Thank you NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will be honest in saying that I let this book archive and ended up reading it through my library. BUT i was not disappointed! I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was based in Canada, with a lot of Hamilton and Toronto references.

This book was a really big eye-opening thought about all the "what-ifs" and how small things really snowball into the larger picture. It follows Gemma Wilde as the FMC and Daxton McGuire as the MMC. They are best friends in one universe, but not in the other. This new universe is not what Gemma expects, since it is quite opposite of what she is in her current life. At first, she is upset and wishes to go back. But Gemma is a lot riskier in this other universe, which changes her perspective on her life, and she tries to see if she should follow her heart or go back to her reality.

There's one bone to pick with this book, and it's all the slip-ups between her original universe and this parallel universe that Gemma does and she never gets caught for it. No one ever is like "what are you talking about" (ex. when Gemma talked about knowing Dax's sister and mother. Yes she said she was distressed after a break up but it doesn't explain that specific detail").

There's also something off about Aunt Livi that's not quite delved into, but perhaps this is a series and it will go further into it later on. Who knows.

I highly enjoyed reading this book. I went in for the cozy, witchy vibes and that’s exactly what I got and I don’t regret it at all.

This book was such a good time! It got me out of my reading slump and I read it in about a day! I loved the magical elements of it. It was sweet and refreshing.

This Spells Love is a delightful romantic comedy with a touch of magic. After a bad breakup, Gemma performs a spell to erase her ex from her life. The next morning, she wakes up in an alternate reality where her ex is gone but so is her best friend, Dax. To return to her original life, she must convince this new version of Dax to kiss her. As they spend time together, Gemma starts to wonder if this new life might be better than the one she left behind.

The story is fun and heartwarming, with charming characters and witty dialogue. Gemma's journey is both humorous and touching, and the chemistry between her and Dax is undeniable. The magical twist adds an extra layer of intrigue without overpowering the romance.

Overall, This Spells Love is a sweet and engaging read that fans of romantic comedies will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the ARC!

I loved this book, it was my first time reading anything from this author, and it will not be the last.
This was such a fun and delightful book, I highly enjoyed it

This was so SWEET…definitely a little cheesy but hey, I like what I like! I still think about Gemma and Dax’s love story from time to time!

What if one impulsive, margarita-fueled decision could wipe away your worst heartbreak—but at the cost of everything else? In This Spells Love, Kate Robb blends romantic comedy with a dash of magical realism to explore what happens when one woman’s attempt to forget her ex rewrites her entire reality. After a drunken spell with her best friend Dax, her sister, and her eccentric aunt, Gemma wakes up in a world where her ex never existed, her life is nearly unrecognizable, and the one person who’s always mattered most—Dax—no longer remembers her at all. Whimsical and heartfelt, this debut asks a compelling question: if you could undo the past, would you still choose the same future?

There’s real charm in the setup, and the pacing is strong throughout. Robb’s prose is breezy and digestible, with writing that makes it easy to devour chapters without realizing how much time has passed. The magical realism element is understated, more a plot device than a full-on genre shift, which works well for readers who prefer grounded rom-coms. And at its core, the novel is about more than romantic love. It’s about learning to recognize your blind spots, appreciating the people who anchor you, and understanding that healing doesn’t come from rewriting the past. It comes from making peace with it.

But for all its strengths, This Spells Love stumbles where it matters most: character depth. Gemma, as a narrator, is often difficult to root for. Her self-absorption borders on grating, and while the story hinges on her personal growth, it’s hard to feel invested in that journey when she seems oblivious to the emotional needs of those around her. She treats her support system like background noise and rarely reflects on how her actions impact others until late in the book. While this is realistic in some ways, it doesn’t always make for compelling reading.

The side characters—particularly Gemma’s sister and aunt—feel one-dimensional. They appear when needed, serve their purpose, and then retreat until the plot calls for them again. Even Dax, who is arguably the emotional anchor of the novel, is frustratingly underdeveloped. Because the majority of their romance happens in an alternate reality where he’s essentially a different person, the emotional stakes never quite land. The book gestures at a best-friends-to-lovers arc, but it lacks the lived-in warmth and history that make those stories shine. There’s no satisfying build-up to the chemistry; we’re simply told it exists, and then expected to believe it transcends timelines.

That said, there’s something endearing about the concept itself. The idea that love can survive (thrive!) through a fractured reality is a powerful one. And while the execution is imperfect, the themes resonate. Gemma’s realization that Dax is her constant, the one person who feels like home no matter the version, lands with a quiet poignancy. It’s not quite the sweeping romance it could have been, but it’s earnest. And sometimes, that’s enough.

This Spells Love is a flawed but engaging debut. It may not deliver on all its witchy promises, and it might leave some readers wanting more from its characters and emotional arcs. Still, for an afternoon curled up with something light and slightly magical, it scratches the itch for cozy fall vibes. Just don’t expect potions, pentagrams, or a deeply fleshed-out love story. This one’s more about the lesson learned than the spell cast.

This was just what I needed! Lighthearted and humorous, with a dash of spice and swoon, this was the perfect combo! I really enjoyed reading this one and some of the humor made me snort out loud.

I’ve already highly recommended this to friends for a fun and easy read!

A fun, magical rom-com about casting a love spell — with very unexpected results. Light, sweet, and full of charm.

This was cute but not my favorite! I do like a cute witchy romance book but the plot felt a little lacking.

I think there’s something wrong with me because everyone loves this book and I just can’t get into it. I found the pacing of the book to be very slow and I felt like the characters were written as caricatures of what people think a Millennial is. Also, I was hoping for a little bit more magic in the book. I felt like they alluded to it in the synopsis to draw certain readers in and then never delivered.

It's like The Midnight Library's less depressing cousin lol! If you loved that, but you want a rom-com: look no further! Very cute.

This Spells Love is a friends-to-lovers romcom with a multiverse twist.

The story starts with a heartbroken Gemma who completes a “love cleansing” spell to make her forget her ex. She seals the spell with a (“platonic”) kiss with her best friend, Dax. She goes to bed thinking it didn’t work, but realizes it did when she awakes in a different reality altogether. In this universe, she never dated her ex which changes the entire course of her life, including her now non-existent friendship with Dax. To reverse the spell to get back to her old life, she has to get Dax, who is now a stranger, to kiss her. In doing so, she ends up falling in love with him and doesn’t know if she even wants to go back to her old life.

I was super intrigued by the synopsis and cover and thought this would be something I loved. The story was light-hearted and cute overall, but I found myself skimming to stay engaged.

The story does start with a spell (and there’s the whole alternate reality situation), there really are no other magical elements. This is the first time I ever read an alternate reality story, and I’m not sure it worked for me, though this may just be more about my personal taste.

My biggest complaint is the frequent name-dropping of real brands, which took me out of the story and that the characters talked in a very crude way, which felt unrealistic and just weird? I don’t think people really do this IRL? I could totally be wrong though.

I think this would work well for readers who love romcoms, friends-to-lovers romances, and want a hint of magical realism.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Robb, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Dial Press and NetGalley for the e-arc of Kate Robb's debut novel This Spells Love in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say that won't give everything away. Robb has a way of writing magical realism that is interwoven into real world and relatable life moments that is just perfect. This was the perfect read for an escape from the chaos around the Thanksgiving holiday and I read this in 24 hours. I couldn't be bothered to put it down.

This reads like a classic 2000's rom-com, which are my all time favorite type of movies and books. It also made me want a margarita in the best way possible.

Once again, thank you Dial Press and NetGalley for the e-arc of This Spells Love in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED everything about this book!! The plot was unique and refreshing-something that was run to read but really left you with a new perspective. Seeing Gemma get exactly what she thought she wanted and then realizing she has everything she needs was heartwarming and a fun ride! Will definitely be reading more books from this author!

Tropes: alternate reality, friends to lovers, magical realism?

Spice: There is the standard number of open-door scenes. Like 1-2 and they aren't that explicit.

Gemma, reeling from being dumped, winds up drunkenly casting a spell to have never met the man in first place. This causes her to wake up in a parallel reality where her life took a completely different path. Overwhelmed with the changes she runs to her best friend, Dax, only to find out that he has no idea who she is.

Without the obstacle of her ex, Gemma is able to see Dax in a different way. And this Dax is different in small ways because this Dax hasn't had Gemma in his life. You kind of see where he has been in love with her all along in the details. The friendship and then the relationship between Gemma and Dax feel so fated. They complemented each other so well, you could feel the love. It felt natural in both stages.

I do wish there was more on the back in when she got back to her original reality. I felt like she just blurted out her feelings to OG Dax and it felt rushed in a way. Because yeah sure this is still Dax, but it isn't the same one she fell in love with. Idk. I also wanted more on her aunt and sister's reaction to the spell or whatever. Seems like something left on the table for them to not remember the spell since they were there with her when she cast it.
FMC: Gemma is a riot. Her path to self-discovery resonated with me. She had to learn to let go of her fear of change and her fear of failure in order to have everything she could dream of.

MMC: Dax is such a supportive and loving character. He was there for Gemma in whatever way she needed. He was so smitten with her! I wish I knew more about what was in his head. But I think that it just me wishing that all rom coms were dual POV. I still loved Dax. He was witty and a comforting presence even when he was going through it.

This was very cozy and gave the warm fuzzies I think a lot of us are looking for in the tumultuous political climate we are currently in (in USA.)

I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

Picture waking up in a whole different universe where your best friend isn’t your best friend and has memory of anything that happened between the both of the night before. It{s a whole alternative universe with no recollection existence. If given the chance to stay in the same path would you a follow the path or b would you choose a different road where you would do everything in your power to no make the same mistakes with potentially losing he the person you love.

Gemma and Dax were relatable and endearing making root for their relationship. The book itself is friends to lovers. Gemma got her wish and got to see how life would{ve been otherwise. While Gemma wanted to forget her ex she also met her best friend the same day. When she wake up in the universe where she never met her ex she comes to the realization her best friend doesn’t remember her. Her life in this universe seemed to be 100% better but didn’t realize what she had when she was dating her ex and her best friend.

Gemma ends up falling for Dax and realizes he’s always been there for her. But its not all sunshine and rainbows. They worked it out and I was surprise how quickly it got romantic between both main characters. I loved their relationship Dax and Gemma were meant to be for one another. Even if Dax felt like Gemma was stalker 🤭

This is a quirky read that gave me the same cozy feel that I got from the Nicole Kidman Bewitched movie. Silly, fun, romantic.

3/5 stars! I really liked the cover of this book and the premise was entertaining. The book isn't exactly original and doesn't do much to add to the magical contemporary romance genre. But it doesn't detract from it either. It kind of reminded me of 13 Going on 30. I enjoyed it and Dax was a cinnamon roll. I think it's an enjoyable book that could have benefited from a bit more depth of the characters.

I liked, but didn't love this one:
- likable characters
- interesting plot - if your memory of your friendship was erased, would you still be friends with them if you met them again for the first time?
- an ending that wraps things up without loose ends