Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for approving my ARC request!

Homegrown Magic is a cosy, cottage-core queer fantasy. Once I started to get to know the characters, I definitely became invested in Margot and how she was going to save Bloomfield. The relationship between Margot and Yael developed quite simply, but there was a good amount of slow burn to keep me interested. There are a few spicy scenes too for anyone wondering!

I though the setting of this book, and the ideas of magic were wonderful. I would have loved to learn more about the magic, and see Margot's grow even more. I loved the village of Bloomfield and how coy and self sufficient it was. I would love to visit those greenhouses and the development of Margot's business through Rastanaya was great to see.

I thought it was great to have a main character in Yael that was non binary. It took me a few chapters to get used to how this was written, but it all fell into place very naturally, very quickly.

A very enjoyable, cosy book that I would have happily read more of!

I am not sure what stars to give to this book, because even though it is well enough executed, I didn't enjoy it that much. Let's say it is a four stars in execution and a three stars in enjoyment for me.

"Homegrown Magic" is very cosy story, with a magical setting that doesn't change that much from our world a few centuries back, tough there are mechanical steeds (and of course magic). The book is full of tea, beautiful gowns, strawberry, and of course romance.

I must say that, for an adult book, the romance and its characters feels rather YAish, which isn't a problem if you like these kind of things, with all the huge emotions and littles dramas it entails. Sure, the characters have to deal with grown ups issues, but it still feels quite... young. Given that I genererally don't understand teenager's reactions (even when I was a teenager), it was a bit of a struggle for me to care about the stakes the characters have and the decisions they make, even though I understood why it mattered to them. Again, not a real execution issue I think, it is more a "me" issue here.

The plot is rather simple, streaming slowly, with some time jumps and a resolution that felt quite anti-climatic, because it was obvious (and because I wasn't invested).

I do wish magic would have been present on page. It is fueling the world, it is also a major plot point for one of the character, but we don't see that much magic. It is a choice, and I respect it, but it means my interest deemed a little.

Overall, a nice queer cosy fantasy romance if you like YAish characters, calm stories and sweet romance!

For all of my fairy cottagecore bibliophiles who love a swoonworthy, nice-as-pie romance with a dash of adventure, a sprinkle of drama, and a hearty helping of magic, this romantasy is for you. Homegrown Magic is as sweet as sugar and absolutely perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and TJ Klune. The story meanders a little, but honesty, I can't fully disapprove because the prose is so amusing and whimsical. The characters blossom like the flowers in the MCs greenhouse - Yael maturing from a spoilt, unreliable charmer to a young person with a purpose, and Margot finding her confidence and learning to share her burdens with friends. The stakes are low - à la cosy romantasy - and while I ached for some climactic drama, I thought the quiet and dignified approach the characters took against the antagonists was actually very charming. But the pièce de résistance was the queernorm imagined world. It's a safe place for the readers and the characters alike, to love and adventure, grow and enjoy themselves without the shadow of bigotry. Of course, Bloomfield isn't entirely safe since mammoths, salamanders and other fantastical beasts roam free, and if I was a character in this book, I would probably get stung or bitten because I would absolutely need to befriend and pet everything!! Speaking of, my need to become a reclusive plant witch (albeit a crankier one than Margot!!) has only strengthened!!

If you're a certified fairytale enthusiast, lover of LGBTQIA+ character arcs, and friendly fantasy universes, you will adore the natural whimsy of this novel. It ignites such delightful childhood nostalgia, so if you're inner child has been a bit neglected lately or you're seeking dreamy, flower-filled escapism, then brew a nice cup of ginger and hibiscus tea and grab your own copy of Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos March 13th, 2025.

🍓 Friends-to-lovers
🍓 Rival family drama
🍓 Found Family
🍓 Lots of magic!!
🍓 Non-binary MC
🍓 Queernorm
🍓 Riches-to-rags

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House UK, for giving this romantasy lover the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for approving my request to read an arc of this book.

Homegrown Magic sounded like an absolute delight, and so I requested right away. I was so excited for plant witches and for a main nonbinary character. It all sounded amazing!
Unfortunately I did end up dnf’ing after 74 pages. I gave it a try to see if I could get into it, but I just found the writing a little difficult to read and there were so many characters that it was a bit overwhelming at times. I’m sure that many others will love this book though, I just struggle with some writing styles due to part of my disabilities and so I found this one was not the right fit for me. I’m still rating four stars though because I’m so happy that this book exists and I think in the right hands, it could be someone’s favourite book