Have you ever read a book with a story you enjoyed reading.....but you struggled to imagine the characters? That was me and it held me back from completely enjoying this cozy fall witchy book. I loved the setting, a magical town with a variety of characters and fall things to love. I loved the family drama and camaraderie. I loved that she was a kitchen witch and I wish she could cook for me! I liked Gus and how he didn't want to be his old self, he just wanted someone to love him as his. But I couldn't picture Sirens or Gus in detail, just vaguely. And it bothered me.

A wonderfully magical fall read. Sirena and her family had me crying multiple times, I could really feel the love between them. And Gus, hes such a sweet man, how anyone could not fall in love with him is an utter mystery. This book was absolutely delightful. Perfect witchy, october feels and hits all the right notes for Spooky Season.

Kitchen witch Sirena has had a few bumps during spooky season. Her magic is on the fritz and she didn’t get hired for her dream job. When Sirena wishes for a do-over she does not expect to be reliving all of October. Sirena makes an agreement with ex-celebrity magician Gus to help her get some pep back in her magic and her life. As the two lean on and support each other their attraction grows. Eventually Gus and Sirena have to decide what to do about the wish as time runs out and what both their futures look like.

With entertaining magic, a steamy romance and enjoyable characters this is a great read for witchy season!

Deja Brew is a cozy, enchanting read that combines second chances with a dash of magic. Sirena Caraway's journey through a repeated October is both humorous and heartfelt as she navigates her quirky powers, a potential career revival, and an unexpected connection with the charming Gus Dearworth. Their chemistry bubbles over as they bond over magic-infused recipes and explore the warmth of Freya Grove’s autumnal charms.

I was so excited for this book and ended up not finishing it. I stopped at the 30% mark. There were many things I loved but they didn’t outweigh the things I struggled with.

Things I loved:
-I’m a sucker for a Groundhog Day story
-Serena’s sister is everything I want to be
-the town they live in gave Halloweentown vibes
-I’m obsessed with kitchen witches now
-Gus calls Serena Chef, and a couple times says “yes chef” which is so swoon worthy
-books “talk” to him
-I got chills when the clock stopped before going back in time.

Things that I wish could have been different:
-I wish this would have been sigle pov with Serena. I found that I wasn’t interested in Gus as a character. I found it difficult to feel invested in him.
-I felt like there were really any stakes
-I feel like there was too much of a deep dive in the personal lives. So many scenes with conversations with family members that just bogged the story down. Especially with Gus. I just found those parts so boring.

I don’t like sharing DNF on my socials because I don’t think it’s polite for authors. So I only posted reviews on Amazon and StoryGraph. At the time of sharing feedback the Amazon review isn’t live. I’ll update it once it is.

I honestly struggle with describing this as a romance. Like the romance felt mainly B plot. This was more Sirena's journey to getting her groove back with cooking and it felt like Gus was just there. I do really like Celestine's writing style and the world she's built through this series, it's so much fun.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in return for an honest review.

Groundhog Day meets Twitches. I’ve never read a romance book like this. It was like I was in a cozy little world of my own. This is the perfect little witchy fall read. Deja Brew is a perfect little cozy romantic comedy sprinkled with a little fantasy. This book was full of magical feelings and romantic vibes.

I loved it! Favorite of the series! The family, the food, the innuendo, the tension, the spice! Perfect cozy romance for Fall. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC.

DNF @ 12%. I read the first book in this series and wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style or love story, but I really enjoyed the mystical setting of Freya Grove and wanted to give this author another chance. The concept for “Deja Brew” seemed so cute and perfect for fall! Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me quite early on. After reading multiple chapters, I didn’t feel connected to either of the main characters, and the story just didn’t grab me the way I needed it to. The writing is almost too bogged down in details for me? I felt like I was being thrown into the middle of a story with a bunch of random facts about the characters but not much actual effort put into pulling me into the story. Not quite the cozy reading vibe I was looking for, though I’m sure this will work for folks who have enjoyed the past books in this series.

🍂 Thank you NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for an honest review 🍂

While Deja Brew had all the cozy, small town, magical realism vibes that are perfect for autumn, it left a lot to be desired for me. The pacing was inconsistent–it started off chaotically, then slowed to a crawl, with bursts of acceleration here and there–it led the reading experience to feel like a total drag. I have not read the other books in the series, but I could tell that a few of the previous characters had subplots that were tied up in this book which led the ending to be overly extended. It really could’ve been like 5 chapters shorter.

The magic system was interesting and I thought the world building was decent–Celeste Martin did a good job of detailing how magic worked and the community fest robust. I liked the idea that each witch had a speciality, and I thought it was cool how Sirena could lead diners to feel certain emotions with her food.

I also appreciated the themes the book tackled, like overcoming obstacles in one’s career, regaining confidence, and growing out of others’ expectations, however, I felt so disconnected to the characters that the journeys they both took lacked emotional impact for me. But I could still see what was trying to be done.

Overall, it was a low stakes, cozy novel, but felt very average to me.

While this book started off strong, it slogged significantly in the middle and became very difficult to read. The character development was quite cyclical and it generally just became uninteresting. This could use some serious editing.

DNF @ 89%

Oh my gosh I wanted to love this book so much. I loved the plus-sized rep and the black characters. The small town feel was really cute as well and the spice was sizzling. However I found that I didn’t feel the emotional development as much. Since the author was trying to prove that they had a deep soulmate level connection I had an even harder time with how noncommittal Sirena was. I just really didn't buy that they were soulmates at all which was a shame because I loved both of the characters individually. They have very strong motivations and compelling backstories. I was rooting for both of them on their own but not necessarily as a couple. I also felt like the magical elements weren't tied into the story in a coherent way. They didn't feel like they made sense in the world which was frustrating. If you're looking for black main characters or plus-sized rep this might be worth a try. I just know it wasn't for me.

This was a cozy read perfect for the fall season.
It was witchy and cute.

A few parts didn't hold my attention well and were a bit hard to get through but altogether l'd recommend this one.

A cute and cozy romance, perfect for fall! Sirena finds herself stuck in a time loop, getting a second chance at the worst October ever—will this time be any different? With the help of Gus, a famed magician, there’s a chance she can rekindle her magic and add some fun to the mix! I found the overall plot and the magic system in this story to be so unique and enjoyable!

This was a cute book. I did feel that since I didn't read the other two books, there may have been a little back story that I was missing but overall I still think it could be a standalone book. This book follows Sirena who uses a little magic to get a second chance at repeating what has been a terrible month for her. She uses this opportunity to right some of the things that not go so well for her. Her magic has been wonky and overall things just haven't been great for her. While trying to right her life, she begin to fall for Gus. I did enjoy that this book kind of made so many characters magical but it was still a little confusing on who may or may not be magical and what their abilities may or may not be. This book moved at a good pace and was a classic case of he falls first and is trying to see if she feels the same way. Unlike in some books, I like that Sirena was open to exploring how deep her feelings were for Gus instead of fighting against them tooth and nail. Overall I'll give it 4 stars.

Everything they said is true: Deja Brew is one of the coziest reads of the season so far. And it gives a whole new meaning to “Second Chance.”
The story follows Gus and Sirena as they navigate the opportunity they have to repeat the month of October. What starts as a reflection on their respective careers, turns into a chance to figure out – and prioritize – love and happiness.

Although some of the plot points felt really rushed (which, in turn, left some of the magical elements difficult to follow and side characters difficult to connect with), there is no doubt Gus and Sirena have incredible chemistry.

The standout element to this book is its setting: the small town of Freya Grove. From the cast of characters to the town’s traditions, it was giving Stars Hollow in October vibes – which, as any Gilmore Girls fan knows, is Peak Autumn Reading Material.

Here’s what you can expect from Celestine Martin’s book:
- Low-stakes Magical Realism
- Second chance romance
- Time travel
- Friends to lovers
- Small-town fall, cozy vibes

Time travel books typically force a reader to reflect on their own life and choices made – and Deja Brew is no different. Though, I will say this one felt more “low stakes” than others in the subgenre – which, in this case is not a bad thing. Deja Brew is a fun, enjoyable read that’s not going to stress you out or rip your heart out.

My favorite thing was how Martin prioritized a multifaceted description of history throughout this work – not just the immediate history of the month of October and time-travel consequences, but also the longer-term history of the world in which they lived through the archival work at the heart of Gus and Sirena’s story.

Perfect for fans of Ashley Poston.

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I am absolutely in love with this story! It is such a fun and unique twist on the classic "second-chances." Trope and a bit of a ground-hog day story. Sirena and Gus's story is just so dang cute. It's like the ultimate "will they, won't they." With a  magical twist thrown in. 

Their love story is one that is so unique and magical that it stands alone, even though this is technically the 3rd book in the Elemental Love Series. I was honestly not aware of the other two in the series but am dying to read more about the Caraway sisters and their magical lives.

On the spice level this book truly delivers and solid 🌶️🌶️🌶️ on the spice level. There's heat and passion and a whole lot of love. I could read about these two forever. When they finally figured out who they were for each other I totally did a little happy dance lol. This book has a good combo of Tropes:

🎃 Second Chances
🎃 Time Travel/Time Loop
🎃 Fated Mates
🎃 Mature MCs
🎃 Reformed MMC
🎃 Medium Burn

This is another perfect Hallmark holiday style book for the Halloween season. The town the book is set, Freya Hallow, is full of magical and paranormal creatures but they are enveloped into the story in such a way that you almost forget that isn't the norm! I really enjoyed all of the characters and the fact that there wasn't really some big dark evil lurking behind the scenes, other than Gus's mom.

"Deja Brew" is a creative, magical read that oozes fall vibes just from the cover alone. There's a town fair, apple cider, Halloween parties, pumpkins, Thanksgiving dinner, leaves falling - all of that!

At times it was like things were pieced together without a flow or explanation. 🥴 This is my first romance read with magical/ fantasy elements to it. There's a witch, a magician, gnomes, spell books, fae, mermaids (& more) who live in Freya Grove. I felt a bit out of the loop on who was who. All these characters are mentioned & I had no clue who they were! Then "sister" & "cousin" are revealed. But even then, they weren't really memorable.

I also felt disconnected from the town's magic & everyone's different powers. I think I figured out (maybe!?) how Freya Grove works, but not enough. This may be because I didn't notice that this book is a part of a series.😬 I may at some point read "Witchful Thinking" & "Kiss & Spell" to see.

The spice happened in spells when I least expected! 🤭 I liked that Gus had a normal body - no abs! I didn't feel like Sirena & Gus really had a strong connection other than Gus not wanting Sirena's "second chance" of finding happiness to be a L. But it was cute.

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.❤️

I thought Deja Brew was a cute, whimsical, and steamy read. I enjoyed the Dual POV and the setting. I loved the small-town vibes and how the author described the atmosphere and the food. Very fall. I haven’t read many contemporary witchy books so this was a fun book to dive into and all the mentioned paranormal/fantastical characters made me want to read the other two books in the series. I liked that both main characters were rediscovering/affirming their identity and how they belonged. Moreover I loved how they were deeply supported by their family and friends through this journey. My favorite part was reading how much they supported each other, I loved how that dialogue and those moments were crafted. 

I very much wanted to love this book but had a hard time getting into it. I found the plot at the beginning of the book to be hazy. I thought maybe this could be attributed to it being the 3rd book in an interconnected series (although all outlets say it can exist as a standalone). However, as I continued reading, more of the backstory and character choices lacked explanation and were therefore confusing. Furthermore, some of their choices or ruminations were over-explained/repetitive. The detours, back and forth (reverting to friendship one too many times), and info-dumping detracted from the book for me but I hope to still read more of Martin’s work. 

If you decide to read this, I recommend the audio as I usually don't notice info-dumping/hazy plot points when I listen versus reading with my eyeballs.

Sirena Caraway’s October is a recipe for disaster. Her magical cooking skills are fizzling out, her job interview? Burned. And her Halloween party appearance? Let’s just say she left the town talking—about how not to wear a costume. Feeling like a total pumpkin-head, Sirena makes a midnight wish for a redo, and surprise! She wakes up the next morning stuck in a pumpkin-spice-scented time loop, forced to relive her chaotic month again… and again.

Gus Dearworth, an ex-reality star, is trying to heal his magic and his heart. His cool, calm exterior can’t hide the fact that he’s secretly crushing on Sirena.

What makes this book a delight is the sheer coziness it serves up, like a piping hot cup of cider on a crisp fall day.

Sirena and Gus’s banter? Absolutely on point

The Groundhog Day-style magic loop brings new adventures, laughter, and just enough autumn magic to keep you turning the pages.

If you’re craving a mix of second chances, charming romance, and all things fall, this book is your ultimate pumpkin-spiced treat!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this ARC!