Love Potion Number 99 was a light hearted, closed door romance. The pace was a little slow, with character development taking longer than I care for. This was not a book that I felt compelled to sit and keep reading, but I kept trying to see if it would pick up the pace.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.

I found the romance to be very mild with a slow paced plot and characters that I am sad to say I never really connected with as a whole. I wanted to like this book but I just don't feel it was up my alley.
Thankyou to Net galley and Victory Editing Net galley Co-Op for an arc of this book.

The magical elements of this story are highly suspect, but I still very much enjoyed this as a romance. Ethan and Brooke meet in a rather unconventional way and things spiral from there. When Ethan’s foster puppy eats one of Brooke’s grandmother’s prize plants they are immediately enemies, at least in Brooke’s eyes.

These two do still need to live in the same neighborhood, so while Brooke and her friends enjoy his outdoor workouts from afar, she keeps up a good front of holding the grudge. Ethan, however, is curious and putting on a good show. While Brooke is dealing with the loss of her grandmother and living up to her legacy (or against her mother’s legacy), Ethan is managing through some life changing news. Losing his parents taught him to just go where life takes him, but getting a diagnosis that puts him out of his firefighting job and into a really terrible inspector gig is not the best situation for him. A surprise invite to Brooke’s Halloween party ends up putting these two back in each other’s path and potentially exposes Ethan to a “love potion.”

It was adorable watching these two try to adapt to life as a reluctant couple, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Eventually they find their footing, but it takes a lot of the usual miscommunications to get there. I did really enjoy meeting Brooke’s friends and hope we get to see them all paired off in their own unique romance installments.

The good: I loved the friendships between Brooke and her two best friends and how much she cherished the memories of her mother. Ethan's own situation felt well researched and heartbreaking, but his strength in facing what will be inevitable is admirable. Their relationship is somewhat enemies-to-lovers with a good dash of conflict thrown in, but they make the effort to work things out in the end.

The bad: Some parts of the story never really felt properly wrapped up--Jerry gives Ethan a hard time for so much of the book, but it's never really explained or reconciled, just brushed under the rug with Ethan quitting the position. The same goes for how Jerry treated Brooke. As far as I gleaned while reading, her mother had a teenage pregnancy and then ran off--questionable choices, yes, but it's unfair of this random guy to be so antagonistic toward the child because of it. I thought perhaps Jerry knew her mom personally and there might be history there that was driving this antagonism, but that was never explained if so. All in all, his entire presence just felt like an intentional "villain" without any related resolution.

The verdict: This is a cute romcom for readers who enjoy a touch of not-quite-magic in their romance. It ended up not being entirely my cup of tea, but I think the right reader will suck it down like one of Brooke's delicious smoothies.

Love Potion Number 99 was incredibly enjoyable and sweet! This book was such a breath of fresh air and was a nice escape from reality. The main characters felt organic and relatable. I loved the romance/fantasy feel. It magical elements didn’t take away from the main story line either. For anyone seeking a feel-good book with a dash of magic, I would def recommend to those who want a cozy cute magical romance.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to netgalley for the arc! This was absolutely adorable!
I loved the characters, the story, the whimsy and the chaos.
If you are looking for a cute rom com to read I would recommend this one 100%.

Very light hearted close door romance, spice was minimal with more buildup to the kiss which was a nice change from open door. Characters took time developing, was a sweet story line and characters had a quick make up.

Love Potion Number 99 is a heartwarming romantic comedy brimming with heart, humor, and just the right amount of magic. The story follows Brooke, a woman struggling with the recent loss of her beloved grandmother, who was famous for her “magical” teas and smoothies. In an attempt to keep her grandmother’s memory alive, Brooke recreates one of her grandmother’s most famous recipes—the "Love Potion Smoothie." Little does she know, it will lead to an unexpected connection with her reclusive, brooding neighbor, Ethan.

Ethan, a firefighter recently diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, is grappling with his diagnosis and the loss of his dream career. He's turned inward, spending most of his time working out in his backyard where Brooke and her friends can't help but ogle him. After an accidental encounter involving Ethan’s dog destroying a garden planted by Brooke's grandmother, the two are hardly on the best terms. But when Ethan unknowingly drinks the potion at Brooke's Halloween party, his behavior shifts dramatically—showing her kindness and attention that she begins to wonder might not be entirely genuine.

As Brooke and Ethan work together on her grandmother's dream project—opening an animal shelter—their romance slowly blossoms. But Brooke is torn, unsure if Ethan’s newfound affection is the result of the potion or something more real. Their slow-burn romance is sweet and tender, with plenty of playful banter, heartfelt moments, and a tender exploration of vulnerability.

Love Potion Number 99 is a charming blend of romance, personal growth, and a touch of whimsy. Fans of sweet, closed-door romances with a dash of magic will love this enchanting story about healing, second chances, and finding love in unexpected places.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Daphne James Huff for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I want to thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
Love Potion Number 99 was such a fun and heartwarming read! This charming story mixes sweet romance with just the right hint of magic, making it a delightful escape from reality. The chemistry between the characters felt natural and engaging, and I loved the whimsical touches that gave the story its unique flavour.
The magical element added an extra layer of intrigue without overpowering the romantic core of the story.
It felt like a modern fairytale, perfect for anyone looking for a feel-good read with a sprinkle of enchantment.
I genuinely enjoyed every page and would absolutely recommend it to fans of cozy romances with a magical twist!

3.5 stars

This was a cute story! I loved the small town setting, and the ambience of Brooke opening an animal shelter. Things start off pretty quickly with a "meet-ugly". Brooke approaches things logically, and Ethan is all about signs. And when Ethan drank the "love potion" at the Halloween party, it made me giggle with the second guessing that ensued! (How I loved Gran's reason for not drinking Brooke's potion. *sniff* )

I have to say, about 30% of this novel (possibly more!) is the main characters' descriptive reaction to every single touch or glance: a touch sent electricity through him, his hands brushed against hers with a sizzle, every touch tinges their cheeks red. When he simply grabbed their cups, she wasn't able to breathe. When he grabbed her arm to steady himself from a shove, she experienced a mini explosion of fireworks along her skin. So many zings and not enough plot. Ethan had been in love with Brooke for weeks by Thanksgiving, but they only got to chatting during the Halloween party! It felt rushed.

Also, what was up with Jerry???

The ending was perfect:

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC!

Dnf’d at 15%.
This book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into the book at all. The pacing was so slow and I even skipped ahead a bit and ended up not being interested in where/how the story was progressing.

I enjoyed reading Love Potion Number 99 by Daphne James Huff. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

A funny and magic story , Brooke and Ethan are neighbors and the first time they met was because his puppy was misbehaving and they fought . One year later she is trying to open the animal shelter that was her grandmother wish at her will and Ethan is the fire inspector who was inspecting her shelter . When Ethan drinks at her halloween party a love potion and he acts like he is in love with her what will she do ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read.
This was a wonderfully written romance story.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, fun and engaging read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cute story idea, but fell short in execution.

The writing felt too simple, unnatural, and got repetitive. The pacing was confusing to me. The story starts off at Halloween and the bulk of the story happens in the weeks between then and Thanksgiving. In that time, they open an animal shelter, run out of money for the shelter, plan and execute two impromptu fundraising events for the shelter, fall in love and break up. What timeline are we working with here? There were some side plots that didn’t get wrapped up, which was disappointing. Why was Jerry so mean to Ethan all the time? And what was up with his weird comment about Brooke’s mom? Who started the fire at the shelter? What was up with Krista at the auction? All of these go unanswered.

Brooke, as a character, was very hard to root for. She was rude, judgmental, and immature - especially for someone in their 30’s. For having a year to get the shelter running, Brooke feels ill-prepared to actually run a shelter, nor does it feel like she actually wanted to do it. I’m fairly certain she doesn’t even like animals and is simply doing this because it was her Gran’s dream.

Ethan felt like he had a little more depth to him. Having recently moved to town and receiving a life-altering diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa. He works hard to fit in while adjusting to his new life. But he is so passive, just letting this happen to and around him, letting “fate decide”, rather than actually trying for anything. If he even catches a whiff that something isn’t going right, he immediately bails out because that must mean it isn’t “meant to be”. This got old and frustrating very quickly.

Overall, the story was missing the whimsical and cozy vibe I love about books with magic/magical-realism.

Brooke and Ethan have the opposite of a meet-cute, and a year later are still not speaking, even as next door neighbors. When he turns up at her Halloween party and accidently drinks a supposed love potion, will she be able to take him seriously when he then start to show an interest in her? A great read, I liked how it was told from both points of view and look forward to the next book in this series.

Such a cute quick read. I loved the small town setting and the animals from the shelter. The romance was sweet and it made me smile. It started slow but then the pacing was better. It is a quick and light hearted read.

This romance book is one of those heartfelt ones with a little grief, a little healing, and also a little fluff. It is all around a sweet and magical read with two incredible characters and a love of animals.

Brooke es una mujer práctica, con los pies bien puestos en la tierra y el corazón lleno de amor, que intenta cumplir el último deseo de su abuela: abrir un refugio de animales, incluso si eso significa dejar de lado sus sueños.
Ethan, por su parte, es un exbombero recientemente diagnosticado con una condición que lo obliga a dejar el trabajo que amaba. Su filosofía de vida, más resignada y fluida, choca con la necesidad de control de Brooke… y eso queda claro desde su primer (y desastroso) encuentro provocado por un cachorro travieso.


La relación entre Brooke y Ethan se construye de manera lenta y sincera, con una química que crece con cada página. Lo hermoso de esta historia es que no se basa solo en la atracción, sino en la construcción de una confianza mutua, en el espacio que ambos se dan para sanar y evolucionar. Sus heridas emocionales, miedos y mecanismos de defensa están bien explorados, y aunque a veces sus acciones pueden frustrar, también se sienten reales. Hay momento donde dan ganas de sacudirlos por ser necios, pero al final es ambos aprenden que cada uno tiene su forma de ver las cosas y aprenden a comunicarse.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest