The Enchanted Hacienda

For the first few chapters, I was worried that this was another 'romance' where lust and sex are a cheap replacement for love and personality, but I kept reading and found a beautiful story about magic, family and yes, actual love! There are a couple of heated scenes that are well written yet don't go all the way, so to speak, and then the final 'reunion' between Harlow and Ben, which is enough for me.

In the spirit of Practical Magic, which is one of my favourite films, and, yes, Encanto, that I haven't actually seen, Harlow Estrada comes from a long line of magical women and her family run a flower farm in Mexico where they grow enchanted blooms. Her mother can influence dreams, her sister communicates with ghosts, and a cousin has show more the gift of healing. The women are all named after flowers, too - Jazmin, Rosa, Camelia, Liliana, Dahlia. Only Harlow lacks a specific magical power, and is named after rocks (or a town in Essex, if you're English). When Harlow's one-sided relationship with a dude bro called Chad ends with a drink in his face and a quick escape from New York, she returns to the family farm and finds the love and magic she has been missing.

I love a good Hallmark movie and this novel is like a rejected script. The city boyfriend, the return home, sparks flying after a meet-cute in a local eatery (owned by her godfather!), a cute older couple who show what real love can be, romantic dates, the former girlfriend who throws a spoke in the wheels - all that was missing was snow! Harlow's fear that her feelings are the result of magic and not genuine connection was also handled well (and her friend Laini lampshades my hatred of 'romance' novels perfectly: 'No way could someone fall this madly if they hadn't had sex, right?') Harlow's empowerment is satisfying, Ben is pretty bland but sweet and his grandparents are adorable, and dear lord, would I love to live on the family flower farm (the shop is called 'Encanto', nudge nudge). I even remembered to water my plant after reading about so many beautiful blooms!

The writing is a bit clumsy in places and perhaps the pages could do with a bit of pruning, but I've read worse this week! Delightful. show less

3.7 stars

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

It’s seven fifteen on a Thursday, and I’ve lost my dream job, and an unworthy boyfriend, and the apartment that comes along with him, and worst of all, maybe even myself along the way.

Harlow was just let go from her job as a book editor due to cut backs and when she overhears her boyfriend saying a snide remark about her, she throws her drink in his face and decides it’s time to leave New York City and go home to the Estrada family farm in Mexico. For four generations the Estrada women have been running the flower farm, using the magic gifted to them from the Aztec goddess Mayahuel to infuse the flowers with magic. Each show more woman in Harlow’s family has their own brand of magic, except for her, the only one not named for a flower. Back home, she gets left with the responsibility of the farm, meets a man that finally has her feeling alive, and starts to think that she might just have her own brand of magic.

“I want to find the better and truer way,” I whisper.

Told all in Harlow’s first person pov, The Enchanted Hacienda was a story of coming from a loving family but still feeling like an outsider, finding and learning to believe in yourself, and trusting in love. A lot of have compared this to Encanto (Disney movie) but I haven’t seen it, I will say this had some Practical Magic movie vibes. Harlow, coming home and helped by her mother, tía, two sisters, and cousins in the beginning created a warm loving atmosphere but halfway through they leave the immediate picture and Harlow has to work things out on her own, while Ben comes into the picture. A chance meeting at a café has Harlow and Ben sparking off each other and then it’s clear, with their other chance meetings, that the universe and magic are invested in getting these two together.

For once I don’t want to choose safe. It always leads to the same outcome: a belief that good is enough.

While this is mostly Harlow’s story of finding herself, Ben plays a big part of that in the second half and we get more of a romance plot than I was expecting. They were are turns cute and sparking with their shy approaching and flirting. It was clear that Ben liked Harlow but without his point-of-view, the romance was more lopsided with it being more about Harlow. As they grow closer together, the angst comes in the latter second half when Harlow discovers that magic may be playing a conniving part in their relationship and her trust issues has her fearing their feelings might not be completely real. However, as Harlow comes into her magic and self, trust builds and we get a sweet ending HEA.

With a half sigh, half groan, he presses his forehead to mine. “Truth?”
I nod.
“I think I’m in a lot of trouble.”

This wasn’t quite an ensemble story, Harlow is always front and center, but the author brings readers into a world full of characters that they are going to love and want to get their own stories. There will always be the grounding spot, foundation of the Estrada family flower farm with Harlow’s mother and tía and I can see Harlow’s two sisters, Camilla and Lily, her cousins Dahlia and Lantana, and her bestfriend Laini visiting and then starting off the journey to their own books. This was more character driven, the magical realism world was contained to flowers and bouquets infused with magic and spell that played, for the most part, to the side. I liked how through Harlow’s journey to find herself we get the history of how the Estrada family has this magic, giving some world-setting. With the world set and the other women having lived with their magic longer, I can see their books having more magic in them.

It was all magic.

Harlow’s journey to finding and believing in herself, coming into her own magic, and learning to trust in her love with Ben, will sweep you away with its sweet and spark. If you like to make midnight margaritas, then you need to visit the Estrada family farm. show less

I am not a romance reader...I guess I would like to live it than read about it. I want to say that this book was amazing. From the first chapter you follow the story of ancestors and culture, magic and destiny, and so very much more. I could not put this book down and it is such a page turner. Do you believe in magic? If you answered no after reading this book you will and if you already do you will feel that you are right there and that the author painted a beautiful story peppered with magic, love, disappointment, and so much more. I so recommend this book and this time of year is the right time to read this.

Interesting premise and story. However, the story got bogged down with over the top emotions and sexual descriptions. I had to skim and force myself to finish. The author should have pruned the verbage to the actual story instead of trying to inflate emotions with excess words and scenes.

Reading this book was like watching a Hallmark movie with the Good Witch series mixed in. It has romance, magic, heartbreak, sisterhood, and love, what more could you want from a novel.

Frankie Corzo did a great job narrating this book. I was able to listen to the book at 2.5x and still easily understand which character was speaking and what was being said.

I was disappointed with this book, especially the end. I loved the first half. It had all the makings of an amazing story. The ending just let me down. It was not what I was hoping it would be.

If you like romantic drama this is for you (and not for me)
It is basically a romantic adult version of Disney’s Encanto. I honestly was glad to finish it and move on to a new book.