I wanted to love it. I tried multiple times to pick it up and I think I'm finally calling it. It was just a little too slow for me.

This second chance, clean, older person romance was perfection. This is told so sweetly, from Augusta’s point of view, with some magical elements, flashbacks to her childhood and love, and her current retirement predicaments. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, found the past / present timelines easy to follow and equally enjoyable, and the FMC is one of my favorite characters. Her powerful emotions and experiences both made me smile and hurt my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To be honest, this book took a long time to hook me. I started it once, got bored with it, and returned it to the library. I checked it out again, this time as an audiobook, and almost gave up on it when it still didn't capture my interest. But I kept listening, and the story wormed its way into my heart.

Augusta Stern is a character that is a little hard to love (especially at the beginning). She has such a hard exterior and is prickly. But you can tell that she loved her family a lot, and through her niece, you can see that she deserves to be given a chance.

I'm glad I kept going, because this book really touched my heart. I really wanted to fuss at Augusta several times for jumping to conclusions instead of asking the questions she needed to ask of her friends and family. Irving wasn't much better - he could have stopped a lot of the heartache by being a little more open and not worrying about appearances. But in the end, when it mattered, they made their feelings known!

I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timeline novel. The author did a wonderful job of incorporating so many aspects of culture and the pharmaceutical industry, combined with a bit of magical realism and homeopathic potions and elixirs. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Lynda Cohen Loigman has truly become one of my favorite authors, which is notable because I usually don't gravitate towards magical realism. But The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern completely charmed me, proving she can blend magic into a story without losing its grounded, human heart.
This book beautifully mixes historical elements with modern sensibilities, pulling you into a specific era while exploring themes that resonate today. At its core, it asks a profound question: Does "too late" really exist? Through Augusta Stern's compelling journey, the story explores second chances, rediscovering purpose, and the enduring power of love and connection. It’s a hopeful, poignant, and utterly enchanting read that will make you believe in new beginnings. Highly recommend!

This is a must read author for me and this was a joy! It didn’t hit home for me as much as her last book but it was really enjoyable. I liked the aunt’s elixirs so much and would have loved more of that.

“The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern” by Lynda Cohen Loigman was a sweet, lighthearted read that kept me smiling and chuckling throughout. I especially loved the Aunt—her bold approach to life and her charm made her a standout character along side Augusta.

** Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Lynda Cohen Loigman for an eARC copy of “The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern”.

The past and present intertwined stories prove that love is ageless. This is a lighthearted read that leaves you feeling happy. You won’t be disappointed.

Beautiful story of a woman somewhat out-of-time, but just in time for the best things in life. I loved the setting, the development of the story, and how all the loose threads were woven together in the end.

I really enjoyed this story by Lynda Cohen Logiman. I was really drawn in from the beginning. I am finding out that I really enjoy stories with potions and the lore they carry. Thanks NetGalley for the eArc.

This was just alright. I was in the minority and didn't find it that compelling. Miscommunication trope is annoying. genre description is misleading. would've been better as a short story

I absolutely loved this book - loved the Boca/Brooklyn settings and time periods, the love story between Augusta and Irving, the conflict between medicine and healing, the Jewishness of it all, and how it all played out. I read it in Boca Raton, which was the perfect place for it.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is about a pharmacist who recently turned 80 and is forced to leave her beloved career. She retires at a community in Florida, which also happens to host her first love, Irving. The two reconnect, much to Augusta's ire, and the book flashes back their present to Augusta's life in 1920s Brooklyn. I absolutely loved the Matchmaker's Gift by the same author so was very excited to read this book!

It absolutely did not disappoint!! I read this in one day because I could not put it down. I found the story and the characters so engaging. Much like The Matchmaker's Gift, there are some fantastical elements, which I thought only added to the uniqueness of the story. I liked seeing a elderly career-focused female main character who never had children. I loved how it progressed and could not wait to see how the story threads came together.

I highly highly recommend this book! 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC, my thoughts are my own!

I was fortunate enough to receive both a digital and audio ARC of The Love of Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman. I loved the dual timelines throughout this book and how the author seamlessly flowed between the two. One of my favorite 5 star reads of the year!!


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Edit Review

This was one of the NetGalley books that I had fallen behind on and is well past its publication date. Now I am sorry that I waited so long to read it. I recently lost a friend to cancer and needed a light read that was not depressing. This filled the bill, though it was not mindless fluff either.
This book is told in a dual timeline, going back and forth between Augusta's younger life and her now, in "old age." Augusta is not your average 80 year old. She had been working until she is told she needed to retire. She retires to Florida, which could be a disaster for someone like August who is a very vital 80 year old. However, she meets people she used to know, including her old flame, Irving and some others. Irving was the one that got away. The question is why and whether he will get away again, and you will need to read the book to find out.
Through the second time line, we learn why he got away.
This fit the bill of what I needed. It was engaging and the characters were vivid. There were a few moments where my attention veered but on the whole, it was diverting but not mindless fluff. I would give this 4.5 stars.
I mostly read the book although I did listen to the audio on the train and the narrator was good.
Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for providing me with this novel and audiobook in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you, to the publisher and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

I loved The Matchmaker's Gift, so I was excited to read this one. I love how the author can just pull you into her story and not let up. I definitely recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this historical fiction the touch of magical realism just made it so cozy and the story was so heartwarming. This book follows Augusta as a young girl and as a recently retired woman who recently found out she was living in the same community has her high school sweet heart. We follow Augusta in current times as she try’s to work out if she wants to take a chance with her past love. We also follow her as a young woman as we watch the romance come to be and what went wrong. This was definitely a low stakes slice of life kind of book so the pacing could be a little slow at times but found the book to be atmospheric and I really just enjoyed seeing these characters live their every day lives. This is my first book from this author but really hope to read more in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I absolutely adored every minute of this wonderful story. It’s a dual timeline story, alternating between 1920s Brooklyn and 1980s Florida. The story flows beautifully, unraveling the story of how Augusta came to so adrift at almost 80 years of age. This is historical fiction, but there is a lovely storyline of romance. Add in just a little bit of magical realism and mystery and you have yourself an unputdownable story. I hugged this book when I finished because I was sorry to leave Augusta, even though I was delighted by the resolution. A story about the beauty of second chances and the belief that we can always start over, no matter our age. I loved it. Five Glowing Stars.

I enjoyed this one and am always up for an older protagonist. The historical storytelling was strong, even if the modern story was a little less so for me. I was interested and engaged the whole time.

This was an absolutely lovely story. Dual timelines, misunderstandings, a little bit of magic, and love at long last.

This is my first book by Lynda Cohen Loigman, I look forward to reading many more.