I've been looking forward to this book since turning the final page of book one, The Enchanted Hacienda. I'm happy to say it did not let me down. Cervantes has once again crafted an immersive, magical, hard-to-put-down book that reached into my soul and held me captivated from start to finish.

From the first scenes, we are witness to the chaos and internal pain of Lily's life and given one reason for it. But there is much more at play here - secrets that gradually unfold as Lily and Sam are given a second chance. I love how Cervantes plunges me into the emotions of her characters, how she gradually opens them up to all the pain and joy of life. How she allows them to make questionable decisions, to make the wrong choices, then gives them the opportunity to grow, to right the wrongs, to do better. Be better. I was with them every step of the way, experiencing all the emotions.

The Estrada family farm with its magical flowers, of course, plays a pivotal role in Lily's evolution as do the members of her family. The strength, resilience, and bond that these women share is the core of these stories. I love how they support one another while also holding each other accountable. Their bonds may stretch but they never break and when the need is great, they all come.

If you have not yet experienced the magic of these beautifully written stories, I encourage you pick one up and spend time with the women of the Estrada family. I'm already looking forward to whatever Cervantes has in store for them next.

You could enjoy The Anatomy of Magic on its own but I strongly recommend reading The Enchanted Hacienda first. I loved them both.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

The Anatomy of Magic offers an intriguing blend of magic and personal growth, but it left me feeling somewhat mixed overall. JC Cervantes creates a vibrant world centered around the Estrada women and their unique powers. The exploration of family dynamics and the secrets that bind them adds depth to the story. The Anatomy of Magic reads like a cozy blend of Practical Magic, and Encanto.

While I appreciated the themes of self-discovery and embracing imperfections, the pacing felt uneven at times. Portions of the story felt slow, and struggled to captivate my attention.

Overall, The Anatomy of Magic has a lot of potential and beautifully touches on themes of love and healing. While it didn’t fully meet my expectations, it’s an enjoyable read for those who appreciate a blend of contemporary romance with magical realism. I think fans of the genre will find moments to appreciate, even if it didn’t completely resonate with me.

(3.75⭐️)

A mystical and sweet story about second chances, new beginnings and the power of family and love.

Disclaimer: I read this as an audiobook via NetGalley. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the free ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is an interconnected standalone to the author's other work, The Enchanted Hacienda. We follow another member of the Estrada family, Lily, an obstetrician who is dealing with a very messy portion of her life. She decides to head home during a leave from the hospital and has to deal with a bunch of situations she has been avoiding for a long time. Lily has memory magic through the family's farm flowers, and her magic is being affected by all of the heartbreaks that she is currently not dealing with.

Going back home for a friend wedding she runs into her old flame, Sam, from back when she was younger before medical school. Sam abruptly ended their relationship with no closure or reason why and Lily has always struggled with that now it's time for Lily to face and find out why their relationship ended, and if they could begin anew.

I really love the magical realism woven throughout the story. I found the descriptions of flowers and their mystical properties to be very interesting and informative. I love how the author clearly researched what flowers mean and wove that accurately into her work. I really like how open honest and forward the family is with each other. I would really be interested in seeing a tree cool to this of the grandmother or learning more about the mother in general and their magic. It seems very interesting and would make a great story. I also liked the different magical spells and how they were described and performed throughout the story.

I did have a few things with the story that were harder for me. First of all, I had trouble with the pacing, the story did move very slowly at times. I also had some issues with how brazen Lily was with the possessions of a man that she literally had not seen in decades and had no real relationship with anymore. Like girl, why are you going through his house? Willie also continuously made decisions that I don't feel a woman of her educational caliber would be making. I understand the emotions were high and give some grace for that, but some of her decisions I was just screaming at my Kindle in disbelief lol. I also do not like the reason that Sam eventually reveals that he ended their relationship years earlier. I am not a fan of a love interest taking away choices from another love interest on the sly. Like honestly, unforgivable. This eventually ended up throwing the chemistry I felt for the two main characters into a little bit of turmoil and made it slightly unbelievable for me.

The premise family relationships and overall themes of finding oneself and happiness wherever you go, and embracing possibilities did redeem the story for me overall though.

This was the most perfect blend of magical realism ala Ashley Poston style, and a lovely enriching mix of Disney Magic - ala Encanto! I absolutely enjoyed reading the Enchanted Hacienda and felt that this one was even more enjoyable. I also listened to this one as an audio book and it just truly brought the magic to life! I am hopeful that the author continues to give us stories of all of the sisters and cousins as I just don't want to ever not have a book from this world.

Lily was elusive in the first book - she seemed like she had it all together and as a result? She was a bit different than the rest. However what this book showed was the utter chaos, and the mess of her life. She was broken and wounded and I absolutely loved how her past was dug into with Sam and how their entire story unfolded. The beautiful way in which the author weaves Mexican mythology and folklore into Lily's story; into the magical flower farm. The chemistry between Sam and Lily was so captivating and sweet and although they got back together very quickly - I felt that having their history discussed so thoroughly is what kept me engaged and happy for them.

This was a really fun and magical read that just blew me away and would be perfect for anyone looking for a light, whimsical love story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and JC Cervantes for this e-arc and alc in exchange for my honest review!

What an epic second book in this series. I think I loved Lily's story even more than Harlow's. JC brings this world to life in stunning technicolor ways and I'm dying for more stories set in the Estrada Family's world. Definitely a must read if you need an emotional rollercoaster of a love story.

I learned in the middle of this book that this is the second book in the series. I wish I had known beforehand I would have read the first book to understand the family and characters better. I had a hard time connecting with the fmc. There's some miscommunication, second chance romance, and a magical family and home in Mexico. I did enjoy the audiobook and the narrator did a good job. Overall a fun magical romantic book.

I enjoyed getting to revisit the Estrada family again by way of Lil who is having a crisis of faith in herself after an incident at work where she is the chief resident obgyn. She goes to the one place she feels safe The Enchanted Hacienda, there she runs in to Ben who broke her heart a decade ago and she’s never gotten over him. She wants to reconnect but he has a secret about why he actually broke up with her in the first place. We get to see Lil find faith in herself and learn to roll with the punches life throws. I love the magical realism aspect of these books and hope we get more.

This novel was an enjoyable, quick read.
This is a fantastical, transportive romance that thoroughly charmed me.
The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb.

This story was a perfect companion to The Enchanted Hacienda! I hope the author keeps giving us stories for all the sisters and cousins! A look back into the lives of the mom and aunt would be fantastic too! I even would love a novella about the owner of the coffee shop, Pasaporte.
Based on the previous book, I was thinking Lily was the sister/cousin that had life mostly put together and yet from this story we find she may just have been the most broken. I loved digging into her past with Sam and watching their story unfold.
The continued weaving of mexican mythology and the magical flower farm kept me locked into the story. I think I read 80% of the book in 1 sitting. This book released earlier this week and I definitely recommend adding it to your TBR!

Not going to lie, I was a little bit of a sad panda for majority of the book. But second chance romances are my cup of tea and what a great read this one turned out to be! The Anatomy of Magic was a first time read by J.C. Cervantes and I didn't realize that there was another book in the series. While I didn't struggle with whom was whom, I think I would have benefitted more from reading the first one.

The journey that Lily and Sam go on was quite the emotional one! There were several times where I was pretty sure I'd be crying my eyes out. With Lily returning home after 10 years after a tragic incident at her workplace, it was time to face her past before focusing on her present.

I loved the chemistry between Lily and Sam immediately. I was so eager to know what happened that fated day and every thought that was popping into Lily's mirrored mind. As the reader we're right along with her and feeling everything. After the truths were learned, I kind of wished they had more time to learn each other over again. Since they were both fairly different people.

The family magic and how their history tied into their home, plus the flowers! That was so fascinating and definitely one of my favorite parts about this book. It was so neat to read about and the deep history it carried.

Thank you, @authorjcervantes, @htp_hive, @htpbooks, @harlequin_audio, and @netgalley for my gifted copies. #HiveInfluencer

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 304 / Genre: Magical Realism
Release Date: March 11, 2025

Lily Estrada is a successful OBGYN when tragedy strikes and she loses a patient. Taking it hard, she goes home on an extended vacation to see her family in Mexico. The Estrada women all possess special powers that are rooted in their relationship with nature. Lily has the power to manipulate memories. While home, she must face Sam, the one and only man who she’s ever loved and who broke her heart without giving her a reason.

This is mainly a love story between Lily and Sam. Why did he break her heart when he obviously still loves her? I liked both characters and loved the close relationship she has with her family. I especially enjoyed the bits of magic that are infused in the storyline. This was a cozy and heart-warming palette cleanser between my usual diet of psychological thrillers.

The premise of The Anatomy of Magic was so strong. I was really excited to read about family magic amongst this family in Mexico and to learn more about the individual garden beds of the family members. I personally was way more interested in the magical family and way less interested in the second chance romance. Unfortunately it felt like the romance took the lead.

This was fine, no major critique on my part, but I wasn't wowed. However, I do think this would lend itself well to a book club read.

What a great story. It tells of Lily an OBGYN who returns home after a patient dies under her care. She is not a doctor though, her family has magic that comes through flowers. Anyway, it is a great story full of well-thought-out characters. In the end, I realized this was a book in a series, which I did not know. I think reading the first would help with some of the character development, but it is not necessary, I enjoyed it without knowing who was who. I look forward to reading more about this super cool family.

Lily, an OB/GYN with flower-based memory magic, flees back to her family farm in Mexico after a tragedy at work. When she runs into her one and only former love, Sam, she has to unlock the memories that she tried to spell away.

I was initially excited about The Anatomy of Magic. However, the description did not mention that this is part of a series. While it can be read independently, I felt I was missing something throughout the book, perhaps reading the first book would have helped. I was never able to make myself care about the characters. The surprise twist toward the end was something I thought was obvious. Lily clearly needed therapy. Also, I really struggle when people believe that their love at 19 is the only love they will ever experience.

This was described in a way that made me excited to read it but the execution was lacking.

I think that others may end up liking this more than I did. It wasn't poorly written, just not for me.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, and Net Galley for the DRC. All opinions are my own

The Anatomy of Magic:⁣
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Thank you a million times @htp_hive and @harlequin_audio for my gifted copy. #HiveInfluencer ⁣
#HarlequinAudio ⁣
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“The future isn’t to be seen. It’s to be experienced. Not to be waited on, but to be hoped for.”⁣
⁣
I’m so glad we’re back with the Estrada family. It was like coming home. I am kind of confused how I missed this was in the same family. I would have freaked out a bit harder if I read properly that a second book was coming. I read a few pages and said “now hold on I know you” so here we are. ⁣
⁣
Lilly and Sam were heartbreaking. I cried more than I care to admit because this one really got my feelings. The push and pull of second chance love with doing what’s best for the family that may not be best for you was heartbreaking. That’s the only word to describe it. ⁣
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I loved Diana Bustelo when I heard her in A Cruel Thirst and was so happy she was the reader for The Atamomy of Magic. She brought the true mystical, magical, floral love of the Estrada fam and I couldn’t get over it. ⁣
⁣
Overall, I’ll always love this series and was so thrilled to go back. Out tomorrow 3/11.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romcom, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Magical Realism
Spice Level: Sex on page
Language: Some profanity
Readability: This is part of a series, but it's not necessary to read in order
Representation: Gay side character mentioned, different nationalities

THE ANATOMY OF MAGIC is a cozy book with its emphasis on relationships, and the magic is a secondary note though integral to the characters and plot. The author does a good job of weaving in backstory to understand what is happening to the characters and why it's significant.

I like the flower magic in this series and how it interacts with each of the women differently. :D Romance readers will love this book.

Happy reading!

I found great pleasure in accompanying Lily on her journey to seek forgiveness—both within herself and in her magic and love. Charming and infused with elements of magical realism and intrigue, this story is delightful for anyone who enjoys this genre of romance.

After reading the Enchanted Hacienda, I fell in love with the Estrada family and couldn’t wait to read Lily’s story in the Anatomy of Magic as an ARC - which was another 5⭐️ read for me. I didn’t realize how much Lily’s journey impacted me until the end when I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I sincerely hope each of the Estrada women get their own book.

“Whether it’s people, places, our youth, our health. Our hearts. We’re always in the process of letting go of something or someone that matters. And no amount of fighting, no amount of willful determination can ever change that.”

“I spelled my heart.”

Second in the Estrada Family series, The Anatomy of Magic is about Lily, the youngest sister. If you read the first (The Enchanted Hacienda) you'll know that generations ago, an Estrada woman made a desperate deal with the Aztec goddess Mayahuel. The deal was for every female descendant to be blessed with their own brand of magic that is enhanced by plants and flowers. Lily's magic is memory and when a patient's son utters a line from her past, she is shocked into a distant memory and then tragically loses for the first time a patient on the operating table. This causes her to go home to her family flower farm in Mexico and face the consequences of the intensified memory spell she put on herself to try and forget her first love Sam.

“It’s because something else is taking up space in your heart, and you have to heal that.”

Told all from Lily's point-of-view this was a more sedate moving story about how not dealing with past pains can bubble up and impact you when you least expect it. It's a magical realism setting with the flower magic and a family generational story, even though each book takes turns focusing on a different Estrada woman. There's the love interest Sam, who doesn't appear until around the 25% mark, but his character isn't so much there for his story to be told but in service of showing how Lily is the way she is today and how she has to work through that. The love thread is a second chance romance as the two were childhood sweethearts and then eleven years ago when they were nineteen, Sam out of nowhere says he doesn't love her anymore, giving no other explanation. This causes Lily to spell her heart to try and forget their years long love but also works to deaden her emotionally somewhat. The story was more about Lily discovering she should feel again and how she could go about it than showing Lily and Sam working together to resolve their past pain. A little later into the second half, Sam tells Lily why he broke up with her and Lily pretty much forgives him right away. The romance arc was more working through Lily's pain, hearing the reason she always wondered about, and then immediately moving on to we're in love.

“Azalea came to me in a dream,” I say.
“And?”
“She told me to go back to the beginning.”

The ending has some family and magical drama from a decision Lily makes but we get a resolving of that for no cliff-hangers, also an epilogue to deliver what looks like a Lily and Sam worked out happily ever after. I enjoyed the continued magical realism aspects and Estrada family relationships that were laid out in the first, you could pick this up as a standalone as there's enough relaying to clue new readers in, but the pace got a little slow for me as Lily glummed around. I also missed the romance thread being stronger and having more working through to give the second chance more impact. This wasn't the strongest installment for me but I'm still entranced by the Estrada women and their flower farm and will be looking out for the next one to fall in love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc of this book! I will start this review by mentioning that I didn’t realize that this book was part of a series, If I had realized that, I probably would’ve tried to read the first book in the Estrada Series so that I would’ve had a good background coming into this book. However, that’s on me for not researching thoroughly. Overall, I am giving this book a 2.5 star rating. The story just felt very rushed and I didn’t really vibe with the writing style. I never found myself rooting for Lily and Sam as a couple. Neither are ever really held accountable for their actions and it felt like all was forgiven too quickly just to move the story along. I especially think that Lily never learned her lesson regarding her selfishness. I will likely not continue reading this series,