Cohen Loigman is her fourth book, though it is the first I have read. I fell in love with Augusta's poignant life-story. She dealt with so much discrimination on her journey to become a pharmacist like her father, and she struggled with the "magical" healing methods of her great aunt, knowing that her father did not approve. When Augusta mixes a "love elixir" that goes horribly awry her life changes dramatically. Sixty years later circumstances conspire to offer her a second chance at love---if she is brave enough to try again.

The duo timeline gives the reader an understanding of her past, while the present day (1980s) allows us to see where those past decisions led her.
The magical realism drew me into the story, the historical facts greatly added to my enjoyment, and the love interest --both tragic and sweet-- presented a satisfying ending.

This is a wonderful story with all the 'feels'. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a historical time period, magical realism, romance, and family dynamics.

Thank you very much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an opportunity to read a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#TheLoveElixirofAugustaStern #LyndaCohenLoigman #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" is a heartwarming tale of second chances and rediscovery. Augusta Stern, on the brink of turning eighty, finds herself at a crossroads in life. Retired and adrift, she relocates to Rallentando Springs, where she unexpectedly encounters Irving Rivkin, a blast from her past who shattered her heart sixty years earlier.

Marie Sizemore's narrative beautifully intertwines Augusta's past and present, transporting readers to 1920s Brooklyn, where Augusta grapples with family loyalty, budding romance, and the allure of her unconventional great aunt Esther's healing methods. Sizemore skillfully captures the essence of Augusta's internal conflict as she navigates between her father's traditional pharmacy and Esther's mystical remedies.

As Augusta reflects on her youthful indiscretions and the love she lost, Sizemore weaves a poignant story of forgiveness and self-discovery. The novel's seamless blend of nostalgia and hope, coupled with its richly drawn characters, makes it a captivating read that lingers long after the final page.

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" is a testament to the enduring power of love, resilience, and the belief that it's never too late to embark on a new journey. Sizemore's poignant prose and compelling storytelling make this novel a must-read for anyone seeking a tale of redemption and the magic of second chances.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a delightful exploration of love, family, and the passage of time, steeped in the tender sentimentality that characterizes the best of storytelling. Loigman's narrative, filled with charm and heart, invites readers into the world of Augusta Stern, an endearing protagonist on the cusp of her 80th birthday and the precipice of retirement. Set against the backdrop of Rallentando Springs, a vibrant senior community in Florida, the novel unfolds with a rhythm that captures the essence of both the present and the past.

At the heart of the story lies Augusta's encounter with her old flame, Irving Rivkin, a reunion that stirs long-buried emotions and unresolved questions. Their history, fraught with youthful passion and betrayal, forms the crux of the narrative, weaving seamlessly between the present-day struggles of aging and the poignant memories of their teenage years.

What sets this novel apart is its embrace of sentimentality, infusing each page with a richness that transcends mere nostalgia. Here, the term "schmaltz" finds a home, not as a derogatory label, but as a celebration of the emotional depth that permeates the story. Loigman skillfully navigates the complexities of love and loss, presenting characters who are flawed yet profoundly human in their desires and vulnerabilities.

Central to the narrative is the theme of love in its myriad forms, from romantic entanglements to familial bonds. Augusta's grandmother, a figure of wisdom and mystery, introduces her to the transformative power of elixirs, symbolic of the enduring magic found within the heart. As secrets unravel and mysteries are laid bare, the novel culminates in a deeply satisfying conclusion, leaving readers with a sense of hope and warmth that lingers long after the final page is turned.

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring nature of love, even in the twilight years. With its deftly crafted dual timelines and endearing characters, it offers a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the beauty found in second chances. Readers are sure to be captivated by Loigman's heartfelt prose and the timeless charm of Augusta's story—a tale that reminds us of the power of love to transcend the boundaries of age and circumstance.

This was such a fantastic book! The old world healing. The family entanglements. Love finding its way again after 60 years. It just was such a wonderful book of all could have beens and all there is to come if we let it. This was just such a great story of all the people in the "old neighborhood".