3.5 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Forever pub for this arc!

Sirena is a kitchen witch who is down on her luck. She makes a wish to re- do October and wakes up on what should be November 1st to find it’s October 1st again.

She and Gus navigate their magic and connection with their repeated October. I wanted Sirena to recognize their love sooner! But it’s a little magical and has bewitching fall events.

What a PERFECT book for the fall. And I mean- PERFECT. This book is the coziest, cutest, most aesthetic autumnal romance I have EVER read and even though it's still summer as I write this, this book made me LONG for farmer's markets and apple cider and seeing pumpkins on front porches. If you live/love/pumpkin spice latte ADORE autumn like I do, then this book will be a special treat that you will likely want to revisit every year when the weather grows gloomy and you switch out your flip-flops and bathing suits for boots and sweaters. I cannot adequately convey how much this book felt like a warm hug just from the lush autumnal aesthetic alone....

But, guess what? That's not all.

Background: I have read all of Celestine Martin's books to date (I'm a Black, New Jersey native who also loves magical romance as much as she does so her books just scratch a much needed ). However, Deja Brew is absolutely my favorite to date in the series. There's something about Sirena and August that just does it for me. Their love story is SO realistic for two middle children struggling with their identities while also wanting to find true love. I adored the character arcs for both of them and thought the character development was realistic and well executed. I loved seeing these characters learn to trust themselves, their community, and their gifts. The love story was also very swoonworthy. It was clear how much these characters enjoyed spending time together and the backdrop of golden leaves, fall ice cream flavors that had my mouth watering, and cute autumnal dates just made it even better. Additionally, it was nice seeing the other characters from past series in this book! Honestly, I found them even more lovable in this novel!

I don't want to give a spoilery review so I won't give specifics but- I was VERY pleased with the sexy scenes in this novel which is surprising because I am a chronic "skipper over" of all sexy scenes. I loved the romantic scenes because they offered surprises. There were unexpected moments that kept me hooked and each of these moments were infused with love and intentionality that I'd like to see in more romances. The magical components of the novel offered some (ahem) quite pleasing sexy moments as well. Very well done!

BOOKTOK and BOOKTUBE and BOOKSTAGRAM. PUT THIS BOOK ON YOUR FALL LISTS! We need more Black Love cute sexy fall stories.

3.75 ⭐
1.5 🌶️
Tropes- Slow burn, mutual pining


Deja Brew is a whimsical, cozy romance perfect for kicking off your fall reading.


It has been a disastrous October for Sirena Caraway. November is just around the corner but all the former celeb chef wants is a second chance to get her life- and cooking skills- on track. She makes her wish and when she wakes up the next day, Sirena discovers the clock has turned back to Oct 1st, giving her the chance to redo all her mistakes.


After a run in with former reality star turned town historian Gus Dearworth, determined to make the most of this opportunity, Sirena enlists his help to get her cooking powers back.


Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for fall reading. I thought the supernatural world building was really interesting, especially since I haven’t read a book with a magician in it. I loved the cozy fall vibes and how neither MC’s have a “perfect” body. (Especially Gus!! We need more stories where the guy has a regular body)


That said, I felt like the beginning of the book lacked cohesion. I often felt confused as to how their relationship progressed and at times changes seemed to come out of left field. It took me until about 25% in until I felt like I could consistently follow what was going on.


I also have mixed feelings on how the book transitioned from October to November. Part of me thinks it should’ve ended on Nov 1, and dragged a little bit, but the “build up” of her reliving Oct was well done and needed something else to finish the story so it didn’t stop abruptly.


Finally, and I guess this is a pet peeve of mine- I disliked the need to continue to point out that Sirena was “curvy”. I appreciate plus size rep but so many authors turn it into a trope and that just makes it insulting and othering. Honestly I usually avoid reading books with a curvy FMC because of that. IMO It’s one thing to explain the FMCs body type during the character development at the beginning but further pointing it out makes it a thing. Can we just talk about hips without them being skinny or generous? Or bodies without them being slender or plump? If you have to keep pointing out that the FMC is not the “standard”, is it really that supportive and inclusive?

Thank you to netgalley for my copy of this one!

This was the perfect cozy romance to start off the autumn season for me! I did not read the other two books in this “series” prior, but I also didn’t feel like I missed anything by not reading them. I enjoyed the vibes and the romance overall, but the plot was a bit slow moving, which is why I didn’t rate the books any higher.

Let me begin by saying that I also read witchful thinking and kiss and spell, so when I saw there was a 3rd book in Freya Grove focused on Sirena in October, I knew I had to check it out and I was not disappointed. Like the other two before this one, the slow burn and character development is chefs kiss. This one quite literally is kitchen witch magic. It was cozy, but kept me sucked in. I hope there's more storytelling from Freya Grove!

Small town magic. Childhood friends.
These two are both on an internal journey.
I enjoyed the overall story but there were some big issues with editing.

This is an amazing quick and cozy read for fall! The setting is so perfect for October. I had trouble connecting with the characters, I felt like the setting and atmosphere were the stars and the character development took a backseat. I'm not sure this one was for me, but I know it's going to do well this fall!

A solid second chance/childhood friends romance. Sweet and steamy and delectably witchy! Sirena is a kitchen witch trying to rekindle her spark and Gus is a famous magician trying to heal from life in the spotlight and a very public divorce.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for an ARC.
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This was a fun, flirty and witchy read that is perfect for fall. Just the right mix of spice with a cute premise and likeable characters.

A cute fall romance. I really enjoyed the cozy vibe of this book. It read a bit like a Hallmark fall movie and I don't mean that in a bad way because I love those. I really loved the characters and the character development along with the romance.

Such a cute read for fall - this one may not be for everyone but I overall enjoyed it. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

This is the third book in the elemental love series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. In this book we get Sirena the kitchen witch’s story. Sirena is having the worst October of her life. On Halloween night when she ends up covered in slime in front of a handsome man it all comes to a head and she ends up wishing for a do over. Much to her great surprise she wakes up the next day to find out she has been given a chance to do her October over again. As she struggles all month to try to make the most of her second chance and figure out her right path forward, she keeps getting thrown together with handsome magician Gus. Gus is a former magician hiding away in magical Freya Grove licking his wounds after imploding his life and losing his spark in a very public way. Both most figure out how to make the most of this second chance and what they really want in life. This was a delightful rom com filled with magic, and all things fall. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

In all honesty, I DNF this book. The first chapter did not grab me in a way that I like my cozy rom coms to.

The first chapter needs a rewrite. It felt like it was written by a non-author young adult. Once I got to subsequent chapters, the quality was better. The description says that it’s a rom-com, but honestly it’s not funny at all. It’s not ironic, it’s not witty. I longed for some hilarious banter like Emily Henry, Katherine Center or Christina Lauren..

I felt like there wasn’t enough character depth by the 15% read mark. I got the ick from Gus and his “unexplained attraction” to the main character. It happened too fast with not enough background— which in turn makes it weird IMO. I didn’t resonate with the characters at all. I like a good mystery in romance but this isn’t it..

On the upside, I did think that the way the author explains the feel of fall and the aromas and all that good stuff is what kept me going as long as I did. Keep that up!

This book was so sweet and full of heart!
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Sirena is a plus sized witch who is wholly confident in her body & does NOT need your reassurance, thank you very much. What she does need reassurance in is her magic. Sirena is a kitchen witch, and her magic has been funky lately. On Halloween, she makes a wish for “another chance”. If only she knew how fortuitous that wish would be….
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August “Gus” is a magician who isn’t really all that into doing magic anymore. He’s found joy in working at the local historical society. His sister plans a surprise birthday party for him — on Halloween…..
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I absolutely LOVED this book and devoured it! It’s sweet and perfect for the season.
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Thank you to NG & the publisher for my review copy!

Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever and NetGalley provided an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Deja Brew is the third book in the Caraway witches series set in the fictional supernatural friendly town of Freya Grove. You definitely need to read the first two books in the series before this one in order to have the best reading experience.

Sirena and Gus are likable and the autumn/Halloween themed time loop was cool, but this really could have been a novella. There are lots of random details about the magical small town without any true “world building” and there is too much interaction with family and friends that doesn’t truly move the plot along. I did still enjoy the ending, I just wish the path to get there had less detours.


#DejaBrew
#NetGalley

I can’t believe our time in Freya Grove with the Caraways has come to an end. This is the third contemporary romance in the series which can be read as a standalone but if you love a cozy, fall romance why not go read the other two books? This is my favorite of the three but I constantly go back and comfort read the other two stories.

I loved the slow burn. Sirena and Gus were made for each other and watching them finally find their way was the best part of the journey. I feel like this whimsical romance was relatable and also had a good lesson that the reader can learn about themselves.

If you like a small town romance, witchy things and fall vibes run and grab this book.

An adorable low stakes cozy fantasy romance - and I think maybe the best couple of the three books in this series. The book starts off slow and it did take me about 20% of the way in until I fully engaged with it. But Celestine Martin doesn’t disappoint. The storyline is sweet, with a lot of character development for both MCs. This is really a story where the characters feel so real and so lovable. Also Gus? DREAM man. Like in the other stories, the family element was strong in this one and made me tear up a little. I definitely think it could have been paced a little better, but overall I thought it was so lovely and I’m really happy I read it. Thank you to NetGalley and Celestine Martin for the ARC.

What good is a kitchen witch who is a disaster in the kitchen? Sirena Caraway has a serious problem. Something is completely off with her magic. Ever since her recipes were stolen, she has been determined to get back everything she has lost only to end up with a complete mess. All she needs is a do-over.

August (Gus) Dearworth is also looking for a do-over. Born into a magical and performing family, he wants to be anything but the “Good Time Gus” the world got to see through his family’s reality tv show. He wants peace and quiet. Greya Grove is just the place for that as it is a haven for magical creatures.

This is the third book in the series. I was hooked as I have been awaiting Sirena’s story. Both Sirena and Gus are relatable characters. I laughed so much with this book.

This book has all of the fall vibes going and the atmosphere was great, so it delivered on those fronts. I LOVE a good slow burn but I was kind of wondering when the burn would speed up a bit. This was a true slow burn all the way through the book and I found it difficult to connect to the characters.

First book I’ve read by this author, will definitely be reading picking up the first two in this series. Fell completely in love with August & Sirena. Love how the author describes the characters & the towns. The merpeople and gnomes, everything about the book & spice is top tier. A must read thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC copy.