This was an enjoyable cozy read. Jules is trying to figure out what to do with her life and why she was left an abandoned dance hall from Kitty, a resident at the retirement home she works at. Reeve reconnects with Jules after their hookup a couple years ago where they ghosted one another. With the help of Kitty's diaries Jules starts to discover herself and what she wants in life.

Read if you like:
📚 Enemies to Lovers
📚 Cozy Read
📚 Magical Realism

Thank you to the publishers and NetGally for this Advanced Release copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jules is unexpectedly given an old dance hall after Kitty, a resident at the retirement home, where she works. Jules is surprised and not quite sure what to do with this new property. In the present day, she's also navigating a relationship with Reeve, a real estate developer, who has plans for the town. As Jules drifts off to sleep each night, reading Kitty's diary before bed sends her back to the dance hall in her dreams. Being way back when gives her some ideas of what she might need to do in the present for herself. This was a fun read with some unique spins on the love story, AND even better as Jules figured out what she wanted to do with her life next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this September 2025 release!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book. This Spells Love was one of my favorite books last year. This one, however, fell a little short for me. While I enjoyed the story, I was missing the connection to Kitty St. Clair. Possibly because we did not get any interaction with her while she was alive. I think if we had established a connection with her in the beginning, then it would have made the diary flashbacks a little more interesting. I found myself not caring about the diary or Jules dreams. And while I’m a fan of all romance tropes, this insta love trope was almost a little too much to me. I don’t think we were given enough context to truly understand the relationship between of Jules and Reeves or to really buy into their instant and deep connection. Other than physical attraction, I did not understand why they fell so hard and fast in love. Otherwise this was an entertaining story and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!

Kitty St. Clair's Last Dance is a witty and heartwarming story about reinvention, resilience, and embracing the unexpected. Kate Robb delivers sharp dialogue, unforgettable characters, and a plot that balances humor and emotion perfectly. I laughed, I rooted for Kitty, and I didn’t want it to end. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance by Kate Robb
Publisher: Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback — thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Kate Robb’s Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is a cozy, quietly emotional novel that blends romance, magical realism, and dual timelines in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It’s about second chances—at love, at dreams, and at becoming who you were meant to be—and how the past can shape, haunt, or guide us depending on what we’re willing to see.

Plot Summary:
The story follows Jules Demarco, a small-town caregiver stuck between the dreams she once had and the obligations she never asked for. Two years after a one-night connection with Reeve—a charming Toronto developer she never heard from again—Jules is still working at the retirement home in her lakeside hometown. Her dream of attending medical school was derailed by her mother’s financial betrayal, and she’s resigned herself to staying put. That is, until Kitty St. Clair, a glamorous and eccentric resident of the home, passes away and leaves Jules a shuttered dance hall.

The plot thickens when Reeve returns to town, coincidentally scouting the dance hall for a new luxury condo development. The sale could fund Jules’ long-deferred dream, but at the cost of contributing to the gentrification squeezing out locals. Reeve wants a second chance—not just with the property, but with Jules. And to top it off, Kitty left behind something even more powerful than a deed: a diary. Every night Jules reads it, she slips into vivid dreams that transport her back in time, where she walks beside a teenage Kitty in the 1940s, witnessing the dance hall’s golden age and the hard choices Kitty once made.

What Worked:
The magical realism is subtle but effective. Rather than a full-blown time-travel narrative, the story lets Jules dream the past, acting as a friend named Dot in young Kitty’s world. These sequences are dreamy, bittersweet, and give the novel a gentle mysticism that elevates it beyond a typical second-chance romance.

Robb uses these dreamwalks to draw strong emotional parallels between the two women. Kitty’s life—full of sacrifices, near-misses, and longing—is a mirror that helps Jules reevaluate her own present. The generational wisdom flows through Kitty’s diary, but it never feels preachy. If anything, Kitty’s unspoken plea to Jules is this: Don’t let your life be decided by fear or by what others expect of you.

Jules is a relatable protagonist. Her indecision isn’t frustrating so much as realistic; she’s someone who has been let down too many times to trust easily. Her relationship with Reeve unfolds with tension, humor, and heart. He’s not a typical “bad guy turned good”—he’s more like a decent man who made a mistake and genuinely wants to make things right. His support of Jules is sweet, and even when the romance stalls a bit in emotional intensity, his presence never feels performative.

The small-town setting is another highlight. There’s a clear affection for the quirky, slightly worn-down lakeside community Jules calls home. The nursing home residents are delightful, and Jules’ bond with her best friend Zoe is warm and authentic—adding another layer of female support that balances out the love story.

What Fell Short:
Where the book loses a bit of momentum is in its pacing and structure. The dream sequences, while rich in atmosphere, sometimes feel disconnected from the main narrative. There’s a longing for more integration—more ways for Kitty’s past to directly influence the present events. Also, while the romance is sweet, it lacks a bit of fire. Jules and Reeve have chemistry, but their connection can feel emotionally muted in places, especially when compared to the intrigue of Kitty’s love triangle in the past.

The ending, though satisfying, ties things up a little too neatly. Some plot threads could’ve used more breathing room—particularly Jules’ complicated relationship with her mother, and Kitty’s backstory, which begged for more emotional unpacking.

Standout Quote:

“Maybe love doesn’t fix everything. But it makes the fixing feel worth it.”

Final Thoughts:
Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is a gentle, heartfelt read about women—past and present—fighting to reclaim their futures. It’s a story of how choices echo across decades, how love doesn’t always show up the way we expect, and how sometimes the answers we need are hiding in someone else’s story. With a healthy dose of nostalgia, a sprinkle of magic, and a whole lot of heart, this novel is perfect for fans of Ashley Poston, Abby Jimenez, and readers who love a thoughtful romance that values self-discovery as much as happily-ever-afters.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this free and gifted ARC! As always it’s an honor to be chosen 🩵

If you’re looking for an easy read and love small towns, magical realism or two timelines, then I think you’ll like this one! It’s a sweet story with a cute romance; Jules and Reeves are both trying to decide what kind of a life they want to live - Small town or the big city? The job that makes your family happy or the one the heart wants? And Kitty’s diary and the dance hall may just help them all figure it out!

I did struggle to connect to these characters - I felt like a lot of it was surface level, like I was being kept at arm’s length- and would have liked a deeper dive to get to know everyone and the town more.

This was an adorable read. I had never read any of Kate Robb's books before so I wasn't sure what to expect from them but this was a beautiful love story (actually 2!). My favorite thing, by far, was the empathy Jules showed toward the residents and the stories each of them had. I thought it was a really great story tactic to have Jules dream as if she was in Kitty's past life. It was remarkably done.

Surprisingly, my least favorite part was the love story between Reeves and Jules. It wasn't done poorly, just everything else was done better. I'd still give the book 5 stars though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adore you Kate Robb - loved This Spells Love, loved Prime Time Romance, and continued to adore this one!
The romance is great, the characters actually communicate and feel like real people. The side characters are great as always. I find myself just rooting for everyone in her stories!

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, and Mrs. Robb for this awesome advanced copy!

A small-town romance about figuring out life & learning to trust yourself (& your friends). The story has a time travel element when the FMC wakes up in the past to help her determine her way forward. Overall, a solid 4-star read from a reliable romance writer who puts a fantasy element in her stories.

When I finished this novel, I was initially unsure how I felt about it. However, after some reflection, I realized I really enjoyed it. The story has stayed with me, and although the romance wasn't my favorite aspect, Jules’ compassion for the residents of the assisted living facility where she works was truly heartwarming. As someone with a soft spot for elders, this resonated with me.

The novel also included a surprising magical realism element that unexpectedly brought the story together in a unique way. Additionally, a beautiful example of friendship added warmth to the narrative.

Overall, I think this was a great read. The romance between Reeves and Jules was perhaps my least favorite part, as it felt a bit like instant love, which I found hard to believe. Nonetheless, it didn't significantly detract from the overall story. I would definitely recommend this book when it releases this fall.

The story was slow at times and took me a while to finish but after pushing through the conclusion was satasifying! Kitty was absolutely adorable, loved her sooo much!

I loved this book. I loved that we were watching two different love stories happen, but in a really unique way of the main character, Jules, having dreams that took place in the past that gave her a glimpse into kitty‘s life. I love to see the similarities between kitty and Jules, While watching Jules learn from kitty’s life to decide what she wanted for her own. I really enjoyed the relationship between the main female and male characters and then seeing the love triangle between kitty and two men from different social classes. It was very interesting and relatable to watch Jules decide what they wanted for their life. Experiencing that for kitty, at the point in time that she grew up, she couldn’t have both love and an affluent life. All kitty wanted for Jules was to have the ability to choose what she wanted for her life if money wasn’t a hindrance. The ending of Kitty’s story was bittersweet and made me cry in the best way.

Summary in Brief

Jules discovers that Kitty St. Clair, a resident at the retirement home where she works, has bequeathed her an old dance hall in her will. Her one-night stand from two years ago, Reeve, a developer, comes back to town. Now, Jules begins having strange dreams—and starts falling for her old flame all over again.

Genre + Plot

Tropes: Second Chance Romance, Small Town Romance, Magical Realism, One Night Stand, Miscommunication

I was a huge fan of Kate Robb’s debut novel, *This Spells Love*, so I’ve been reading her books since. However, I’m starting to wonder if I’ll end up only liking her first novel. I was so excited for this one because it had small-town romance vibes and sounded like a fun summer read. I ended up feeling a little disappointed, but overall, it was still fun to read.

Jules is our FMC. The book starts off with her and Reeve having a steamy one-night fling. Then we’re led to believe he never called her and ghosted her. Honestly, I called BS on that right away. I could just *tell* that Reeve was going to be an actual Good Guy, and I *knew* there had to be some kind of miscommunication. I was legit so annoyed with Jules when we found out what really happened. Meet-cutes that turn into missed chances and lost time are so frustrating and heartbreaking to me.

The real meat of the story revolves around the dance hall that Kitty St. Clair leaves to Jules. Jules starts having dreams about the dance hall and about Kitty as a teenager. We learn more about Kitty and what the place meant to her. There’s also a love triangle between her, Knots, and the St. Clair boy she eventually ends up with (yes, I forgot his actual name). This was bittersweet to read, because we already know who she chooses, but it’s another one of those painful missed chances for love between Kitty and Knots. It was honestly so sad to read. I hated that Kitty went with the richer guy in the end, but she was a woman living in a time when it was hard to make your own way, earn enough money, and travel the world to do all the things you wanted. So heartbreaking.

Along the way, Jules and Reeve get to know each other again, and he falls quickly—and completely—head over heels for her. Jules wants to apply to medical school but doesn’t have the money. Now, with the dance hall in her possession, she just might be able to make it happen.

I found myself getting bored with Jules and Reeve’s love story. I *really* liked Reeve though. He was sweet, kind, completely smitten with Jules, and very upfront about his feelings from the start. Jules, on the other hand, was more wishy-washy, couldn’t make up her mind, and was honestly just frustrating to read about. I wished we had Reeve’s POV. She also had this dream of becoming a doctor but kept flip-flopping on whether to actually pursue it. Like, just do it or don’t do it! I got tired of her indecisiveness by the end.

The ending was somewhat disappointing. I had a specific outcome in mind that I was looking forward to, and it didn’t happen. But that’s on me. I was more torn up about Kitty and Knots than anything else. Jules and Reeve had a lackluster love story, and honestly, I wish we had more face time with the side characters, because small towns are always best for that.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be. However, if you’re looking for a deeper romance novel with magical realism and some bittersweet moments, this one’s for you!

This book had a lot of notes that pulled at me: echoes of Mrs. Nash's Ashes, a dash of Ashley Poston, a good dollop of The Lake House, some Doctor Who nostalgia (10th Doctor- John Smith, Human Nature), and a little bit of Gilmore Girls. All the comforting, magical realism, romantic sweetness I needed to disappear into a book for a while.

It was also funny, hot, charming, quirky, and the plot was delicious. Loved it.

This was very sweet. Very Hallmark movie. Our main character, Jules, is left a building from Kitty St. Clair, a retirement home resident where Jules works. She also starts reading Kitty’s diary and is dreaming about a teenage Kitty all while falling in love with a man named Reeve and trying to get into medical school. Typing it all out just now makes it seem overstuffed maybe? I’m not even into the subplots with his parents and her mother and a land developer! It was sweet; a good read if you like your tied-up-in-a-bow, slightly magical Hallmark movies.

This was such a sweet, light read! I loved the big twist and the magical realism elements tying together the FMC and Kitty St. Clair through her dreams. Also, the progression of the FMC's relationship with Reeve was perfect. The humor throughout was great. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I love this author. She has a way of writing a contemporary romance with elements of magical realism that is just so CHARMING. I found myself relating to the main character Jules so much, it was frightening at times. I often yell at my characters when they’re doing the wrong thing when I read. But I was with her every step of the way. All her feelings were feelings I’ve had. All her fears are fears I’ve had. Reece was a sweet sweet whose heart was taken that first day. The strong female friendship in this was also something I adored. If Kate Robb is writing it, I’m reading it.

Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is a small-town, second chance romance with a dash of magical realism splashed in. In this we have our FMC Jules who works at a retirement home after not being able to go to medical school due to circumstances you find out about in the book. When Kitty St. Clair passes away she ends up inheriting the dance hall that Kitty owned. The big question is if she sells the dance hall or not now to fund her medical school dreams and get back on track.
This is where our MMC enters Reeve and Jules know each other from the past. He has been trying to get a hold of her since there last interaction… you’ll find out more about him and his job when you read it. So I am not going to go into it.

SO,,, This is the really weird part to me. The magical realism aspect… instead of other books when we have a diary and just reading the passages from it Jules reads the diary at night before bed and when she does then she dreams what’s in the diary. I do think this is an interesting way to do this as we get the backstory played out via a dream but also think it’s just kinda weird at the same time.

Overall I liked the book. I think it is memorable because the premise was unique and how the diary and the dreams worked out will end up staying with me instead of our characters just reading a passage and us finding the information out that way.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4 for review purposes.
Thank you to Dial Press for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My first from this author. It was nice and refreshing to read something different. The development had nice layers. I loved the setting. It’s a cute, easy read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone needing a palette cleanser.

Overall, I enjoyed Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance. It was a very sweet story about finding yourself, choosing love, and recognizing where you are isn’t where you have to be.

I loved the side characters in this story. Zoe, Kitty
and the residents of Sunnyvale are incredibly funny. I also loved Reeve and how obsessed he was. The relationship between Reeve and Jules did feel a little flat to me at times. Jules also was not my favorite character.

Thank you to Kate Robb and NetGalley!!