4.5 stars! It would have been a total 5-star read for me if not for all the lost time and missed opportunities. But I loved this story and the magical realism.
Augusta Stern, a pharmacist has been forced to retire just shy of her 80th birthday. Feeling lost, she reluctantly accepts her circumstances and moves from New York to a retirement community in Florida where she encounters a man from her past, Irving Rivkin. And so the dual time line begins: Augusta’s story from her childhood during the 1920’s is flawlessly braided into the present using flashbacks.
The story was captivating and the characters charming. The author created strong female characters in both Augusta and her aunt, Esther while exploring the role of women as healers both using traditional medicine and herbalism in the Jewish tradition. Each character has a solid distinct voice. Excellent witty, sometimes acerbic, dialogue with a dash of apothecarial magic and a whole lot of love makes this a satisfying uplifting read. You’re never too old to learn, forgive, love or fulfill your dreams.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

4 Stars

I loved this book and all of the characters. A tiny mix of magical realism is one of my favorite tropes. The narration was perfect.

Thank you to Macmillian audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillian Audio and Lynda Cohen Loigman! I adore a good 2nd chance romance, but this one was even more beautiful given that the time between chances was 60+ years! I loved the magical realism and the time jumps and nostalgia throughout this book. It was so beautifully written and was the perfect cozy start to fall! @macmillan.audio @netgalley #macaudio2024 4.5Stars

This is such a charming book!

Augusta Stern grew up in Brooklyn in the ‘20s with her father as the local pharmacist. She learned all she could from him, but after her mother’s death, her aunt Esther moved in with them. Augusta is fascinated by Esther’s healing potions and powders.

Irving, the boy who helps out at the pharmacy, has captured Augusta’s heart. But something goes terribly wrong when Augusta tries using Esther’s love elixir on Irving.

Sixty years later, Augusta has had a long career as a pharmacist and has retired to a retirement community in Florida. There, she runs into Irving and a few others from the old neighborhood. Is it too late for second chances? Is it too late for a bit of magic? Was it ever necessary in the first place?

The story jumps back and forth between the two timelines, so you get to know Augusta and her family and friends so well. I loved the touch of magical realism and the push and pull between medicine and magic. But honestly, the banter between “older” Augusta and her friends is what made me laugh.

The writing is beautiful; it flows naturally, and you feel connected to these characters. You’ll feel their loss, grief, and regrets, but Augusta is also so strong and determined. This is a tale spun in magic and tied up with love.

🎧 If you have the chance to pair it with the audiobook from @macmillan.audio, I recommend it. Gabra Zackman does an excellent job bringing these characters off the page.

Thank you @stmartinspress for the gifted ebook via NetGalley. Thank you @Macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is just one of the most heartwarming stories I have had the pleasure to listen to in a long time! Augusta Stern, or "Goldie" is a delightful character that we learn about through two time-lines; the 1920's as a young woman growing up in her father's pharmacy, to an old woman who finally retires at the age of 80! Through heartbreak, loss, forgiveness, and second chances Augusta must confront her past and all that she thought she knew in order to have a future.

I absolutely adored everything about this story - the characters, the time line, the highs and the lows. This book had it all for me. I can't recommend it enough!

I absolutely loved the protagonist in The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern! I loved her as a curious child/teen and also as a spunky, slightly grouchy retiree. I've been reading a lot of books lately with dual timelines. They don't always work for me, but this one does! Augusta is a gifted pharmacist who is forced to retire just shy of her 80th birthday. She moves from New York to a retirement community in Florida, where she encounters not one but TWO men from her past. The great mysteries of her past are unraveled slowly in this engrossing, comfort read.

The narrator was PHENOMENAL, and brought the many characters to life.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this lovely book.

This book just fell a bit flat for me. It was a sweet story but was expecting more magical realism. I had both the audio and the earc. The narrator was engaging but I did not feel compelled to keep picking up the book. It was a cute story that is more historical fiction, told over dual timelines.
3.5

As a recently retired pharmacist, 80 year-old Augusta Stern, finds herself in a retirement community in southern Florida, expecting to live out the rest of her solitary life. She never expected to run into familiar faces, including the man who broke her heart decades ago. The other piece of this dual timeline story takes the reader to 1920’s Brooklyn, where Augusta and her sister are helping out at the family pharmacy. The historical setting was especially strong. Augusta shows an early interest in the pharmacology and starts to learn the trade from her father, however, her Great Aunt Esther moves in after the death of her mother and brings healing traditions previously unknown to Augusta. There are many stories and characters that enter the story to show the contrast between traditional medicine and cultural remedies which I really appreciated. Personally, Esther was a favorite and I would have appreciated delving deeper into her practices, faith, and history. The plot had many events and personalities to propel the story along and this is one book that used the dual timelines well as I never got too stuck or frustrated with either timeline this way. I did need to keep reminding myself that most of the characters are from a different generation (one I have great respect for) which helped me make sense of some of their decisions and also forgive some of the convenient plot lines. Truly beautiful cover! Narration by Gabra Zackman really suited the voice of Augusta. One of my favorite reads featuring historical fiction this year.

I just finished The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman and here are my musings.


Augusta Stern is just about to turn 80. When she moves into an active senior community, the last person she expected to run into is the man who broke her heart 62 years ago. She never knew what caused him to disappear from her life and marry someone else but she always wondered if the elixir she gave him all those years ago was the cause or something else that sent her life on a different trajectory.

Augusta was a badass. She followed in her fathers footsteps which is unheard of in the 1920s. She learned how to become a pharmacist which was insanity during prohibition. Her aunt had a different view on pharmacology, choosing a more herbal root to help the people of Brooklyn. Augusta gets to learn both ways. I loved how strong Augusta is but she never married or had kids because Irving… He was the one who left with her heart.

The writing was phenomenal. I was blown away with the author's ability to weave a beautiful story of love, loss and quiet strength and resilience. The story straddles two timelines. Current day and Augusta’s childhood.

I loved the second chance romance. It is always so much more heartwarming when they are seniors. The ending was amazing, I totally understood what happened and why Irving left like he did. Broke my dang heart but you can see how it was an impossible situation.

The book illustrates the differences between men and women and the barriers women have had to overcome.

I also listened to the audiobook and it was absolute perfection! It was my kind of historical fiction!!

5 stars

Thank you to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy.

Out on the 8th of October.

🫖 The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern - Lynda Cohen Loigman

4 ⭐️ - Aw, this was magically sweet and heartfelt. A second chance romance, a touch of magic, and found family keep this one light, lovable, and great to break up those dark twisty thrillers. I wasn’t really sure what to expect here, but I enjoyed it!

The story is told in two timelines, which are easy to keep track of. We get to meet our characters in their older age and in the past as young teenagers. It was a great way to experience the growth of the characters by themselves but also together. The added magic is light and whimsical and keeps the storyline and plot unique. I really loved Augusta as a young girl and as an older woman. I also really loved the setting of the retirement home in FL and so very much enjoyed the banter with the other residents. Definitely one to add if you’re looking for lovable, cozy, magic vibes for fall. The authors note is a MUST read in this book. I loved reading how this story came to be!

This book! The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is an amazing story. It was the breath of fresh air I desperately needed.

The story follows 2 timelines in the life of Augusta Stern. In her childhood, we see Augusta grow up in the late 1920's. The daughter of a pharmacist, she lives above her father's pharmacy but has never gotten over her own mother's death from diabetes, only months before insulin is developed as a treatment. In helping out at her father's shop, she meets Irving, her father's delivery boy and the two becomes friends. Her aunt also moves in with the family, bringing her own brand of apothecary treatments that prove to be quite helpful to many in the town.

In the second timeline, Augusta is about to turn 80 (1987) and is newly retired. We learn she became a pharmacist as an adult when women were still not fully accepted in the career, but also that she never married or had kids. Now her niece helps her locate a retirement village in FL., but after she moves in she realized Irving is also a resident. This brings up a lot of memories Augusta would prefer not to deal with, as this new chapter in her life is already difficult enough.

I enjoyed the audiobook to this novel. Each chapter is well paced and rotates back and forth between Augusta as a child and in her 1987 present. The narrator was wonderful at capturing her personality, her frustration, and the humor that we have throughout the story. In many ways it is part second chance love story, part historical fiction, part feminist literature, part mystery. I especially enjoy love stories that feature a mature couple- and I loved how the timelines converged to make all the threads come together. I listened to the entire book in one day while in the car, and I was in tears by the time I got home. It's the best kind of cry where you laugh through your tears. One of the best books I have listened to in a very long time!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for access to this ALC.

Review shared on Goodreads and will be reviewed on Instagram and the added link will be updated here.

I really enjoyed the story, but do admit I found the time jumps a bit tricky to follow with the audiobook. It was really helpful the narrator pointed out what year the chapter was in (bounces from the 1920s to 1980s). Overall I found the story really sweet but wished the characters were a tad younger (I dunno I had a hard time imaging 80 years old bathing in a pool, flirting, and falling in love which I know is very shortsighted of me). Clearly I need to go visit some assisted living centers. I did LOVE the second chances in this one, at love and friendship and I love a good "Letters to Juliet" style story where there are almost impossible fated happy endings.

I loved the author's note at the end of the story and wish I had read it first (might give away spoilers though for the reader!) because it made me appreciate certain characters a little bit more. I haven't read too many books placed in the 1920s but really liked it.

I didn't LOVE this one enough to give it 4 stars (I likely won't read it again), but I will recommend it for others so they can form their own opinion.

Augusta has completely given up on love and devoted her life entirely to her work. So much so that she has avoided retirement for nearly ten years. However, the time has come for her to finally retire, and her niece has found a beautiful senior community for her to live in in Florida. While swimming her daily laps, she bumps into Irving Rivkin, an old flame and the last person she wanted to see. Will they be able to set their muddled pasts aside and rekindle what was once there?

You find the answer to this question as you follow Augusta through her past as a teenager in the 1920s, wanting nothing more than to become a pharmacist like her father and to learn the secrets of her Aunt Esther's mysterious (and possibly magical?) homemade remedies. Loigman masterfully interlaces this past with the present and tells a tale of regret, second chances, and a reminds us all that it's never too late for love and to redefine our futures.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook book format.

Lynda Cohen Loigman’s “The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern” is a heartwarming and enchanting novel that beautifully blends historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. The audiobook, narrated by Gabra Zackman and the author herself, brings an added layer of depth and emotion to this already captivating story.

The narrative follows Augusta Stern, an eighty-year-old retired pharmacist who moves from New York to a retirement community in Florida. Augusta’s life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Irving Rivkin, her first love and the man she never thought she’d see again. 

Loigman’s writing is rich with historical detail and vivid descriptions, transporting listeners to the bustling streets of 1920s Brooklyn and the serene, yet complex, environment of a modern-day retirement community. The dual timelines are seamlessly woven together, creating a narrative that is both nostalgic and forward-looking. 

The audiobook narration by Gabra Zackman and Lynda Cohen Loigman is exceptional. Zackman’s performance captures Augusta’s strength, wit, and vulnerability, bringing the character to life in a way that is both authentic and engaging. Loigman’s own narration adds a personal touch, particularly in the sections that delve into Augusta’s past. 

Loigman delves into the complexities of aging, the importance of community, and the ways in which our past shapes our present. The magical elements, such as the creation of elixirs, add a whimsical touch that complements the more serious themes of the novel.

“The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern” is a delightful and moving audiobook that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and magical realism. Lynda Cohen Loigman’s storytelling, combined with the superb narration by Gabra Zackman, makes this a must-listen for anyone looking for a story that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Loigman’s work or new to her writing, this audiobook promises an unforgettable experience.

This was another VERY DIFFERENT book! It had some vibes of The Lost Apothecary, due to the subject matter, but wow! What a book!

Dual timelines in this one too! The first one in Brooklyn, 1920’s. (So, my hometown, but some years earlier!! )

Augusta Stern lives above her father’s pharmacy with her Mom, Dad and sister. He is a well known, respected pharmacist. She and her sister both help out in the store. When her Mom passes at a young age, her great aunt Esther comes to live with them…and she changes Augusta’s life! Augusta has always known she wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a pharmacist…but now that she’s getting to know her aunt, well, she likes what she does too! Although she’s NOT a pharmacist, she helps to heal people as well!

Irving is a delivery boy for her father…and they become close as time goes by…

The OTHER timeline is Florida, 1980’s. Augusta has finally been (kind of) forced to retire, due to her age…so she moves into a senior living community…and as soon as as she moves in, she begins making friends….both old and new! She is almost 80 years old at this time!

This book is a really sweet look into the life and times of one very talented young woman! And the more you read, the less you want to put this one down! That’s all I’m giving you!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
**** Release date is a few days from now, 10/8/24! ****

#TheLoveElixirOfAugustaStern by #LyndaCohenLoigman and narrated nicely by #GabraZackman and #LyndaCohenLoigman.

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars for me, rounded up to 5!

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I aboslutely loved this charming late-in-life second chance love story. Augusta Stern has long worked at the pharmacy, but now that they've realized she's nearly 80, the administration has gently nudged her out the door. Newly retired, she moves into a senior living community, where she promptly runs into Irvin — formerly the boy who broke her heart many, many years before. Irving was her equivalent of "the boy next door," when he worked as the delivery boy for her father's drug store in the 1920s. Their love seemed destined for more until he suddenly disappeared from her life into the arms of another woman. Sixty years later, Irving seems to want to work his way back into Augusta's life, but she's not sure she can ever forgive him. As the truth of their shared history slowly unfolds, Augusta finds herself turning to the love potion her great aunt Esther concocted many years before. As it did once before, the elixir can both clarify feelings and lead to unexpected twists.

It was so easy to love all of the characters in this book. The plot delivers satisfying themes of independence, feminism, and having the confidence to stand outside social norms. Augusta chose her professional life over a domestic one at a time when this was well outside of the expectations of women. I adored the gruff but wise Ethel and would love to see more of her — perhaps a prequel that focuses on her life as well! Gabra Zackman did an exceptional job on narration, with a wide range of voices that sweep you right in.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Lynda Cohen Loigman for an advance copy for honest review.

As a female pharmacist, I was very interested in this book. I thought it was great overall and I really enjoyed reading about the pharmacy history and Aunt Esther’s herbal medicine treatments. I think I enjoyed the 1920’s timeline better than the retirement home timeline. Great character development and I like how the story progressed and everything came together in the end. My only minor quibble would be that Augusta could come across as unlikeable at times so it could be hard to root for her. 4.5 rating

"The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern" by Lynda Cohen Loigman is an enchanting and heartwarming story that captivated me from beginning to end.

Set in the early 1900s, this novel follows the lives of the Stern family as they navigate relationships, secrets, and the pursuit of love.

Loigman's writing is beautifully descriptive and her characters are richly developed, making them feel like old friends. The story is both touching and thought-provoking, exploring themes of family, identity, and the power of forgiveness. I felt the audiobook narration of the author and Gabra Zackman truly added to my reading enjoyment. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and tales of love and resilience. Highly recommended!

I have loved every book written by Loigman, and this was no exception! I am not sure why this author does not get more love from readers - her stories and characters are always so engaging! This historical fiction had 2 historical timelines that were woven together well. It was interesting learning more about pharmacies in the early 1920's as well as the push and pull between pharmacists and apothecaries. I loved the characters of Augusta and Irving, and I particularly enjoyed the author's note at the end detailing how Augusta was based on a real life person. Definitely recommend this one.....and all of this author's books!

thank you for the advance listening copy @macmillanaudio @netgalley

what a delightful read this was, i looked forward to listening to it every chance i got. we get past and present timelines that tie the story beautifully. i feel like the author did an amazing job with setting the scene because i could visualize the 1920s brooklyn setting and neighborhood dynamics. augusta and irving's relationship was one that i loved and looked forward to learning about their history. one thing i love is when a story has strong side characters that grow on you as the story develops, this one has that. the beautiful storytelling and the overall message of this book, was truly charming.