I requested this book based off of vibes and because I’m a sucker for magic. I’m not a sucker for time travel and alternative timelines. I have a really hard time buying that one decision would change so much. Having said that, the story was cute and the couple was sweet. Does make me wonder if Gemma was only able to make room for Dax as a romantic partner because of the break up. Maybe she needed that heartbreak to make her re-evaluate those in her life. Thanks Net Galley for the ebook!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book. This Spells Love by Kate Robb was released on December 5th, 2023.

This book was super cute. It was a feel-good rom-com and what more can you ask for in that? I laughed, I cried. This book has everything you would want in a rom-com. The characters were well-rounded for the most part and the writing was smooth. I would have never known this was a debut novel!

If you were a huge fan of 13 going on 30 growing up like I was, this may very well scratch that itch.

When Gemma, with a G, decided she wanted to forget all about her stupid ex she didn’t think it would make her lose her best friend too. Daxon and Gemma were the kind of adult friendship that you would hope for, but Daxon is absolutely right when he mentions that one friend usually falls for the other.

I will say that the one thing about this that I didn't like was that you kind of get dropped into the middle of the drama. Sure, I get it you've got to start the story somewhere, but I felt silly going who's that why are we mad, why are we drunk. Which makes it hard to get into the story. HOWEVER, I got over that quickly because the unknown worked a bit in your advantage because you didn't get attached to any character too easily.

One of the things I really loved was Daxon. His character showed just how much Gemma made an impact on his life in both timelines. It also showed how much one person can impact your life even when you don't think you have. This is a true glimpse at what could be, what was and what might be. I think this was a great debut novel from Kate Robb and cannot wait to see what she brings us next.

This book was not for me. I didn’t love the characters and the language was too much. This romance has a cute cover.

In "This Spells Love," Gemma embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning that taking risks and facing failure is preferable to a life without trying. The story takes a magical turn when Gemma wakes up in an alternate timeline, having never met her ex-boyfriend, Stuart, but also never having met her best friend, Dax. To reverse the spell, she must convince Dax to kiss her. Gemma grapples with the challenge of reintroducing herself to her best friend and pursuing a dream long neglected due to fear of taking risks.

Kate Robb's debut novel intrigued me with its magical premise, and I was eager to share my thoughts on it at the beginning. The initial chapters, with an underlying theme of unrequited love, were enjoyable. However, my enthusiasm waned after Gemma's shift to the alternate timeline and the subsequent overwhelming focus on romance.

The extensive romantic scenes overshadowed the captivating premise, making the explicit content feel disproportionate in a 352-page book. While this disappointed me, I recognize that preferences regarding explicit content vary among readers.

On a positive note, Robb deserves commendation for portraying Gemma's journey toward courage and self-reliance. Gemma's realization of her self-worth and the need to be independent were commendable aspects of the narrative. Additionally, I like the side of Dax’s character when he is not afraid to reach out when he knows he has hurt someone, although the rapid reconciliation between him and Gemma in the alternate timeline could have been explored more thoroughly. It felt kind of rushed.

My primary reservation lies in the narrative's emphasis on intimate scenes, detracting from the potential depth in Gemma and Dax's relationship and the story overall. A focus on their emotional reconnection in the alternate timeline could have elevated the book's impact.

Despite my reservations, I acknowledge the enjoyable aspects of some chapters, warranting a three-star rating. This book has its merits and may appeal to readers who appreciate a romance-heavy narrative.

This was a great story! I was afraid it wouldn’t feel like a new or unique story but I’m happy to be wrong.
I loved the characters and their journeys. A cute story with a lot of heart.

NetGalley Arc:
Received the arc before the publishing date, but my review didn’t post for some reason! It’s a really cute quick read. It has a great balance of being light and romcomy to dealing with the serious issues

Gemma is broken up with by her boyfriend of 4 years, Stuart. She does not take it well. With the help of her eccentric aunt, super blunt sister, & her best friend Dax, Gemma casts a spell that takes her to another timeline where she never met Stuart. Of course, there's the whole butterfly effect & she changes much more than she anticipated including Dax not being her best friend. In order to return back to her reality, she has only 4 weeks to convince Dax to help her with the spell, but the problem is she just may be falling in love with him.

I went into this thinking it was a witchy book based on the title & cover. I was expecting The Ex Hex but that's not even close too what I got, so that's my bad. I liked the premise & it started out fun. However, Gemma made me not like it as much. She was too self-absorbed & only worried about her problems. She couldn't even see her sister & supposed best friend were having troubles of their own. For being 28, she came off pretty immature.

I loved the writing and was able to dive in quickly and continue to finish it over a weekend. The concept, while very similar to my second chance year, was unique with believable but quirky characters. I would read it again and read future writings from the author. Highly recommend it

This book was just “meh” for me. I felt like I was reading it because I had to finish it instead of reading it because I wanted to finish it. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a sweet and witchy rom com that I really enjoyed and would be a great addition to your fall TBR list!

I don't usually love a rom com mixed with parallel universes but I was excited for the best friends/hes so in love/hes been there forever vibes! I like how it played out and I loved the male MC. I wish the ending got to be longer. it was a fun quick read, read it in one day!

Thank you Random House Publishing for the ARC. I didn't know beforehand that the author was Canadian so when I read Hamilton I was a lil shook. The Dirty H is not a common place for a book to be set LOL. I hate to say it but my bias against Hamilton kinda ruined some of the magic because all I could think about was driving over the bridge where you see all the factories. Anyways, interesting premise and certainly makes for good book club debates.

While I loved the idea behind this book it didn’t quite work for me.

For a book about a magic spell I found this book very unrealistic. The main character Gemma goes from breaking into Dax’s store and making him believe she is stalking him to being in love 2 weeks later. I find it hard to believe someone can just brush stalking off as she has a bad day. I found some of the book never really followed up with some things. Gemma woke up the morning after the spell worked in a strangers bed and it was just never spoken of again. I thought for sure Kiersten’s big secret would have been that her husband Trent didn’t exist because he seemed to never be around.

That being said I really did enjoy the Canadianess of this book. I’ve never read a book where the characters curled and I really loved that detail.

I think Dougie was my favorite character and I would have loved to go to a party at his house.

I enjoyed this book a lot! It was a beautiful love story and enjoyed watching both the MFC and MMC grow!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the advance copy of This Spells Love. I adore books with a touch of magic in them, so this story really appealed to me. I also love that it was set locally to where I live, so I recognized many of the locations! That was a lot of fun.

I liked this book even more than expected. I feel like so many books these days are instalove and this one was very, recognize what you have in front of you. And the relationship with her sister and aunt and the side characters seemed real and honest and not an idea of what those relationships should be like. The side characters had their own grit. I just really enjoyed this book. And appreciate the ARC!!

A perfectly witchy fall romance novel. This book was everything I needed last fall and so much more. I can’t wait to pick up more books by this author in the future.

This was an excellent spicy rom-com! It had the model friends-to-lovers trope. I thought it was unique that it was set in Canada, and that the characters maybe had a bit of that stereotypical Canadian nice-ness. In a good way. There was a good balance between character growth and romance. The spice level was pretty high, so reader be warned (or recommended, depending on your preferences, LOL). I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This cute witchy romance stole my heart as I flew through this in one day. This book follows Gemma when her relationship falls apart causing her one night to try a fun spell to get rid of her ex. Instead Gemma wakes up in an alternate reality where Gemma and her best friend Dax had never met. Trying to find her way home Gemma determines she has to redo the ritual including a kiss from Dax.

I really enjoyed this book it had the cozy vibes but some great spicy scenes as well. This felt a little more like a romance than some of the other cozy witch books but I really enjoyed it. I thought the concept of this book was so good it did really good job blending sci-fi and romance. I hope to read more from this author on the future. I would like to thank net valley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.