I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed it so much!

Deja Brew by Celestine Martin is such a cute and cozy read, perfect for fall! I loved the festive October setting and the charming romance between Sirena and Gus. Both characters were wonderfully written, and the Black and plus-size representation added so much depth to the story, making it feel fresh and relatable.

While the magic system felt a bit unclear at times, and I wished Sirena’s connection to Gus as soulmates had been more consistent throughout, their chemistry still made for an enjoyable journey. Sirena’s hesitation in embracing their bond did make it harder to fully believe in their soulmate connection, but I appreciated the slow burn and the way it all came together by the end.

Overall, Deja Brew is a delightful fall romance with wonderful representation, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a light, magical escape!

Thank you to Forever & Hachette Audio for the review copy!

Series Info: I grabbed this as a “read now” from Netgalley and didn’t realize it was the 3rd book in a series. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other two books first, but I tend to be a bit of a series purist. Deja Brew can be read as a standalone!

Review: If you are looking for something light, romantic, and a little magical, Deja Brew might be for you!
🧡 Black MCs
☕️ Plus sized FMC
🧡 witchy
☕️ time loop

There were parts of Deja Brew that I really loved. Gus was down bad for Sirena, which is always an element that works well for me. For me, there were a few pacing issues that kept me from absolutely loving the book as a whole. One area that I especially noticed this was that there was a little too much focus on the rest of the world for my taste. I wanted us to spend more time on the romantic relationship in the first half of the book. But if you like your romances to feel like a full world, where you get to know the main character’s family, friends, and backstory, you may really enjoy this element! I think since I read this as a standalone without reading previous books in the series, this element felt more flat to me.

Sirena really struggled to decide what she wanted in this book: her magic and cooking didn’t work well, she longed for love but was afraid to try and go for it, and I felt like I didn’t really understand her character because of this indecisiveness.

Overall, I did find Sirena and Gus to have good chemistry, and I was eager to see their HEA!

Such a cute witchy book for October! Though Deja Brew is a standalone, the entire Elemental Love series has been such a fun ride, and I absolutely adore the magical town of Freya Grove—wish I could visit!

In this book, we follow Sirena, a kitchen witch who used to be a celebrity chef. But lately, her cooking magic is on the fritz, and October is just not going her way. She makes a wish to fix everything that’s gone wrong, and the next morning, she wakes up to find herself reliving the month of October from the very beginning. With a second chance at the month, Sirena decides to have a bit more fun, and that’s when she bumps into Gus.

Gus is a magician and former reality TV star who's come to Freya Grove nursing a broken heart and trying to rebuild his reputation. Both Sirena and Gus are convinced that the last thing they need is a relationship, but their growing attraction is hard to deny. They strike a deal—Gus will help Sirena restore her magic, and Sirena will assist him in deciphering a magical cookbook from his collection at the historical society.

As the month of pumpkin spice and second chances winds down once again, they both must decide where their futures lie.

This feel-good contemporary witchy romcom is just perfect for the season. I’ve really enjoyed the whole series, and Celestine Martin’s books always deliver the right mix of magic and romance.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for providing me an ARC ebook of Deja Brew!

Deja Brew the third book in the Elemental Love Series by Celestine Martin ist the first bokk of hers that I have read and I enjoyed ,my reading - a lot, it's a pumpkin spice latte in a book it is very sweet, a bit spicy and topped with a stellar cream of fleshed out side characters.
Deja Brew follows Sirena Caraway, a kitchen witch who is strung out and doesn't trust her abilities any more. In this books she gets a magical second-chance at October and romance. After a disastrous October culminates in her embarrassing herself at the birthday party of charming magician Gus, she stumbles upon her Nana’s wish tea. And one impulsive wish later she is back at the beginning of October "Groundhog Day" Style with the chance to change things and explore possibilities. This gives Sirena the chance to ace a job interview, rediscover trust in herself and rekindle something special with Gus.
All the best ingredients for autumn reading in this one !

Ugh why is this cozy romance so GOOD?!! I absolutely adore this author and this series and I hope there is more in store…

A super cute, cozy, lovely book that hits all the fall and Halloween feels! Fall festivals, leaves changing, spooky spells, a cozy enchanted library…grab this book with a blanket and cup of tea!

Note - this book is part of a trilogy about the sisters, but you can read it as a standalone.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 but rounding up for the review!

Sirena Caraway finally gets her fairytale! I enjoyed this story. I liked how Sirena’s upbringing as a kitchen witch was weaved into the story and really affected how she viewed the world. I found her conflict to be interesting and relatable in a lot of ways. I didn’t care for Gus’ plight but he was a great guy and I loved how the story showed he could be “fun” in more than one way. This book was much spicier than the others. It kinda took away from the romance imo. It felt like they were connected through intimacy more than building a connection but they’re kindred so it made sense in hindsight. Although this is my least favorite of the three books, it’s still worth the read! The writing is good and flowery. The relationships between the Caraway cousins is so cute and necessary. Honestly, this book has made me want another to hear Callie’s stories so fingers crossed?

A perfect Autumn read. I loved the magic induced time loop of redoing the whole month of October. This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Sirena is a kitchen witch lacking her normal spark. She enlists Gus Dearworth former magician to help her find her spark. She finds so much else. 🌶️😉

Many thanks to Forever Books for the complimentary review copy of this one!

Deja Brew Synopsis

Deja Brew follows ex-celebrity chef Sirena Caraway, a witch who has a terrible October. She's lost her kitchen magic spark and, as a result, also missed out on a major job opportunity. When a spell lets her relive the month, she's determined to get things right the second time around.

Enter Gus, former reality star and stage magician. He's living a quiet life running the historical society, and he's trying to avoid returning to the Good Time Gus persona he's outgrown. When he finds a magical cookbook, he asks for Sirena's help to decipher it... and spend a little more time with the beautiful kitchen witch in the process.

As Gus and Sirena get to know one another, things get complicated by feelings, and they're left trying to balance their goals with their passion.

What I Liked About Deja Brew

I love the idea of a family of witches with different skills and talents. Our main character being the only kitchen witch in the family makes for a point of tension at times.

The wish spell letting her repeat October is also a fun concept. I loved how she watched Groundhog Day to get a sense of how the time jump might work - great way of referencing the connection everyone is going to make anyway.

Even if I didn't fully understand the magic system in this book, it was used well to progress the plot and explain how characters related to one another.

Both of our romantic leads are working to find direction in their careers, balancing what makes them happy and fulfilled with the need to, you know, exist in capitalism. I liked that they had these goals on top of the whole falling in love aspect.

What I Didn't Like About Deja Brew

The pacing just didn't work for me. The first chapter is a whirlwind look at the first October Sirena lived through, and having it all described so quickly made it hard for me to connect with her character. Because so much of reliving the month is about doing things differently/better, I would've liked at least a full scene or two of the first time to really get grounded in what Sirena was feeling.

Similarly, the whole ex-celebrity chef/losing her confidence thing didn't feel fully explained. I kept waiting to really understand why she lost her confidence and kitchen magic mojo, but it never really came full circle. With the synopsis starting with her ex-celeb chef status, I guess I expected this to have at least some role in the book.

Sadly, the romance didn't really work for me either. It was a bit of insta-love with the whole kindred/soul mate concept, and as a slow burn fan, it just didn't quite do it for me.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Deja Brew is a cute small-town romance about two people trying to navigate life and love. The pacing and romance didn't quite connect with me as a reader, but I think that comes down to personal preferences more than anything.

If you want a spicy, magical romance to read this year, Deja Brew will most definitely deliver - with a good bit of heart, as well.

Deja Brew is a perfectly fun witchy read set in fall with just enough meat to the romance! I really enjoyed Sirena and how realistic and honest she felt. I think her story perfectly winded together with Gus's. I also love the female friendships in Celestine Martin's work!

Thank you so much to the publisher for granting me access!

Fast paced, magical and perfect for spooky season! I really enjoyed this magical love story full of surprises!

A fun witchy Black romance between two witches. Sirena is a kitchen witch and Gus is a famous magician. (yes, sleight of hand, and all that entails) In this book we are in a world that looks a lot like ours but everyone is magical. While I haven’t read the other books in this series, it wasn’t hard for me to jump into the world of Freya Grove and its magical inhabitants.

Both Gus and Sirena are adrift and struggling with things in their lives. Magic can’t fix everything but can their magic help them come together and rediscover their purpose? This does a nice spin on a time loop romance, insta-love and there’s just a great cast of characters. This is cozy, romantic, and a perfect fall read. Can’t wait to read more from Celestine Martin and go back to finish her series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this title.

This is my third book I read by the author and it wont be the last. This is Aa cute and cozy conclusion to this witchy romance series! I loved the paranormal and time loop/soulmate aspect that was written. The main characters are both going through different things and fate brings them together. The MMC does not practice magic anymore but the fmc does. The romance is very cozy and there are some steamy moments in it

I read the first two books in this universe and was anxiously awaiting Sirena's story. Celestine did not disappoint!

The story was sweet and perfect for a Halloween/fall cozy read. The chemistry between Gus and Sirena was so palpable and made the story so enjoyable! I loved that the story was centred on making the most of a second chance and unlearning habits and notions we may have of ourselves that may cause us to be stuck. I also appreciated all the little nods to characters and the magic we'd been introduced to in the previous books as well as how Sirena's efforts to always take care of her family came full circle in the best way for her HEA.

Thanks so much to Forever for the complimentary copy and kudos to Celestine for writing another gem!

I’ve really enjoyed this series, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on Sirena’s story. This is a really cute, mostly low angst romance where both Gus and Sirena are on their own internal journeys and their relationship gives them the strength and courage to make forward strides towards their truth. I enjoyed Sirena figuring out that while she doesn’t want to lose or forget the lessons her Nana Ruth taught her about being a kitchen witch, she needs to discover her own rules in order to keep the spark alive in her cooking and magic. I also really enjoyed Gus figuring out how to balance the “Good Time Gus” persona he wants to leave in the past and the serious academic that isn’t a full portrayal of his self. In some ways the ending felt like the story could have kept going, but with the romance it did feel complete and satisfying. Lots of super romantic stuff, especially around magician’s Kindred element of world building.

"Leaves fluttered around Sirena like dizzy fireflies from the nearly bare trees. The mixture of cinnamon sugar blended in with fresh cut grass and buttered popcorn."

Thank you Netgalley and Forever for this eARC.

This book was the perfect witchy, magical fall read. The book follows an ex-celebrity chef, Sirena, who has magical cooking powers. After an awful October, she makes a wish on Halloween for a redo at the month. The next day she wakes up, and it's October 1st. She runs into Gus, whose a powerful magician that's taking a break from the spotlight. Sirena ends up propositioning Gus to help her have fun and fix her powers. This second-chance romance is full of magic, wishes, tea, and love.

"It wasn't love at first sight, but rather a faint recognition that she felt down to her soul. There you are. Where have you been all this time?"

Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, it wasn't the most interesting, because it definitely hit a point towards the middle where the plot slowed down. I enjoyed the romance, but I don't think it held my attention enough to care too much about the characters.

Here to hype up the perfect cozy fall romance with literal black girl magic!

I demand to be transported to Freya Grove with its never ending fall festivities and otherworldly beings! It felt like Star’s Hollow but with trolls, witches and magicians — and tbh, that’s the best way to envision a quaint lil town in NJ. Sirena gets a second chance to relive the month of October (Groundhog’s Day: autumn edition) to fix some things and get her own shot at love. There’s a time slip element, it’s oozing with all the fall things, and it’s a second chance romance between a witch and magician with sweet and spicy moments. I loved how much history is rooted in recipes and Sirena is determined to keep her family legacy going by keeping those alive. I also loved that Gus’ family is like the magician version of the Kardashians and has their own reality show and everything. DEJA BREW is part of Martin’s Elemental Love series but can definitely be read as a standalone!

DEJA BREW is available everywhere and if you’re looking for a cozy and fun romance to ring in October, this is the one!

2.5 ⭐

What to expect:
• New Jersey magical small town
• Whimsical magic
• Lush food descriptions
• Curvy FMC
• Fall vibes

Unfortunately this book just didn’t work for me. I was so excited to pick it up — the cover is gorgeous and the premise is so fun — it turned out to not to be the book for me, but I still wanted to finish it.

The story felt quite slow and like it lacked intrigue, I didn’t know where the climax we were building towards was. There was the ‘how to have fun lessons,’ the working together at the historical society and the weddings. But it felt like rather than focusing on one of the intriguing plot points we skipped over them all and didn’t latch onto any.

In the premise, it’s mentioned that the FMC (Sirena) is an ex-celebrity chef and the MMC (Gus) is a former reality TV star. I didn’t get the impression that she was meant to be a <i>celebrity chef</i> at all from the book! And, for me, the most interesting part of their dynamic was that Sirena had watched Gus on TV and had a bit of a crush on him, but that wasn’t focused on! It felt like the characters really had no history or anything drawing them together.

The magic system was very whimsical, and I’d recommend this for someone looking for a that type of witchiness. But personally, I wish the magic was more grounded because it felt like new things just kept popping up without context.

The ending was also not my cup of tea. Both characters felt so undecided right up until the final page — they couldn’t even commit or admit their feelings! It was so frustrating. Because of this, it felt like most of the ‘chemistry’ we’re told about was due to the characters being <spoiler> soulmates </spoiler> rather than actually feeling the chemistry between them.
And there was no epilogue! In the authors bio (after the book had finished) it said that she writes both HEA and HFN, and this definitely felt like more of a HFN.

Then, this is a personal pet peeve but, the couple <spoiler> leaves the small town together at the end of the book </spoiler> which is so frustrating after we’ve spent 300+ pages meant to be falling in love with the town.

There were some parts of the book I did enjoy — like the food descriptions, scenes at the historical society and the fall events — and there are some good reviews, so if the tropes and whimsical small town witchiness sound good to you there’s no harm in trying it out. Overall, this was just not my type of book.

<i>Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC</i>

I was so excited to be approved to read this galley. Thank you to the publisher! I so enjoyed this novel and will be purchasing a physical copy for my library.