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!

This was a fun read with a novel twist on some of the romance tropes. I enjoyed seeing where Gemma's wish took her and what happened in the alternate realities. Also, I want to know more about her aunt and her store!

REVIEW: This Spells Love ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Have you ever wanted to forget someone or change an event in your life? Gemma wants to forget her heartbreak by wishing she never met him. When she hears of a spell that might work from her aunt, she figures what’s the worst that could happen? It is only one small change right…..

This was such a fun novel! A great romance with friends to lovers with a dash of magic. I especially like the chemistry between Dax and Gemma. They have such a caring and playful relationship that continues to make your heart warm and laugh throughout the story.

I have read other books before where characters wake up to a change in their life, but This Spells Love gave the story so much heart. Gemma has to decide if she should be selfish or selfless when it comes to happiness, and she really learns a lot throughout the book. The story shows how even little changes can really make a big impact in your life. For a romance story, there were some parts that were deeper and made reflect on my own life.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I did notice a plot hole in the story, but it wasn’t enough to affect my overall experience. There were some twists and turns and so much love. It really puts in perspective how important people in your life are. This book is great for anyone looking for a fun friends to lovers story that will make you laugh out loud.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Kate Robb for a free advanced copy for my honest review!

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With a heavy ARC reading load for the past few months, I wholeheartedly fell into this easy-breezy rom-com with a touch of magical realism. I've seen plenty of reviews of this book where the reviewer has complained that there's not enough witchy-ness for their liking. So if you're looking for that, you'll be disappointed. The "magic" takes place in two scenes, otherwise this is a basic friends-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water romance.

I myself like to play "what if", not necessarily in my personal life, but definitely with literary characters. I always did adore those Choose Your Own Adventure books. :-) Gemma wonders what life would have been like had she never gone out with her loser boyfriend of the past four years, and through the wonders of a magic spell, is transported to an alternate reality where she never met him. However, her sister and aunt remain relatively untouched, and in this reality, her best friend is not that because they originally met through the loser ex-boyfriend.

Shout out to debut author Kate Robb for making a small part of Canada seem extra-magical yet realistic at the same time. I'm always a tad bit jealous when the characters of a book can walk from home to work and to friends' homes and shopping. Where I live in suburban land, it's wholly not possible. And I thought she really nailed the best friend secretly pining away, although we didn't get to see much of it.

Gemma realizes she needs to get her best friend, Dax, to kiss her in this reality under a certain moon in order to return to her old life. Which means she needs to establish some sort of relationship with him and do it in a month or she's stranded. It was an interesting dynamic seeing how she knew so much about Dax and how she couldn't let him know she knew so much about him. In this alternate reality, Dax is really into her and since she doesn't have a boyfriend, it quickly becomes apparent that they will hook up.

And boy, do they! What started off as a sweet and chaste unrequited love rom-com turns into a steamy, spicy, sex-filled romp between Dax and Gemma. Generally speaking, I just skim over those parts because that's not my jam but don't downgrade a book because of it. So if spicy romance is your thing, you'll probably love this book, because there's lots of it once they hook up.

The conflict Gemma has whether to go back to her reality or not was written well; I could definitely feel her angst as she tries to decide what to do. Leave a good thing with Dax in this timeline, but one which has Dax struggling in his professional life, or go back to the original timeline, where his business is thriving yet only thinks of Gemma as a friend. The ending was predictable and a little rushed, yet that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. A solid four stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

This is one of my favorite "What Ifs" ... what if we had never wasted our time on that guy? And Kate Robb nails it. Both the good bits and the bad and the after. I devoured this book: figuring out with our main character, Gemma, what had changed and why as she wakes up in an alternate universe without her lame ex. The ripples of how things unfold in this alternate reality -- decisions made without discouragement, connections missed, and things that were always meant to be in one way or another.

Overall, this is a lovely escape while also inspiring us to have hope in all the "regrets" we might have from our past. 10/10 recommend.

And P.S., if you're worried she wished the ex into nonexistence (I mean, that was my first thought -- is he dead in this universe?!) ... he's still alive just safely tucked away from our main squeeze.

Second Chance / "Glimpse" Type Tale Done Right. This is one of those second chance/ "glimpse" type tales ala the late 90s/ early 2000s movie The Family Man with Nic Cage and Tea Leoni done *right*, complete with wildly alternate lives for the male and female leads in this particular tale. And done by a debut author, and set in a suburb of Toronto to boot. So hey, a lot going on here to make it its own - yes, including brief discussions of a multiverse scenario. So if you like your romances with a tinge of magical realism/ scifi-ish ideas... this one is for you. That noted, if you're among the "clean"/ "sweet" romance crowd... eh, this probably has a lot more thinking and acting on sex than you'd like, including some rather graphic terms... at least according to those types of sensibilities. Again, the actual spice level here is probably more akin to a chipotle - not actually all *that* spicy, but far more spicy than some stomachs can handle and perhaps far more spicy than some minds *want* to handle. Still, as long as you're aware of that up front (thanks to reading this review), you can make up your own mind. Ultimately, I thought this was a particularly strong effort from a debut author, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Ms. Robb is capable of in her sophomore effort. Very much recommended.

This book was an absolute DELIGHT. It was everything I wanted it to be, and felt like drinking a warm cup of cocoa on a cold night or snuggling into that just-right cozy sweater. I can't even remember the last time I read a book in under 24 hours, but this one I flew through in far less than a day. It's a sweet, light-yet-impactful, funny, fast-paced read that actually had me laughing out loud in parts. Which I never do. Not to mention the characters were larger than life and oh so easy to root for. An absolute gem of a debut and I will definitely be buying everything from this author.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advance copy.

After breaking up with her boyfriend, Gemma gets drunk with her sister, aunt, and best friend Dax. As the margaritas keep coming, they decide it would be a great idea to perform a love-cleansing spell to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. The next morning she wakes up to a life she doesn’t recognize. As she navigates her new life, and tries to figure out how to reverse the spell, she finds that she loves many of the decisions she made in this universe and starts to love her new life (and fall for Dax in the process).

These time loop/fresh start romances are everywhere this winter and I am loving them! This was an incredible debut that I flew through! Gemma was so relatable with her fear of the unknown and taking risks (hi, it's me!) and Dax and her family were the perfect support system as she navigated this parallel universe. I loved how she was able to see the happiness she found in the universe where she did take the risks and how it inspired her to be brave and really go for what she wanted. The side characters in this story really made it special, Gemma’s bond with her aunt and sister were incredible and added so much magic to the story. But most importantly, I LOVED Gemma and Dax together. Their unique bond, their chemistry, the way they showed up for each other - they are truly relationship goals. This book is straight up magic and it is hard to believe this is Kate Robb’s debut. I can’t wait to read more from her!

DNF @ chapter 7 (23%)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of Kate Robb’s debut novel THIS SPELLS LOVE.

This book is probably going to be a perfect rom com for a lot of readers, but I had to give up!! The characters were bland, the magic was cheesy, and the magical realism was basically non-existent.. The MFC (Gemma) was a cringey horny adult who acted like a sex crazed teenager and the MMC (Dax) was a pathetic blob who lived his life because of Gemma’s existence. Even Gemma’s sister (who is supposed to be 10 years older!) was an immature smut-talk addict.

The story has such potential, but the follow-through was unrealistic and fell flat. Gemma just goes along with everything without a second thought and relies on everyone else to make her feel better.

The best part of this book is that it was set in Hamilton, ON where I went to university and I had fun reliving my school days through the setting.

[If you want a cute magical realism break up rom-com, try Melissa Wiesner’s The Second Chance Year (also read as an eARC provided by NetGalley)]

Gemma just broke up with her long term boyfriend and just wants to forget. When her aunt suggests a love cleanse spell, it all sounds a little ridiculous, but she goes along with it, even to the extreme of a kiss from her best friend Dax. When she wakes up in the morning, everything has changed. She has the business of her dreams and everything in her life is better... only her best friend no longer recognizes her. She'll do anything to get her life back to normal but as she tries to convince this complete stranger to kiss her, she starts falling for him. Dax is the only thing she never wants to lose and now she's not sure which reality will allow her to stay with him.
Everything had to change for Gemma for her to realize she just had to believe in herself and her dreams to get everything she wanted. The friendship between Gemma and Dax was so great in her original reality that even I as the reader felt its loss after her life changed. But the new perspective allowed her to see what could have been all along and the new relationship between them was so much sweeter. This was a good friends to lovers "sliding doors" type of romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOW ok KATE’S DEBUT NOVEL? Is a masterpiece???? Its plot was whimsical and dreamy, Gemma was so quirky and had a huge heart, Dax was like the ultimate golden retriever boyfriend/friend, Kiersten was the best supportive sister, and I LOVED all of the side characters. Best part? No third act breakup thank youuuuuu. The twists were unique, and I found myself not predicting how certain things would happen (which is refreshing, because I do that a lot). I’d highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good friends to lovers, second chance romance with GOOOOOD spice 🤌🏼 thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group! 4.5/5 ⭐️

"It's a risk. And I've never been good at taking them."

Synopsis: What happens when, after four years of what seemed like stability, predictability, and security, your boyfriend abruptly leaves you? One night, fueled by too many margaritas, Gemma decides she wants no connection with Stuart and wishes she had never met him. With the assistance of her eccentric Aunt Livi, her passionate sister Kiersten, and her reliable best friend Dax, they cast a spell to erase Stuart and any memories of him from Gemma’s life. The next morning, Gemma realizes the spell worked too well. Dax doesn’t know who she is. She realizes she has one month until the next full moon to undo the spell and bring Dax back into her life – even if it means convincing a now-stranger to kiss her.

Reflections: Though not a typical rom-com reader, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The exciting, engaging writing style, the unique storyline, and the relatable characters stood out. Each character resembled someone in my life, making it easy and enjoyable to imagine them in each role. It was a breezy, entertaining read and a fantastic debut novel. I’m eagerly anticipating more from Kate Robb!

Thank you to @NetGalley, @kate_robb_writes, and @thedialpress for gifting me this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

#NetGalley #ThisSpellsLove

I'm officially a Kate Robb fangirl! This was whimsical, romantic, and so fun to read! The romance had me absolutely swooning. I can't wait for this author's next book.

I have such a book hangover from reading this book! I didn't want it to end! SO much spice, lovable characters, plenty of laughs, wonderful plot, and just the right amount of drama to keep you reading! I read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! I have a feeling this will be a book that I read over and over again! I've already bought a physical copy because it's one I NEED on my bookshelf! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Random House/Dell and Netgalley for the ARC!

I went into this one hopeful since a few buddies who also got ARCs enjoyed this story. From the first chapter, I just didn’t connect with the main character or the side characters. I wanted to like this one so badly, but it ended up not clicking for me. I hope others fall in love with it though!

Kate Robb's debut is a funny, sexy, spell-binding (pun intended) romp that I couldn't put down. I loved the romantic development, the unique set of circumstances, and, of course, the Canadian setting. I can't wait to see what Kate does next!

🥰Enjoyment: This was a really cute friends to strangers to lovers romance with a bit of spice. I have a few critiques but nothing that would stop me from recommending you check it out.

📖 🎧 Writing &/or Audio Style: The writing style was great, easy to follow. The Narrator did a great job on paper, but sometimes she had came off a bit young and immature.

👥 Characters & Relationships: This was a single POV novel from the FMC POV and I think it resulted a bit in the MMC feeling a bit flat.

⁉️Plot, Intrigue & Logic: The plot was interesting to me. I thought it was going to be a bit more “witchy”, but aside from doing the spell that caused the problem in the first place it wasn’t really a witchy type story.

🏞️Atmosphere & Setting: 👍

🚨 For Reader Awareness: brief mentions of the pandemic and its impact

📣Recommended for fans of: Magical realism with a touch of spice