This book held my attention throughout it. I loved that the lead character baked for a living, for stress relief and to express love. Her food seemed symbolic of the challenges she had expressing and risking deep emotions. The relationship of magic and the curses was a new concept to me. The secondary characters were so well thought out and meaningful that they never seemed less significant. The title was representative of the storyline and the cover is beautiful. Readers will want to curl up with a cup of tea and get lovingly lost in Sadie's world.

This book had my attention from the very first page, didn't want to stop reading it. Would totally recommend it to my friends and family plus anyone else who is an avid book reader. Once you start reading you will not want to stop, you will feel like you are part of the story.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Five positively glowing stars.

This was well-written, heart-felt, and bingable from start to finish! Endearing and clever characters, Sadie and Jake, plus a splash of magic make for a cozy and enjoyable read. Marketing this as 'Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls' is perfect. That is the exact vibe I came in expecting and Breanne delivered.

Breanne, I'll buy anything you put pen to paper for, forevermore.

TYSM for letting me be an ARC reader for this. (I will be giving away a copy of this book on my tiktok @hauntedhousebooks during release month to help promote it. I'd love to be added to your permanent ARC list if you need me!)

I couldn’t get around my perceived “tone” of the language throughout. It’s like when you watch a movie set in the south & the actor, who’s never spent any significant time here, gives this over the top, horrific interpretation of the dialect. Truly tried so hard to get past this cause it’s totally my own head, but I could not.
Received this eARC from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion. Thank you.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Ahhh this book was cozy, charming, heartfelt, and emotional. There was a little bit of everything: magic, paranormal activity, family drama, heartbreak, love, and small town shenanigans. The addition of recipes after each chapter was cute and well tied into the story!

Sadie's magic is accompanied by a curse to be revealed after four heartbreaks. She's suffered two in her life: with her first love leaving and twin brother, Seth, disappearing. When her first love Jake returns and her beloved grandmother reveals her cancer diagnosis Sadie's world is turned upside down. As dark family secrets are revealed and her magical family returns, Sadie will have to use her mind and strength to save her heart and the ones she loves.

Sadie and Jake were the epitome of right person, wrong time. I do wish we had a bit more explanation of why he left in the beginning, but their reunion story was beautiful nonetheless (even with the emotional warfare inflicted by another character). I will admit there were times I was frustrated with Jake (probably because my heart hurt for Sadie more than him being a bad guy) and I wished Sadie gave him a harder time, but overall he was a kind and sweet character. I am glad they got their happy ending!

Final thoughts, I highly recommend! I would love a sequel and am hoping the ending is the author's hint that one is in the works *fingers crossed*

"The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" by Breanne Randall is a delightful and heartwarming novel that blends elements of romance, magic, and self-discovery. The story follows the journey of protagonist Ivy Heart, a young woman who finds herself at a crossroads in her life after a devastating breakup.

Randall's writing is engaging and witty, with well-drawn characters and an entertaining plot that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. The use of magic and fantasy elements adds a unique twist to the traditional romance genre, making for a fun and entertaining read.

The character of Ivy is a relatable and likable protagonist. Her struggles with heartbreak and self-doubt will resonate with many readers, and her journey towards self-discovery and acceptance is both inspiring and empowering. The other characters in the book are also well-drawn and interesting, each with their own quirks and motivations.

One of the standout aspects of the book is the portrayal of female friendship. The bond between Ivy and her best friend is a refreshing change from the often toxic or competitive portrayals of female relationships in literature. The friendship is supportive, uplifting, and a true highlight of the story.

Overall, "The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic" is a charming and engaging novel that will appeal to fans of the romance and fantasy genres. Randall's writing is witty and engaging, and her characters are well-drawn and relatable. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and uplifting read.

Sadie owns a cafe in a small town with her grandmother "Gigi". She comes from a long line of witches and she loves her magic. However, that magic comes with a price...the curse of four heartbreaks. Because of that, she has always been guarded and careful with who she lets get too close.

Suddenly, Gigi is diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. Sadie's estranged twin brother, Seth, comes back after abandoning her. To make matters worse, her ex and first heartbreak, Jake also returns to town after being away for 10 years. Sadie's world has been flipped upside down. Just when you think it can't get any worse, Gigi tells Sadie and Seth about a huge family secret that changes everything. Now Sadie has a choice to make. Love or magic? Which will she choose?

The author did an amazing job of setting the scene and creating the coziest vibes. This would be a great fall read actually! Food is a big theme since they own the cafe and adds to the overall warmth of the book. I thought it was a cute touch to put recipes at the end of some of the chapters.

I loved all of the characters. Gigi was my favorite. She was so feisty and called everyone "shit asses" and "pissants". She reminded me a lot of my grandmother...stubbornness and all. When all of the aunts and uncles came into town, that's where the fun really started. They all had their personalities and their different magic. That's where I got Practical Magic vibes the most.

This book was predictable but I think that's what adds to the comfort of it. You pretty much know how it's going to end and what Sadie is going to choose. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend this book if you love cozy, witchy reads.

3.75/5 stars! The cover of this book was so cute. I really liked the idea of four heartbreaks in exchange for magical strength. The premise was great and I liked the majority of the characters. Unfortunately, I didn't love the romance aspect. Jake seemed kind of like a dick and I didn't buy into his relationship with Sadie. But a cute story otherwise.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I DNF'ed at 30%. I found myself to be bored and it seemed like there was no focus in the book. I wish that the magic was explained more and there was zero world building which left me more confused than intrigued.

This was a good book and it was a good idea that it's coming out in the fall! I liked the writing style as well.

Sadie owns a bakery in her small town Poppy Meadows. She was raised with her twin brother by her grandmother. Sadie’s family has magic but along with that are curses. Sadie has been abandoned by her mother, brother and former love Jake. She soon learns her grandmother will no longer be there for her as she is dying of cancer. Sadie hopes to find a spell to help save her grandmother.

I really enjoyed the family aspects of this story. There are some really lovely and moving moments. I had a harder time with the romance, possibly because I am far less forgiving than Sadie. I’m not sure if this will be a series as there are a few open threads at the end of the book. I would definitely read stories set more in this world.

Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls???? YES!!!! This is the first time a blurb actually lived up to it's promise! I loved almost every moment, the characters are likable(thank you for that), enough whimsy and darkness to make this interesting, the recipes (what I wouldn't give to be able yo sample all of them), etc. All good. And thank you Breanne Randall for leaving the possibility of a sequel up in the cosmos, I think we will revisit this charming town again.

4.5⭐ Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. It was such a fun and sweet read.

If i could give this book more than 5 stars I would. This book is just magical. It's so well written that I physically felt my heart break, the grief and all of the love. I cried and I laughed and felt such a strong connection to the characters. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. I'm happy with the ending but I'd love to read more about these characters and definitely want more of Sadies story.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC. I'm going to be forever grateful.
Buying a hardcover of this book as soon as it is released.

Unfortunately, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic was not my cup of tea. I am a huge fan of magical realism, but this story was a little too complicated. There were too many characters, sub-plots, magical details, and conversations between characters. I never quite grasped the magical aspects of the story as they were interwoven with messy backstories of the many characters featured in this book. I think a simpler storyline would have helped. There was a bit too much of everything for my liking,

Sadie has lived with her grandmother in her small town her entire life, and is stuck feeling abandoned after three of the most important people in her life had left her. Warning signs come that someone will return and when her ex she still loves returns, soon followed by her brother, she knows that her life is about to take a drastic turn no matter how much she tries to block people from her heart.
To keep her magic she is cursed to suffer from four heartbreaks in her life, each worse than the other and she and her grandmother don't believe she will survive the last. But you can't shield your heart from everyone and when her third heartbreak looms with her grandmother's cancer diagnosis, her friends and family come together to help her realise what is most important in life.
This was a beautiful, and slightly heartbreaking story of both found family and regaining family that had moved away. I loved the inclusion of magic which included spells but was heavily based on herbs and other food, which were then used to create recipes in between each chapter that connected to the story really well. I highly recommend this and would love to purchase a physical copy when it is released.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

enjoyed every part of it. this book felt like a hug and i am looking forward to reading more books by breanne randall. if you like books with magic and witchy stuff, then i highly recommend this gem. the writing was super easy to get through and the pace was perfect. not even once did i feel like i was losing interest in it, kept me hooked till the very end.

Sadie enjoys her small town life, working alongside her grandmother in their bakery. However, she is also cursed to lose her magic after her fourth heartbreak. Sadie lets few people in in order to protect herself from losing her magic.. but at what point is she giving up a life of love for a life of magic?

I enjoyed this book and appreciated the way everything wrapped up at the end!

This witchy fantasy is a fabulous addition to your TBR. What if your magic powers can be powerful? You would take it right? But with your magic comes a curse. Everyone has to learn what they can and can’t do with their restraints. Everyone has their own path and their own curse. This book had everything one needs for a healing and cozy read

I was spellbound. This was so good. I loved it so much!! This book is a must read to be added to your TBR.
I just reviewed The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall. #TheUnfortunateSideEffectsofHeartbreakandMagic #NetGalley
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Book : The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
Author : Breanne Randall

Thanks so much Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advance read in exchange for this review!

This book was surely a wonderful change from my usual read and I am not mad about it. Practical Magic meets a delicious baking show. The writing was superb and the characters had amazing dialogue and connection. I couldn’t help but want to place myself in the book.

This was a great page turner. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot && I read this book in about a 24hr time span. I didn’t want to stop living in this world. This book is a must read should be on everybody’s TBR.