When Augusta Stern turns eighty, she moves to a retirement community in Florida. She sees a man that she knew from sixty years ago and he reminds her and makes her think about her past and the mistakes that she made. What happened then?

It took me a minute to get into this and warm up to prickly Augusta and mysterious Esther. But now I love them and I want to live with them and learn their trade. This book has such a rich texture that I wanted to crawl inside the world.

A heartwarming and lovely story set in two timeframes, 1920’s Brooklyn and Florida in the 1980’s, this is a story of first love, loss, family, and of finding an old love late in life, and the possibility of rekindling old flames.

There is a lot of charm in this story, but there are also life lessons, heartbreaking moments, and pretty much everything that goes with a life that you can imagine happening, all the major events that occurred during the time between the 1920’s and the 1980’s, which helps to add a sprinkling of old fashioned charm which seems to have faded over the years.

Augusta grew up with her Aunt Esther, who was a healer, and she was such a wonderful character, a woman who not only helped raise Augusta, but taught her about the healing properties found through nature, as well. A gift that has stayed with her over the years.

When Augusta Stern reaches an age where she leaves her job as a nurse, which she loved, and decides to move to Florida and hopefully enjoy the remaining years of her life. When she arrives, the first person she notices in this senior community is a man who, once upon a time, broke her heart. Irving Rivkin. While it’s been six decades, she has never forgiven him, and doesn’t expect to any time soon.

This is also a story of sacrifices made, as well as mistakes made along the way, of regrets, memories, and forgiveness, but most of all, love.


Pub Date: 08 Oct 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

Another heartwarming gem by Lynda Cohen Loigman! I absolutely adored this book! Plucky and intelligent Augusta Stern is such a delightful, well drawn character, and her tale - which follows Augusta from her teen years in 1920s Brooklyn to her 80s at a Florida retirement village - is utterly charming and endearing. Simply put, it sparks joy. The story is also beautifully crafted - well researched and well plotted, with an excellent sense of place at every turn.

Highly recommended! (And if you’re new to Loigman’s novels, I also strongly recommend The Matchmaker’s Gift, which was among my favorite reads of 2022,)

Many thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

A sweet dual timeline story. Part 1 takes place in Brooklyn in the 1920s. Augusta is a young woman who works with her father at his pharmacy. Her aunt comes to live there after her mothers death from diabetes. Her aunt ester teaches her some “magic lite” including the books namesake. Present day Augusta is in her 80s in the 1980s. She’s moved to a retirement home in Florida where she happens to bump into her two old friends/boyfriend. The story weaves itself together where the reader learns about Augusta’s past. I found the current day a bit more engaging in all its golden girls glory. Loved the Jewish rep and the magic isn’t too overwhelming. Perhaps this isn’t exactly my favorite type of writing as it’s a bit expected and shmalzty but it’s a lovely story I’m sure many will love.

This is a feel good love story about older adults in a retirement community in Florida. The author has written the story with the perfect tone with well written characters that you can’t help falling in love with. The dual timelines are perfect for highlighting the time periods especially the 1920’s. The author slowly reveals the life stories of Augusta and Irving and how their pasts have led them to rediscovering their love. There are many amusing moments that kept me entertained. Highly recommend!
#TheLoveElixirOfAugustaStern #NetGalley #LyndaCohenLoigman
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced eGalley.

I love all of Lynda's books and Love Elixir is no exception. She beautifully balances past and present, and Augusta Stern practically leaps off the page. It's smart, funny, and surprising yet ultimately so satisfying. Another winner that I will be sharing with everyone I know.

This book is set in 1920s Brooklyn and 1987 in Florida providing a dual timeline for the story, which worked well for this historical fiction novel. Augusta, the main character, grew up surrounded by a pharmacist and a healer leading to her interest in traditional and holistic medicine. She eventually became just a pharmacist before being pushed out in 1987 at 80. There were touches of magical realism that I loved in this book and the set of side characters were lovable and a bit funny at times. I loved the prose of this book and the captivating tale of family and love. This was a five star read!

This was …. One of the sweetest, emotional books I’ve ever read. I loved the back and forth between past and present, the characters were real- real, flawed, humans and so, so bittersweet.


Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this in exchange for my review!

Eighty year old Agusta Stern has just relocated to a senior community in Florida where she runs into Irving Rivkin,
former delivery boy for her father's pharmacy. The story flashes back to their youth and growing relationship.
Each carries regrets from what happened that drove them apart. Can they recapture what they had in the past?
Charming second chance story.
#ITheLoveElixirofAugustaStern #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

A sweet story of a retiree who moves to Florida and surprisingly connects with an old friend and lost love. The setting is the 1980s and then told in flashbacks to the early twentieth century.

Fantastic. This novel blends elements of romance, magic, and self discovery in a way that is both enchanting and thought provoking. I loved the richly developed characters and the themes of healing and second chances.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Love Elixir of August Stern took me by surprise as someone who typically doesn't delve into the realm of romance or cozy novels. However, I found myself swiftly captivated by the tale of Augusta "Goldie" Stern, an 80-year-old woman with a remarkable story. The narrative unfolds in two distinct timelines, transporting us to the 1920s, where a young Augusta experiences the intensity of first love with Irving, only to have her heart shattered. Fast forward to the 1980s, when Augusta, now in her golden years, retires to a senior living community in Florida, only to unexpectedly cross paths with Irving once more. Unmarried throughout her life, Augusta dedicated herself to a career as a pharmacist, retiring at the ripe age of 80 before embarking on her Floridian adventure. The convergence of past and present creates a compelling and enthralling narrative that is sure to resonate with everyone.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC to read and review.

Only one year after her mother’s passing, a new diabetic drug called insulin was formulated to help others get well. Overcome with grief, the relationship between the sisters and their father, Solomon, began to deteriorate. Wanting to learn more about his work as a pharmacist, Augusta began working in his pharmacy, which led to her obtaining a degree in pharmaceuticals and taking over after her father’s death.
As a child, she began a close friendship with the delivery boy, Irving. Started dating him and then one night after one of their dates, he disappeared. A week later, he was engaged. Not to Augusta, but someone else. Irving moves to Chicago. Heartbroken, wondering what happened to their love for each other, she moves on with her life. After Augusta retires, she moves to Florida to the very same retirement where the old delivery boy from her father’s pharmacy lives too. Forced to deal with old memories and misunderstandings from their past, Irving and Augusta reconnect.

I’d recommend to those who want a gentle, easy read. It’s strongly family oriented. The author does a great job seamlessly weaving the past timeline with the present, making the story move along nicely. But I needed a deeper plot.
For me, there was no magical realism here. It’s homeopathic remedies vs. chemical medicine.

Special thanks to @NetGalley

Loved this book! Chock full of lovable characters, rich with historical details and sprinkled with a dash of magic, THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN has it all. Toggling between Brooklyn in the 1920s and a Florida retirement community in the 1980s, AUGUSTA STERN is beautifully written, fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining novel about family, medicine, love, second changes and, one of my favorite topics: making your way as a strong woman in a man's world. Dare I say this is Loigman's best yet?

This was such a delightful book. It just made me smile reading it. Augusta Stern worked in her father’s pharmacy in Brownsville, Brooklyn in the 1920’s, so it was fun reading about Brooklyn and Jewish Culture during that time. She is such an interesting character, incredibly smart, hard working, open to new ideas, and wants to become a pharmacist. She has also fallen in love with Irvin Rivkin and thinks he will likely purpose soon. Something goes terribly wrong and Irvin leaves Brooklyn. Her Aunt Esther has a special influence on her and teaches her some unconventional holistic medical practices that are magical for some people. After, Augusta’s dream of marrying is lost, she decides to be practical and loses a bit of her belief in miraculous events happening ever again. Augusta puts all her time and energy into being a pharmacist at a time when women were not considered able to do that job. She loves her work, and finally at 80 Retires.

The other timeline is in the 1980’s where Augusta listens to her niece and moves to Rallentando Retirement Community and she meets up with Irvin again. This does not make her happy at first. She decides she is too old for love. Still, could it be possible to take a chance again and have some faith in love again? Even though Augusta is about to have her 80th Birthday, does not mean she doesn’t have much life left in her. The scenes here are both delightful and funny.

I loved that Augusta is her own person leading a fairly unconventional life and that she is vibrant and sharp at 80. She was a great character to follow. You just want her to experience all that life has to offer. I definitely loved reading about all the foods Aunt Esther Cooked, especially her Mouth Watering Chicken Soup. I could go for some right now!

Thank you NetGalley, Lynda Cohen Loigman, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews for books I read.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a heartwarming story of strength and second chances.

At almost eighty and recently retired, Augusta Stern moves to Rallentando Springs, Florida, where she unexpectedly reunites with Irving Rivkin, the man who broke her heart six decades ago.
This meeting sparks memories of Brooklyn in the 1920’s, where Augusta has to navigate between her pharmacist Dad and her Great Aunt Esther’s unconventional remedies.
When an error occurs with one of Esther's potions which leads to heartache and a decision to change her methods forever.

This book is truly a treasure. The author writes of resilience, second chances, and reconciling with past mistakes.
This book is beautifully crafted and profoundly relatable, and Augusta’s journey serves as a poignant reminder that it’s never too late to forge new connections, seek love, and embrace happiness.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a touching, poignant, and hopeful read that will resonate with readers of all ages.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the opportunity to experience this inspiring novel.

This story rates a solid 4.5 stars! It's such a fun read about how as a youngster, Augusta learned about mixing healing herbs and flowers from her Great Aunt Esther. It's about how she fell in love with the young Irving, and how Aunt Esther's herbs changed the course of her life, and the destiny of Irving's life. This book moves us easily back and forth in time from the 1920's in New York to the 1980's in Florida. It's well written and compelling, but I might have edited down just a tad. The ending was perfect and satisfying. Highly recommend to readers who love a good love story that leaves them with a sweet smile.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.

Augusta Stern, a devoted pharmacist, is forced to retire at age 79. At the behest of her favorite niece, she relocates to a lovely retirement home in Florida. When she hears her nickname,Goldie, she turns to find her first love, Irv Rifkin, beside her at the pool. In 1922, Irv, the love of her life ,suddenly married a gangsters daughter, leaving Augusta heartbroken. She never saw him again. Augusta built a cocoon around herself, to avoid being hurt. At the retirement home, their love of swimming throws them together and they realize they are not too different from the young couple that fell in love sixty-two years ago.
As usual, the author adds a pinch of magic to this delicious recipe for falling in love, at any age.

The Love Elixer of Augusta Stern is definitely one of my favorite books this year--I absolutely devoured it. It's quiet and beautiful and I was completely drawn into Augusta's story in both her past and present narratives. This will be one I'll be recommending for sure.

Thank you to the publisher for making this book available to read and review through NetGalley.