This was so cute and so romantic! Fenny was so cute, and I absolutely love her name and her personality. Then we have Sam and Jude who are also the cutest! The magical realism in this book was perfect and I really enjoyed this authors writing style. The pacing was perfect and I was immersed the whole time.

A very romantic, descriptive romance for fans of Nicholas Sparks. Fenny is a screenwriter on a fun CWesque show, she has been a screenwriter for 10 years and well respected at work. The book starts out when she meets a new director named Jude, who looks exactly like Sam, a guy she slept with as a vacation fling last weekend- but he seems to be 10 years older.

The narrative then skips to the previous weekend when Fenny met Sam. It has a coworkers enemies to lovers vibe, love triangle, although she is trying to determine who Sam is and how he is connected to Jude. I like Lauren Kate's writing style better here as a time slip romance rather than her previous work in the romantasy realm. We don't realize the answers here until the last few pages. It takes awhile to get there, but I enjoyed the characters and their motivations. I also liked the backdrop of this being in the entertainment industry.

Thanks to @netgalley and Penguin Putnam for the ARC. Book to be published July 1, 2025.

Another fantastic magical realism book from Lauren Kate. I couldn’t put this one down!

In this novel we follow Fenny, Sam, and Jude. Fenny is a writer on a tv show but was just given the opportunity to direct a few episodes. To relax and get in the right mindset, she heads to Catalina Island. There she is rescued during a terrible storm by Search and Rescue officer Sam. They have quite the sordid affair for a few days before Fenny has to go back to work. However, once there, a man named Jude has been named the new director…and he looks just like Sam (but with facial hair and ten years older). Fenny tried her hardest to dislike Jude for taking her job, but Jude feels an instant connection to Fenny. Will Fenny figure out her connection to these two men?

I absolutely loved how the first chapter we are present day and meet Jude but then we flashback to Fenny’s time with Sam. We needed that long flashback and it made me feel their connection.

The pacing of this novel was perfect. I never felt bored with what was going on. The characters added to the storyline and kept the plot progressing.

I loved how everything came together at the end. The only thing I would change in this whole book is the closure with Sam. It felt too abrupt for me. I wanted that last scene with him. Otherwise, everything came together and made sense. There was nothing wild or out of the blue. I easily remembered all the clues throughout the novel that brought us to that ending.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review. And honestly, add this one to your 2025 TBR pile right now!

I DNF'd this book at over 50%. I'm sure by not reading all the way to the end there is some aspect of the story I missed. The main character Fenny has a weekend fling with a great guy Sam and then leaves and meets his doppelganger named Jude at work. She proceeds to develop a relationship with him. I wasn't invested in any of these characters and I didn't get what both guys had to do with each other. This book was just not for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

I freaking adored this book!! Time slip romances that are actually good are hard for me to find, so this was such a pleasant reading experience. Highly recommend!

I was really surprised in a way by how much I enjoyed this--because I tend to feel iffy about magical realism, but this one sounded too good to pass up. Thankfully, I was right!! Very well done. Left me feeling hopeful and anxious for more from this author.

Sometimes you can fall in love with all parts of a person, past and present. The Spirit of Love by Lauren Kate is a charming read. It’s an intriguing story that has a dash of a love triangle mixed with magical realism elements.

Fenny, the FMC, goes on a weekend trip before she’s moves from writing for a tv show to directing it. There she meets Sam, who is young and carefree. They have instant chemistry. Fast forward, she’s back at work, and losing her directing position to Jude, a well known director, who has an uncanny resemblance to Sam, the man from her weekend romance except Jude’s older and definitely more jaded.

Fenny tries to figure out how/if these two men are one and the same. Overtime, she comes to realize Jude didn’t know he was taking her job, in fact he’s a fan of hers. He falls first. They become friends, and the author’s writing showcases their building chemistry and magical connection. Overall, I thought the pacing of the book was just right.

This is a time slip romance. It has enemies to lovers vibes, a love triangle, and a love story that will leave you believing in magic too.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you netgalley and to the publishers for the ARC. I enjoyed the story and plot of the book. It was engaging and the dialogue help drive the story. I enjoyed the ending of the story and would totally read another book by the author.

This book is a mesmerizing mix of love and time travel. Fenny’s journey of self-discovery and love is both heartfelt and emotionally charged. The time-slip love triangle creates a beautiful conflict, the duality of Jude/Sam is intriguing; and you can’t help but root for Fenny. The writing is engaging and vibrant, pulling you into a whirlwind romance that is as much about healing as it is about love. If you enjoy magical realism with a love story that transcends time, this book’s got you covered.

Fenny is on Catalina to decompress before her big debut as director. When the weather picks up Search & Rescuer, Sam, shows up to save Fenny. Taken back to his cabin they have an almost instant connection, and spend the following day enjoying the wonders of Catalina and each other (wink wink). But Fenny has to head back to the mainland where her job is waiting. Only back on the mainland she’s lost her job to a man who looks almost exactly like Sam, but personality wise couldn’t be more different. As Fenny starts to get to know Jude and she becomes conflicted. Is she meant to be with Sam or Jude? And why do they look so similar?!?

The book is weird. So if you don’t like weird this isn’t for you. I think it’s on the more magical end of magical realism. And the insta love vibes with Sam was meh for me. But I did really enjoy the slow burn with Jude. I feel very conflicted by this one because the writing was really good and the tension between Fenny and Jude was amazing. I just wasn’t a huge fan on the main premise of the book. But if you are really into magical realism this one’s fun!

Enemies to friends to lovers
Instant connection
Forced proximity
He falls harder

Thanks NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Kate’s writing is evocative and mesmerizing, seamlessly weaving together past and present. Her skillful narrative keeps readers engaged, with every twist and turn adding depth to the story. The dialogue is sharp, and the emotional intensity is palpable, making it a true page-turner.

This one just wasn’t for me. The writing style didn’t resonate and the plot didn’t grab me at all - the premise sounds so fun so I’m bummed but I couldn’t get through it.