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,

Can I just be adopted by the Estrada family? I know they have their quirks, but J.C. Cervantes knows how to write amazing, three-dimensional characters! I fell in love with the Estrada women in The Enchanted Hacienda, and was absolutely thrilled to go back home with Lillian and hear more of her story. Lily and Sam...gosh. What a journey the author took us on! I promise you won't be disappointed with this story about love, loss, new beginnings, and revisiting the past.
Thank you, NetGalley and to the publisher, for an ARC of this lovely story! I hope we get to go back to the hacienda again soon! Pub Date: March 11, 2025

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book! I really enjoyed this one. This was heavy on the magical realism and I enjoyed the magic system and the different powers the characters had. This had lot of emotional and thought provoking moments that I enjoyed. This had a side of second chance/ childhood romance that was cute and left me wanting more interaction throughout the book between those characters. Overall this was a great read and I would recommend! 😊

The Anatomy of the Magic is clearly about the connection of magic, flowers, and family. It starts off with the power of flowers and continues to the unintended consequences of magic. Lily's story is about the unintended consequences of magic of wishing the pain away, of thinking we can prevent the future. Just because we have the power, doesn't mean it's the best choice to use it. The Anatomy of Magic illustrates that the past won't stay buried even when we excise it.

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes tells the story of a young woman who discovers the beauty in life's imperfections and love with the guidance of her magical family. I found myself captivated by the intricate family dynamics, the rekindling of lost love, and the enchanting elements of magic woven throughout the pages of this book.

Whimsical romance with some Encanto vibes. The story had potential but unfortunately fell very flat for me. I wasn't aware this is a follow-up to another book, The Enchanted Hacienda, which I haven't read. It worked well enough as a standalone, but I !might have missed some world-building from the first book. The plot and characters were a bit too simplistic and I didn't feel connected to the story. The main character, Lily, is almost 30 but many of her decisions felt much younger and made this feel like more of a YA story. The flower-based magic system was interesting and I wish it was more developed.

This one wasn't for me, but give it a try if
📕 You've read The Enchanted Hacienda
💖 You like magical realism mixed with romance
🌸 You like a whimsical, second-chance romance


Thanks to NetGalley and HTP/Park Row for the advance review copy.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I had to DHF around the 40% mark. I love second chance romances but for some reason this one missed the mark.

A second chance romance, magical realism, and family. Lily's magic revolves around memory but she's not able to forget what happened to one of her patients so she heads home and almost immediately into Sam. These two have a history that ended with miscommunication but now, now they're building something. Lily, a physician, has to reconcile science with the magical abilities of the women in her family, which makes this more thoughtful than usual for the genre. There might not be many surprises but it's atmospheric and both the characters and the storytelling are good. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

I did not realize this book was a sequel/companion book. Still it was pretty enjoyable. I would read this book again after reading the companion book.

J.C. Cervantes is a new-to-me author, and The Anatomy of Magic immediately caught my attention with its Magical Realism meets Mexican Gothic vibes. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite unfold the way I’d hoped.

There were so many great elements—magic gone wrong, lost love, deep cultural roots, and family ties. The characters were strong, whimsical, and full of magic. But I didn’t feel like I got enough of any one thing, and the chemistry between the main characters just didn’t land for me. I adored their backstory, but their present-day dynamic felt awkward.

One thing I did love was the focus on flowers—it was beautifully done. Though I found it a bit strange that they all bloomed simultaneously in the same place… maybe that was part of the magic?

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes was a really intriguing fantasy novel with a really layered magical world, rich lore and unique characters. The plot follows a group of characters on a quest that is as much about self-discovery as it is about the magic they wield. Cervantes does a wonderful job of creating a universe filled with detailed systems of magic and myth. The incorporation of elements like ancient prophecies and magical creatures keeps things fresh and exciting.

The characters themselves are well-developed, each with their own unique motivations and backstories that add depth to their story.
The pacing at times can feel uneven, especially in the middle. While the book does a great job of setting up intrigue, the payoff in the final parts felt a little rushed, leaving some of the plot underexplored.

Overall, The Anatomy of Magic is an enjoyable and unique read with strong world-building. While it might not hit all the marks perfectly, it’s definitely worth checking out for fans of fantasy who appreciate a mix of magic, adventure, and self-discovery.

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes showed some promise, but fell flat for me. It began with an interesting concept for a magic system centered around flowers and other vegetation. Unfortunately this system was never completely flushed out. Plot in the book is not overly complex and spends too much time in the romance aspects instead of the development of characters. This could be because it is the second installment for the Estrada family saga, but I was unaware of this because this book is not advertised as such.

I read this book and listened to the audio for it. The overly simple plot, the language used to write this book and the pitch Diana Bustelo's voice, makes this read/feel more like a YA Romance, then a potential second book for the Estrada family legacy.

Finally, I was very disappointed that the book made no actual tie to the "anatomy of magic." This is never addressed in the book and makes the title confusing and unrelated to the story as well.

Because this is Hispanic Literature, I expected a level of magical realism in the vein of Allende or Marquez. Instead if you like the magical realism along the lines of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, or The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan, then this is the book for you.

Thank you Park Row & Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and listen to the audiobook. My opinions are my own.

So happy to see the next installment in this series! Magical realism with romance, family ties, and culture.
The Estrada family is made up of women enchanted by the goddess Mayahuel. Each woman is given the name of a flower and a unique ability tied to the flowers on the family farm. Lily has the power to manipulate memories - to diminish them or to capture them and make them stronger. She is never supposed to use the magic on herself, but after her heart breaks, she feels like she has no choice. Years later, Lily is suffering the consequences.

I loved The Enchanted Hacienda, the debut book in the series. I enjoy reading about close families and appreciate the humor interspersed among the dramatic scenes in both books. I can't wait to see which sister/cousin is featured next!

This book reminded me a lot of Ashley Palston's romance books, which I love. I really enjoyed the magic realism elements in this book. Lily is getting a second chance with her first love Sam. The only part I didn't love was that Sam had some communication issues that didn't seem to be resolved, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

I really enjoyed this read. I love a good second chance romance and this one did not disappoint. It was such a heart warming story and if you like witches, you will love this one. The flowers were such a unique touch to the story If you’ve seen the movie Encanto, it will remind you a bit of that.

I'd like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to be giving this one a 3.75 (4 rounding up!).

From the very beginning all I could think of was "OH THIS IS LIKE ENCANTO," so of course, I enjoyed it! We have an entire family of powerful women who use the magic from flowers (absolutely love this idea!)

Our FMC is Lily (all of the women have flower names), who is an OB/GYN in LA. She's gone home for healing and to be around family after an event at her hospital. Our MMC is Sam, and he just so happens to be Lily's first love. I wish that there was more development between Lily and Sam, but I truly enjoyed their story. Lily needs her family after things go awry.

I don't want to give too much away, as always!

I didn't know that this was a part of an interconnected story, (The Enchanted Hacienda is the first one), but I didn't feel like I was missing a part of the story.

Favorite Quote:
"...life is a long string of surrenders and learning to let go."