Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the ARC access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was mindlessly scanning the shelves of Barnes & Noble’s Romance section about a year and a half ago when I serendipitously stumbled upon Kate Robb’s debut novel, “This Spells Love,” among the stacks. As a lover of Romantic Comedies with an affinity for all things magical, I was immediately drawn to it. I read most of it in one weekend, while on a 10th Anniversary trip with my husband. This friends-to-lovers Romance with just a hint of spice and magic felt like it was written specifically for me.

About six months later, I was thrilled to learn that Kate had written a second book, “Prime Time Romance,” and got to work happily devouring that one as well. Dawson’s Creek meets Gilmore Girls meets the sweet romance of a Katherine Center or Abby Jimenez? Sign me up! Her sophomore book, loaded with pop-culture references that even Amy Sherman-Palladino would be impressed by, did not disappoint.

When I learned that Kate’s third novel was available on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it, and I’m happy to report that Kate has not lost her magic touch. “Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance” was simultaneously nothing like I expected while at the same time being everything I hoped for, and more.

Kate is the master of combining heartfelt romances with just a touch of magic and a sprinkling of spice. She leaves you rooting for her characters, and Jules and Reeve, the main characters of her latest work, are no exception.

Jules is a small-town girl who lives in the quiet vacation town of Lake Huron, and Reeve is a trust-fund boy whom she meets at a party and instantly connects with. Jules works at the local retirement home while she dreams of attending medical school in Toronto. Reeve is a real estate developer from Toronto who wishes he hadn’t given up on his dream of being an artist.

When one of Jule’s residents, Kitty St. Clair, leaves the abandoned dance hall next to the nursing home to her in her will, Jules is confused and looks to Kitty’s diary for answers. That’s when the magic happens.

As the story progresses, Jules is transported to the Lake Huron of Kitty’s youth through her dreams and a touch of (unexplained) magic. (One of the things I like most about Kate’s books is that she doesn’t feel the need to explain exactly how the magic works…it just does, which somehow makes it all the more believable.) We see how Kitty’s own story inspires Jules to take a good look at her own life and forge a path that will give her the happy ending she deserves, romantically and otherwise.

Fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Katherine Center will adore Kate Robb’s writing. Her stories are just as heart-warming, her characters are just as well developed, and the extra magical touch she has included in her first three novels catapults her stories to the next level. I’m so happy to have found Kate’s books relatively early on, and I was ecstatic to see a preview of Kate’s next book included at the end of “Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance!” I can’t wait to read more by this fabulous author!

“Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance” is scheduled to be published on October 7th, 2025. You can find more information about Kate and her novels (including where to pre-order KSCLD!) at katerobbwrites.com

I love a Kate Robb novel. I know I am going to fall in love with the characters and the romance. This novel had Romance, time travel and Reeve. Reeve was perfect. Loved this novel! 4.5 🌟

This was such a fun read! I especially loved the small lakeside town setting, the magical realism element of the story, and the genuine dialogue and quick banter between the two main characters. I laughed quite a bit while reading this book! While the romantic storyline is certainly the main focus of the book, Jules's career goals, relationships with her mom and Zoe, and Reeve's art experience and skills made these characters feel more fleshed out and real. I wanted a bit more from the side characters like Zoe and some of the other retirement home residents, since the little glimpses we got of them were so funny! The ending surprised me, but I liked how everything was wrapped up in the end, and it was a happy but still realistic ending. Thanks for the chance to review an ARC of this title, I'm excited to recommend this book when it comes out later this year and to check out other books by this author too!

3 stars – Cozy concept, but a bit confusing at times

I really liked the premise—an inherited dance hall, a diary that transports her to the past, and a second-chance romance. The nostalgic feel and small-town charm were sweet, and Kitty’s past was the most engaging part.

But the switches between Jules’s real life and her dream visits made things feel a bit muddled at times, and the romance didn’t totally click for me. Still, a light, heartwarming read with a touch of magic.

Why am I craving a butter tart?! I devoured this easily in one sitting and teared up a few times because it was so moving and heartfelt. This was a beautiful story about backing ourselves even when life has taught us to not expect much.

I loved the subtle way the magical realism was applied. Unlike Kate Robb’s previous books, there were minimal chapters set in young Kitty’s world, as we see her chose herself even if it meant breaking her heart. It shows how little choices women had, sometimes they had to make pragmatic decisions to financially secure their futures because the world wouldn’t allow them the options men had.

Jules' dilemma was a tough one - does she sell the dance hall and financially secure her future knowing it will perpetuate gentrification for her small lakeside town? The highlight for me was her learning how to fight for her future after a lifetime of disappointment through her visits to young Kitty's world. The only thing I wish was a bit of a stronger resolution to her mother ruining her credit.

And what can I say about the adorable Reeve? An artistic soft-hearted sweetheart who also made his choices to X to her father and work in a job he despises but brings him financial security. He was gone for Jules from day one and when he reunites with her does everything to support Jules. I found it so refreshing that the reasons Jules didn’t hear from Reeve weren't dragged out , it was just a simple error

An utterly moving, poignant and heartfelt story. I also cannot wait for the next book, judging by the bonus first chapter.

Thanks to Random House/Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I enjoyed this heartwarming read. Interesting plot line and character development

4.75 stars!!!!!!!!!!

kate robb is the QUEEN of magical realism romcoms !!!! i LOVED this book SO much !!!!! like i've said it before but i HAVE to say it again: kate robb somehow puts everything you love about early 2000s romcom movies & puts it in book form !!!!! it is perfection !!!!

like seriously i always have the most fun reading her books. i could go book after book after book by kate. they're hilarious and cute but also her men???? HOT !! like reeve??? i'm so obsessed with him & i need everyone to read this book so they can meet him! the way he supports jules & loves her so deeply???? WHAT A MAN !!!!!!! i loved everything about this book & honestly wish it never ended!!

the magical element in this book was SO FUN! i really liked the almost dual timeline feel & was just as intrigued by the story from the past as i was with the story in the present.

thank you Dial Press & netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.

“Life may not be the party we signed up for, but while we’re here, we might as well dance.”

Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance was such a refreshing contemporary romance. Though our FMC, Jules, faced many uphill battles, it was a powerful reminder that even if the journey isn’t what you envisioned, it can still be exactly what you need. Her chemistry with Reeves was strong, & the pacing kept me fully engaged. Their romance wasn’t straightforward or easy, but it was worth fighting for. This story was relatable, tugged at my heartstrings, & served as the perfect reminder that we all deserve good things.

This book is not presenting anything new in that it's about someone who gets to live the life of someone else if only for a bit of time. And the travel back in time through dreams is also not new. And that is fine because when a story works, it works. And this story works. From start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their relationships. Jules and Reeve are front and centre, but there is a a great cast of supporting characters who help to sew this whole story together. Understanding Kitty and her relationship with the town and love was a bit part of Jules figuring out how to get unstuck, but it was also a lovely mini story about love and loss that was interwoven throughout. I was also 100% thankful that this story wrapped up all of my questions by the end. This was handled well, because sometimes it feels forced to tie up all the loose ends. In the case of Kitty's past and Jules's present, the endings just felt right. Not over done and not too little detail that you spend the book waiting and wanting more.

The characters are well developed. The romance, even if there are some elements of insta love in the first encounter, grows and develops through interaction and conversations. The writing is solid, And I am sold on Robb for one of my go to authors since this is the third and I have not yet been skunked or annoyed by repetition.

4.5 ⭐️s.
I love the magical feeling of Kate Robb books- it's just the right amount of real world (small town romance) with the perfect touch of a time-traveling storyline. If this sounds like it's not for you, it might not be- but I urge you to give it a shot anyway. Kate Robb's "magical realism" is just enough to be the perfect amount of corny and almost believable. If you like Kate Robb's other books, this one will almost certainly land for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A rom-com with a slightly whimsical twist? Count me in. I love a good plot with a willing suspension of disbelief.



4.5 stars rounded down as the middle of the book goes kind of slow but picks back up towards the end when you start piecing together the mysteries of Kitty St. Clair.



Overall, the book takes the reader on an adventure tied together with an invisible string to connect the current day love story to the past day love story.



A must-read for lovers of rom-coms, magic, and slightly chaotic best friends.



Thanks NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and thank you to the publisher for the chance to review this ARC. Full review coming soon.

This book wrapped itself around my heart in the softest, most unexpected way. It’s tender and whimsical, laced with just enough nostalgia to make you ache. I absolutely loved Jules’s journey. The romance has that perfect mix of yearning and tension, and I’m such a sucker for the kind of second-chance connection that never quite faded. But what truly made this special was the dreamlike glimpse into Kitty’s past. Those scenes were full of magic and longing and wisdom, and they gave the story such emotional depth. The writing is gentle and honest, and it left me thinking about love, choices, and the weight of a single decision etched into me long after it was over.

Kate Robb is fast becoming one of my must read authors! The way she combines magical realism in all her stories just has me swooning. This book was no different. Jules felt so real and I couldnt help but love her from the very beginning.

I adored Kitty St. Clair's Last Dance. I rooted for Jules and Reeve the entire book. The setting was so vivid I wanted to show up at the local diner, hang out with the regulars, and order a butter tart. I was equally invested in the current storyline and Kitty's.

Kitty St. Clair's Last Dance is far and away Kate Robb's best book yet and is one of the best books I have read this year!

Jules inherits an old dance hall from one of her deceased nursing home patients, Kitty St. Clair. Jules is overwhelmed and curious as to why Kitty would leave something so substantial to her. Jules finds Kitty's diary and the nights after she reads the diary, finds herself in vivid dreams with Kitty as her best friend Dottie. These "dreams" help Jules to understand Kitty more as well as try to make the right decisions for herself.

During this time, Jules is also smitten with Reeve, a guy from Toronto who she met two years ago. He is also one of the only people she has shared her dreams of going to medical school with. She is afraid to hope that things between them will work out or that she will be able to get into medical school.

This book is a blast! Basically read it in one day! This goes back and forth from present time to the entries in Kitty's diary set in the 1950's. This reminded me of Kristy Woodson Harvey's The Wedding Veil but with an element of magical realism and I WAS HERE FOR IT!

This book has so much heart and I ADORED Jules and Reeve.

Thank you NetGalley, Dial and Random House for the ARC!

I finished this book in ONE SITTING and it was incredible. I laughed, cried, and the plot had me on the edge of my seat. Katie Robb has been one of the authors that got me back into reading romance. While Prime Time Romance was a 4 star for me, this book truly knocked it out of the park.

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved this latest Ontario small lake town, opposites attract, single POV romance that sees Jules, a retirement home nurse and aspiring doctor inheriting a run down dance hall and being reunited with Reeve, the a big city developer who got away two years ago after a memorable night.

Jules has no idea why retirement resident Kitty left her the property and struggles to decide whether she wants to sell it to fund her med school dreams or preserve it and her hometown in an attempt to stave off the gentrifying, big city vacation home sprawl that is taking place across Canada in the post-COVID world.

I really enjoyed the female friendship, the dual timeline flashbacks and ALL the small town Lake Huron Canadian references (mmmm butter tarts)!!! Highly recommended for fans of authors like Carley Fortune or Ashley Poston!!

Wow, wow, wow! This book had me hooked from page one until the very end.
Our FMC Jules is stuck in her tourist-economy hometown, where locals are being priced out in favor of wealthy vacationers summer homes and expensive taste. She has dreams of leaving to make it out and become a doctor, but the costs (and her debt, courtesy of her mother) makes that goal seem unobtainable.

Enter Reeve, our one-night-stand vacationer from two years ago turned real estate developer in town looking to buy an abandoned building for more condos. Does he have a trust fund? Yes. But is he misunderstood in his family for actually wanting to be an artist instead of a shark developer? Also yes.

Jules and Reeve reconnect after the passing of nursing home resident Kitty St.Clair, who wills Jules the very abandoned building (a former dance hall) that Reeve is scouting. A whirlwind romance ensues as Jules is plagued by dreams of a young Kitty, trying to decide if she marries the poor local boy she secretly loves or the rich out of towner who will take her away to the big city.

Kate Robb has done an incredible job of putting you in the mind of Jules-her imposter syndrome while dating outside her tax bracket, her righteous indignation at the very developers driving her neighbors and friends out of their homes to create more wealth, and the conflict of deciding whether to become part of the problem in order to leave, or to keep her morals but be stuck in her small town forever.

The back and forth of reality and Jules’ dreams of the dance hall in its prime, and Kitty’s parallel debate, was captivating from page one. I can’t wait to look up more from this author and get reading!

An advance copy of this book was gifted to me in exchange for my honest review.

Jules works in a retirement home just outside Toronto, quietly dreaming of leaving her hometown and finally making it to medical school. A lifelong townie in a scenic lakeside town, she tends to steer clear of the seasonal tourists—until Reeve shows up and turns her world upside down. His arrival not only shakes up her love life but also forces her to confront the ties that have kept her rooted in place. When a resident named Kitty St. Clair unexpectedly leaves her the deed to an old dance hall, Jules begins to glimpse a way out… but her future only grows more complicated from there.

I loved this novel! The Canadian lake setting, the tension between townies and summer visitors, the warm ensemble cast, and Lou’s diner—it all made me want to rewatch Letterkenny (in the best way). Jules is such a beautifully drawn protagonist. I saw so much of myself in her: her hesitation to leave, her struggle to break free from generational trauma, her quiet stoicism.

The time-slip element added a magical realism layer that elevated this beyond a traditional romance and into something more reflective—women’s fiction with heart and depth. I inhaled the plot, adored the characters, and was completely drawn in by the town’s class divides and intergenerational echoes.

My only small critique? I wish it leaned more closed-door in the romance department. While it wasn’t overly spicy, the references to their physical relationship occasionally felt out of step with the tone of the story and Jules’ character.

This was my first Kate Robb book, but it definitely won’t be my last. I highly recommend this unique, emotionally rich romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.