The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a heartwarming and witty tale that seamlessly weaves together the past and present, with Augusta’s journey as a pharmacist-turned-retiree in Florida and her memories of life in the 1920s. The strong female characters and exploration of Jewish herbalism add depth, while the magical realism and sharp dialogue make it a delightful read. It is a captivating, uplifting story about second chances and self-discovery.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I was going to! I found myself frustrated, shocked, laughing out loud, and even near tears at some points.

Augusta is nearly 80 years old, which I found refreshing. It's not often you come across a love story featuring an 80-year-old woman. It's interesting to watch her character build as the story jumps between her younger and older selves.

I found some of the interactions less believable given the characters' ages, but then if there weren't sitcom levels of misunderstanding, there would be no story.

Overall, I found the book charming and it definitely tugged on some heartstrings for me. I'll be on the lookout for more from Lynda Cohen Loigman.

“𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙚!” 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙. “𝙄’𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚!”

Engrossing, heartbreaking, and sweet. I really loved this book.

Augusta Stern is forced out of her pharmacist job just before her 80th birthday, and decides to relocate to a Floridian retirement community. As soon as she arrives, she finds that she is now living in the same community as Irving Rivkin, the man who broke her heart over 60 years ago.

I was pulled into this story right from the get-go. Augusta is a fantastic main character, as a teenager, and as an elderly adult. She’s so tough, especially as she turns 80, but still so vulnerable in her feelings for Irving.

I love stories with dual timelines, and as a sucker for stories set in the 1920’s, I was living for the “past” storyline. I really loved the setting of Augusta’s father’s drugstore (there’s a soda fountain and everything! 🥰)

There were so many great characters, including the two leads, Augusta’s family, and fellow retirement community residents. But Augusta’s Great Aunt Esther was by far my favorite. She is where the “magic” part of this story comes in, and I absolutely loved her and Augusta’s relationship. I had no idea what to think of her at first, but I definitely fell in love with her as the story progressed.

I also really enjoyed the push/pull and melding of science and magic with Augusta’s two greatest inspirations in life: her father and her great aunt.

There’s a mystery as to what happened to break Augusta and Irving apart all those years ago, and there are definitely some heartbreaking moments, but seeing their story come full circle was just so sweet.

Audiobook notes: Perfect narration by Gabra Zackman for both the young and older Augusta, as well as all the other characters.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for providing me an advanced audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Romance
✅ Magical Realism
✅ Dual Timeline
✅ 1920’s NYC Drugstore
✅ 1987 Florida Retirement Community
✅ Heartbreak/Second Chance

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5

I think I found a new auto-buy author! This was my second read of Cohen Loigman’s, the first being The Matchmaker’s Gift, and both were an absolute delight. I love the Jewish references weaved throughout the story. 80-year-old Augusta Stern retires from being a pharmacist and moves to a senior community in Florida. In her first days there, Augusta runs into her first love, Irving Rifkin. I loved the dual timelines between 1980’s Florida and 1920’s Brooklyn, learning about the backstory and what brought them to where they are today. All of the characters were likable in their own way. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. The final twist at the end was very clever. This was a charming story that melted my heart.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Dual timelines, a Brooklyn setting, magical realism…this book featured so many of my favorite things! It seamlessly wove together a coming-of-age story and second-chance romance, with incredible details bringing a 1920s apothecary and 1980s retirement community to life. Considering how I only experienced the audiobook, the descriptive storytelling was a big reason this novel was so enjoyable.

The characters and their convictions were another win for me, mainly Aunt Esther. I loved her dedication to teaching Augusta everything she knew about healing. It was a beautiful example of mentorship and women supporting women. She and Augusta had so much moxie! The narrator, Gabra Zackman, did an incredible job bringing the characters to life, especially at different points in time.

Of the two timelines, I did enjoy the historical one more and felt that the 1980s storyline wasn’t as compelling. Part of me wished that the book had focused exclusively on Augusta's relationship with Esther, and how it influenced her late in life. The present-day romance was sweet but relied on the miscommunication trope in a way that didn’t hold up for me. However, I do love a good second-chance romance and was happy with where August and Irving ended up!

The author’s note at the end was also a wonderful touch and I appreciated how much research went into creating the dual storylines. There’s a fair amount of Lynda Cohen Loigman’s family history featured and I ended this book loving the authenticity.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern
by Lynda Cohen Loigman
narrated by Gabra Zackman; Lynda Cohen Loigman

Thank you so much partner @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook.

About the book 👇🏽

On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. She unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin—the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.

As a teenager growing up, Augusta’s role model was her father, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy. But when Augusta’s mother dies and her Great Aunt moves in, Augusta can’t help but be drawn to her curious methods. As a healer herself, her aunt offers customers her own advice—unconventional remedies.

As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses her aunt’s most potent elixir with disastrous consequences.

Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past.

🌿 My thoughts:

Well I could really go for some magical chicken soup right about now! I’d say I 20/80 read/listened to this book. Truthfully I loved the audiobook so much I mainly listened to it. The narrators were fantastic and held my attention for the entire story. I enjoyed the storyline and Augusta’s character so much. She had two wonderful role models and both her father and aunt were intriguing in their own ways. The dual timelines are so good and keep you present within the book. I love a heartwarming second chance story, and that’s exactly what I got. So happy to be able to cherish this book on my forever shelves. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is out TOMORROW 10/8/24!

Happy reading 📖🌿🎧🍜

Wow, what a wonderful, heartwarming book. I truly can't wait to read more books by this author. The dual timelines were done so well - they were so clear and seamlessly connected. I was never confused, never unsure why something was going on, zero questions along the way. I thought the characters were incredible. I loved watching them grow and change over time span of 60+ years. This was a sweet book, with unexpected yet wonderful twists and turns. My heart was 100% committed to the characters and the outcome to their story. A truly well done book.
Thank you netgalley for my audiobook.

Short synopsis: Augusta moves to a Senior community right before her 80th birthday, running into her childhood crush Irving who used to work at her Father’s pharmacy.

My thoughts: I didn’t know what to expect with this book, but it exceeded any expectations I had. I absolutely loved Augusta and Esther, they were both such strong female characters. I loved how they broke barriers placed upon them and did things that men said they couldn’t.

This second chance romance was just so sweet and tender. I kept waiting to figure out what happened between Goldie and Irving, and I loved how the dual timelines slowly unweaned the past and helped the drove the story for the 1980 timeline.

I loved how this book talked about medical remedies along with Herbal remedies. It added a bit of magic to the story!

The audio on this was so well done! I think the narrator told the story so beautifully and matched how I imagined Goldie so well!

Read if you love:
- Elderly characters
- Strong females
- Second chance romance
- Dual timelines
- Jewish Rep
- A touch of magic

This was a very enjoyable book about a feisty lady who is actually turning 80, not 70 like she has been telling the people she worked with.
I liked the different timelines, the made the whole story fit together and make sense. I also loved the banter between Augusta and Irving. August had quite a sharp tongue. This story had a bit of everything, it was sad and serious, but also full of heart and humor.
The audiobook was well made and the narrator was excellent. So easy to listen to.

Grab your chicken soup bowl and read this book!

This is a great fall/winter read (even though it is set in Florida). This story goes from present (1981) to post (1920ss) retelling how August and Irving first met and fell in love and how they meet each other again now in their 80s.

The best way to describe this book is that it's like a cozy tea!

Thanks NetGallet for the ARC

I loved the premise of this book, and wanted to dive in and savor every page. Unfortunately for me it was a slow start and a bit flat. Although I usually enjoy the dual timelines hopping back and forth, the flow felt off.

Augusta is a recently, unwillingly retired pharmacist, moving into a retirement community in Florida. She is immediately greeted with a an unrequited love from her past. We discover the reasons behind Augusta's passion, and learn of her influences - her father, also a pharmacist, and her Aunt Esther, a healer.

The storyline of young Augusta was bittersweet and enjoyable, with a touch of magical whimsy in Aunt Esther's healing. In the present, Augusta is an independant 80 year-old, reflecting back on life. Narrated by Gabra Zackman, the story is enjoyable, and relaxing with a cast likeable characters young and old.

3 stars

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

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.