This was a charming, lighthearted romance. Gemma, our main character, is recovering from a recent breakup. After a tequila-fueled night with her sister, aunt, and best friend, they stumble upon an old spell book and perform a 'love cleanse' spell to help Gemma move on. However, when she wakes up in a stranger's bed the next morning, she finds herself in an alternate reality where her past relationship never existed. Only her sister and aunt remember her in this new life.

While I didn't particularly like the main character, Gemma, I still enjoyed the book. It delves into self-awareness, reflection, and the importance of close relationships. With a touch of magical realism and time travel, the story primarily focuses on the romantic comedy aspect. Though I didn't connect deeply with the characters, I found it to be an overall enjoyable read.

If you love romance between best friends - this book is for you! Gemma’s ‘love cleanse’ gave her the ability to interact with Dax without the prior history of friendship and without the worry that you’re risking everything with the potential to lose them.

There are so many things I want to say about this book but I’m trying to avoid spoilers. I loved how the story didn’t necessarily follow the traditional story arc of romance novels, this felt original and refreshing. There were so many times I smiled reading this book and I loved everything I was reading. I also liked the strong themes of familial love and Gemma’s personal journey.

I would give this book 4.5 stars but will round up to 5 stars for Goodreads. This Spells Love is a fun, light, fast-paced what-if/Freaky Friday type of story in which our heroine, Gemma, does a silly little spell, wishing she had never met her ex, Stuart. But, be careful what you wish for, Gems - you didn’t just meet Stuart that night 4 years ago, you also met your v handsome best friend, Dax. Gemma wakes up the next morning in another timeline - one in which she never met Stuart - or Dax. While the story plays out relatively predictably, Gemma does discover that there are real pluses and minuses to every path taken in life, a nuance I appreciated. I liked that she not only gains some appreciation for the people in her life but also for herself, and gains some confidence to follow her dreams! I did think, based on the title, that the book might be a little more witchy, but I am willing to allow that in keeping it very mysterious, the book has left it open for me to interpret whether Aunt Livi is a witch, all-knowing, or something else entirely. (Predictably) I think she is a witch! But I also think she may be some sort of veil-walker, the only person to not change when Gemma changes timelines. Dax is dreamy AF and Gemma’s sister, Kiersten, is a delight. These are the core 4 characters and I loved them all. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was so so good. I had read something recently with the same premise that I loved so I thought why not. I was gifted this book through NetGalley and I read it within the same day. You always wonder about the road not taken and where your life would be if you had chosen differently. This was done expertly, the way I had hoped it would end. Sometimes you need to slow down and realize the lives the people surrounding you have and the struggles they bear. Gems had an eye opening experience and was able to realize her faux pas. I loved all the characters in this story. I look forward to the next book by Kate Robb. Thank your NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House publishing for this advance copy of This Spells Love, a debut from Kate Robb. This one is out 12/5/23!

I seriously loved this one - I always love a touch of magical realism in my fiction, and this one follows Gemma and her best guy friend Dex - Gemma is fresh off her breakup with her ex, Stuart, who was always the safe choice and has the opportunity to go back to before she met Stuart and see if something can work with Dex. There was a lot of self-exploration in this book, and I loved the relationship between Kiersten and Gemma and how sisters love each other and can be supportive. This one was so easy to read and such a unique storyline.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is in a few months, 12/5/23 and highly recommend checking this one out!

"Goodnight, Daxon McGuire."
"Goodnight, Gemma McGuire."
"It's Gemma Wilde, you drunk"
He shrugs, smiling. "Slip of the tongue."

Let me tell you...this book had me STRESSED, but in the best way possible. If you have ever watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this book might heal you from the post-depression of that movie.

The two main characters were so easy to latch onto and had so much chemistry. Not only was the romance spectacular but I was pleasantly surprised but how funny it was. I don’t want to talk much about the plot because it is so much fun going into this book as blindly as possible, so I will leave you all to it once it is released.

This is also Kate Robb’s debut novel, and I’m so excited to instantly buy the rest of whatever this lady writes.

4.25/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was an utter delight. I love a magical romcom and this struck the right balance of magic and cute romance vibes.

Tipsy magic, hilarious and personable characters and lots of love and magic, this story is romance gold!

4/5⭐️

"This Spells Love" is a delightful and enchanting tale that explores themes of heartbreak, self-discovery, and the unpredictability of love. The story revolves around Gemma, a young woman who, with the aid of her sister and Aunt and a little alcohol, casts a spell to erase her ex from her past. However, the consequences of her actions lead her into a completely different reality.

Kate Robb crafts a witty narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Gemma's journey from heartbreak to self-discovery is both relatable and endearing. As she navigates this alternate reality, Robb skillfully portrays the mix of emotions Gemma experiences—confusion, excitement, and attraction.

The friends-to-lovers trope is a classic, but "This Spells Love" brings a fresh twist to it by adding a magical element. What sets this book apart is its ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments. The witty banter between Gemma and Dax adds layers of charm to their dynamic, making their journey towards love all the more enjoyable. The author also skillfully explores the idea of whether going back to the way things were is truly what Gemma wants or if this new reality holds something even more fulfilling.

The pacing of the story is well-executed, and the author's writing style is engaging and easy to follow. The storyline or the alternate reality Gemma finds herself in, is creative. "This Spells Love" is a charming and heartwarming romance with a touch of magic and readers will find themselves spellbound by this novel.

This book made me love these sisters so much and related so much to my sister and I! I being the older sister with all the kids and all the things. Definitely a book that makes you want to hug your sister and be there for one another! With romance woven in, obviously, this friends (to strangers) to lovers is the perfect October read in my opinion for a bit of spells but sweetness and finding you.

This sweet rom-com is one of my favorite escapist stories - what would your life look like if you had made different choices, done things differently.

The characters were delightful, the story well told, and a hint of a message without being preachy. Very much enjoyed?

The beginning was fun and engaging and one the first twist happens I felt like the pace slowed down too much. I would have liked Zach and Olivia’s characters to be fleshed out more; they started out so well. The parents were bizarre, and it was hard to stay on board with their drama. After making a muck of things and causing Zach & Olivia unnecessary misery, the frenemy moms come together to right their wrongs.

What a unique storyline. It wasn’t quite as witchy as I had hoped for, but I could have gotten past that if there weren’t so many plot holes involving magic and the alternate reality system.

This was the perfect October read. It was my first in a long list of books I wanted to read this fall. This book was amazing I have already made plans to buy on release day. 5 stars!!!

For the lovers of the Elena Aramas with a little bit of magic! This story I thought was so cute and sweet and the charm of the setting I thought really played its part. I especially loved the interactions of characters. The only thing I would critique would be it dragged a little bit at the end and I wish we got some conclusion about the magic and where it came from.

Thanks to Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for the copy of this book!

This Spells Love is a drunk curse on an ex gone wrong that sends our MC, Gemma, into an alternate timeline. This is a funny and quick read - I flew through over half of it in one sitting! Gemma’s life has pros and cons in both timelines, and there was a lot of great humor and romance in the pages as she evaluated her decisions. This is a really great romance read if you’re looking to binge a book!

Loved this book. Robb's writing was easy to read and engaging. The chemistry between the two love interests was top notch. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this delightful read. I really enjoyed this. I honestly thought it was a witchy book by the title when I requested it but I really thought it was sweet in the end!

I recently read The Good Part and this had a similar vibe to that.

First a huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an e-Arc of This Spell Loves.

Gemma is going through a breakup and just wants to forget her ex and wants to never have met him. With the help of her aunt, her sister Kiersten, and best friend Dax they work to do a spell to remove the day she met Stuart and be as if she never accepted to go out with him in the first place. However, what she doesn’t realize is that on the same night she met Stuart, she had also met Dax; her best friend.

In the new timeline, Gemma and Dax aren’t friends and have never met. To say she’s heartbroken is an understatement and now she wants to go back to her other timeline where she and Dax are best friends or get her BF back, and thus our journey begins.

I adored Dax and just wanted to give him a hug; poor boy just needed to catch a break on both timelines.

This was heartfelt, sweet and funny. The side characters surrounding Dax and Gemma were great too and made the story even better. The spice was perfect, and all the mentions of donuts made me want go buy half a dozen real bad.

I do wish this was a dual POV though, as it would’ve been nice to get everything from Dax’s side. Gemma was a bit selfish and self centered, but it was a good lesson for her which I appreciate.

I’m not going to lie, I did struggle quite a lot though but that’s because I don’t really like books where a character can’t remember a person or certain events due to whatever reason as it gives me too much anxiety. However, I was still able to complete the story and enjoy it.

This was a solid 3.75 stars read.

Everybody needs a fluffy low stakes romance with a hint of magic. A perfect october read if you're more on the lovey witchy side of the spectrum rather than the dark and scary side