51 pages 1 hour read

Lynda Cohen Loigman

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024

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Chapters 23-36Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 23 Summary: “September 1987”

Augusta sets her alarm clock and joins Irving in the pool. For a while, they swim side by side, then dry off together. A few days later, Vera confronts Augusta in the clubhouse and accuses her of throwing herself at Irving. Augusta swears that nothing is going on between her and Irving, and Vera says she can’t decide if Augusta is lying to Vera or herself.

Chapter 24 Summary: “July 1924”

Augusta wants to help Esther, but she sleeps through the preparations for the love elixir, which Esther says is a difficult, complicated recipe. Esther prepares Shabbos dinner and brings out the wine they are allowed to have for religious purposes. Esther puts her powder into Bess’s wine. When George arrives for dinner, Bess stares at him adoringly. He proposes, and Bess serenely accepts. Later, Bess describes her experience of taking the elixir and tells Augusta that someday, she will discover her purpose in life, either with or without Esther’s recipes.

Chapter 25 Summary: “September 1987”

Irving knows he hurt Augusta when he left New York, but he lacked the courage to get in touch with her and tell her the truth, even after Lois left him. He decides he won’t hurt her again, and he feels hopeful when Augusta begins swimming with him in the mornings.