Um Feitiço de Amor

by Kate Robb, Ray Tavares (Translator)

Gemma tenta curar seu coração partido com um feitiço para esquecer o ex, mas acorda em uma realidade alternativa na qual perdeu muito mais do que poderia prever. Um feitiço de amor é uma comédia romântica espirituosa com pitadas de magia.

Gemma Wilde levou um fora do namorado de longa data e reagiu como qualquer mulher de vinte e oito anos faria: ficando bêbada com a irmã, a tia nada comum e o melhor amigo, Dax. Depois de algumas ― ou muitas ― margaritas, eles decidem fazer um feitiço de purificação do amor que promete apagar tudo o que Gemma viveu ao lado do ex. Ela segue direitinho as instruções, inclusive dando um beijo em seu melhor amigo para selar o feitiço.

Quando acorda em uma realidade alternativa, Gemma percebe que o feitiço funcionou, só que ela perdeu outras coisas além daquilo que desejou nunca ter vivido. No mundo onde nem chegou a conhecer o ex, o restante da sua vida é irreconhecível. E a pior parte é: Dax não faz ideia de quem ela seja.

Para reverter o feitiço e voltar à sua antiga vida, Gemma precisa convencer o seu melhor amigo ― que agora é só um estranho ― a beijá-la de novo. Mas, enquanto segue o plano, ela descobre que está se apaixonando de verdade por Dax. Logo Gemma começa a se perguntar se realmente precisa voltar para a sua realidade.

E se Dax sempre tiver sido a pessoa certa?

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Fiction

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2023

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your entire history with your best friend gets magically erased for everyone but you, and you "meet them" for "the first time" today, would you still end up as best friends? Now what if your best friend is really hot and you're newly single? That's basically the premise of this book and I *LOVED IT*. This book has so much going for it:
- A plot that addresses the "what if I made different life choices years ago" question that everyone has at times, but in a surprisingly thoughtful way
- Strong secondary characters (lately this seems so rare in contemporary romances unless the author is purposely setting up the other characters to star in their own books as part of a series)
- Steamy romance (need I say more?)
- Donuts (seriously, this book really made me want to go eat some donuts)

I received this book as an ARC (pub date is December 5th 2023) from netgalley, but this didn't impact my review (no seriously, this is the first ARC I have given 4 stars)

One minor thing that bothered me:
If a guy has an old beater car and old stuff in his apartment, how are you not picking up that maybe he's not as financially well off as you first assumed? Come on now, this isn't rocket science.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you imagine reading a book that combines the essence of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Sliding Doors," and "50 First Dates"? Picture waking up in an alternate universe where your best friend, the person you shared an intimate moment with last night, has no recollection of your existence. This book poses a fundamental question: if given the chance to start anew, would you follow the same life path, or would you choose a different road, being more cautious to avoid repeating past mistakes, even if it means potentially losing your loved one forever?

Amidst all these philosophical inquiries, you might wonder if I've been indulging in day drinking. Well, the truth is, I'm simply experiencing a book hangover after delving into this thought-provoking, intelligent, and delightfully steamy fantasy romance.

Here are the highlights of this captivating read:

-Perfectly crafted characters: Gemma and Dax are relatable and endearing, making it easy to root for their relationship.

-The sweet friends-to-lovers and alternative universe themes add depth and intrigue.

-The supporting characters, particularly the ultra-sarcastic and quirky Aunt Lily and Gemma's sister Kiersten, are so lovable that you'll want to connect with them on social media.

-The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, igniting sparks that will set off your own personal fire sprinkler system.

-The conclusion of the book ties everything together with skillful writing, leaving you with a satisfied smile as you cross the finish line of this literary marathon.

-The plot idea itself is interesting and unique, immediately drawing you into the story and holding your attention until the very end.

  In summary, when Gemma Wilde experiences a devastating heartbreak after her four-year relationship comes to an end, all she wants is to forget her ex completely. What if there's a spell that could erase all memories of him from her mind? With the help of her Aunt Lily and sister Kiersten, they concoct a spell, sealed with a kiss from Gemma's best friend, Dax. However, when Gemma wakes up the next morning, she realizes that the spell worked too well—she not only lost the memories of her ex but Dax has also forgotten who she is. How can she navigate this new alternate universe and make Dax remember their friendship, and perhaps even become something more?

I wholeheartedly recommend this cleverly crafted and emotionally charged romance. It's a must-read!

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Dial Press Trade Paperback for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

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[aly ☆彡 · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I love you Daxon McGuire"
"I love you, Gemma McGuire"
"Slip of the tongue?"
"Maybe? Or maybe I have plans"

Despite my usual aversion to the 'best friend to lover' trope and my disinterest in magical realism as a genre, 'This Spells Love' — incorporating both elements, surprisingly leaves a strong impression for a debut book. The intriguing idea of a parallel universe is enhanced by Robb's deft handling of the difficulties of moving from friendship to romantic attraction, in which it exceeded my expectations and turned out to be a really noteworthy read.

Following a breakup, Gemma finds solace in a night at her Aunt Livi's house. On a whim, she casts a spell to forget in her drunk state, but its effects take an unforeseen twist. Awakening in an entirely unfamiliar existence, Gemma is astonished to find herself owning a beauty boutique and lives in a different lifestyle than she used to. When she reaches out to her best friend Dax for assistance, the realization hits that he, too, fails to recognize her in this altered reality.

This Spells Love offers a delightful narrative filled with intoxicated magic, eccentric characters, and a handsome guy whose friendship holds immense value. This parallel universe serves as a catalyst for Gemma's love and self-discovery, laying bare the aspects of her life she had overlooked.

I also have a penchant in Robb's writing style which I could foresee myself picking up her future books as her prose creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere that effortlessly drew me into the story. Her ability to infuse humor, creativity, and heartwarming elements into her writing made the entire experience not only enjoyable but also undeniably fabulous. Have I told you that I love drunk Gemma? ヾ(≧∇≦)ゞ

To put cherry on top, I enjoyed Gemma as a character. While she could be overbearing at times, her remarkable character growth was truly captivating. Witnessing her transformation from someone hesitant to take risks to someone embracing the unknown, even in the small details like choosing her fritters, added depth to her persona. The book's effective use of both shows and tell allowed for a subtle understanding of Gemma and her motivations.

Now, you might wonder. What went wrong that such high praises were only met with three stars rating? For one, this book falls short in portraying a convincing best friend to lover dynamic. While the author attempts to provide a backstory to establish the closeness between Gemma and Dax, the narrative lacks sufficient scenes of them in their original best-friends form. Consequently, when Gemma is transported to the parallel universe and encounters a seemingly unfamiliar Dax, the supposed familiarity feels absent, making it challenging for me to invest in their romance in that reality.

Like... I wanna root for Gemma and Dax, but I want THE Gemma and Dax. I understand that Gemma's profound love for Dax stems from the recognition that he is her indispensable best friend. The narrative beautifully illustrates that for Gemma: the essence of Dax transcends external circumstances, even when faced with an alternate version of him who might be less successful. It emphasizes that Gemma's love remains unwavering, portraying a powerful testament to the depth of their connection but while the concept of the familiar Dax is present, it feels somewhat skewed and not the kind of romance I expected from this book.

While it may seem like a minor point (I'm not nitpicking, I swear), I noticed a lack of attention to detail in Robb's work. In a fictional and magical realism setting, not everything has to make perfect sense, but inconsistencies stood out. For instance, when Gemma is in the parallel universe, she mentions using a Samsung instead of an iPhone and later, the author refers to them "FaceTiming," which is practically impossible since this Gemma doesn't have an iPhone to begin with. p/s: I am not trying to be Apple Nazis here (promised), but these discrepancies made me question the overall attention to detail in the book.

With that being said, this book can be a great read if you're seeking a lighthearted and enjoyable experience without delving too deeply. Considering the genre's tough reputation, this is not a bad debut work.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, fluffy, low-stakes romance.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ 3 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

ೃ⁀➷ ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Gemma our FMC has just gone through a recent breakup with her boyfriend of four years and is kind of going through a bit of a damper. She gets together with her sister, aunt, and her best friend Dax for a tequila and ex-boyfriend bashing evening to pull her out of her slump when her aunt mentions a book that she came across. It ends up being an old spell book of sorts and they proceed to do a 'love cleanse' spell so that Gemma can speedily put her ex behind her.

When she wakes up the next morning in a hot stranger's bed, she continues on down the rabbit hole of what seems to be an alternate life. One that would have existed if she was never in her four-year relationship and what it would have been like... The only problem is, the only ones that remember her in this alternate life is that the only ones to really remember her, not the before her but her at all is her sister and her aunt.

ೃ⁀➷ ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

So, I liked this well enough. I really didn't get on very well with the FMC. I found her to be really flighty and self-absorbed, whiney and annoying. But that's okay because at the heart of the novel I feel it's about self-awareness, reflection, and the value you have in the people closest to you.

There's a dash of magical realism and time travel which I love, overall, it focuses more on the rom-com aspect of the book. I didn't really connect to any of the characters very much - probably due to not liking the main one. LOL but that's okay, as a whole it was an enjoyable read.

⁀➷ 🪄Friends to Lovers
⁀➷ 🔮Magical Realism
⁀➷ ✨Time Travel
⁀➷ 🪄Alternate Life
⁀➷ 🔮Low Stakes Romance
⁀➷ ✨Sisterly Love

✨Many thanks to NetGalley, Kate Robb and Dial Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✨

[DIVINITY🌙 · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if one little wish changed everything?

✨3.25✨

This Spells Love is a lovely, charming debut novel. It’s a true rom so you will find yourself grinning and laughing ☺️

Brief Summary: Gemma is distraught after her breakup and is having a diffficult time coping. While having a margarita night with her eccentric aunt, sister and best friend Dax the aunt decides to do a “love cleanse” spell so she can forget about her ex. However the spell goes completely wrong and now she is in anther reality where Dax is no longer her best friend. In order to fix the spell and go back she must get Dax to kiss her once best friend to kiss her but she starts to fall for him in the process

Tropes
🌟alternate reality
🌟friends to lover
🌟He falls first

”Sometimes the best risks are the ones you make with your heart”

I seriously use to hate friends to lovers tropes but recently I have been eating this shit tf up. Gemma and Dax were PERFECT together. Gemma’s personal growth during the book made her a loveable heroine. In the beginning I felt she was immature and kind of flaky but towards the middle she was redeemed. Dax was a cinnamon roll and I couldn’t help but smile with all his scenes 😊 he’s so sweet, gentle and caring. I think he’s the epitome of what a friend and partner should look like 💜

Spice Level
1/5 🌶️
It’s a slow burn but the scenes aren’t overly descriptive.

” For a moment I forget everything. The rain. The cold. Every kiss that came before this one. As if none of it matters but him and me and this moment.”

The kissing scene in the rain will live with me forever🌧️🫠)

Overall thoughts: This Spells Love was a cute and fun read. It offers a different perspective on love due to the parallel universe. And it shows it is important to life your life to the fullest with NO regrets. This is a cross between women’s fiction and romance which personally I love but I know it’s not everyone’s favorite. I was expecting more witchy vibes but it wasn’t a major disappointment.

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ 2★ ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅


I went into this book thinking it's about witches which it kind of is. There were no witch vibes. The only part that we get anything to do with witches is at the start with the spell and the end. Can we talk about why the author thought that putting in talks about massive dicks?? That threw me off so much.


: ̗̀➛ Gemma
I found her so annoying and whiney. The way she complained about Dax so much started getting on my nerves. She kept complaining about Dax being so different from her Dax, like it's a different reality. She was literally whiny to everyone that she knew Dax even though she didn't in that universe. The way she expected everyone to drop everything and help her with her shit like, girl not everything evolves around you.


: ̗̀➛ Dax
I felt so bad for Dax for having to deal with Gemma. I would have gotten a restraining order for someone who broke into my house and wouldn't leave when told. He should've stuck with the stalker narrative!


















✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

⋆.˚🦋༘⋆ preread

my audiobook to listen to on the way to college! hopefully it’ll keep me entertained!

[jenna williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

frank the spider was the best part of this book. he should’ve been the main character.

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I liked this well enough, but none of the characters felt...real. Especially the aunt and the sister. They seemed to only exist (both in the story and for the main character) when she needed to take them off the shelf and vent.

I also won't remember any of their names or the majority of this story by next week. Or perhaps even tomorrow.

Still, it was cute...a decent enough way to pass an afternoon.

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if you’d turn left, instead of right?
What if you'd gone to that party you didn't want to go to?
What if you’d given your best four years to a dickhead, who actually improved your life for the better?

Gemma lives in the what-ifs of the past, present and future because, let's be honest, jumping off a cliff is scary. Maybe that cliff is just a new type of doughnut, but what if I don't like it? What if it's gonna ruin my entire day not having to take my usual one? What if I like it, but I still miss the other one?
This Spells Love has little less to do with me and more with us, the ones that always take the same thing at restaurants. The ones who are happy with their choice, but still regret it a little bit.

Parallel universes, alternate realities, doors to other lives… I always loved the idea of me, in another reality, doing something different with people I don't know, but still being me.
So what if I go left and not right tomorrow, after grabbing my coffee? Would I stumble into the love of my life? Would I be killed by a bus?
Yes, I relate to Gemma, especially that fear in your chest about not being able to undo something because it's too late. And what, if not love, is the biggest jump off a cliff?

The story is not as obvious as you can expect, but what sent me off was Gemma’s reluctance to express her feelings with the Dax in her timeline. I understand her hesitation, but she's been best friends with Dax for four years. She’d trade their shared memories, things they've done together, moments they've supported each other, for a new, unfamiliar version of him. And only because she didn't realize she had feelings for him.
Also, if you're looking for your next friends-to-lovers, I might contradict the synopsis. In Gemma’s first timeline, Dax and her have been best friends for four years; but in her other timeline, Gemma knows Dax - or, at least, she thinks to know him -, but Dax doesn't know Gemma. They're different people, she's a stranger to him.

Nonetheless, I've loved every single detail of this story: the characters, the settings, the page, the descriptions, the narration, the spicy scenes.
The idea of being a totally normal story set after the pandemic.
The concept is that every choice you make matters because you chose your path, and this is always gonna be more important than any what-if.

↠ 3.5 stars

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty sad about this one. I'm keeping myself from rating it lower because I honestly was still enjoying the story, the writing, and I read it pretty quickly. I was really excited for the concept and to start a witchy read for fall. But I wasn't crazy about how the concept was executed and there were exactly ZERO witchy vibes.

So the only "witchy" thing about this book is the "spell" that they do at the beginning that causes the whole storyline. But it's just something they try while drunk and then it doesn't come back up again until she wants to reverse what happened.

As for the storyline, Dax seemed like a really great character, but he was wasted because 90% of him was the other timeline, which we know is not the same at all. I was hoping that maybe 1/2 way or 3/4 of the way she would go back to the original timeline and I actually try to have a relationship with her original Dax, but she doesn't go back until the very end and then there's one scene with him and then the epilogue.

To me, it seemed like she was dating a completely different person, so it was weird for her to go full monty in this alternate timeline and then go back and do the same thing in the original timeline.

Plus, she was pretty fucking clueless/selfish like the whole book. She apparently doesn't read social cues very well, even for the people she's so close with. So that was really kinda cringe to read throughout.

So yeah, still don't really know how I feel about this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 3.75 stars ✩

“Goodnight, Dax McGuire," I call to him."
Goodnight, Gemma McGuire," he calls back.
"Slip of the tongue?"
He shrugs and smiles. "Something like that.”

What to expect:
➼ Alternate Reality/Butterfly Effect
➼ Friends to Lovers/Strangers to Lovers
➼ Magical Realism
➼ He Falls First
➼ What If?
➼ Rom Com
➼ Single POV

This was so stinking cute and fulfilled my summertime itch for cozy vibes. At first it seemed like the universe was telling her they didn’t belong together in any reality 😅 but by the end I was convinced they were made for each other. I liked that this was both friends-to-lovers and strangers-to-lovers since he didn’t know her in the alternate reality. This book touched on the concept of the butterfly effect, but the main things that were impacted centered around work or finances. I liked that the author didn’t alter anything too major like adding or erasing a child, etc. I always feel very conflicted reading about alternate realities when they take things that far.

Gemma was a likable heroine who started out a little selfish but grew a lot through the experience. Dax was an absolute gem of a book boyfriend and I loved their banter and interactions. There was a good amount of spice but it wasn’t overly descriptive in my opinion. This would make a perfect romantic comedy on the big screen! I really hope someone picks this up! 🤞🏻I would file this as palate cleanser, but I would definitely recommend reading this if you’re looking for a fun easy read.

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Sure, let’s cast a drunken spell to erase a significant person from your life.

What could go wrong?? 😜🪄✨

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 I'd Fall In Love With You In Any Universe ✨'s

After spending a wild night drinking way too many margaritas with her aunt, sister, and best friend Dax, in an attempt to forget about her recent breakup, Gemma performs a love cleansing spell on a whim and wakes up the next morning in an alternate reality where she never met her ex. The only problem is she also met Dax the same night and Gemma can't comprehend living in a world without her best friend. With the only option to stick it out for a month before she can try and go back to her old life, Gemma decides to make friends with Dax again. However, as she finds her footing in her new reality, and she and Dax get to know each other without a label as friends, Gemma has to choose whether she wants to stay in her new world and explore her newfound connection to Dax or return to her old one where they are just friends.

I don't think I will ever be able to forget about this book, I love it so much! Everything about the story was so fun and charming, I loved the alternate reality/timeline aspect and getting to meet Gemma and Dax in both worlds. Their connection transcended universes and I could absolutely feel their love for each other. Gemma was so sweet and relatable, I loved her character growth and getting to watch her come out of her shell and be more brave as the story went along. There were some bittersweet moments toward the end that pulled at my heartstrings and I appreciated there was a range of emotions the story encompassed. I am honest to god shocked that this is a debut book, Kate Robb did an amazing job of crafting Gemma and Dax's love and keeping the story engaging and whimsical. I cannot wait to read more from her, sign me up for all of her future books!

~Many thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Maria✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I SO wanted to like this! This whole premise of discovering new sides to your friend and falling for them in a new timeline sounded pretty exciting! I was waiting for it to be officially released to check it out and here I am giving it 1 star...

I will be honest, sometimes it annoys me when people from the opposite sex cannot just stay friends, but I was prepared to see some good friendship take a new spin in this alternate timeline because they are different people there with different experiences, but guess what? None of this happens. The book starts with Gemma being a mess over her break-up and her sister telling her why she has not banged her male best friend of 4 years, Dax, because there is no way he is friends with her for any other reason. Gemma does not really refute the whole thing, but gives a very weak "We ArE fRiEnDs". Then you see Dax and he barely has a presence in this timeline other than Gemma getting very close to him and commenting his eyes, hair, body... you know, like every normal friend would... NOT. Dax is also half close to confessing his feelings at this point now that Gemma is single (but obviously Gemma is being willfully obtuse about it). So, this is your first and only glimpse into their "friendship".

Then Gemma gets transported into this second timeline, where Dax does not know her and, quite understandably, she is being a creep until she realizes what is happening. She went inside Dax's shop while it was close and started telling him personal details and he thought she might be a stalker. Quite sensible though, right? So, you get excited to see how she will come out of this mess since she needs his kiss and she has 1 month deadline (for moon to be at the right spot), but... nothing. No real inner turmoil, no Dax opening up slowly... It is like he completely forgot that this person barged into his place and started telling him details about his life that she should have no access to and then followed him to his favorite pub "by accident". No, he starts smiling at her and flirting. This is complete garbage to me, but I asked a male friend of mine and he said he would also be fine with that if she was hot... so might just be me? I digress.

It did not get better after that. Gemma's only problem throughout those 4 years was basically not losing Dax, which was VERY apparent from the very first few pages so there is no real "friends to lovers" here. They were never truly friends when they basically wanted each other all along. Once she overcomes this problem (didn't take long), she becomes a sex-crazed fiend. Every other page is her thinking about Dax's dick or talking about Dax's dick to Dax... She has many moments of being completely self-centered and entitled and literally waiting for others to drop everything every time she needs to vent and only calms down if they do what she wants or if they explain to her their own personal problems.

Not mentioning how she comes to a whole new life and she has 0 problems navigating it. She has a shop in this life and her only problem was that on her first day she got a Karen and some shoplifting highschoolers, which caused her an anxiety attack of sorts and from the 2nd day, she was a master of it... even though she never had a shop before and it has a ton of responsibilities. But I suppose that is boring reality stuff that no one wants to read? *shrug*

Also, I get on one hand that waking up in a different time would confuse anyone, but she does seem to realize that her own timeline exists and possible another Gemma is now there, but she does not even care what she might be doing messing with her own life. Her only conundrum is she should steal this life or go back and when drama comes along, she thinks that by going back, everyone will be happy in her own timeline... completely ignoring the fact that the people here would still exist. But hey, as long as SHE is in a happy timeline, amirite?

Then you have her aunt, who obviously is into some witchcraft of sorts, but will not say anything and no one asks her because she will not answer and nothing else is said. She is just there to "help". Her sister is probably the only normal person in this whole story and I wish her all the best. There were some other characters that were there literally to help the plot along and some, like Sunny, were walking cardboards with a name basically... Just a very disappointing book.

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if all it took to erase an ex from your memory was one little magical spell? Would you do it?

Well, Gemma has that chance. After her recent breakup, she’s throwing herself a moving-on party with her Aunt, sister and best friend, Dax. When her Aunt performs a bit of voodoo magic🧙 involving chicken parts, (don’t ask) ultimately ending with a kiss from her best friend Dax, Gemma awakens to a new life. One in which her ex was not a part of. That’s the good news….
But there are a multitude of other changes in this new life of hers.

Can she make it back to her old life? Does necessarily want to?

I loved Gemma and Dax’s characters in both worlds. This book makes you stop and consider…what is most important in your life and in those around you. Loved it!

When I need a break from my thrillers, picking up a rom-com dipped in magical realism is my perfect reset.

✍️ Kate Robb
📄 354 pages
🗓️ Available Now
📈 5/5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 romcom, friends to lovers, magical realism

[Hallie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟 PERFECT vibes for September/October, I loved this so much!! A quick and easy read while still being so cute and also having a fun plot!! I immediately want to read another lol

[B.K. Borison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical, magical and deeply romantic. What an utter delight.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really cute and fun. i loved the magical realism element of the fmc spelling herself into an alternate universe where she got her wish - and now had to see how life would've been otherwise.

i was a bit surprised how quickly it went romantic for them, and then how steamy it got but i'm not complaining 🤭

i liked the audiobook narrator too. a lot of them tend to have a very "commercial voiceover" sound to them, but this one sounded a lot more like an authentic real character for me.

[Cas (Fia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a unique storyline😭

This was an amazing book! Especially for a debut!

Gemma is heartbroken and performs this witchy ritual to erase the day she met her ex. The only problem is that she met her best friend, Dax, that same day.

When she wakes up in a parallel universe where she has never met her ex, life seems better. She has a better job even though she lives in a basement. She has more friends because she hasn’t wasted the last 4 years with her ex and actually socialised. And she fulfilled her dream of opening her own store.

But her best friend doesn’t remember her. That breaks her heart. So she decides to do the ritual again but now she has to wait for a month when the moon is in the same phase.
Of course during this time she ends up falling for him and realises he’s always been into her. Which makes her consider that maybe she can stay in this universe forever.

But the grass is not always greener on the other side.
Turns out her dating her ex for 4 years wasn’t a complete waste after all. Now things are only getting worse, especially in Dax’s life.

Btw him being sure she is a stalker was hilarious lol.

I loooooove their relationship! These two are literally made for each other and Dax is pretty incredible. I love him!
This says A LOT coming from me because I usually despise friends to lovers trope!

The humour, the side characters, the spice… all of it was written wonderfully! Makes me want to visit Canada now.

4.5⭐️
2/5🌶️

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alternate reality spell 🪄 Friends to Lovers troupe ❤️ Rated R: for steamy adult content 🔥

[Book of the Month]

Why I love it
By Katherine Center

There’s a unique pleasure to a what-if story. Bending reality a little bit to eye it from a different angle is always compelling, and This Spells Love does just that in such a page-turning way. There’s a feeling like anything could happen, but also hints that benevolent forces might be at work.

Playing around with an old magic book, protagonist Gemma makes a wish that she hadn’t just wasted four years on the wrong man—and then she kisses her best guy friend, Dax, to seal it. The next day, that wish comes true. She wakes up in a different version of her life: one that erases that failed relationship—but also one where Dax doesn’t know who she is.

Now, if she wants to reverse the spell, she’ll have to convince this other version of Dax—who barely knows her—to kiss her again. What follows drives Gemma to examine how she really feels about herself, and her career, and Dax . . . and to take risks like never before.

This story brims with snappy dialogue, instantly endearing characters, and an irresistible friends-to-lovers romance. Gemma gets a chance that those of us stuck in reality never get—and it’s so fun to watch her take it. What a treat of a read!

Read more at: https://app.bookofthemonth.com/all-bo...

[shark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. I’m sorry but that sucked. I don’t feel like we actually got to know any of the characters beyond really superficial things. Gemma is one of the most unlikable characters I’ve ever read, she’s incredibly selfish and materialistic and shallow. I’m not convinced she actually cares at all about Dax and just views him as the receiving end of her feelings and desires. Dax had like no personality beyond “I love Gemma”. I absolutely HATE the whole “men and women can’t really be friends” thing that this book pushes. And to top it all off it was boring.

[riena. · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you are looking for a ROMCOM book that feels like an actual ROMCOM with an amazing book boyfriend that everyone could ask for, will makes you SWOONING SO HARD that your cheeks hurts so much because you can't stop giggling, smiling, and laughing, this book is THE PERFECT CHOICE.

I ADORE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! the plot is very fun to read, the main characters and side characters are very loveable, the character development is top notch. the splash of magic makes it interesting and the writing is so addictive that i can't put the book down. this book give me such a great reading experience that reminds me why i love reading so much.

gemma, the fmc, she is so fun and easy going! she also has this big heart and a kind soul. she is growing in me and reading her journey makes me want to hug her so bad, i am so proud of her!

dax, the mmc, DAMN THIS MAN! he is literally too good to be true and one of the BEST BOOK BOYFRIEND! he is such a gentleman and a literal golden retriever, one of the most memorable thing that he did for gemma is he sent her flowers that the meaning of the flowers are "admiration, devoted affection, and be gentle with me" IM CRYING. protect him at all costs!!

i still can't believe that this is a debut novel! very well done!

thank you NetGalley for the ARC <33

[Cristina Lazăr · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://carti.blog/2024/09/22/sub-vra...

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this book takes place in Canada because one of the characters who has lapsed health insurance needs a prescription for Percoset, so another character goes to the pharmacy and pays for it out-of-pocket with less than $50. Oh, and that's $50 Canadian, which would be, like, $37 US. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. *Sobs in American*

Also, all these 30ish-year-old characters consume are oat milk lattes and doughnuts and a ton of booze, and they all still have smoking hot bodies, so I guess I want to live in whatever fantasy world they're in.

Look, I don't want to drag a debut author. I really like the premise here - what if you never wasted four years of your life on this one romantic partner and had a chance to redo it all? - and I like the smaller details that change when the main character goes back in time (when she doesn't date that one guy, it affects which career path she chooses, which affects who she meets, where she ends up living, what she does in her free time, etc.). I like the concept of "what if my best guy friend actually became my boyfriend? how would that play out?"

But these characters are fairly bland, inconsistent, and unbelievable. For example, one minor character is presented as a sort of all-knowing witchy figure in several scenes, but it's never discussed amongst the characters or explained. In another example, one character has a physical store that sells customized sneakers; in the main timeline, it's doing really well, which I find absolutely shocking given today's economic climate toward niche retail stores, and in the alternate timeline, it's not doing well, which the Female Main Character finds shocking.

Speaking of the Female Main Character, she is horny AF, and dare I say it?, I think this novel is too sexual for my tastes. I love a good sex scene like any romance reader, but I also like leaving a bit to the imagination, and this book is almost all graphic smut that seems like it was written by super horny teens. I would love to erase all of the times the Female Main Character obsesses over the Male Main Character's gigantic penis from my brain. I'm actually not sure what kind of a friendship the two of them have (this is supposed to be friends-to-lovers, after all!) because the only thing we see them do is have sex. Oh, and we see them curling, because this is Canada.

(Also, in the author's acknowledgements at the end, she talks about her husband's anatomy being the inspiration for the book, then jokes about her kids reading this someday, then thanks her mother-in-law, and I just... ew. Call me a pearl-clutcher, but that felt icky. Didn't want to read any of that.)

Besides that, my biggest complaint about the book is that there is not enough time devoted to the main timeline. After a few opening chapters, it moves to the alternate timeline and stays there until the very end, so the majority of the novel is not "real." When the Female Main Character returns to the present, she doesn't have to work hard for the outcomes that she had in the alternate timeline, so it all seems to wrap up too neatly within two chapters.

Overall, it's not bad, but it seems to be less about the characters and the story and more about the sex, which is not my cup of tea (or should I say my oat milk latte?).

2.5 stars, rounded down for talking about massive dicks too much.

[Kaci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not usually one to read magical realism or alternate reality storylines, but I was in the mood for something witchy and decided to give This Spells Love a try. It wasn’t quite as witchy as I had hoped for, but I could have gotten past that if there weren’t so many plot holes involving magic and the alternate reality system.

I also think I would have loved this story more if the plot had involved more of the “after.” Most of the storyline stressed me out- so many things went wrong. It didn’t feel happy or funny. I felt conflicted with her falling in love with one version of her best friend, especially when the two versions were slightly different. And, as much as I love a spicy book, it seemed out of place in this story.

But I liked the lessons she learned in this story and I liked the way the story ended. I would have liked a little more of the end, though, to see her content with the way things worked out. And I would have liked a little more character development for Gemma, her family, and Dax.

Thank you, NetGalley for an early copy of This Spells Love by Kate Robb. All opinions are my own.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So, are we solving today's problems with sugar or alcohol?”

This was my BookClub's pick for February - I was excited to pick up something sugary sweet && this was for sure it.

Our FMC - Gem makes safe choices in life, never really stepping out of her comfort zone. UNTIL her long term resident bf safety net Stuart breaks her heart. In the midst of the break-up & with the help of Gem's (kinda nutty) Auntie, older sis Kiersten, and best friend Dax they cast a *Love Cleanse*, powered by Auntie Liv's Moonlight Margaritas, and a spell book that recently came into their possession.



The Love Cleanse was meant to ease the heartache of the break-up, but what if it cleansed more than they anticipated????

Gem has a lil *Freaky Friday* moment, and attempts to see what life could be like if she was willing to take the risks, and put her heart on the line.

Check this out if you enjoy -

𓆩♡𓆪 Best Friends to Lovers 𓆩♡𓆪
𓆩♡𓆪 Witchy Romance 𓆩♡𓆪
𓆩♡𓆪 Magical Realism 𓆩♡𓆪
𓆩♡𓆪 Light Fantasy 𓆩♡𓆪
𓆩♡𓆪 Time Travel / Alternate Reality 𓆩♡𓆪
𓆩♡𓆪 Cinnamon Roll MMC 𓆩♡𓆪

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gave me Butterfly Effect vibes and I enjoyed most of it! Gem and Dax are truly lovely. It was beautiful to see how they were so much alike and how they come together. The other timelines were interesting to watch play out. Truly enjoyed the ending as well. So glad I grabbed this one from the library!

[girlwithhearteyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars — I LOVED THIS!!! I’m a huge fan of contemporary romances with a hint of mystical/scifi, so this story was made for me.

The set up: Gemma (the FMC) casts a drunken spell to erase her ex from her past, only to find herself in an alternate universe where her best friend Dax (the MMC) doesn’t recognise her. (P.S. Gemma is not a witch, her aunt just found a spell book in the donation bin.)

The alternate universe spin added extra conflict to the friends-to-lovers trope (which I don’t usually go for) and amplified all the what-ifs. I loved the pining, the pangs around missed opportunities, and the ‘fated connections’ feeling. Everything about Gemma and Dax’s relationship had me on tenterhooks, I was so invested in them being together, and Dax himself was THE dreamiest MMC I’ve come across in a while.

I went through all the emotions in this book, main ones being: 🤣😍🥺😭😍😍

The story was well-paced, Gemma had great character development, and all the side characters were also delightful (especially Gemma’s sister Kiersten).

I listened to the audiobook and HIGHLY recommend it.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'd enjoy this book more if there were fewer smutty scenes after Gemma and Dax got together. The steamy part made me feel like the writer emphasized too much on the physical attraction between Gemma and Dax to the point where it overshadowed the emotional connection between them. It didn't make much sense to me that Dax from the other timeline fell for Gemma so quickly when she acted so weird in front of him during their first few encounters. One thing I loved the most from friends to lovers romance is the sense of comfort brought by knowing someone thoroughly before seeing them as something more than friends, yet I don't feel it much in this book. Maybe this is also caused by the fact that Dax feels like a different person in the two timelines, and as readers, we don't even get much time to bond with Dax from the original timeline other than from Gemma's point of view. Both Gemma and Dax were occasionally quite annoying, as I felt like there were times when they took people around them for granted and were too oblivious (or should I say insensitive?).

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

* ੈ✩‧₊˚ This Spells Love is a parallel universe romance about a woman who does a love cleanse spell and wakes up the next day in another timeline. In this timeline, her best friend has not met her yet.

The book was very swoony and I truly enjoyed it. I was a bit nervous at the beginning because of the whole thing of not meeting each other yet and Dax had a whole life without her in this timeline and I thought it wouldn't be the same. It wasn't the same, but that's the point! This different timeline took another way from her original one and it's different, but Gemma and Dax were always meant to fall in love. IN ANY UNIVERSE. And you get that instantly. I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT lmao. But I get nervous easily oops.

If you like cozy fantasy romances with soulmates trope, this book is definitely for you!!