The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

by Breanne Randall

Instant New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller

For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a debut novel that explores the shields we build around our hearts to retain our own magic.


Sadie Revelare has always believed that the curse of four heartbreaks that accompanies her magic would be worth the price. But when her grandmother is diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live, and her first heartbreak, Jake McNealy, returns to town after a decade, her carefully structured life begins to unravel.

With the news of their grandmother's impending death, Sadie's estranged twin brother Seth returns to town, bringing with him deeply buried family secrets that threaten to tear Sadie's world apart. Their grandmother has been the backbone of the family for generations, and with her death, Sadie isn't sure she'll have the strength to keep the family, and her magic, together.

As feelings for Jake begin to rekindle, and her grandmother growing sicker by the day, Sadie faces the last of her heartbreaks, and she has to decide: is love more important than magic?

Readers who love the magic of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and the sense of community found in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will enjoy this warm, witchy novel.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

3.5 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

Sadie Revelare comes from a long line of witches and magical folk. But their magic comes with a price – every member of the family is cursed. The curse is unique to the person and often correlates to their magic in some way.

For Sadie, this means that she has always known that four heartbreaks would result in losing her magic. As such, she's worked hard to keep people at arms-length romantically. It mostly worked out, minus a heartbreak here and there. But things are changing; the family is getting back together, and something else is on the horizon.

My Review:

I picked up The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic because I'm always searching for a perfect new witchy tale. (Am I hoping to find a new Practical Magic? Perhaps). While I enjoyed this novel, I can't pretend it was everything I hoped it would be.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is a paranormal romance, but it's lighter on the paranormal side than one might think. Consider it a cozy-witch tale, focusing heavily on friends and family. The magic is almost secondary to everything else, ironically enough.

In other words, if you're looking for a book full of magic, this isn't the one. The family drama is strong and overall very well done. Likewise, the romance was sweet (if a bit predictable). I just wish that there had been more time to explore the magic.

Highlights:
Paranormal Romance
Kitchen Witch
Family & Feelings

Trigger Warnings:
Abandonment/Loss
Cancer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 26 October, 2023: Finished reading
  • 26 October, 2023: Reviewed