
Member Reviews

If you're trying to read a cozy, magical, queer fantasy.
This is another great one to add to your list. It's very swoony and cute.|

Homegrown Magic offers a cozy fantasy with charming small-town vibes, plant magic, and queer representation. While the dual POV and romantic tension were enjoyable, the pacing felt uneven, and some characters lacked depth, making it hard to stay invested. The imagery and whimsical setting were highlights, but the story occasionally felt predictable and underdeveloped. A decent pick for fans of lighthearted romantasy, though it didn’t fully capture my interest

Typically any book that starts with a map is going to be an auto-nope for me because that usually means it too high fantasy for my interest. I was obviously intimidated when the first thing I saw when I started this book was a damn map. BUT this book was actually so approachable and zero parts intimidating and I learned my lesson: don’t just a book by it’s … map?
Anyway….. getting to the actual story? It was so good! I love a book that has a dual POV and goes back and forth every other chapter, and this book executed that so well! Each MC was a fully-formed lovable character (with very real flaws). The imagery through the book was beautiful. I’m not one for pages and pages of descriptions of what something looks like. I feel like the authors were able to give perfect descriptions to allow me to picture the setting without going on and on and on as in some fantasy books. The ending of this book felt a bit rushed and predictable but it did not ruin my feelings toward the book.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

If you are looking for a cozy fantasy queer romance book this is a good read. It was an enjoyable read but I wish there was more world building and magic, but the romance is very cute!

Homegrown magic is a delightful cozy fantasy featuring a dual POV of two very different characters who eventually learn how they complement each other. Yael is a wealthy young warlock escaping their family’s expectations while Margot is a plant witch working overtime to save her family and their legacy.
There is a lot of detail about Margot’s small town and plant magic, which could be a plus or a minus depending on your point of view. At some points I wanted the plot to move faster, but overall I really enjoyed the story, world, and characters.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of HomeGrown Magic in exchange for review.
3.5 stars
This is the epitome of what I want from a cozy fantasy book. We’ve got magic, nature & plants, queer representation, small town, high stakes without feeling overwhelming, with a ton of whimsy and sparkle.
We have two main characters which the story switches POV between witch Margot and warlock Yael both heirs to well known families, one attempting to live up to their family legacy and the other attempting to escape it. I truly love a POV switch as it keeps the story flowing so smoothly.
I also loved the sort of slow flirty romantic tension and longing both characters were experiencing it was written to wonderful romcom perfection.
Lastly I love that this book is D&D adjacent. It made me deeply miss playing with my group of friends and how spontaneous creativity can weave such a beautiful story. Super glad I read this one! Thank you so much.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn’t hit the spot. The writing style felt a little clunky, but that may be my preference. The concept of queer representation in that time period was what made me want to like it. Missed the mark unfortunately.

When I pick up a romantasy I know I'm in for a mediocre fantasy and decent romance that's part of the deal. Unfortunately Homegrown Magic doesn't even deliver on the romance part. As for the fantasy, we've just taken the authors' DND setting and put everyone in a cottagecore small town.
The book is decently written. Decently as in the prose is not cringy millennial as way too many romances nowadays but tragically lack introspection or inferiority. The real problem of this romance is that thw characters never grow beyond their given archetype, they're flat. Yael is a fuckboy (fuckperson?), the scion of a rich family but they don't actually want to be (ultimate spoiled child). They don't want to settle but the story will prove them wrong. Margot is the serious one who must live up to all expectations and save her family. So far no big originality. And there will not be any particular nuance. That's normal because the authors clearly wanted to write a run of the mill romantasy with the least interesting plot they could come up with. No one cares about the romantasy plot I'm here for the romance plot. But nooooo we must spend time on the plot instead of romantic development. Besides the lack of chemistry the friends to lovers trick means that they've not bothered to create meaningful tension and build up for the relationship. All the weeks reconnecting and forced proximity are skipped just like that. Why write the romance in a romance book? That's so outdated.

Thank you to Del Rey for allowing me to read a copy of this book as long as I provide an honest review.
Homegrown Magic is a queer romcom in a fantasy word, featuring Yael, the heir to an extremely weathly family who feeds that they don't fit in as they should, and Margot, Yael's childhood friend, who has had to shoulder the legacy of her grandmother's plant magic.
When Yael flees their own graduation party, feeling trapped and overwhelmed by their family's expectations, their path (or mechanical steed) leads them straight to Margot. Margot has her own troubles, though. Her inheritance, house, and her town are on the line if she cannot perfect a legendary potion by summer's end... and she has yet to make any progress.
My favorite part of this story was the vibrant imagery of the town of Bloomfield, as well as Pacton and Podos's amazing prose. Truly, they make you feel like you are right at home in Clementine's tavern with Yael and Margot, or in the greenhouse, or feeling the deep emotions plaguing our characters.
Additonally, whenever Margot's potion making skills were showcased, I was enraptured. As any child who stirred leaves and water and dirt together in the back yard can atest, it is so much fun to see the recipes from Granny Fern's book come together, whether completely successful or not.
My least favorite part was Yael's character for the first 75% of the novel. At the beginning, they are naive and privileged, constantly making impulsive decisions with no mind for the consequences. When they arrive in Greenfield and Margot allows Yael to work with her, there is a 2 month time skip. Afterwards, all the townspeople have adopted Yael into their midst. They continue to make impulsive and reckless decisions, but Margot finds them endearing rather than challenging. Personally, I feel like those first two months could have been great to show Yael battling with their privilege, having to work for the first time in their life, but no. This left a sour taste in my mouth for them, because they really don't start to grow, at least in my eyes, until the last portion of the novel.
Homegrown Magic is a fantastic addition to the growing 'cozy fantasy' genre. Looking forward to more from this writer duo!

This is such a magical story of love, growth, acceptance and beauty. Who doesn't love a romantic tale where two people defy the odds and live happily ever after? I'll be looking forward to telling my fellow romcom and fantasy fans about this book. And I'm really, really hoping for a sequel!!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If the vibes of cozy video games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing could be transformed into a book, I am very sure it would be this book. I absolutely love cozy fantasys, especially in the winter time so this truly warmed by heart to read. The romance was a living room fire, kindling with comfort. It was slow-burn and I absolutely loved it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the digital Arc!

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.