Thank you Macmillan Audio, for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press #partner for the finished copy of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: October 8, 2024
Summary:
It’s never too late for new beginnings.
On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs—an active senior community in southern Florida—she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s old pharmacy—and the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.
As a teenager growing up in 1920’s Brooklyn, Augusta’s role model was her father, Solomon Stern, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy and the neighborhood expert on every ailment. But when Augusta’s mother dies and Great Aunt Esther moves in, Augusta can’t help but be drawn to Esther’s curious methods. As a healer herself, Esther offers Solomon’s customers her own advice—unconventional remedies ranging from homemade chicken soup to a mysterious array of powders and potions.
As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding but complicated relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses Esther’s most potent elixir with disastrous consequences. Disillusioned and alone, Augusta vows to reject Esther’s enchantments forever.
Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past. What happened all those years ago and how did her plan go so spectacularly wrong? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing a part? And can Augusta reclaim the magic of her youth before it’s too late?
My thoughts:
Lynda Cohen Loigman is a favorite author and as soon as I saw this book, I immediately requested it. I’ve loved her previous books and just know when I pick up one of her books, I’m in for an excellent read!
This is the type of historical fiction I love getting my hands on because it’s not heavy by any means. And some might not even realize it is historical fiction, though it is. I loved not only the characters, which I will get to in a bit, but also the dual timeline, moving back and forth from Augusta’s present day as we approach her 80th birthday to her teen years and on, which take us back as early as the 1920s. I loved seeing Brooklyn through the eyes of our character in those early days and seeing some of what was expected for women as Augusta approached adulthood as well as other societal norms.
I love the characters that this author creates. They are so real and relatable. I especially loved the relationship between Augusta and her great-aunt Ester in the past timeline, and the one between Augusta and Jackie in the present. There is so much care put into developing these relationships and it comes across on the page. And of course, there is the love story between Augusta and Irving. This just brought a smile to my face because it was not without its challenges, but it was sweet.
I could gush about this book forever but I’m not going to because I want you to read it. It’s such a charming story, one I know I’ll be recommending to anyone and everyone. I don’t think there is just one audience for this book. It has a wide appeal, and I think if you love stories about second chances, secrets, a little magical realism and want a story that has some historical aspects but is not too heavy in that area, this one is for you!
Audio thoughts:
I of course jumped at the opportunity to listen to this one and loved every minute of it. The narrator, Gabra Zackman, does an amazing job bringing this story to life, infusing just the right amount of emotion into her voice as needed and she gives each character their own unique personality.
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