A very cozy, cottagecore fantasy. I loved the queer representation, and I think this is the first fiction novel I've read where a main character uses they/them pronouns! It's so nice to read something more diverse. The romance was cute, but the plot kind of fell short. There were very high stakes involved, and all of it was resolved way too easily in the end. I did enjoy this overall though, and I'm sure others will as well. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

🌿✨ Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos is a delightful, cozy escape into a world where magic blooms in both gardens and hearts. This enchanting queer romantic fantasy is a true feast for the soul, blending friends-to-lovers chemistry with the warmth of found family and a sprinkle of rival family drama. Yael Clauneck, the wealthy scion seeking adventure, and Margot Greenwillow, the dedicated plant witch struggling to save her family's business, are like an exquisite tea blend—perfectly balanced yet bursting with flavor. Their chemistry is electric, their banter is endearing, and the magical garden setting feels like a comforting embrace. If you’re craving a read that combines heartfelt romance with a touch of whimsical magic and a dash of charming rivalry, this book will have you feeling right at home. 🌟🍵🌸

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

This was such a good book. I really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would. I loved the writing style. This book had me hooked from page one. This is a first for me by this author but will not be my last!!

I went into this book not knowing exactly what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was the light, whimsical romance that I've been looking for for a long time. The writing was a great blend of descriptive and evocative and I thought Margot and Yael were very consistently written (I had a harder time connecting to Yael than Margot just by virtue of what character types I prefer, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching both of them develop throughout the events of the story). I will say that the pacing was a little quick in terms of their romance; I would have liked to see more of the "in between" moments between the larger story beats to really feel the friends-to-lovers energy grow, but personally, I didn't find myself minding as much. If you find yourself dreaming of leaving it all behind and moving to a small, tight-knit community in the country, I'd highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! Homegrown Magic comes out on March 11th 2025.

Homegrown Magic is YA authors Rebecca Podos and Jamie Pacton’s first foray into adult literature. It’s a delightfully cozy, queer fantasy romance that employs two of my favorite tropes: friends-to-lovers and found family.

Margot Greenwillow is a talented plant witch struggling to perfect a potion that is her only chance of keeping her home before it’s stolen out from under her by the wealthy Clauneck family.

Yael Clauneck, meanwhile, dreads joining the family banking business and flees their graduation party with no clear idea of what to do with their life. They stumble upon Bloomfield, the home of their childhood friend Margot, and the two quickly fall back into their friendship and a romance.

Can Margot make the potion before it’s too late? Can Yael successfully hide from their fate as family heir? And can they have a happily ever after together?

I loved Homegrown Magic. It’s full of lush descriptions of plants and flowers that pop off the pages and is populated by lovable characters, especially Margot and Yael. The dialogue is witty and I enjoyed how queernormative the story is. I appreciated how real the stakes feel. Romances can fall into the trap where there’s no believable conflict keeping the lovers apart but Homegrown Magic’s friction feels genuine.

I also loved that this novel is very much about Margot and Yael’s own journeys of self-discovery, not just their romance. They both discover things about themselves over the course of the novel and are fleshed out, whole, three-dimensional people.

I look forward to reading more from these authors in the future and highly recommend picking up Homegrown Magic with a nice cup of ginger and hibiscus tea à la Margot and Yael.

I love the world that this book is written in, and the two main characters were both done well, and I liked how whenever there was a form of miscommunication, it actually made sense for the characters to do, instead of it being a way to arbitrarily insert more conflict than is needed. The romance was done fantastically well in my opinion, and I think it was a good adult book. I also loved the nonbinary representation in the book, because it was both casual and a part of the world without it being some sort of magical third gender that also involves a lot of roles for the characters to follow. Queernormativity!

Only reason that the book did not get five stars is that some of the plotlines nearing the end weren't wrapped up as well as they could have been.

3.75 ⭐️

september means cozy fantasy and this book delivered on everything i needed for a cute fall book!! Yael becoming a person without their family’s influence and the character development was so well-written. Margot and Yael together were so, so, so, so cute!!! They were such a happy little couple!!

Such a perfect cozy fantasy for fall!

some fav lines: “I have been choosing you every day”
“This is a kind of care: the willingness to be vulnerable first”
“I thought that even after years apart, you were still the most beautiful person I’d ever seen”

(Thank you to Netgalley for this arc)

I’m so thankful to have gotten to read this story courtesy of NetGalley! I was absolutely drawn into Yael and Margot’s world from the start and that feeling only increased as I continued to read.

Both our main characters struggle under the weight of familial expectations while their internal desires conflict with that weight. One night when both end up by chance at the same tavern, Margot and Yael reconnect for the first time since childhood, marking the beginning of an unlikely partnership. As the two grow closer, we learn of the magic held in this world and how our characters are impacted by it.

The setting is described so beautifully without being too much, I long to live among the people of Bloomfield and felt such warmth for the community there. It gave me similar feelings to the town in Legends & Lattes, as the people care so deeply for each other.

I loved the interactions with Yael and Margot as they grew closer through the story. Their banter and flirting was even making me blush at several points. I also appreciated that the spicy scenes did not seem frivolous but truly helped to further the emotions and connections of the characters. I found everything about them to be believable.

This story had a great pace that was easy to follow along while still being engaging. It lingered perfectly at times to set the scene and describe what was going on, while also not harping needlessly on details that weren’t necessary. I truly loved this story and would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a queer love story with magical elements, found family, and visions of beautiful things along the way.

Homegrown Magic is a charming queer romantasy featuring cozy garden magic, a mechanical horse (or two), and an adorable childhood friends-to-lovers relationship. The story follows Margot, a queer, purple-haired plant witch, and Yael, a non-binary warlock on the run from their family’s expectations. As Yael begins working in Margot’s greenhouses in the quaint village of Bloomfield, sparks begin to fly. But Margot has been keeping a very large secret, one involving Yael’s affluent family.

While I found the first couple chapters to be a little heavy with all of the world building, I eventually fell in love with the characters and the development of their relationship. The community of Bloomfield is every cottagecore lesbian’s dream and I loved the queer normative nature of the society in this book. I did feel like the pacing was a little inconsistent and the conflict resolution felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed the book nevertheless. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series when it releases in 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, Jamie Pacton, and Rebecca Podos for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Stay tuned for the release of Homegrown Magic on March 10, 2025!

This is so cute and cozy and wonderful for fall! It was such an easy nice read and I loved the characters! Will be recommending 100% and adding to our library!

Thanks to Kay Popple of Del Rey and NetGalley for sending me a free ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a solid 3 stars for me. It was a very cute cottage-core cozy fantasy, and I like that the authors actually used their DnD characters as a starting point for this story. (Don’t we all wish we could expand our characters into greater stories and worlds?)

What was interesting about this book being written by two authors is that I could not tell when reading the book because they were able to blend their voices so well. Despite that, I never had a problem remember whose chapter POV I was reading because the characters themselves (Margot and Yael) each had their own distinct way of thinking.

I think people who enjoyed Legends and Lattes will like this book, and it also kind of reminded me of The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti in a small way.

What kept me from giving this a higher score was that I personally think if you’re going to include a high stakes plot line (if Margot doesn’t make this infamous potion, then her town will essentially be foreclosed upon), then you need to give it the ending a high stakes plot line deserves. It felt like the authors wanted to continue the “cozy fantasy” aspect of the story so much that they almost forgot to resolve the high stakes part. I just thought it was a bit of a disservice to the reader to put us all through that build up only to not even give us a face to face confrontation between Yael and their parents. Margot and Yael send a letter, and we’re just supposed to accept that Yael’s parents accept that? Show us that Yael has grown a backbone and can stand up against their parents! That was the whole through-line of their character arc!! So we absolutely should’ve been shown that Yael was willing to not only stand up to them but also basically blackmail them and not be scared about it since they were in the right. But we don’t get that. And even with the letter they send to Yael’s parents, we don’t even get to see their reply. Felt like a really fizzled out ending after all that.

I also really disliked that the authors used the “third act fake breakup” trope. I haaaaate that, especially because you know they’re going to get back together so why go through all the mess of dumb miscommunication that no one likes? Meh.

So, yeah, it’s a cute story if you’re looking for a cozy cottage-core fantasy, but don’t expect much in terms of plot payoff.

Homegrown Magic is a mesmerizing journey into a world brimming with enchantment and wonder. From the very first page, the author transports readers to a realm where magic is not just a concept but a vibrant and integral part of the story.

The world-building in this book is nothing short of extraordinary. The author has crafted a richly detailed universe that feels both original and immersive. Every magical element is intricately described, drawing readers into a world where the impossible becomes possible. The settings are lush and imaginative, creating a backdrop that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.

The characters are wonderfully developed, each with their own unique quirks and depth. Their growth throughout the story is both believable and compelling, making you deeply invested in their journey. The interactions between characters are filled with warmth, humor, and genuine emotion, adding layers of richness to the narrative.

The plot is enchanting!

In summary, Homegrown Magic is a five-star masterpiece that will delight fans.

The perfect cozy fall read! I adored this sweet queer romantasy about plant witches and magic. Yael and Margot are completely lovable and easy to root for, and I appreciated that the plot and conflict always remained grounded and believable for their characters. The perfect book to read by the fire while sipping tea and eating scones and strawberry jam. :)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE perfect cozy fall season book!!!!! i picked this one up at the perfect time, as fall is approaching and i needed a quick and easy book to delve into, and boy did this deliver! i loved all of the characters and the found family of it all, including the swoon worthy lil romance 🙂‍↕️ highly recommend!

This book was adorable and a perfect cozy fall read. While there is some mystery throughout the book, the book stays low key throughout while being able to maintain an interesting storyline. The romance is a sweet childhood friends to lovers story. I will say it is not a fast paced, action pact witchy romance so if that is what you are looking for this is not for you. But if you want something sweet and cozy that feels like drinking a pumpkin spiced latte while wrapped in your favorite blanket then this is for you,

Homegrown Magic is a unique fantasy novel that weaves together family obligations, magic, gardening, and a friends-to-lovers dynamic in a cozy setting. The adventures of Yael and Margot, the main characters, are sure to captivate readers.

Yael and Margot, the central characters, are a study in contrasts. Yael, the heir to a powerful family, and Margot, from a family that has lost their fortune, are like two sides of a coin. Their reunion and the collision of their paths promise a story filled with tension and anticipation.

As a reader, I found many elements to appreciate in this novel by two talented YA authors. However, the story didn’t fully resonate with me. It took some time for me to become fully engrossed in the plot, and while I did enjoy the playful nature of the story, I was left with a desire for more. Fans of Travis Baldree's work may find this novel to their liking.

Yael has just graduated university and is struggling to take their place in their family's business. After running away from their family, they find a former childhood friend, Margot, a plant witch living in a small village. Yael takes a position as Margot’s greenhouse assistant, where they grow close to Margot and the village.

I found the pace of this story to be really well done. While there were certain times the pacing felt a little slow, it aided in creating a cozy atmosphere. The story building, while a little simple, was believable and interesting. I was really impressed with the way queerness was woven into the story seamlessly. The conflict was handled in a way that left me excited, but not anxious for the conclusion. This story really was such a cozy romantic read that left me warm and happy. :)

Unfortunately, this was mostly a 'miss' for me. That's not to say there was nothing to like about it. I thought, for the most part, the two authors' voices complemented each other well and the characterizations across POVs seemed largely consistent. There were also moments--be they descriptions or characterization moments--where I felt like the writing was pretty strong. I think the base concept (childhood friends who reunite in adulthood and build back up a friendship into something more while gardening) is very cute. The biggest problem I had with this book, though, was that it seemed largely inconsistent in both pacing which fed into my secondary issue, a romance that felt forced rather than organic.

Let's start with the pacing. There's a lot of time jumping throughout the book. In some instances, it makes sense, but in others--especially when it came to the romance and certain character moments--it felt like I missed something. I wanted to actually see them build back up a friendship into a relationship. Unfortunately, the larger plot and the length of the book meant that those intimate moments I was looking for often ended up glossed over. As a result, while I could potentially buy the two main characters as being friends, I couldn't make the leap with them into romance territory. I actually ended up skipping over the spicier scenes because I couldn't get emotionally invested in them as a couple. And the ending felt rather abrupt and too neatly packaged, it seemed, for what the authors were trying to accomplish.

There were also things that popped up that seemed to be extraneous information which would have worked in a longer book, but in a shorter one felt unnecessary and tedious. For example, there's a huge portion of a chapter dedicated to detailing the finer details of a work day at Yael's father's company. This information would've been fine if this were some workplace-type romance/fantasy, but as it is I couldn't even muster the energy to pretend to care.

I can see why there are going to be people might really like this, but it felt very lacking to me and focused less on things I wanted to actually see and more on things that felt too dramatic for the constraints of the story. There's going to be a secondary book set in this world (I think with different characters), but I think this is going to be my last and only foray into this world.

Homegrown Magic
by Jamie Pacton; Rebecca Podos
Pub Date: Mar 11 202

Yael Clauneck is the only scion of an obscenely wealthy banking family with its fingers in every pie in the realm. They’re on the precipice of a predetermined life when they flee their own graduation party, galloping away in search of…well, they’re not sure, but maybe the chance to feel like life can still be a grand adventure.

Margot Greenwillow—talented plant witch, tea lover, and greenhouse owner—has never felt further from adventure in her life. She’s been desperately trying to keep what remains of her family's magic remedies business afloat. So when her childhood friend and former crush, Yael, rides back into her life, she’s shocked. But perhaps this could be a good thing. After all, Margot could use an assistant in the greenhouses.

Yael has no experience or, honestly, practical skills, but they’re delighted to accept. They can lay low for a while, flirting with Margot while they figure out what to do next. Meanwhile, Margot has plans of her own—but plans are notoriously unreliable things, unlikely to survive a swiftly blooming mutual attraction, not to mention the machinations of parents determined to get their heir back . . . no matter the cost.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I’m on a roll lately with scoring the most delightful, cozy fantasy novels with just the right mix of heart and romance.

It really is like a fever dream for those of us on the corporate grind in an urban high cost of living area to what it could be like if we just ran away to a tiny town with our favorite person and decided to live life on our terms. So freakin cute and inspiring.