The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic: TikTok made me buy it! A magical, spellbinding romance for autumn 2024

Great recipes and a good story

This book is a mixture of cosy, small-town romance and family drama with some mystery and magic running through it.There were some obvious similarities to Practical Magic – the main character avoiding love for fear of its loss; eccentric family members including a runaway sibling and a ‘responsible one’; even a midnight margherita moment!Unlike Sally Owens however, Sadie is something of a self-centred main character and seems to think everyone’s lives revolve around her. The characters around her feel underdeveloped, the writing is repetitive and often overly descriptive, and the plot is unevenly paced and zips all over the place – it feels like the author is trying to fit so much into the story that nothing really gets properly resolved before the book moves on to something else.And yet, with all those flaws, I did still enjoy reading the story, so clearly there is some of that Revelare magic captured within the pages!I would definitely read more from this author, because while this story felt a little scattered and unfocused, there was plenty of potential in the writing, characters and plot so I feel sure there is more magic to come.

This book was described as being a cross between Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls so I was expecting cosy witchy vibes - which it didn't really deliver.The story is much darker than I was expecting and seems at odds with the marketing for it. It's not that this makes it bad, but the expectation of a different type of story left me disappointed. It also brought up a lot for someone who is currently grieving, which is one of the reasons I wanted something light and fluffy.There is a lot going on in this book which makes it difficult to keep track of everything that is happening. You've got a curse, long-lost love, death in the family, a couple of spirits, family returning and loads more. Having so much crammed into less than 400 pages means that each piece of the story becomes convoluted and the point of the story gets watered down.There were bits that I didn't see a point in, especially as we get no real conclusion for them. They just add to the confusion without actually having any real impact on the plot.The romance was lacking and more complicated than it needed to be. Focusing on the past heartache and mistrust as a result of that would have been fine without all the other complications thrown in. All it did was make me not really care if they got together or not.I do think the world that was created in this book was interesting and now that I know not to expect cosy witchy vibes, I would happily read a sequel to this - so long as the author took a less is definitely more approach to the plot.

This book will rip your heart out, stamp on it, set it on fire , and put it back together again.What an incredible read, I laughed, and by gosh, I cried.Watching the main character, Sadie, navigating her curse and loss throughout the book, is heartwarming to see.Each and every character was so lovable.The recepies at the end of each chapter were a fabulous bonus and well thought out. I couldn't put it down

This was an interesting read. Sadie loves her small town and runs a cafe with her gran, but she’s dealing with heartbreak from over 10 years ago when her boyfriend, Jake, left her behind and also with her twin brother recently leaving town. On top of that, she comes from a family of witches!The family drama in this in pretty intense and gripping, even without the added witchy issues! The romance plot actually is quite secondary to it all! I desperately wanted Sadie and Jake to work things out, even with all the heartbreaking obstacles in their way. I also enjoyed Seth and Raquel’s relationship - at one point I thought we were headed for a second book about them but because they did get together in this one, I wish we’d seen more of them. I think there might be a sequel though? As it finished on a wee bit of a cliffhanger.I was gutted there wasn’t an epilogue though, as Sadie established that she wanted a family of her own and especially given the significance of the house Jake bought… I was hoping to read about her and Jake being finally settled down and to get a glimpse of their life together!What to expect:- family drama- witches- second chance romance- slow burn

Can’t wait to read more.

Enjoyed the book a lot, but it came with a sticker across it (from back cover, around the spine and onto front cover too) that has left a glue stain when I tried to remove it. So was annoyed at that

Overall I would say this book was okay. I found the beginning a bit of a slog to get through, with lots of detail that wasn't needed and could have been edited out. Once the story actually got going, then I found myself liking it more.I think my favourite bit was the recipes at the end of each chapter (although in US so will need to figure out UK measurements).Will I read it again though? Not sure. It might be one of those I read again around Halloween in a year or two but it's not going to be a familiar favourite.

I wanted to read this book as a cozy distraction from real life, as it was advertised as a mix between Gilmore Girls and Magic, but I was a bit disappointed. It has way more angst and drama than cozyness, even though there are actual receipts in there. An ok read, but not what I was looking for.

Let me be clear—this is not your typical cozy witchy read. While there's magic and warmth, the book dives deep into grief and darkness, consider it like a journey through a tunnel toward the light kinda read. ☄️The characters are vibrant and full of life, each with their own backstory, and every chapter ends with a genuine recipe with a whimsical purpose that adds a fun twist to the narrative. It’s a little sprinkle of magic in an otherwise emotional rollercoaster. 🤭Sadie, our magical baker main lead, is a beautifully messy character. Her relationship with her grandmother, Gigi, is a standout. Gigi’s "Revelare Rules" form a core part of their family legacy, but I love how Gigi always makes sure that Sadie knows that the curse tied to this legacy doesn’t have to define her—that she is free to choose her own path...😍Sadie & Seth’s sibling dynamic reminded me so much of Sam & Dean from Supernatural. They drive each other crazy, but their bond is unbreakable, no matter the distance and they’d go to the ends of the earth for one another.The book can benefit with a round of edits, but the author’s description of grief? Absolutely perfect...🥹For those who enjoyed Practical Magic but wished for something a little darker, this book is your perfect match—a chaotic blend of magic, reunions, baking, and curses with looming deadlines...

bien. merci. caractère de police un peu petit.

Heartbreaks are tough, her ex moving back and it rekindles the feelings they shared as teenagers.

It was a great story wish it was a series.