I loved this book! It was cozy, and cute. The chemistry between Yael and Margot was great. The spicy scenes were so well written and I really enjoyed the time and thought that went into them. This book overall was a great cozy read!

I'm quickly realizing that low stakes cozy cottage core fantasy is not my thing. I wanted to like this but I could not get into the writing, which I found to be plodding and overly stuffed with detail.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Podos, Jamie Pacton, and the publisher for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

3.5 stars

The first 30% was a bit slow and I struggled to get through it. I felt like we needed more backstory and emotion from the characters. We got more of those things in the last 70%. I thought the magic system was very interesting. I would have loved to see some flashbacks with her grandma. Those are just my opinions. I overall really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the next book.

I would recommend it!

Wow. It is so hard to find WLW stories that are compelling. I found this to be a really fun immersive read. Will definitely be buying a copy.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

Such a lovely book, I enjoyed it so much. It is full of sweetness, love, hard choices, and standing up for love and community. I am always on the lookout for sapphic witchy romance and this has it all in spades.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve got some mixed feelings about this one. "Homegrown Magic" is a cottage core cozy fantasy with abundant queer joy and queer/nonbinary representation. However, there are few things that made it really hard for me to connect with the story. I found the characters to be flat which really took me out of the reading experience. We're constantly told about the characters and what they're like instead of shown – for example, their reactions to different events often seemed random to me because I didn't feel I got to *know* them. Yael's character presents themes surrounding being a part of the royal family and not agreeing with its values, and I think this part of the book really suffered because of the flat characters. The ending especially would’ve benefitted from some stronger commentary on the “real world” issues in this book, and I don’t think that would’ve taken away from the coziness of the book.

I'm usually pretty forgiving of the miscommunication trope, but for half the book, I wanted to shake both of the characters and tell them to just TALK to each other. They keep things from each for no good reason which was SO frustrating to read and made the end drag. It made it hard to root for Yael and Margot even though I really wanted to.

Homegrown Magic delivers exactly what it promised: a feel-good friends-to-lovers romance, family drama, and loads of garden magic! I loved mostly everything about this book, including its protagonists. Yael and Margot complemented one another despite the weight of their families' legacies on the shoulders (and that weight was heavy for various reasons) so when all was resolved, the ending was satisfying to read. Margot's small, but mighty village was wonderful, too, that I wish I saw more of just...everyone! Everything and everyone were so lovely. I didn't want to leave.

My only qualm was with how the peak of the conflict was delivered—I felt that the transition and pace could have been smoother. I understood why Yael did what they did after Margot confessed some of her truths to them, but I wondered if there could have been another way for that situation to escalate. Still, I enjoyed how Yael, against all odds and riches, made their way back to their beloved Margot. Their solution was quick but well executed, and my heart is now warmer and fuller after experiencing this wonderfully cozy story.

LOVE LOVE LOVED!! Jamie Paxton and Rebecca Podos really know how to captive a reader and transport them into another world. Another reason this captivates me in particular beacause how beautifully it was written.

Homegrown Magic is a delightful, magical coming-of-age story that blends friendship, family, and self-discovery with a touch of enchantment. Pacton and Podos craft a captivating world where magic feels real and relatable, while exploring themes of identity and belonging. With vibrant characters and an engaging plot, this heartwarming novel is perfect for fans of magical realism and stories of personal growth.

This queer cozy romantasy tells the the story of Yael, a carefree heir to a rich and powerful family, and their childhood friend Margot, whose family fell on hard times and is now trying her hardest to save what remains. It's an interesting set up, but alas it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The problem with Yael being the carefree, fun-loving juxtaposition to Margot's nose-constantly-to-the-grindstone is that it's very easy to cross over into being an obnoxious spoiled brat, which happened more than once imo. There were just too many times when Yael came off as downright rude in not getting at all how stressed Margot was or recognizing how tough her life was. And that in turn made it hard for me to believe Margot was so attracted to Yael, especially from the beginning.

I also didn't love how the book relied on lazy storytelling, such as Margot not telling Yael certain information for no real reason other than it helped serve the plot. I also wish we got more world building, especially around how magic worked in the world.

That said, the book is great for spicy love scenes! There were also a few interesting twists at various points. And it creates a very queer-normative world, which is always nice to see.

This was a cute and quick read for me. Though it did still take me a few days to get through, life ya know... happens. I really did enjoy this story. Makes me want to go back and read The Ex Hex and the Charming Cove series again!

Cute and sweet romantic fantasy, with plant and garden themes that I always adore to see in books. Felt very fantasy with all the words and places that made me feel as if i was reading an old legend.

I found this story to be quite sweet and wholesome. I enjoyed the representation here for the LGBTQIA+ community. I fell in love with Bloomfield and shared the journey the characters went on. The writing is quite descriptive and vivid. If you’re looking for a small town vibe with a touch of adventure and a cute romantic story, this is well worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

If you are looking for a queer, magical, cozy fantasy with lovable characters, look no further! Yael is searching for a life beyond the wealth they were born into. They hastily decide to flee to Bloomington, and stumble upon their childhood friend, Margot. Margot remembers their childhood crush at first sight, but has to stay focused on saving the town she loves so dearly.

I was immersed into this cottage-core town through the author’s descriptive prose. I especially appreciated the queer and nonbinary representation! Our love interests were incredibly charming. The story flowed very nicely and I was absolutely hooked from the start.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first half of the book felt like 5 stars for me. I loved the setting, characters, representation, etc. As the story went on, though, it started to fall flat. It felt like the author was putting more effort into the “cozy” vibes and not nearly enough effort into the plot. There were a lot of time jumps over parts of the story that could have helped expand the world more. The magic system should have been given more time or weight in the story. It felt glossed over to the point that I couldn’t get a grip on it. I wasn’t entirely sure whether Margot was powerful or not because it seemed like she was only whatever served the plot at the time.

Overall, I’d give this 3.5 stars so I’ll be rounding up to 4 here. I enjoyed reading it for the cozy vibes and characters, but still wish it had more for me to hold onto.

Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eArc.

This is a nice, cozy read. It's perfect for spring. I enjoyed the LGBTQ representation and the estranged friends to lovers trope. Not a typical read for me, but it was enjoyable.

However, the book suffered from a lack of larger worldbuilding. I know very little about this world and how it works. Some people are natural casters, and some have patrons that give them power. But that is about all I know. I would have loved to explore that more.

I would recommend it if you want a low stakes, Sapphic fantasy with great spring/garden vibes. But it's definitely not for high fantasy lovers.

This review is scheduled to go live on Instagram on 3/18/25 and I will update this post once it does.

Home Grown Magic by Rebecca Podos and Jamie Pacton, releases on 3/25/25

Wealthy heir Yael Clauneck flees their stifling life of privilege and reunites with Margot Greenwillow, a plant witch struggling to save her family’s magic remedies business. As their mutual attraction grows, they must navigate rekindled feelings, personal transformation, and the relentless efforts of Yael’s family to bring them back.

This I went into not being sure what to expect, and ended up really enjoying it. It’s an angsty-ish romance between a plant witch and a runaway heir to a wealthy and powerful family. And each of them have their secrets and traumas (though none of it is due to homophobia or transphobia) and insecurities that they have to muddle through to figure out if they can find a way to be together.

It’s a really lovely story, really sweet and kind of sad and beautifully told.

I have two somewhat minor gripes with the plot. The first is that I got to a point early on where I kind of realize how one of the plot lines is going to shake out, though I didn’t know the exact details. And the second problem that I have is much later in the book where people start being overly dramatic and it’s just like, okay, y’all. Calm down. And everyone eventually comes to their senses and everything resolves like you expect it to and it’s very sweet.

This all to say that the journey of how they get from where they are to where they end up is a beautifully written story full of characters with so much personality, even if the beginning and ending are a little rote.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this book. This review is honest and my own.

I finished Home Grown Magic. I'd say it was along the lines of a slightly spicier Can't Spell Treason Without Tea. One MC is a plant witch trying to save her town. The other is her former childhood best friend- non-binary, from the rich (but greedy) family who is threatening the town. The town is the best part. There's a book seller, a baker, a woman who sells inventions, a cozy pub, a winery, a plant witch with seven greenhouses... They do communal dinner every other week and everyone pitches in.

It's a soft pick for me. Once the character growth started I really enjoyed the book. The town is full of all sorts of fun background characters, and I hope we get more of them in the second book.

I !! Love !! This !! So !! Much !!
Thank you for the chance to read the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start off by saying this is the cutest witchy cottage-core story I have read so far!! The main characters chemistry was chefs kiss 💋 and I hope there is another book in the works because I love the writing.