After seeing other reviews about this book's antisemitism, I've decided not to read or review it. I appreciate the publisher for sending it to me, but I don't feel comfortable reading it at this time.

This was so cute! I think cozy fantasy can sometimes have a bit of a capitalism problem, so I loved that this was specifically anticapitalist. I also loved Yael and Margot, and if the next book is about who I think it's going to be about, I'm VERY excited for it.

I first want to start off by saying - thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

I did almost DNF the book because I simply wasn’t being pulled in to it, I still questioned myself after about 60% but then figured I made it far enough let me see how this ends.

I felt like this book needed a bit more … well everything. I felt like there were no backstories or very short ones and everything just felt so rushed. I am a slow burn romance girlie so having them fall in love so quickly might have just not been for me. I would’ve love to hear more about Margot’s magic and also the type of magic Yael had ???

The ending I think was fine but idk it just felt very mid and very rushed.
I’m also hearing whispers of this book being a bit antisemitic so like that’s not cool?!

Such a cozy queer romantic fantasy!
Yael Clauneck has everything planned out for their life because of the obscenely wealthy family. They flee their graduation party in search of more, and find Margot. Margot Greenwillow is a plant witch, hoping to keep her family's magical business afloat, and Yael (their former childhood friend and crush) rides back into her life, she hires him as an assistant in the greenhouse. Sure, Yael has no practical skills or experience, but the chance to lay low from their family and flirt with Margot couldn't have come at a better time.
The chemistry between the two characters is undeniable, with great childhood friends to lovers banter. I enjoyed the cozy plant and spring imagery that this book conjured.

Homegrown Magic is a cozy, queer, witchy cottage core fantasy full of potions and love. The world is well fleshed out, and the magical system is interesting without being overwhelming. I really enjoyed the relationships built throughout this story, and although there was conflict, it wasn't so much that it lost any coziness. There were a few open door, brief spicy moments sprinkled in as well.

Perfect for those cozy plant witch queer-love vibes.

Honestly, this book bored me from page 1. I never felt invested in the characters and ended up skimming parts to get to the end. I would not recommend this to my friends or followers.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me. Usually I can fly through a book (even if its not my favorite) within a couple of weeks, and this has taken me almost a month and a half to get through. Our main characters seem two dimensional, their woes weren't anything I particularly cared about. The pacing of this book was so slow and when it started to feel like we were developing our characters we'd have a time jump and have to start back over on the character development. While I can appreciate two authors writing together, and I do enjoy double narratives, especially when the characters are completely different, at times it didn't feel like the authors' voices came together properly and you could have two separate books that was better than a single dual narration.

It feels like the authors weren't sure of where to set the timeline. When I read the initial synopsis, I assumed we'd be in the realm of the late 1700s/early 1800s but with some fantasy elements thrown in there. And at times it does read like we're supposed to be in a regency fantasy book especially when you hear about some of the styles of wardrobe, but then at other times we hear how Margot is wearing her hair up in two buns, with a dress that shows off her legs and so this seems to not be the case. So ok, we're not in regency era. But then, Yael breaks into Margot's house to make her tea and sees Margot in her nightdress and her bare legs and is drawn to Margot in this state -- yet chapters earlier we hear about Margot wearing a dress that does not cover her legs. Why is this now something to draw attention to? Either its scandalous at all times or no times.

This wasn't my cup of tea, and I feel like if things could be tightened, and the antisemitic stereotypes removed, this book could have potential but for now, it's not something I would recommend.

as the only heir to their family’s obscenely wealthy banking empire, yael clauneck is under a lot of pressure. this leads them to running away in search of something different. they find themselves reunited with margot greenwillow, their childhood friend, who is a plant witch and greenhouse owner. margot’s desperately trying to keep what little remains of her family’s magic to keep her business afloat, so when yael comes back, she takes them on as her assistant.

i loved the coziness of this book! yes, there were plenty of heavier moments, but i think the greenhouse setting and plant magic outweighed those. also, this was a dual pov book, which i loved since i feel like i really got to know both characters deeply. this was my first book by either author, but i’m interested in reading more from both of them after reading this! i recommend this to anyone looking for a cottagecore vibes in an adult fantasy book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, Delacorte Press, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy. You can pick up Homegrown Magic now.

While I wanted to love this one, I unfortunately had to put it down. I did not expect so many blatant Jewish stereotypes to appear in this book, and seeing the recent response from the authors doesn't give me much faith that the depictions will improve. Though this book has immense potential and great non-binary rep, I'm afraid it wasn't for me.

This book is like a vivid painting, with lots of color, detail, and texture. It's so full of beautiful descriptions, you can walk right into Bloomfield and make yourself at home.

Yael and Margot tell the story of being weighed under, living up to, and breaking through, parental expectations. The story is almost a bit fable like, with the marked difference between a life of gold and greed vs a bountiful beautiful life in the wilds of nature.

I found the writing to be quick and easy to read. Although the story slowed down in the middle, it was filled to the brim with so much garden gloriousness, the whole thing was cute, cozy, and comfortable. The resolution was a long time in coming, and felt a bit rushed that everything had such an easy solution.

For romance, it was a combination of sweetness with a dash of spice. It's not earth-shattering, but more of a comfortable friends to lovers story.

Overall, this is a feel good story of small town love against the big bad city folk.

Cozy books like this is just proof that I need to marry rich…

I did not know what to anticipate from this book considering I did not like Jamie Pacton’s ‘Absinthe Underground’, but I was hopeful the addition of a co-author would ease some of the writing issues. Luckily, whether that was a one off or not, Rebecca Podos was a refreshing voice in this novel. Every little description felt magical and floral which I really loved.

The characters were really the best part of this, I fell in love with both Yael and Margot and their relationship was incredibly sweet and well suited. Also GOOD SMUT!!! I keep saying that traditionally published sapphic books have short, watered down, and/or just BAD smut. This was good. Satisfactory. Thank you.

My biggest issues with this was the world building. First two chapters were absolutely bloated with world building and backstory that was just unnecessary. Things were either never brought up again, or we were reminded of it when it became relevant to the plot. Seemed like it would have been a better flowing story if this information was spread out, also would have allowed me to have a connection with the characters and world before having to care about seemingly meaningless court politics. It slowed down the beginning quite a lot, but the momentum picked up about a quarter in.

I loved this cozy story of found family & community. Very much looking forward to the rest of the series (SAGE LOVE STORY PLSSSSSS)

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey and NetGalley for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 50%, but up to that point would rate 2.5 (rounded up to 3stars). On paper, this book would have been perfect for me, I love cozy fantasy, Stardew Valley, interesting magic systems, and LGBTQ+ stories. Something about this fell flat, and I can't pinpoint where it was. I think one of my main complaints is that even at the halfway mark I did not understand the world and the chemistry between the main characters felt forced. I would have preferred to learn more about the magic system and seen more world-building, even within the cozy confines of a small village.

I thought this sounded really cute but I am just the wrong reader for cozy fantasy romance. It didn’t work for me but definitely a case of it being me and not the book. Please try if it appeals to you!

I will not recommend this book to any of my students. Unfortunately, there is too much overt and implicit antisemitism contained in the story. I would much rather center voices that accurately and compassionately reflect Jewish beliefs and sentiments.

What a cute and cozy read for spring! This made me so ready to get back in my garden as it warms up and create some garden magic of my own! And it also kinda made me just want to pull out my switch and reboot Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley until I can do the real thing. But maybe I'll just stay curled up and read my favorite parts of this little story one more time instead. I love a cozy book with witchy vibes and this delivers on that plus some giddy queer friends to lovers cuteness!

Thanks to the authors, Random House Publishing-Ballantine, and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I tried to start this twice and couldn’t get into it. I barely made it past the first chapter each time. I thought maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for it, but now I’m glad that I didn’t give it a third (!!!) try. Del Rey needs to listen to their readers and address the antisemitic issues within this book.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for giving me access to this e-ARC. The description promised story elements that usually appeal to me: friends becoming lovers, found family, a queer-normative world and cozy fantasy. I'm even into gardening. It sounded perfect for me.

The first setback was a technical one: I'm not a fan of novels written in second tense. The fact that I noticed means that the story was not engaging me and, therefore, I was focusing more on the writing technique. I can overlook minor technical issues if the plot and the characters grip me, but here they did not. Unfortunately, Margot's decision to keep certain things secret and make life-changing decisions for presumably competent adults without their consent reminds me of someone in my real life. It made it near impossible for me to connect to her. I didn't look forward to reading it and ultimately did not finish it. If I give it another try, I will update my feedback.

This was a sweet, cute cozy fantasy. I loved the intersection of magic and mechanics in the world built in this story, and the little utopian community at the center was endlessly charming. I found much of the storyline to be predictable, but that’s often part of what makes a cozy book so cozy.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Whooo boy I wanted to love this book so bad. The nonbinary rep was absolutely lovely and the queernormative world was delightful. I also really loved the commentary about anti-capitalism and how it's easy for all of us to get sucked into productivity spirals. That part really spoke to me. However, the authors used some antisemitic stereotypes to make their point and because of that multiple Jewish readers have spoken up against it. Even if the characters weren't intended to be Jewish (according to the author) if they can conceivably be read that way then antisemitic harm can be done. I really wish this book had a sensitivity reader because the overall message is amazing but the execution is definitely doing way more harm than good.

DNFed due to obvious antisemitic stereotypes. I hope they are resolved later in the book, but after seeing others' responses, I'm guessing not.