This was so cute!!! Don’t we all wish we could redo certain parts of our life and see how they would turn out if we had made a different decision? I loved Gemma and Dax’s friendship. Their chemistry was off the charts and I really loved the friends to secretly in love with each other trope! If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted romcom, this is a great read!

I truly think that most people will really enjoy this book. Unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. There’s something about the whole alternate timeline thing that feels icky to me when it comes to romance. Like you’re going to date your bff in another timeline, and then go back to your normal one and also date him there? Hey bestie we already have dated and said ily and slept together but you have no memory of it, just me!

I’m definitely making it too complicated but my brain just can’t get past that.

For the Friends to Lovers fans, this 13-Going-On-30-style RomCom is for you!

Gemma gets dumped by her long-time boyfriend and drunkenly casts a spell that sends her to an alternate universe where she never dated him in the first place. Turns out, it’s a great way to get rid of your ex, but it has the not-so-great consequence of changing everything else, too. Like her relationship with her BFF, the hunky Dax McGuire? Totally nonexistent.

Luckily, she has a whole month before she can try and undo the spell that will send her back to her old reality, which should be plenty of time to make Dax her friend again. Unluckily, Gemma’s realizing that in this reality, she’s attracted to Dax and wants to be much more than friends. What does this mean for the Gemma and Dax that exist elsewhere as just friends?

This was a fun and cute read! The leads have great chemistry and somehow made even Curling sexy…? Yeah, I didn’t think it was possible, but here we are.

One element that would’ve really taken this to the next level for me would have been a bigger, more explosive finale. I personally love a massive tension build-up with a dramatic HEA payoff!

Thanks to @NetGalley and The Dial Press for this e-ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley & The Dial Press, Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Y’all…I am lowkey obsessed with this book! From page 1, I was just enthralled with Gemma, Kierston, Aunt Livi & of course, Dax. I LOVE magical realism contemporary romance novels & this was ooey-gooey warm & fuzzy & just gave all of the best feels; with just enough quirkiness & sprinkle of magic.

Gemma – I love her, mostly because she was an awesome character, but also because I just found she was so damn relatable. Truly, she was the perfect balance of so many character traits. From uncertain, “don’t-know-where-I-am-fully-going-with-life” but also “I-do-have-a-stable-if-not-passionate-job-and-a-nice-condo” late-20 year old, to recently dumped, heartbroken, and mopey, but not annoyingly miserable & constantly playing the oh-woe-is-me card. I think female characters were traditional put into one of two groups: headstrong & cold or soft & emotional…& it doesn’t always feel 100% natural when they are merged. But Robb really made Gemma a star by finding that balance. & Dax…Kate Robb where does one find a BFF like that…asking for a friend 👀 but seriously Dax was the epitome of golden-retriever, cinnamon-roll book boyfriend. I truly think they are one of the truest examples of friends-to-lovers I’ve read.

I thought that Robb did a really great job taking what could have been a cliched storyline & put a unique spin on it. & if I’m being honest I can’t pin down exactly what made it stand out, except that it did. Gemma had some character development – but I think more so she had confidence development. It was all there – it just took some time, & an alternate reality, for her to see it!

Look, from the first side-eye alternate-reality-Dax gave Gemma my heart was in shambles. And that was something I was really aware of through most of the novel. Real reality Gemma & Dax’s relationship is set up so well, the love they have for each other so evident, that the rug-ripped-out-from-under-us first moment in the alternate reality really left me choked up.

Unexpectedly got a shallow intro into curling & I’m not going to lie it was just enough to intrigue me to really want to learn more about the sport? & not just because of Dax’s low hung black sweats I promise.

Bottom Line: do you ever just ~know~ going into a book that you are going to love it? Because that was the case with this one for me. I loved the characters, I loved the romance. Overall, I thought the pacing was mostly good, though I do think the ending was rushed; I would have loved to see more of “post return to the real reality” before the book was wrapped up. I also think there were a couple of plot-holes/unfinished subplot lines. But overall I don’t think any of those things impacted my enjoyment of the book. I am super excited to see what Kate does in the future & will definitely be picking up her future work!

While stories where the main character wishes to change one thing in their past only to wake up in a completely different one, aren't particularly original, there's something about this one that hits that perfect balance of fun and sentimental.
Everyone's had that one breakup where all you want to do is forget about it, so when Gemma's quirky aunt gives a spell book guaranteed to make it better, it's easy to see how that wish, and some margaritas, make it seem like an excellent idea.
Gemma doesn't think it'll work, so she panics upon waking up in a life that doesn't resemble hers at all. She lost the ex, but also her boring job and, most importantly, her best friend. Now, she's on a mission to rekindle that friendship that just might be more while trying to navigate a life where she jumped feet first into the unknown and might just be making a success out of her greatest desire. But changing the past doesn't only alter her present, it alters that of those around her, and she'll have to decide if staying in the new reality or going back to the old will be what's best for everyone.
It's a great friends-to-lovers story with a great mesage of empowerment and having confidence in yourself. I really liked Gemma and the characters Robb surrounded her with because they help the story feel fully rounded and added depth to the emotional hits.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press Trade for the wonderful read!

I thought this one had a really interesting premise. I like a good magical realism and the what if moments that come with living in different timelines.

It was fun, the characters were lovable, but the chemistry was not as strong as I would have liked. Or as believable as it could be.

I definitely liked the turmoil Gemma had to go through when it came to making her choice - which saved the book for me.

It was still very enjoyable! Other readers would probably enjoy this better than me, it was probably a me thing. But I would have liked to see more build-up on the romance.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.*

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Gemma Wilde has just been dumped and is grieving her relationship. During a drunken night, she does a love cleanse spell and wishes she never dated Stuart. However, it doesn’t go as planned and Gemma wakes up in an alternate reality where things are different, and at times, better than her own reality. She has to decide if she should stay or go back home.

Right off the bat I was in love with the premise of this book. I’ve watched movies with similar premises but I’ve never read a book like this. I love going into books blind so I rarely read the blurbs so I was expecting more witchy vibes, maybe a love potion type thing, but what I got was so much better.

Gemma is a kind and quick witted woman who doesn’t like the unknown. She prefers to know what is coming, so she won’t always take risks. In her alternate reality, we get to watch her grow and mature as a person and a sister. She realizes she may rely on those around her more than she should and more than is fair to them. We also get to see her realize that her feelings for her best friend, Dax, may not be as platonic as she thought.

Dax is one of the best friends you could ask for. He would drop anything to help or be there for Gemma. When she gets to her alternate reality, things between them are not the same between them.

I fell in love with Dax and Gemma in both timelines but I was rooting for them to be more than friends the entire time. Their relationship was too cute and I was hoping Gemma would stay in the alternate reality because I didn’t want them to end.

Gemma and Dax went through so much together in such a short time but they never gave up on each other. Their relationship and the plot both kept me reading. I never wanted to put this book down.

Every character in this book was so lovable. Right down to the nosey neighbor and Frank the spider.

Robb’s writing style was beautiful. She crafted a beautiful story and relationship that I couldn’t get enough of from the beginning. She knows how to make you feel the words on the paper.

There are a few spicy scenes in this book. I think they were done very well. They weren’t cringey and they were realistic. They actually added to the story because you could feel their love during these scenes. I’m not huge on spice, but Robb executed them perfectly.

I think this book will be a bestseller very soon!

I was given the pleasure of receiving this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher and NetGalley. I also picked this as my book of the month for November and, wow! I sure am glad!! This book is so good! It’s funny, thought provoking and full of great characters. I love that it really makes you think about all the small, seemingly inconsequential decisions you make and how it could change EVERYTHING! If you love a slightly spicy book with banter and some magic… this is for you!!! Make sure to add it to your list and grab it on its publication day of 12/5/23!!!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! This book had me coming back for more! Who doesn't love a cutesy multi-dimensional romcom? I was on the edge of my seat on how it would end. I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say this left me pleasantly satiated. Gemma was super relatable.

This Spells Love is a really great friends to lovers romcom, with a tiny sprinkle of magic. From the first chapter, I was laughing and telling my partner how much I was enjoying this read.

Gemma is heartbroken after her boyfriend of four years breaks up with her. As we all know, the best solution for heartbreak is too many margaritas... And to do a magical "love cleansing" ritual from a sketchy witchcraft book that ends with kissing your best friend and then ultimately being transported to an alternate reality.

Gemma and Alternate Reality Dax become more than friends, and it leaves Gemma wondering if the love she has always needed has been right under her nose.

This Spells Love is a fun multi dimensional love story. Literally.

Best friends to lovers.

I did, however, give it 3 stars.⭐️ There is nothing wrong with this book. The concept is cute. It's an easy read. I would recommend this book to people. So, why didn't I rate the book higher? I just didn't like the love story. This particular set of best friends didn't make a good match to me. I couldn't get past it. I just really liked their friendship.

Fantastic debut novel. I wasn’t sure what to expect when picking up this book, but wow it was great. The characters connected well and this was a great read. I would absolutely recommend this to a friend.

What a delightfully fun romance book! I requested this book on a whim because I love the sliding doors/alternate reality trope. I’m happy to say that I loved this book.

I enjoyed Gemma’s character and her chemistry with Dax. At the beginning of the story, Gemma and Dax are best friends. Gemma has just broken up with her boyfriend of four years, so she does a love cleanse with her aunt and sister. The next morning she wakes up in an alternate reality where she never dated her ex. Unfortunately, that also means she never met Dax. The story then follows Gemma as she tries to get her best friend back, but ends up falling for him instead. The question becomes, does Gemma want to stay in this alternate reality or go back to her own reality?

I don’t usually like smutty books, but for some reason this one worked for me. Dax is a cinnamon roll of a love interest. I loved his and Gemma’s banter. I loved the side characters, Kiersten and Aunt Livi as well. The character interactions had me smiling the whole time I was reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. I was so surprised this was her debut book as her stories hit right in with some of the current romance authors that we all know and love. Gotta love the MMC Dax, Gemma was great too but she drove me nuts at times with how dense she was to what was happening around her.

I have a soft spot for sister bonds and an unfortunate past of an unstable childhood so I really connected with those two elements in the story.

Would recommend to a friend. I’m interested to see what’s next for this author.

Check more of my review on my Instagram @bookish_starry_skies

SUCH A FANTASTIC DEBUT NOVEL!!!! I am so proud of Kate to have this as her debut. Imagine your favorite romcom with memory loss but a book

When our FMC accidentally changes her timeline, she doesn't realize she just erased herself from her best friend's memory. The only way to sort this is to redo the spell that got her here- but on the next full moon. What the book displays then is her new life, so different from the old one, but she must make a choice- whether to stay here or return.

To start off, there's way too much making out in here to be normal. I just got more and more frustrated with the increasing amount of sex scenes, which were absolutely not needed to show the bonding and love between our MCs. And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't really mind the occasional spicy scene. So, if you don't find yourself comfortable with that, maybe reconsider this read.

I found the idea of the alternate timeline and the parallel comparison very interesting, and I was totally invested when it was time for Gemma to choose whether to stay in this amazing version of her life or go back and make some changes. I think the end could have been longer though, but the entire middle was super long and dragging.

Not something I'd recommend, but it isn't a bad read either. I'll probably just forget about this one...

ARC REVIEW: 4.5 stars (I round up for official ratings because I think everyone deserves to be given the extra half star vs losing half!)

Totally devoured this book in one day! For me- that’s a good read :)
This book was basically eternal sunshine of the spotless mind but with a much lighter 13 going on 30 feel. Gemma, our main character, grows so much through the book, and you really leave it feeling content that things work out the way they should.
Will definitely read this author again!!

Very cute cover for a cute, steamy, make a wish, fantasy story. After breaking up with her boyfriend of four years Gemma gets drunk with her sister and favorite aunt. She casts a love-cleansing spell to erase her ex from her memory. When she wakes up the next day her world has changed. She has to figure out where she and her various relationships are in this world and if there is a way to reverse the magic if she wants. I like that the changes weren’t predictable. For example she is more successful in her business now than before.

Of course everything is going to depend on her relationship with Dax. He was her best friend before. But here he doesn’t know her and she really wants him to be more than just friends. I thought the premise, although similar to other books I’ve read, still has fresh twists and turns. I like that she learns from the world that she is in and how the author works the ending. I like that it is open door as well. Very enjoyable book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

(4 Stars)

Well this was delightful! I gulped this book in one day and loved so very much about it!

Let's start with the setting - Hamilton, Ontario - which was great because yay for Canada and not a huge city (although Toronto makes a cameo appearance).

And the main character - fresh from her breakup, Gemma is determined that it would have served her better to never meet her ex - but when the spell she performs with her great aunt and sister actually works she finds out just how life might have gone, not just for her but for everyone around her.

And so, what is the best course to take? Stay in the alternate reality or 'come home'?

A superb but close-knit cast of characters including a super cute best friend turned lover, a supportive sister and knowing great aunt, round out story. Gemma is a great main character and her feelings and actions feel very authentic and real...what a superb debut!

I really enjoyed this book. I was fully invested in the characters and while I'm not usually a friends to lovers fan, I was obsessed with this.