Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.


I went into this one not knowing what to really expect, but rather only what I could garner from the title. (I'm a sucker for a good romcom.) It was an adorable story, in which our FMC, Gemma, has just broken up with her boyfriend of four years, and is devastated. She doesn't know what to do to emotionally recover, and seeks advice and solace from her Aunt, older sister, and our MMC, her best friend, Dax. Performing what seemed like a harmless spell from one of her Aunt's old books, she wakes up the next morning and is no longer in her bed. She's still her, and her family still remembers her, but she's entered almost like an alternate reality in which she would have never met or dated her ex, thus changing the lives of everyone else around her. She's left after a month with a tough choice. To return to her former life by performing the spell again, or to stay in her new reality where she's experienced things she could only have dreamed of. If you love a little bit of magic, a decent amount of open door spice, and just an overall good romcom, this is worth a read.

Let me start off saying, this book is almost a 4 star rating for me but it's not quite there for a few reasons.

First, the spell that is cast to put Gemma in a time loop/different timeline has a clever possibility but why does the Aunt seem to know things in advance and why isn't this explored more. How does Gemma own a business and walks seamlessly into without ever having owned a business in her other timeline.

Second, would Dax and Gemma really not know each other at all having businesses within a few blocks of each other? Seems unlikely.

The good stuff is the chemistry between Dax and Gemma leaps off the page. The sister relationship was such a bonus to this story that it was almost my favorite part. Wanted more scenes with her Aunt. She seemed like she had a story to tell.

We don't hear why Dax's business is doing so badly other than he would have gotten some sound advice from a friend that he would only have met if Gemma had been with Stuart.

There are some nice lessons on growing self-confidence and not always taking the easy/safe route. I liked the sacrifice that the FMC made at the end that turned out to work out for the relationship.

All that to say, it's a good book and given maybe a few more chapters, would have been great!

Loved this super unique friends to lovers romance, with a touch of magical realism. Also very steamy!!

Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was the perfect mix of Freaky Friday and your classic friends to lovers romance. I loved the slice of life feel to the entire book, and the spicy scenes were very well done. Gemma ends up in a parallel timeline, and her life is pretty good here. So is everyone else's....right?

Gemma spends a month deciding if she wants to go back to her previous timeline since they can't do the spell again until the right moon phase. She starts to pay attention more to the people in her life and realizes that things are very different in a lot of really important ways. She will need to decide which timeline to choose, which Gemma, which Kierst, and which Dax....what sacrifices she's willing to make and why. I really enjoyed watching her process everything and come to a decision. Although this was a very good rom-com, it was also a really nice story about finding yourself amongst a world of chaos and unknowns.

A definite what if story. If you could change 1 thing in your life, how would that change your existence? This is a story where Gemma erases her bad to her boyfriend experience with a spell one night. She wakes up in the morning in a different reality where portions of it are similar to her real life but there are major differences. She learns about herself and the stupid (and some what selfish) mistakes she makes but will those lessons change her life when she goes back to her own reality? Overall, an interesting read but sometimes it was a little slow and repetitive.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Random Publishing House for the ARC of This Spells Love. This was a cute, short and easy romance read about a girl getting over a long term breakup and has elements of magical realism. I’m rating this 3 stars as I wished for a bit more depth in how conversations were delivered between characters and it felt a bit slow in the middle of the book for me. Again, a cute easy read, just not one that was entirely for me. I don’t normally tend to gravitate towards movies or books with this sort of plot. This book kind of reminds me of In Another Life, concept wise, but also both books are different and unique in their own way!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. A fun mix of romance and time travel, a little friends to lovers meets Oona Out of Order, I thought the characters were great and this was an awesome light fun read. Plus friend to lovers is my favorite romance trope.

This book was actual magic. I have read a lot of books with the wish fulfillment trope/memories being erased/alternate universe etc… and watched a lot of movies with those tropes, and this is now one of my new favorites.

This reminded me so much of 13 Going On 30 and Practical Magic. Best friends who are meant to be together & midnight margaritas with spell casting involved? Yes please!

Gemma just got her heart broken by her long term boyfriend and her sister, quirky aunt, and best friend Dax get drunk with her and perform a wacky spell for fun. During this spell Gemma wishes she didn’t meet her ex, and the wish is sealed with a kiss from Dax. The next morning she wakes up in a totally new reality, one where even Dax doesn’t know her. Whoops. Be careful what you wish for!

Gemma and Dax’s friendship was so special and heartwarming to experience. Yes, a lot of the emotions between them were painfully obvious and yes, Gemma is so oblivious that you’ll want to strangle her… but it worked. I totally understand not wanting to ruin a best friendship by dating. I related to Gemma and her internal struggles and totally understood her.

The way this story plays out is beautifully done. It was charming and delightfully funny with some much needed spice (the spice was seriously perfect after all that pining and angst). I loved that this was a story that wasn’t a brand new concept, but it was executed in a way that I didn’t predict. I loved every minute and devoured every word. What a debut!

✨ Read this if you enjoy tropes regarding memory loss/parallel universes, best friends to lovers, unconditional family love, slow burn romances and spell casting ✨

Thank you NetGalley & The Dial Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This Spells Love is an adorable and thoughtful friends-to-lovers meets alternate universe romance. It was so easy to get drawn into this story and I literally could not stop reading. Gemma is definitely a character you want to root for and it was great to see her growth throughout the book as she finds a new path and realizes what or who she really wants in her life. Gemma and Dax have great chemistry in every universe. And Dax is a pretty fantastic book boyfriend. There is plenty of drama and angst but still so much humor and charm. Definitely recommend this endearing debut novel and am excited to see what Kate Robb writes next! Thank you to Dial Press, Random House, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

This was so sweet! I was a little bored in the beginning and didn't love the characters or their chemistry so I almost DNF'd but I kept going and quickly fell in love with Gemma and Dax. Their story was the sweetest and I was rooting for them so bad. The time travel stuff was a unique touch, not my favorite trope but it was done really well. Overall quick, cute, heart warming read.

This book was a beautiful story of a woman in a mid-20s life crisis. We all wish we could go back to see what life would be like if we made a different decision. This book was sweet, heartwarming, funny, and just an absolute joy to read. Dax was book boyfriend perfection. Of course I love a time slip romance and magical realism, but I feel like anyone who reads this will love it. It’s that good!!

I am so thoroughly surprised and impressed by this book! Such a sweet tale. I went in kind of thinking “I’m not sure if this premise is totally for me”, but it turned into such a sweet romantic adventure. Gemma Wilde has been broken up with by her longtime boyfriend, and she’s absolutely miserable. She, along with her best friend, sister, and aunt, create a ritual to cut ties with her ex, in a hope to forget what wasting the past four years felt like. Sealed with a kiss from her best friend Dax, and… Well, she certainly wakes up the next morning without a tie to her ex. In a completely different world where they’d never met! Things go haywire, and Gemma has the choice to stay in this new life without memory of her ex, or go back to her real world. I’m not giving it justice with my words, but it’s really just a joyful read. I loved the characters and the build of the world around the story. Highly recommend, it’s precious. Full of mischief and just the right amount of feel-good romance.

Thank you so much to Kate Robb, Dial Press Trade Paperback, and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts!

This Spells Love is a friends to lovers modern romance with a Butterfly Effect/Sliding Doors twist. Our main character Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend and drunkenly decides to cast a love-cleansing spell with her sister, kooky aunt, and super hot, single, but ONLY A GUY FRIEND Dax. She wakes up the next day in a different reality where she never dated her ex, but also Dax is not her best friend. To break the spell and go back to her reality, she has to kiss Dax.

This description interested me and also made me a little nervous. If done well, I thought it could be fun. If not, I thought it could be cringey. Luckily for me (and you!), it was done very well (in my opinion) and is one of my favorite romances of the year!

I thought this book was really fun! I liked Gemma and Dax as main characters. The spell/alternate reality things are part of the book, but this book is mostly a regular modern romance with some sprinklings of supernatural. The only supernatural part of the book is the switch. I thought that the balance worked well. This book is also HILARIOUS! Truly some of the best witty banter I have read. I kept snorting while I was reading it, to the point where my boyfriend was concerned (lol).

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to any romance enthusiasts! 5 stars from me. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book, my thoughts are my own!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Dial Press Trade Paperback) for the ARC! Gemma Wilde has just ended a long-term relationship and wants nothing more than to cut his existence from her life, so when her aunt Livi presents her with the opportunity to do just that, she gives it a shot (under the heavy influence of some margaritas). But what she thinks is just a fun time with her aunt, sister, and best friend Dax turns out to be too true the next morning when her home and career are totally different and worst of all, Dax no longer knows her, Gemma must rethink her life decisions and whether or not Dax is just a friend. A charming narrative with a touch of steam, This Spells Love by Kate Robb is a delightful romance that speaks to the heart of finding yourself and true love.

A young woman tries to heal her heartbreak by casting a spell to erase her ex from her past, but she wakes up in an alternate reality where she’s lost more than she wished for in this witty, whimsical friends-to-lovers debut.

I really, really enjoyed this book and devoured it in a day! The plot was adorable, the characters likeable and it was paced perfectly to keep you hooked into wanting to know how the story ended. The only complaint I have is that I wished we had gotten more of the "after" timeline but that's only because I wasn't ready to be done with the book! For being a debut author Kate Robb did a wonderful job and I will be adding her to my list of auto buy authors.

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

Read this if you:
•enjoy friends to lovers
•like magical realism
•have a spider as a roommate 😂
•have ever done anything questionable after drinking tequila

This book was such a gem!!!! Gemma was spunky and hilarious and Dax was such a nice & patient friend while he loved her from afar. I read this in one day!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for giving me early access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In trying to get over her ex, Gemma accidentally casts a spell that sends her to an alternate universe where she never met her ex— or her best friend. Now she has to live an alternate life for a month as she tries to find her way back to her timeline and decide if she even wants to go back.

I enjoyed this book! It wasn't an all-time favourite, but it was a cute little rom-com. My favourite part was definitely Gemma's sister, Kiersten. Kiersten was so funny and had me giggling multiple times throughout the book. Not to mention the eccentric Aunt Livi.

This Spells Love was a really comforting read. It really felt like reading a movie I’d already seen.

That being said, a big part of what carries romance books for me is the characters, and This Spells Love just didn't have the characterization I needed to really love this book though.

A part of that is due to the format— Robb basically had to develop two different love interests: One that has known Gemma for the past four years and one that hasn't.

The declarations of love were cute enough and I did swoon at Dax (in both realities) a couple of times. I felt like Dax is a pretty solid (if standard) kind of love interest. The spice was among some of the better that I’ve read and I think that’s largely due to how caring Dax is— both in and out of bed.

My biggest gripe with this book is our leading lady. Gemma is one note enough that you know what her major character flaw is within a few pages of the book. I'd rather have the time to explore the character and figure out that she's scared of change on my own, rather than through a painfully obvious donut metaphor.

My second problem with Gemma: Oh my good God is she oblivious!!

This lady just can not figure anything out for herself. Dax is clearly in love with her and she just refuses to admit it; not even to mention her own feelings. If it were just that, I could maybe forgive it. It would be annoying, but nothing ridiculous and nothing entirely unexpected for this trope. But no, she then goes on to not put together why this man just might have a barely furnished apartment, why he's been driving the same beater car forever, or why he's so stressed about making payments to fix his car.

Despite my issues with Gemma, the alternate realities plot does a lot to make up for the problems I had. In living her new reality, Gemma realizes a lot about herself and the life she’s been living and we get to see what she does with this new point of view.

Overall, I did enjoy it. As a Canadian who recently started curling, I had a lot of fun with this. It’s cute and I read it in basically one sitting. I don't really have that many big problems with the book, even my issues with the characters are easy to overlook as this is a very plot-driven romance. In fact, I thought the plot was really cute. I am always down for some pining, although I usually prefer it from our hero. Aunt Livi and Kiersten were amazing characters, they were equal parts charming and hilarious. It’s a great debut and I’m excited for what Robb does in future!

Rating: 3.5 stars.
*Rounded up*

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Such a cute debut! 'This Spells Love' pleasantly surprised me with its alternate timelines—a trope that isn't usually my favorite. The friends-to-lovers journey, woven with the charm of an alternate reality, felt like a delightful blend of '13 Going on 30' with a sprinkle of magic. I devoured it in one sitting, unable to put it down even during my flight. A must-read for those who love a heartwarming romantic tale with a touch of the extraordinary!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc

📚✨Book Review✨📚

This Spells Love
Author: Kate Robb

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🕯️I felt like I’ve read this story before, but at the same time it still felt fresh. I enjoyed that it wasn’t about her finding success, but instead it was about her happiness. Being successful and making loads of money isn’t a sign of true happiness, it’s finding love in people and the things that you do.

🕯️I ADORED how Dax would call her Gemma McGuire. It was precious 🥰

What I Didn’t Like:
🕯️Without giving too much away, I wanted to see some more of her alternative life bleed into her real life. Some of the people she met and some of the things she did, but we didn’t fully get that. I also wanted a little more insight into Aunt Livi. She knew way more than she let on. 👀

Final Thoughts:
🕯️ Kate Robb is a new to me author, but I know this won’t be the last book I read from her. I really found her style to be light and easy, familiar and comfortable all at the same time.




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I love a cute romcom and I absolutely adored this book. This Spells Love is a fantastic debut from Kate Robb. This book reminded me of the movie Sliding Doors, which was one of my all-time favorite movies of all time. I cried and laughed at the same time. Plus, it got me very much in the mood for Halloween season! And who doesn’t want to forget an ex-boyfriend!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.