It took a while to get into the story, I found myself skipping chunks to just get into it.
It's a light hearted romance, definitely predictably but you don't read books like this for the mystery or predictability of it.
I loved the sisterhood trinity between Kiersten, Gemma and aunt liv; their acceptance and support in a crazy dimension shifting position really made the book.
And the ending was way too quick, she comes back into her dimension and her and Dax just suddenly kiss and we skip to 6 months later.
Also can we talk about the alcohol consumption in this book, every scene they're drinking. Crazy that they're not dead

Wow. I absolutely inhaled This Spells Love by Kate Robb! If you love a little magic in your romance novels then this one if for you!

Gemma is unhappy in her career and has just been dumped by her four year long boyfriend Stuart. In the midst of her heartbreak, her sister Kierstan and Aunt Livi stumble upon a spell book whilst taking a break from drinking margaritas and decide it’s a good idea for Gemma to perform a love cleanse to remove Stuart from her life once and for all. But to do so she has to kiss her best friend in the whole world, Dax. And when Gemma wakes up in a world and a life that isn’t her own. How real was that love cleanse? And what will this new life look like for her without having met Stuart in the first place?

I just want to thank Kate Robb, the publishers, and NetGalley for sending me the arc for this book. I can’t explain how much I’ve loved reading this book! It’s such an easy read and has had me cupping my oat lattes and grinning at my screen for the past 2 days. As a fan of romance, fantasy, and spice (of course), seeing this book and reading the description had me jumping at the change to review it. I wasn’t disappointed! If you love magical romance comedies with added spice and the friends to lovers trope, then this book is for you!

Well, this was an incredibly charming read.

I'm not usually one for contemporary romance, but do like ~witchy vibes~ so thought I'd give this book a go and I'm SO GLAD I did (Even if it was more of a multiverse rather than paranormal read). I read this in tow days - including accidentally staying up to 3am...

This book is light and fluffy with a cute friends-to-lovers core. The characters are young, hot and believable (I think Dax might be my new book boyfriend). The FMC Gemma was really likable, and has flaws that are incredibly relatable, she looks for stability above all else and has the tunnel vision of person who has unknowingly been rescued her whole life. This part especially hit home for me as it's so easy to become too reliant on a person and not even know it. I found her approach to dealing with her issues made sense too. She took time to sit back, think and also feel.

The story arc goes where you expect and does verge into the predictable, but I must admit one thing I really liked about this book was that the angst felt like it was there for an appropriate time. We didn't have to sit and wait while the MCs uhhhmmed and ahhhhhed about their relationship for chapter after chapter.

Also, it's set in the suburbs! It's nice to see the reality of how most people live (commuting, moving further out due to cost of living etc.) reflected in a book.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who fancies a nice read with *just* enough angst to keep the pages turning, but is ultimately a fun ride.

Thanks to NetGalley et al for the ARC, all views are my own etc etc ✌️

Gemma with a G has recently experienced a breakup and in a bid to get over her ex casts a spell found in an old book. After the spell has been cast Gemma is transported into a sliding doors type fantasy living an alternate life. Gemma is unsure if this really is the reality she wants to settle in and has one month to decide if she should stay or go. she
Gemmas alternate reality sees her living out the dream she never thought she could pull off with the man she could only hope to have. It seems to good to be true though and Gemma must decide which life to continue on in.

Overall a well written novel, however for me with a title such as "this spells love" I would have expected a lot more of a magical element than the one main event.

This is a sweet, fun, cosy romance. When Gemma wakes up one morming after performing a love cleanse of her ex, she is in an alternate world where she never met her best friend, Dax. As she traverses her new life and works towards regaining Dax's friendship, she comes to many realisations about herself and the important relationships in her life. She also realises that Fate works in funny ways and that while she may be living a dream she never knew she could have, that the consequences of that can affect those that she loves the most.
Dax and Gemma are such lovable characters and their bond and relationship was so sweet to read. In addition, the supporting cast of characters are quirky, fun, and so very likeable. This is a great romance to cuddle up with with a cosy blanket and a hot cuppa.

So excited that this is my first ever ARC!

This was such a wholesome read, exactly what I needed and I couldn’t put it down.
i thought this story was so interesting, especially seeing a character navigate a new reality and then having to make the difficult decision of staying or going back

.Gemma is a very relatable character that forces you to see that sometimes you need to take a risk.
Dax is such a great, genuine guy and I loved seeing his relationship grow with Gemma. Their friendship comes so easy and are clearly meant for each other.

What a debut from Kate Robb👏🏻

I really enjoyed this and it’s not my usual thing at all! It was a lot less ‘witchy’ than I expected, the magic involved in the time travel/alternate reality isn’t explained at all but that didn’t matter. I liked Gemma and Dax and the whole Sliding Doors-esque ‘what if’. I don’t typically read romances but I was sucked into this and rooting for them and I enjoyed the spicy elements - bit of a revelation for me! This was a pacey, fun and engaging story and I liked that it was Canadian, different kind of vibe. Very pleasantly surprised by this and would definitely recommend for a light read with a happy ending.

What a beautiful story, filled with true love of both family and relationships.
I was immediately pulled into Gemma’s world, and travelled with her through her’s and Dax’s story, whilst routing for them the whole time.
I loved this take on a ‘multiverse’ and how people and decisions can lead to so many different changes for us, the sliding doors theory. Not only didn’t I enjoy their story it made me question my own, and where would my life had been if I had made a different choice throughout my life.
I loved seeing the familia relationships between Gemma, her aunt and her sister and how this strong group of women shared a true kinship and love for each other.
This was an intriguing love story, and I’m pretty sure we all knew Aunt Livi was behind it all.

Cute and easy read. However it did take me a while to get into it and I did find myself skimming a lot more towards the end just to get it finished. I liked the idea of it but there was just too many things to question- like where is the gemma from the parallel universe??
Is she stuck in the original universe or stuck in time?

Overall i've given it 3 stars.

Thankyou netgalley for the ARC.

Wow. Loved loved loved this. The idea of parallel universes or just seeing how our lives could have turned out because of decision we made amazes me.

Dax and Gemma are just amazing together. As Best friends (or stranger in new world then friends) and as lovers. Kates writing is just superb. The premise that you'll find your soulmate no matter what world you are in is so heart warming to me. As for the book as a whole, the spice is right, the humour is right, and the relationships between characters were great. Also, shout out to Frank, who will make me rethink my eight legged friends who invade my showers. I really truly enjoyed this and will recommend it to others. I was sad when it ended. I also want to know alternative Gemma and Dax are okay unless it really all was just a wish/spell and not parallel universes, either way I adored this story.

Grab your warmest knitted sweaters, pour yourself a glass of wine and cuddle up with a fluffy blanket because this book gives you all the warm and snuggly feelings.

When Gemma’s relationship ends with her pathetic boyfriend Stuart she ends up on a downwards spiral that results with far too many margaritas consumed, an odd looking spell book provided by her kooky aunt and a small but powerful kiss from her BFF Dax. When she wakes up the next morning a head full of regrets what she didn’t expect was for her whole life changed and a need to patch up her friendship with Dax. Risks will need to be taken for this rule loving lady, and sacrifices will ultimately have to be made.

I loved this book, I felt like I’d entered a groundhog-esque story. Great book for lovers of TJR’s “Maybe In Another Life” Robb keeps you on your toes loving every choice made and making you glad that Gemma is growing and finally changing as a person. Robb’s writing is magical and hilarious. The comedy in this book is brilliant and the internal thought process is that of every chaotic being. The what-ifs, buts and maybes kept me turning the pages.

I am all in for a spell binding book, quirky characters and tequila fuelled mistakes!

Don’t miss this book when it’s published on 7th December 2023! Get this on your Christmas wish list!

This was a cute, quick read, didn't try to sell more than what you'd expect. Gemma whilst for the greatest part of the book (gratingly) selfish and self centered came around by the end and finally, saw that she and her anxiety aren't the center of the universe.

I actually liked her sister a bit more than her. Kirsten was the big sister carrying everyone's issues, suffocated by all of it. I liked the arch of their relationship by the end.

Dax was a little bit like a cardboard figure, the nice guy everyone likes but he still wasn't over the top. I appreciated he was allowed to get annoyed, to have his own feelings.

Considering the story was set in an AU, the insta love (especially after the way they met with Dax) was a bit quick for me but it's a matter of personal taste.
Honorable mention to Frank, the spider.

Loveable characters and a perfect book for the autumn days! Not usually a fan on friends to lovers but this one was written so well it was hard not to like it! It was cute and comedic.

This Spells Love is a beautifully written book with such a cosy feel. The best way to read this book is to find the comfiest place in your home, settle down with some snacks and a drink and forget about reality for a while and devour this novel in one sitting. It's fast-paced and is so fun to read. Gemma and Daxon are main characters to love forever, and their love is one in a million. The plot is enticing and full of eye-opening moments that could relate to one's own life. And I one hundred percent could not stop thinking about having one of Nana's doughnuts... or a Dax of my own.

Following an awful breakup with her boyfriend of four years, Gemma drunkenly decides to cast a spell to mend her broken heart. But when she wakes up the next morning, she discovers that she’s been transported to an alternate universe, without a broken heart but her relationship with her best friend, Dax, no longer exists. In order to return to her other life, Gemma has to reverse the spell, but as she immerses herself in this new reality, she’s faced with the difficult decision of whether to stay or go back.

I’m not usually a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope, but this book exceeded my expectations! Gemma and the other Dax, meet under awkward circumstances and despite not technically knowing each other, there’s an undeniable connection between them.

Initially, Gemma tries to convince herself that she’s just recreating their friendship, but the intense attraction they share makes it impossible.

In the real world, it’s immediately obvious that Dax has feelings towards Gemma and I loved how blissfully unaware she was. It was so sweet witnessing how fast they fell for each other in the alternate reality, proving that if something is meant to be, it will be.

This was a really sweet and fun read and a really strong debut for Kate. Thanks NetGally for providing me with a digital arc!

I really enjoyed reading This Spells Love. I loved Gemma and Dax and all the characters in the book. I liked the little witchy elements to the book and the alternative universes which helped Gemma see what she really wanted in life.

I typically go through phases were I read a whole lot of either fantasy or contemporary romance. So when books like this come around that fit both genres it's just perfect for me.
I loved the characters and I flew through this book.

‘This Spells Love’ is a steamy, fast-paced novel and a great take on the popular friends-to-lovers and second chance tropes. I kind of wanted more explanation on the alternative universe thing, and the ending seemed a little bit rushed, but this was a pretty cool book and a nice way to relax as it was easy to read and to follow.

Great book. I love a good book with a great sense of humor, some sparkly characters and a vivid story.
It was original. It was sweet. And most important, it was funny and catching. A quick read. And a good read.

''Once Lovers, now enemies, Soon to be strangers with some memories, this love cleanse will rid you of your woes""

This Spells Love," is a fun, catchy, page-turner.. I always find that the friends-to-lovers trope can be challenging to execute, occasionally clumsy and too sudden, but it didn't feel like that with This Spells love and the addition of a timeline element gives it a perfect twist making this book a breath of fresh air and just what I needed. Whats not to love about a withcy, wake up in another life, second chance Rom Com as that's what we got, we got so many elements that just meshed together because the characters where fun and likable with there fast comebacks and entertaining banter along the way made this all the more of a page turning read

"What you think you become. What you imagine you create..Tell the universe what you want . Trust that it will gift you with all that you need"

In Kate Robb's charming debut, "This Spells Love," Gemma Wilde tries to mend her broken heart with a love cleanse spell. But when she wakes up the next day, she finds herself in a parallel universe where her best friend, Dax, doesn't recognize her. To reverse the spell, Gemma must start anew and decide between her old timeline and this unfamiliar universe filled with new possibilities. It's a captivating story of love, friendship, and self-discovery.

"Sometimes bad things happen in life. And when there's nowhere solid to place the blame, we get stuck holding onto it. But there's nothing you could have done to prevent this. Nothing at all."

Overall this is one of those books i will be telling people to read, its light hearted, fun, captivating and following Gemma make some self discoveries was effortless because it was all so relatable. I truly cannot wait to see what else Kate gives us in the future