Deja Brew was a perfect read for me at this particular moment. I’ve enjoyed this whole cozy series centering the Caraway family of witches in the fictional magical town of Freya’s Grove on the Jersey shore. Celestine Martin blends magic, family (good and bad), rediscovering fun, finding your authentic self, and a heartachingly sweet (and spicy) romance.
Sirena is a kitchen witch who has lost her confidence in the kitchen and is burnt out from the constant grind of work. After a terrible October where she flubs a job interview at a restaurant, breaks her phone, and embarrasses herself in front of the town at a Halloween party, Sirena finds some wish tea and wishes she could do it all over. Wish granted. She wakes up on October 1 and has an opportunity to make different choices. The first different choice she makes is to take a day off from work and go to the Harvest Festival with her sister where she runs into Gus. Gus has retreated from his former life as a star in the family magic show and reality tv series. He used to be Good Time Gus and not worry about the mess he was leaving behind. Now he is the archivist and spell breaker for the Freya Grove Historical Society. Gus needs to figure out what he wants for his own life without family expectations.
I love that Sirena and Gus have so much to offer each other and in doing so come to understand themselves better. I needed to read Sirena rediscovering her love of cooking. As part of reliving October, Sirena questions her own assumptions and opens herself up to other possibilities. She lets herself grow beyond the teachings of her grandmother, while still honoring her legacy. I loved the way Sirena and Gus loved history and their roots, and found a way to honor the past without becoming trapped in it. Martin plays a lot with the layers of living a time loop while struggling with the past and what it means for the present.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Forever and NetGalley. My opinions are my own freely and honestly given.
