I have mixed feelings about this book. It is a first read from this author for me. I did enjoy the reading in the setting of the 1920s in Brooklyn and the struggles of women to succeed at being anything but housewives. I am always ready to cheer for a female character that comes out the winner in this kind of situation. My favourite was Aunt Ester and I really wish her talents were the focus of the story.
Unfortunately, the characters didn't really feel real to me. The story didn't pull me in and make me feel as if I was part of it. It was longer then it needed to be and felt like it dragged at certain times.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to listen to this story!

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Linda Cohen Loigman is a captivating tale set in 1920s Brooklyn.
Augusta Stern, a young pharmacist in training, works in her father's pharmacy while mourning her mother's recent death. Her life is changed when her enigmatic Aunt Esther arrives, bringing a different kind of remedy
—folk healing that touches both mind and soul. With mystical ingredients and moonlit rituals, Aunt Esther's healing practices bring miraculous transformations, blending tradition and mystery. When tragedy strikes, Augusta will be forever shaped by her aunt's influence, as the story interweaves past and present.
The novel beautifully explores the intersection of folk healing and modern medicine, deeply rooted in Jewish and Eastern European culture. The dual timeline, following Augusta in the 1920s and as an elderly woman in the 1980s, reveals the mystery of her heartbreak in an emotional arc. Loigman vividly portrays 1920s Brooklyn's close-knit community and its fascinating characters, while thoughtfully examining the ongoing balance between scientific and traditional medicine.
Rather than choosing one over the other, the story embraces both.
Love, sacrifice, and destiny are the magical ingredients that make this story shine. The audiobook, narrated by Gabra Zackman, adds another layer of magic, as she brings each character vividly to life with warmth and emotion.

This was a tragic love story with a touch of magical realism. I loved that Augusta was such a strong character who didn't let being a female hold her back from her dream of being a pharmacist. I love a story with dual timelines but I much preferred the 1902's timeline. I found the later timeline (1980s) a little less intriguing and found myself waiting for the past timeline while listening.


Thank you Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook! #MacAudio2024

If your Halloween vibe is more cozy than creepy, this is the book for you. Augusta Stern has just moved into a retirement community in Florida, red bathing suit in hand ready to swim some laps and play canasta, when she runs into an old flame, her only flame, the one who broke her heart. The novel jumps between her conundrum in the present (1987) and the story that set the conflict in motion back in the 1920s. Throw in some prohibition era gangsters and an unconventional homemade elixir from great aunt Esther and you’ve got a cozy fall read. I really enjoyed this one and the move to tell stories about women of all ages. If you liked Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame or The Summer House by @laurenkdentonbooks you’ll like this (and vice versa).

Thank you @stmartinspress for providing this book for review consideration via @netgalley

All opinions are my own.

What a cutie little read! I loved elderly Augusta and her little retirement home. I loved the geriatric boy drama. And young Augusta was so easy to root for. Ester is a gem. This book was PERFECTION. Anyone with a soul would enjoy it!

I reaaaaallly loved the audio narration. Such an expert production.

Although this is not something that would be of interest to my students, it is something I would recommend to nearly everyone else in my life. I only wish my grandmother was still alive because she would have loved it the most.

This is a charming story with an original and compelling main character. My heart broke a million times for Augusta Stern - but when she finds out the truth about the night that Irving disappeared, I thought I would actually start sobbing.

Maybe these characters just remind me so much of the people I've known, especially when I used to spend a lot of time with my grandfather in his retirement community in Florida, but I felt like I was engrossed in the story and had an actual stake in the story and the lives of the characters.

I'm not a fan of magical realism, but this so seamlessly blended it in that I accepted it fully and willingly.

I will definitely be on the lookout for additional books from this author, and will purchase a few copies of the novel as Hanukah gifts this year!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is an absolute delight to read from beginning to end. The story takes place in two timelines, that of the 1920's and the 1980's where our main characters Augusta and Irving fall in love but circumstances and a rash of bad luck have kept them apart. When Irving suddenly and shockingly marries another woman Augusta is heartbroken and decides to fill the shoes of her father, a talented pharmacist. It was a challenge back then as women were not expected to hold such positions that were traditionally held by men. Augusta perseveres with the encouragement of her father and her great Aunt Esther, a brilliant and dedicated herbalist-apothecary. After a long career as a pharmacist Augusta is pretty much forced to retire on the cusp of her eightieth birthday even though she does not want to. She moves to a retirement complex in Florida where who does she meet but her old beau Irving! Sparks are still there but Augusta was hurt before and vows to not be hurt again. So begins the sweet dance of love between the two and as they learn more about each other they also learn about themselves. I just loved this book, the characters are endearing and funny. I was rooting for every one of them. The bits of magical reality thrown in were especially fun and made me a true believer. I think the narrator Gabra Zackman of the audio book I listened to was amazing. Seriously she was the most perfect voice for Augusta and her cohorts, really done well. Very highly recommended. 5 solid stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio / St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read/listen to the ARC audio version of this delightful novel.

Lynda Cohen Loigman gives us some great characters in The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.

"Augusta Stern is a long pharmacist who is forced into retirement as she gets close to her 80th birthday. Her niece convinces her to move to Rallentando Springs - an active senior community. She finds a surprising connection there - Irving Rivkin - her father's former delivery boy and the boy who broke her heart 60 years ago. Did Irving ever love her or was he playing a part? Was Augusta's mistake the reason he left? Can she find love again?"

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I loved the character of Augusta. She was nearing the later season of life and wondering "what if?" and "why did I do that?" Irving was the same way. He wanted a different path that the one he traveled. There are duel timelines. There's Augusta growing up in the 20's - facing prejudice as a woman, just like her aunt. We see the events that put Augusta and Irving on a collision path 60 years later. There's a love story - one of long-lost love. I like the ending that Loigman gives it.

Great audiobook performance from Gabra Zackman. You can see Augusta and Irving (and all of the other characters)

A great story from Loigman. So glad to see some older characters in contemporary fiction.

This was a delightfully good listen. I was connected to the characters and their history. Enjoyed learning about how the community connected through the pharmacy and then in the future through the local activities like swimming. Most listeners will also enjoy the authors additional information about how the book came to be based on her family history. Having well written storylines with older MCs is important for all readers, so share this one with anyone who just needs a comfort low stakes read. Thanks NetGalley for the ALC of the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC of this book.

Right before her 80th birthday, Augusta Stern reluctantly retires from her career as a pharmacist and moves to a senior community in Florida. Once there, she learns that the man who broke her heart over sixty years ago, Irving Rivkin, also lives in the same community. Augusta has her guard up and tries to keep her distance from him, but he insists on befriending her. Augusta has wondered for the majority of her life what was it that went wrong between them and now she has the opportunity to finally find out.

This was a really enjoyable character driven novel. I enjoyed the time hop between present day and Augusta in the 1920’s and really liked Augusta as the main character. I was fascinated by her being torn between modern day medicine and Great Aunt Esther’s homeopathic remedies and seeing the value that each can bring to a patient. In modern day, the tough exterior that she puts on with Irving is such a front and I was dying to see what had happened between them in the past. I looked forward to picking up this book any chance I got.

This book worked really well on audio and I flew threw it. I personally did not like the voice that the narrator made for Augusta, for some reason it just didn’t fit. But otherwise, the narration was great and sound quality was excellent.

The author’s note made me like the book even more!

I absolutely adored this book. I listened to the audio version, and for two weeks I lived in the two worlds of Augusta Stern. I looked for connections, questioned decisions, and listened to her frustrations and fears—all through my headphones as I did my daily walking. I marred into a family with roots in both Augusta’s old and new neighborhoods, and as I listened, I thought of the family members I have come to know and love, and the stories I have heard. Before I even finished, I recommended the book to my mother-in-law, a woman who reminds me so much of Augusta.

I’m still thinking about the characters, and I plan to search out more works by this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

✨I loved absolutely everything about this amazing book. It alternates between 1920s Brooklyn and a late 80s retirement community in Boca Raton with elements of historical fiction, lost dreams, lost love and even a pinch of magical realism. If you’re looking for a book to steal your heart, you’ve found out. It’s full of wit and charm and one of the best books I’ve read this year. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

🌿Read if you like:
✨Magical realism
✨Second chance romance
✨Familial love
✨Brooklyn settings
✨Florida settings
✨Dual timelines
✨Jewish rep
✨Found family
✨Strong female main characters
✨Historical fiction

🎧I listened to this book on audio, and the narration by Gabra Zackman @gabracadabranyc is absolutely stellar.

In a Nutshell: A dual-timeline narrative promising historical fiction, romance, and magical realism. The first is exceptional, the second is annoying, and the third is almost non-existent. It is not a bad book, but it is also not a very convincing book, at least in the contemporary timeline. That said, it is easy to see why a majority of readers are gushing over this tale. Mine is a slightly outlier review.

Plot Preview:
1987. Soon to turn eighty, Augusta Stern is forced to retire from her job as a hospital pharmacist. Single and unsure about what to do next, she joins an active retirement community in Florida. The last thing she expects here is to bump into Irving Rivkin, who worked in her father’s pharmacy as a delivery boy and had broken her heart sixty years ago. Augusta is determined not to allow Irving a second chance.
1920s. Brooklyn. Augusta Stern is determined to become a pharmacist some day and assist her father in his pharmacy. After her mother passes away, Great Aunt Esther moves into her nephew’s home to help. An iconoclast healer, Esther soon wins over some of the neighbours with her unconventional healing methods, much to the chagrin of her nephew and the fascination of Augusta. Now torn between pharmacy and alternate healing, Augusta has to decide if there is indeed any validity to Esther’s remedies. At the same time, she is also navigating a potential relationship with young Irving, which isn't as smooth as they thought it would be.
The story comes to us in the third person perspective of Augusta from the two timelines, with some random interludes from Irving and other characters.

PSA: The Goodreads blurb reveals too much.

Bookish Yays:
🌿 The setting of 1920s Brooklyn, with its lifestyle and atmosphere captured wonderfully. The plot highlights the Prohibition era, the gangs, the importance of pharmacists and the role of a traditional pharmacy, and close neighbourly bonds and friendships.
🌿 Esther – the best character of the book in terms of depth, complexity, and sensibility. She has a sense of mystery about her, which further adds to her charm.
🌿 The focus on girls in STEM in the historical timeline, and the challenges and discrimination faced by them. Gender roles come out brilliantly in this timeline.
🌿 The biased view against traditional healing as against allopathic and pharmaceutical knowledge. Coming from a country where traditional healing is at least as valued as allopathy, I found this arc amusing at times. Those who look down on natural remedies don’t know what they are missing.
🌿 The author's note, which really took me by surprise. I didn’t expect any actual people to be the basis of this plot, but they are!


Bookish Mixed Bags:
💊 Historical Augusta is a brilliant young girl who knows what she wants in life and isn’t afraid to chart the path not taken. Contemporary Augusta is rude and judgemental, though she is still intelligent and an achiever. The judgemental part, I could have done without.
💊 The historical timeline is way better in terms of plot, characters, as well as common sense. The contemporary timeline has no common sense, barely any plot, and immature characters. (Which is quite ironic considering the average character age in this timeline. More on this below.) The contemporary timeline drags the overall book down.
💊 The title tells us well in advance that the “love elixir” was prepared/used for/by Augusta Stern, but the mention of the elixir in Augusta’s context comes up only in the last quarter of the book. So the title is quite attractive but it also works as a semi-spoiler. That said, there are some sweet moments towards the end thanks to the titular potion.
💊 We see a couple of tiny glimpses of Jewish beliefs mostly thanks to Esther, but on the whole, there is hardly any Jewish feel to the plot despite the characters being predominantly of that faith. This could have been handled much better, especially in the historical timeline where the atmosphere was more true to life.

Bookish Nays:
💉 In Hindi, there’s an idiom: “budhaape mein doosra bachpana”, which roughly translates to: in old age, people live a second childhood by reverting to childish behaviour. Everyone main character in the 1987 timeline proves this adage. The issue isn’t with having a second-chance romance while in the eighties. But to see eighty-year-olds act like lovesick teenagers is annoying! Romance for the eighties age group cannot be written the same way as romance for characters in, say, their thirties or their fifties; the priorities of life are so different at each stage. But this book is so standard about the romance that the characters read like they were in their early twenties. After a while, I felt like I was reading a YA love triangle. (Yeah, love triangle! SMH!)
💉 On a related note: Would I really want to reunite with a man, even if he was the love of my teenage years, if he recognises me after 62 years saying “I’d know that *tuchus* anywhere!” Ugh!
💉 Moreover, the age depiction in the contemporary timeline is unrealistic. There is absolutely nothing to indicate that these were eighty-year-olds. I'm not saying that the characters should have been portrayed as senile or physically weak, but at least have some indicator of their age, either through their behaviour or through some physical ailments and aches. How is every single senior citizen in the book not just healthy but also thriving with peak physical fitness?
💉 There is no logical reason as to why “contemporary” is 1987, except that the historical timeline needed the Prohibition era, and the only way to ensure characters from that time were alive was to set the other timeline in 1987. There is absolutely nothing in this timeline to create the 80s atmosphere. No pop culture references, no 80s clothes or hairstyle hints,… Except for the obvious lack of digital tech, the timeline is generic.
💉 The miscommunication trope is overused in both timelines, but especially in the 1987 timeline.
💉 Augusta has had a long and fulfilling career and a loving relationship with the rest of her family, yet her companions consider her life incomplete because she had "no one to share her life with." Sheesh! Can we get rid of this antiquated idea?

🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 9 hrs 40 min, is narrated by Gabra Zackman. Her voice didn’t particularly suit either timeline because she sounded too old for teen Augusta and too young for geriatric Augusta. But she deserves credit for keeping the two voices subtly different, helping us to keep the two timelines distinct. I also loved the way she expressed emotions realistically. Her overall performance was praiseworthy.
Plus points to the audio version for including the author’s note.

All in all, the historical timeline had more than enough meat to carry the novel successfully, but the juvenile behaviour in the 1987 timeline spoiled all the fun.
Do note that there’s barely any magical realism in the book. To be clear, the publishers have marked this only as historical fiction and women’s fiction. But several Goodreads reviewers have tagged this book under ‘Magical Realism’, which is incorrect. There is a minor thread of something inexplicable, but no magic as such. Merely using herbal remedies and chanting some prayers doesn’t indicate magical realism.
Recommended to those who enjoy a powerful historical narrative and dual timelines and don’t mind second-chance romances and geriatric characters acting like lovelorn hormonal teens.
3 stars, entirely for the historical timeline.

I really enjoyed The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern so much! It may well be my favorite book by Lynda Cohen Loigman so far, although I really enjoyed The Two-Family House, The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Wartime Sisters almost as much. In other words, I am a devoted fan of all of her books. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern was written in a dual timeline. The chapters switched between Brooklyn during the early 1920’s and Florida in 1987. I always enjoy the way Lynda Cohen Loigman incorporates strong female characters into her book. She was able to accomplish that once again in The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern. I listened to the audiobook that was so well narrated by Gabra Zackman.

Augusta Stern was an older woman who was still working full time in 1987 as a pharmacist in a hospital. She enjoyed her work and couldn’t imagine herself not working. After all, Augusta had made her pharmacist career her true purpose in her life. Augusta had never married or had children so work was her passion. When a discrepancy in her age was discovered by the Human Resources Department at the hospital she worked for, Augusta was forced to initiate her own retirement. After all, Augusta was just months away from her eightieth birthday, instead of her seventieth birthday as she had made her employer and coworkers believe. With the help of her niece, Jackie, her older sister Bess’s daughter, Augusta found a two bedroom condominium in Florida in a retirement community called Rallentando Springs to retire in. Augusta made the move to Florida in the beginning of September in 1987, just a few weeks before her eightieth birthday which was on October third. That first morning at Rallentando Springs, Augusta decided to swim laps in her new condominium’s pool since that was something that she had gotten used to doing back in New York. As she made her way through her routine, she heard a voice that she had not heard in sixty something years. There was no mistaking it. The voice belonged to Irving Rivkin, Augusta’s first love. He was calling her Goldie, a childhood nickname that no one called her anymore.

Irving Rivkin had been the delivery boy at her father’s pharmacy. He had vanished from eighteen year old Augusta’s life in a blink of an eye. Augusta had been head over heels in love with him all those years ago. She had hoped that she and Irving would get engaged and marry but to Augusta’s shock and disappointment, Irving married Lois and left to live in Chicago. Augusta was brokenhearted. Now all these years later, Irving Rivkin was the last person Augusta wanted to see and to her dismay, he was living in the same retirement community as her. Was it fate or was she just being tormented once again by the coincidence of living in the same retirement community as Irving Rivkin?

Augusta Stern had grown up in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Her father, Solomon Stern was a pharmacist who owned Stern’s Pharmacy. Both the pharmacy and Solomon Stern had excellent reputations. The family which included Solomon, his wife Irene and their two daughters, Bess and Augusta lived above the store. From early on, both Bess and Augusta helped out at the pharmacy with simple tasks like dusting the shelves and arranging the stock. Augusta always took a more serious interest than her older sister in the prescriptions and the advise her father gave to his customers. When Augusta was only fourteen years old, her mother died from diabetes. Insulin had yet to be discovered and used as a treatment for diabetes. Around this time, Solomon Stern hired Irving Rivkin to deliver orders to the pharmacy’s customers.

Six months after Augusta and Bess lost their beloved mother, their great aunt Esther came to live with the Sterns. Augusta resented her great aunt Esther at first. She and Bess who had always shared a room were forced to separate. Their mother’s sewing room became Bess’s new bedroom and Augusta now shared a bedroom with her aunt. As time progressed, Augusta and Irving developed feelings for one another and fell hopelessly in love. Augusta learned about the unique healing abilities her great aunt Esther possessed and Augusta wanted more than anything to become a pharmacist like her father. She came to love, admire and respect her great aunt Esther. Augusta’s great aunt Esther gave her the nickname of Goldie. It was Augusta’s belief, that she was capable of combining the teachings of her great aunt with the traditional ways of her father to become a successful woman pharmacist that was able to provide cures for many. Before Augusta was able to test her theory, her world fell apart. Irving Rivkin left Brooklyn to marry Lois and her great aunt Esther died.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern was everything I have come to expect from a book written by Lynda Cohen Loigman. It was captivating from start to finish. I adored the characters of Augusta and her great aunt. Augusta was strong, intelligent, determined and living before her times. It was quite unusual for women to become pharmacists in the 1920’s. She was met by opposition from male customers who did not trust her ability to fill their prescriptions correctly. I admired her father who stood up for Augusta and finally came to respect her and believe in her. The mention of great aunt Esther’s chicken soup and kreplach brought back fond memories of my grandmother’s soup and kreplach. My grandmother, like Esther, didn’t measure or use recipes for most of her cooking. It was always a pinch of this and a little of that. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern was about second chances, family, ambitions, healers, trust, loss, love and friendship. If you enjoy historical fiction that is mixed with a little romance and magical realism then I highly recommend you read The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern ny Lynda Cohen Loigman.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Loigman does it again bringing the reader into the world of Augusta Stern, the heartache, growth, loss, love, grief, and acceptance of how life brings a roller coaster of emotions and relationships. Fabulous read I will certainly recommend to others!

Very few novels are from the perspective of older adults and even fewer show them engaging in active, romantic lifestyles. This novel focuses on lost love and miscommunication, not the old trope of elderly people with aches, pains, and memory loss. The novel flips back and forth between the past and the present, and even between narrators. This shouldn't keep you from picking it up. The story flows clearly and well as the tale unfolds. I loved the dynamic between the romantic leads and the idea that it's never too late for second chances. This was a charming book and I'm looking forward to reading Loigman's previous novels.

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" is a captivating historical fiction novel that explores the complexities of love and loss. The story's unique settings and richly drawn characters create a compelling narrative that will leave readers yearning for more. While the pacing could benefit from a bit more momentum in certain sections, the overall themes of love and the enduring nature of human connection are beautifully explored.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Loved this historical fiction love story. The tale is told in past and present format from 1926 to 1987. Augusta Stern is working in her father‘s drugstore where he’s the pharmacist. Augusta is dating and in love with the delivery boy Irving. In her mind they will marry, but Irving breaks her heart by abruptly running away to marry another girl. Afterwords she throws herself into her studies and work as a pharmacist. Now, at the age of 80, she is forced to retire and settles in Florida. Lo and behold the love of her life lives in the same community. What will she uncover about her past with Irving and what could the future hold? Excellent audio narration!! Thank you @netgalley @macmillan.audio for the ARC now available. #macaudio2024 #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer

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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Audio ARC Copy!

This story was so cute I just loved every minute of it. Augusta is such a strong character and I loved seeing her as a young girl, as well as seeing her reflect on her years working as a pharmacist and hiding from love. After being forced to retire Augusta moves to a retirement community and runs into not just one but two friends from her past which stirs up a lot of memories and feelings. Such a sweet and lovely story.

What a charming, heartwarming and delightful read! The main character is 80-year-old Augusta, who has recently retired from her career as a pharmacist and moved to Florida. Amazingly, in the same retirement complex into which she has moved is Irving, a former boyfriend of hers and the love of her life whom she has not seen in 60+ years. their stories are told in alternating timelines, the 1920s and 1987, and through them the reader is able to discover the answer to many questions — including why their relationship fell apart all those years ago and what happened to them in the ensuing years. This is truly a story of love and second chances, even a second chance that comes along decades later. And, although I am not really into magical realism, the storyline here only contained a bit and it actually helped enhance the plot. All in all, this was definitely an enjoyable novel.