Gahhh this was such a cute quick little read. The romance was adorable and the book itself just has super cozy vibes.

Homegrown Magic, by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos

Synopsis: Yael is the coming of age heir of a banking family who literally and metaphorically own the realm. Margo is a plant witch following in her beloved grandmothers footsteps. Yael wants nothing to do with the predetermined life laid out for them by their parents. Margo carries a huge burden of both family legacy and family debt on her shoulders. When their paths collide a beautiful story of community, love, (and a wee bit of drama) plays out.

If you love a side of spice with your tea and scones, this is a perfect one to try.

Things I loved about this book:
• the duel perspective: Yael & Margo as such different characters and bring fun color to the story
• effective antagonists: it’s easy to see why Yael wants nothing to do with their family and their dealings
• the countryside setting and community characters

🤍🌱✨

Final rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Ultimately, Homegrown Magic is a super cozy, feel good fantasy that will leave you grinning on multiple pages!

Homegrown Magic is a cozy, queer romantasy that blends slow-living charm with just enough magical intrigue to keep things interesting. Yael and Margot’s friends-to-lovers arc is tender and believable, grounded in shared history and emotional vulnerability. The greenhouse setting, jam-making, and small-town vibes are peak cozy fantasy, while the looming threat of Yael’s powerful family adds stakes without overwhelming the heart of the story. Pacton and Podos strike a strong balance between whimsy and weight, crafting a world that feels both lived-in and quietly magical. If you liked Legends & Lattes or The Spellshop, this one belongs on your shelf.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Homegrown Magic is the first book in a cottagecore cozy romantasy by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos. Released 11th March 2025 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Although the writing has a definite YA vibe, there are adult themes, spicy scenes, and more adult situations than appropriate for YA lit. The authors are adept with solid prose and the dialogue is well constructed and paced. The queer friends-to-lovers romance is well written, although the standard massive amount of drama caused by the main characters not *communicating* in any meaningful way with one another was irritating.

The author(s) did a good job of writing a believable and interesting gender non-binary character and the they/them pronouns fade into the background quickly (and are used appropriately). As other reviewers have stated, there are coded stereotypes (including names which cannot possibly have been an unfortunate coincidence) which could be hurtful for some readers. The specific issue with Jael's family name is pretty obscure, however, and there won't be many readers who will be conversant with that particular trivia. In other words, the racism isn't in-your-face overt and while it probably shouldn't be ignored or glossed over, won't be apparent to most readers who aren't particularly eagle eyed.

The happy/cozy aspects are well done and will give readers who enjoy spicy romantasy the happy feels.

Three and a half stars (mostly because the MCs were annoyingly dense throughout 85% of the book).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

DNF'ed. I couldn't get into the story after a few chapters. Gave it a shot, really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't get into it.

This book was such a comforting hug. I adored the cozy romance, the plant magic, and the leafy charm of Bloomfield. It’s the kind of story that makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea and never leave Margot’s greenhouse.

I loved reading through both Margot and Yael’s perspectives. It made their connection feel genuine and immersive. There’s real depth in how the story tackles legacy, responsibility, and what it means to build a chosen family.

That said, I did notice the beginning felt a bit slow, and sometimes characters or scenes edged into familiar tropes. But once the magic really blooms, I couldn’t stop turning pages. The emotional payoff is so sweet and real. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars.

This was a pretty cute, cozy fantasy, but it didn't grab my attention as much as I would've liked. I ended up skimming a lot because I never fully connected with the characters or plot. I did like the writing and world though. It was the kind of book that coasted along pleasantly mostly on vibes alone. It works well if you're in the mood for that.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This was such a breath of fresh air! I loooooooved this book. A queer cozy fantasy romance that delivered on every axis of its marketing, and was so endearing to boot. I loved the characters, their romance, their care and tenderness with each other, and the growth in their individual arcs that benefited them both as a couple by the end of the story. The stakes felt appropriately high to make me invested in the plot, but not so high that I felt myself stressed out (which is perfect for a self-proclaimed cozy novel). I loved this and can’t recommend it enough for anyone who loves Travis Baldree’s work or the broader genre of cozy fantasy. 4.5⭐ rounded to 4 on Goodreads.

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

i'm devastated that this was a DNF for me, as I normally really love a cozy fantasy, especially with the kind of flowery earth magic that exists in this world. for some reason, I just couldn't get through the first bit - it was a combination of the third person with the info dumping. I think lovers of a more classic romantic fantasy might be able to push through but for me, I have a lot of trouble with a massive amount of world building at once and that's where i got lost. i still think this book could be a wonderful read for those who don't mind it nearly as much.

Unfortunately, this one was just not for me. I love cozy fantasy books, but I did not like any of the characters. They were whiny, and I found it a struggle to ever want to pick this up. I started it 3 different times hoping to find myself in the mood... and I just didn't enjoy it. DNFed at about the halfway point because to me the characters and plot were boring. Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, Jamie Pacton, and Rebecca Podos for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own!

This is a really, sweet cozy romantic fantasy book. It's so sweet it's almost saccharine. There's conflict in the background and even though the stakes of that conflict should be pretty high, it feels more like background noise than relating to the story. But ultimately the thing that I just could not connect with is that there is no push and pull between our two love interests. There's an immediate kinship and attraction at the beginning and that stays consistent until they kiss like it's just an inevitability. There's no sexual tension or will they won't they to make you leap in gay joy when they FINALLY do it. You're just like cool they did it. Without these elements it just felt empty to me even though it was a very cute set up and premise.

This is a good cozy fantasy. It took me a long time to get through it, but I enjoyed the journey. Love the cover design. Just not sure if this genre is for me.

Homegrown Magic was such a cozy, witchy delight! I loved all the magical vibes, and the queerness woven throughout the story made it feel even more special. It had heart, charm, and just the right sprinkle of enchantment. Such a feel-good read!

***Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author the publisher and netalley for this arc for my honest review.

I thought this was a cozy romance but I just didn’t get very into it. I normally really like these story lines and I couldn’t quite pinpoint what I didn’t overly love. It was just a little more slow moving and less magic than I expected maybe. Still cute!

The execution of the conflicts, both in Yael and Margot's budding romance and with the Claunecks, fell flat many times for me.
I wasn’t really taken with these two’s reasons for not getting together and later breaking up. First Margot just doesn’t like to fuck her friends and mess up a platonic thing… okay, fair enough, but weak reasoning when you both are not only so obviously hot for each other, but also just as obviously interested in not keeping this a friendship. Though you can find other reasons for these two to tread carefully when getting into a relationship, that was the one that got articulated the most while being the most shallow.
Then their third act break-up — they are both acting so dumb. Yes, flawed, damaged people make flawed choices, but they had proven capable of communicating and supporting each other before. It would have been a nice progression of their relationship for them to actually choose to face the threat of Yael’s family together and make a plan together, demonstrating both of how functional their relationship could be despite their various hangups and their individual growth (Margot accepting that she needs to trust others and accept their help; Yael having a cause that means something to them and the strength to go against their family purposefully rather than only impulsively). Something like that comes later, but I think it’s made weaker by the fact that Margot had little role in their triumph, Yael’s choice felt less their own or less considered, and the later placement in the book ended up making it feel rushed.

I had similar feelings of interesting concepts for conflict deflating as well with Margot's parents. I was disappointed when it was revealed that Margot didn't actually do this thing that she harbored so much guilt over. It wasn't her arrogance/foolishness/naive hope or anything at all that really led to her parents being cursed, despite how she presented it. It made her more boring to me honestly. The resolution with Margot’s parents also felt rushed. As much as Margot’s guilt was misplaced and brushed away by some encouraging words from Yael, it was initially an important part of her character. Combine that with the complicated feelings she (and the rest of the town) must have for them regarding their role in everything, I wanted to see… something, anything from Margot and their reunion. Instead, it happens off page and there are no interactions between the Greenwillows. It left the magic sleep feeling very noticeably a contrivance to get the older Greenwillows out of the picture.

I started this seemingly cozy cottage-core-esque romantasy with such high hopes and immediately disliked the characters on TOP of meh writing (which is not that surprising after having the same reaction to another of Pacton's novels). I then learned about the controversy with one of the authors in relation to this book and I will not be completing my review.

No mini-playlist for you.

I received an eARC from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

Homegrown Magic is the story of Yael, the heir of a major banking family in their kingdom, who runs away from a life they don’t want. By sheer coincidence, the town they end up in is the same one their childhood friend, Margot, has been living as a plant witch, trying to maintain her family’s legacy and juggling her own secrets. The two reconnect and agree to have Yael work for Margot, which gives Margot the space to prioritize other things.

Now, I’m not an expert in the coxy romantic fantasy sub-sub-genre by any means, but when I read the description, I assumed the book would contain certain types of plotlines and scenes, and was pretty disappointed when they weren’t there.

For example, one, Yael is an heir to a banking company. They, by their own admission, have never done a hard day’s work in their life. They struggle making tea. I assumed we would be getting in-depth, slice-of-life looks into Yael’s transition from being spoiled to hardworking, but we don’t get that. From Yael’s first day in the town, there is a two-month time skip and we’re just told that there was a transition period. Really, for a fantasy on the cozy side, this did not linger on any of the slice-of-life moments and just jumped ahead in the time period to the bigger events.

Two, this book is marketed as “found family.” I argue if I cannot point to pages showing how the family is found, it doesn’t count. The town Margot lives in is very friendly, she has one other friend outside of town, and Yael makes a handful of friends on page, but this does not make a found family. I was not convinced any of these relationships would count as almost familial.

Their relationship was… fine. I didn’t like how it started, with them both immediately flirting after being apart after like 5+ years, and not reconnecting as friends first. Most of the other development wasn’t anything to write home about.

I rated this book 2 stars. It was a struggle to pick up and continue reading because I was bored. I try not to rate/review books based on what they didn’t have/my assumptions going in, but I felt like the parts that were not included were pretty glaring omissions to the character’s stories and relationships.

Thank you, first off for the arc copy of this book. It just wasn’t for me.
I was initially very excited about a main character with they/them pronouns but really struggled to get into this story. It felt like telling more than showing. I’m not sure how else to explain it. I also love the idea of cozy witchy fantasy and childhood friends to lovers but couldn’t get into it. Too slow for me.
Maybe I’ll try again another time.

Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos warmed me from the inside out with its cozy queer fantasy vibes. Margot’s greenhouse and Yael’s return—plus their friends-to-lovers slow burn—felt like sipping herbal tea under glowing string lights. The worldbuilding is charming yet real, with plant magic rooted in community and justice, not just fluff .

I loved the found-family energy and how both leads had to do their grown-up work before they could heal and fall. There are a few tropes (money stress, parental pressure), but they didn’t break the spell—more like the glue holding it together. If you’re craving a warm, heart-first romance with ethical magic and soft spice, this one’s pure comfort.

So, I sat and debated on actually reviewing this for months. Ultimately I cannot review this fairly due to the very blatant racism and antisemitic tropes present. Alongside that, the writing just felt very dry and boring.

I had SUCH high hopes for this book, because I truly loved the concept, and the vibe, and the cover art is so cute!

I'm giving this ⭐⭐ out of 5 stars, because I do love the concept/vibe, and while the writing felt boring to me, it wasn't necessarily bad. I can't, however, get past the antisemitism. I do not recommend this book.

I received an arc from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review