This book was absolutely delightful. I found it just absolutely charming, and adored all the characters. Julie Abe is definitely on my must read list at this point...

The magic system is intriguing, and the descriptions of the places they visit really make me want to visit Japan (even if half of them were magic things that don't exist... it just all seemed so fascinating!)

There is real and magical conflict/challenges thrown at our protagonists, and it didn't make me want to shake anyone even though communication was the biggest issue and that often irritates me.

The secondary characters were great, and I would love more with Taka and Naomi... and the resolution of the challenges didn't feel too forced...

Definitely would recommend if you like sweet love stories, blood family vs found family, magical realism, and stories set in that transition period before post secondary education.

OUR CURSED LOVE is a cute YA romance with just a hint of magic.

Remy and her best friend Cam are visiting Japan, their last trip together before they head off to college. Things are going to change, but they’ll still be best friends forever - which is what Remy is afraid of.

Remy has an interview at her dream school, Tokyo Magical University, and they’re visiting their respective siblings, who happen to be a couple. Cam is an alchemist, and he’s waiting to hear if he got into the secret magical school at MIT. Remy is secretly in love with him, and she’d promised herself she’d tell him this year. This trip is her last chance, before he goes off and falls in love at university, and she has to watch some other girl live a life that could’ve been hers, forever.

Remy gets her tea leaves read at the Good Luck Cafe, a magical teashop that changes locations. Mr. Yoshino is never wrong, and Remy’s fortune isn’t good. Desperate to change the outcome, she and Cam visit Beni’s Apothecary, Mr. Yoshino’s sister’s potion shop. Cam agrees to take an ancient, potent soulmate elixir with her - to study its effects - and, moments later, he can’t remember who she is. Now they have just six days to help him regain his memories and fall in love with her, or they’ll both lose their memories of each other forever.

I really enjoyed the little bit of magical worldbuilding I was given. Basically, the “magic-aware” are hidden within our world. It’s not clear if Remy, Cam, and their families are inherently magical, or if the awareness is what enables them to practice. They use tools like rose-tinted glasses to see magical raw dust, which can be collected to perform magic, or to see hidden magical entrances to various buildings. They visit hidden stores, buildings that move locations every day and are found once in a lifetime if you’re lucky, a magical cottage hidden in the middle of a bridge that is basically a magical smart house. But I wanted a lot more detail on the magic. I would love a non-romance-focused fantasy based in this magical world.

I also found the narration a little repetitive; each time there’s a hint that one likes the other, they try to rationalize it to excess. But the pacing was great, I was engaged in the plot, and it was a very cute little love story. I recommend for a cozy winter read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Super cute romance-sci fi read. Unique premise. Got through it in one day, no totally dull moments. Felt like vacationing in Japan - the good, the bad, haha. Would read a sequel, too.

This was magical, and very cute! A fun and fast fluffy YA read. I did feel like I was a little over aged for this read. But I still enjoyed it!

I think this book is a great read for any teen. But like I said, for me it was just a little basic. The writing style is definitely beautiful. The authors previous work was wonderful as well. I did enjoy the magical elements weaved through the story. I also of course am always a fan of AAPI representation.

Overall, this was a cute little read that is perfect for a younger audience. Solid 3.5 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the author’s previous book The Charmed List so much and it was a five star read. Unfortunately, this book with it’s third person point of view lacked the magic that the first book had for me. The pacing was just so slow and it took me a while to read this one. I just couldn’t ever get into it sadly. I was really hoping to like this one but it just wasn’t for me. All thoughts and opinions stated are solely my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review.

Remy and Cam-friends since forever. She loves him with her entire being and has finally decided to tell him. But, she is afraid to share her feelings in case she loses his friendship forever. Their trip to Japan offers her a chance to use a magic potion on him. It all becomes a disaster and Remy is desperate to find a way to change things back.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In all honesty, I think Julie Abe must be magical herself, the way she weaves magic and modernity together to make a world that feels so real that when you look up from the pages of your book, you forget that you can't just throw a spell into your morning tea (or afternoon tea...or evening tea...trust me I've tried) Seeing as The Charmed List was friends to enemies to lovers, going in, I was happy to see Remy and Cam were best friends, completely forgetting that they go from friends to strangers to lovers. It was a unique twist on the trope, and all the pining and yearning is top tier! While at first we hear more from Remy's perspective, once Cam loses his memory we get to see him discover Remy all over again. It was so fun to explore Japan while also learning about them through flashbacks and memories, and I loved all the references to Ellie and Jack's story from The Charmed List! While it's set around the new year, this book felt like the perfect read for any season, while you're lounging by the pool cozied up around a fire. I highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

Our Cursed Love was a highly cute and short read which I enjoyed far more than I thought I would.
Admittedly, I didn't like it much in the beginning because of the repetition of Remy's emotions again and again but thankfully it got a little bit better. I enjoyed reading about the different characters and it was entertaining reading about magic in a contemporary world like ours. Through this book I discovered that I quite enjoy the childhood friends-to-lovers trope and it was so fun to read it play out. Overall, I'd recommend this book to lovers of short and sweet romcoms.

Rating: 4 stars

If you are looking for a book that dives into the magic in both love and heartbreak, Our Cursed Love is perfect for you.

Our Cursed Love follows in two POVs Remy and Cam, who are best friends. But Remy wants to be more than friends, and it seems like that is impossible until she discovers a secret, illegal love potion that could change their fate. But it goes wrong, and Cam starts losing his memories. With just one week to save him, time is running out, will Rent lose the love of her life forever?

I thought that this book did an amazing job diving deep into Remy and Cam's emotions, it was a highly emotional book and I loved seeing how their love for each other moved, changed, and grew throughout the story.

The plot, where Can was losing his memories and there was only a few days to save them, was interesting and kept me reading, although I kind of suspected where the book would end up, I still thought it was an exciting book to read.

I also have to mention the magic system in this book. In Our Cursed Love, there are some people who are part of a secret, magical world based in Japan with potions, magic items, and all kinds of other things. While I thought the magic was interesting and unique, I had questions about it that weren't answered by the story.

Overall, I liked reading Our Cursed Love, I thought that it was an interesting book, I loved the emotional aspects of it, and I appreciated the magical elements. Even though it started slow, I still enjoyed reading this book, and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a wintery romance with a touch of heartbreak.


I will share this review to Instagram and Goodreads closer to publication.

I'm so, so sorry for this to not be a glowing review like the first book was. This was my most looked forward to release of the year, but being written in third person really was a disservice and took away from the magic of the first book. It's not just that I prefer first person, but this was written in a way where I felt like the author was directly telling me the story and feelings instead of showing it to me. Which pulled me out of being able to become submersed into the book. The miscommunication trope was misguided here as well, because it just didn't seem true to the characters we got to know already. A re-write into first person might be needed here and I know that's enormous to suggest about an already finished book. I am so sorry because I truly adored the first book.

I was so excited to hear there was a sequel to The Charmed List and requested this right away but unfortunately I’m dnfing Our Cursed Love.
The writing, style, and story are very different from the first book and the vibes are completely off. While The Charmed List was fun and sweet, Our Cursed Love just feels mopey and jealous. Even the magic which was fun in the first book is just kind of dull here.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an amazing book. It was a YA fantasy romance and I'm absolutely obsessed.

The book starts with two best friends on a trip to Japan together. They've both been in love with each other for forever, but neither knows. This causes problems later along with some magical interference. Now Remy has to find a way to restore Cam's memories of her before NYE or he may forget her...forever.

There isn't a lot of world building considering it does take place in the real world, but with magic. That being said, the introduction and description of magic was thoughtful and explained well. I wasn't confused at any point about the use of magic or the magical world in general.

In terms of the romance, this is a Mariana Zapata level slowburn and I'm here for it! I absolutely adore friends to lovers and this one was even better with all the extra pining and heightened emotions.

I will certainly be following Julie Abe's career.

Review: I was excited for this one, but sadly it went down hill fast. The magical world seems so fake and like a joke to me. I simply did not connect or truly get this book. Too much of a disconnect in too many ways.
Recommended For: Young adult romance lovers who wants a quick read with some magic,

aaah! this was so wonderful and charming. memory loss trope is one of my favourites, so i always love books that centre that. the friends-to-lovers dynamic was heartwarming! i think there were a few issues that took away from the whimsy, such as the inclusion of a magic 'system', but i just deem that to be a personal preference

I really enjoyed this book. The romance? The YA aspects? It was really fun. I enjoyed Remy and Cam’s characters and was rooting for them. If you like YA, grab this lil cutie!

2.5 STARS ROUNDED TO THREE

Unfortunately, I have become very allergic to the "if they'd just talk for five minutes their problems would resolve" plot as it forces an unrealistic, soap-operaish dynamic on the relationship. The extra stars are for the magic and the scenery and a few lovely moments.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. The plot sounded so interesting, but I just couldn’t get into the love story. Instead, I found the magic of the book is what drew me into the story. I loved the little glimpses of magic that appeared in the book - the fortune telling, potions, the magic university, etc. I wish more of that had appeared in the book!

I really enjoyed The Charmed List, so I was excited to read another book set in the same world.

Unfortunately, Our Cursed Love fell flat for me. The pacing was unbearably slow, and it read like a text book at times. It was also very repetitive.

I did like the little "dates" Remy and Cam went on and seeing Ellie and Jack, though.

The story is cute but very basic. The misunderstanding could have been solved easily if they were honest to each other. I also wished that the magic system was explained more, because the magic plot was pretty flat and superficial. My favorite scene was the christmas tree cookies, love the scene!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know what I was going to get myself into with this book as I was very intrigued by the title and the cover.

overall I enjoyed the book, but I did find myself getting annoyed in some parts, I feel like the characters had plenty of times to confess their love for one another but didn't and it just became repetitive. it was a VERY slow burn for my taste.

It's the first closed door book I read and maybe that's why it was hard for me to get through the book. I did enjoy the whole magical realism though.

thanks to net galley and the publisher for this ARC

I give it a 3.5