Fun fantasy romance.In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.�The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants¥from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys¥except for Claire?s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire?s quiet life is turned upside down¥along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy¥if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom¥or with each other. Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own.From the Hardcover edition.

Charming, cosy book about household magic and relationships. ( )

I'm writing this from memory, as I picked this book up at an airport out of curiosity back in 2007. I remember it as a quick but thoroughly enjoyable read. It was my introduction to the Magical Realism genre, and I was instantly hooked. ( )

I've been curious about this one for a while and I wasn't disappointed! It made me want to go to Sacred Sweets for Lavender Cookies :) ( )

This book had promise in the beginning, but then it turns into more of a romance than I generally like.

I thought the romance was cringey and a little creepy. Like, how many times does she have to say she’s not interested? Oh, until he corners her and kisses her, and then she’s suddenly into him? 🙄 Whatever.

I really enjoyed the parts that weren’t the romance and I was planning on reading the second book, but now I’m going to give it a miss.

If you enjoy Practical Magic, but wish it was spicy, then you may like this book. ( )