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The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

A Novel

Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

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?

Listeners 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.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 3, 2023
      In this quiet, witchy drama, debut author Randall explores the courage it takes to deal with grief and dare to love. Each member of the Revelare family is blessed with magic, but their gifts come with a curse. In heroine Sadie’s case, the curse states that after four heartbreaks, she’ll lose her magic entirely. She’s already had two broken hearts, so she keeps herself closed off and her life carefully structured, infusing her magic into her baked goods and the remedies passed down by her folksy grandmother, Gigi. But then her first love, Jake McNealy, returns to town after 10 years away, and Gigi reveals she’s dying of cancer. Toss in some devastating revelations about Sadie’s family history, and her comfortable life spirals out of control, as she resists the urge to fall for Jake again, desperately seeks a way to heal Gigi, and tries to protect her heart. Despite the ominous deadline looming over Sadie, the emphasis is on internal, emotional complexity, rather than external threats. The accompanying romance plays as a necessary part of her maturation and growth, allowing her to blossom. It’s an intimate portrait of an understandably guarded heroine learning to let down her walls. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Irene Goodman Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Laura Horowitz brings a charming narration to the small-town life of Sadie Revelare. Sadie wants nothing more than to bake, garden, and practice helpful magic for the people she loves, but too much abandonment has left her heartbroken. The letdowns continue with the return of her ex, Jake, and her twin, Seth, which coincides with her grandmother's dire medical diagnosis. At the same time, dark magic from her past comes back to haunt her. Horowitz gives Sadie a gentle yet sorrowful delivery and smoothly shifts to the grandmother's tough-as-old-boots tone and gravelly timbre. Horowitz matches the script, making the characters sound groggy or passionate when called for, and providing distinct voices for the many characters. S.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

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Languages

  • English

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