I wanted to love this. The premise is great, and it encompasses that cottagecore vibe that I long for. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the story or the writing. It was slow and boring. I DNF'd this around the 20% mark.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for access to the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I ended up reading my physical ARC.
This book was exactly what I was hoping for. As soon as I saw the author's announce the cover, title, and blurb, I knew this was going to be a book I enjoyed. And I was so right. I loved everything about both Margot and Yael, from their individual characteristics to how well they mesh together. And of course, the found family throughout the book was squeezing my heart in all the right places. I loved how queer-normative this world was, like how they had a gender neutral word in place of "sir" or "ma'am". I could relate and empathize with the struggles both Yael and Margot were facing, and think the book overall was amazing start to finish. The physical ARC mentioned there being a second book, and I hope that's the case!

This was absolutely not the book for me. I was already a bit nervous because cottagecore to me terms to scream boring and this was definitely that. Nothing was memorable and I want really interested to pick it up. But even worse was the authorial voice. It was incredibly horrible and constantly pulled me out of the story. I was just overall hoping for more.

Homegrown Magic is a cozy fantasy about rekindled love, family expectations, and finding where you truly belong. With lush greenhouses, gentle magic, and a touch of romance, it’s a sweet escape into a whimsical world.

Yael Claneuck has grown up knowing that the weight of their family’s expectations falls squarely on their shoulders. When they make a break for freedom, they are shocked to run into their childhood friend Margot Greenwillow. Margot is attempting to save her family, her greenhouses, and her beloved town. As Yael becomes Margot’s assistant in the greenhouses, will they be able to work together to save the town and rekindle the spark between them?

Homegrown Magic is a cozy and lighthearted fantasy that feels as delightful as a warm cup of tea on a winter’s day. I loved the queer characters and rep that is thoughtfully written into the town. The descriptions of the town and greenhouses make it feel like a real place you could visit. I enjoyed Yael and Margot’s friendship and eventual relationship. I didn’t quite buy the third-act chaos, but I enjoyed how the story ended. I'm excited to check out the next book in the series! Homegrown Magic is perfect for readers seeking charmingly cozy and queer fantasy adventures.

Thank you so much to Jamie Pacton, Rebecca Podos, Del Rey, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found Homegrown Magic to be a cute and romantic cozy fantasy that at times did feel a little slow, but the story had a good plot and the characters were written well enough that I wanted to keep reading. I liked that the story wasn't a high-stakes vibe, which made it all the more cozy and calm to read. I don't usually read books with queer representation because I feel they all tend to be cut from the same cloth so to speak but I might start again thanks to this book.

This was a cute, cozy fantasy book. It centered on the relationship and romance between Yael and Margot. There was technically a plot with objectively some high stakes, but it felt secondary to the characters' relationship. Overall a very cute story. I think a little toooo cute for me - it reads like a YA story with a few gratuitous explicit scenes, which unfortunately seems to be the trend in "NA." I read and love a lot of YA, but there's something off-putting to me when the characters are in their 20s and still acting like teenagers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the chance to review this book, all opinions are my own.

I am huge cozy fantasy fan and the story in Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos matches the charm of Legends & Lattes, Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, and The Spellshop. The characters are lovable disasters, the story is sweet, and the world is intriguing.

The only reason this book is not a 5 star read for me is because it is written in third person present tense and for some reason that absolutely broke my brain. It literally took me 3 months just to get past the first chapter. Given the choice, I think I would have tried to listen to the audiobook of this one, it probably would have helped me focus on the story better. Yael’s chapters are also written with a lot of long sentences with no stops and sometimes tangents (I think this is indicative of Yael’s wandering thoughts) but again, it was hard for my brain to focus on this. Very much a me problem though!

Once I got past the writing style, I was totally charmed by the story and the characters and wanted to keep reading. The writing style did continue to pull me out of the story but not because it wasn’t interesting or sweet. Small town romance, friends to lovers, defeating capitalism, it fits the cozy fantasy genre well.

I think if readers don't mind the style of writing (or perhaps listen to the audiobook) this will be another cozy fantasy hit!

in HOMEGROWN MAGIC yael clauneck (they/them), heir to a powerful banking family, runs from their high-society life and unexpectedly reunites with margot greenwillow (she/her), a plant witch struggling to keep her family's magic business alive. as yael takes refuge working in margot's greenhouses, their old friendship rekindles into something more. but with meddling parents in power and complicated feelings in the mix, both yael and margot must navigate growing attraction and the pressures threatening to pull them apart.

i haven’t read a ton of cozy fantasy, so i’m not sure how this stacks up against others in the genre, but overall, this was a sweet and easy read! it’s definitely one of those stories where you mostly follow the day-to-day activities of the characters. think lots of gardening, some potion making, descriptions of gowns and finery, and even a ball or two (because what’s a whimsical fantasy without a good party, right?)

the stakes felt pretty low throughout, which made it a very chill read. there are some conflicts and challenges, but nothing that ever felt too heavy or intense, so if you’re looking for something to ease into, this might be a good pick!

the writing is whimsical in a way that really reminded me of stephanie garber’s caraval universe, but make it more cottagecore... and add a little spice. honestly, the vibes were there, i just wish there had been a bit more magic woven into the story. like, give me more enchanted gardens! more spells! more potion mishaps! i was craving that extra sprinkle of magic to fully pull me into the world.

also, while i enjoyed most of the story, the ending left me wanting a bit more. i would’ve loved a more satisfying wrap-up, especially for yael's character.

if you’re into cozy queer stories with low stakes, fluffy writing, a dash of magical realism, and lots of time spent in gardens or moving about the town, check this one out!

3.5/5 stars

Thank you for the eARC, NetGalley!

This book was soft, sweet, and romantic. I couldn’t even tell it was written by two authors since the writing styles are so seamless - there is no jarring tone change in the writing.

The two main settings and sets of characters have such a strong juxtaposition, which sets the tone really nicely, and sets up the whole "two worlds colliding" vibe well. It felt a bit like a Hallmark movie, but make it queer and diverse! I really loved the queernormative world! A tiny detail, but I loved the "sira'am" honorific. In the Philippines, we say "ma'amsir" to greet strangers in order to not assume gender, so it was so nice seeing a version of that in this book! I enjoyed Yael and Margot, although some of the miscommunications/misunderstandings felt a little forced in order to progress the plot, and felt out of place/out of character. Overall, the character growth of Yael and Margot alike was wonderful. It was really nice to seem them grow as both individuals and together. And I liked the conclusion, and how it wasn't just a magical cure-all!

This was a really sweet and cozy read -- Definitely great for those wanting a bit of fantasy, but where the character development is still the focus.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This book was so delightfully queer and cozy! It's honestly everything I could ask for out of a cozy fantasy. The fact that it gave me the same kind of vibes I get when I play Stardew Valley is an added bonus. I loved getting to spend time in Bloomfield and found myself wishing it was a real place I could go to. I'm usually not a big fan of friends to lovers, but I really liked how it was done in this book. I loved getting to see Yael and Margot's relationship evolve throughout the book. I'm excited to see what the next book in this series has in store for us!

ARC REVIEW: Home Grown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Becca Podos ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Publishing for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Home Grown Magic is a cozy fantasy-romance following two childhood acquaintances - Yael Clauneck and Margot Greenwillow who are reunited by chance (or fate?) after many years. Yael ran away to the countryside to escape the pressure and expectations set by their wealthy family, while Margot has taken over her grandmother’s greenhouse and is barely making ends meet. Yael and Margot are inexplicably drawn to one another and their love story is tender, filled with steaming cups of tea and long days spent in the garden.

This book was sweet, I liked the romance, but overall the stakes were too low for me to feel worried/anxious for the characters. The magic system felt unique and I enjoyed that different families tapped into their magic in different ways. Margot and Yael were both flawed characters and I loved the way they loved each other, but occasionally it felt like each only blamed themselves for their mistakes and never saw fault in the other. I loved that this fantasy realm didn’t feature any negativity toward Yael being non-binary or toward the queer relationships in the story. I love when writers create a space where no one encounters hate or malice based on who they are.

Home Grown Magic releases March 11th 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with a digital ARC of Homegrown Magic in exchange for an honest review!
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a book for me. Definitely more of a me issue than a book issue. I am coming to find I do not like cozy fantasy. I ended up DNF’ing at 35%.
The writing in this book is whimsical and lends well to the world building, which is very detailed and fully immerses you in the world. I really appreciated this as so often lately world building is just glossed over in favor of tropes. The world felt like a cozy fantasy game full of mechanical steeds and lots of strawberries. I did wish there were more concrete details around the magic and maybe more magic in general.
While the world was lovely, I struggled with the characters. This was supposedly adult, but read like a YA. The characters were in their early twenties but felt younger. I struggled to connect with them because of this.
This is cozy fantasy so the story unfolds slowly with a lot of character interiority. Things were happening and there were stakes, but I didn’t feel invested, probably because I didn’t care about the characters.
I’m a sucker for slow burn romance, which is pretty much why I picked this book up. But the part where they would be falling in love was skipped! We go from them meeting and starting to work together to skipping forward in time. I wanted to see all the small moments of them falling for each other. As written, it’s more of a second chance/insta love.
I was excited for this. I loved the idea of a non-binary character (from what I read, this felt well done!) and a slow burn romance. But that really wasn’t what I was getting and I lost interest.

This was such a charming read from start to finish. I loved the cozy, magical setting. It was romantic, low-stakes but still engaging, fantastical fun. The details in this book were so enchanting (I definitely have to drink some tea now). If you're looking for a comforting read, this is a good pick!

When I first heard of this book, I assumed it would be a cozy fantasy, like Legends & Lattes. It's definitely cozy, but its core is a (very sweet) queer romance.

I definitely recommend it, especially for those who are fans of small town, friends-to-lovers romance!

Nonbinary Yael Clauneck comes from a prestigious and insanely wealthy banking family. After graduation, the looming specter of a preplanned life and family expectations sends Yael fleeing into the night on a stolen horse. After aimlessly riding into the darkness, Yael finds themselves in a small town where their childhood friend, Margo Greenwillow still resides. Hoping to duck reality, Yael volunteers to assist Margo with her work in her family's greenhouses. Margo is delighted to have the distraction from her childhood crush, Yael, but what they don't know is Margo is under threat from the Clauneck family. If Margo doesn't complete a powerful potion within a certain time, Yael's family will repossess the town. Feelings blossom as Margo and Yael race against the clock, but will they be able to bring the town and their relationship to a successful harvest? This was sweet and light with themes of community and finding your place and people. Stardew Valley players will recognize the city to country life trajectory, the community vs commerce debate and the town filled with quirky, loveable characters.

(Actual: 3.5⭐, rounded up) A cute – and perhaps even cottagecore-coded (? lol actually... maybe definitely cottagecore-coded 😅) – sapphic Friends-to-Lovers romcom, filled with plenty of heart, humor, found family AND *rival* family shenanigans.... and honestly just a whole lot of fantasical coziness, like a warm hug almost. Yael and Margot are both very well-defined and developed MCs, and I think they both equally show strong character development throughout the course of the novel. I further appreciated how the pacing of the novel felt just right (at least, to me anyway)— my attention was held and no plot points or moments stood out to me as feeling like they dragged on too long. Overall, this book is a great example of a cozy fantasy read imo; one that is light yet still filled with plenty of depth and lovable characters to get behind!

Homegrown Magic is a delightful read! There is a good balance between low stakes and an interesting plot and romance that can be hard to strike in a cozy fantasy romance. The two main characters are endearing. The FMC and nonbinary MC each face challenges separately and together, which kept the story moving. There is a fair amount of pining, which is typically done well, but occasionally crosses the line into cheesy (e.g., almost fainting from being touched on the knee). I appreciate the themes of being brave and choosing one's own path, making ethical decisions even when they involve personal sacrifice, and forgiveness.

An absolutely, adorably perfect cozy fantasy. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher, and I am extremely grateful to the publisher for this book. I also preordered the book, and loved it so much that I kept my preorder, so I could have a physical copy of the book.

This book has multiple authors, and I can truly say that you really can’t tell, as you’re reading, that there are multiple authors. They write as one voice, and that is a very difficult skill to accomplish.

Overall, the story is unique and wonderful. A new take on magic and how it operates in the world. The world itself could have been complicated, but the ways the authors introduced various facets of this world were so confident and clear, that it didn’t take much to understand the world itself. I have a feeling that other places (the queens, society members, friends, etc.) are going to come up again in future books. There were some loose ends, but in a way that keeps the door to the world open for future books. I’m excited to learn more about Sage & Araphi (hopefully!) in the next installments.

Without spoilers, the one area I thought missed that last star was Yael’s realization (I’ll leave it at that). I wanted/needed just a touch more about how they put the pieces together and made their realization.


As an aside, I think this book is important for cisgender & hetero individuals to read. Queer relationships are underrepresented and this book provides a wonderful opportunity for those of us not part of the community to learn about queer relationships. I loved that queer relationships were just a normal, accepted part of this society. Ours should take note. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book.

Now, I’m off in search of some strawberry jam.