A Labor of Love Potion: A Novel

by Hannah Pettit

For fans of Ali Hazelwood and Megan Bannen, a sparkling, magical rom-com debut about a Wednesday Addams-esque love potion maker, who must seduce her enemy in order to make a rare hatred-to-love potion and save her failing business

Rosemary Venera is Sybillia’s most successful love potion maker. With a bit of Romanticist magic and her failproof Eleven Step Seduction Plan, she's able to harvest the exact flavors of love she needs to make her potions, every time.

But when an anonymous column begins slandering her business, sales plummet, and Rosemary's forced to accept a near-impossible job to save her shop: create a rare hatred-to-love potion, a task that requires Rosemary to make someone who hates her fall madly in love with her.

The good news is, she has the perfect candidate: Bowen Eto, a love therapist who hates Romanticists, love potions, and, most of all, Rosemary. She's convinced he's the author of the anonymous column threatening her livelihood, which will only make her ultimate success all the sweeter.

But as Rosemary embarks on her tried-and-true seduction plan, Bowen's charm and thoughtfulness quickly turn the tables, making Rosemary wonder who exactly is seducing whom. As they unravel one another bit by bit, will Rosemary do what's needed to save her business, or will she succumb to the feelings she's been imitating her entire life?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romantasy, Fiction, Adult, Enemies To Lovers

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 9, 2027

Reviews

[charisse ♡]

₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
i'm on a spooky paranormal sprint and no one can stop me!!!! im hoping that this book will deliver too! literally dont know anything about this book so i have high hopes! also this cover is super cute too!

[vlm · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, magical, and completely charming debut! A Labor of Love Potion is a delightful enemies-to-lovers rom-com with a clever magical twist, a wonderfully quirky heroine, and plenty of chemistry.

Rosemary Venera immediately stole my attention. She’s confident, determined and a little bit unconventional, with her love potion business and her carefully perfected Eleven Step Seduction Plan. I loved her Wednesday Addams-esque personality and the contrast between her expertise in creating love potions and her own complicated relationship with love.

Then there’s Bowen Eto — the perfect person to be Rosemary’s enemy. He dislikes Romanticists, doesn't believe in love potions, and definitely doesn't like Rosemary. Naturally, this makes him the ideal candidate for her most difficult potion yet. Watching Rosemary attempt to follow her seduction plan while Bowen continually manages to turn the tables on her was so much fun.

The romance was one of my favorite parts of the book. There’s plenty of banter, tension and chemistry, but I especially enjoyed watching Rosemary and Bowen gradually get beneath each other's defenses. What begins as a scheme quickly becomes much more complicated as genuine feelings start getting mixed up with Rosemary's carefully manufactured idea of what love is supposed to feel like.

I also really enjoyed the magical world Hannah Pettit created. The idea of harvesting different “flavors” of love to create potions is imaginative and gave the story a lovely fairy-tale quality without taking away from the romance.

Beneath all the fun and magic, there’s also a surprisingly thoughtful story about love, trust, vulnerability and figuring out whether something is real when you’ve spent your life trying to manufacture it for other people.

Charming, funny, romantic and delightfully magical, A Labor of Love Potion is a wonderful debut. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers romances, quirky heroines, magical worlds and plenty of romantic tension, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enemies to lovers novel but set in a world with love potions and magic.

Rosemary is driven to save her potion shop but there is a huge cost. She has to convince Bowen, a guy who hates her to love her. To make matters worse, she is pretty sure he is saying horrible things about her and trying to ruin her business. As Rosemary attempts to do the impossible, she just may find out that she doesn't hate Bowen as much as she thought. She also starts to understand what is truly important.

This novel was cute. I enjoyed the world building. Magic was an important part of their every day life but it involved different potions and seers. This book just felt different from typical books where characters have magic. At first I really hated Bowen. I like Rosemary a lot and her quirky ways. but I was frustrated with her growing attraction to Bowen. He really seemed beneath her. As the story went on he did grow on me but their story really did not seem as important to me as Rosemary and Pearl. I really liked Rosemary and her roomate's story so much more. I also found Rosemary's backstory fascinating. I didn't understand why her sister would not contact her. I wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery and what the true story was. Overall, I liked the story of Rosemary much more than the romance in this book. She was a fascinating character from her pet snake, the way she dressed, and her backstory. She is what made this story for me.

Thank you to Dutton Book and NetGalley for this ARC.

[fromthestudyof · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Soooo cute & lighthearted

I read this entire book in one sitting 🧍🏻‍♀️

- witch specializing in love potions & a male couples therapist who is vocal about hating love magic
- forced proximity
- potion testing
- lowstakes

I was in the mood for something fresh & not stressful (lol) and this was perfect!!!

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Labor of Love Potion follows Rosemary, a witch and potion maker, and her efforts to save her business by romancing a person that hates her and brewing a forbidden love potion. Bowen, a therapist, desperately wants to avoid love potions and has a ton of baggage where they are concerned. They both do.

The enemies to lovers plot eventually transforms into a story about two people, that could very well be twin flames, on a healing journey. Expect a lot of character development from both sides in this single first person POV.

Rosemary allowed the death of her parents and being abandoned by her older sister lock her emotions away in a glass cage that kept her from making real connections with those around her. Bowen seemed a bit preachy about love potions at times, but it makes a lot more sense when his backstory is finally revealed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for ARC access 💕

[Ashley Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you to Dutton books for sending me this ARC! This story captured my heart. Enemies to lovers, magic potions, and found family. It has everything a cozy read needs. I will be telling friends about this when it comes out and getting myself a physical copy because the cover is too good.😍

[Kayla W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opposites Attract, Perfect Pets, and Sisterly Bonds.

A Labor of Love by Hannah Pettit is an absolute delight of a romance that delivers all the feel-good vibes, laugh-out-loud moments, and genuine warmth you could want in a story.This book kept me intrigued, hopeful, and giggling all the way through to the end.

Rosemary and Bowen are total opposites through and through, their dynamic crackles with incredible chemistry. Watching them connect and slowly break down each other's walls was beautifully paced and satisfying. One of the absolute funniest and most charming highlights of their contrasting personalities is their pets. Bowen owns a black cat named Devil's Food Cake, while Rosemary has a white snake named Angel Food Cake. The names and the descriptions of the animals are utterly on par.

The book does a wonderful job with Rosemary’s backstory. Learning about her family and the motivations that make her thrive and want to succeed added real depth to her character. This history seamlessly weaves into the broader plot, making her professional and personal triumphs feel entirely earned.

The story also introduces a light touch of mystery surrounding the identity of Dr. Lovegren. While it becomes a bit predictable about halfway through, it never takes away from the fun. The narrative remains thoroughly entertaining, and the resolution at the ending was exactly what I was hoping for, wrapping up their development perfectly.

The secondary cast shines just as brightly, particularly Rosemary’s roommate, Pearl. Her evolution as she discovers who she truly is became a major highlight of the story. I loved how their relationship developed further as Rosemary realized Pearl has always been by her side—acting much more like a supportive sister than just a roommate. Pearl's personal growth is so captivating that she frequently steals the show, leaving me eager to follow her journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for sending me an advance copy to read and review.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s a lot that was cute about this one and I think there’s probably a lot of people who will enjoy it, but unfortunately it fell short for me.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱:

❤️ The magic. This had such unique, fun magic & I loved the world that was created!

❤️Angel Food Cake vs Devils Food Cake. We didn’t get a lot of Devil’s Food Cake but just the idea of him had me cackling. Rose’s pet snake Angel Food Cake was more present though & I thought it was such a unique, fun pet!

❤️Pearl. Loved her character & her relationship with Rose. The growth they had of their friendship might’ve been my favorite part of the book.

❤️The banter. Rose & Bowen had great banter which made their relationship really fun.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

🖤Rose’s stubbornness. This girl is so set in her ways, but she’s also super naive, and it drove me absolutely crazy.

🖤The “twist”. It was pretty easy to predict, but I absolutely HATED it. It felt so unnecessary, especially after we spend the entirety of the book in Rose’s head listening to how much she loves her sister.

Overall I would say it was the end that really ruined the book for me. That “twist” was just awful. I would say I enjoyed about 75% of the book though, and maybe others would enjoy this one more than I did!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:
✨enemies to lovers
✨witchy magic
✨opposites attract
✨found family

Thank you to Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[MJ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was a very cute book. I know it comes out around Valentine's day, but it was also the perfect October/Halloween season read.

The story follows romancist, Rosemary, and couples therapist, Bowen. They are naturally rivals in their fields. In this world, magic is real, but not everyone has abilities and not everyone agrees with how magic is used.

I thought the premise and world of this story were interesting - that witches and magic are just a part of society and regulated, as such. Rosemary was ever the ethical witch, seducing men to get love potion ingredients for her shop, but always and only with their permission. Bowen had a great disdain for romancists, as a couples therapist, he thinks that love and relationships should be worked on at their core and not masked with potions. In this way, I liked that they were almost a true "enemies to lovers" and did harbor some hatred for one another. And even though they were attracted, it was done in a way that didn't feel gross or disingenuous.

I'm not going to lie, you can see the third act breakup coming from a mile away. As it was being set up, I was immediately annoyed by what it was going to be, and honestly didn't love the way it played out (but at least you can prepare yourself for what's going to happen). Rosemary wasn't great. I wish she had taken the time to work through her shit before it hit the fan; she knew what she was doing was wrong and kept justifying it to herself and only really apologized after the consequences. I wish she had stood up for herself before she was forced to. Throughout the story she does things and knows they're will hurt people, but never has the will power to change course until it's too late, this is incredibly annoying to watch.

There is also another reveal that happens along the third act breakup that I hated. It felt forced and over expositioned. It needed more depth.

Even with all the criticism, I did still think there were some cute moments, I did love Bowen's character., and I could probably read a whole novel devoted to Pearl. I'll always enjoy a witchy rom-com!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this eARC.

[aayat · Rating 5 out of 5]

review of advanced copy received from netgalley.

this was such a fun read! i haven’t read anything with this exact concept before, so even though i’ve read plenty of books with witches and magic, a labor of love potion still felt really different and fresh.

rosemary was probably my favorite part of the whole book. she is SO unhinged and a little bit crazy, and i absolutely loved it. the fact that she was out here counting the condoms bowen had used??? girl 😭 also, who names their child bowen henry eto? i’m sorry, but i need answers.😭🤌🏻

i also really loved rose and pearl’s friendship. even though rosemary was so closed off and had a hard time letting people in, pearl never stopped showing up for her. she kept sticking up for rose and being there for her, and she was just so genuinely sweet. i loved having someone in rose’s corner who refused to give up on her.

i’m always a sucker for characters who have a little tension and hatred between them, and the push and pull between bowen and rosemary made this book so much more entertaining. their dynamic was funny, frustrating, and just so enjoyable to watch unfold.

and then the ENDING. oh my god. i cried so much. i felt absolutely horrible for rose and genuinely just wanted to put her in my pocket and protect her from everyone. as an elder sister myself, i cannot even begin to understand what sage was thinking. she is SUCH a bitch. i hated her. 😭

overall, i loved this book so much. it was funny, chaotic, emotional, and just different enough to keep me completely invested. rosemary and bowen were such a fun pair, pearl was the sweetest, and despite all the emotional damage this ending caused me, i’m so glad i read it. 🧫🚡💗

[Sequoya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Dutton for a complimentary advanced copy!

⭐ 2.75

A Labor of Love Potion has all the components of a great story, but a lot of it fell flat or felt forced. I think if you love some good banter and an enemies to lovers arc, then this book is for you. It's in the details that it loses me.

I love the magic system of this world. Romantacists don't just brew love potion, they have to elicit the feeling they want to bottle either in themselves or others. They can also go into different fields and infuse a theater with a feeling, or make food that is genuinely made with love. For the purposes of this story, we don't learn a whole lot about the other magical professions (aside that Seers all have feuds with each other which is hilarious and delightful to think about), but I wish we got to glimpse more of that world.

I found Bowen to be a delightful MMC, and it was fun to read him try and deny his attraction. It's more believable than other stories I've read because from the very first meeting he is obviously attracted to her, so you don't have to suspend your belief too much that he can "hate" her and still be into her. I did find his defense of Dr. Lovegren infuriating when he starts having legitimate feelings for Rosemary. Her livelihood is actively falling apart and he is surprisingly apathetic to it. Only when she tells her backstory does he start to sympathize with her, but the fact it's her job and her passion should be enough for him to cool it on the criticism. 

Rosemary was a hard character to root for. Everything she does is for love and family, but it's so misplaced that it made me want to shake her. She consistently downplays the relationships around her and her own feelings, while prioritizing something that very quickly becomes obvious to the reader is never going to happen. She is willing to implode everything and ignore her inner voice of reason and consistently makes the wrong choice in service of her family's dreams. Despite this investment into her and her sisters relationship, I was more invested in Pearl and Meredith's relationship than I was Rosemary and Sage's which is definitely not what was intended. 

When Dr. Lovegren is finally revealed, it was typical comic book villain behavior. Their motivations make no sense and are unnecessarily cruel. An explanation is given but it felt so forced and not appropriate to the retaliation Dr. Lovegren is giving. 

There were so many storylines happening that I think A Labor or Love Potion could have benefitted from cutting some out. There was a compelling story between Rosemary and Bowen without all the extra bits. 

I enjoyed that it was told just through Rosemary's POV instead of dual POVs. I loved Pearl, Jade, Maeve and Allen. The supporting characters really shine. I love how magic is infused in the world and everyone just rides the skytram and witches just land their brooms everywhere. I just feel like the story got bloated towards the latter half, when the first half was so enjoyable. Rosemary and Bowen's chemistry really shines throughout the story, and their back and forth was top notch. A fun, quick read that's good for spooky season.

[Brianna · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

A Labor of Love Potion gave me everything I love in a rom-com: enemies to lovers, witty banter, romantic tension, and a completely unhinged heroine who had me kicking my feet while reading. Rosemary Venera was easily my favorite part of this book. Between her unconventional personality, her love potion business, and her pet snake named Angel Food Cake, she was an absolute delight. The magical world Hannah Pettit created was a whimsical escape. Underneath the humor and magical shenanigans, there's a surprisingly emotional story about grief, trust, vulnerability, and learning to recognize your own worth.

I especially loved Rosemary's backstory and her relationship with Pearl. Their bond sometimes stole the show from the central romance, which was a strength of the story if anything. Rosemary's journey toward understanding what love really means was both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and that ending gave emotional damage. While a few plot points were predictable and I wanted a little more from certain aspects of the romance, this was such a charming, funny, and heartfelt read. A fantastic debut that left me smiling, emotional, and excited to see what Hannah Pettit writes next. Find this on shelves February 9.

Thank you to Dutton Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

[Catalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for this arc!!
literally no words for how much i loved that it was without a doubt so so so fun it’s consumed my last three hours and i have no regrets. I could write a whole motherfucking dissertation on how we are the byproduct of our environment and how we were raised, and it killed me how deeply Rosemary held on to her parents dream even at the cost of herself and her desires. she was still wrong on so many levels and she pissed me the fuck off sometimes and don’t get me started on sage i want to throw a tantrum when i think about her sister BUT that ending healed me. something about people understanding their worth and choosing to see the love that’s constantly surrounded them always fkg gets me- im too sappy for this shit

[Aimee Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC - received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a cute read, and a brilliant debut novel. It felt original, and the world/magic system was unique, and easy to grasp. It was simple, but in a cute/fun way. One for the romance readers!

The FMC was sometimes hard to agree with, but I loved the MMC.

The plot twist was predictable, but it didn’t take away from the heartwarming ending.

[Ashley Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book isn't on your TBR, you need to put it there ASAP! It was so darn good! My favorite romance of the year.

Review will be posted closer to release date.

[Caitlin Mahina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟
If you enjoy Wednesday Addams, the color pink, Luna Lovegood, bows on everything, tarot cards, crystals, and yes, love potions, A Labor of Love Potion is for you. Luckily, I love all of those things. This story is fun, sexy, cheeky, heartwarming, tension-filled, and delightfully snarky. The ending felt somewhat rushed to me, but I still had a really good time with this book!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I loved this. Rose is so deep into her business that she is unaware of the harm she is actually causing. I loved watching her growth while falling in love. The magic system was also really fun, it was a fresh take on a witchy romance.

This was a single POV, enemies to lovers romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC.

[Monique Costella · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

A Labor Of Love Potion by Hannah Pettit

Release Date: February 9, 2027

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💘 Enemies to Lovers
💕 Slow Burn
💘 Paranormal Romance
💕 Found Family
💘 $lutty Glasses

This is Hannah Pettit's debut novel and boy did I enjoy reading this! The cover of this novel is absolutely stunning and it's done by my all time favorite artist, Brittany Keller. The main character, Rosemary is my spirit animal. Her favorite color is pink but her entire bedroom is black, just like her closet. In my mind Rosemary is like Wednesday Addams and I love it. I think it's super cute this book comes out right before Valentines Day and that this book is about love potions. I found the concept of this book super unique and I looove me a Paranormal Romance.

This book made me laugh and made me giddy with delight. I love how Rosemary is very precise in everything she does and she even has an eleven step seduction system. She is a witch and brews love potions and sell them. I would love if this shop was real so I could go and visit Rosemary and buy some potions. After reading this I want to have a party and play that game and try aphrodelirium. It sounds like so much fun. I am horrible at lying so I would probably land in Bowen's room first. I really wish there was a nail place where I lived called Coffin Nails. It sounds absolutely fantastic and I'd get a mani and pedi there any day.

This book was wonderfully written. I felt the heaviness of Rosmary's burden of fulfilling her family's expectations and keeping the shop open to honor her parents dream. This book delt with grief and loss and the relationship with her sister was laying heavy on her throughout the book. This book made me think sometimes we put unrealistic expectations on ourself to please others but all we are doing is hurting ourselves. It's far too much pressure. Rosemary falls under this trap with trying to keep her failing store open. Rosemary has so many regrets and there are so many moments in life she took for granted. I think we can all reflect on moments we wished we savored instead of rolling our eyes and not appreciating the people and family around us. This book made me reflect and think.

I was very shocked when I found out who Dr. Lovegren was. I knew from the beginning it wasn't Bowen but I had no suspicions of anyone else. It was a good twist at the end. I was a little sad how things ended with her sister Sage but you can't always have happy endings with everything. I did however love the last chapter with Bowen and Rosemary and thought that was an adorable ending. I loved the found family with Pearl and Rose and thought they were the cutest roomates and best friends. I have already pre-ordered this book and I can't wait until it comes out in February. As a debut author, Hannah Pettit really knocked this out of the park. I really enjoyed reading this.

[Sue Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible debut novel from Hannah Pettit with a rich magical universe, an endearing enemies to lovers romance, and surprisingly thought provoking ideas for a romance book.

The fantasy portion of this book was amazing. The world of Sybillia was so creative and fun, but never felt overly complicated or difficult to follow. I especially loved the little twists on familiar names and concepts from our world, which added some really funny moments throughout the story. The concept of love potions was such a fun addition to the romance, but I also loved that there was so much more to the magic than just a cute plot device.

One of my favourite parts was the ethical questions surrounding love potions. The story really makes you think about what love means when magic can influence someone's feelings. It raises questions about consent, authenticity, and whether love can truly be considered real if it is artificially created. I thought this gave the book a surprising amount of depth and made the magical elements feel much more meaningful.

Rosemary and Bowen were such a fun pairing. Rosemary has such a black cat personality, while Bowen is much more responsible, composed, and straight laced, so their personalities constantly clash in the best way. I loved their banter and the tension between them, especially because there was clearly an attraction underneath all of their disagreements. What I enjoyed most about their relationship was how much it developed throughout the story. They start with so many assumptions about each other, and it was really satisfying watching those slowly break down. Their differences in how they view love and their own personal experiences with it made their relationship more complicated than a typical enemies to lovers romance. They did not just fall for each other, they also challenged each other and were able to help each other grow.

I was also surprised by how emotional this book became. I went into it expecting something light, cosy, and romantic, but Pettit explores grief, trauma, family relationships, and the difficulty of letting go of the past. These themes gave Rosemary and Bowen so much more depth and made their emotional journeys feel much more impactful.

The supporting characters were also a lot of fun, and Pearl was definitely one of my favourites!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nae · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC; my reviews are always honest and my own words.

Genres, settings, categories, themes: romance (M/F), paranormal, PNR, light fantasy, cozy, witches, potions, fortune telling, family, found family

💗 Tropes: 💗
> Enemies to Lovers / Hate to Love
> Opposites Attract
all about tropes here

POV: 1st person, h's perspective

Series/Sequencing Style: standalone, no cliffhanger

Format: ebook (e-ARC)

🔽🔽🔽

Overall ratings

Heat level: ♨ 2/5 sensual steam ♨
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)

~ Heroine/FMC (Rosemary) ~ 3.75/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
~ Hero/MMC (Bowen) ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 we don't get to know him as well as our h, but he's a cutie pie & all

~ Other characters ~ 4-5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Plot ~ 3.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
~ Pacing ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Romance ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Writing ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

~ Depth & tone (1 light & fun --> 5 more serious, addresses heavier topics?): 2
~ Diversity & representation: sapphic side relationship
~ Angst level: 3/5
~ Sadness level: 2.5/5

Will I read more by this author? yes

🔽🔽🔽

❗CW/Triggers:❗abandonment by a loved one, grief, parental death (historic, but explored quite a bit), substances (potions) administered without consent

🔽🔽🔽

📝 Review/Notes 📝

After my past romance fails for soooky season (so far only the mysteries I’ve read have been good), I am dying for a spooky season romance!

Okay, it was super cute!

I’m glad it was from Rosemary’s POV because otherwise she might have been too hard to like and connect with as an FMC. As it is, we see her guilt & her struggle, and she’s a complex character with her past motivating her. While she does things that hurt people, she’s not a bad person and she ends up showing growth.

A solid, cute romance around love potions and what it means to love someone for just who they are without other motivations. Good, not amazing. Is what it appears to be.

🔽🔽🔽

🤠 Recommended for: fans of Ali Hazelwood (I do agree with the blurb on that); contemporary romance readers

[Victoria Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start out with a HUGE applause to this author for how deeply creative this book is. A book about a love potion maker is so unique to begin with, but there are so many small details the authors weaves into this story that I feel some may overlook but I found them so charming! Witch spray that causes boils?? The name of rosemary's snake!! ("My guests don't normally upturn my home shouting for dessert"- this made me genuinely laugh out loud, then when we find out Bowen's cat's name). I laughed, I teared up.... and I have a small grudge with the spice/color sage for an unknown period of time (if you know, you know, and you're with me).

This was a welllll done opposites attract / hate-to-love dynamic. They brought out the most brutal sides of themselves which cracked the surface and led to them being vulnerable and exposing their deep insecurities/fears, along with their dreams. The moment in his room with the questions game was truly so endearing, just slowly seeing those walls crumble, and my heart just broke for Bowen & Rose both. Opening your heart to love was scary for them with their pasts, but they had an incredible love story.

ALSO- I really loved how in a lower stakes cozy witchy book the author still included a more serious thought provoking theme which was the ethics of love potions ... like how they change your emotions and make love artificial + something to be purchased. No spoilers but I really loved the author wrote this along with a few other heavier topics. She handled it with a gentle touch that didn't compromise the cozy heart of this book. With that being said, it really gave an avenue for the emotional depth of both characters to shine and elevated the book to something deeply resonant.

This was the author's debut novel and she can make a reader FEEL so much for her characters and their story? That is no small feat and I know this book will be loved by so many. I devoured this book in a day. Thank you to Hannah Pettit for making these characters come to life and making a whimsy witchy world. Thank you also to Dutton Publishing & NetGalley! I am thankful for the ARC.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5

A Labor of Love Potion by Hannah Pettit is a delightful love story as well as a love letter to the romance genre as a whole.

From the first pages I was charmed by the whimsicality of this magical city, and besotted with the idea of a Wednesday Addams-esque main character who makes love potions. She has some healing to do, and some work to do on herself as well - she's definitely not a straightforward gal and I loved seeing her grow.

One of my favourite things about this genre is the way it puts women and their stories front and centre, and Pettit takes this opportunity to explore grief, trauma and complicated siblings relationships while also delighting the reader with some classic silly situations. The self awareness of this novel was really striking; through the main character's '11 step seduction' routine it felt like Pettit was holding a mirror up to some of the sillier (complimentary) elements of the genre and saying 'isnt this fabulous' - and yes!!! It is fabulous!!! It's one of the best parts of the genre and I felt so safe in this authors hands because I could tell she absolutely gets it.

The intimate scenes were tastefully done and beautifully written, but the star of the show was definitely the dynamic between the two main characters. These two start out with a very believable, deep set hatred which and irrevocable differences which made every interaction all the more tense and charming.

On top of all of that, there are really multiple love stories going on in this book and some beautiful themes around found family and sisterhood. I truly adored Pearl, and I would love to get to see more of this world and the characters living in it. My only notes related to wanting to see a bit more worldbuilding and at times the dialogue feeling a little 'fictional'.

Hannah Pettit is definitely one to watch for fans of BK Borison and Ali Hazelwood and I truly cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you so much to Dutton for the chance to read & review an early copy of this book.

[Tassia da Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!! The world-building was probably my favorite part because the magic felt familiar while also being its own thing.

We have potions and cauldrons and all of those traditional witchy ingredients you expect…but I really liked how magic actually works in this world. There are different types of magic and even people within the same category don’t necessarily use their abilities in the same way. Rosemary is a romanticist, and she owns a potion shop where she uses her magic to help people with their love lives.

Except…Rosemary has also made some questionable choices with that magic. And that’s where things got a little complicated for me.
Because girl…you’re hurting people emotionally. 😬

She compartmentalizes it SO well that sometimes I was sitting there thinking…are we the villain? Because I think we might be the villain. 😈

Then there’s Bowen, who I actually really liked. He has his own complicated history with romance and magic, and the two of them definitely have that enemies-to-lovers thing happening. I liked their banter, I liked them together, and I wanted the romance to completely get me.

But I don’t think Rosemary ever emotionally got me there. Because, she spends so much of the book compartmentalizing her feelings and justifying some of her decisions that when we got to this is love…I was like, umm… I’m not feeling it. I needed her to FEEL some things first. I needed a little more emotional intelligence, a little more self-reflection…something. Or to be wooed. Because I really liked Bowen but I didn’t believe her, I guess.

Also…her snake! Named Angel Food Cake! . 🥹 so cool!

I really liked Rosemary’s friendships too, her style, the potion shop, and just the whole magical world Hannah Pettit created. There was enough here that I genuinely had a good time reading it…I just wish the romance had been given a little more room to actually suck me into the feels. But I really do recommend this book!!

[Kayla Thorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Rosemary is a love potion maker who isn't really in love with her job. She's hanging on to her business out of a sense of duty to her family. So when an anonymous columnist begins to berate her business and she begins to lose business she takes it personally. Desperate to keep her business open she accepts a nearly impossible job to create a rare hatred-to-love potion. In order to make this potion Rosemary needs to make someone who hates her fall madly in love with her. Enter Bowen, a love therapist who hates romanticists and especially Rosemary.

Read if you like:
-Enemies to lovers
-Paranormal romance
-Slow burn
-cozy reads

My thoughts:
What a charming debut novel! I enjoyed so much about this one. Let's start with what worked for me -the romance was so fun. This was a really enjoyable enemies to lovers for me -why they disliked each other was realistic and I thought it was fun watching them fight against the attraction they felt for each other despite being total opposites and knowing there were things that made them wrong for each other. The magical world was really unique and interesting. Great found family characters -especially Rosemary's roommate Pearl. There was a third act breakup but it was unavoidable in this one so I was fine with it. I enjoyed that this was a romance with more of a story lingering in the background. Seeing Rosemary fight to become brave enough to be vulnerable was really beautiful. I did find the book to be very predictable in terms of the main story and the reveal at the end but ultimately I'm okay with that here because the book was fun and cozy and I didn't need it to be more than that. I'm excited to see what comes next from this author!

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Demi De Leon-Yetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to ARC read A Labor of Love Potion in exchange for an honest review! 💜

Okay, this book was CUTE. Like, weird little magical rom-com cute. We have love potions, magic, an enemies-to-lovers romance, a potion shop, a pet snake named Angel Food Cake, and a woman who has apparently decided that seducing her enemy is now a perfectly reasonable business strategy. 😂

Rosemary is desperate to save her potion shop, and unfortunately, the solution involves convincing Bowen—a man who absolutely cannot stand her—to fall in love with her. Because obviously. Nothing says “save my business” like making your sworn enemy fall in love with you.

The problem is that Rosemary is pretty sure Bowen is saying horrible things about her and trying to ruin her business, so she understandably does NOT like this man. And yet, as she starts working on her little seduction plan, things become… complicated.

I really liked Rosemary. She’s quirky, a little dark, has a very Wednesday Addams-esque vibe, and owns a white snake named Angel Food Cake. Her backstory was also one of my favorite parts of the book, especially everything surrounding her family and her sister. I found myself more invested in her personal story than the romance at times.

And then there’s Bowen.

Listen. I tried. 😂

I did NOT like this man at first. I was sitting there wondering why Rosemary was becoming attracted to him because, sir, what exactly are you bringing to the table???

BUT…he did grow on me.

Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic was fun because they genuinely had reasons to dislike each other, and watching those assumptions slowly change as they spent more time together was entertaining. Rosemary’s carefully planned seduction also becoming increasingly difficult to control once actual feelings get involved? Yeah, that was fun.

The pets were another highlight because apparently we needed even more chaos. Bowen has a black cat named Devil’s Food Cake and Rosemary has a white snake named Angel Food Cake. The commitment to the dessert theme is honestly incredible. 😂

I also really liked the magical world. Magic is just part of everyday life, but instead of feeling like a typical fantasy setting, we get potions, seers, love therapists, Romanticist magic, and a hatred-to-love potion. It gave the whole story a really fun and whimsical feel.

BUT MY FAVORITE PART MAY HAVE BEEN ROSEMARY AND PEARL.

I genuinely loved their relationship. Pearl starts out as Rosemary’s roommate, but their bond becomes so much deeper, and I loved seeing Rosemary realize how much Pearl has always been there for her. Their relationship felt more meaningful to me than the romance at times, and Pearl’s own growth was fascinating. Honestly, give Pearl her own book. I will be seated.

There’s also a little mystery surrounding Dr. Lovegren. I did figure it out around halfway through, but I still enjoyed watching everything unfold and seeing how it all came together.

Overall, this was such a fun, quirky magical rom-com. The romance took a little longer to win me over, but the magical world, Rosemary’s backstory, and especially her relationship with Pearl kept me invested.

Was the romance always my favorite part? No.

Did a potion shop, two dessert-named pets, and a woman trying to seduce her sworn enemy keep me entertained anyway? Absolutely. 😂

A very cute, magical, slightly chaotic read—and honestly, I wouldn’t mind spending more time in this weird little world. 💜

[Kami | wellreadkami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the digital advanced reader copy of this book. Here is my honest opinion:

A Labor of Love Potion is a cute story about finding yourself, following your heart, and creating the life you’ve always wanted.

Romanticist and love potion maker, Rosemary, and couples therapist and vehement opposer of love potions, Bowen, do NOT like each other, but when Rosemary finds herself desperate to save her business, she decides she’ll do anything to keep it afloat. Unfortunately, that means getting Bowen to fall in love with her. All she’s ever wanted is to run a successful business in her family’s honor, but as she gets to know Bowen, she realizes maybe her real dream is something else.

A Labor of Love Potion is a fast paced, enemies to lovers story with a cute magical theme. The story proceeds quickly as it is plot driven and Rosemary has a strict deadline. It has decent banter and I found the characters likable.

While I liked the plot of this book, it needed more emotional depth in the primary relationship. Hannah did a great job building the characters individually and I felt like I understood their motives well; however, I wish there were more emotional reactions between Bowen and Rosemary. Their love felt rushed to me, like they didn’t know each other well enough to be in love that quickly. Because of that, the sorry felt less believable toward the end.

Overall this is a 3 started for me. It’s a perfectly good story and would be a great read for anyone looking for something light, fun, or as a palate cleanser after an emotional read. The enemies to lovers trope and magical themes make it a great option for spooky season. There is very little spice (I’d rate it a 2), so this is safe for most readers.

[Lilith's_Library_]

A LOVE POTION?! Babe… you already know I was going to be nosy. 😂🧪💗

I went into A Labor of Love Potion expecting some cute magical romance, and instead I got romantic chaos, questionable decisions, chemistry, and enough magical nonsense to keep me absolutely entertained. And honestly? I was here for ALL of it. 😂✨

There is something ridiculously fun about throwing a love potion into a romance because you just KNOW nobody is going to make sensible choices. Add in the romantic tension and all the messy feelings, and suddenly I'm sitting there like:

“This is a terrible idea… PLEASE KEEP GOING.” 😂🔥

I loved the playful energy of this one. It has that perfect witchy-romance-meets-chaotic-love-story feeling, with enough sweetness to balance out the mayhem. The magical elements made the romance even more entertaining, and there were definitely moments where I was just waiting for everything to inevitably blow up.

Was everything perfect? No. I wanted a little more depth in places, which is why I'm sitting comfortably at four stars. But did I have fun? Absolutely.

If you like your romance with magic, flirting, questionable decisions, romantic tension, and a healthy dose of “oh no… what have they done now?” energy, put this one on your TBR. 🧪💋🔥

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! 💗📖

🧪🔥 Tropes & Chaotic Vibes

💗 Magical Romance
🧪 Love Potion Shenanigans
🔥 Flirty Chemistry
💋 Romantic Tension
🧙‍♀️ Witchy Vibes
😂 Chaotic Decisions
✨ Magical Mishaps
👀 “This Can't Possibly Go Wrong” Energy
💕 Complicated Feelings
🪄 Spellwork & Magic
🔥 Playful Romance
💫 Whimsical Chaos
💗 Feelings Getting Messy

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of the book in exchange for my thoughts.

What a fun debut novel! I always want to cheer when an author’s debut novel goes well. I can definitely see the comparison to Ali Hazelwood books - this had an early 2020s romance book feel for sure. Plenty of tension, hate-to-love shenanigans, a little bit of mystery, well-rounded characters that have real-life obstacles to overcome outside of the romantic relationship, a focus on slow-burn emotional connection and trust building with a sprinkle of physical intimacy at the end, a running-through-the-rain style grand gesture… This is quite the funny, sweet, satisfying story.

In terms of world-building, I really liked it! I had no trouble learning the magic system or making sense of the characters’ powers. I found everything to be charming and nuanced without turning too kitschy. Rosemary and Bowen start as total opposites (a little like Wednesday Addams meets Professor Snape) but as the story unfolds, the readers can plainly see how they complemented each other perfectly. My favorite part was how everything came together in the end! Parts of the ending actually surprised me - I was kind of shocked I didn’t see certain plot points coming, but I think that speaks to how the story swept me up and I just enjoyed the ride.

I maybe could have used one more relationship building scene between Bowen and Rosemary (their relationship felt like it came together just a little too quickly?), but otherwise, I think many will enjoy this magical read. Congratulations to the author on a great debut!

[Sydney Gessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say to never judge a book by its cover but if you’ve seen the cover for A Labour of Love Potion- I think you’d understand why I picked it up. As soon as I saw it, I had to read it. Our FMC is essentially Wednesday Addams and she’s a romance witch who makes potions. Talk about women in Stem.

The story follows Rosemary the romanticist and her potion shop. The magic system is very interesting in this world, which was a great time. Essentially to make potions, Rosemary needs to find subjects to fall in love with her- so she can take their hair for the spells. But she takes a clinical and scientific approach to her craft- with an 11 step rule guide to her relationships. Enter Bowen Eto, marriage counsellor extraordinaire- who happens to HATE Romancticists. The two of them battle back and forth throughout the whole story, fighting their feelings and their irrevocable differences.


This one hurt my heart. As an older sister, reading the letters to Sage every chapter killed me. While of course this is a romance book so the romance is center stage here, but for me- I really feel like this is a found family story. Rose being an orphan and alone- waiting for her sister to come back, not realizing the family around her, was heartbreaking. Her relationship with Pearl was just as important to me as her relationship with Bowen. Truly family is not just blood relation. If you are looking for a sweet and tender romance story with a lot of depth and feeling- I highly recommend this one! A fantastic debut from Hannah Pettit, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

[Jennah Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Hannah Pettit and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of A Labor of Love Potion.

A Labor of Love Potion is a rom-com enemies-to-lovers brewed with magic and love potions. Rosemary is a Romanticist, a witch with a skill set to make love potions. The only issue is that her potions shop is losing business, she can’t lose the shop as it represents her family’s dream.

When an anonymous column starts calling out all Romanticist, especially Rosemary, for being terrible people, how they use their skills to manipulate other people’s feelings. Rosemary makes a plan on how to keep her store, a potion for turning Hate to Love. The catch? She needs to find the perfect enemy to fall for her and be her subject for the potion.

Subject: Bowen Eto, Dr. Eto - Couples Therapist. Bowen dislikes Romanticist and is Rosemary’s opposite in every way possible. Why he hates Romanticist is something Rosemary finds intriguing, she finds Bowen intriguing in general.

Rosemary plans to follow her 11-step seduction plan, Bowen plans to never let his romantic feelings be manipulated. Both struggle when it comes to romantic love from past betrayal, scared to let anyone in. Over time they find themselves opening up about things they never have talked about, they see a side of each other that brings up complicated feelings.

A Labor of Love Potion is about magic, love, friendship, trust, vulnerability and letting go of the past. It was fun, quirky, heartfelt and the mystery of the author from the anonymous column brings more excitement and tension to Bowen and Rosemary’s situation.