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The BookBrowse Review
The BookBrowse Review
Published December 4, 2024
ISSN: 1930-0018
The BookBrowse Review
Published December 4, 2024
ISSN: 1930-0018
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It's never too late for new beginnings.
On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs―an active senior community in southern Florida―she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father's old pharmacy―and the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.
As a teenager growing up in 1920s Brooklyn, Augusta's role model was her father, Solomon Stern, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy and the neighborhood expert on every ailment. But when Augusta's mother dies and Great Aunt Esther moves in, Augusta can't help but be drawn to Esther's curious methods. As a healer herself, Esther offers Solomon's customers her own advice―unconventional remedies ranging from homemade chicken soup to a mysterious array of powders and potions.
As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding but complicated relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses Esther's most potent elixir with disastrous consequences. Disillusioned and alone, Augusta vows to reject Esther's enchantments forever.
Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past. What happened all those years ago and how did her plan go so spectacularly wrong? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing a part? And can Augusta reclaim the magic of her youth before it's too late?
ONE
JUNE 1987
Augusta Stern did not want to retire. She had no interest in learning to knit, studying a new language, or filling her plate at some overcrowded cruise ship buffet. She did not want to "slow down," take "time for herself," or surrender to any other nonsensical euphemism designed to make her feel better about being made to give up the work she'd been doing for most of her life.
The first mention of Augusta's retirement had come from the hospital administration five years ago; the second, two years after that. But this time, it was more than a mention. This time, Augusta had been summoned directly by the hospital's new director of human resources—a man far more competent and precise than his sluggish predecessor. Mr. Willard's office was small but tidy and smelled pleasantly of Lemon Pledge. After gesturing to the hulking device on his desk that Augusta recognized as a computer, he explained how he had been tasked by the head of the hospital's administration to modernize the workings of his department. "We're putting all employee records on a new network. Soon our paperwork will be entirely electronic."
Augusta stared at the computer between them, wondering what any of this had to do with her. "Fascinating," she replied.
"It is," the balding director agreed. "Though it requires a good deal of data entry work. Take, for example, the pharmacy department, of which you are an illustrious member. Even as we speak, the members of my staff are typing the personal information of every pharmacist into our new database."
When Augusta failed to respond, Mr. Willard continued. "Tedious stuff," he admitted. "Unfortunately, the process has necessitated a close review of the records—dates of licensure, birth dates, et cetera—for each and every employee. In cases where irregularities have been identified, my staff has been forced to make further inquiries to ensure accuracy going forward."
Augusta forced herself to look him in the eye. "How admirable," she said. She curved her lips into a smile, but she could feel her heart racing in the back of her throat.
"I'm glad you approve," Mr. Willard said. "Of course this transition marks a significant shift from our past way of doing things." He glanced at a folder on his desk that bore Augusta's first and last name. "I see from your records that you've worked at this hospital for a little over fifteen years."
"That's correct," Augusta said.
"And according to your employee questionnaire, you'll be turning seventy this fall?"
Augusta willed her cheeks not to redden. "Yes," she murmured. "Seventy years old. On October third."
"You have been a very valuable member of this institution, Ms. Stern. It's not my intention to coerce you in any way, but given your approaching milestone birthday, I was wondering whether you might be reconsidering retirement?"
For the briefest of moments, Augusta closed her eyes. The answer to the question came to her slowly, like a malted milk shake through a too-narrow straw. It pained her to say the words out loud, but she knew she did not have a choice. In the most respectful manner possible, Mr. Willard was telling her what she already knew: the dates in her paperwork did not add up.
With all the confidence she could muster, Augusta proffered her reply. "In fact, I am," she announced. "I've decided to retire at the end of the month."
If Augusta was to face the end of her career, she was determined to do so with her dignity intact.
* * *
On Augusta's last day of work, she dressed with even more care than usual. Thanks to a lifetime of healthy eating, daily exercise, and the diligent application of Pond's Cold Cream, her skin was still a wholesome pink. Her hair had been freshly colored for the occasion. From her closet, she chose a timeless white blouse, a blue cashmere cardigan, and a pair of low pumps that her niece had selected. "Frumpy shoes really age a person," Jackie always said. "That and the wrong color lipstick."
At the pharmacy department's...
Excerpted from The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Copyright © 2024 by Lynda Cohen Loigman. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of St. Martin's Press. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
Lynda Cohen Loigman's delightful novel The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern opens in 1987. The titular heroine finds her life suddenly turned upside down: her current employer has "encouraged" her to retire (a prospect she's always dreaded), and her niece has arranged for her to move from her Brooklyn apartment into an upscale senior living community in Florida. To make matters worse, on her first morning at the facility she runs into Irving Rivkin, a man from her distant past — and the last person on Earth Augusta wants to see.
The narrative then shifts back to 1922; 15-year-old Augusta is working in her recently widowed father's pharmacy, intent on one day becoming a pharmacist herself. Her great-aunt Esther has moved into their small apartment to help look after Augusta and her older sister. It soon becomes apparent that Esther is a healer in her own right, offering powders and potions to those who can't be helped by modern medicine. Augusta becomes determined to learn all she can from both her father and her aunt, believing each type of treatment has its benefits. Irving is hired as her father's delivery boy, and the two teenagers develop a close friendship.
The timelines unfold in alternating chapters, as the relationship between Augusta and Irving unfolds in both the past and present. Each story has its highlight. The sections set in the 1920s are superb historical fiction, and the author constructs the era beautifully:
"Her favorite sound was the bell on the door that chimed whenever a customer entered. Not only did she take her very first steps in the aisle between the Listerine and the St. Joseph's Worm Syrup, but when…she slipped and fell headfirst into the display of McKesson & Robbins Cold and Grippe Tablets, family lore had it that the first word she spoke was not Mama, Papa or boo-boo, but aspirin."
This part also contains a bit of magical whimsy as Augusta spies on Aunt Esther, discovering that there's a little more to the latter's healing ability than simply mixing the right herbs.
Loigman displays a remarkable gift for dialogue in the book's 1987 chapters. The banter between Augusta and Irving in particular is both realistic and very funny; these scenes wouldn't be out of place in a 1980s sitcom like The Golden Girls:
"For god's sake, Irving, you scared me half to death!"
"You were worried about me," he said, obviously pleased with the idea.
"Everyone was worried," she said. "Eighty-year-old men shouldn't play tennis."
"I'm eighty-two."
"I know that, Irving. I was making a point. But I'm glad that you still remember your age. I guess you didn't have a stroke after all."
Other scenes here, beyond the dialogue, are equally hilarious (there's one in particular involving a Jello mold that had me giggling out loud).
The book does, unfortunately, have some major flaws. Loigman's three main characters are exquisitely drawn, but her skill here doesn't extend to the others and most lack depth. The plot, too, is completely predictable; the author offers so many hints about what exactly happened between Augusta and Irving that by the time we hit that point in the story the revelation has lost all impact. And finally, both storylines rely heavily on coincidence; I can generally forgive one or two chance meetings over the course of a novel — they certainly do happen from time to time — but there are so many here that it strains credulity.
If I were looking at the book's shortcomings alone I'd probably rate it three stars. When all's said and done, though, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a lovely little confection of a novel, which boosts it up to a four. There's not a lot to think about, no heavy themes to contemplate, but sometimes that's a good thing. It's cozy; it offers a simple, good-natured, feel-good escape, and for some it will be the perfect respite for a complicated time. I highly recommend it, especially to audiences who enjoy novels about second chances and those looking for a bit of light magic and romance.
Reviewed by Kim Kovacs
Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind
Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet Spot
Jimin Han, author of The Apology
Rated 5 out of 5
by Elizabeth@Silver'sReviews
A gem and a
Can that really be Irving living in the same retirement complex as Augusta?
Irving was Augusta’s first love, but he broke her heart and married another.
Augusta worked in her father‘s pharmacy, and Irving was the delivery boy.
Sixty years later even though they loved each other for that long, they never had contacted each other.
Can they rekindle their love?
We follow Irving and Augusta in two timelines. The 1920s and then the 1980s.
When Augusta knew she wanted to be with Irving after all these years, she decided to try the love elixir she and her aunt made years ago to see if it would work again.
Can she do it?
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a book that will have you missing the heartwarming characters because of Ms. Loigman’s fabulous storytelling skills.
It is not a romance but a story of decisions made, family, and the regrets of poor communication.
It is another gem you won’t want to miss, and is a “do your heart good”? read. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Rated 4 out of 5
by PhyllisE
A second-chance story of misunderstandings and magic
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
The title was charming. The premise was intriguing. And the novel was an appealing page-turner, although a bit predictable. But sometimes that’s the kind of book I feel like reading, with a heartwarming happily ever after.
“The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern” tells the story of a woman of a certain age getting a second chance at love with her first boyfriend of sixty years ago. The narrative is told in two timelines and two locations, alternating between 1920’s New York and 1987 Florida. In addition to Augusta’s coming-of-age story, author Lynda Cohen Loigman inserts a story of Augusta’s Aunt Esther, a woman who learns to both survive and thrive despite the limitations of society.
Growing up in a middle-class Jewish family in New York, Augusta had always wanted to become a pharmacist like her father. While he encouraged her, they both knew it would be difficult as in the 1920s women were not expected to have a career. When Augusta’s mother dies, Aunt Esther comes to live with them - to keep house, cook, and clean.
And that’s when the novel becomes something more. Esther helps people, mostly women, with her mixtures and elixirs, potions and powders, and often her homemade chicken soup. This is where the novel veers into magical realism, and also provides a message about women’s strength and ability to overcome the time period’s restrictions.
“If a person is denied a formal education,” Esther told Augusta, “She must be inventive in her quest for knowledge She must study the folktales and the old stories. She must learn however she can. She must use every tool at her disposable.”
This is a second chance story of misunderstandings and magic, medicine and miracles, fate and forgiveness. It is about Augusta, who “wanted to be a woman who yes, had suffered losses, but whose heart had not yet been broken beyond repair. A woman who was curious and hopeful and who still believed in the glimmers of magic that made their way quietly into the world.”
Rated 4 out of 5
by Jill
Chicken Soup For The Soul
THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC ebook to read.
Like chicken soup for the soul with a bit of magic and a dash of heartbreak along with laughter and a dose of romance sprinkled with hope. I really enjoyed this light and nostalgic read of, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern. A predictable story but entertaining.
Augusta Stern becomes a pharmacist and takes over her father’s pharmacy. Augusta’s Aunt Esther is a huge influence in her life and encourages her to dabble in herbal remedies too. Augusta Stern reluctantly retires in 1987 at the age of eighty years old and relocates to a retirement community, Rallentando Springs, in Boca Raton, Florida. Augusta bumps into an old friend, Irving Rivkin, from her hometown of Brooklyn, who was her father’s delivery boy at the pharmacy, as well as, her boyfriend. It triggers painful memories of their courtship when Irving abruptly abandoned her. The story is told in flashbacks of her youth in Brooklyn and current year 1987.
Will Augusta finally get the answers she deserves of why Irving abandoned her all those years ago? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing the part? Is it possible to recapture the lost magic of youth?
I enjoyed Lynda Cohen Loigman’s book, The Two-Family House also.
In Lynda Cohen Loigman's novel The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, the title character works in her father's pharmacy and aspires to become a pharmacist herself.
Both the pharmacy and the role of the pharmacist have changed dramatically in the United States over the centuries. Pharmacies were referred to as apothecaries back in the day, while those who ran them were known as apothecaries, druggists, or chemists. There was no standard for medical care, and most remedies were based on herbs and other compounds found in nature. Chemists were responsible for creating, prescribing, and administering all sorts of liquids, powders, creams, and lotions, often with no more proof of their concoctions' efficacy than hearsay and a gut feeling that a certain combination would work. Knowledge was passed on through an apprenticeship, whereby a fledgling chemist spent years studying with an established one to learn the trade.
The haphazard nature of the business began to change early in the 19th century. In 1820 a group of physicians concerned about the poor quality of medicine banded together to form the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The group published the first national guidelines for medicines and medical preparations. Even today, the USP is one of the most widely respected standards organizations in the world. In addition, the first pharmacy school in the country, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, opened in 1821. Its graduates began referring to themselves as "pharmaceutists," which evolved into the term we use for these professionals today.
It's certain there were women chemists in the early days of the trade, although most have been lost to history. Elizabeth Gooking Greenleaf is widely thought to have opened the first apothecary in the Colonies, in Boston in 1727 (and she bore 12 children to boot). Another well-known female pharmacist was Elizabeth Marshall, who inherited her grandfather's Philadelphia practice in 1804. Women in the field were undoubtedly rare, though, and it wasn't until 1863 that Mary Jacobi became the first woman to obtain a pharmacy degree.
The first colleges offered a two-year Graduate in Pharmacy degree (Ph.G.), which could become a Ph.C. — Pharmaceutical Chemist — with an additional year of study. In the 1940s, the four-year Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (B.S.Pharm.) became more common. It wasn't until 1997 that the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), requiring six years of study, became the only accredited pharmacy degree.
Until 1951 pharmacists were almost the equivalent of doctors and could prescribe and dispense any non-narcotic medication. The Durham-Humphrey Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act separated drugs into those that could be safely dispensed without a prescription (i.e., over-the-counter) and those that couldn't (prescription only). The amendment also specified that doctors alone could prescribe certain medications; pharmacists could only fulfill the doctor's scrip. By the 1980s, momentum was shifting back to giving pharmacists more leeway, and the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act not only restored their ability to discuss all medications with their customers but allowed them to administer vaccines as well.
Today, a pharmacist is considered a highly skilled medical professional, and to become a licensed pharmacist takes many years. An aspiring candidate has to:
Pharmacists make, on average, around $119k per year (2022) — although men in the field make considerably more than women ($130k vs. $111k, respectively). There are currently about 346k individuals employed as pharmacists (about 60% of whom are women) with the average age just over 40. Approximately 14k people obtain a Pharm.D. each year, but a 2020 report from the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education states that the number of graduates will exceed the number of job openings through at least 2030.
18th-century apothecary mixing ingredients in The Book of Trades or Library of Useful Arts (1807) published by J. Johnson
Filed under Medicine, Science and Tech
By Kim Kovacs
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