This book was a refreshing light-hearted read with unusual characters and a bit of magical realism. The format of two timelines was not only entertaining but really went a long way to develop the characters of Augusta and Irving. The miscommunication and tension between the main characters was typical of romantic comedy but the couple being 80 years old and the dispute going back 62 years created a different aspect to the story. I found the dialogue to be witty and humorous and the book was an enjoyable and quick read. I also really enjoyed Esther, the wise great aunt who tried to guide Augusta without being overbearing. Her sage advice was a nice addition to the story. The senior living community was a great setting and the pros and cons of residing in this type of community seemed realistic. I would recommend this book for readers looking for a uplifting read to get out of a rut.

Augusta Stern is about to turn eighty, and she’s being forced into retirement, darn it. Her beloved niece persuades her to leave New York and spend what remain of her golden years in a Florida seniors’ community. From there, a wave of surprising events unfolds, changing Augusta’s life.

My thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.

Loigman’s debut novel came in 2016, and as of now, she’s published three more. Every single one is golden. This author writes with warmth and intentionality, and although the first was wonderful, each subsequent one has been better than the last. And so, although I have gone on to read other novels by other authors since I finished this one, this is the one I’m still thinking about.

You see, in 1922, Augusta’s mother became gravely ill. Try though they might, neither the doctors nor her pharmacist father were able to help her, and she died. Augusta, her sister, and her father were all plunged into a dark and terrible place without her. Great Aunt Esther showed up to run the household, and she brought with her a case full of herbs and tinctures; Esther was an apothecary. Her methods, which were sometimes unconventional, put her at odds with her nephew, but they got results, sometimes where conventional medicine had failed. Soon Augusta was spending her hours after school helping her father in the pharmacy, and sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night to observe Esther devising natural concoctions of her own. Esther declared Augusta to be her heir; she had a loving heart and a healer’s instincts.

Her social life was very limited, absorbed as she was with the family business, but the brightest spot in her day was when Irving Ripken, her father’s delivery boy, came to work. Often, they would talk as they worked; in time, they fell in love. Imagine her horror, then, when he abruptly married someone else and moved to Chicago! Augusta never recovered from the blow, and so she has never married.

Now, imagine her astonishment when sixty years later in Rallentando Springs, Irving shows up at the pool!

Much of what follows is what a reader might expect, but the details and character development take the story to a higher plane, and as we follow it, we also see the events of 1922, and these enable us to understand these characters and what drives them. There’s an unusually clever twist at the end, and it’s one that I absolutely do not see coming.

Ordinarily I would include ways in which the novel fell short or could be improved, but that’s impossible in this case. Loigman has spun magic for us from start to finish, and all I can do is bow in appreciation, and recommend this novel to you.

A lovely, lovely story of second chances for 80 year old Augusta and 83 years old Irving who were teens in love but thwarted at every turn. The sweetness of young romance in the 1920’s is told against the confusion and misunderstandings of the 1980’s. A very, very enjoyable novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a bona fide baby boomer, I have come to enjoy stories of aging women. Lynda Cohen Loigman delivers in her novel about an 80-year-old spinster pharmacist who lied about her age on her resume, and when discovered, is forced into retirement. With the help of her niece, she ends up in a retirement community in sunny Florida, only to find that some of her life-long acquaintances are living there. Like Boogie, Augusta laments “of all the gin joint in all the world. . .”.
As a retired female living in Florida, I found this book entertaining.

Lynda Cohen Loigman is one of my favorite authors so I have been looking forward to reading this book for months. For the first time in well over a year I finished a book in less than 24 hours (the perks to a power outage- time to read!)!
It’s 1987 and nearly 80 year old Augusta Stern has just retired from her job as a pharmacist in a hospital in NYC and at the urging of her niece she decides to move to a Senior Living Development near Boca Raton, FL. On her first morning there she is unpleasantly surprised when she runs into Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s pharmacy and who broke her heart 60 years earlier. Seeing Irving again brings up all of Augusta’s past regrets and she has to decide whether she’s ready to put her heart on the line again or if she’s done trying to find love.
This book was definitely worth the wait! There were so many laugh out loud scenes and just as many poignant ones. Mrs. Loigman takes us back to 1920’s NYC in such a wonderful and descriptive way. The way she developed each character is simply wonderful and in reading this book you feel like you are there both in 1920’s NYC and 1987 Boca Raton.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern hit the shelves on October 8th.

I read THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN by Lynda Cohen Loigman with arms crossed with high expectations for a writer I have long enjoyed. This story of a pharmacist retiring to Florida is uplifting, entertaining, and solid inspiration that life isn't over because you've left the world of work -- especially when you are eighty-year-old Augusta Stern, looking back to the 1920s and her father pharmacist and aunt herbalist, healers with different arts. There is magic, there is romance, there is lush, beautiful prose in a memorable, heartwarming story of the past and the present and the possibilities for love, healing, and a meaningful life. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a heart-warming story about Augusta Stern who is turning 80 and has recently retired from owning a pharmacy and being the pharmacist. She has always been independent, strong-willed and speaks her mind. She has moved into a senior community in Florida and runs into someone from her past, Irving Rivkin, who worked for her father at the pharmacy and broke Augusta's heart. The story moves back and forth between the present days (the 80s) and the 1920s when they were growing up in Brooklyn together. We slowly learn of Augusta's treasured Aunt Esther and the many things she learned from her (a homeopath). The "magic" that Aunt Esther conjures intrigues Augusta and will play a part in how Augusta sees and lives her life. We find there are many disappointments and heartbreaks from the 1920s which has shaped Augusta but will she ever learn the full story which may change the way she sees her life and love? An enjoyable read.

This was such an unexpectedly delightful novel! Generally, I'm a pretty serious reader, and most days, you'll catch me reading a historical fiction novel or memoir. But when the opportunity for this unique magical realism novel was presented, I thought, 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒕? and my goodness, am I happy I did!

Told in dual timeline format, this story dips into Augusta Stern's life both as a teen in New York and later as an 80-year-old woman in Florida, where she encounters an old flame. The entire time, the reader is brought along on this mini mystery quest to find out why their relationship ended all that time ago.

Generally, in dual timelines, I am most often immersed in the past, as it is often a richer, more in-depth story. However, I'll be honest, both of these time periods had me fully invested. I truly adored the focus on octogenarians and their ability to lead a very fulfilling existence, despite their old age.

If you're looking for a charming, insightful novel that's sure to bring a smile to your face, look no further!

So grateful to St. Martin's Press for this gifted review copy!

A lovely book about second chances and octogenarian love: I enjoyed the characters and the dual-time storyline. It is not a very high-stakes story, nor is it trying to be one, but the amount of work that went into the details and the writing makes it a very good read.
The fact that the main events in the "now" (1987) take part in Boca, where I work and used to live, made the book particularly interesting to me. The French restaurant where the group went for the birthday dinner had closed in 2006 - but it was a real place and described in the novel very vividly. A very nice touch.
I can't say anything about 1920s Brooklyn, but I am guessing the details there would be close to the history as well.
I enjoyed a bit of the self-awareness in the book. At one point, Augusta says, "This isn't some sort of geriatric fairy tale where everything gets magically fixed in the end." But it is!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for sharing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun sweet story!

We meet Augusta Stern as a 79 year old recently retired pharmacist who moves from Brooklyn to a retirement community in Florida. Much to her surprise, she finds an old flame who jilted her 62 years earlier, Irving Rivkin, lives there also. The story oscillates from present to past as we learn how the two are connected and where it all fell apart.

I really enjoyed this and liked how Augusta's story played out. Aunt Esther was one of my favorite characters with her little remedies and "soups". The little twist at the end kept things interesting although I did struggle a bit in the middle. It was sweet to see how it all played out once things were revealed but felt like we could have perhaps gotten there a bit quicker to avoid the slog in the middle. It was worth it to get to the end!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review!

I don’t read magical realism often but am so happy I said yes to this incredibly charming tale (+ having only the slightest magi-realism, perfect for me). Eighty-year-old retired pharmacist Augusta Stern crosses paths with an old love who had broken her heart. But as fate would have, it found a way to bring them together 60 years later. This is such a tender-hearted story told in the past + present about second chance love, new beginnings and found family. This is my first Lynda Cohen Loigman novel.. what a wonderful storyteller she is! ❥ 5 stars — Pub. 10/8/24

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman may appear to be a simple story of old friends reuniting after nearly sixty years, but it is anything but. The characters are endearing, courageous, and full of strength.

The novel alternates between two timelines, beginning in 1987 as Augusta prepares for retirement, while the other delves into her past as a teenager. There is a mystery at the heart of the story that unfolds across both timelines. Augusta Stern, at eighty years old, is a tenacious and unforgettable lead character. Who says life can’t have a fresh beginning at that age?

This book was a delightful read—sweet, humorous, and emotional in just the right places. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a copy.

On the cusp of turning 80, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs—an active senior community in southern Florida—she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s old pharmacy—and the man who broke her heart 60 years earlier.

Like a warm slice of pie and a cup of tea, this book is such a charming, cozy, and slightly magical story of love lost and found as well as family ties, secrets, healing and the power of love. I loved Augusta’s character. She is smart, insightful, and sometimes quirky with a mind of her own as she learns to make her way in a world and a profession uncommon for the women of her young adulthood.

This story is told through dual timelines—1920s Brooklyn and 1980s Florida, and I thoroughly enjoyed these historical fiction aspects. I loved Augusta’s relationship with Irving during her childhood, and then through their tense relationship after reconnecting 60 years later. It’s clear they both still harbor feelings, and I confess I was a bit annoyed that someone like Augusta, who never holds back on her commentary and opinions, took so long to discuss their past with Irving. I loved Augusta’s great aunt Esther, a wise and mystical presence in Augusta’s life, and Augusta’s relationship with her niece was so heartwarming. Her new Florida friend Shirley was a hoot.

“We did the same work, we healed the same illnesses, but they called him the apothecary and they called me the witch.” ~Esther

What happened between Irving and Augusta 60 years ago wasn’t much of a surprise to me, but I did love how the ending and Augusta’s birthday party tied it all together.

I highly recommend this for its warmth, the lovely writing, and a wonderful senior female main character. You won’t soon forget Augusta! 4.5 stars

Augusta Stern is a formidable character; she’s smart, strong, and knows who she is and her place in this world. Except when it comes to Irving Rivkin. I enjoyed getting to know Goldie, both in the present day, trying to find her footing in a new location, and the past, where she was learning about both the scientific and the natural healing sides of the pharmaceutical business. Both timelines swept me up into their worlds and had me entranced.

After delaying her retirement for as long as she possibly could, Augusta Stern is finally retiring at the age of 79. The next step in her life brings her to to the Rallentando Springs senior community, Florida. As she starts accepting the new realities of retirement and Florida heat, she runs into Irving Rivkin, the man that broke her heart six decades ago. This unexpected surprise has Augusta reminiscing about her childhood, her family and ultimately the decisions that shaped her life’s trajectory! The dual timelines truly complemented each other with Augusta being introduced in her present retirement era as well as when she was a young adult in the 20’s. Growing up in Brooklyn, Augusta and her sister would help their father, the local pharmacist, run his shop. After their mother passed, their great-aunt Esther moved in to help, making the most delicious meals and soups. Esther quickly starts to interact with her nephews patients by offering them alternative cures that quite frankly sound more like potions to Augusta. Curiosity and eagerness to learn has her split between dad’s pharmaceuticals knowledge and her aunts apothecary remedies.

Augusta Stern is such a delightful character to follow throughout the decades, which the story slowly unfolds. She’s unapologetically herself and I’m here for that! I truly loved how the book was broken down into dual Augusta timeline, giving us so much insight into her life and accomplishments such as being a pharmacist in an era where men thought women belonged at home with the kids. Definitely grab this one if you are looking for a wholesome historical fiction about new beginnings, second chance romance, mystery and magical realism.

✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖲𝗍. 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇'𝗌 𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌 ＆ 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝖦𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.✵

I fell in love with Augusta Stern. She is an extremely complex character who knows and understands love and significant loss, is funny, resilient, stubborn and romantic You can’t help wanting the best for her even when she is too stubborn to see it.

The story is told in a dual timeline – modern day Florida where August has moved to a retirement community and 1920s Brooklyn where Augusta spends her pre-retirement years. During Augusta’s teenage years, Augusta’s mom passes away from diabetes and this event has a significant impact on her life.

While Augusta is growing up, she discovers her desire to be a pharmacist and help heal others. Some of this is driven by her mom’s death and the inability to manage her diabetes because of the timing of the disease and insulin not being a viable treatment. She is also driven by working in her father’s store where he is a pharmacist at a time when people trusted pharmacists and they were highly regarded. What complicates Augusta’s love of pharmacy/science is her Great Aunt Esther, who moved in with the family after Augusta’s mother’s death. Esther is known for using non-traditional healing methods that work and therefore, challenge Augusta’s belief in the more traditional treatment approaches.

The other key character in the book is Irving Rivkin, Augusta’s first love. Despite it being her first love, over time Augusta feels her love grow and Irving become her person. Unfortunately, their romance ends unexpectedly one day and August is left feeling bitter, alone and abandoned. Fast forward to present day and Irving reappears in Florida and Augusta is none too happy to see him. If you want to be immersed in a heartwarming tale, meet the characters who are a part of Augusta’s world and find out eventually what happens between Augusta and Irving, you will have the read the book. Trust me, it is worth your time!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#NetGalley #TheLoveElixirOfAugustaStern #LydiaCohenLoigman

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This book was a delightful historical fiction. It is told in two timelines with the more current one being in the 1980's. Augusta Stern is forced into retirement at 80 after years as a pharmacist. As we flashback through her life, we learn that she also learned healing arts from her grandmother's sister that incorporate a hint of magic.

At first, I was much more interested in the earlier timeline. But the more I learned about Augusta's life and the turns it took, the more I was invested in the modern timeline and what would happen next.

This is a book that really demonstrates the foibles of human nature and how things can turn out. It made me think so deeply. I think it would be excellent for a book club, and I would love to chat if you have read it.

I especially appreciated the Jewish representation. And listening to the author's note helped to cement how well the story was researched and told. I am again so impressed with Loigman's writing.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lynda Loigman Cohen is now one of my favorite authors. I enjoy her style of writing, and her character development. I connected with every character, and loved how the two timelines were weaved together. The story follows one family from the 1920s to the 1980s.

One of my favorite books of the summer. I loved the 80 something characters and their silly antics. I also loved the historical part of the story and would love to learn more about Aunt Esther and her soup and healing herbs.

I loved this book, for the characters, the time periods and the feeling of comfort reading about traditions and family. Augusta was moving to Florida upon retirement as a pharmacist, where she happens to run into the man who changed the trajectory of her life. Irving lived in the same Florida complex, and was a lost love from Augusta’s youth in Brooklyn in the 1920’s. As Augusta’s story unfolds, of her life as a daughter of a pharmacist, a sister, a niece of a healer, we begin to see how the disappointments in Augusta’s life also combined to give her a strong sense of humanity. “She believed in the power of moonlight in kitchens, in the power of women, in the,power of words.” The story is beautifully written. I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.