The Anatomy of Magic

book notes

title: The Anatomy of Magic
author: J.C. Cervantes
series: Estrada Family #2
published: 3.11.2025
publisher: Park Row
Source: Kindle Unlimited
genre(s): magical realism
pages: 298
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | BookBub | StoryGraph | Goodreads
rating: | series rating:

the blurb

A young woman learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family in this next novel by New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes.
Lilian Estrada seemingly has it all: an ob-gyn star on the rise, a master at balancing work with whirlwind romances and part of a family of fiercely loyal and exceptional women, all bound together by an extraordinary secret. The Estrada women each possess a unique power, and Lily shines with the rare gift to manipulate memories. Yet not even her mystical abilities can shield her from a harrowing event at the hospital, one that sends her powers—and her confidence—spiraling out of control.
Seeking solace, Lily retreats to her family's ancestral home in Mexico, only to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past—Sam, the first love she never forgot. Nearly a decade since she last saw him, Sam is hardly the boy she once knew, and as old flames spark to life, Lily must navigate the mysteries of their shared history and the depths of her own heart if she hopes to control her unpredictable magic.

a few notes

POV: 1st person
setting: Mexico
keywords/phrases: magic, flowers, Mexico, legend
spice: 2/5
language: 0/5

mood reading: in the mood for a emotionally intense story that will hold you captive.

my review

I fell in love with the Estrada family and their unique brand of magic in The Enchanted Hacienda, and the love affair continues with The Anatomy of Magic. The magic of flowers is enchanting, and not something I’ve read much of before. The Estrada women have been entrusted with flower magic, given to them generations earlier by a goddess who gave them the task of using it in service to others. That is key to the plot of this book in an even bigger way than it was in the first.

I love the family in this book, the way the women come together and support each other through good times and bad. They clearly respect each other, as well as the land and the flowers they care for. Each of them interacts with the flowers in a different way, each of them able to wield their special brand of magic individually as well as with the others. Their bonds with each other are just as important to their mission of service as the magic the hold within themselves, which creates a beautiful dynamic throughout the book.

But with the magic comes romance, this time of Lillian and her first love, Sam. Cervantes does an amazing job of portraying a woman whose never really gotten over that love, in the way it’s affected her in the decade since it ended. That heartbreak is a key part of her character, and the way she reacted to the world and things around her. And the cracks put on her heart are only the beginning of the pain she feels. Her character was truly heart-wrenching. Which is why I felt like Sam was a little too insta-forgiven. I would have liked more communication between them on that, rather than her too-quick acceptance/acquiescence.

All in all, a beautiful read!

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 52 Books Reading Challenge

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