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.

Ohhhh this was simply adorable... I feel like this was written for me...

This was like if Stardew Valley was a book! Yael runs away from their big city life and pressure from their parents, stumbling into their old childhood friend Margot's rural town. Potion making, strawberry growing, romance ensuing.

This had the perfect balance of cottagecore garden living, lovable characters, romance, and conflict. I think what makes the "conflict" so good in this is that it's there--Margot must save her town--but it never feels like the tension is ever too high. Just enough to keep things interesting, but cozy!!!

Would definitely recommend this one. Thank you so much to the publisher for reaching out with an arc. :)

What a lovely and delighful debut novel!
A queer romantasy full of magic, sweetness, swoony moments!
I read it so quickly and am still grinning because of it!
I highly recommend it

If you were to somehow capture the feeling of being under a warm blanket with a mug of hot cocoa in hand and put it in a book, this would be that book. I adored this from beginning to end. The characters were lovable and complex, with perfect arcs that felt so satisfying to see pay off. Especially Yael's, in my opinion; I love them to bits. This book is also full of LGBTQ+ representation, and it is done splendidly, might I add. I pretty much want to pack my bags and move to Bloomfield to live out the cozy life of my dreams. Homegrown Magic was so full of warmth, joy, and love, and I absolutely loved being able to experience this story. You can truly tell that this is a work of personal passion and love for the authors, and that will almost always create a wonderful story, as is the case here. If charming romance, small-town coziness, spellcasting, plant magic, and a touch of family drama appeal to you, pick up this book!! I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to Del Rey for access to an ARC! This is my honest review.

A lovely fantasy romance that also feels very cozy and down to earth. I loved the world building of the wonderful universe it takes place in and the way the queer rep was incorporated in as a perfectly average part of society with no angst or issues.

Excited for the sequel!

Queer romantasy that was just so cozy and sweet! I'm a sucker for a romance that focuses on finding yourself. Yael's decision to flee the liffe that was planned for them was such a brave one, and Margot. Sigh. This was just the sweetest.

This book was delightful! It had the right mix of cozy and conflict, and almost everything was solved by good communication. The only thing I wanted to see more of would be more detail in how the main problem was fixed in the end, but I'm a law geek who wants to see technicalities.

Homegrown Magic is a fun read. It was lovely seeing Margot rediscover her childhood crush as Yale comes back to town to lay low for a bit. Margot hires them to help in her family's magical remedy shop, and as they get reaquainted with each other, their relationship blooms. Will they be able to save Margot's shop? Will they be together? You won't want to miss this.

Sweet, enchanting, and wonderfully queer, Homegrown Magic just made me HAPPY. We have greenhouses and flora, magic and potions, a loving community against an evil bank, and two former childhood friends working together and falling in love. There was a frustrating "I'm lying for your own good" Act 3 plot, but it was resolved fairly quickly and painlessly. There's just something so healing about queer cozy fantasies!

This enchanting queer romantic fantasy is all about love, magic, and finding your own path. Yael, fleeing a life of wealth, teams up with Margot, a plant witch, and their friendship quickly turns into something more. With cozy vibes, swoony romance, and a touch of garden magic, this story is perfect for anyone dreaming of a simple, love-filled life.