Summary
Gemma's boyfriend of four years broke up with her. In her sadness, her aunt, along with her sister and best friend Dax, do a Love Cleanse spell that will make Gemma have never met Stuart, the ex. It's all margarita fueled fun and games until she wakes up the next morning in at an apartment that's not hers. In this alternate reality, where Gemma never met Stewart, she also never met Dax. And instead of working as a buyer for a big box store, she owns her own small clean skin care shop. To reverse the spell, she needs Dax to kiss her in a month, but he doesn't even know who she is. And as she gets to know him, Gemma realizes maybe their friendship was meant to be more.

Review
This was a fun, magical read. I'm not usually super into stories with magic spells and such (especially if it's not a witchy read) but this one was pure joy. It was a sliding doors vibe... seeing not only how that would change Gemma's life, but also everyone in her orbit. It is a cozy read, and it felt like a warm hug. I couldn't recommend this story enough. It was a heartwarming story about the grass not always being greener and taking chances.

A fun and flirty book that will appeal to all romance readers.

A classic mix-up and discovering who you are in and out of a relationship.

Such a cute romance with a little twist of different dimensions. I really enjoyed the writing, the pacing and the characters. It was a fun, light read with some spice.

This one was rather middle of the lane for me.

I enjoyed the 13 going on 30 vibes and I find the idea of parallel worlds/timelines really interesting, the execution just wasn't my favorite. The story as a whole felt pretty surface level, unfortunately, and although I found the characters lovable and fun, and the emphasis on sister relationships was great, it wasn't a book that will stick with me for a long time.

This Spells Love is a cute time-travel romance with just the right amount of spice. Similar to titles like The Seven Year Slip and The Good Part, This Spells Love tells the story of a woman who isn't satisfied with her life. When her aunt convinces her to cast a spell and undo her boring and pointless four-year relationship, she ends up wondering if dating that asshole was necessary after all. Though this one started out a little rocky for me, the middle and end of the book redeemed the story. I gave this one four stars because I liked it and would recommend it to a friend, but wouldn't read it again.

As soon as I saw the synopsis for this book I knew I’d want to read it asap. This book was sweet, fun and very enjoyable! For anyone that likes friends to lovers romances with a hint of whimsy this would be a great read for you.

This was a very easy read with low(ish) stakes and a fun premise. I liked all of the characters (especially Aunt Livi) and their relationships with each other, however, I did feel that they lacked a little bit of depth. I was a lot more interested in the magic aspect of this story than what the characters were actually going through.

I very much enjoyed the overall plot but unfortunately the ending felt a little thrown together, almost like the author didn’t know what to do with all of the loose ends. I think I would’ve liked the stakes to have had more of an effect on the final few chapters.

Overall, this was a very quick, easy read that would be great for beginner romance readers!
3.5 Stars

This Spells Love by Kate Robb is a rom-com with a magical realism twist. While the story was cute, I'm not sure how much of it I will remember next week.

Gemma is 28, and after a four year relationship ends she is reasonably heart-broken. Her sister gets her drunk an margaritas, her eccentric aunt gets her to perform a love cleanse to get rid of the memory of her ex, and her best friend Dax is around for moral support, and even a platonic kiss to help perform the spell.

Gemma wakes up the next day in a new reality. The spell has worked, and while some things are the same, many things are different, but most importantly Dax has no idea who she is. To reverse the spell she has to perform the spell again, and somehow get this stranger Dax to kiss her, but along the way she finds herself falling in love and realizing she has been in denial for too long about her feelings for Jax. Now she has the hard choice before her, does she stay in the reality where she has everything she wants, or go back?

What a debut. This was such a fun time and unique premise. I really felt for the characters and their romance, chemistry and attraction felt so believable. The characters started as best friends, and their actions at the beginning of the novel really showed it. There were so many little moments throughout the novel that spoke louder than what the character's expressed through words. Gemma got on my nerves a bit, but I think it was true to her character, and her past traumas that made her act the way she did. There was a beautiful balance of light hearted moments, serious moments, and spice. Daxon stole my heart in this novel, he was such a wonderful book boyfriend. The author is also lives quite close to me, and I could really picture all the place she described and it added a whole new layer for me.

A fun, beautiful, humorous, and insightful story that gripped me from the very beginning. I absolutely loved the way that Robb expressed the concept of the butterfly effect and alternate universes. Not only was it well done, but it was also incredibly unique and added a level of complexity to Dax and Gemma’s story. The romance was adorable, it was addictive, the writing was fast paced and engaging. It reminded me heavily of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”!

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

this was an amazing romcom filled with fluffy & cute moments! the premise of this book was intensely interesting and compelled me immediately! I loved these characters so much! I am so surprised that this is a debut, because I enjoyed it so thoroughly! I highly recommend this book!

When Gemma gets dumped the only logical next step is to get drunk and cast a spell to forget her ex but the spell does so much more than that! Things get extra complicated when she finds out what it takes to reverse the spell. This was a cute one!
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Huge thank you @randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This spells love is the perfect friends to lovers with the perfect amount of spice and tension without taking away from the plot, and had some magic sprinkled in. Dax is a picture perfect book best friend/boyfriend.

The character growth was perfectly executed and was something that most women can relate to when determining the balance between personal life, love, and career.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and will not be the last. I’m a sucker for a well written rom com and this fit the bill

This is a debut novel?! I loved this book. Adored. It’s almost along the same lines of The Good Part by Sophie Cousens, which I also DEVOURED. Alternate reality storylines are seeming to grow on me, especially if they’re done as well as this.

I love a friends to lovers trope and this was no exception, I love Gemma and Dax and the way their relationship transforms and blossoms, although it was a bit stressful at times! Dax is the perfect swoon worthy cinnamon roll golden retriever MMC. Gemma is such a gem (lol) and really shines throughout the whole book in her growth and perseverance.

Aunt Livi and Kiersten were the perfect side characters and I loved how Gemma’s relationship with them, especially Kiersten, were just as important throughout the story as hers with Dax. I’ve never wished for a sister, but I might now!

There was entertaining and LOL inducing banter, which is always a plus for me. The spice wasn’t plentiful, but it was good. Overall, this was a very feel good enjoyable read. My only want coming away from it is more of the “after”!

This was a great debut novel and I can’t wait to see what Kate Robb does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Random House, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date 12/5/23

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Best friends to lovers is like catnip to my romantic heart when done right. This book not only did it right, but it was clever, emotional, and oh so magical!

Gemma and Dax in both parallel universes totally captured my heart. In the "real" timeline Gemma and Dax are best friends. Dax has always been there for Gemma (and in love with her,) including her years with another man. After Gemma is dumped her aunt devises a plan of a "love cleanse spell" to erase the meeting of the ex... which also happens to be the night she meets her bestie!

The spell works (kind of) but Gemma is now in a parallel world where Dax doesn't know her! This new Gemma is a different version to the one she was before with her ex in the picture.

There was so much about this book that twisted my heart and also made my heart soar! The way the relationships progressed, not just the romantic one, was so well done. Watching the best friends rediscover each other in the new world and opening up to being in love and not just loving each other as friends was perfection. And the dilemma at the end...Gemma's decision was true love worthy to pick Dax's success and happiness over her own. Btw, Dax is book boyfriend material no matter what world...sweet, swoony sigh.

5 stars

This was a really cute story - Gemma has just gone thru a break up and ends up casting a spell on herself on what would have been if she had never met the ex. Sort of a butterfly effect type story. I'm not a fan of spice in romance books so I could have done without that aspect but I really liked the story and the Characters were likable. 4 stars

It’s the end of 2023 and it’s been a mother effing year and this cynical byatch has no business reading twee friends to lovers books where it’s 200% obvi that the guy is hot for the girl and she’s a daft idiot who emphasizes that he’s her “best friend” 381x in the first few chapters. I think this dingleberry doth protest too much.

Gemma and her horrible boyfriend break up and she’s wallowing in grief and her aunt who is clearly a witch but nobody notices casts a spell when everyone is drunk and oopsies- Gem wakes up in an alternate universe where she never met her ex but also everything else changes in her life and her hottie male best friend, Dax doesn’t know her. She goes thru all the trouble trying to re-friend Dax for reasons unknown to me bc I was too annoyed to stick around and find out. Suddenly when Gemma is a complete stranger to Dax she notices how hot he is and gets jealous of other girls. Bitch- you were friend zoning this poor man to death in the other universe, you lost your chance at his D. Anyway, I read like 30% of this bullshit and gave up bc I’m a bitter old hag who is best served reading about women who fall in love with dinosaurs. Onward and upward. Xmas Dino smut coming at you next…

Smut- 0 stars, never got there.
Romance- 1 star bc Gemma loves herself
Story- 0.6 stars
Friends to lovers “BUT HE’S MY BEST FRIEND”- neg 4 stars. I need to stop reading them

A truly magical debut!

This Spells Love has humor, heart and a unique plot that kept me hooked till the very end.

What if one little wish changed everything?

Gemma finds herself exploring the answer to that question after she wakes up stuck in an alternate reality. She quickly discovers that her relationships with her eccentric Aunt, sister and best friend, Dax, are all different or non-existent. The only way to go back to old Gemma’s life is by re-creating the love spell on the next waning moon.

Having to spend an entire month in her new reality has its challenges, the most difficult being re-creating her friendship with Dax. Gemma and Dax go from strangers to friends to lovers in one month; Gemma’s new reality gives her a chance to see Dax in a new way. Friends to lovers doesn't always work for me, but the single POV built the tension perfectly along with the alternate reality.

I absolutely adored the strong female bonds in This Spells Love. Despite her irresponsible parents, Gemma has the best relationship with her aunt and sister. The resolution with her sister made me so happy. As an older sister, and a mom, I found her relatable and was very happy with her happy ending too!

This Spells Love is about taking chances, reinventing yourself (it is never too late) and finding what makes you happy. I can’t wait to read whatever comes next for Kate Robb.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars- I would have loved to see another chapter at the end. There is a very quick resolution and I would have loved just a little bit more. Other than that, PERFECTION.

Thank you so much to Dial Press Trade Paperback for the e-ARC; all thoughts are my own.

✨ Review ✨ This Spells Love by Kate Robb; Narrated by: Khaya Fraites

Gemma's frustrated getting over her ex, when her aunt and sister and best friend help her do a love cleanse spell. She wakes up in a different timeline where she never dated that guy but also never met her best friend Dax (who she's in love with). She gets a chance to try it out in this other timeline and decide what to do.

The book's funny and cute, but ultimately just felt a little boring. While the characters are 28, they felt more like they were in their early 20s and so it felt a little new-adult-y. It was fine - I enjoyed while I was listening but it probably won't be a memorable one for me. (It also was pretty light on the magic -- though their stumbling through the spell was one of the highlights of the book).

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/m contemporary romance, coming of age
Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
Setting: Toronto outskirts
Pub Date: 05 Dec 2023

Thanks to Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback, PRH Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I really loved what this book set out to do. I love the usage of an "alternate universe" where the question "what if?" is presented so well. I felt really connected to both Dax and Gemma and could feel their connection- it was palpable. The supporting characters were also vibrant and felt very genuine. The romance and spice are perfect and perfectly paced. I do wish the story was a bit witchier! The magical realism was a super fun element and I wish it had been expanded on. Overall, a great read!