When Gemma is dumped by her long term boyfriend, she gets drunk on margaritas with her male best friend, her older sister, and her kooky aunt and proceeds to perform a love cleansing spell - complete with a platonic kiss from said best friend. When she wakes up, she’s stunned to discover that when she erased her ex with the spell, it totally changed the way the rest of her life looks. The worst part - her best friend also has no idea who she is. To reverse it, she’ll have to befriend him so she can get another kiss. But soon she finds herself falling for him, confronting feelings that have been lingering below the surface for years. Now she must decide if she even wants to go back to her reality, but her life isn’t the only one that looks different here, and not necessarily for the best.

I thought this was one of the better friends to lovers stories I’ve read, especially with the unique twist of alternative realities. It was thought provoking and the supporting characters in the quirky aunt and fun loving sister were my favorite! Definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me access to the E-Arc.

4.75*

I love the whole concept of this novel. The romance was raw, swoon-worthy, and frustrating. I really enjoyed the side characters as well. It’s all about choices not taken. What would you do if you were given a chance to change things? I liked how we watched the main character grow through the novel. I’m so glad that I was given an opportunity to read this arc. It was such a refreshing romance.

I highly recommend this novel.

This Spells Love was such a fun and cute read! As someone who has read many Groundhogs Day/alternative reality books, I've found that authors can easily mess up the story. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this book was crafted! I thought the main and secondary characters were relatable and well-developed. I adored Gemma and Dax's relationship. I liked how vulnerable and sweet Dax's character was. I also liked that this story was more than just a romance. It was nice to see Gemma's confidence grow throughout her experience. I'm excited to see what Kate Robb comes up with next. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️️
🌶️🌶️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
- Parallel Universe
- Best Friends to Lovers
- Sisterhood
- Magic Spells

This book was absolutely perfect to me! This Spells Love is a classic rom-com that is packed with banter, warm/fuzzy moments and will pull at your heart strings.

Gemma and Dax are the best of friends and I am LIVING for their friendship. They are one of my favorite couples that I have read recently. They had me giddy and smiling the entire book. Gemma steals the show with how she develops and grows while in this alternate/parallel universe. You really feel the big emotions that she feels whether it’s good or bad.

Don’t go into this one thinking it is going to be a very witchy read. There is a spell involved but that is the extent of the witchiness.

The heart of this book certainly reminds you that sometimes playing it safe won’t fulfill all your dreams. The risks are worth taking. Which is something that I deeply and frequently need to be reminded of.

This Spells Love is now a go-to rec for me and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

A spell to erase meeting ex-boyfriend leads to Gemma Wilde having a life far better than the one she was living. The problem? The consequences of her actions mean that other people in her life are different, including her best friend Dax who now doesn't know her because she met him the same night as her ex. Will Gemma learn the lessons she needs to learn, and will she want to go back to her old timeline?

Kate Robb crafts a compelling 'what if?' butterfly effect time travelling tale with some fabulous banter, blistering chemistry and scene stealing supporting characters, Aunt Lily and sister Kiersten that made this book an easy, enjoyable read. Refreshingly this book is set in Canada, which made me want to add Hamilton to my visit list.

I've been reading a spate of time-travel, magic realism romances lately and I can't get enough of them as they have all approached the idea differently. This Spells Love is another thoroughly enjoyable one to add to your TBR pile.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun twist on best friends to lovers where Gemma gets to live an alternate reality of her life and see how things could be different. It’s fun to get to see them fall in love when he doesn’t have all the best friend memories she does so we get to see his real feelings for her. I mean it’s obvious the whole time that Dax is in love with her in the original world and when she returns all she has to do is talk to him. There were definite moments I wanted to shake Gemma for how she was acting or for not realizing things but sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees or whatever. It was a cute story and definitely an improvement on the friends to lovers trope since that isn’t a favorite of mine. This definitely allowed for more spice to be in the book. I just got frustrated by Gemma and how thick she was sometimes. I love her Aunt Livi and sister though. Her Aunt’s clairvoyance was very fun.

This story reminded me of a Canadian 13 Going on 30 in all of the best ways. I adored Gemma and Dax, until about 2/3 through, at which time Gemma’s forgetfulness and selfishness honestly became a bit tiresome. But overall, this was SO cute and I can definitely see this appealing to a lot of romance readers. I mean, some of those spicy scenes had me clutching my pearls.

This is a fun romcom and a quick read. Gemma was a little hard for me to like as she tended to come across as selfish, but she grew on me as the book advanced. Dax is the ultimate hot best friend. Aunt Livi is fantastic and Kiersten is a good sister/confidante. The idea of messing with the time continuum has been explored but this seemed like a fresh take.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This Spells Love by Kate Robb
Narrator: Khaya Fraites
Rating: 4.5 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 12/5

Am I here to review another time travel/alternate dimension romance? Why yes, I am! It’s starting to look like these books are my kryptonite because, once again, I loved this one!

Gemma is heartbroken after getting dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Stuart. After weeks of moping, she goes out with her sister, aunt, and best friend, Dax, to get drunk and trash-talk her ex. Her eccentric aunt suggests they try a love-cleansing spell, and Gemma wishes she never met Stuart. When she wakes up the next day, she realizes that the spell worked! And while she’s living in an alternate reality where she never dated Stuart, that’s not the only thing that’s different, and not in a good way.

This book was so cute! I instantly loved these characters and could feel the tension building between Gemma and Dax from the start. The chemistry is palpable, and watching them go from strangers to friends to lovers was truly a delight. The steam was extra steamy and just the right amount to move the story along. Gemma is highly relatable, and her personal growth was a joy to witness. Friends to lovers, where the guy falls first, are two of my favorite tropes, and Dax plays the part perfectly.

The pacing is perfect, with the story moving steadily while allowing for some slower moments of introspection. Gemma’s career and family members' struggles are different in this reality, and Gemma needs time to decide which timeline she wants to stay in.

Overall, this was a delightful read that combines humor and heart with a dash of magic. I listened to this on audio while reading along, and the narrator did an amazing job bringing all the characters to life.

This feel-good read is full of witty banter and loveable characters, and I’m so excited for everyone to get their copies on 12/5.

Read if you like:
*magical realism
*strangers to friends to lovers
*single POV
*open door spice
*tight-knit family

This book is pure magic, no pun intended. I was enchanted from the start. First, Kate Robb is a great writer. Second, the story is fun and engaging—making even the cliched plot points feel fresh. This bewitching tale centers around Gemma, who gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend and—after a night of drinking and weeks of moping—decides to perform a love- cleansing spell, which promises to erase her ex from her memory. When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that the spell has worked, but her life is largely unrecognizable. As she endeavors to win back her best friend, she realizes her feelings for him go beyond just that. And this journey will grip you til the end.

A perfect mix of witchy and swoon-worthy. I was rooting for Gemma and Dax from the very first page to the last.

Favorite quote:
“I realize two things. This very moment, here, might be the happiest of my entire life. And in my other one, it never would have happened.”


📚Thank you NetGalley and Kate Robb for the ARC of This Spells Love.

Cute idea but a little too unbelievable and saccharin for my taste. The main character was just too overwrought and clueless to me.

Such a sweet and fluffy low-stakes romcom!

If you’re looking for a cute and cozy story that gives major 90s romcom vibes with a touch of magic then look no further. This Spells Love is a friends-to-lovers story where Gemma, the FMC, in an attempt to get over her ex, performs a spell and accidentally jumps into an alternate reality where she never meets him in the first place. Which, of course, has unintended consequences.

My favorite part of this book was definitely her older sister, Kiersten. Almost everything I highlighted are quotes of their conversations. They’re absolutely hilarious and as an older sister their relationship was so relatable!

There was some parts in the middle that dragged a bit for me but overall a very fun and easy read.

This was my first book to read by this author but it won't be my last! This was a beautifully written novel that evokes so many emotions. Don't miss out on this one!

I loved this sweet, slightly steamy alternate reality rom com! Gemma and Dax were a great couple, and I was rooting for Gemma to find love, professional fulfillment, and a more confident approach to risk.

This Spells Love infused fresh life and unusual tension into the friends-to-lovers trope. By creating a convincing backstory for Gemma and Dax's only-a-friendship, and by moving quickly into an alternate timeline where they're strangers, I never felt like the two of them "might as well" just be together.

And I loved everything about the alternate timeline - it was so much fun to discover the different decisions Gemma had made and their consequences, both positive and negative. The author did such a great job of teasing out unintended side effects, and the pacing and balance of the plot was really superb.

This was an adorable romance. When a drunken spell after a time of heartbreak is sealed with a kiss, Gemma finds herself facing a new reality where her best friend no longer knows her and her world is turned upside down. This was a super cute read and I really enjoyed it! Nice debut!

This was the perfect+cute romcom full of only the most warm and cozy moments. From the very beginning of the story I was sucked into the unique plot and found myself not being able to put this down. I devoured it within a day! A stunning debut from Kate Robb that for anyone who wants a romance with a touch of magical realism, absolutely needs to pick this up!!

I absolutely love the alternate timelines type of plots where characters need to sort out, is the grass really greener and then make that decision do they want their old life they wanted to run from, or the new life they have been plopped into.

I absolutely loved Gemma’s storyline of coming to a new reality and finding her best friend doesn’t know her, but they still have a shot at something special, just in this universe it gets spicy a lot quicker than the 4 year freindzone they had been sitting in.

I love how Gemma had to learn about herself and what she wants and make that choice, does she want to wake up with some of her goals but life being different, or does she want to go back to the life she wanted away from and try to build happiness there?

Thank you so so so so much to the publisher for my ARC of this one!

Read if you like:
✨ Magical Realism
⏳Alternate Timelines
🥵 Spice & Tension
💋 Friends to Lovers
🇨🇦 Books set in Canada
💄 Beauty Products
❤️ Finding your happy

I feel like I will absolutely eat up any romance x magical realism book… and this one was no exception to that!

I absolutely love the alternate timelines type of plots where characters need to sort out, is the grass really greener and then make that decision do they want their old life they wanted to run from, or the new life they have been plopped into.

I absolutely loved Gemma’s storyline of coming to a new reality and finding her best friend doesn’t know her, but they still have a shot at something special, just in this universe it gets spicy a lot quicker than the 4 year freindzone they had been sitting in.

I love how Gemma had to learn about herself and what she wants and make that choice, does she want to wake up with some of her goals but life being different, or does she want to go back to the life she wanted away from and try to build happiness there?

Thank you so so so so much to the publisher for my ARC of this one! I truly hope everyone else loves this one as much as I did!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity!

This was soo fun! I loved her aunt, she needed her own story honestly. This friends to lovers was so much fun, it was a feel good romance that felt warm and fuzzy.
4/5

This was an adorable romance. When a drunken spell after a time of heartbreak is sealed with a kiss, Gemma finds herself facing a new reality where her best friend no longer knows her and her world is turned upside down. This was a super cute read and I really enjoyed it! Nice debut! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was difficult to get into. The main character seemed out of touch and kind of clueless, which I had a hard time relating to. I wasn’t crazy about the timeline situation either. Idk how to feel.