I really enjoyed this book. It was smart and sweet. The what if was fun. Plus who can hate a friends to lovers trope.

Wow! I really loved Kate Robb's debut novel This Spells Love! It is very rare that I am this impressed with an author's debut. Gemma with a G is suffering from a breakup with her boyfriend of four years. One night her, her aunt , her sister and her best friend Daxon B perform a love spell for Gemma so she can erase her ex from her life. The spell goes awry and the night ends in a kiss between her and her bestie Daxon. When Gemma wakes up she is in an alternate timeline where she has never dated her ex Stuart but also her best friend does not even know her. Gemma creates a plan to get Daxon to be her best friend again in this new timeline so she can kiss him again and reverse the spell and go back to her old life. I really enjoyed this light funny read. I think the author is extremely down to earth and funny. She made me laugh many times throughout this book. She wrote relatable characters with real life drama and emotions. Gemma is a lovely, awkward, hilarious and deeply caring character. She loves her family and her friends. She goes through a journey of self discovery while in this alternate timeline. The friends to lovers / strangers to lovers/ second chance romance was very creative. I enjoyed the spice scenes and the awkward funny dialogue between Daxon and Gemma. I liked the the curling, and the costume parties the most. I liked how Gemma thought she already knew everything about Daxon but she still had a bit to learn and her attempts at befriending him went a little wonky at first! Very good book and a talented author!

A very fun and cute story! a classic rom com but with a few twists (spells) along the way. I already love a friends to lovers story line but appreciated how funny and creative this one was!

I’m not usually one to read romances with a paranormal twist to it, but I really liked the sound of the summary. Our heroine Gemma is depressed after a breakup with a long-term boyfriend. With her aunt, sister, and bff Dax at her side, she does a love spell to make her forget about him. It sends her into an alternate timeline where things are very different, including the fact that she and Dax hadn’t met.

I enjoyed this story very much. You couldn’t help but root for Gemma to get everything she wanted.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

I fell in love with this book quickly.

To begin with, the idea of doing a spell and waking up in an alternate universe, where one small decision completely changes your life for the next few years, is always such an interesting concept to me! And with so many fix-it fics and alternate universe stories on sites like AO3, I’m sure the concept of a book where the original plot is an alternate universe fix-it fic will appeal to a lot of readers out there!

This Spells Love felt effortlessly hilarious to me, the narration and characters providing so many funny and enjoyable moments throughout the story! For most of this book, I was just having a good time reading through this story and seeing what new and shocking discovery Gemma was going to find in this alternate reality of her life.

I also really enjoyed the characters and seeing their relationships change from the version Gemma knew in her old life. From the description, we know that Dax in particular is going to have a lot of focus as he meets Gemma again and they try to become friends, but I found it very interesting to see what things changes and what stayed the same in their relationship! I also really enjoyed Gemma becoming friends with a side character, Sunny, and how she was intimidated by such a pretty girl in her space before realizing pretty girls are awkward and need friends too!

However, as nice as this book was, it also hurt at times. While changing the night Gemma met her ex meant all of these little changes in her life, it also meant a lot of little changes in other people’s lives that snowballed into much bigger problems! There is a moment near the end of the book that changes the way Gemma sees this whole experience, something that Gemma fights to make better for her friends in this alternate universe, and I wasn’t a fan of how readers didn’t get to see the endings for both universes. There is a big question mark looming over one half of this story’s ending, and I wish I got concrete answers.

That being said, I was a really big fan of this book, and I’m excited to see what other books Kate Robb writes in the future!

I couldn’t put this book down! Absolutely loved it, couldn’t stop reading. I loved Gemma and Dax and her sister and Aunt. Each of the characters were so perfectly placed and I loved how everything, especially the love story, unfolded. I’m so glad I grabbed this and only wish it wasn’t over yet.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well this was a super cute!! There are some adorable and funny parts. This had all the things you love to read in a romance book with twist and turns ups and downs. And a little spell casting to shake things up. Love all the banter and the sensible agreement between the eight legged creature.

4 1/2 stars!

This was such a cute story and the cover is so pretty!

It's a friends-to-lovers trope, which I'm not a big fan of on account of all "if I kiss him/her, I'll ruin the friendship" thing. Fortunately, this story has a twist in the form of a spell and an alternate reality.

I liked Gemma and Dax and the differences between the reality and the alternate. Gemma's sister and aunt were awesome secondary characters and always there to support her in what she needs. The quirky store was another fun addition to the story.

Loved the ending and the epilogue!

Language and explicit scenes.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I loved this book, and found myself not wanting to put it down! At first it was cute and light hearted but took a turn to be pretty insightful. Both MCs were fun and entertaining with witty banter between them. I especially enjoyed the sister relationship. I would recommend this for those who love a sweet friends to lovers story. 💜

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This Spells Love by Kate Robb was a cute, cozy, romance with an element of Magic. We open with doughnuts, a breakup, and sisterly love and jump to a best friend, a spell, and a parallel universe. Gemma Wilde likes predictability. With one peculiar spell led by her quirky Aunt Livi, she is transported out of her timeline into one with all the people she knows and loves but all predictability is lost.

I really enjoyed this book. There were times when Gemma was so self-involved that I was grumbling out loud. I loved her Best Friend Dax and I was his biggest fan throughout this read. The spice level was a 2/5 even though the chemistry was fire.

Tropes: Friends to lovers, Love at First Sight, Last to Know, Parallel universe.
If you are looking for a feel-good read, this is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC. Receiving this did not influence my review.

If you’re looking for a book that isn’t going to sit heavy, this might be a book for you to pick up.

It was a fun, light read that did have some profanity and sex, so that’s a warning if you’re not into that.

I did think the sex scenes were a little forced. I would have actually enjoyed the book a lot more without them. The fact that Gemma mentioned the Gemma/Dax telepathy about 100 times throughout got a little old. I got it after the first few times, you’re on the same wavelength. Your best friends.

Gemma the MC was a little hard for me to like. She really seemed to take advantage of the people around her and seemed a little immature and needy. Towards the end of the book, she seemed to realize this, which is good. And I think that was the whole point so the ending showed growth.

I did really like her sister. She was very witty and sarcastic.

It was a good friends to lovers, time-travel/parallel universe romance, this isn’t bad.

This was such a fun book!

Gemma Wilde is a mess after the end of her four year long relationship. All she wants is to forget it ever happened. Luckily, her Aunt Livi has just the trick - a spell to make the night Gemma Met Stuart never happen. The only problem? Once the spell is done and successful, her best friend Dax has never met her either. How could she forget they met the same night as her and Stuart? She sets about winning her best friend back.

I was really worried this one would be too cheesy. I have a hard time with spells and magic in rom coms, so I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this one. Gemma’s dip into an alternate reality was fun and forced her to recognize the problems with not just her love life, but her relationships with her family and work. The writing was funny and kept a good pace without feeling too rushed.

Kate Robb’s debut definitely has what it takes to be a success. Can’t wait to see what she does next! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What if one little wish changed everything?

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.


This is one of the cutest, most clever novels I've read and I absolutely adored it! Is it a spell for forgetting or 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦? A cute concept with magical realism.

I just reviewed This Spells Love by Kate Robb. #ThisSpellsLove #NetGalley

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book when it comes out on 5 December 2023! It’s been said before, but this book perfectly combines the essence of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "50 First Dates" and I really loved it. A physical copy will be given as gifts for the holidays and into my home library.

Meet Gemma Wilde. Her four-year relationship has just come to an end and she just wants to forget her ex completely (been there, sis). With the help of her Aunt and Sister, they produce a spell to erase all memories of him from her mind. Meet Dax. After performing the forget-my-ex spell, he no longer remembers that he’s best friends with Gemma. Will Gemma be able to navigate this new reality and help Dax to remember their friendship, perhaps even becoming something more?

This was my first fantasy-romance read and oh-my-goodness I love this new genre. This story was intelligent, thought-provoking, and delightfully steamy! I found the characters to be perfectly crafted and adored the alternate universe theme. The plot itself holds you until the end and I found this book incredibly hard to put down, so I didn’t. I found this story to be so cleaver in the way it was crafted (no pun intended) and highly recommend reading this over the holidays. Add it to your TBR now (go ahead, I’ll wait)!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Dial Press Trade Paperback for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun read! The concept was different than anything I've read. In this book Gemma is reeling from a breakup with her long time boyfriend. Too much tequila leads to too much fun sometimes, including doing a spell and ignoring the warning. When Gemma wakes up to a new life without her long time boyfriend she realizes she lost her best friend too. In her quest to get Dax to be her friend again, she realizes there has been a missed opportunity for love. Gemma goes through a lot of personal growth, at times she can be very self involved. When the tough decision came to help the others she loved in her life or choose the life she always wanted she made a tough decision....you'll have to read the book to find out how it ends.

This Spells Love

Pub Date: 5 Dec 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Gemma Wilde gets dumped by her boyfriend of four years, she’s devastated. In an attempt to get over him, her eccentric Aunt gets her drunk off margaritas and convinces her to do a spell erasing the whole relationship—a spell sealed with a kiss by her best friend Dax. The problem … a lot can change in four years and Dax doesn’t know her in this reality. While navigating her new life, Gemma must convince Dax to give her a kiss to reverse the spell.

This Spells Love by Kate Robb is a debut novel of another level. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it became a new favorite book for many people. It’s full of romance, dreams, second chances, and a pinch of magic to bring it all together. Oh, and a dash of spice!

Gemma and Dax have amazing chemistry. Gemma is extremely relatable and was such a dynamic character. And Gemma’s sister Kiersten definitely deserves a shout out for pushing Gemma the whole book and being a great big sister.

It’s not perfect and some more realist minds may not enjoy the story and decisions made, but I loved it and would highly recommend. #oneforthebookshelf

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the e-ARC!

PERFECT romcom! I burned through this romance. The chemistry and banter is top-tier. I LOVE the humor and the sweet moments. The atmosphere, the setting-all of it! THIS SPELLS LOVE was a wild(e) ride and I badly want to go back and read it again!
NOTE FOR PUBLISHER: At the end of chapter 13 (last page) there was an incomplete sentence error.

Solid 3.5 stars ✨

I binged this ARC really fast because it was compelling and I wanted to know how the parallel universe was going to work out. For an author’s debut book, the writing was strong and it was interesting as an American reader to read a book set in Canada. Of course we all wonder what our lives would be like in a parallel universe if we didn’t make certain choices - and I think the author really nailed that with the differences in Gemma’s life!

The few nitpicky things I didn’t like: well, my copy was an ARC and chapter 13 ended mid sentence 🥲 which is more of an editor’s note. The second was they randomly mentioned the pandemic as a reason something changed and I’m like, “They did not just randomly drop the pandemic where millions of people died as a random excuse as to why something happened.” I hope the final copy of the book has a bit more edits because it felt like this ARC was a final draft that needed another go over. Was also not obsessed with how Gemma referred to a certain part of Dax’s body, IYKYK.

The last chapter and epilogue have a choppy transition, I would preferred a bit more in the last chapter to tie up all the loose ends in the story. I hate being left wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication: December 5, 2023

Rating: 5 stars!

What an amazing debut! I fell right into this book and didn't come back until it was over! Robb has her own distinct voice but her style reminds me of Christina Lauren.

I loved that this book wasn't too heavy on topics but also wasn't all fluff. It was the perfect mix and reminded me of the older romcom movies I used to watch. This book focused on the age old question of "what if?" and I loved every second of it! Make sure you preorder because this is going to be the perfect book to curl up with during the cold winter months.

Perfect for fans:
- 1st person POV
- Single POV
- Slight touch of magic
- Second chance romance (somewhat)
- Friends to lovers
- Christina Lauren fans
- 13 Going on 30 vibes

“This Spells Love” is a romcom about a girl named Gemma who is in recent despair about her ex boyfriend. Through trying to relieve her stress about the situation, she visits with her best friend Dax, her sister, and her Aunt in which she finds a spell that will make her forget about her breakup. After completing this strange spell, Gemma wakes up in a new world where she not only didn’t meet her ex boyfriend but she also didn’t meet her friend Dax. In this world, Gemma took many new paths whether for the better or for the worst and now she must re-meet Dax, fall in love, and get a special kiss to reverse the spell and get home. I’m going to be brutally honest here and say I sadly DNF-ed this book. I got to the 53% mark before putting the book down. I think the concept of the book is really interesting however fell short with the characters and humor. I felt as if I was rooting for Gemma not because I felt attached to her character but because I’m “supposed” to root for her. The book only being 259 pages is definitely not a negative (I firmly believe that Romcoms should definitely not be over 300 or so pages) however It felt like nothing much happened Romantically in the first 100 pages so the author took a sharp turn and tried to rush Dax’s positive thoughts of Gemma. With a concept like this, the book feels very predictable. I don’t think that books with predictable plots are horrible but my drive to finish them are to keep reading lovable characters which I didn’t see in this. Comedy in books should feel very natural however I felt like every joke I read was very “This is a joke you’re supposed to laugh” or “This is a reference get it?”. Gemma’s character was very full of pop culture references and being relatable. During at least of what I read, Gemma would constantly make jokes about things she does and it was clear that these things were suppose to be “her being real” or “so relatable!” But it felt so forced. A lot of the characters felt like they were playing a specific role and I would’ve really liked these characters to have been expanded on earlier in the book. I mostly dnfed this book because it felt like I wasn’t losing anything from not finding the end. There was no true risk, I didn’t connect with the characters, and the end I felt was very predictable and not worth really trying to get through to see. Now that I’m done with my personal reasons of DNFing this book, I overall think that OTHER people would probably mostly enjoy this book. I think the humor could be appreciated way more in YA than the audience it’s marketed or. The writing is simple and easy to read which is a major plus and it’s a relatively short. I think that people who really like Friends to Lovers could read this lighthearted and quick. Despite my personal problems with this book and why I couldn’t finish it, I don’t believe that it is a “bad book” and I definitely think others could get much more out of it than I did.