Lovestruck Books invites ‘Practical Magic’ fans to unite at The Brattle

WBUR | October 24, 2024

Massachusetts romance readers will soon have a meeting place for all things literary love and lust in Cambridge: Lovestruck Books. The brick-and-mortar store dedicated to romance of all subgenres and a selection of general fiction will open at 44 Brattle St. in Harvard Square this winter.

Owner Rachel Kanter plans to spotlight works by women, people of color and LGBTQIA+ authors. “We’re seeing publishers taking notice of authors that maybe traditionally would not have been published by a big five publisher, so that’s really exciting, because it means that more and more stories are getting out and being celebrated,” said Kanter. “That’s one of the things that has always attracted me to the romance genre, and I really wanted that to be reflected in our store.”

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To get potential visitors excited, the bookstore is hosting events leading up to its opening, including a night celebrating “Practical Magic” at The Brattle Theatre on Oct. 29.

The 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman was turned into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters Gillian and Sally Owens. After their parents die, the girls grow up with their eccentric witch aunts in a small town in Massachusetts. The Owens sisters are outcasts — the townspeople avoid them in fear of the girls cursing them. Still, Gillian and Sally have each other until Gillian runs away and Sally gets married. But they rekindle their connection after Sally has two girls of her own.

The event will kick off with a conversation between Hoffman and Shelf Love Podcast creator Andrea Martucci. Then audience members will settle in for a screening of the cult classic film. Each ticket includes a Lovestruck Books tote bag, a signed copy of the book, a drink ticket and surprise goodies. (The event is already sold out.)

As the novel approaches its 30th anniversary next year, Hoffman said “Practical Magic” is about more than just its romance plotlines.

“At its heart, it’s about women’s relationships and sisterhood, and I think that never gets old,” said Hoffman.

The author, who has lived in Boston for around 40 years, remembers spending a summer writing the novel in a shed in Wellfleet. “I got the title first, and I thought it was such a good title that I should write a book to go with the title,” she added.

The “Practical Magic” universe has since extended to two prequels and a follow-up to the first novel. Hoffman said she wasn’t as involved with the movie as she would have liked because she was being treated for breast cancer at the time of filming.

“I probably would have changed everything just because I’m a novelist, and I like to control everything, but I think it turned out great,” she said.

A second “Practical Magic” film is in the works, bringing back Bullock and Kidman as Sally and Gillian. The film will draw from Hoffman’s 2021 “The Book of Magic” where the Owens fight to break a 300-year-old curse on their family. Producer Denise Di Novi told Entertainment Weekly that the film will be released next year.

Kanter grew up watching “Practical Magic” every October since she was around 12 years old.

“When I was finally introduced to Alice and this event came together, it was really a dream come true,” she said. “I have loved the movie for a long time. I didn’t actually read the book until college. I don’t know why it took me so long, but then I devoured all of the subsequent books that have come out about the Owens family.”

At The Brattle, Kanter hopes to start building a sense of community that will carry over to Lovestruck Books. She intends to host many future events with local authors and other pop-ups, like tarot readings, Mahjong nights and writing classes.

“I’m definitely going to go there and hang out there,” said Hoffman. “I think it’s going to be great for the community, and it’s also a celebration of women’s books and women’s stories.”