Skip to main content

Member Reviews

This installment in the Elemental Love series follows Sirena, a kitchen witch who's life is seeming more like a kitchen gadget infomercial than a polished Food Network production. A series of unfortunate happenings has left her on Halloween with a sprained ankle, a failed job interview, and her magic on the fritz; not to mention making a complete fool of herself at Gus Dearworth's birthday bash by tripping and splashing slime all over herself. After successfully making it back home, she discovers new Wish Tea in the cupboards and decides to wish for a second chance. Next morning she wakes up on October 1st again with the chance to change her path. Sirena is a very busy, work focused woman who rarely takes breaks so she uses this new opportunity to enlist Good Time Gus to teach her how to have fun. Gus is a former magician, former reality TV star who now runs the historical society for Freya Grove. I really liked their friendship and how much they were into each other for who they are in the moment and not just for what they know about each other from random encounters (and his TV show). I also liked how they each had their own problems and concerns to work through and how they helped each other succeed. I do really wish that we got more information about the kitchen witch book that was donated to the society. We got a little bit of info, but it felt like there was more to that story that we just didn't get. I think if you've liked the series and if you like a hint of magic in your contemporary romances, this is a book you'll like! For some reason I thought this was the final book, but it also seems like there may be one more coming for Callie (maybe that is wishful thinking on my part).

Was this review helpful?

A small town witchy romance, perfect for a fall vibes TBR

Loved the paranormal time slip and the characters

Was this review helpful?

I was a huge fan of the first two books in this series, and this one was not that bad. That being said, I don't think that it was as good as the previous two. I loved the idea of what the FMC was going through, I viewed the main point of this story to be if she was able to break the wish spell, which she did. I think after that point, the rest of the story was just ancillary to me. It was good to know, but I don't know if it was really needed. That all being said, if you are looking for a cozy fall romance I would say this should be on your list

Was this review helpful?

Deja Brew was a perfect read for me at this particular moment. I’ve enjoyed this whole cozy series centering the Caraway family of witches in the fictional magical town of Freya’s Grove on the Jersey shore. Celestine Martin blends magic, family (good and bad), rediscovering fun, finding your authentic self, and a heartachingly sweet (and spicy) romance.

Sirena is a kitchen witch who has lost her confidence in the kitchen and is burnt out from the constant grind of work. After a terrible October where she flubs a job interview at a restaurant, breaks her phone, and embarrasses herself in front of the town at a Halloween party, Sirena finds some wish tea and wishes she could do it all over. Wish granted. She wakes up on October 1 and has an opportunity to make different choices. The first different choice she makes is to take a day off from work and go to the Harvest Festival with her sister where she runs into Gus. Gus has retreated from his former life as a star in the family magic show and reality tv series. He used to be Good Time Gus and not worry about the mess he was leaving behind. Now he is the archivist and spell breaker for the Freya Grove Historical Society. Gus needs to figure out what he wants for his own life without family expectations.

I love that Sirena and Gus have so much to offer each other and in doing so come to understand themselves better. I needed to read Sirena rediscovering her love of cooking. As part of reliving October, Sirena questions her own assumptions and opens herself up to other possibilities. She lets herself grow beyond the teachings of her grandmother, while still honoring her legacy. I loved the way Sirena and Gus loved history and their roots, and found a way to honor the past without becoming trapped in it. Martin plays a lot with the layers of living a time loop while struggling with the past and what it means for the present.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Forever and NetGalley. My opinions are my own freely and honestly given.

Was this review helpful?

This is such an adorable fall read! I loved the characters and the fantasy vibe, I love that she’s a kitchen witch, using her powers for cooking! It’s sweet with a little bit of spice.

Was this review helpful?

Deja Brew by Celestine Martin was such a fantastic rom-com.
A cute and charming witchy paranormal romance that I just adored.
This book was such a fun quick read! Fun cozy fall vibes. It’s a perfect romcom book.
I really had such a fun and amazing time reading this book.
The atmosphere was phenomenal. The characters are amazing and the writing was perfect.

Thank s You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute witchy paranormal romance. It’s book 3 in the series but I read it as a standalone and had absolutely no issue with it. The FMC is a kitchen witch who accidentally makes a wish and gets stuck in a time loop in the month of October (perfect fall vibes) - and ends up working closely with the MMC who is a magician. I loved the sister relationship and really enjoyed the progression of the relationship between the MMC and FMC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Such a fun witchy romance. Serena made a wish and is stuck in a month while Gus needs help with his wild magic. They agreed to help one another and in the process a lot of fun stuff happens, including them falling in love. The magic involved in this book is fun to see coming to play during the relationship, I love how the town is still involved and how outside forces are also part of their romance. If you are looking for a good book with fall vibes this is the book for you.

Was this review helpful?

A kitchen witch makes a wish to get a second chance to fix her life soon finds herself entangled with a former reality star with his own that has them both repeating the same October month, can they find a way out of the time loop while also fixing her magic, falling in love, and enjoying a festive October? Sirena Caraway is an ex-celebrity chef who's powers have been going all over the place. When she embarrasses herself at the town's Halloween party, she makes a wish to get a second chance to fix her life... which results in her repeating the entire pumpkin filled month of October. Sirena then runs into Gus Dearworth, a handsome former reality star who has just moved into town to fix his broken heart and work on his magic. Gus has a secret crush on Sirena and when she realizes that he can help her fix her magic they strike up a bargain: Gus will help her fix her magic and Sirena will help him decipher a mysterious cookbook. As they spend the month together they begin to fall in love through cute fall outings, harvest mazes and more... but if they get out of the time loop will their relationship just be a memory? This is the second book in the cozy paranormal small town romance series and can be read as a standalone. This one was a cozy romance and both Sirena and Gus were sweet characters. I think this is a fine paranormal romance and one that would be a cute autumnal read. It didn't wow me, but it wasn't bad either, it just was in the middle overall. If you want a small town autumnal romance with a touch of magic, give this one a go.

Release Date: October 1,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?

✨ PRINCEMAN REVIEW ✨

📝 When Sirena, a kitchen witch, unknowingly casts a spell to send her back in time, she's determined to restart October differently. For starters, she's determined to land her dream job AND she'll have fun again. Gus is a former celebrity magician and reality TV star. Then his divorce leaves him heartbroken. Licking his wounds in Freya Grove, he's taking time to preserve the town's history. These two might just be cooking up something special when their path's collide.

What I 🤍:
🌟 Celebrity Romance
🪄 Famous Magician
🔪 Kitchen Witch
💕 Friends to Lovers
🍑 Curvy, Confident FMC
🕰️ Time Loop
🌶️ Hot Scenes
🌀 Lost Time
🧡 Easter Eggs to Old Characters
🎃 October Vibes
🌽 Corn Maze Rescue
🏔️ Starting Over

The way Celestine writes feels like such a warm, giant hug! If you're looking for a Halloween romance filled with small town charm, magic, lore and some spice, then look no further. This is the last installment in the Elemental Love series. 😢 It's such a bittersweet read. On one hand there's tons of cameos of our favorite couples from past books: Lucy/Alex & Ursula/ Xavier. We get to see the rest of their stories play out. But on the other hand, it's sad to know that our time in Freya Grove, a mystical small town near Jersey shore is coming to an end. I'm NOT READY FOR IT.

Right away, I got sucked into the storyline of Sirena reliving the past month, hoping to make it better. After accidentally casting a wish over a magical tea blend, she wakes up with it being October 1 all over again. I love how she was determined to do her life different, and to have fun again. Gus was such a great balance to Sirena. After being in the public eye for years, and going through a heartbreaking divorce, he's spending his time healing. The magnetism between these two was addicting. I mean, I lost time when reading. 😉 (IYKYK) At the heart of this series is a sisterhood of strong women.

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Passion: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (Several Open Door)
📍 Near Jersey Shore
Read 📅: October 🎃
Read if ➡️: You love holiday Hallmark movies but want some added spice!
CW ⚠️: Death of loved one (off page), divorce

Deja Brew is the third in the series, and I would recommend reading Books 1 & 2 before reading this one. That way, you'll appreciate all the characters more, and understand the backdrop of Freya Grove better. I wish we had gotten an epilogue of a five years later flash forward scene, but maybe Celestine will add this as a bonus chapter someday. A huge thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I strongly recommend this series, and I can't wait to see what Celestine comes up with next.

Was this review helpful?

Magic runs in The Caraways bloodline. So it stands to think a kitchen witch would be stellar in one, right?

Well not always, because it’s happening to prove opposite for Sirena Caraway at possibly the most important month for her yet. When her October doesn’t originally go to plan, she takes it in her own hands and sets clear standards for how she’ll go about it the second go around. Prior to starting this read, in the blurb of Deja Brew, I immediately thought ‘wow that’s such a fun concept’ ,and while reading I felt like Freya Grove did not disappoint. I loved the duality of this book being a cozy romantasy yet also having a side quest where time repeats itself. I’d describe the relationship between Gus and Sirena not quite like a slow burn but more like a nice simmer. We see the chemistry bubble up between the two until they finally can’t ignore it any longer. I’d say if you like cozy towns filled with magic and charming magicians/historical stewards, definitely give this book a try.

Rating: ⭐️3.75/5 (rounded to a 4)

Was this review helpful?

I liked Deja Brew! The second book in this paranormal romance trilogy is my favorite of the set, but I liked all of them. Definitely would recommend for a good cozy, spicy magical romance read!

Was this review helpful?

This is my third read from Celestine Martin (it looks like only her third release, or at least only her third under this name), and in this series, which I have enjoyed very much. This book is definitely my favorite of the series so far!

I really liked the slight groundhog day repetition aspect, when kitchen witch Sirena makes a wish on Halloween that things would improve and wakes up on October first, just to have to repeat the whole month…. Just when she has almost escaped pumpkin decorations and pumpkin spice season!

In getting a do-over, she can do it differently and change the things she felt needed to be better or fixed. Magician and former reality show star August (Gus) goes to the fall fair on Oct first with his sister and starts having the worst feelings of deja vu… and keeps feeling “off” the entire month. He’s been hanging out with Sirena and together they’re helping each other with something. She needs to fix her broken cooking magic, and he needs help with some mysterious cook book in the archive collection he manages.

It’s a really fun and light, paranormal, magical, witch read - perfect for the lead-up to Halloween! If you’ve read the others in this series, you’ll definitely want to pick it up. If you haven’t read any of them yet, you can absolutely read this as a standalone! I definitely recommend it as a quick and easy, light Halloween pick.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

Was this review helpful?

DNF @34%

"...they watched the ride move and glide, powered by the magic they'd made together."

This book is soooo cheesy. I was not enjoying myself. I liked the premise of her having to repeat October, but lots of pieces didn't flow and I am still very confused by the characterization. This felt like 4 different drafts of the same story were put together and then weren't checked for consistency.

I didn't finish the 2nd book in this series either, but I wanted to give this story a try. I have concluded this author's writing just isn't for me.

Was this review helpful?

Deja Brew is the third book in Celestine Martin's charming Elemental Love series. Sirena is.a former celebrity chef and kitchen witch. Everything in her life has been going wrong. The month of October has been particularly bad. On Halloween night she drinks a wish tea hoping for a second chance. The next morning she wakes to find the month has restarted for her. Gus is the magical head of the Freya Grove Historical society. He begins to feel something is wrong but can't quite figure out what is happening. Sirena is his secret crush. When he comes to her rescue they begin spending more time together. As the month comes to a close Sirena has a difficult decision to make.

This is a perfect fall read. The atmosphere and town are wonderful. With Sirena being a kitchen witch there is a lot of great food content. I really enjoyed Sirena and Gus as a couple. They had a great chemistry. The sister relationship that ties this series together is really great. You can easily read this as a stand alone but you miss some little relationship details for the other characters. I am hoping we get at least one more book for Callie!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I had so much fun with this one!

The coziness of fall and Halloween town vibes were palpable … Freya Grove is quickly becoming one of my favourite places to escape to in the -ber months. Martin’s writing shines in making the mundane moments magical. Like when the spell that starts the time loop begins or the magical moment when they first make magic together.

There’s more fun magic shenanigans in this one too! No spoilers… but I was anxiously waiting with the characters to see if October would reset again.

I loved the moments when Gus and Sirena were together and the little hints of fire magic and at the sparks and heat between them.

And the first time Sirena says “August” whew! Sparks! 🔥

Read this! It’s a story of two people struggling with their magic, one (Sirena) trying to reclaim it after losing it and the other (Gus) trying to redefine himself within his place in his family’s legacy. All in all, I just love this series, I think this one might be my favourite one of the three so far. Fingers crossed that we get Callie’s story one day.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

4 ⭐️! this was the perfect autumnal book! harvest festivals, soups, carousels, mazes… you name it, this book was everything! and a time loop?!? obsessed! 😍 and sirena and gus were too cute! i loved how they worked together and grew together to help each other out. and don’t get me started on the spice 😏 let’s just say the slow burn was burning 🥵🔥

thank you so much to forever & netgalley for this book! 🩷

Was this review helpful?

This is everything you are looking for in a cozy fantasy romance for fall. I love a time loop and while they can be tough to pull off I think that this one was done really well and it added to the plot in many unexpected ways. Celeste Martin does a wonderful job of creating this beautiful world with characters, settings, and general fun that really makes it come alive in each book in this series (and I feel like this one especially has captured that unique small town magic feel). Can't say enough good things about this book, and I can't wait for the next one!

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute seasonal read. I didn't realize it was part of a series going into it, but it didn't seem to have a huge impact on my reading experience. My biggest issue was that not much seemed to really happen throughout the book. It felt like we were going around in circles. The main female character was having issues with her magic and while it is resolved, I would have liked that plot line to be explored deeper. The same goes for the male lead. There was a lot of build up to a wedding he was attending and needed a date for, but when we finally got to the actual wedding, it felt like an afterthought. As an additional note, my issues could just be personal preference- I like a substantial plot along with the romance when reading romance novels.

Was this review helpful?

Deja Brew was my most anticipated witchy read this fall and I was thrilled to receive an advance copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). I adored the first two book in the Elemental Love series, and Sirena just may be my favorite Caraway witch! I'll need to do a reread Witchful Thinking and Kiss and Spell to be sure!

I'm not usually a fan of a time loop trope a la Groundhog's Day, but never say never! Celestine Martin's use of the trope to give Sirena a second chance to change her disastrous October via a wish tea was perfection!

Sirena and Gus were engaging characters, both caught between their past and present, their familial responsibilities, and what the future holds for them. Sirena's kitchen magic has been on the fritz with some disastrous results. She has focused her energy on her role in the Caraway family and lost the joy and fun in life. Being caught up in the daily grind of responsibility while yearning for a sense of satisfaction in her career and life as a whole, I found myself identifying with Sirena's character and journey in so many ways. Her decision to try to recapture fun and joy in her life inspires me to do the same.

Gus was the life of the party in his previous career as a world renowned magician and reality tv star, living up to his family's legacy. But following his divorce and the realization that instead of being seen as fun, he looked the fool, he gave up the spotlight to dedicate himself to the preservation of magical history. With his mother pushing him to return to the fold, Gus must decide where he belongs.

The Caraway girls are a loving and supportive as ever. Sirena and Gus were absolutely perfect together! I loved how Gus challenged her when she needed it, Sirena gave Gus the understanding and support he needed at just the right times, and the time slip hookup! Wow!

This book was a solid 4 stars for me. I loved everything about it until the end of the time loop, but once time returned to "normal" the book read slow to me. I understand why the story needed to get to New Year's Eve to finish off the story lines, and perhaps on a reread, I would feel differently. It is still a highly recommend, do not miss witchy read!

Was this review helpful?