This is the perfect type of story sharing a what-if/sliding doors snapshot. What if you took the leap and started your own business, what if you didn’t date the ‘nothing’ guy for four years, what if you fell in love with your best friend instead? What would it mean? What would be changed?

There were so many heart-warming moments throughout that meant I had a constant cosy feeling while reading.

The plot was interesting and unique and I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing how or where the story would end.

One of my favourite things was the honestly of the characters in their respective relationships. There was no miscommunication or secrets for the sake of tension. Instead the anticipation came from wondering which was the right choice for all the characters and if Gemma was strong enough to make it.

If you’re a fan of authentic characters, friends to lovers with A+ chemistry all wrapped up in a magical realism bow this book is for you.

This was quite a cute and engaging read. It wasn’t entirely my cup of tea but I was able to get through it quite quickly. The relationship between Gemma and Dax was quite sweet in both timelines and I thought they had some nice scenes together.

I thought this book had some good ideas in it and I was really intrigued by the premise. However, personally I was not keen on the execution of it all. I didn’t think it would lean so heavily into the idea of being an actual ‘parallel universe’ –and I found aspects of this a little clunky.

It just wasn’t my kind of book, really; it had some very cute bits I just wasn’t keen on how the story played out. Still, the writing was nice and it was definitely an easy, fluffy read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Mild injuries, absent parents, references to fire, serious debt, on-page sex, oral sex.

I really liked the premise of this book- a ‘what if’ alternate universe story that happens after main character Gemma performs a spell and magics away ever having met her ex-boyfriend. We then explore what this life is like, where incidentally it has erased Gemma having ever met her best friend Dax. She then goes to build up their relationship and it follows a friends-to-lovers trope.

I feel that this could have been executed better; Gemma is a very difficult character to like and some parts of her inner monologue I just really wasn’t keen on. Dax is definitely the best character and I really liked the way he was written.

I feel that the ending was fairly predictable, but I didn’t hate it. The character development is good and I enjoyed the resolution.

Also, there were a lot of spelling errors in this copy- double F missing most of the time and the start of the chapters seemed to be missing words. It was slightly frustrating to read this way and I am hoping that this will be sorted in time for printing.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin and Kate Robb for early access to this title.

A sweet book with both the friends to lovers trope and an alternative universe! It read and felt like a great noughties romcom with elements of 13 Going on 30. I quite liked the characters although there could have been more depth to them. Overall it was a fun read!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this, it was a really entertaining romcom with a hint of magic.
The character relationships were well written, and I liked the focus of friendship and family being so important. Although loved obviously wins the day, it’s not a smooth ride.

Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Storyline: 3/5
Character Development:4/5
Ending: 3/5
Romance: 5/5

This was a very cute and fun romance story. It had me laughing at some parts and saying aww at others. The main character did get on my nerves at times but by the end of the story I came to love her a bit and I thought she had really amazing character development.

The best friends to lovers relationship was one I really enjoyed and this is the first book I have ever read with it in. Now for some of my favourite quotes from the book.

"Phone Pinging. Lady parts Zinging" - Gemma Wilde

"Maybe even wake me with some morning penis." - Gemma Wilde

"Holy Shit!" - Gemma Wilde (if you know you know haha)

Such an amazing concept! I loved every second and adore this writing style! I was hooked from the very start! Just amazing!!!

This Spells Love - Kate Robb

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! I was lucky enough to receive this book from Netgalley but this is one that I will 100% need to buy a physical copy of.

The book centers around Gemma who has just gotten out of a long term relationship and wishes to forget all about her ex.

Gemma, her sister and her aunt spend a night drinking margaritas and end up creating a spell that sends Gemma to an alternate universe where she ends up dating her best friend.

100% would recommend this book to everyone, it is now a must read for me and I will be revisiting ASAP.

For some reason any words with a double F in this book (coffee) disappeared so it read as (coee) which was very weird but it didn't put me off.

Cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy and reread this. 🧙🏻‍♀️

*Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.*

#thisspellslove #NetGalley
20s

I absolutely loved the essential question of the book: What would you do if you and your best friend’s entire history was deleted and you could have a fresh start? How would you act? Would you do anything differently?

That’s what happens to Gemma and Dax. In a drunken, fateful night Gemma wishes to wipe her ex, Stuart, from her mind. She’s been heartbroken over him for too long and she is angry and sad and fed up. What happens is that she lands in an alternative dimension, where a lot of things are the same but the things that make her life hers are very different.

Gemma has to navigate this new dimension where she made her lifelong business dream come true but she lives in a dark, slightly weird cellar and worst of all, her best friend is not her best friend. They don’t even know each other, so when she stumbles in his life, there is a lot of confusion on both sides. But also attraction.

Gemma starts seeing Dax in a whole new light and realizes that there is so much more to their relationship than she ever thought of. I really liked seeing how their relationship unfolds. There is the constant comparison between the dimensions and how both have advantages and disadvantages. While Dax from the other dimension (Dax 2?) is still Dax, he discovers Gemma without any romantic involvement on her part, with no past history and friendship on the line. He is allowed to act differently and Gemma falls in love with him quickly. But while she loves Dax 2 she comes to realize that Dax 1, her best friend, is also the man she has loved forever even if she didn’t see it. She is constantly torn between her old life and the new one which opens her eyes to so many things she has been blind to before. Not only her love life, but also when it comes to her family and her work choices.

I liked the ways in which Gemma comes to see her life differently and how she grows with each interaction she has. The book has amazing secondary characters that push the plot and the MCs forward and help them on their journey but are also separate and realistic characters that I could imagine very well.

I was annoyed with Gemma at many points, though. I get it, this is her story. But she is also so very egoistic, demanding help of her loved ones left and right to get her things in order while not seeing how everyone else might need her, too. And how can she not realize some basic stuff going on with the other characters? Gemma is supposed to be quite smart, yet she is very unobservant and always stuck in her own head.
I did like that This Spells Love explores that as well but not as much as I would have liked. There were way too many instances where I just wanted to shake Gemma out of it and open her eyes to other people’s problems.

Another thing I had a hard time with were the spicy scenes. This is a very personal thing but the metaphors used to describe the sexual activities were just too funny to me and made me laugh out loud.

Generally speaking, This Spells Love is an enjoyable read with an amazing premised that is explored in an interesting and surprisingly fresh way, yet had a protagonist that didn’t really grow on me. It was a solid story that I might have expected more of but still liked a lot!

I really wanted to like the book as the premise seemed interesting but the writing is very clunky, messy, too much at one time and did not flow well. I just couldn't get into the characters and it felt very newbie writing without a proof read.

This Spells Love was such a fun, steamy, adorable and thought-provoking book that had me wondering if I would want to see what my life could have been like, which for the record is a hard pass!
It was such a captivating read that I struggled to put it down, staying up till the early hours to finish it.

It was impossible for me not to love Gemma and Dax. They are relatable and realistic characters who you root for from the get-go. I loved Gemma's character development in this one and loved watching her grow in her choices and her relationships. The side characters were also really good in this one and felt like they added to the story which I love!

Honestly this was such a great friends-to-lovers romance with such an addictive plot that hooks you from the very beginning. The fact that this is Kate's debut novel blows my mind! It's so well written and I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

Kate Robb really sprinkled some magic into this book. I devoured it, and it absolutely made it to my favorites list for the year.

In a decision fueled by a few margaritas, Gemma decides to cast a spell so she never met her now ex-boyfriend. All she needs to seal the deal is a kiss, and her best friend ends up playing that role.

But when she wakes up the next day, not only did she not meet her ex-boyfriend, but her best friend doesn't remember who she is.

It's a blast following Gemma in this new life and her journey to get Dax back into her world. The connection between Dax and Gemma is undeniable, and I loved every interaction between them. Gemma's newfound reality becomes crucial for her to realize what truly matters in her actual life.

And what can I say about Dax? Just one word: Amazing.

I loved that this new reality also opened Gemma's eyes to what she was missing in her real life. The ending was *chef's kiss*.

I can't forget to mention the supporting characters; each had a vital role in the story and they're truly captivating.

Every moment of this book was fantastic, and I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC!

This was an ok read but unfortunately doesn't stick out as a memorable one for this year. The story did have good elements but ultimately there wasn't enough to fully engage me, for the most part it was predictable and I didn't find myself connecting with the characters. I thought the characters were very on the surface there was not a lot

I would have liked if there had been more time in the original timeline at the end of the book. It was very short at the end and we only got to see such a short part of the main characters new dynamic, I would have liked to see more of how that relationship developed rather than just a small portion and the epilogue.

This was a light, fluffy romance (with spice) involving alternate realities and friends to lovers and although it lacked depth for me that doesn't mean you won't enjoy the story more.

I want to thank kate robb, the publisher and netgalley so much for the ARC of this book.

This book was PERFECT, I'm so happy I've read it.
This is a friends to lovers romance with a dash of magic in it. It talks about second chances and all the "what ifs" of life. Also it is absolutely hilarious.
The story is heartwarming. I loved the main characters. Gemma is very much relatable for me and I loved reading her story and watching her find her way through life. And also Dax... absolutely swoon whorty!🤩 I also really loved the relationship between Gemma and her sister which has a really great development thought-out the book
The book is absolutely well written.
I gave this one 5 ✨ and I absolutely recommend it! It comes out on December 5th!

First of all, I would like to thank @netgalley and the publisher for letting me read that book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rating: 3,5 ⭐️

Read if you like:

✨️Friends to Lovers,
✨️Magic,
✨️Cinnamon roll MMC,
✨️Time travel
✨️Sisterly love.

It was a charming and romantic read that I quite enjoyed. I really liked the friends to lovers trope in this story and a lack of third act break-up. I enjoyed reading about two likeable main characters and their way to find themselves. The writing style was nice and easy to read.

I like it well enough but i could not find myself pleased with the aspect of magical realism which I normally love. I didn't speak to me this time.

Overall, it's a funny and sweet story.

THIS WAS SO STINKIN’ GOOD 😫

Highlights:
- the ANGST
- the witchy love spells/alternate timeline
- DAXON
- “goodnight Gemma McGuire” 💀💀💀💀
- FRIENDS TO LOVERS!!!!
- the banter!!

I went into this book so blind. I had no idea what it was going to be like and boy was I absolutely flabbergasted with angst.
Just imagine you meet your boyfriend and your best friend on the same night. Four years later, you break up with your shitty ex, and you just want to pretend it never happened so you do a witchy ritual for fun, completely drunk with your best friend, sister and weird bookstore Aunt. And then you end up in an alternate reality.
How does she go back to her timeline when she realizes she made a huge mistake?

This was so wonderful.
Aside from the timeline being very quick, I really enjoyed it.

🌶️🌶️ (descriptive spice scenes)

Thank you to Penguin General UK – Fig Tree and Kate Robb for letting me have an ARC copy of This Spells Love to review!

A promising debut by Kate Robb who’s written a fun-whimsical, romantic comedy featuring to friends-lovers lovers trope with a sprinkling of magic and a dash of spice. While there isn’t as much explanation about how the magic happened, I loved the premise of glimpsing what life might have been like if we made a different choice or hadn’t met that one person. How would it change our lives today? It's intriguing thought, how your life might upturn your world by landing you with a thump into a parallel reality where life as you knew it was completely rewritten.

The writing is entertaining, funny, and with a cosy flow of pacing. Kate Robb writes a sweet, heart-warming romance with hilarious banter and Dax’s comical tight pants. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat with the chaos of Gemma adjusting to her new life situation and embracing the chemistry between her and Dax (which is a spicy sizzle). I appreciated the book didn’t drill down into examining Gemma’s life choices but gave her insights into what she was capable of and what she could achieve upon returning to her universe.

Kate Robb writes beautifully flawed, authentic and quirky characters who leaped off the page. A loveable crew of great side characters fill the page – Aunt Livi is going to steal everyone’s heart as their favourite aunt and Kiersten as the sister we all want to take us for coffee and doughnuts.

Gemma was a relatable character, I think everyone could connect with her. I mean who has never contemplated what if at some point especially after a bad haircut, decision, or a break-up? She’s in a chaotic stage in her life and the change of reality leaves her flummoxed. She chases her tail at times as she tries to orient herself in her new life situation while trying to get back to her old life and finds herself falling for the alternative Dax. Gemma’s character arc is wonderfully illustrated as she grows to appreciate the small things and finds her own strength to live the life she wants.

Dax is such a cinnamon roll – genuine caring, patient, and truly sees Gemma as a person. He adores Gemma in her universe. The first kiss with Dax was practically ripping out my heart and screaming inwardly. Everyone else could see how much Dax was in love with Gemma (I’m sure the ex knew too). In the alternative world, Dax graciously accepts Gemma’s crazy that storms into his life. He’s a little more gruff, cautious, closed off and only trusting his closest friends. It’s incredible to see the impact Gemma had on Dax’s life, which is just breaking even, but not thriving. Dax grows to be bolder, and more trusting, riding the rapids of life and sharing his troubles with Gemma allowing them to grow closer and fall in love.

An insightful love story showing the importance of seeing people, taking risks, living as your authentic self, and not changing yourself for love. With an interesting twist at the end. You can't help but root for Gemma and Dax to get their happy ending.

I received this book in exchange for a honest review.

Really not for me at all unfortunately. Not a fan of the writing either. This book works for some. A lot of people seem to like it. I just found it quite cringey and easy to predict. I didn't find the characters likeable.

This was such a fun read! I loved the magical elements and the way that the plot developed. It gave me practical magic vibes which is always a good thing in my opinion! I love a friends to lovers romance when it’s done well and this one absolutely was. It was so lovely to read and full of great characters. Definitely recommend!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this E-arc.

3.5 stars rounded up. Tempting as it is, I'm not going to deduct points for the editing issues that continually yanked me out of the story as I tried to decipher incomplete sentences; as this is an ARC I'm going to hope that such a proliferation of missing letters and words will be caught in a further edit before release.
So, concentrating purely on the story... it's a great premise. Don't go expecting anything overly witchy though, because the spell of the title is merely the conduit for Gemma's Sliding Doors/It's A Wonderful Life/'what if I'd never met the boyfriend who just dumped me' shift. The execution of said premise mostly works, although it felt a bit clunky in places, particularly in the relationship between Gemma and Dax. I found it difficult to get to grips with either of their characters; I think some more exposition on Gemma's background would have helped to explain some of her behaviour, and there wasn't enough of the two of them together in their original best-friends form before they became essentially strangers (at least on his side) and then suddenly (and a little awkwardly) accelerated into something more. As first novels go, though, there was a strong and humorous voice in there, and that made for a quick and fun read.