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Moonville #1
Old Flames and New Fortunes
A steamy second-chance romance about a magical florist’s unexpected reunion with her high school sweetheart as she fake dates his soon-to-be stepbrother.
A small, magical town tucked away in rural Ohio, Moonville is the perfect place for flora fortunist Romina Tempest to expand her shop, where she uses the language of flowers to help the hopeful manifest their love lives. After giving up on her own big romance eleven years ago, at least she can bask in the promise of others’.
So, when the shop’s potential financier shares news of his wedding, Romina jumps on the opportunity to discuss buying the business. What better place to negotiate a deal than at a wedding, even if she has to fake-date her chaotic colleague Trevor to get an invitation? But all hell breaks loose when she discovers Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is none other than Alex her high school sweetheart. Her greatest love. The boy who, eleven years ago, broke her heart, and who now thinks she and Trevor are dating.
What starts as an innocent misunderstanding becomes a week-long fake dating scheme, as Romina resolves to make Alex pay for breaking her heart. The only issue? She can’t deny their still-burning connection. Caught between proving to Alex what he lost, and coming clean and risking her business, Romina must decide whether giving Alex another chance means going back on herself, or finally releasing her hold on the past.
A small, magical town tucked away in rural Ohio, Moonville is the perfect place for flora fortunist Romina Tempest to expand her shop, where she uses the language of flowers to help the hopeful manifest their love lives. After giving up on her own big romance eleven years ago, at least she can bask in the promise of others’.
So, when the shop’s potential financier shares news of his wedding, Romina jumps on the opportunity to discuss buying the business. What better place to negotiate a deal than at a wedding, even if she has to fake-date her chaotic colleague Trevor to get an invitation? But all hell breaks loose when she discovers Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is none other than Alex her high school sweetheart. Her greatest love. The boy who, eleven years ago, broke her heart, and who now thinks she and Trevor are dating.
What starts as an innocent misunderstanding becomes a week-long fake dating scheme, as Romina resolves to make Alex pay for breaking her heart. The only issue? She can’t deny their still-burning connection. Caught between proving to Alex what he lost, and coming clean and risking her business, Romina must decide whether giving Alex another chance means going back on herself, or finally releasing her hold on the past.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2024
267 people are currently reading
29230 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hogle
8 books4,086 followersSarah Hogle is a mom of three who enjoys trashy TV and provoking her husband for attention. Her dream is to live in a falling-apart castle in a forest that is probably cursed. Her novels are You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, and Old Flames and New Fortunes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,654 reviews
June 5, 2025
written by sarah hogle is all i need to know.
truly i want to live inside one of her books: full of magic and baked goods and romance and small towns and banter and everything that's good on earth. you deserve each other is still the only romance novel i've ever given five stars. no one is doing it like her.
my only complaint from this book is i wanted MORE: more sisters, more nieces, more small-town cuteness, more pastries, more quirky landlords. i want to know if the sisters get their business back, i want to read about our couple's happy family farm-y future. (i love alliteration.)
this book is a lot — A LOT of big feelings from the get-go, a lot of grand declarations, a lot of over-the-top quirkiness. all of it would've bugged in another book. but here, as with every hogle book, all of it is fun and weird and wonderful.
bottom line: it's so much and i wanted even more.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
truly i want to live inside one of her books: full of magic and baked goods and romance and small towns and banter and everything that's good on earth. you deserve each other is still the only romance novel i've ever given five stars. no one is doing it like her.
my only complaint from this book is i wanted MORE: more sisters, more nieces, more small-town cuteness, more pastries, more quirky landlords. i want to know if the sisters get their business back, i want to read about our couple's happy family farm-y future. (i love alliteration.)
this book is a lot — A LOT of big feelings from the get-go, a lot of grand declarations, a lot of over-the-top quirkiness. all of it would've bugged in another book. but here, as with every hogle book, all of it is fun and weird and wonderful.
bottom line: it's so much and i wanted even more.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
February 25, 2025
the first half of this book is wonderful! i adored the love/hate relationship between romina and alex. the tension it created was engaging and entertaining. im not usually a fan of fake dating, but the humor brought to the situation through the writing made me enjoy it. so for the first half, my eyes were glued to the book.
and then part two comes along and something switches. the humor just didnt seem as funny, the relationship just didnt seem as exciting, and the tension just seems to fizzle out. all of this is replaced with sweetness and affection, which is nice, i just really missed the banter that was present throughout the first half. what can i say? kids are kind of a mood killer. lol.
so a pretty decent book and definitely a positive reading experience overall. i just wish my feelings had been more consistent throughout the entire story.
↠ 3.5 stars
and then part two comes along and something switches. the humor just didnt seem as funny, the relationship just didnt seem as exciting, and the tension just seems to fizzle out. all of this is replaced with sweetness and affection, which is nice, i just really missed the banter that was present throughout the first half. what can i say? kids are kind of a mood killer. lol.
so a pretty decent book and definitely a positive reading experience overall. i just wish my feelings had been more consistent throughout the entire story.
↠ 3.5 stars
January 28, 2024
✨ 𝒪𝓁𝒹 𝐹𝓁𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐹𝑜𝓇𝓉𝓊𝓃𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒮𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒽 𝐻𝑜𝑔𝑔𝓁𝑒 ✨
By looking at other reviews I was super nervous to read this after requesting it as as an ARC but I really loved it ☺️ The romance is angsty, there is tension and flirty banter that will have you smiling and giggling. The fake dating aspect was sooo good I loved seeing the MMC get jealous and all worked up..I know I’m toxic. The flashbacks from when they were together made my heart skips beats. This would be the perfect spring read 🌸🌷
Tropes & What to Expect
🌟forced proximity
🌟Single POV (but you don’t need to know his thoughts he expresses his feelings)
🌟dual timeline(we get glimpses of now and then)
🌟Witchy/magic vibes
🌟fake dating to make an ex jealous
🌟high school sweethearts
🌟second chance romance
🌟cute and funny banter
🌟opposites attract
🌟small town with magic
🌟fun and flirty banter
🌟something I liked was the chapters are named after flowers and there is a description
About the Main Characters
Romina is a flora fortunist she creates floral arrangements using the language of flowers to magically bring a person's romantic hopes to come true. She owns a flora shop along with her sister and best friend Trevor. She’s super strong willed, funny, and a great friend. She was hurt by a past relationship and is hesitant about being with Alex despite her still having feelings for him.
Alex is INFURIATING he wasn’t just getting under her skin he was under mine also. He’s cocky, arrogant, serious, always right but he is oh so sweet. He would say the sweetest things that made me weak in the knees 🥹💕 but then he would turn around and be infuriating again. Romina could bring out this playful side of him and made him feel lighter. He has been pining for her since high school days and never truly got over her so don’t get it twisted. Some of his actions were over the top or questionable but I think he wanted to make sure she was “all in”.
Spice Rating
1.75/5🌶️
There are some spicy moments but not overly descriptive. The intimate scenes are so well written..I never knew I would get hot by a wrist kiss 🫠🥵
"𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞," 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬. "𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐭." 🥵🥵🥵 okkkaaayyyyyy
THERE WAS NO EPILOGUE 😭😭😭 but it was a beautiful, happy ending 🩷but I still want to start a riot..how dare the author not include an epilogue
Overall thoughts: Yes I would recommend. I know some people might not like the jealousy part but it was working for me. The romance is tender and sweet you can’t help but also fall in love with these characters 🥹 This is my first book by this author but will certainly not be my last.
Favorite Quotes
"Romina, I would've picked up the sun with my bare hands and moved it if you didn't like the position of your shadow, but consider that not everything is about you.”
"There was no girl." His eyes are tortured. "Of course there was no girl. You were always the girl." 🥹🥹🥹💕
"Walking you to your door is boyfriend business. You want me to be your boyfriend, Romina Romina?"
"Alexander, I don't even have a boyfriend."Darling, if you want one, all you have to do is ask. It's your turn to do the asking."
I would share more but don’t want to spoil all the sweet moments 💋💋
Thank you Netgallery, Penguin Group Putnam, and Sarah Hogle for this lovely ARC in exchange for a review.
By looking at other reviews I was super nervous to read this after requesting it as as an ARC but I really loved it ☺️ The romance is angsty, there is tension and flirty banter that will have you smiling and giggling. The fake dating aspect was sooo good I loved seeing the MMC get jealous and all worked up..I know I’m toxic. The flashbacks from when they were together made my heart skips beats. This would be the perfect spring read 🌸🌷
Tropes & What to Expect
🌟forced proximity
🌟Single POV (but you don’t need to know his thoughts he expresses his feelings)
🌟dual timeline(we get glimpses of now and then)
🌟Witchy/magic vibes
🌟fake dating to make an ex jealous
🌟high school sweethearts
🌟second chance romance
🌟cute and funny banter
🌟opposites attract
🌟small town with magic
🌟fun and flirty banter
🌟something I liked was the chapters are named after flowers and there is a description
About the Main Characters
Romina is a flora fortunist she creates floral arrangements using the language of flowers to magically bring a person's romantic hopes to come true. She owns a flora shop along with her sister and best friend Trevor. She’s super strong willed, funny, and a great friend. She was hurt by a past relationship and is hesitant about being with Alex despite her still having feelings for him.
Alex is INFURIATING he wasn’t just getting under her skin he was under mine also. He’s cocky, arrogant, serious, always right but he is oh so sweet. He would say the sweetest things that made me weak in the knees 🥹💕 but then he would turn around and be infuriating again. Romina could bring out this playful side of him and made him feel lighter. He has been pining for her since high school days and never truly got over her so don’t get it twisted. Some of his actions were over the top or questionable but I think he wanted to make sure she was “all in”.
Spice Rating
1.75/5🌶️
There are some spicy moments but not overly descriptive. The intimate scenes are so well written..I never knew I would get hot by a wrist kiss 🫠🥵
"𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞," 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬. "𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐭." 🥵🥵🥵 okkkaaayyyyyy
THERE WAS NO EPILOGUE 😭😭😭 but it was a beautiful, happy ending 🩷but I still want to start a riot..how dare the author not include an epilogue
Overall thoughts: Yes I would recommend. I know some people might not like the jealousy part but it was working for me. The romance is tender and sweet you can’t help but also fall in love with these characters 🥹 This is my first book by this author but will certainly not be my last.
Favorite Quotes
"Romina, I would've picked up the sun with my bare hands and moved it if you didn't like the position of your shadow, but consider that not everything is about you.”
"There was no girl." His eyes are tortured. "Of course there was no girl. You were always the girl." 🥹🥹🥹💕
"Walking you to your door is boyfriend business. You want me to be your boyfriend, Romina Romina?"
"Alexander, I don't even have a boyfriend."Darling, if you want one, all you have to do is ask. It's your turn to do the asking."
I would share more but don’t want to spoil all the sweet moments 💋💋
Thank you Netgallery, Penguin Group Putnam, and Sarah Hogle for this lovely ARC in exchange for a review.
February 8, 2025
I fell head over heels for this book! It's like that all-time favorite movie you can't get enough of, the one you watch on repeat until you've got every line, gesture, and facial expression memorized. Seriously, this has got to be the author's ultimate masterpiece. I've been itching to get my own copy so I can relive the magic of Moonville whenever I need a dose of enchantment!
Enter Romina Tempest: a flower whisperer who knows the secret language of blooms, using their magic to channel the unique emotions her customers seek. She's got this incredible flower shop, kind of like a fairyland, where lovebirds flock to find their own happily-ever-afters. Yet, despite her knack for crafting love stories, Romina herself remains stuck in the past, nursing a heartbreak inflicted by her first love, Alex King. He shattered her and ruined her chances of giving love a second shot.
Sharing a building with her elder sister Luna's captivating candle business and her eccentric sister Zelda's paranormal bookstore, Romina is surrounded by intriguing ventures. Let's not forget their spirited investor Trevor, who's like a big-hearted kid brother. With the opening of the night market drawing near, they need more funds to cover their expenses, which means they have to turn to Trevor's dad for financial assistance.
Romina and Trevor decide to team up and pitch their ideas to Daniel, Trevor's father, at a pub. However, this outing also leads them to bump into Trevor's ex and her not-so-friendly cousin. Romina's protective instincts kick in, and she blurts out a lie about her and Trevor being in a relationship before they meet Daniel.
Unfortunately, this lie takes an inconvenient turn during their meeting. Daniel has news of his own happily-ever-after: he's getting hitched to Alex's mother. Yes, you heard that right. The guy who broke Romina's heart into a million pieces is going to be Trevor's stepbrother. As if that's not enough, the annoying cousin declares she's dating Trevor! Trevor and Romina are pushed into a fake dating scenario, and they decide to keep up the ruse to make their exes jealous and show how content they are together.
Right from the start, Alex gets suspicious about their so-called relationship. He's determined to uncover the truth, resorting to a wildly inappropriate compatibility quiz and even invading their shared living space, watching their every move like a hawk.
Trevor wants to come clean with his father, especially as Alex's relentless probing becomes more unbearable by the day. But revealing the truth might brand them as untrustworthy and jeopardize their chances of securing the business loan. However, the sizzling chemistry and lingering emotions between Romina and Alex also add fuel to the fire. They're like a ticking bomb, with their intense intimacy capable of setting the whole town ablaze.
What if Romina stands to lose more than just her business by opening her heart to a man who could shatter it all over again? What if moving on is simply not in the cards for her? And what if the secrets they're hiding from each other could alter the course of their lives forever?
Oh boy, I wish I could read this book for an entire month! I never wanted it to end, and I'm secretly hoping that Sarah Hogle treats us to more Moonville magic with Luna and Zelda's love stories, giving us glimpses into Romina and Alex's future. Everything about this town, these characters, their love story, the enchanting flowers — it's pure literary magic! Words hardly suffice to convey just how much I savored this read. It's definitely a five-star contender and then some!
A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for generously sharing this phenomenal book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Enter Romina Tempest: a flower whisperer who knows the secret language of blooms, using their magic to channel the unique emotions her customers seek. She's got this incredible flower shop, kind of like a fairyland, where lovebirds flock to find their own happily-ever-afters. Yet, despite her knack for crafting love stories, Romina herself remains stuck in the past, nursing a heartbreak inflicted by her first love, Alex King. He shattered her and ruined her chances of giving love a second shot.
Sharing a building with her elder sister Luna's captivating candle business and her eccentric sister Zelda's paranormal bookstore, Romina is surrounded by intriguing ventures. Let's not forget their spirited investor Trevor, who's like a big-hearted kid brother. With the opening of the night market drawing near, they need more funds to cover their expenses, which means they have to turn to Trevor's dad for financial assistance.
Romina and Trevor decide to team up and pitch their ideas to Daniel, Trevor's father, at a pub. However, this outing also leads them to bump into Trevor's ex and her not-so-friendly cousin. Romina's protective instincts kick in, and she blurts out a lie about her and Trevor being in a relationship before they meet Daniel.
Unfortunately, this lie takes an inconvenient turn during their meeting. Daniel has news of his own happily-ever-after: he's getting hitched to Alex's mother. Yes, you heard that right. The guy who broke Romina's heart into a million pieces is going to be Trevor's stepbrother. As if that's not enough, the annoying cousin declares she's dating Trevor! Trevor and Romina are pushed into a fake dating scenario, and they decide to keep up the ruse to make their exes jealous and show how content they are together.
Right from the start, Alex gets suspicious about their so-called relationship. He's determined to uncover the truth, resorting to a wildly inappropriate compatibility quiz and even invading their shared living space, watching their every move like a hawk.
Trevor wants to come clean with his father, especially as Alex's relentless probing becomes more unbearable by the day. But revealing the truth might brand them as untrustworthy and jeopardize their chances of securing the business loan. However, the sizzling chemistry and lingering emotions between Romina and Alex also add fuel to the fire. They're like a ticking bomb, with their intense intimacy capable of setting the whole town ablaze.
What if Romina stands to lose more than just her business by opening her heart to a man who could shatter it all over again? What if moving on is simply not in the cards for her? And what if the secrets they're hiding from each other could alter the course of their lives forever?
Oh boy, I wish I could read this book for an entire month! I never wanted it to end, and I'm secretly hoping that Sarah Hogle treats us to more Moonville magic with Luna and Zelda's love stories, giving us glimpses into Romina and Alex's future. Everything about this town, these characters, their love story, the enchanting flowers — it's pure literary magic! Words hardly suffice to convey just how much I savored this read. It's definitely a five-star contender and then some!
A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for generously sharing this phenomenal book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
March 25, 2024
Romina Tempest is a witch, or more precisely, a “flora fortunist”, who uses the special attributes of specific flowers and plants to create love charms and other magical fortunes at The Magick Happens - a store she co-owns with her sisters, Luna and Zelda, and best friend Trevor Yoon in charming fictional Moonville, Ohio.
When an ill-advised land purchase made to expand their business backfires due to a host of problems, they plan to try to get Trevor’s successful business tycoon father to pony up the cash. There’s just one tiny problem … Trevor has the emotional maturity and decision-making skills of any random 12-year old boy and daddy’s been burned by it before. Not so fast, kiddo.
Daddy Daniel does come to town, but it’s not to hear their sales pitch … it’s to get remarried, and his bride-to-be? She’s the mom of Romina’s high school ex and one true love, Alex King, who’s come along for the festivities. Things didn’t end well for them, and there were hurt feelings on both sides, but is fortune giving them another chance at love now that they’re older?
Romina’s not going to make it easy for him. She and Trevor both have exes in town and what better way to make those two reconsider what they lost than to claim that they’re dating EACH OTHER, because lies and deceit always make things better, right? (facepalm)
I’m going to leave it at that, because this book is 384 pages and I haven’t even scratched the surface of the plot, so I’ll just jump to my thoughts on this, starting with what worked:
▪️ Romina and Alex were fascinating characters with relatable issues that grew on me as the story progressed. It took awhile, but by the end I felt invested in what the future would hold for them and hoped for their HEA! They had good chemistry, even if I wasn’t totally blown away by it.
▪️ There was an extremely unexpected twist in Part Two that I wasn’t sure I liked at first but ultimately did and thought it worked well with the plot.
▪️ The town of Moonville is magical and charming, so big points for the setting!
▪️ The story is well-written and I loved the details of what all the different flowers meant. Heading each chapter with a different flower and fortune was so clever!
Unfortunately, there was quite a bit that didn’t win me over:
▪️ This is my second Sarah Hogle book - the first being Just Like Magic, which was SO adorable and fun! This … was not, and I’m pretty bummed about it. Whereas Just Like Magic had characters that made me laugh and there was such a feeling of playfulness and joy to it, the first half of this book was more like being stuck in a car for a cross-country trip with two teenagers sniping at each other like children. Not so fun.
▪️ There wasn’t a lot of fleshing out of the other characters outside of Romina and Alex, so I never felt very attached to any of them. Trevor was so one-dimensionally immature that it wasn’t funny. His bro-talk and snarky “playful” insults were more cringey than humorous.
▪️ The book was too looooong. Shave 50 pages and nothing important would be lost.
▪️ The sex talk was painfully juvenile. Grown adults referencing “dicks”, being “sixty-nined”, “boinking", among others (Really? We’re sure these aren’t teenagers?)
▪️ Speaking of juvenile, the whole first half of the book suffered from an immature tone, so the second half had to do a lot of heavy lifting to get me invested in the relationship. It got there eventually, but in many ways the damage was already done.
Despite the less preferred elements, it’s a decent story, and I liked it well enough, but this was a very different experience than my last read from Hogle. It looks like it may be the first in a series, and if it is, I’m really hoping Hogle lightens the mood and lets her characters grow up a bit next time around!
★★★
Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, NetGalley and author Sarah Hogle for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s due to be published April 2, 2024.
When an ill-advised land purchase made to expand their business backfires due to a host of problems, they plan to try to get Trevor’s successful business tycoon father to pony up the cash. There’s just one tiny problem … Trevor has the emotional maturity and decision-making skills of any random 12-year old boy and daddy’s been burned by it before. Not so fast, kiddo.
Daddy Daniel does come to town, but it’s not to hear their sales pitch … it’s to get remarried, and his bride-to-be? She’s the mom of Romina’s high school ex and one true love, Alex King, who’s come along for the festivities. Things didn’t end well for them, and there were hurt feelings on both sides, but is fortune giving them another chance at love now that they’re older?
Romina’s not going to make it easy for him. She and Trevor both have exes in town and what better way to make those two reconsider what they lost than to claim that they’re dating EACH OTHER, because lies and deceit always make things better, right? (facepalm)
I’m going to leave it at that, because this book is 384 pages and I haven’t even scratched the surface of the plot, so I’ll just jump to my thoughts on this, starting with what worked:
▪️ Romina and Alex were fascinating characters with relatable issues that grew on me as the story progressed. It took awhile, but by the end I felt invested in what the future would hold for them and hoped for their HEA! They had good chemistry, even if I wasn’t totally blown away by it.
▪️ There was an extremely unexpected twist in Part Two that I wasn’t sure I liked at first but ultimately did and thought it worked well with the plot.
▪️ The town of Moonville is magical and charming, so big points for the setting!
▪️ The story is well-written and I loved the details of what all the different flowers meant. Heading each chapter with a different flower and fortune was so clever!
Unfortunately, there was quite a bit that didn’t win me over:
▪️ This is my second Sarah Hogle book - the first being Just Like Magic, which was SO adorable and fun! This … was not, and I’m pretty bummed about it. Whereas Just Like Magic had characters that made me laugh and there was such a feeling of playfulness and joy to it, the first half of this book was more like being stuck in a car for a cross-country trip with two teenagers sniping at each other like children. Not so fun.
▪️ There wasn’t a lot of fleshing out of the other characters outside of Romina and Alex, so I never felt very attached to any of them. Trevor was so one-dimensionally immature that it wasn’t funny. His bro-talk and snarky “playful” insults were more cringey than humorous.
▪️ The book was too looooong. Shave 50 pages and nothing important would be lost.
▪️ The sex talk was painfully juvenile. Grown adults referencing “dicks”, being “sixty-nined”, “boinking", among others (Really? We’re sure these aren’t teenagers?)
▪️ Speaking of juvenile, the whole first half of the book suffered from an immature tone, so the second half had to do a lot of heavy lifting to get me invested in the relationship. It got there eventually, but in many ways the damage was already done.
Despite the less preferred elements, it’s a decent story, and I liked it well enough, but this was a very different experience than my last read from Hogle. It looks like it may be the first in a series, and if it is, I’m really hoping Hogle lightens the mood and lets her characters grow up a bit next time around!
★★★
Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, NetGalley and author Sarah Hogle for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s due to be published April 2, 2024.
May 19, 2024
big huge no from me
May 31, 2024
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin-Putnam, and Sarah Hogle for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 4.2!!**
Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...
But you can skip the cauldron...because ALL Romina needs to tell your future?
One PERFECT flower!🌷
Romina is a flora fortunist (floral witch) meaning rather than a crystal ball, she uses flowers to tell fortunes. Snug in the aptly named town of Moonville (a bit on the nose, but okay!) she helps others find their forever love after losing a chance at her own many years ago. Alex King is the one who got away, her high school crush and greatest heartbreak, but Romina has spent the last several years throwing herself into her work and trying to put this romantic misstep far out of her mind. As a co-owner of the store The Magick Happens, Romina and her sisters Luna and Zelda (nope, no Sabrina!) and her friend Trevor all aspire to expand the business and attempt to snatch up some more land with the goal of expanding their witchy enterprise.
But as is often the case, money gets in the way, and the deal goes bad, leaving the store owners in a tizzy. They hope to find a financial backer, and Trevor's wealthy dad is in the perfect position to bail them out...but it's going to take some convincing! Romina knows she has to get an 'in' with the family, and decides fake dating Trevor is the perfect way to endear herself to the Yoon family. Romina DOES eventually get the chance to make the pitch at Trevor's father's wedding...but she can't believe her eyes at the identity of his betrothed: it's none other than Alex King's MOTHER...meaning Alex is also in attendance at the wedding. Seeing him again secretly feels like kismet...but since now Romina is 'dating' Trevor, she decides to use this opportunity to make Alex PAY.
With sparks continuing to fly, however, cutting snipes start to feel more like flirty banter...and Romina wonders if this is her chance to rewrite history...or if Alex would even WANT to give their love another shot. With so much hanging in the balance, from potentially losing her entire business to potentially letting the love of her life slip away yet AGAIN...will Romina find a way to listen to her heart? Or will she decide that her Flower of Fortune is less rose...and more like a poppy?
So let me start off by saying... I'm not sure what exactly has happened to Sarah Hogle and the direction of her writing . I grabbed You Deserve Each Other, and when I say it's when of my favorite romance books EVER...it's no exaggeration. (If you don't believe me, you can read my review here From the slow and steady build, the snarky, clever banter of her protagonists, to the REAL emotional underpinnings that caused me to reflect on my own relationships on a level that actually brought TEARS to my eyes...I felt I had truly stumbled upon a SPECIAL romance author...the kind that makes me want to dive into the genre more and more.
But with the saccharine sweetness of Twice Shy, it seemed like Hogle started to make a turn...and it seems like now she has decided to set up camp in the Land of Witchy, Fluffy, YA Romance...which is a town unfortunately populated by overly convoluted plots with immature characters that had me fighting the urge to skim from start to finish.
The fact that even writing this synopsis was difficult speaks to the sort of messy way the premise was presented...not to mention, it's a messier premise than it needs to be in general. When the focus was on Romina's long lost love and it was described in sort of a wistful way, I was on board. I thought the floral fortunist angle was something different, and that learning about this 'brand' of witchcraft would be fun...but it quickly lost its luster. Between dealing with the whole messy business dealings (and why they were trying to expand a successful shop that was already thriving where it was in a SMALL TOWN) was sort of beyond me, trying to work in discussion of Romina's sisters (who frankly didn't get their due as characters either) and dealing with Trevor's eccentricities...the story was covering a LOT of ground, but not in a way that fully immersed me in the world of the book. I found myself outside looking in, wondering who these characters REALLY were, and why for people their age, they read more like teenagers. 🤦♀️
And then of course, between Trevor and Alex...let's just say there weren't any LIKABLE male characters in this book whatsoever. I honestly couldn't tell which one of them was worse at times. If Romina was just trying to date both of them to find out who was more irritating, THAT honestly would have made more sense. I wanted so much depth out of the relationship, but honestly, I just found both the fake and REAL feelings sort of... meh. Once we FINALLY got into spicier territory, ironically, it picked up a bit for me...but I think this speaks more to Hogle's capabilities as a romance writer in general rather than the specific relationships mentioned here. Romina also has sort of a weird fixation on having children, and sort of glamorizes and romanticizes the entire experience in a way that felt very off-putting to me. It felt more like a teenage babysitter cooing over how cute babies are than a woman who wants to build a family and raise a PERSON...and I guess now that I'm a mom myself, it just made her character seem even MORE immature.
This book also just FEELS long in the way that fantasy books also can feel painfully long to me at times, and there was no part of me that was ever particularly excited to pick this one up and finish it. I felt myself dissociating from the story...a LOT...and had to force myself to keep turning pages, and at times it was VERY hard to fight the urge to skim. Apparently Hogle was teeing this up to be a series (?) but I must have been so checked out by the end that I completely missed that...and needless to say, I think I'm all set after volume one.
And although Hogle seems to have veered sharply from the vein of complex, emotional, funny, adult romance and into the land of fantasy, witches, and highly improbable scenarios...perhaps all it would take to get her back on that path would be a little bit of magic. 🧙♂️
Oh, the irony...
😏
3 stars
Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...
But you can skip the cauldron...because ALL Romina needs to tell your future?
One PERFECT flower!🌷
Romina is a flora fortunist (floral witch) meaning rather than a crystal ball, she uses flowers to tell fortunes. Snug in the aptly named town of Moonville (a bit on the nose, but okay!) she helps others find their forever love after losing a chance at her own many years ago. Alex King is the one who got away, her high school crush and greatest heartbreak, but Romina has spent the last several years throwing herself into her work and trying to put this romantic misstep far out of her mind. As a co-owner of the store The Magick Happens, Romina and her sisters Luna and Zelda (nope, no Sabrina!) and her friend Trevor all aspire to expand the business and attempt to snatch up some more land with the goal of expanding their witchy enterprise.
But as is often the case, money gets in the way, and the deal goes bad, leaving the store owners in a tizzy. They hope to find a financial backer, and Trevor's wealthy dad is in the perfect position to bail them out...but it's going to take some convincing! Romina knows she has to get an 'in' with the family, and decides fake dating Trevor is the perfect way to endear herself to the Yoon family. Romina DOES eventually get the chance to make the pitch at Trevor's father's wedding...but she can't believe her eyes at the identity of his betrothed: it's none other than Alex King's MOTHER...meaning Alex is also in attendance at the wedding. Seeing him again secretly feels like kismet...but since now Romina is 'dating' Trevor, she decides to use this opportunity to make Alex PAY.
With sparks continuing to fly, however, cutting snipes start to feel more like flirty banter...and Romina wonders if this is her chance to rewrite history...or if Alex would even WANT to give their love another shot. With so much hanging in the balance, from potentially losing her entire business to potentially letting the love of her life slip away yet AGAIN...will Romina find a way to listen to her heart? Or will she decide that her Flower of Fortune is less rose...and more like a poppy?
So let me start off by saying... I'm not sure what exactly has happened to Sarah Hogle and the direction of her writing . I grabbed You Deserve Each Other, and when I say it's when of my favorite romance books EVER...it's no exaggeration. (If you don't believe me, you can read my review here From the slow and steady build, the snarky, clever banter of her protagonists, to the REAL emotional underpinnings that caused me to reflect on my own relationships on a level that actually brought TEARS to my eyes...I felt I had truly stumbled upon a SPECIAL romance author...the kind that makes me want to dive into the genre more and more.
But with the saccharine sweetness of Twice Shy, it seemed like Hogle started to make a turn...and it seems like now she has decided to set up camp in the Land of Witchy, Fluffy, YA Romance...which is a town unfortunately populated by overly convoluted plots with immature characters that had me fighting the urge to skim from start to finish.
The fact that even writing this synopsis was difficult speaks to the sort of messy way the premise was presented...not to mention, it's a messier premise than it needs to be in general. When the focus was on Romina's long lost love and it was described in sort of a wistful way, I was on board. I thought the floral fortunist angle was something different, and that learning about this 'brand' of witchcraft would be fun...but it quickly lost its luster. Between dealing with the whole messy business dealings (and why they were trying to expand a successful shop that was already thriving where it was in a SMALL TOWN) was sort of beyond me, trying to work in discussion of Romina's sisters (who frankly didn't get their due as characters either) and dealing with Trevor's eccentricities...the story was covering a LOT of ground, but not in a way that fully immersed me in the world of the book. I found myself outside looking in, wondering who these characters REALLY were, and why for people their age, they read more like teenagers. 🤦♀️
And then of course, between Trevor and Alex...let's just say there weren't any LIKABLE male characters in this book whatsoever. I honestly couldn't tell which one of them was worse at times. If Romina was just trying to date both of them to find out who was more irritating, THAT honestly would have made more sense. I wanted so much depth out of the relationship, but honestly, I just found both the fake and REAL feelings sort of... meh. Once we FINALLY got into spicier territory, ironically, it picked up a bit for me...but I think this speaks more to Hogle's capabilities as a romance writer in general rather than the specific relationships mentioned here. Romina also has sort of a weird fixation on having children, and sort of glamorizes and romanticizes the entire experience in a way that felt very off-putting to me. It felt more like a teenage babysitter cooing over how cute babies are than a woman who wants to build a family and raise a PERSON...and I guess now that I'm a mom myself, it just made her character seem even MORE immature.
This book also just FEELS long in the way that fantasy books also can feel painfully long to me at times, and there was no part of me that was ever particularly excited to pick this one up and finish it. I felt myself dissociating from the story...a LOT...and had to force myself to keep turning pages, and at times it was VERY hard to fight the urge to skim. Apparently Hogle was teeing this up to be a series (?) but I must have been so checked out by the end that I completely missed that...and needless to say, I think I'm all set after volume one.
And although Hogle seems to have veered sharply from the vein of complex, emotional, funny, adult romance and into the land of fantasy, witches, and highly improbable scenarios...perhaps all it would take to get her back on that path would be a little bit of magic. 🧙♂️
Oh, the irony...
😏
3 stars
June 3, 2024
Charming and whimsical! "Just Like Magic" was my favorite Christmas book last year so when I saw this new one by Sarah Hogle coming out, I was so excited to get my hands on it. This one didn't quite live up to "Just Like Magic" but it was still a good one! It was very creative and original. The main character, Romina, is a flora fortunist at a magical, enchanting shop called The Magick Happens where her 2 sisters work, too. I enjoyed the strong and loving bond between Romina and her sisters. This book was quirky and eccentric, with second-chance love and fake dating tropes. The magical realism isn't quite as good as "Just Like Magic" but it was still there and added some whimsical vibes to the book. Some of the banter was really immature which I wasn't too crazy about. I saw that this book is being made into a series and I will definitely check out the next book. I also was very drawn to the cover of this one, it's so pretty and aesthetically pleasing! 3.5 stars!
Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.
March 24, 2025
✨ Fake dating. Witchy vibes. Second chances. CHAOS. ✨
Romina Tempest is a floral fortunist—basically a witch who uses flowers instead of crystal balls to predict love. 🌷 She’s been playing matchmaker for everyone else while completely avoiding her own love life. That is…until her business expansion dreams lead her straight into a fake dating disaster with her unhinged coworker, Trevor. But plot twist—Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is Alex King.
Romina’s first love.
Her biggest heartbreak.
The one who got away.
And suddenly, she’s in a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, tension-filled situation that’s just begging for drama. 👀
🌟 THE FIRST HALF? Chef’s kiss. Romina and Alex’s love/hate dynamic was top-tier. The banter? Sharp as hell. The tension? Gave me life. They were hilarious and messy in all the best ways. I was hooked.
🫠 THEN THE SECOND HALF HAPPENED. It’s like someone flipped a switch and sucked the energy out of the book. The humor dimmed, the chemistry fizzled, and we swapped all that juicy enemies-to-lovers angst for… sweetness. Which, fine, cute, whatever. But I WANTED MORE BANTER. The Romina-Alex tension was the heart of this book and without it, everything just felt… meh. Also, kids in romance books can be the ultimate mood killer unless done right. I SAID WHAT I SAID. 😭
💌 FINAL VERDICT: Fun? Yes. Engaging? Mostly. Did it fully deliver? Not really. Romina & Alex had SO much potential, but the second half just didn’t keep up the momentum. I still had a good time, but I wish the magic lasted the whole way through. ✨
Would I read the next book in the series? Yes.
Would I reread this? Nah. 🔮
Romina Tempest is a floral fortunist—basically a witch who uses flowers instead of crystal balls to predict love. 🌷 She’s been playing matchmaker for everyone else while completely avoiding her own love life. That is…until her business expansion dreams lead her straight into a fake dating disaster with her unhinged coworker, Trevor. But plot twist—Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is Alex King.
Romina’s first love.
Her biggest heartbreak.
The one who got away.
And suddenly, she’s in a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, tension-filled situation that’s just begging for drama. 👀
🌟 THE FIRST HALF? Chef’s kiss. Romina and Alex’s love/hate dynamic was top-tier. The banter? Sharp as hell. The tension? Gave me life. They were hilarious and messy in all the best ways. I was hooked.
🫠 THEN THE SECOND HALF HAPPENED. It’s like someone flipped a switch and sucked the energy out of the book. The humor dimmed, the chemistry fizzled, and we swapped all that juicy enemies-to-lovers angst for… sweetness. Which, fine, cute, whatever. But I WANTED MORE BANTER. The Romina-Alex tension was the heart of this book and without it, everything just felt… meh. Also, kids in romance books can be the ultimate mood killer unless done right. I SAID WHAT I SAID. 😭
💌 FINAL VERDICT: Fun? Yes. Engaging? Mostly. Did it fully deliver? Not really. Romina & Alex had SO much potential, but the second half just didn’t keep up the momentum. I still had a good time, but I wish the magic lasted the whole way through. ✨
Would I read the next book in the series? Yes.
Would I reread this? Nah. 🔮
May 4, 2024
3.5⭐️
it had its good moments for sure but i put you deserve each other on such a high pedestal nothing will compare tbh
sarah hogle just knows how to do a GOOD second chance but everything besides the romance i couldn’t care less about 😭 alex was cocky as hell and that is my cup of tea so ofc i was eating up the banter (she’s nothing if not laugh out loud funny) and we got a little steamier up in this joint so i still highly recommend!!
it had its good moments for sure but i put you deserve each other on such a high pedestal nothing will compare tbh
sarah hogle just knows how to do a GOOD second chance but everything besides the romance i couldn’t care less about 😭 alex was cocky as hell and that is my cup of tea so ofc i was eating up the banter (she’s nothing if not laugh out loud funny) and we got a little steamier up in this joint so i still highly recommend!!
April 7, 2024
4.2 stars!
omggggg i’ve been feening for a new satahbhogle book and this did NOT disappoint! i absolutely adore this story, the magical elements, the undeniably, amazing banter, and everything in between! romina is such an eccentric soul, and, reading from her POV was such a delight, i love these kind of characters that are so themselves it’s impossible, not to love them! if you’re a fan of nicholas and naomi‘s banter from you deserve each other, this is right up your alley because alex and romina have a very playful kind of banter and in the second chance romance it is so fun to read about!
omggggg i’ve been feening for a new satahbhogle book and this did NOT disappoint! i absolutely adore this story, the magical elements, the undeniably, amazing banter, and everything in between! romina is such an eccentric soul, and, reading from her POV was such a delight, i love these kind of characters that are so themselves it’s impossible, not to love them! if you’re a fan of nicholas and naomi‘s banter from you deserve each other, this is right up your alley because alex and romina have a very playful kind of banter and in the second chance romance it is so fun to read about!
April 26, 2024
did she though...
my immediate reaction to finishing this was to go reread You Deserve Each Other and after having done so.... this book feels even more forgettable.
i mean it wasn't bad (at least i finished it, which i can't say about SH's last release which was truly unbearable). but... i will never think about it again. quite frankly, i haven't even thought about it while literally reading it. i think about You Deserve Each Other a lot but this? i had to scroll up just now to even remember the title.
it might have been a combination of things. first of all, the audiobook was horrendously bad and i might have enjoyed it more had i actually read a physical copy (though after the disaster of the last release i really don't dare buying physical copies of SH's books blindly, it's just not worth the money). i also really, and i mean really, hate magical realism in books.
but most importantly: whatever crack SH put into YDEO she has not put into this one. and what it ultimately boils down to is that this book is missing any heart and soul. 2.5 stars
February 26, 2025
2.5 stars
Good grief, where to begin? I have so much to say, but I don’t want to drag this review out longer than it needs to be, especially since all my thoughts boil down to a single conclusion: I did not like Old Flames and New Fortunes.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been this annoyed with a romance novel. I'm not kidding when I say the first half of Sarah Hogle’s latest release made me want to bang my head against a wall. It’s not so much the female characters that did it, it’s the men in the book. Romina’s fake boyfriend Trevor is unbearable – his bro talk is so irritating. And Romina’s ex, Alex, isn’t much better. He’s a jerk, and, whenever he enters a scene, he and Romina and everyone else around them act like squabbling children. I couldn’t stand it.
To be fair, there is a shift about midway through the story where this all settles down and Romina, Alex, and Trevor become a bit more tolerable. But there’s also a secondary shift that occurs right alongside it, where Alex and Romina’s romance begins to feel a bit unhealthy. They are too infatuated with each other, too absorbed and consumed, and Alex’s behavior even feels a little stalker-ish.
And then when you mix all of the above with bedroom scenes of the pornmance variety, I’m done. I’m over it. I’m happy to have finished the book.
A final note: the extra half star is for the more enjoyable second act, but I still will not be continuing with the series.
My sincerest appreciation to Sarah Hogle, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Good grief, where to begin? I have so much to say, but I don’t want to drag this review out longer than it needs to be, especially since all my thoughts boil down to a single conclusion: I did not like Old Flames and New Fortunes.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been this annoyed with a romance novel. I'm not kidding when I say the first half of Sarah Hogle’s latest release made me want to bang my head against a wall. It’s not so much the female characters that did it, it’s the men in the book. Romina’s fake boyfriend Trevor is unbearable – his bro talk is so irritating. And Romina’s ex, Alex, isn’t much better. He’s a jerk, and, whenever he enters a scene, he and Romina and everyone else around them act like squabbling children. I couldn’t stand it.
To be fair, there is a shift about midway through the story where this all settles down and Romina, Alex, and Trevor become a bit more tolerable. But there’s also a secondary shift that occurs right alongside it, where Alex and Romina’s romance begins to feel a bit unhealthy. They are too infatuated with each other, too absorbed and consumed, and Alex’s behavior even feels a little stalker-ish.
And then when you mix all of the above with bedroom scenes of the pornmance variety, I’m done. I’m over it. I’m happy to have finished the book.
A final note: the extra half star is for the more enjoyable second act, but I still will not be continuing with the series.
My sincerest appreciation to Sarah Hogle, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
November 19, 2025
19.11.2025
this book is for the girls who get it to be honest, and if you don't, you don't ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
10.12.20223
taylor swift wrote miss americana & the heartbreak prince for romina tempest and alex king. you don't even understand. like i'm fr throwing up like fr fr oh my god?!
this book is for the girls who get it to be honest, and if you don't, you don't ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
10.12.20223
taylor swift wrote miss americana & the heartbreak prince for romina tempest and alex king. you don't even understand. like i'm fr throwing up like fr fr oh my god?!
March 29, 2024
Old Flames and New Fortunes is a whimsical and charming small-town romance following Romina, a witch who uses the language of flowers in her craft, and Alex, her former high school boyfriend who returns to their cozy hometown for his mother's marriage. The story is full of banter, tenderness, humor, heat, and so much fun happenings around the quirky and quaint small town. Alex and Romina were so enchanting together, from the beginning you can see their obvious chemistry and connection. Alex was so infuriatingly smug and sweet, it was a delight to watch him fall over himself for Romina and the potential to be with her again. I loved how the two balanced each other out so well, the little snippets of their high school relationship was so adorable and added a perfect layer to the history of their coupling and reunion. However, while I rated this 4 stars, it was a 5 star read for me until 60% in when a secret is revealed, it came out of nowhere, and honestly, I don't see any merit of it in the story or Alex and Romina's love. Besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this romance and cannot wait to read more from Sarah Hogle!
Read if you like:
🌼Magical Realism🌼
🌼Second Chance Romance🌼
🌼Small Town🌼
🌼So Much Banter🌼
🌼Flower Language and Meaning🌼
🌼High School Sweethearts🌼
🌼Then and Now🌼
🌼Opposites Attract🌼
🌼Forced Proximity🌼
~Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Read if you like:
🌼Magical Realism🌼
🌼Second Chance Romance🌼
🌼Small Town🌼
🌼So Much Banter🌼
🌼Flower Language and Meaning🌼
🌼High School Sweethearts🌼
🌼Then and Now🌼
🌼Opposites Attract🌼
🌼Forced Proximity🌼
~Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
March 25, 2024
4 stars
I am such a fan of Sarah Hogle’s writing and characters. She always has a fresh take on whatever stories she’s writing and her characters are flawed, but so dang lovable. When I started Old Flames and New Fortunes I didn’t love it at the beginning… but the more I read the more I got sucked in and by the end, I was fully invested.
This is a second-chance romance between Romina and Alex who were high school sweethearts who broke up right before college. It’s been lots of years later and Alex comes back into Romina’s life when his mom gets married to her friend’s dad. Her friend who she is ‘fake dating’ to help him out. Yes… it’s a cluster at first.
Romina and Alex both loved each other so much and that love never really died. That was my favorite thing about this book. Seeing their love come back to life. Alex was so devoted and obsessed. Honestly, the last half was just *chef’s kiss* perfect. I did have some issues with the first half, but I’m not a big ‘witchy’ reader or magic realism fan so I’m sure it was a me thing. I’m so happy I hung in there, though, because this book was great!
I am such a fan of Sarah Hogle’s writing and characters. She always has a fresh take on whatever stories she’s writing and her characters are flawed, but so dang lovable. When I started Old Flames and New Fortunes I didn’t love it at the beginning… but the more I read the more I got sucked in and by the end, I was fully invested.
This is a second-chance romance between Romina and Alex who were high school sweethearts who broke up right before college. It’s been lots of years later and Alex comes back into Romina’s life when his mom gets married to her friend’s dad. Her friend who she is ‘fake dating’ to help him out. Yes… it’s a cluster at first.
Romina and Alex both loved each other so much and that love never really died. That was my favorite thing about this book. Seeing their love come back to life. Alex was so devoted and obsessed. Honestly, the last half was just *chef’s kiss* perfect. I did have some issues with the first half, but I’m not a big ‘witchy’ reader or magic realism fan so I’m sure it was a me thing. I’m so happy I hung in there, though, because this book was great!
May 1, 2024
4.5
the dialogue was so snappy omg i love sarah hogle's writing so much and she does second chance romance so well. this book was just so fun and every character was so likeable. rominalex might actually be my favorite of all time ugh the way they were so cutely obsessed with each other and their communication was so healthy.
the dialogue was so snappy omg i love sarah hogle's writing so much and she does second chance romance so well. this book was just so fun and every character was so likeable. rominalex might actually be my favorite of all time ugh the way they were so cutely obsessed with each other and their communication was so healthy.
Read
April 8, 2024all heart eyes for anything from sarah hogle, always.
(maybe, possibly just a teeny tiny bit biased, because she’s included me in her acknowledgments before and sent me the cutest swag & my favorite novel of hers in the past 🤭)
(maybe, possibly just a teeny tiny bit biased, because she’s included me in her acknowledgments before and sent me the cutest swag & my favorite novel of hers in the past 🤭)
July 31, 2025
04/05/24
2nd read and i can confirm, i’m still not over them.
Alsooo, I maybe changed my mind with the twist part wahahahaa i like it still, it’s just that, it’s too sudden the way it was revealed. Ms. Sarah is really aiming for the dramatics with that one lol
10/04/23
OMYGOD!!!!! THIS BOOK!!!!! AAAAAAAAAA This book is so good I cannot even properly form a review without screaming my heart out. IT IS THAT GOOD. I feel like I highlighted almost everything from this book. I love Romina and Alex so much, they own me. I believe Sarah Hogle is the queen of the second-chance romance trope at this point. From YDEO to this??? Damn. AND ALSO, THE TWIST AFTER PART 1!! I did not expect that at all. Everything about that twist is well connected to the character's arc. It did not feel forced for the sake of having a conflict. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. AND LASTLY, I have this feeling that this will become a series, each book for Romina’s sisters! I CANNOT WAIT to go back again to this world. From the moment I started this book until now, I cannot stop thinking about Romina and Alex. I think they’re my Roman Empire now.
ps. everytime i listen to into you by julia michaels and past lives by børns, i always remember romina and alex huhuhu :(((( i still have so much feels for them even if it’s already 3 months, i will never get over them i fear.
2nd read and i can confirm, i’m still not over them.
Alsooo, I maybe changed my mind with the twist part wahahahaa i like it still, it’s just that, it’s too sudden the way it was revealed. Ms. Sarah is really aiming for the dramatics with that one lol
10/04/23
OMYGOD!!!!! THIS BOOK!!!!! AAAAAAAAAA This book is so good I cannot even properly form a review without screaming my heart out. IT IS THAT GOOD. I feel like I highlighted almost everything from this book. I love Romina and Alex so much, they own me. I believe Sarah Hogle is the queen of the second-chance romance trope at this point. From YDEO to this??? Damn. AND ALSO, THE TWIST AFTER PART 1!! I did not expect that at all. Everything about that twist is well connected to the character's arc. It did not feel forced for the sake of having a conflict. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. AND LASTLY, I have this feeling that this will become a series, each book for Romina’s sisters! I CANNOT WAIT to go back again to this world. From the moment I started this book until now, I cannot stop thinking about Romina and Alex. I think they’re my Roman Empire now.
ps. everytime i listen to into you by julia michaels and past lives by børns, i always remember romina and alex huhuhu :(((( i still have so much feels for them even if it’s already 3 months, i will never get over them i fear.
September 2, 2023
Thank you so much to Putnam for the ARC! Unfortunately, this was not for me.
One of the biggest reasons was that the MMC kept a HUGE secret from the FMC for the majority of the book and it just rubbed me the wrong way. I ended up just fully disliking the MMC Alex and he did not have any redeeming qualities for me. Because of that, I could not feel the connection between the two main characters.
The plot itself was really interesting and I liked the magic shop element but beyond that I did not feel any connection to this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & Putnam Books for the ARC!
One of the biggest reasons was that the MMC kept a HUGE secret from the FMC for the majority of the book and it just rubbed me the wrong way. I ended up just fully disliking the MMC Alex and he did not have any redeeming qualities for me. Because of that, I could not feel the connection between the two main characters.
The plot itself was really interesting and I liked the magic shop element but beyond that I did not feel any connection to this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & Putnam Books for the ARC!
March 18, 2024
review to come | thank you netgalley & putnam for kindly providing me with an arc!
naturally, i'd like to include my playlistthat i ended up falling in love with
alexromina 💐💕
⋆ the grudge by olivia rodrigo
⋆ bewitched by laufey
⋆ the way i loved you by taylor swift
⋆ go away by omar apollo
⋆ flowers by laundry day
⋆ issues by julia michaels
⋆ mine by taylor swift
⋆ dear soulmate by laufey
⋆ this love by taylor swift
⋆ sunlight by hozier
⋆ all my ghosts by lizzy mcalpine
⋆ jane by laundry day
⋆ but not kiss by faye webster
note from future eden: i ended up making this playlist on spotify too 🤭
naturally, i'd like to include my playlist
alexromina 💐💕
⋆ the grudge by olivia rodrigo
⋆ bewitched by laufey
⋆ the way i loved you by taylor swift
⋆ go away by omar apollo
⋆ flowers by laundry day
⋆ issues by julia michaels
⋆ mine by taylor swift
⋆ dear soulmate by laufey
⋆ this love by taylor swift
⋆ sunlight by hozier
⋆ all my ghosts by lizzy mcalpine
⋆ jane by laundry day
⋆ but not kiss by faye webster
note from future eden: i ended up making this playlist on spotify too 🤭
September 7, 2023
Naurr 🤢🤢🤢🤢
dnf @ 35%
—————————————————————-
OMG I CANNOT WAIT IM SO EXCITED 🥹🫶🏻 I need this book like yesterday. The cover is so cute but I doubt the uk one will be the same :(
Tropes:
- high school sweethearts
- second chance
- fake dating with a twist
- modern witches
- cozy Stars Hollow vibes
- the language of flowers but make it witchcraft
- local folklore
- extremely springtime
- open door
- cottagecore aesthetic
dnf @ 35%
—————————————————————-
OMG I CANNOT WAIT IM SO EXCITED 🥹🫶🏻 I need this book like yesterday. The cover is so cute but I doubt the uk one will be the same :(
Tropes:
- high school sweethearts
- second chance
- fake dating with a twist
- modern witches
- cozy Stars Hollow vibes
- the language of flowers but make it witchcraft
- local folklore
- extremely springtime
- open door
- cottagecore aesthetic
April 28, 2024
⭐️ 2 stars
I don't want to write much because I'm still pissed about how this book turned out. I'm adding one star because I liked everything about flowers and Romina's caring nature. Here we go: first, Alex was so annoying, and I didn't really care about him. Also, this grown man is a little childish. As for the other characters, I actually didn't vibe with any of them; they're just mediocre characters that by the end, you even forget their names except Romina, of course. Well, at least I have this little liking for her.
For the plot, that was really what you'd call a second chance romance, which is in here I absolutely didn't like. Alex and Romina's relationship, despite being childhood sweethearts, doesn't even have some chemistry. I felt so far away from clicking with them in romance. It feels like they are just pushing themselves onto each other and eventually fall in love. The plot twist that happened to Alex was something that I highlighted much because of how he's so uncaring about it, although Romina's trauma really connected with that. I'm already done with this book by looking at how their communication doesn't even start with all honesty. And by the end, it was Romina who had to deal with and tolerate it.
If it weren't for those flower elements and Romina, I think I would have just dropped this. The fact is, this had so much potential with all the small-town romance, childhood sweethearts, and second chance romance, but the author had to mess with it. In conclusion, I don't like the book, but I can't give it one star since I still enjoyed some parts of it (look at me, managing to finish it).
I don't want to write much because I'm still pissed about how this book turned out. I'm adding one star because I liked everything about flowers and Romina's caring nature. Here we go: first, Alex was so annoying, and I didn't really care about him. Also, this grown man is a little childish. As for the other characters, I actually didn't vibe with any of them; they're just mediocre characters that by the end, you even forget their names except Romina, of course. Well, at least I have this little liking for her.
For the plot, that was really what you'd call a second chance romance, which is in here I absolutely didn't like. Alex and Romina's relationship, despite being childhood sweethearts, doesn't even have some chemistry. I felt so far away from clicking with them in romance. It feels like they are just pushing themselves onto each other and eventually fall in love. The plot twist that happened to Alex was something that I highlighted much because of how he's so uncaring about it, although Romina's trauma really connected with that. I'm already done with this book by looking at how their communication doesn't even start with all honesty. And by the end, it was Romina who had to deal with and tolerate it.
If it weren't for those flower elements and Romina, I think I would have just dropped this. The fact is, this had so much potential with all the small-town romance, childhood sweethearts, and second chance romance, but the author had to mess with it. In conclusion, I don't like the book, but I can't give it one star since I still enjoyed some parts of it (look at me, managing to finish it).
January 23, 2024
This book has a lot of really good praise, and I understand why people love it, but alas I did not love it. I did like it and it was a quick, enjoyable read but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. First off, Alex. Ohhhh, Alex. I did not care for him at all. I thought he was petulant and smarmy. I did not feel the love or attraction between Alex and Romina. And what was up with that secret? No, just no. I also thought the "fake dating" with Trevor wasn't fooling anyone, let alone Alex.
Considering that, I did end up liking the ending even if I wasn't in love with the characters. I do wish the story featured the night market and witchy type "magic".
I think many readers will love this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and Sarah Hogle for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Considering that, I did end up liking the ending even if I wasn't in love with the characters. I do wish the story featured the night market and witchy type "magic".
I think many readers will love this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and Sarah Hogle for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2023
I devoured this book in almost one sitting and, at the 3rd quarter of 2023, I predict this will be my favorite romance of 2024. If I’m mistaken, we’ll have a strong romance year ahead, and I’m here for it!
Sarah Hogle stories are always magical, beautifully chaotic and heartwarming. This one is no exception and I adored every bit of it.
Romina is a sweet, original and fun character, impossible to not love and root for. She had her bit of suffering, which with her lovable personality makes the reader very attached and protective of her.
Alex is just wonderful! If Nicholas and Wes could have a kid, Alex would be the result. We don’t have his POV, but this only intensifies the slow burn.
He makes it abundantly clear how much he loves and wants Romina, and I fell hard for him.
There is a twist in this story that affects the readers, and is causing mixed opinions. Honestly, it messed with my head and my heart too, but if you keep going you’ll see that the resolution is good and makes sense. I actually see this as a testament of Sarah’s good writing. I was an emotional puppet in her hands, from laughing to excitement, to crying.
I can’t have enough of Romina and Alex, and if I can’t get more chapters of them, at least I’m hoping Sarah will give us Luna’s and Zelda’s love stories, with a lot of glimpses to Romina and Alex HEA.
This story gave me all the feels, tingles, butterflies, heartburn, euphoria and reminded me of the reasons I like to read romances.
I would like to thanks G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah Hogle stories are always magical, beautifully chaotic and heartwarming. This one is no exception and I adored every bit of it.
Romina is a sweet, original and fun character, impossible to not love and root for. She had her bit of suffering, which with her lovable personality makes the reader very attached and protective of her.
Alex is just wonderful! If Nicholas and Wes could have a kid, Alex would be the result. We don’t have his POV, but this only intensifies the slow burn.
He makes it abundantly clear how much he loves and wants Romina, and I fell hard for him.
There is a twist in this story that affects the readers, and is causing mixed opinions. Honestly, it messed with my head and my heart too, but if you keep going you’ll see that the resolution is good and makes sense. I actually see this as a testament of Sarah’s good writing. I was an emotional puppet in her hands, from laughing to excitement, to crying.
I can’t have enough of Romina and Alex, and if I can’t get more chapters of them, at least I’m hoping Sarah will give us Luna’s and Zelda’s love stories, with a lot of glimpses to Romina and Alex HEA.
This story gave me all the feels, tingles, butterflies, heartburn, euphoria and reminded me of the reasons I like to read romances.
I would like to thanks G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2025
11/1/25: one of the best romance authors ever love you sm Sarah Hogle
i cried as i finished this omg i love love 😭😭😭😭😭😭
i cried as i finished this omg i love love 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Read
April 25, 2024Second chance romance and he impregnate someone else during the separation
🤢🤢🤢🤢 my reaction matches the cover
🤢🤢🤢🤢 my reaction matches the cover
March 9, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭒
I am first of all thrilled to read any new Sarah Hogle book and for the most part enjoyed reading this latest. For readers who loved her first novel, You Deserve Each Other, this latest hearkens back in wonderful ways to it more than her subsequent books. The snark as well as a pair of complicated lovers trying to find their way back to each other feel like "classic" Hogle at this point. I do have to say though that I feel fairly conflicted about some narrative choices here that I have difficulty reconciling, which is why my overall score is a little lower than I had hoped.
The novel is split into two distinct segments, and only the latter segment really worked for me. The first half of the novel is a bit of a disorienting experience of trying to figure out a large cast of supporting characters, and then trying to determine what the relationship is between the two main characters. Romina and Alex were high school sweethearts but had a painful breakup for reasons that we don't learn much about for a good part of the book. They accidentally meet at a wedding, and Romina is weirdly determined to put up an indifferent front right away by pretending that her best guy friend is actually her boyfriend. She immediately wants to make Alex jealous - after ten years apart and a sudden, unexpected encounter? I just struggled with that go-to response, and even worse, when that response sets off a chain reaction of Alex inexplicably spending over 100 pages trying to figure out if Romina is really dating this guy. For instance, why wouldn't Romina be with another person after a decade of Alex's absence? Why would Alex feel entitled to anger that Romina is with someone new? The farcical set of forced encounters that provides opportunity for Alex to snipe and Romina to bluster just felt strange -- not annoying necessarily, just illogical. I felt like I was thrust into a story that didn't make a lot of sense. But at the heart of the first half is the knowledge that both characters feel hurt about their breakup years ago and unresolved feelings lead to some immature reactions. When we do finally get information on why they broke up though, the reasons feel small and kind of disappointing rather than wonderfully angsty.
The second half follows the plotting of YDEO. Romina and Alex, having put their cards on the table, now have to find their way back to each other. I do think Hogle's writing truly shines in the book's second half. She evokes all kinds of feelings as her characters struggle to reconnect given the depth of their love for each other. I definitely felt teary in more than one scene between them.
I am not hugely fond of second-chance romances because the reasons for the initial break in the past are likely still there in the present. Here, the reasons are so paltry that I didn't fear the couple's reunion. I do believe that Romina and Alex are going to be a terrific couple. But, the slightness of the plotting early in the book felt too shallow to support the reunion at the end in ways that would make this book an exceptional romance.
I am first of all thrilled to read any new Sarah Hogle book and for the most part enjoyed reading this latest. For readers who loved her first novel, You Deserve Each Other, this latest hearkens back in wonderful ways to it more than her subsequent books. The snark as well as a pair of complicated lovers trying to find their way back to each other feel like "classic" Hogle at this point. I do have to say though that I feel fairly conflicted about some narrative choices here that I have difficulty reconciling, which is why my overall score is a little lower than I had hoped.
The novel is split into two distinct segments, and only the latter segment really worked for me. The first half of the novel is a bit of a disorienting experience of trying to figure out a large cast of supporting characters, and then trying to determine what the relationship is between the two main characters. Romina and Alex were high school sweethearts but had a painful breakup for reasons that we don't learn much about for a good part of the book. They accidentally meet at a wedding, and Romina is weirdly determined to put up an indifferent front right away by pretending that her best guy friend is actually her boyfriend. She immediately wants to make Alex jealous - after ten years apart and a sudden, unexpected encounter? I just struggled with that go-to response, and even worse, when that response sets off a chain reaction of Alex inexplicably spending over 100 pages trying to figure out if Romina is really dating this guy. For instance, why wouldn't Romina be with another person after a decade of Alex's absence? Why would Alex feel entitled to anger that Romina is with someone new? The farcical set of forced encounters that provides opportunity for Alex to snipe and Romina to bluster just felt strange -- not annoying necessarily, just illogical. I felt like I was thrust into a story that didn't make a lot of sense. But at the heart of the first half is the knowledge that both characters feel hurt about their breakup years ago and unresolved feelings lead to some immature reactions. When we do finally get information on why they broke up though, the reasons feel small and kind of disappointing rather than wonderfully angsty.
The second half follows the plotting of YDEO. Romina and Alex, having put their cards on the table, now have to find their way back to each other. I do think Hogle's writing truly shines in the book's second half. She evokes all kinds of feelings as her characters struggle to reconnect given the depth of their love for each other. I definitely felt teary in more than one scene between them.
I am not hugely fond of second-chance romances because the reasons for the initial break in the past are likely still there in the present. Here, the reasons are so paltry that I didn't fear the couple's reunion. I do believe that Romina and Alex are going to be a terrific couple. But, the slightness of the plotting early in the book felt too shallow to support the reunion at the end in ways that would make this book an exceptional romance.
October 21, 2024
4.25/5
the tempest sisters are giving practical magic!!!
witchy romances may become my new niche becuase this was so cute!! i know for sure i have another one on my shelf and i wanna try and read it before october ends! i just love how mystical it feels when there is elements of magic in a book that isn’t really magic. you can totally tell my practical magic is one of my favorite movies!!
romina completely won me over after i read her thoughts about wanting kids. i mean i read fifty pages and i was already emotionally connected to her. her life and they way she spoke about it just felt so heartbreakingly real to me, not becuase it was sad just the relatability of it. i was so interested in the setup for the romance becuase she was fake dating someone infront of her ex and the tension was AMAZING!!! i loved seeing all the moments her and alex would think of each other and miss what they had. about 215 pages in we got a twist and i’m not sure if i loved how the story progressed from there but i still had the best time falling in love with moonville!!! can’t lie though, i’m a bit salty we didn’t get a epilogue that was like ten years in the future because i wouldn’t ate it up…
i have now read three of sarah hogle’s books this year and i couldn’t be happier. they have all been so unique and new to me. i am thrilled for zelda’s book coming out in april because i just love this town!! i’m hoping we get plenty of mentions of romina and alex becuase i want to see more of them being a happy couple!!!
the tempest sisters are giving practical magic!!!
witchy romances may become my new niche becuase this was so cute!! i know for sure i have another one on my shelf and i wanna try and read it before october ends! i just love how mystical it feels when there is elements of magic in a book that isn’t really magic. you can totally tell my practical magic is one of my favorite movies!!
romina completely won me over after i read her thoughts about wanting kids. i mean i read fifty pages and i was already emotionally connected to her. her life and they way she spoke about it just felt so heartbreakingly real to me, not becuase it was sad just the relatability of it. i was so interested in the setup for the romance becuase she was fake dating someone infront of her ex and the tension was AMAZING!!! i loved seeing all the moments her and alex would think of each other and miss what they had. about 215 pages in we got a twist and i’m not sure if i loved how the story progressed from there but i still had the best time falling in love with moonville!!! can’t lie though, i’m a bit salty we didn’t get a epilogue that was like ten years in the future because i wouldn’t ate it up…
i have now read three of sarah hogle’s books this year and i couldn’t be happier. they have all been so unique and new to me. i am thrilled for zelda’s book coming out in april because i just love this town!! i’m hoping we get plenty of mentions of romina and alex becuase i want to see more of them being a happy couple!!!
May 27, 2024
2.5 rounded down.
I'm disappointed. Sarah Hogle, up until this point, has been one of my favourite romance authors. Her previous novels, particularly You Deserve Each Other felt fresh and interesting. Old Flames and New Fortunes didn't have any of this, instead relying on a lot of exposition to explain characters past and present relationships, as well as a magical element that felt incredibly redundant and under developed. Romina is supposedly a witch who specialises in making bouquets with flower magic that will help her buyers find love. Except we see her make about two bouquets, and her love interest is immediately cynical regarding her gifts. This not only made him look like an absolute arse, but further undermined the importance of Romina's livelihood. I would have preferred it if the magic was completely removed from the story altogether, instead having Romina just use the language of flowers as a florist to help her customers. It would have made a lot more sense.
I also thought Romina's relationships with her sisters and niece felt very forced. There's lots of paragraphs trying to justify the way the sisters behave towards each other and try and make them seem really quirky and weird. It just falls flat, and I found I couldn't really get behind them as a family. I just felt irritated. This feeling extends to the town of Moonville, which is apparently an old town steeped in magical and romantic history. We even get a scavenger hunt where the reader is supposed to see more of this history and the town. Except we don't, other than a brief conversation about an apparent ghost and something about food. It just didn't make sense, nothing is explained enough, and it really threw me out of the story.
It looks as though this is going to be a series, with the other books clearly focusing on the other sisters, but honestly I think this is a bad idea. Unless a lot of work is put into making Moonville feel like a realistic town, and the magical system is developed, I won't be reading.
I'm disappointed. Sarah Hogle, up until this point, has been one of my favourite romance authors. Her previous novels, particularly You Deserve Each Other felt fresh and interesting. Old Flames and New Fortunes didn't have any of this, instead relying on a lot of exposition to explain characters past and present relationships, as well as a magical element that felt incredibly redundant and under developed. Romina is supposedly a witch who specialises in making bouquets with flower magic that will help her buyers find love. Except we see her make about two bouquets, and her love interest is immediately cynical regarding her gifts. This not only made him look like an absolute arse, but further undermined the importance of Romina's livelihood. I would have preferred it if the magic was completely removed from the story altogether, instead having Romina just use the language of flowers as a florist to help her customers. It would have made a lot more sense.
I also thought Romina's relationships with her sisters and niece felt very forced. There's lots of paragraphs trying to justify the way the sisters behave towards each other and try and make them seem really quirky and weird. It just falls flat, and I found I couldn't really get behind them as a family. I just felt irritated. This feeling extends to the town of Moonville, which is apparently an old town steeped in magical and romantic history. We even get a scavenger hunt where the reader is supposed to see more of this history and the town. Except we don't, other than a brief conversation about an apparent ghost and something about food. It just didn't make sense, nothing is explained enough, and it really threw me out of the story.
It looks as though this is going to be a series, with the other books clearly focusing on the other sisters, but honestly I think this is a bad idea. Unless a lot of work is put into making Moonville feel like a realistic town, and the magical system is developed, I won't be reading.
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