I really wanted to like this, and I'm sad to say it fell flat for me. It had all the right stuff (cozy gay fantasy), but I really couldn't get past the writing style. Everything just droned on and ran together for me. But this easily could be a me thing, or maybe I was never in the right mood, because I can definitely see the charm and how this would work for other people.

“I have been choosing you everyday for four months now.”
“Their grin is all wickedness, infectious as root rot.”

NOTHING beats a masquerade ball scene and everything that follows had me in a chokehold. The alter scene?? Wow.

I love the queer cozy cottagecore-ness of the story. Low stakes and deeply comforting, for the most part. I also love how the queerness of the story is never a point of contention, it’s just an accepted aspect of the world.

I struggled with the info dump of an exposition. Following the description of the country was nearly impossible and I wish the authors went more into the magic system and how Margo’s grows. I thought it all tied up far too nicely with the imposing power of the Clauneck’s for it to end the way it did, but it’s cute and charming and it doesn’t need to be more than that.

And I would do anything for a second story following a pairing the story alluded too with ridiculous chemistry.

I adored this Book!!!’

The story is a warm, enchanting blend of queer romance and cozy fantasy. It follows Margot, a plant witch trying to save her village, and Yael, her nonbinary childhood friend, as their slow-burn romance unfolds against the charming, cottagecore backdrop of Bloomfield.

The LGBTQ+ representation is beautifully done—Yael’s identity is fully accepted, and Margot’s pansexuality adds depth to her character. Their chemistry feels natural and earned, with a few thoughtfully crafted spicy scenes. While I wished for more on-page magic, the story’s heart lies in its themes of love, community, and found family.

This book balances whimsy with emotional depth, including a well-handled third-act breakup that allows both characters to grow. If you love cozy fantasy, queer joy, and heartfelt romance, Homegrown Magic is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos 🌱✨💖

Homegrown Magic is everything you could want in a cozy queer fantasy: tender romance, found family, and just the right dash of whimsy. Yael and Margot’s story feels like a cup of tea on a rainy day—warm, sweet, and unexpectedly magical. 🍵🌧️

Yael, the runaway heir with no practical skills but a heart full of yearning, collides beautifully with Margot, the determined plant witch holding her family’s legacy together. Their friends-to-lovers chemistry? Absolutely to die for. The awkwardness, the pining, the sparks—it’s chef’s kiss.

And can we talk about the vibes? A lush greenhouse full of enchanted plants, a rivalry between powerful families, and magic that feels as alive as the characters. Every detail feels like stepping into a world you’ll never want to leave. 🌸🌿

But don’t be fooled by the coziness—there’s drama aplenty with meddling parents and high-stakes decisions. The romance blooms just as naturally as Margot’s magic, and the result is a story that’s heartfelt, enchanting, and delightfully queer.

Rating: 5/5 🌟
If you love friends-to-lovers, garden magic, and sapphic longing, this book is your next must-read. 🪴✨

Thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Paction, Rebecca Podos, and Random House for the eARC of this book!

This book will be a great fit for those who like cozy queer D&D style fantasies. I appreciated the non-binary protagonist and thought this would be a fun read for me but I struggled to get into it personally.

very cute and cozy romance. I liked the relationship between Yael and Margot - it was so sweet! the only constructive criticism I'd like to give is regarding the beginning: this book was pretty hard to get into. I'm not sure if it was the prose or the character's point of view, but I had a difficult time getting invested initially (it might've just been me!). Overall really enjoyed my time with this book and think other folks who enjoy queer cozy fantasy romance would have a blast with it! 3.5 stars total!

₊˚ʚ 🌱 ₊˚✧ ﾟ. COTTAGECORE COZY FANTASY ROMANCE WITH FARMING GAME VIBES ₊˚ʚ 🌱 ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

Oh, boy. This was just a superb type of book. I seriously want to read it again for the first time. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy romance, this for sure will be something you would adore. If you loved The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, hands down you need to read this book when it comes out.

🧺🍓🍄🌿🌻

I don't want to give anything away because it hasn't come out yet, so the only thing I will say is that it's adorable, fun, romantic, and feels like a warm hug. It's about a plant witch and a flirty runaway heir who reunite in a small town. There's a slow-burn romance, strawberries, lots of tea, remedies, pining, masquerade balls, and cute dialogue.

Absolutely loved this book! It's so cozy & sweet. The characters were super charming and interesting. I really liked the romance too. It was adorable and gave me butterflies. I couldn't stop smiling while reading.

If you want a cozy, queer romantic read that's filled with lovely characters, magic, gorgeous setting, and a masquerade ball, give this story a try!

This book was fine. It was the story of Yael, the heir to a noble family who is expected to step up and take on their responsibilities in order to join their family. Unfortunately, Yael isn't really interested in the life their family has built and doesn't much like the family patron who bestows magic upon the family, so their magical skills are quite weak. One night during a party, Yael leaves and finds themself out in the country, near the home of a former friend. They stumble into Margot's life and don't expect that it's going to completely knock their own off its current track. Margot is a plant witch who needs help escaping from a plot in which Yael's family has ensnared her. The two come together, fall in love, and figure out what that means for each of them.

I really liked one of the twists that came late in this book, but wished it had more substance. The cozy vibe was great, but didn't grab me as a reader (most cozy reads don't, upon reflection, so if you're into cozier titles, you might enjoy this one more than I did). I did like the gender representation and overall storyline, but would have liked a little more grit to things. Also, it bothered me how excited they were to ruin garments that were basically works of art. The romance through-line about destroying gowns and getting down in mulch piles was simply not for me.

Totally fine. Easy to read. Not that memorable.

Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy in return for this review.

3.5- I enjoyed this cute and cozy queer fantasy! I enjoy queer stories where being queer is simply part of the plot line and not part of something difficult or traumatic that happens to the main character, and the author does a wonderful job of that here. I enjoyed both characters and the development of the relationship in the novel. The fantasy components were a little weak and the pacing was a bit slow in the middle, but I enjoyed the setting of the small town and enjoyed the way the story was wrapped up. Part of the story line was a little too miscommunicationy for me, which is why I enjoyed the beginning and the end much more than the middle. Overall enjoyable!

Thank you to random house publishing group Ballantine Del Rey and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

such a cute and cozy queer romance. i adored the relationship between yael and margot, and i have been DYING for more queer romantasy with spice. this was the perfect low stakes easy read. more of this please!!!!

Wonderful, enticing, honestly was such a different fantasy than I usually go but did not disappoint! Please EVERYONE read this amazing book, I cannot talk more about the characters, settings, and everything in between! Some points felt off to me, but none of it took away too much! 3.5/4 stars!

I wanted to like Homegrown Magic; however, I felt the plot was not strong enough to last 300 pages and would have been better suited for a novella. Perhaps this is less of a problem with the novel and more of an issue with the cozy fantasy genre, as authors create worlds that go unexplored because the focus is placed upon almost nonexistent plots. Pacton and Podos are competent writers who create characters that are easy to like, and you want to see succeed; however, once again, the lack of plot is holding this book back from me genuinely falling in love with the characters and their romance.
If you enjoy cozy fantasy, I think that Homegrown Magic will be. It's a fun addition to your collection, so long as you're all right with the plot being a little light.

Brief overview:

Margot and Yael, having not seen each other since they were kids, meet up unexpectedly to take on an adventure.

My thoughts:

It's like a D&D Romeo & Juliet! Except Romeo is non-binary and Juliet is a plant witch. Homegrown Magic is a story of moderate stakes magic, family expectations, and finding love when you least expect it.

Yael runs away from their crushing family responsibilities and run straight into their old friend Margot. Margot, meanwhile, is shocked to be reunited with her old crush. She's been so focused on keeping her family legacy intact that she hasn't had time for much else. Is Yael's arrival a blessing? Or a burden?

Read if you like:
-Cottagecore
-Queer Romance
-Magic
-Family Legacy & Secrets

Homegrown Magic was just ok. I was neither impressed or disappointed with it. It had the potential to be better, but it wasn't terrible either. Very surface level when it had the potential to go deeper. I did like the cottagecore vibes and the ending. But otherwise, it really wasn't for me.

I absolutely adore Jamie Pacton, and absolutely devoured this book! 📚 A must read for sure, and I may have to get myself a hard copy as well!

an awesome queer-normative romantic fantasy with a non-binary protagonist? be still my heart. it was so incredible. the romance was gorgeous and the magical aspects were perfect. 5 stars. would recommend.

Homegrown magic is a delightful cozy, queer romantasy that that focuses on the relationship between the protagonists set in a lightly magical setting. I love my cozy fantasy to have enough of a plot to create interest, even if it’s character driven plot, and that is what Homegrown Magic gives me. It reminds me of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea meets the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. It is very light on the magic elements but a good fit for those who like a cozy romance. Little bit of 🌶️ without that being the focus of the book which I enjoy. A non-binary rich kid runs away from home to fall in love with a green witch who runs a farm? Excellent mix of familiar tropes and modern love.

I will say at first I found the 3rd person present tense jarring, but I did get used to it. Overall rating is a 4.0, but rating within the cozy fantasy genre would get a 4.5.

I read this book as an Advanced Readers Copy courtesy of Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.

A Deeply cozy story interspersed with intense drama, romantic feelings, and a dozen unspoken secrets. this Dungeons and Dragons inspired story holds so much packed into one book that there's going to be something for everyone! with themes like healing generational trauma, overcoming family expectations, mutual pining, learning who you are and what you want to be, standing up for oneself, and more, this was a warm hug wrapped in dramatic adventure as two people stand up against the odds, and achieve the dreams they never thought possible... or allowed themselves to think about.

This was super cute! A cozy f/nb romantasy with a queernormative world and vibes that are both cottagecore and DnD--but that doesn't overlook the actual hard work involved with the cottagecore lifestyle, which I was very pleased to find. Recommended for readers who like low stakes, high heat, and a lot of strawberries. This can definitely be read as a standalone but I'm looking forward to a sequel with a different main couple.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.