The Anatomy of Magic

When I saw the cover for The Anatomy of Magic with the magical flowers, I knew I had to pick it up. What I got was an adult contemporary second chance romance with Encanto vibes that I enjoyed from start to end.Apparently, this is the second of a series, with the first book, The Enchanted Hacienda, following Lillian’s sister, Harlow. Though you don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one. I didn’t read the first book prior to reading this.When it comes to ‘romantasy’ as a genre, my usual favorites are contemporary romances with a fantastical element, and this book, a women’s fiction book with magical flowers, fits the bill. As a heads up, this book has some depictions of surgical procedures, some swearing and some semi-explicit sex scenes.Lillian is an OBGYN who’s recovering from a tragic and traumatic experience at work. She returns to her magical home and family in Mexico to reflect, wrangle in her out of control memory magic, and help her family for a few days. However, an encounter with an old love throws off all her plans.The characters were good, and I enjoyed Lillian’s journey as she deals with both what happened to her at her job and her love life. She’s a bit headstrong, but wants to let go it it means getting everything back on track. It was intriguing to see Lilian fight her magical heritage with her scientific training, as she was trying to explain things, and does effect some choices she makes. The second chance romance was developed well, as it’s not as it first looks and there’s a bunch of things to work out as they reconnect.The setting of this magical house in a small Mexican town gave this story a whimsical feel. I enjoyed how Mexican culture and mythology were also weaved along with the flower magic that defined the story. The sisterhood bonds and family legacy was loyal and strong. The themes of second chances and unearthing old secrets for healing were done well. Overall, the story was warm despite some dark moments and topics.It has some fast pacing, maybe a bit too quick in spots, I wish there was a tiny bit of slowdown on a couple of spots to really take in the setting and some of the secondary characters a little more. It’s only eight hours on audio.Diana Bustelo did a great job with the narration and range of the characters and it felt like going back home in a way.*I received an ARC from Netgalley and Harlequin Audio. All opinions are my own.*

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.Genre: Romcom, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Magical RealismSpice Level: Sex on pageLanguage: Some profanityReadability: This is part of a series, but it's not necessary to read in orderRepresentation: Gay side character mentioned, different nationalitiesTHE ANATOMY OF MAGIC is a cozy book with its emphasis on relationships, and the magic is a secondary note though integral to the characters and plot. The author does a good job of weaving in backstory to understand what is happening to the characters and why it's significant.I like the flower magic in this series and how it interacts with each of the women differently. :D Romance readers will love this book.Happy reading!

Lillian has everything locked down. She's successful and self-assured but when confronted with her past, she unravels when tragedy strikes and everything she thought to be true isn't. Lilian returns home for respite to her family's flower farm in Mexico. Her first love, Sam, is back in the picture and she grapples with all of her loose threads.While the first book, The Enchanted Hacienda, quite literally enchanted me, The Anatomy of Magic didn't stand up to its sister (for me). I liked it but didn't love it, to my regret. I think it just lacked some of the whimsy of the first. That being said, I think that the setting continues to be entertaining and I adore the family as a whole. I love the new glimpses into the family farm! But most of all, I'm curious what will come of the other sisters and cousins.Thank you to HTP and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Lily Estrada is a badass OB-GYN in L.A. living her best Type-A life until—bam!—a trauma in the OR knocks her off her axis, both literally and magically. One second she’s a surgeon, the next she’s dropping everything and fleeing to her family’s enchanted flower farm in Mexico like she’s starring in her own magical telenovela. And honestly? Mood.The Estrada women are magic. Literal magic. Each one has her own power tied to the land, the flowers, the vibes. Lily’s gift? Memory magic. As in, she can go in and edit your memories. Rewind. Delete. Mute the pain. Cool trick, right? Except her magic is glitching like a cursed iPhone and now she's having memory flashes of her own heartbreak—the one she's tried very hard to suppress under years of professional achievement and emotional repression.And wouldn’t you know it? The man who shattered her in college, Sam—oh, sweet ghosting Sam—pops up at a family wedding like, “Hey! Missed you.” Sir, you vanished. You’re lucky she doesn’t hex your kidneys.Lily’s trying to keep it together, but between the glitchy powers, the family drama, and Sam’s stupid face being all nostalgic and hot, she’s spiraling. Because, surprise: maybe his disappearance wasn’t totally his fault. Maybe there are generational secrets. Maybe there's a whole magic-based conspiracy. And maybe Lily isn’t just healing from trauma—she’s unraveling the story she thought she knew about herself.This book is grief and power and sexy regret rolled into one very floral, very emotionally volatile burrito. It's about women trying to hold everything together while the universe throws everything at them—betrayal, expectation, ghosts from the past, and literal magic surges that could fry your memories like eggs on a summer sidewalk.Three and a half stars. “The Anatomy of Magic” is a messy, heartfelt, generational saga about remembering too much, forgiving what you shouldn’t have to, and deciding whether the past is worth rewriting—or finally letting bloom into something new.

This was the most perfect blend of magical realism ala Ashley Poston style, and a lovely enriching mix of Disney Magic - ala Encanto! I absolutely enjoyed reading the Enchanted Hacienda and felt that this one was even more enjoyable. I also listened to this one as an audio book and it just truly brought the magic to life! I am hopeful that the author continues to give us stories of all of the sisters and cousins as I just don't want to ever not have a book from this world.Lily was elusive in the first book - she seemed like she had it all together and as a result? She was a bit different than the rest. However what this book showed was the utter chaos, and the mess of her life. She was broken and wounded and I absolutely loved how her past was dug into with Sam and how their entire story unfolded. The beautiful way in which the author weaves Mexican mythology and folklore into Lily's story; into the magical flower farm. The chemistry between Sam and Lily was so captivating and sweet and although they got back together very quickly - I felt that having their history discussed so thoroughly is what kept me engaged and happy for them.This was a really fun and magical read that just blew me away and would be perfect for anyone looking for a light, whimsical love story!