Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Brewed With Love by Shelly Page. This tour is being hosted by Joy Revolution/Random House Children’s Books.
Contemporary sapphic romantasy starring two teens of color blends magic and mystery with a sweet first love
BREWED WITH LOVE
By Shelly Page
This January, debut author Shelly Page enchants readers with a cozy YA romantasy starring two queer young women of color navigating their first love. In BREWED WITH LOVE (Joy Revolution, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books | January 14, 2025 | Ages 12 and up), one teen witch hopes to cement her grandmother’s legacy and keep her family’s apothecary from falling to the competition, but she can only do so with the help of her ever-smug, unfairly pretty ex-best friend—and first crush.
Plant witch Sage Bishop intends to run her family’s apothecary one day. The doors just have to stay open until she can take over from her nana. That’s why she spends all her time perfecting a tonic that’ll put Bishop Brews on the map.
She certainly doesn’t need their latest hire—and her ex–best friend—Ximena Reyes causing any distractions. Alas, at the first sight of Ximena’s cheeky smile, Sage flees the shop, allowing someone to break into Bishop Brews and steal the tonic she’s been tinkering with, one that wipes their high school cheer captain’s memory.
With Bishop Brews now at risk of being shut down, Sage reluctantly partners with Ximena to find the culprit. As the mystery deepens, so do pesky old feelings. Their first kiss and Ximena’s subsequent ghosting keep replaying in Sage’s mind. Will she be able to resist Ximena’s charm, or will she let it work its magic for a second chance at love?
Hailed by Booklist as “a wonderfully warm, witchy mystery full of cozy, atmospheric details,” BREWED WITH LOVE is a fast-paced, fun contemporary fantasy that will delight fans of F.T. Lukens, the CW’s Charmed, and adult witchy romcoms like The Ex Hex. New voice Shelly Page brings a fresh perspective to beloved tropes like small town, workplace, and second chance romance, creating a love story that is “gentle and authentic, witty and sweet.“
Review to come for another post. I’m really enjoying Brewed With Love so far, but I won’t have it done before this post goes up. We had a sort of shock move and we’re remodeling a couple things before we list our house for sale. So I’m behind on everything. I’m definitely curious to see why Ximena and Sage stopped talking. I think I know, but I need to know if I’m right. I love the setting of the store and the magic potions for far. I also like both Sage and Ximena so far. I’m looking forward to finishing the book soon. Keep an eye out for my review in the new future.
Praise for BREWED WITH LOVE
“[A] high school sapphic novel with a warm, lighthearted center. Readers will be loath to leave Sage and Ximena’s cozy, close-knit town.”
—Publishers Weekly
“This title has a cozy atmosphere, and the whodunit mystery….will keep readers engaged as they follow the clues to find out exactly how events played out.”
—School Library Journal
“The history inherent in a second-chance romance allows for exploration of deep feelings; the romance is gentle and authentic, witty and sweet. A wonderfully warm, witchy mystery full of cozy, atmospheric details.”
—Booklist
“Positively enchanting. Sparks fly and potions bubble in this joyful tale of rekindled romance and magical intrigue. Perfect for anyone craving a sweet, bewitching love story!”
—Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of The Sunbearer Trials and Cemetery Boys
“Shelly Page has conjured a world in Brewed with Love that no one will want to leave! The story will charm readers with its magic potions, quirky town setting, sweet romance, and witchy vibes. It’s perfect for fans who love their cozy fantasy with a dash of mystery and monsters.”
—F.T. Lukens, New York Times bestselling author of Otherworldly
“Brewed with Love is everything you could want from a contemporary sapphic romantasy. I mean, romance, mystery, and magic, all wrapped in the MOST whimsical, charming town of Blackclaw? Need I say more?”
—Rachael Lippincott, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
“I loved Brewed with Love‘s rich world-building, and the way Page rooted the mystery and magic in real-world issues. My only disappointment is that I can’t actually visit Bishop Brews! With its cozy vibes, sweet sapphic romance, and a coven of endearing characters, this is a magical debut.”
—Tori Anne Martin, USA Today bestselling author of This Spells Disaster
“Delightful, clever, and charming. Page has conjured up the perfect potion of sapphic second chances, supernatural mystery, and comforting coziness we’ve all been waiting for. Will leave you guessing until the end.”
—Jennifer Dugan, author of Some Girls Do
“A magical debut. Brewed with Love is a delightful blend of heartfelt romance, amateur sleuthing, and the importance of family legacy. Page is an author to watch.”
—Isabel Sterling, author of These Witches Don’t Burn
Shelly Page is a young adult contemporary fantasy romance and horror writer. By day, she’s a practicing attorney representing homeless LGBTQ+ youth. By night, she’s writing stories about love, magic, and mystery—all with the hope of providing genuine representation for queer readers of color. Shelly lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Toby, and a collection of half-dead plants. BREWED WITH LOVE is her debut novel. She can be found online at shellypage.com or @shelly_p_writes.
Q&A with Shelly Page
Author of Brewed with Love
What inspired you to write Brewed with Love? What was the inspiration behind Bishop Brews?
Brewed with Love was inspired by a small town my mother used to live in near the Redwoods in California. Redwoods are beautiful, ancient trees along the central and northern coast. I wanted to write a story where a forest was at the heart of the book, so Brewed is set in Blackclaw Valley, a small town populated by witches who draw their magic from the Hemwood, a redwood forest. The entire magic system is based on the properties of redwood trees. For instance, redwoods often grow in fairy rings, meaning they sprout new trees from their branches that end up being clones of the mother tree. One witch in the coven can clone themself and another can regenerate. I also wanted to write about a Black-owned business that really catered to its clientele and is a pillar of the community. I love crystals, self-care creams, and the idea of magic tonics so that was my inspiration for Bishop Brews. It’s your classic apothecary with a magical twist!
How has your experience as an attorney representing homeless LGBTQ+ youth influenced your writing?
A lot of my clients are queer teens which is the exact audience I write for. As an attorney, I see their legal struggles and how certain laws affect them. While I don’t write about these topics, I do write characters who are very resilient and self-starters which are all my clients.
If you were transported into the world of Brewed with Love, what type of witch would you be, and why?
I’d love to be able to brew tonics! I like the idea of making something magical from scratch to give myself more energy, or more brain power, or even clearer skin!
What can readers expect to see from you next?
I have another unannounced project coming from Joy Revolution in Spring 2026! More magic, more mystery and more queer girls falling in love.
Book available for purchase now. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/753106/brewed-with-love-by-shelly-page
Giveaway:
Grand Prize Giveaway:
– 5 winners will receive a finished copy of Brewed With Love by Shelly Page
– We will select the winners and ship directly
– The giveaway starts at 12:01am ET on January 13th and ends January 26th at 11:59pm ET
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