Member Reviews
Thank you NetGalley, Atria and Laura Wood for this ARC. I loved this book!! If you are looking for a great Rom Com, this is the book for you! I loved the sister dynamic and the chemistry between Clemmie and Theo was off the charts. It was my first book from this author and it will not be my last!
“Under Your Spell” by Laura Wood is a captivating and delightful novel that weaves a tale of romance and self-discovery with a touch of enchantment. Wood’s writing is enchanting, and her characters are endearing, making it an engaging read from start to finish. The plot unfolds with a perfect blend of humor, heart, and a sprinkle of magic, creating a world that feels both familiar and whimsical.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and found it to be a delightful escape, I settled on a four-star rating due to some pacing issues in the narrative. At times, the story felt a bit rushed, and I wished for more in-depth exploration of certain plot elements. However, despite these minor concerns, “Under Your Spell” is a charming read that will appeal to those who appreciate a sweet and magical romance. Laura Wood’s ability to infuse her storytelling with warmth and charm is commendable, earning this book a solid four stars in my bookshelf.
I really liked this book for the most part! Was it cute? Yes. Did I love their banter? Heck yes. But it was a bit cheesy for my tastes.
This was an unexpected fun ride to read! I was hopeful from the synopsis that this book would a fun lighthearted read and it was that and more! We watch the adult child of a rock star as she navigates the role of being an assistant to a rockstar that she had a one-night stand with. The banter between these two characters was beautifully done. In addition to the romance of the novel we got to see the relationship with the female lead with her 2 sisters (half-sisters born within the same time span to different mothers).
4.5 / 5 stars
Under Your Spell was a super fun story that included both the past of the main character, who is the child of a famously promiscuous rock star who also had babies with two other women around the same time, and her current life, in which she is acting as an assistant to a moody rockstar who she's already shared a one-night stand with. I loved the music industry focus of this book, especially the behind-the-scenes aspects of writing an album.
What a fun and delightful romance! The banter and chemistry between Theo and Clemmie was perfect. I loved the forced proximity they encountered and watching their relationship unfold was so sweet and magical. Also, I LOVED the sister’s dynamic and relationship with each other.
Overall, this book was refreshing and fun to read (was able to read it one day because I had to know what would happen next)!
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
Laura Wood is the queen of banter and swoons love interests in YA historical fiction and I was a tad concerned her superpowers weren’t going to translate over into a contemporary romcom, but I was so wrong and I’m so excited by that.
This book was so fun! I caught myself laughing out loud and even kicking my feet because Clemmie and Theo were so cute. I also really loved the bond between these sisters. As a girl with only brothers I’m always envious of these close sister connections, there’s something so special about this kind of female relationship.
Ok, so I’ve waxed about how much I loved this book, but why isn’t it a 5 stars? I think for my personal taste there were a touch too many steamy scenes for me to skip over and I’m used to most British rom-coms to be closed door and this was a bit more…open(?) than I was expecting.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this one! I knew after I read the dedication that basically described me , that I would probably love this one! Gosh, it was so sweet and I enjoyed it so much! It was reminiscent of The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez due to one of the main characters being a famous musician. I love Abby's books, so that's a huge compliment. The writing was fun and the banter between Theo and Clemmie was sweet, too!
Clemmie, the daughter of a rockstar, who has largely avoided the spotlight and has spent her adult life in academia has a chance encounter with Theo after a family funeral. They have a one night stand without her realizing how famous he is. When her sister, a record label exec, asks if she can help be an assistant for a musician while he goes off grid to write his next album, she agrees. The musician is of course Theo and they spend 6 weeks in a house together.. From there you see their relationship grow. It's a super cute book. I'd recommend it for fans of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, etc. Thanks for the opportunity to review it!
This was lovely for so many reasons, including the relationship between the three sisters and their mums and the romantic relationship. Meanwhile it was thankfully and refreshingly void of the usual romance tropes. It was also LOL funny at times. This was a book you didn’t want to put down nor end.
Almost a 4.5. Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this upcoming novel. It was definitely a cute read with lots of enjoyable characters and some funny moments. The beginning was a little slow for me but once it got going I really enjoyed it. I would have enjoyed even some more music tie ins but overall a great read. I will look to read more from this author in the future
Great balance of humor and facing the challenges of life, growing up, and finding your family. I literally snort-laughed more than a dozen times and highlighted at least 10 passages, some because the writing is so lovely and some because these are the jokes I make with my girlfriends (and we are hilarious).
A good read-alike for Abby Jimenez, Rosie Danan, Lucy Score, Kylie Scott, Sarina Bowen, maybe Penny Reid. I'd also say Ali Hazelwood, tho not so STEM-focused.
This was so good! Loved the sisters, the humor, and the romance. There some truly funny and memorable lines and the characters were very well-written and complex.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
my god! what a lovely book! i loved clemmie and theo, they were both charming and funny and SO so cute together
this was extremely well written, it was fast paced so it was never boring or felt like it was unnecessarily long, the funny moments genuinely made me laugh out loud and the romance made me swoon, the way the author describes her feelings made me so giddy
truly one of my favourite parts was the sister dynamic, it made it so much more enjoyable
clemmie’s character development and self discovery made me connect and relate to her even more, i was invested in her and i was so happy for her personal growth
this book made me feel warm inside i want a love like theirs, it felt realistic but it still had the magic of a good romance book
also js theo was described as a devastatingly beautiful, kind, funny and silly man and i want him so bad tbh my dream man
This was such a cute read! I love the main male character Theo, he’s such a sweetheart. I really liked the family aspect of this book as well, it made it more than just a straight up romance. There was a lot content related to addressing grief, personal growth, trauma, and other themes. Overall a really enjoyable book.
I wanted to love this. I didn’t hate it. It was really well written and had a lot of entertaining characters surrounding the couple. I struggled to stay interested throughout the book though. Maybe the music/celebrity life just isn’t for me. I thought it had a lot of humor throughout and would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick romance!
I've been a big fan of Laura Wood's ever since reading A Sky Painted Gold a couple years ago and making my way through her back list. I was so excited to hear she was writing her first adult romance and no surprise, she knocked it out of the park!
reasons to read:
- the lovely relationship between Clementine and her sisters
- the witty banter and tension between Clementine and Theo
- healthy communication (no needless misunderstandings AND numerous depictions of therapy sessions? we love to see it)
- the TROPES! forced proximity and a swoon worthy characer-A-taking-care-of-character-B-when-they-get-sick situation
it was so sweet and funny and sexy! also, I NEED a bonus scene from Theo's POV. please give me the pining in hi def!
AHHH THIS WAS SO GOOD.
The feeling I had while reading this was glittery and adorable. It gave Hocus Pocus/Gilmore girls vibes for the coziness and small town vibes.
The romance was steamy and I loved the chemistry between our main characters. I was rooting so hard for them!
I also adored the family dynamic. I found them so interesting to navigate.
Overall a huge recommend.
This book was fabulous! Clementine is the daughter of a rockstar who was mostly absent through her childhood, leaving her with a load of trust issues. The failed romance with a fame seeking boyfriend at 17 only made it worse. She’s sworn off men in the music industry, but she unknowingly has a one night stand with one of the hottest stars, Theo. Turns out she also accepted a job to be his household manager for six weeks as he works on his next album.
The two fall for each other over the course of those six weeks, and I was giddy reading it. Of course things aren’t perfect when the paparazzi try and spoil things for them. Clemmie was such a great heroine to root for, and I loved Theo and his adoration for her.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.
Under Your Spell is such a cozy and enjoyable romcom. I found it easy to immerse myself into the world of the Monroe sisters, as the story was compelling and perfectly paced. I would love to read more from Laura Wood!
Here's your needle in the haystack, your once in a blue moon, your grand Tibb's Eve celebration. It is with genuine delight I pronounce Under Your Spell a very nearly perfect romance.