Note: I received a free unpublished proof of this book, for a limited time, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

In my time reviewing books, I’ve read a bunch of great books I loved, a few good ones that weren’t to my personal taste, and a couple of complete train wrecks. Strangely enough, this is one of the few books I’ve read as part of this endeavor that was just…very eh and didn’t really do anything for me.

One thing I can say for this book is that, for a book entitled “Love Spells”, it’s not nearly as unethical as it could be. Most, if not all, of the spells focus on attracting love in general, making yourself more open to love, or improving existing love. Even the one or two spells that seemed kind of borderline and “iffy” to me seemed like the sorts of things that people could and would ask consent to perform, and would not really be problematic if that were the case. I do wish the author had emphasized this a bit more given the types of approaches people have when picking up books about love spells, and obviously the tamer nature of these will not stop people from doing unethical things with them if they want to, but I think there are ways to do all of these that don’t cross any lines.

As for the actual content, I was hoping that the book would focus more on general principles of spellcasting, rather than just providing a bunch of pre-made spells. I don’t actually mind books of pre-made spells, as while conventional wisdom (that I agree with) suggests that spells you write yourself can be better/stronger/more powerful, I don’t think it’s necessarily bad to use pre-made spells if they work with your practice and feel like something you can connect with. I also think they are good for inspiration—while magic is not necessarily like a recipe where you just need to throw some stuff together, it can be instructive to see what goes into a spell, and what different approaches can be taken. I personally haven’t really tried any real spells in my time studying magic, partly because I need the baseline skills to do so, but also because there are a lot of different approaches and I want to learn a bit more about them to figure out what makes the most sense with my own beliefs and practices. Which I’m also still figuring out.

The actual formats and contents of the spells in this book, in my opinion, are just not going to be great for everyone’s practices. While this book isn’t as horribly offensive to other cultures as many witchcraft books, the author does throw in a few deities from closed practices, such as Kali, Kuan Yin, Amaterasu, and Corn Mother, as well as things like sage and chakras, that are not only closed but don’t really make any sense to work with or utilize outside of those practices. I suppose if people are from those cultures, then they could do this stuff without it being disrespectful, except I’m pretty sure most of those practices have their own magical practices that are usually pretty different from the Wiccan-type stuff in this collection. The author also tends to mention Norse goddesses (such as Freya and Frigg) a lot, as well as runes, and while Norse paganism is an open practice, there are a lot of magical practitioners who wouldn’t really have any reason to be working with those deities or those tools. I honestly think that a better approach would be to suggest some ideas for how to write spells, that people could use as inspiration for spells more solidly based in their own practices. Even sticking to the Wiccan Goddess/God framework, while not my cup of tea, would at least stay ideologically-consistent and be useful to a particular audience.

That said, the spells that don’t involve certain deities are alright, and I could see using them as inspiration for my own workings. The author does seem to like writing spells as rhyming poems, which isn’t to my taste, but I realize that some people may really connect with that idea and might get something out of that, so I can’t really complain about that.

Overall, I’d recommend more general books on spellcraft and magical practices over a book like this. I figured I’d review one just to see what the values and limitations of the text were, and so people who haven’t read them can see what they’re like. Lastly, even if you are into spell collections this one just isn’t that good—I would recommend seeking out something more relevant to your particular practice.

Love Spells, by Minerva Radcliffe is a lovely little pocket spell book for all types of love, be it romantic, or platonic. As a practicing Witch with over 30 years of experience, I found this book to be a wonderful fresh take on love spells. The spells are exceptionally good, and I feel this book will appeal to witches of all practices and levels.

This book goes deeper than what you think of when hear the title "Love Spells." This offers a wide range of spells such as those that promote fertility and those focused on friendships. What's nice about this book is that it serves a variety of desires and looks at love from different angles. It even includes a spell to repel a hex from an ex which is a way to help someone suffering through a bad breakup. As usual with Radcliffe's style, this is easy to use and written in a way that anyone can use the book to find solace, help, and guidance.

An interesting, informative, easy to read read guide covering lots of different aspects when it comes to all things love.

I love these books. Informative and interesting. Very easy to understand. Thanks to NetGalley,the author and the publisher for the arc of this book. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review. A good read for anyone interested in magic.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. The cover of the book is a beautiful and it did draw my attention. That is basically all that pulled me into this book. It was interesting to read, but magic like this has always made me wonder does this kind of thing mess with free will?

This one isn't my favourite in the series. I don't agree with casting spells on others for them to "love" you. It's icky and surely goes against all natural laws. Huge no.

Self-love and nurturing, absolutely! 💖 Definitely more of this and none of that bewitching stuff for me.

In the never ending quest to fine-tune my connection with the spiritual, Love Spells has provided me with a new look at different self-love spells. This is a lovely read, which will for sure guide one further into the mystic realm.

Finding Romance

Minerva Radcliffe begins stating that "Love is the most powerful magic that exists. It connects us to other people, other beings, and to the forces of the Universe".

In this book, the author provides several simple love spell and, many other spells dealing with love on all levels, to include relationshipship troubles and family, friends, and pets. It has a section for long-term romances, also. This book contains spells for basic beginners or anyone wanting to do love spells not requiring a lot of tools.

This is an exceptional guide to spells and rituals that covers everything from self love, romantic love, platonic relationship, and animal companions. Very useful and easy to follow. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

This guide was an informative and concise rendering of a wide variety of spells for love. Perfect for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. Beautifully put together and easy to follow. Definitely recommend for anyone who is looking to practice or expand their knowledge on spellcasting for love. One caveat and warning - love is a very powerful force and it's not to be messed with lightly or for fun.

A helpful book for everyone! It has spells with easy to find materials so that everyone can try them out! There are spells in which you can use the tarot cards. It's also short so you can read it fast. I love that it is a really pink book!

Love Spells has a lovely compilation of love spells. This short guide covers love spells of all kinds. It does not just focus on romantic love but also covers familial love, friendship and even love of animals. It's a interesting guide and I look focus to trying some of these spells.

I have never been a fan of love spells but I can honestly say this is ideal for beginners with good intentions. Such as bringing love in their life BUT NOT FORCINIGN A EX/ANYONE TO BE IN LOVE WITH THEM. Simple reference book for all.

What an interesting book. I am not sure that I would or could do anything about my love life but it sure is appealing to think that I can change or move the dial in any way in a good direction. I definitely would like to read more about this subject.