Eighty-year-old Augusta Stern is a retired pharmacist. She is now living in a senior community in Florida.
She runs into a man from her past, Irving Rivkin who was a delivery boy for her fathers at his pharmacy in Brooklyn, when they were younger. He broke her heart and you can imagine the shock of seeing him in her community.
When Augusta was younger, and her father Solomon owned the local pharmacy was the go-to place for all ailments. After he mother dies, her Great Aunt Esther moves in and is a healer so Augusta leans remedies from Esther.
As Augusta learns the new ways, something happens and she vows to stay away from elixirs.
After all this time, will old wounds heal? I was fascinated by this story.

3.5 stars

The dual timelines of this book worked well, even though I liked the parts of the book that took place in the 1920s a lot more than the ones in 1987 (even though the 1987 parts took place in my hometown), which felt a lot more repetitive and sometimes a little boring. I do think this well written and engaging, though sometimes a little overly detailed, and I was actually interested in reading the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I think this was one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far.

If you like UpLit you will absolutely love this story of the old pharmacist, Augusta, who moves into an elderly home where she ends up seeing two people from her childhood, one of whom is her teenage boyfriend (love of her life) who left her and married someone else.

This story has so much heart, so much love, so much pain. The characters are layered, funny, sweet, and so real. The way the story slowly unfolds builds your empathy, love and connection to the characters and before you know it, you are rooting for them and aching for them.

I loved the magical realism. Usually in stories like this I tend to like one character's storytelling more than the other one. Or I like one timeline more. In this case, I loved all of it. Every moment.

Wonderful story, a perfect balm for these tough days.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

What a sweet story that straddles historical fiction and modern day, late in life romance…. With a little bit of magic mixed in. A fun second-chance-at love that will tug at your heart strings. For lovers of Don’t Forget to Write or Cohen Loigman’s other books.

A cutesy, heartwarming, second-chance romance set in the 1920s and 1980s.

I will be honest, the only reason I picked this up is because the cover was gorgeous and I saw a hint of magic realism somewhere in the description. This is a romance-focused book with endearing characters and a completely improbable plotline (everything apart from the magic, that is). I feel like it should have been longer for me to appreciate the relationship between all the characters, but the book does pack a good (sweet?) punch in a small package. I'm not going to analyze this one much, it's fun and refreshing with a side of feminism, and it made me want to make chicken soup. 4 stars, this is for the cozy romance and magical realism readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

OMGoodness. I didn't expect to love this book so much. Not a spoiler alert: The novel is wonderful.

This reviewer typically reviews thrillers, with the occasional women's fiction or romance novel to round out my reading. I rarely read historical fiction. Almost never. And not in a long time. So, I surprised myself when I accepted the invitation to read The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern when it arrived in my mailbox. There was something about the beautiful book cover and story description that lured me, despite my having next to nothing in common with the protagonists.

Except--I'm a grandmother. And I clearly remember when my widowed grandmother met and married the love of her life at age seventy-six. Before she died at the age of eighty-two, she told me the six years of her second marriage were the happiest of her life. The vivid memories of her joyful marriage caused me to wonder if eighty-year-old protagonist Augusta Stern would find happiness too. Who couldn't love Augusta, a woman who lies about her age to delay forced retirement, claiming to be a younger woman of *seventy*. Who can resist that form of resolve and optimism?

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is told in alternating timelines of the 1920's and 1980's. The characters are so well crafted they seem real. It feels perfectly natural to care for them and cheer for them, since they endear themselves to the reader page by page. Age, geography, and cultural differences fade away with each chapter of this charming story. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is not to be missed. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

I have to admit, the title, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, was a little puzzling. But as I started reading it, I found I couldn't put it down. The story revolves around Augusta and her retirement. Upon moving to Florida, she sees her former boyfriend from 62 years ago.. That unexpected encounter is the vehicle to weaving Augusta's past in 1920's Brooklyn with her present. Toss in a Jewish household, a woman who was smart enough for college and a career, a mobster, and past hurts, and it's an very enticing plot line. All is resolved in the end - but not until the very end. The true elixir is Ms. Loigman's writing.

When we first meet Augusta she is being force to retire from her position as a pharmacist in a hospital. Having lied about her age, she finally retires
and moves to a retirement village in Florida. Imagine Augusta's surprise to find the man that broke her heart 62 years ago is also a resident. With a dual timeline we are able to see what lead to this heartbreak. And maybe just maybe she will get her answers and find love at 80.

At first I had a hard time liking Augusta, she seemed brash and stubborn. But learning about her struggles of losing a mother so young and then her
love are healing with both traditional and non-traditional methods, made me understand and appreciate her more. I loved seeing her learn about medicine, fall in love with Irving, and learn to respect her great aunt Ester.

This was truly a special book. Irving was quite the character and you couldn't help but root for him. He faced some hardships as teen and young adult that would harden just about anyone, but he really never lost his spirit and seemed to better himself.

I love Jackie's relationship with her aunt Augusta and her plotting to help Augusta forgive and heal.

Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.