Thanks for the review copy. I liked this one more and more as I stuck with it. I like cover and also a ready for A Solar Eclipse of the Heart.

Whimsical, heartfelt, and full of charm—this was the engaging romcom I’d been eager to escape into! Another fantastic story from Kate Robb, filled with lovable characters, a sprinkle of magical realism, and a message that gently echoes Mary Oliver’s iconic question: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

The story centers on Jules, who’s feeling stuck in her hometown of West Lake—a tight-knit community slowly losing its soul to gentrification and glossy high-rises. Her med school dreams are shattered after discovering that her own mother—who raised her alone—has emptied the savings meant for her tuition. Now working in a nursing home, Jules finds herself unable to forget a one-night stand with the charming and elusive Reeve, an aspiring artist who disappeared without a trace.

Then comes the twist: after the passing of her beloved mentor Kitty St. Clair, Jules inherits the town’s old dance hall—a surprise to everyone, especially since Kitty had three grown children of her own. Things only get stranger when Jules discovers Kitty’s diary... and finds herself slipping into Kitty’s past through her dreams. She wakes up in a bygone version of West Lake, where a young Kitty (who calls her “Dotty”) is caught in a love triangle of her own—one path leading to a life of adventure, the other to the comfort of home.

Back in the present, Reeve returns to town—and to Jules’s life—claiming nothing has changed. But Jules soon discovers he works for the very real estate company trying to buy and demolish her newly inherited dance hall. Can she trust him, or is he playing her again? Selling could solve her debt and reignite her dreams… but what if the real dream is right in front of her?

While I would’ve loved more moments with the older version of Kitty—her wisdom, warmth, and spark light up every page she’s on—this story still shines with heart, humor, and inspiration. It’s a delightful blend of second chances, small-town magic, and self-discovery, beautifully connecting the threads between past and present, legacy and hope.

I truly loved this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone craving something feel-good, empowering, and tender enough to leave a lasting smile.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House / Dial Press Trade Paperback for sharing this heartfelt women’s fiction/romance with me in exchange for my honest review!

Kitty St. Claire’s Last Dance was such a fun, lighthearted read. It had just the right mix of romance and magical realism to keep me hooked. The characters were so easy to love, and even the third-act breakup (which I usually dread) wasn’t overly dramatic. If you’re looking for something charming with a bit of time travel, this one’s worth the read. This was my first Kate Robb book, and she’s definitely on my “must read” list now!

Kate Robb is honestly my favourite romance writer. Her love stories are so incredibly creative in their settings, and complex in their feelings, but so so so tender. I BLASTED through this book and can’t stop recommending it!!!

this book was a sweet and simple read. it was a great palate cleanser with some great fluff. i loved the idea of jules communicating with kitty through her dreams and i loved their revealed connection. i do, however, wish the movement into the dream sequences were more clearly marked and a bit more clear on what they are meant to be. i also think reeve and jules’ relationship started so early on that it lost steam a fairly quickly for me. overall, this was very cute and i did enjoy myself but it was not groundbreaking.

this review is available now on goodreads

Review: A Magical Gem in West Lake

No one writes magical realism like Kate Robb. This book was an absolute winner for me.

I adored every moment spent with Jules and Reeve—from their adorable meet-cute to the not-so-adorable (but hilariously memorable) re-meet. The Italian food cravings and spontaneous urges to sing Celine Dion? Perfection. The Canadian cultural references had me giggling throughout.

Jules is someone life has knocked around a few times, but she keeps going—and you can’t help but root for her. She’s deeply committed to her community, and it’s clear the residents at the nursing home where she works see something special in her. Watching her begin to see that in herself was deeply satisfying. The magical dreams with Kitty, Dotty, and Knots were an absolute highlight, and I was delighted by the twist and reveal at the end.

And Reeve—what a great book boyfriend. Anyone who’s ever struggled under the weight of parental expectations will feel for him. He’s the perfect complement to Jules, offering support and sweetness in equal measure.

I can’t wait to revisit West Lake.

Huge thanks to Kate Robb, Dial Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

4.5 stars

This was the comfort read I needed! It’s magical, romantic, and imparts a few life lessons along the way. Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is a story about life and being stuck, about the paths not traveled and those still to be taken. I loved the theme of living a life you won’t regret, being unafraid to pursue your dreams no matter what may happen or how long it may take, and the many tidbits of wisdom folded within its pages.

I related so much to Jules and her fear of believing in people and events that seem too good to be true. She was an extremely well-developed and engaging main character. I loved the dose of magical realism that brought Kitty to life, as well as the other residents of Sunnyvale who made me laugh and cry in turn.

Although this is a romance novel, and the relationship building between Jules and Reeve is achingly sweet, I loved how the plot focused on love as only one aspect of a happy life. There’s some great messaging that resonates regardless of age or where you are in life, and is such a feel good read. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, The Dial Press, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes you on a trip through the life of Jules and those around her in the small town of West Lake. I love that the author takes you into the lives of the peoples Jules works with and cares for at the nursing home. The author details the merging generations so eloquently! This book is love story meets small town tribulations meets the struggles of an immature parent.
Jules and Reeves love story spread through out had you rooting for them since the beginning. The intimate details of the people Jules cares for makes this book even more dynamic! The dreams Jules steps into with Kitty and the connections that you happen throughout the book keep you wanting to read the next chapter.

This was a sweet read. I enjoyed the dual timelines and the fun mystery of it all.
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy, my opinions are my own.

I loved this book! The magical realism was so well done and subtle but really added to the story of Jules and Kitty. Jules is a great FMC. She has a full life but still wants something and she does it all herself. Yes she finds love along the way but her story is her own. Kate Robb never fails to produce a wonderful book!!!

A time-travel, second chance romance with an MMC who drives 3 hours to surprise her with her favourite butter tarts...sign me up!

Reeve and Jules meet at a party,
have life chats on a dock and then
loose contact due to a communication mishap. When they are reunited 2 years later, Jules inherits an abandoned dance hall and begins to have dreams about the owner's life 50 years ago, which strangely feels similar to her own choices she faces in her time.

I loved the exploration of learning from the past and from the older folks in our lives to live with fewer regrets. The small-town setting on Lake Huron in Ontario was such a treat—I even recognized some of the places! Reeves and Jules helping each other to become the people that their past selves would be proud of was so sweet (& not just because of the butter tarts)!

I loved this book! Robb’s writing style is so easy to read and I was able to actually visualize what was happening with the really great use of descriptors and details!

This story follows Jules, and aspiring doctor who works at a retirement home where she meets Kitty St. Clair, a dazzling icon of a woman. Kitty names Jules in her will which unlocks a whole plot line of events and kicks off the story. Throughout the book, Jules is “haunted” by the memory of Kitty and the decisions Kitty made for her life, all while navigating a long lost summer love, a rocky relationship with her mother, and chasing her dreams.

I absolutely loved the ode to all the women who came before and paved the way for future young women to choose the life for themselves. Kitty’s role in Jules’ life and story really impacted her and came full circle towards the end of the story. Robb wrapped this book up with a pretty red bow and I couldn’t be more satisfied!

Kate Robb has officially cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me. Her stories always feel like a cozy hug wrapped in a little bit of magic and a lot of heart—and Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is no exception. 💫

Jules is the kind of character who pushes people (and good things) away—not because she doesn’t want them, but because she’s afraid to hope. But through the unforgettable Kitty St. Clair, Jules learns to hold on to hope and actually let good things into her life. And honestly, that's a lesson I need to get behind, myself.

The magical twist in this one was different from Kate’s other books, but that made it even more fun. Still whimsical, still heart-tugging, just with its own unique flavor. ✨

It’s warm. It’s fun. It’s an easy read that will charm your socks off and leave you smiling like you’ve just shared a secret with the universe. I already can’t wait to see what Kate writes next. 📖💛

This was a decent read with a bit of a unique plot. While I loved the magical realism I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the romantic element was severely lacking, in my opinion.

Kate Robb knows how to do magical realism and time travel. Jules & Reeve get a second chance after a wrong number led them astray. after Kitty St. Clair, a resident whom Jules grew close with, leaves her an old dance hall, they find themselves on opposite sides of real estate. Jules is torn about selling it and somehow time travels to relive kitty’s days via her diary. The time travel aspect was so fun and gave us perspective piece by piece. I loved how it all intertwined and came together! the plot line was fun, fresh and kept me guessing until the end.

4.25 ⭐️

Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is a whimsical, easy to read story about going for what you want in life, accompanied by love and a dash of magic. Kate Robb is my favorite author for magical realism, and I think it was used particularly well in this book. Our main character Jules is transported to the past via dream to encounter Kitty St Clair’s origin story. These magical flashbacks serve as a way to influence and inform choices Jules is making in the present. I liked that this storytelling device wasn’t overused and that it served Jules in pushing herself to go towards her dreams and leave behind her fears. This book was very engaging to read and once you’re in you just easily eat it all up.

My only criticism would be that the love story isn’t overly complicated or overwhelming. It’s pretty standard. I do feel like this is easier to forgive though when the book has a lot of substance in its other aspects. I did find the relationship between Jules and Reeves to be very sweet though, even if there weren’t many surprises in that aspect of the book.

As always, I’m excited to see what Kate Robb comes up with next! Her magical realism romances are truly the most creative out there.

I was immediately drawn to this book because I love a well-done dual timeline and Kate Robb absolutely nailed it. There’s something so powerful about seeing lives that exist decades apart but are deeply, almost cosmically, intertwined. For me, stories like this are such a beautiful reminder that we’re all more connected than we realize. The echoes of past choices and relationships ripple forward in the most unexpected ways, and Robb handles that with such grace.

In the present, we follow Jules, who’s working at a retirement home while chasing her dream of becoming a doctor. When one of the residents, Kitty St. Clair, passes away and leaves her an old dance hall, things get complicated, especially when the man trying to buy the building (to build condos) turns out to be the same guy Jules had a one-night encounter with years ago. Cue the tension!

But what I really loved was how Jules starts slipping into Kitty’s past through these dreamy, magical moments tied to her old diary. Watching her live pieces of Kitty’s youth—the longing, the joy, the heartbreak—was beautiful and moving. It felt like time was folding in on itself, connecting these two women across decades in the most tender way. Honestly, I could’ve stayed in that dance hall forever.

Reeve, the love interest, starts off a little suspicious (I was side-eyeing him for a minute), but his emotional arc worked for me. The romance has that cozy, slow-burn energy that builds toward something steady and earned. And the way this book explores legacy, ambition, and choosing what matters most? Whew. Right in the heart.

If you’re into stories that hold magic and meaning in equal measure, this one’s for you. It’s soft and nostalgic, but also thoughtful and emotionally grounded. I finished it feeling like I needed to escape to the yesteryears of dance halls and the magic held within them from another time.

This was my first read by Kate Robb; I was expected to loveeee it since I see a lot of praise for her previous books but it was just ok. I didn't find myself all that invested in the story and took a few breaks from reading it. I think I fond myself a little confused with the overall timeline but I did like a lot of the elements and concepts in the story itself.

Thank you to NetGalley & Dial Press for the ARC!

"Kitty St. Clair's Last Dance" is a charming and emotionally rich novel that blends second-chance romance, small-town struggles, and a touch of magical time-travel in a truly captivating way. It’s a story about legacy, love, and finding your path. When Jules unexpectedly inherits a crumbling old dance hall from the glamorous and enigmatic Kitty St. Clair, she’s torn. Selling it to a developer could finally fund her dream of going to medical school, but it would also mean contributing to the rising housing costs threatening her hometown. To make matters even more complicated, the buyer is Reeve, the man she shared one unforgettable night with two summers ago, only to never hear from again. As Jules faces impossible choices, she finds unexpected guidance in Kitty’s old diary. But reading it leads to something more than reflection, Jules begins slipping into vivid dreams of the past, walking beside a young Kitty during the dance hall’s golden years. These magical visits to the 1970s mirror her present-day questions and gently nudge her toward the answers she needs. Kate Robb has crafted a warm and nostalgic novel, full of heart, humor, and a touch of whimsy. The relationship between Jules and Reeve is sweet and believable, but it’s the connection between past and present, between Jules and Kitty, that gives this story its emotional depth.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house.

4.75 ⭐️ – Kate Robb, just go ahead and write all romcoms forever pls

I don’t even know how to be normal about this book. Kate Robb gets me. She somehow takes everything I loved about early 2000s rom-coms (yes, I’m talking 13 Going on 30, How to Lose a Guy, all the faves) and turns it into pure bookish magic—with a sprinkle of actual magic too.

This story had me grinning like a dork, swooning over Reeve (UM HELLO?? literal perfection), and wanting to live inside its cozy little universe. The chemistry? Off the charts. The banter? A+. And the way Reeve loves Jules?? I can’t. I won’t. I’m feral.

The magical realism was such a fun twist, and I was just as into the storyline from the past as I was the present. It had a dreamy, almost dual-timeline vibe that worked so well.

Basically, I loved every second and wish I could unread it just so I could read it again for the first time. Kate Robb, I’m your forever fan.

Big thanks to Dial Press & NetGalley for the ARC!! 💕