OH MY GOSH!! I loved this debut romance from new Canadian author SO DARN MUCH!! Set in Hamilton, Canada there were just sooo many great local references that only Canadians will get. Well Done!!

But aside from that, it was also just the most perfect friends to lovers, second chance romance with a time loop twist (always my fav story element). Gemma has been best friends with Dax for four years and when she gets dumped by her long term boyfriend she gets drunk and does a silly spell with her aunt to erase all memories of her ex, sealing the spell with a kiss from Dax.

When Gemma wakes up the next day she realizes the spell has worked but also that Dax has no memory of her either and in this new life she found the courage to start her own business - taking a chance she hadn't been brave enough to do before. Trying to make Dax remember her has Gemma realizing just how great he is and considering what if they were something more.

This was the perfect balance of he secretly falls first (I love a great pining cinnamon roll hero) and learning to take chances in both life and love story. Steamy and sweet and just plain unputdownable. It was also great on audio read by new to me narrator, Khaya Fraites. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!! I cannot wait to read what Kate Robb writes next!!

When I say I was addicted to this book, my god. I read it in a day. I couldn’t stop reading. I found myself trying to read every time I had a second to. I absolutely adored Gemma. So much. Same with Dax. Honestly? Every character in this whole dang book. The amount of times my heart was broken or I was so happy that it made me cry, too high. Just such a good and fun book. This is exactly the kind of book that I want when I saw I want a happy feel good book.

A bit spicy in parts but nothing too crazy. Maybe 3/5 on spicy level.

Seriously though, run to get this book. I can’t get over how much I loved it and can’t wait for this author to have another book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for publishing the ARC.

This book was an adorable rom-com with just a little sprinkle of magic and an aunt that seems to know everything that happens before it does. It features Gemma, a 20-something fresh off a breakup and living a life devoid of any real accomplishment. And Dax, her wildly successful best friend who you can tell from the beginning has been in love with her for four years. She makes a wish to have never met the jerk boyfriend and comes to find that this glimpse into the future she might have had is not all sunshine and roses either.

This book hit me hard with the 13 Going on 30 vibes, and I loved seeing Gemma grow from an anxious mess into a competent human. I loved seeing how she and Dax met in this new universe and how much she let her ex guide the anxious behavior she exhibited. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the building of Dax and Gemma's relationship. My only complaint is that there were parts where their relationship felt very rushed, including the ending. Overall though, I enjoyed the story and had a lot of fun reading it.

Gemma is heartbroken and performs this witchy ritual to erase the day she met her ex. The only problem is that she met her best friend, Dax, that same day.
When she wakes up in a parallel universe where she has never met her ex, life seems better. She has a better job even though she lives in a basement. She has more friends because she hasn’t wasted the last 4 years with her ex and actually socialized. And she fulfilled her dream of opening her own store.
But Dax doesn’t remember her and thinks her some crazy stalker, So she decides to do the ritual again but now she has to wait for a month when the moon is in the same phase. Of course during this time she ends up falling for him and realizes he’s always been into her. Which makes her consider that maybe she can stay in this universe forever.
But the grass is not always greener on the other side. Turns out her dating her ex for 4 years wasn’t a complete waste after all...

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for this e-arc.*

Amazing!!!!!! I loved this book with all my heart. It was such a unique story and unlike anything I have ever read. Really this would make for an amazing movie or show.

What a great Romcom with all the feels!!! I can't wait to read more by Kate Robb.

Gemma is so relatable, and I was rooting for her the entire book. Dax is everything you could ever ask for in a book boyfriend. The plot is chefs kiss!

The ending had me in tears. I really adored this book so much. Thank you NetGally!


Highly Highly recommend!!

Ahhhh this book! Kate Robb has written romance GOLD. Perfection—I seriously can not find any flaws. I love a book with heart and this made me feel all the emotions associated with the terrifying thought of taking it one step further with your best friend. Kate Robb does an EXCELLENT job of working through the scary emotions of tipping the scales from the side of friendship only to romantic interest. In this single POV friends-to-lovers tale, Gemma (with a G—thanks Snake) has recently broken up with her boyfriend Stuart of four and a half years. Her constants in her life, sister Kiersten, Aunt Livi, and best friend Dax are the people Gemma can count on to help with her heartbreak whether it’s with a pitcher of margaritas or box of Nana’s doughnuts. But when a love curse/spell is performed to help Gemma get over her heartache, a kiss is required to break her luck. As the only male around, Dax is tribute, but perhaps this “friendly” kiss has more meaning behind it than it should?
Gemma is thrust into an alternate universe where her relationship with Stuart didn’t happen and she doesn’t have her best friend anymore. I loved that Gemma had to figure out what she wanted from Dax and how to win him over after a disastrous meet cute. In a way, it was like seeing their friendship begin all over again and I loved how it pushed Gemma to confront her feelings for Dax. Oh boy Dax. Let me pause for effect…
I loved his character so much. Even though we never have his point of view, he’s so transparent (even when he isn’t to Gemma), so thoughtful, he pursues Gemma and is exactly what you’d look for in a friend to lover relationship. In my mind he’s the perfect book boyfriend, also so stinking hot and a man that makes curling look good? It’s no wonder Gemma wants to jump him every chance she gets. Let me tell you, the sex in this story is hot. Hot-hot. I was right there with Gemma wanting to climb him like a tree, glorious manhood and everything (some of the funniest scenes are of Gemma talking about what’s happening under Dax’s sweatpants).
Not only is the relationship between Dax and Gemma explored more in this alternate reality, but Kiersten is a big part of Gemma’s life too. She is the BEST big sister: funny, hot mom energy, always a bit of a mess, and really loves her sister. I would absolutely read a book about Kiersten and husband Trent (hint hint Kate Robb?) getting their HEA. I also loved how the city and are outside of Toronto was a character in and of itself. You can tell that location is a big part of the story and I felt like there was a sense of place that made for a unique setting.
Even though I had a suspicion about how the book would end, I didn’t care because this story is so magical. I can definitely see a reread in my future and cannot believe this is Kate Robb’s debut novel. If she can write such tender, charismatic, and charming characters already, just sign me up for whatever she’s writing in the future. I received an advanced copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book 25% in because the FMC is the type of person who gets in their own way sometimes, which is frustrating. However, her personal development was there and perceptible and the way she and Dax (re)connected in the alternative universe was sweet albeit awkward, haha. I think there could have been more body to how Dax became interested in Gemma because it seemed a little too insta-lovey. Though, I understand that it was due to an underlying comfort from the other universe. That was the only part that could have been beefed up.

This Spells Love by @kate_robb_writes is amazing storytelling. PERIOD!!! 🤩

Blurb: What if one little wish changed everything?

When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax. After one too many margaritas, they decide to perform a love- cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. They follow all the instructions, including a platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal.

When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only does it seem that she never dated her ex, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable. The worst part: Dax has no idea who she is.

To reverse the spell and get back to her old life, Gemma must convince her once-best-friend-now-near-stranger to kiss her. But as she carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him—hard. Soon, Gemma begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things once were. What if Dax was The One all along?

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was sooooo invested in this book!!! The concept is so unique and fun. Gemma is so relatable and I love her personality so much!!! Dax is the most caring guy I wish I had, and he is honestly hot too. Gemma’s relationship with her sister is super sweet and reminds me of my relationship with my own sister (she is 12 years older than me instead of 10). Her aunt is also very amazing and supportive, and had some of the best lines!!! The witchy vibes were immaculate, there were scenes that made me laugh out loud, and scenes that made me cry. This Spells Love is a romantic and heartfelt read, that is perfect for fall/winter!!! 🧹🖤✨

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC! 🤩📚❤️

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What if you got the chance to go back in time to find out if the best friend of your life is actually the perfect guy for you all along. Gemma has always played it safe, so safe she stuck around in a boring relationship for four years just despite not really being in love with her boyfriend... and said boyfriend then dumps her. The only dependable person to Gemma is her best friend Dax, the guy who will cancel a date to hang out with her, who will drop everything to be with her, and the one person she has kept strictly as a friend in fear of losing her friendship with him.... yet on the night of her breakup she kisses Dax and goes through with her aunt's spells for fun... not realizing that when she woke up it actually happened and now she's in a parallel universe/time in which she never became friends with Dax and she never dated her boring boyfriend. This is the perfect chance for her to see if Dax and her were always meant to be. The more she falls for him the more she begins to question whether she wants to go back to the way things were before and if she is ready to finally take a risk on the one guy she has never allowed herself to. This one unfortunately was a bit of a miss for me, I adore second chances/best friends to lovers storylines but I just couldn't stand Gemma at all. She really just got on all my nerves and I was so tired of her. I really wish I could like her and Dax together but I just didn't really see their romance. Dax was a great love interest and he was so sweet to Gemma, but honestly I felt meh about their overall relationship. If you enjoy magical realism/best friends to lovers storylines, definitely give this a go!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a delicious blend of whimsical and magical. Immediately it gave me 13 going on 30 vibes and then I was hooked. Witchy Rom-Coms are my bread and butter and this one did not disappoint. Our story follows Gemma Wilde who after a rowdy night with her strange aunt and sister wakes up in an alternate timeline where she never met her ex. Of course as any of us book besties know- changing one detail of your life changes everything! We see Gemma navigate her new situation and reassess her friendship only rule with her bestie Dax (who doesn't remember her at all!)

The characters felt very relatable, maybe too relatable at some points (I didn't need the flip cup horror flashbacks!) lol.

Friends to lovers is always a great time in a book for me and the chemistry between the MMC and FMC was fiery!

Overall it was a great time and I would highly recommend giving it a try :)

4.5⭐️2.5🌶️

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for this free arc copy in exchange for an honest review !

where do I start?!? I didn’t think I’d love a friends to lovers trope as much as I did this one!! I thought I was an enemies to lovers girly but there is just something about a man who’s been secretly in love with you for 4 years that just does it for me

• although I ended up loving this book, it was not what I was expecting! Although no where in the summary does it mention witches… I was expecting a contemporary witchy romcom (‘spells’ in the title and all). Which was not the case. Gemma is a normal girl who finds a spell in one of her quirky aunts books and ends up in a parallel universe. But in no way shape or form does it involve ✨witchy magic✨

ASIDE FROM MY INITIAL CONFUSION, I absolutely adored Gemma and Dax’s friends to lovers timeline. Her turmoil of wanting to stay or leave the parallel universe had me hooked!! I do wish we had some more insight on aunt livi because …. She was definitely aware in the parallel universe about what was going on.

my absolute favorite part that made me squeal and kick my feet:

“Goodnight Daxon McGuire”
“Goodnight Gemma McGuire”
“Slip of the tongue?”
“Something like that”

And the ending line also made kick my feet… iykyk 🤭

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Dial Press Trade Paperback for providing me with a digital review copy. This book comes out on 12/5!

Overall thoughts: Predictable ending, but it was still a cute rom-com read with friends-to-lovers trope. It was easy to root for the main couple and they had a lot of chemistry with each other. There is only one spell in the book - it's not really a supernatural/magic vibe, just alternate reality. Spice was a 3/5.

It was interesting to see the changes in Gemma's life in the alternate reality. I wanted to see more of her relationship with her aunt and sister. At times, they felt like plot devices to move the storyline along and they only appeared when Gemma needed support and help with her problems. It was weird to see how they just accepted the concept of Gemma being from a parallel universe without many questions. There were times that Gemma was being very self-centered and was ignoring things/red flags that were right in front of her in regards to what Dax and her sister were going through in their own lives, and I wanted to yell at her to open her eyes. It was great to see her growth at the end of the book when she finally realizes what she hasn't been seeing and the consequences of her actions.

I still enjoyed seeing how Dax and Gemma's relationship developed and how her wish/spell to erase her ex affected their lives in more ways than one. I never really got over how weird Gemma was to Dax when they first meet in the alternate reality. It was acknowledged that she was being creepy, but it was definitely brushed over and never addressed again after a few pages on it. But their love for one another felt very authentic and I love how they supported each other's goals and dreams.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a sucker for a contemporary romance with a fantasy twist. "This Spells Love" was a really interesting take on that genre and I really enjoyed it.

While I adored the romance, what I loved even more was the themes around the major impacts seemingly minor decisions can have on the paths of our lives, both good and bad. At the same time, the book did a wonderful job of conveying a message about the importance of personal agency and taking risks when you may not know the outcome.

I loved Dax and Gemma together, their chemistry was off the charts. However, since Gemma never discloses her whole interdimensional journey to Dax, I felt like there was almost a bit of an odd power dynamic between them. Gemma knew Dax personally in a way that he never realized she did, since she had years of close friendship with him back in her timeline.

Despite this, I loved the ending of the book and the development it showed in Gemma. I think the story came full circle in a way that was really lovely. This was a really successful debut, and I can't wait to see what else Kate Robb writes!

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press Trade for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I love a relatable rom-com, and This Spells Love by Kate Robb is just that and more. Of course, it’s not directly relatable because I’m sure none of us have magically entered an alternate timeline. Still, the reasons why choices were made and the results of those choices, along with the lessons learned, had me reminiscing about my own life and choices.

Gemma and Dax are both lovely characters. They are the type of characters that are easily recognizable as your own friends and neighbors. Gemma has settled in many facets of her life, but when her boyfriend of four years breaks up with her, it leads her on a magical journey that brings her back in touch with her dreams and what she truly wants.

I loved the relationship between Gemma and Dax the most, though. Their relationship in all its forms felt so authentic. You can just feel the love through the pages. It brought to mind the famous debate from When Harry Met Sally about whether men and women can be friends, which is always enlightening.

This Spells Love held me under its spell from beginning to end, and I loved all the memories it brought to mind that made me feel the freshness of love first realized.

This Spells Love is a single POV friends-strangers-lovers romance about the consequences of mixing margaritas, forgetting spells, and kissing your best friend!

In order to undo a spell gone wrong, Gemma needs the help of her best friend Dax to reenact it. Unfortunately, Dax in this timeline has no idea who she is, and she’s coming across more as a creepy stalker than an awesome best friend! 😹

I love the development of their relationship in this book and the bond she has with her sister. I loved Gemma’s selflessness, too. Choosing this as my @bookofthemonth was the right call- it’s sweet, funny, emotional, and fun.


Read dates: 11/27/2023- 11/29/2023
Goodreads review: 11/29/2023
Instagram review: 11/29/2023
Blog review: 12/05/2023

2.5

This book was super predictable. I didn't really enjoy this one. This plot was not original at all. This was just not for me.

I’m a total sucker for parallel universe-type books that explore the path not taken. It’s fascinating to think how one minor decision can have ripple effects that alter the entire course of your life. This is one of my favorite plot lines because, personally, I’d love the chance to see all the various ways my life could have turned out if I’d made a few different decisions.

Our main character, Gemma, gets to do just that when a love cleanse spell after a bad breakup transports her to an alternate reality where she never meets her ex and instead has a chance to explore her feelings for her ride-or-die best friend, Dax. Except in this new reality, lots of things are different — for better and for worse — and she and Dax don’t even know each other yet.

This was a fun take on the friends-to-lovers trope with a spoonful of magical realism and some lovable side characters mixed in. Fast, fun, a bit spicy, This Spells Love was a solid read!

𝗣𝗦𝗔 𝟭: Will make you crave donuts and coffee.

𝗣𝗦𝗔 𝟮: I saw several reviews in which readers expressed disappointment that the book wasn’t as witchy or magical as they were expecting. I think the title, while cute, is a little misleading. There’s one spell and it’s done in jest; this isn’t an atmospheric witchy read, it’s a romcom with a twist. I found it to be really reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Maybe in Another Life.

This is an interesting twist on the typical Freaky Friday situation. I really enjoyed Gemma as a character - I felt I could relate to her; generation-wise and in humor at least. When you are going through a breakup, it's easy to wish you'd do anything to forget...but at what cost? Gemma answers all those questions and more! This was a cute/quick read and while I enjoyed the characters, I do think it lacked a bit in plot. Additionally, I wish it had been a bit more succinct towards the end. Thank you again for the opportunity to review this!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Guys... this was SO CUTE.

It`s a rom-com meets space-time continuum : aka a magic potion gone wrong... or right?

Gemma was just dumped by her boyfriend and decides that the only way to deal with it - is to wish away that relationship. Wish that she never met Stuart. Only at the part of the "potion" when she is supposed to kiss him, she ends up kissing her BFF Dax - the guy she met the same night she met Stuart (this is important information).

She wakes up in a parallel place - her sister and aunt are still there. And Dax is there. Only he isn't her BFF. He doesn't even know her. Gemma realizes that while she wishes she had never dated Stuart, not having Dax in her life is soul-destroying.

And so begins the adventures of Gemma befriending Dax. Only in this place he doesn't want to be friend-zoned. Gemma also realizes that the longer she stays in this parallel timeline, the more havoc she causes to the lives of those around her.

While this is an adorable romance; it's also about Gemma coming to terms with herself. Her hopes, her dreams, her relationships. She has to grow up and make some difficult decisions. And it's really great to see her change and become a better version of herself.

For any Canadians out there - this one takes place in Hamilton and have loads of curling references. It's great fun. Dax is an absolute dream - not matter what timeline you meet him and Gemma's sister and aunt are lovely supporting characters. You'll also probably crave caffeine, donuts and tequila.

Recommended read.

This Spells Love is an incredibly unique romance, and an exceptional debut.

Gemma is devastated by her break-up, and wishes she could eradicate any memory of her ex from her mind. Her wish is granted with one consequence her best friend, Dax doesn't recognize her. In this parallel world, she seems to have her life together, a successful business and a healthy social life.

Only her new heartbreak is missing Dax. Over the course of the month before the spell can be broken, she slowly begins to see all the things she missed pining over a man who didn't truly love her. Gemma realizes her true love has been at her side the whole time, but is it too late?

Gemma and Dax are adorable in the parallel world, especially their meet/cute in his shop - HILARIOUS! This was such a fun debut novel, and I look forward to future books by this author.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for the complimentary copy.