I thought this book was decent. I tend to love fake dating so that was an automatic yea for me. I’ll never say no to a sapphic witchy romance either. The storyline wasn’t anything too special but I was still entertained.

If you’re craving a sapphic witchy read go snag this one now!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC. This rambling review is totally my own.

Things to love—
•PNR/Witchy Romance
•Fake Dating
•Sapphic —both main characters are bisexual so we love the representation

They might be witches, but you’re going to relate to Rory and Morgan. Morgan struggles with self deprecation and feelings of unworthiness that are going to hit a lot of us right in the feels. If you’ve ever felt the mounting pressure of expectations—your own or others, then Rory is going to resonate with you here. I really enjoyed the premise of this, enjoyed their two personalities together, but I did struggle with the amount of miscommunication. I think Martin handled the topics of consent, familial pressure, and emotional trauma well.

This is a fun sapphic, fake dating, witchy story. Morgan is a potion making witch who’s had a crush on Rory for a while. Rory works as a bartender, but she’s also a powerful elemental witch who has competed in, and won, contests. Her parents are annoyed with her bed she’s no longer competing.
The Harvest Festival is coming up and Morgan suggests that she and Rory fake date to distract her parents. Unfortunately, Morgan is convinced she accidentally gave Rory a love potion, so when the fake starts to be real doesn’t believe it.
I liked the characters and the world building but the miscommunication trope didn’t work for me. Morgan spends so much time worrying about the potion and she never asks Rory if she took it. Some of the character’s actions were a little immature. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This witchy book was just what I needed and came just in time for fall. THIS SPELLS DISASTER was funny, sexy, heartwarming, and just plain fun. I love love love Rory, and the relationship between Rory and Morgan felt real. I'll read anything Tori Anne Martin writes after this one.

Thank you to Tori and Berkley for an advance copy.

This is a single POV novel (Morgan’s) which makes it very one-sided. Morgan herself was so immature and insecure I struggled to believe the HEA she finds with Rory. The issues Martin addresses with autonomy were interesting, but Morgan’s unwillingness to have a simple conversation watered down the overall message. Miscommunication trope overrides fun fake dating trope. The cover is brilliant, but sadly the interior isn’t quite at the same level.

This was a cute Sapphic witchy romance and I can see the reasons for the comparisons in the elevator pitch. I do feel that Morgan was a bit too dramatic at some point but I also acknowledge that a lot of that had to do with her internal issues and anxiety and everything else she was grappling with. I found the ending to be hilarious in how simplistic the confusion was but it was also very believable. The slow burn aspect was nice and it was very low steam although it had to be considering the 'love potion' aspect behind the main storyline. All in all an enjoyable read and I would read more books set in this world and from this author.

This was a fun fake dating, opposites attract Sapphic paranormal romance debut that sees two witches falling in love over the course of a Spellcasting festival as fake feelings turn real with a bit of help from a rogue love potion. Unique, witty and full of heart. This was good on audio and perfect for fans of Lana Harper or Rachel Harrison. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. Top marks for a gorgeous purple witchy cover too!!

Read This Book If…you’re looking for a standalone witchy romance to kick off spooky season!

Please note: this was an ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: queer romance
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 explicit scenes
Setting: coastal tourist town in Maine
POV: single, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: fake dating, small town, miscommunication

What I Thought: I think this story would make a super cute rom-com for spooky season! I really enjoyed that witches are public with their magic and celebrities in their own right. This book did a great job talking about consent, especially in the context of love potions. I found it to be a little predictable and wished the main characters spent more time together, but overall this was a very enjoyable read!

Memorable Quote: “Rory had bewitched her every bit as much as she had accidentally bewitched Rory.”

Another rom-com featuring magical powers and messy witches! This is perfect for fans of Lana Harper's Thistle Grove series, it has some of the same quirks. This was sweet but the lack of communication between these two irked and frustrated me at times. I did love how it all came together at the end! Maybe I just wish the miscommunication could've been cut in maybe half and we had gotten them to spend more time together afterward.

“This Spells Disaster” by Tori Anne Martin is a wonderful, spellbinding romance, sweet with unexpected twists on the fake dating trope. What fascinated me was the blend of “Practical Romance” with spellcasting competitions and festivals. The way the world is built intrigued me and makes me want to see more of this world and of the magic. Beyond the details, the relationship is set up perfectly, with Morgan already having a crush on Rory. It’s the perfect set up to segue the pair into romance. 

I love the characters. Neither Morgan or Rory are perfect, each has flaws and issues. But in helping each other with those imperfections, in discovering that those flaws are actually what makes each perfect for the other and beautiful, it makes the romance even sweeter. Morgan learns lessons along the way that make her better while Rory embraces the messy. I love how their characteristics work together to make a great story.

If you love sweet, spellbinding romance, this is the romance for you. It is well written, has a lovely LGBTQ romance and the dilemma the pair faces is brought to a resolution that leads to a wonderful happy ever after ending that every romance reader wants to see. With wonderful world building and characters, this story is sweet and beautiful.

Perfect for fans of Lana Harper's Thistle Grove series, This Spells Disaster is a cozy, Sapphic story filled with fake dating, magic moments, lots of secret pining and 2 softies to love. Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for the e-ARC; all thoughts are my own.

Morgan Greenwood is messy, chaotic and has been harboring a huge crush on Rory Sandler for the better part of a year. Rory, former Spell-casting champion, is taking a break from the spotlight (and her family) by working at the local bar serving enchanted drinks to locals and tourists.

After drunkenly offering to be Rory's "fake girlfriend" during the upcoming Witches' festival, Morgan finds herself falling even harder for her secret crush. Told in single POV, readers watch Morgan as she struggles with her growing feelings, a failed potion and Rory's desire for more.

If you read this book, you need to read the author's note. Tori Anne Martin discusses the topic of consent in books with love potions and magic and I found it extremely interesting and eye opening. Despite the inclusion of the love potion trope, consent was handled with the utmost care and concern. Any mind altering magic is also heavily punished in the This Spells Disaster world.

Fun, tender and soft, I adored watching Morgan and Rory fall in love. Rory is a secret softie and Morgan is just a softie and I really loved them together. Morgan stands up for Rory and pushes her to try things out of her comfort zone (like dancing and being assertive). Rory teaches Morgan that she is enough just as she is. I love them.

Fingers crossed for more magical Queer stories from Tori Anne Martin! Also, can we talk about how perfect the cover is because STUNNING!!

Ahhh here we have another comfy & witchy romance read. I'm intrigued to see if Tori Anne Martin will have more books set within this world/witchy community because it is a perfect mix between the mundane world and covens since witches are widely accepted and their services sought after. This book starts off strong with the fake-dating trope....with one party clearly interested in it being real, and I feel the relationship develops rather organically even with the disaster of a love potion at play. The only thing that really hurt my enjoyment of the book is that these is not only miscommunication but basically non-communication about the big important topic of the love potion itself and that made me want to shake our main character the whole way. This ended up impeding how the plot & relationship developed in a bad way. Overall this was a sweet and cozy read and an interesting play on fake dating but I just wanted more from the characters since the setting/atmosphere/magic system were all well thought out.

I was a little disappointed with this one to be honest. Half of the book was just the main characters not communicating. I can deal with a little of the miscommunication trope but when the whole story is that it is frustrating as a reader. I did not believe the characters love because we barely got to see them interact in a healthy way. I just wish there was a little more of them on page.

Meet Morgan, a self-proclaimed “messy witch” who is pretty sure she was hexed at birth. Always tongue-tied around her crush, the amazing national spellcasting champion Rory Sandler, doesn’t help at all. That is, until one night when Morgan imbibes a bit too much and somehow finds herself talking Rory into using her as a fake date to escape Rory’s family’s incessant demand to find a suitable sorcerer that matches her own power. When Rory hesitantly accepts, Morgan can’t believe her luck. However, when Morgan realises that she might have accidentally given Rory a love potion instead of a relaxation potion, everything comes crumbling down. Can she figure out how to clean up the mess she created before losing the love of her life?

If you’re looking for a fun, light novel with Practical Magic vibes in terms of worldbuilding and setting, This Spells Disaster will definitely appeal to you. Tori Anne Martin creates a lush world that you can’t help but immerse yourself in and thus provides an easily palatable romance that makes for an enjoyable afternoon.

Now, as is fairly known by now, I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope. It just never works for me and often leaves me more frustrated than enchanted with characters, even after the issues that kept causing the miscommunication are cleared up. My personal enjoyment aside, I think that lovers of the miscommunication trope will really vibe with Morgan and Rory’s romance. The trope fit quite well with their dynamics (Morgan’s impulsive personality and Rory’s more reflective and kind attitude) and made for some at turns angsty and funny situations, especially since you as the reader know that one conversation could clear it all up. There’s also the aspect of fake dating that took a bit of a backseat, but in the end, you still get a good amount out of that trope as well.

The thing I was missing a bit in this novel was growth. Due to the miscommunication, the romance aspect dominated a lot and I wanted more on Rory’s side when it came to her thoughts that mostly circled around her feeling like she has no redeeming qualities. There were some great opportunities to talk about Morgan’s self-esteem and her intense focus on herself but the few bits and pieces we get toward the end felt a bit rushed.

The highlight for me here was the nuanced approach Martin takes to issues like consent and the ability to do so when you are under the influence (of a love potion) and don’t have all the information you should have. I also really liked that the author gave trigger warnings and discussed consent in connection with love spells. While this might not seem like a big deal to everyone, I thought it was refreshing to have the explanation included. All in all, a nicely done debut novel!

Sweet and magical, lovers of the miscommunication trope won’t need a love spell to fall head over heels for This Spells Disaster.

Read if you like:
🏳️‍🌈 Sapphic Romances
🧙‍♀️ Witches
✨ Magic and Potions
💋 Fake Dating
🌎 World Building

This one was so fun! It was a clean romance other than one scene in chapter 29 towards the end of the book so I’d probably rate it about 1 1/2 🌶️ for that one scene.

I really enjoyed the opposites attract vibes with Morgan and Rory as they are fake dating to try to get Rory’s parents off her back but at the beginning of their fake dating Morgan realizes that she messed up a potion she gave to Rory to help her destress and because of her mix up, she believes she gave Rory a love potion that is causing Rory’s affection to bloom for Morgan.

This one sits in the build up for a miscommunication trope because of Morgan’s accident and trying to figure out how to deal with it, especially since she has real feelings for Rory and love potions are illegal in their witchy world… so more consequences could be facing Morgan than just Rory potentially hating her for giving her a love potion.

For those that dislike the miscommunication trope, I personally don’t feel this one will ruffle feathers with the way it was written.

Overall, I highly recommend this to those that love witchy queer reads as this one was so fun jumping into the magical world with Morgan and Rory!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for my ARC of this one!

“This Spells Disaster” is a really cute sapphic witchy romance! I do wish that this book would’ve had dual POVs. It would’ve been nice to have a break from Morgan’s internal dialogue and see what was going on in Rory’s thoughts. Without seeing what Rory was thinking it very much gave off the vibe of instant love. I love alternating POV in a romance novel as it allows the reader to gain insight on both characters, which allows for better chemistry as it makes it more obvious as to why the two characters’ care for one another. I think that having a dual POV would have taken this book to another level. Watching the relationship between Morgan and Rory develop was charming, both of them so fiercely invested in the other’s happiness. The magical parts were fun and well-developed, especially the idea of competitive spellcasting. I really relate to Morgan Greenwood in one way, I too, have a crush on Rory Sandler. This is definitely one of those books where essentially everything could've been solved if the characters had just communicated with one another, but the slight frustration that caused me also made the payoff of them finally getting their act together in the end that much better. The love story was enjoyable, and it was heartwarming how it all worked out. This book reminded me of Lana Harper’s “Witches of Thistle Grove” series, so if you like those, you will probably like this. Thank you to Tori Ann Martin, NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading Tori’s next book!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing advanced copies of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I've absolutely loved the witchy romance trend and I was so excited to see a new sapphic rom-com to add to my list. This had some of my favorite tropes (always here for a fake dating romance) and had the coolest, witchy festival setting.

I also really loved the audio narration, the unique take on magic, and the explorations of family. This dealt with family expectations, emotional abuse/manipulation (from an ex in the past), and anxiety which I really enjoyed.

But while there was a lot to love about this story, I didn't particularly enjoy the main plot - the accidental love potion.

In theory, I loved this. It reminded me of That Time I Yeeted a Love Potion and a Werewolf and was hoping for similar vibes.

Instead, the heroine *decides* that potion she gave the Rory was a love potion and all logic and rational thinking flies out the window. Despite people pointing out that it's unlikely she *accidentally* made a complex & illegal potion, she can't be convinced otherwise.

And instead of just telling Rory, or you know - asking - she concocts a ridiculous plan to drive Rory awake wait it out.

And even though love potions wear off quickly, her accidental one MUST BE the strongest one ever. Because there's no way she didn't make a love potion.

Since that made up the majority of the conflict, I was left feeling underwhelmed and mildly peeved by Morgan. He lack of rational thinking was just frustrating.

My last issue, while mild, was that the majority of this book takes place over a long weekend at the witch festival (which was definitely my favorite aspect), and somehow the heroines both said "I love you" by the end of it. But didn't have any sort of intimate encounters until the very end (in very little detail, btw)

Making it this strange amalgamation of insta-love and slow burn....

Overall I thought this had potential and a fun setup. But missed the mark on the romantic execution. I am definitely curse to read more from this author in the future since I did enjoy her writing. This particular story just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to netgalley and Berkley romance for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started this book I was unsure on how I felt about it. Some of the writing seemed awkward, making it hard for the sentences to flow freely and I hated that Morgan’s crush on Rory seemed obsessive, almost childish.

However; as the story went on and Rory and Morgan’s feelings seemed to land on more equal ground I found myself loving this book a lot more. It’s a fun sapphic read perfect for fall. The magic is cute, creative and left me smiling with its intensions and added such a nice level of detail. The little oddities and magical foods available at the festival were such a nice touch.

I loved that the majority of this took place during a witchy festival, raising the stakes. The fake dating was perfect and while I’m not normally a fan of the miscommunication trope I thought it was done well in this.

Morgan believes she isn’t good enough and constantly doubts herself. Her fear of people leaving her or not living up to expectations set for her is relatable and her constant anxiety mixed with her honest and good intentions for Rory make the miscommunication trope believable rather than just a problem that could’ve been solved with one conversation.

I could relate to Morgan in the aspect that I have questioned everyone’s love for me. Am I truly lovable? Will I ever be good enough? These are all questions Morgan asks herself and instead believes Rory couldn’t love her and that it HAS to be the doing of a love potion.

The characters felt real and relatable, each with their own flaws, goals and attributes. I could see so much of my own personality in Morgan.

Overall I thought this was such a cute, fun, witchy read definitely worth picking up this autumn.

I loved this!! Sapphic spookiness for the win. Morgan doesn’t believe Rory would really date her so she offers to fake date her… naturally. Rory is even more charming when she spends more time with her. Except Morgan might have made an epic potion error! Is it a little bit silly? Yes. But it was just the rom com magic I wanted. Perfect for Lana Harper fans!

First and foremost, I really appreciated the attention and care put into the issue of consent and love spells/potions/etc. by the author. Contemporary fantasy/magic is such a fun subgenre for Romance, and I love that this was brought into this world. The chemistry between these characters and organic queer inclusion throughout had me loving this small town and wishing it were real!