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

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

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

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

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

I enjoy author Lynda Cohen Loigman’s work and her newest, THE LOVE ELIXER OF AUGUSTA STERN, is no exception. Our protagonist is Augusta, a pharmacist, pressured to retire right before her 70th, or perhaps her 80th, birthday. She uses the occasion to move to Florida and bumps into several people from her old neighborhood, which prompts her to reflect upon her past. The book has two timelines as it moves forward towards Augusta’s birthday dinner and we suppose, a big reveal. Both time periods are handled well: the 1980’s are played a bit more for laughs while the 1920s have richer character and plot development. This is a good book that moves quickly by an author worth following. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Augusta Stern, newly retired and on the cusp of turning eighty, moves to Rallentando Springs, a retirement community in southern Florida. At the pool, she crosses paths with last person she never expected (or wanted) to see, her old boyfriend, and first and only love, Irving Rivkin. She & Irving dated when she was in high school and she had begun to hope for a future with him when he suddenly disappeared from her life. One night they went out with her best friend Evie and her boyfriend, who proposed to her on the dance floor. When everyone got back to the table, Irving was gone & she never saw him again. Augusta threw herself into her studies to become a pharmacist, and went to work with her father after graduation. She had once believed in the power of her great-aunt Esther's unconventional remedies that she sold from their apartment above the pharmacy, but she lost faith in those as well. Now Augusta is forced to face her past, and decide if she can move past the hurt and find a way forward with the man she never quit loving.....even after he broke her heart.

I am a huge fan of this author's books. She really knows how to weave a magical story that pulls you in from the very first page and doesn't let you go. The chapters went back and forth between past and present, so you are slowly discovering what led up to Irving leaving Augusta the way he did. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments in the present day chapters. I may never be able to look at a Jell-O mold again without bursting out laughing. This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good story, and would make a great book club read as well. I highly recommend it!

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

4.5 stars! It would have been a total 5-star read for me if not for all the lost time and missed opportunities. But I loved this story and the magical realism.
Augusta Stern, a pharmacist has been forced to retire just shy of her 80th birthday. Feeling lost, she reluctantly accepts her circumstances and moves from New York to a retirement community in Florida where she encounters a man from her past, Irving Rivkin. And so the dual time line begins: Augusta’s story from her childhood during the 1920’s is flawlessly braided into the present using flashbacks.
The story was captivating and the characters charming. The author created strong female characters in both Augusta and her aunt, Esther while exploring the role of women as healers both using traditional medicine and herbalism in the Jewish tradition. Each character has a solid distinct voice. Excellent witty, sometimes acerbic, dialogue with a dash of apothecarial magic and a whole lot of love makes this a satisfying uplifting read. You’re never too old to learn, forgive, love or fulfill your dreams.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

Eighty year old never married pharmacist Augusta Stern is forced into retirement. Relocating to a senior community in Florida she happens upon Irving Rivkin the man who broke her heart over 60 years ago. This is where our story takes off, alternating between 1920s New York and 1980s Florida, letting the reader know exactly what happened to separate this pair and their current feelings.
The story itself is endearing but Augusta is more of a prickly character, unforgiving to those who let her down. On the other hand Irving is a delight with enough warmth to rekindle some romance. Their story is told, a mystery solved and some magical realism to sweeten the pot. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for this read.

4.5/5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a dual timeline story from Augusta's current octogenarian life back to her adolescent days.

Augusta is a bit of a cantankerous but warm-hearted character who has moved into a senior community in Florida after basically being forced into retirement as a pharmacist. She grew up in 1920s Brooklyn with a pharmacist father, and she fell in love with the profession at an early age as she and her sister worked in various capacities in his shop. Following her move to Florida, she discovers that her lost love, Irving, the boy who worked as a delivery boy for her father and broke her heart at 17, is also living there. Their paths took very different turns as Augusta never married, and Irving married at 18 had two children and later divorced. After a rocky start for Augusta, they begin to know each other again after many years apart.

The 1920s Augusta was actually my favorite aspect of this book (although the current Augusta was interesting as well). She lost her mother as a young teenager, and she and her sister and father at first tried to muddle through as best they could. But they ended up with the arrival of Augusta's Great Aunt Esther, also a bit of a pharmacist from a small community. Esther's remedies and Augusta's father's clashed as she was more of a holistic, almost "magical" practitioner (I do believe her chicken soup might bring about world peace), and he was a science, by-the-book professional. When Augusta tries one of her aunt's elixirs on someone in secret, she has disastrous results which has long-reaching consequences, so she decides to abandon her aunt's practices.

I loved how Augusta tried to reconcile the two philosophies she witnessed. She loved and respected both her father and hard-headed but compassionate aunt and struggled with their very different approached to serving others in need.

This was a heartwarming and well-worth-it read with Augusta and Irving being cheer-worthy characters.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the free early arc of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This is such a charming book!

Augusta Stern grew up in Brooklyn in the ‘20s with her father as the local pharmacist. She learned all she could from him, but after her mother’s death, her aunt Esther moved in with them. Augusta is fascinated by Esther’s healing potions and powders.

Irving, the boy who helps out at the pharmacy, has captured Augusta’s heart. But something goes terribly wrong when Augusta tries using Esther’s love elixir on Irving.

Sixty years later, Augusta has had a long career as a pharmacist and has retired to a retirement community in Florida. There, she runs into Irving and a few others from the old neighborhood. Is it too late for second chances? Is it too late for a bit of magic? Was it ever necessary in the first place?

The story jumps back and forth between the two timelines, so you get to know Augusta and her family and friends so well. I loved the touch of magical realism and the push and pull between medicine and magic. But honestly, the banter between “older” Augusta and her friends is what made me laugh.

The writing is beautiful; it flows naturally, and you feel connected to these characters. You’ll feel their loss, grief, and regrets, but Augusta is also so strong and determined. This is a tale spun in magic and tied up with love.

Thank you @stmartinspress for the gifted ebook via NetGalley.

This was a heartwarming story of the life of Augusta (Goldie) Stern. Told in dual timelines, Goldie/Augusta is a vibrant woman who knew what she wanted and pursued her goals. Along the way, she learned from her great aunt that not all that ails someone can be cured by modern medicine. I loved the stories of both timelines and enjoyed the added hint of magical realism. Sometimes, life needs a special touch to make things happen! Fans of Other Birds and the Lost Apothecary will adore this story! 4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this charming story! The characters were endearing and I loved the second chance romance. The author painted a picture of 1920's Brooklyn and 1980's Florida in a way that felt like it could have been straight out of a movie. I was drawn in immediately and it held my interest throughout. While I loved Aunt Esther's character, the magical realism element of that part of the story was not quite for me. Nonetheless, it did not dissuade me from wanting to see how the story unfolded. This is my first read of Lynda Cohen Loigman's books; I look forward to reading her others!

I absolutely loved the protagonist in The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern! I loved her as a curious child/teen and also as a spunky, slightly grouchy retiree. I've been reading a lot of books lately with dual timelines. They don't always work for me, but this one does! Augusta is a gifted pharmacist who is forced to retire just shy of her 80th birthday. She moves from New York to a retirement community in Florida, where she encounters not one but TWO men from her past. The great mysteries of her past are unraveled slowly in this engrossing, comfort read.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this lovely book.

The Matchmaker’s Gift was one of my favorite books last year so I was excited to read Loigman’s new book. The writing in Love Elixir was just as beautiful as in Matchmaker’s Gift. It was a wonderful love story about second chances..

This book just fell a bit flat for me. It was a sweet story but was expecting more magical realism. I had both the audio and the earc. The narrator was engaging but I did not feel compelled to keep picking up the book. It was a cute story that is more historical fiction, told over dual timelines.
3.5

This book! The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is an amazing story. It was the breath of fresh air I desperately needed.

The story follows 2 timelines in the life of Augusta Stern. In her childhood, we see Augusta grow up in the late 1920's. The daughter of a pharmacist, she lives above her father's pharmacy but has never gotten over her own mother's death from diabetes, only months before insulin is developed as a treatment. In helping out at her father's shop, she meets Irving, her father's delivery boy and the two becomes friends. Her aunt also moves in with the family, bringing her own brand of apothecary treatments that prove to be quite helpful to many in the town.

In the second timeline, Augusta is about to turn 80 (1987) and is newly retired. We learn she became a pharmacist as an adult when women were still not fully accepted in the career, but also that she never married or had kids. Now her niece helps her locate a retirement village in FL., but after she moves in she realized Irving is also a resident. This brings up a lot of memories Augusta would prefer not to deal with, as this new chapter in her life is already difficult enough.

Each chapter is well paced and rotates back and forth between Augusta as a child and in her 1987 present and we see things through Augusta's point of view. In many ways it is part second chance love story, part historical fiction, part feminist literature, part mystery. I especially enjoy love story's that feature a mature couple- and I loved how the timelines converged to make all the threads come together. I listened to the entire book in one day while in the car, and I was in tears by the time I got home. It's the best kind of cry, where you laugh through your tears. One of the best books I have read to in a very long time!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this eARC.

What a beautiful and heartwarming story! I absolutely adored this dual timeline book. It pulled at my heart strings and Augusta is one of my new favorite characters!

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern
Lynda Cohen Loigman
October 08, 2024

Growing up In Brooklyn, New York, Augusta Stern fell in love with importance of her father’s profession. He was a pharmacist. He opened his store and moved his family to the apartment upstairs. Solomon Stern was a friendly, intelligent man that helped his customers. He made the required medication via doctor’s orders but helped the patients understand how the prescription would help. He also was a man who never discussed their problems with anyone.
After his wife passed of diabetes, Augusta and Bess spent time after school helping out in the store.
This historical journey gives the reader a biography of Augusta’s life. It explains when she retired at age 70, her niece helped her relocate to Florida to a retirement home.
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern will be published by St.Martin’s Publishing Group on October 08, 2024. I was able to read the ARC of Loigman’s recent novel via NetGalley. It was a pleasure to read her very pleasant story of Augusta and her family. Such a delightful journey into the 1920 era of life, then venturing into the 80s after her retirement. Two different worlds, yet many familiar faces. Be certain to pick up a copy of this well written novel. Do enjoy!

Wonderful story! Augusta Stern is a newly retired 80-year-old pharmacist living in a Florida retirement community when Irving Rivkin, her teenage lost love, appears at the pool. What unfolds is an ode to lost and found love, taking chances, and hope. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early read – the opinions expressed are my own. I strongly recommend this book. Loved it!

What a gem! This dual timeline novel with a hint of magical realism follows Augusta Stern as a teenager in the 1920s and as a retiree in the 1980s. Augusta is an unforgettable character, and I adored her engaging, heartwarming story.

Loved it!! This amazing book and an amazing story.and you just could not help but love Augusta and feel for Augusta! .
This story is set between two timelines, 1920’s Brooklyn and 1980’s Florida. Augusta and her story, keep you reading.
Jumping back to younger Augusta, we’re quickly thrown into her journey as she navigates the loss of her mother from diabetes. Wanting to help others in the way her own mother was unable to be helped at the time, she decides to follow in her father’s footsteps of becoming a pharmacist. Through all this, we also get the pleasure of meeting Great Aunt Esther. She not only introduces Augusta to the holistic side of medicine but also brings a bit of magic into play as well.

Jumping forward to older Augusta at a retirement home in Florida, the past quite literally runs (or in this case, swims) into the present. Irving was a delivery boy at her father’s drugstore in New York and also her first love. The second chance at love that Irving and Augusta are met with was like a cherry on top of an already beautiful story. The scenes in present time were too much fun to read!

Overall, I loved the story and how our pasts impact our future and you can see this both with Augusta and Irving and Esther. Their pasts a driver into the future and how one's life can change quickly based on 1 decision that was made for the good.

This book will make you laugh and cry at times. I could not put it down.

There is love, science, spells or magic, and relationship issues.

I jumped at the chance to read a second chance romance featuring characters in their eighties, and The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern did not disappoint. Dual timelines alternating between 1920s Brooklyn and 1980s Florida are woven together so seamlessly with threads of magical realism, feminism, and history.

When Augusta Stern is forced into retirement from the pharmacy job she has built her life around, she never expected to find the man who broke her heart sixty years ago living in the same Florida community. As a teenager she had used her Great Aunt Esther's magical elixir on her love Irving, only to disastrous results. Now he is suddenly back in her world, and Augusta must work through the humiliation over her teenage mistakes along with the anger she still holds against this man who has grown very much as a person.

This story flowed so well between the two timelines, with charming characters that you end up rooting for. I loved everything about Augusta: her insatiable curiosity, her drive to help others, her fierce independence in the face of all the obstacles she had to surmount as a woman going into a professional career during that time. The touches of magic passed down through generations of women in her family were so fun to read about; I loved the details of Great Aunt Esther's apothecary and rituals for healing.

I hadn't read any of this author's works before; now she will be a must-read.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for this book!