This Spells Love Summary, Characters and Themes

This Spells Love by Kate Robb is a charming, whimsical rom-com that follows 28-year-old Gemma as she tries to heal from a painful breakup. After being dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she casts a spell to erase him from her past, only to wake up in an alternate reality where more than just her ex has disappeared—including her best friend, Dax. 

As she navigates this strange new world, Gemma must rebuild her relationship with Dax while confronting her growing feelings for him. With a mix of humor, magic, and romance, this debut novel is perfect for fans of light-hearted, friends-to-lovers stories.

Summary

This Spells Love centers on Gemma, a 28-year-old woman recently dumped by her boyfriend of four years, Stuart. Heartbroken and disillusioned, Gemma performs a drunken love-cleansing spell one night with her sister, her quirky aunt, and her best friend, Dax. 

The spell is intended to erase Stuart from her memory, but it also has unintended consequences—when Gemma wakes up, she finds herself in an alternate reality where not only Stuart is gone, but her entire life has changed. Most notably, Dax no longer knows who she is.

In this new world, Gemma discovers that her life has taken a different course. She never met Stuart, and instead of her usual corporate job, she owns a small business selling beauty products. Her living situation has also changed, as she now resides in a basement-level studio. 

Realizing that her friendship with Dax was also erased by the spell, Gemma is devastated. She understands that Dax had been her best friend for years and had developed feelings for her, though she remained oblivious to his love.

Determined to reverse the spell, Gemma learns from her aunt and sister that she needs to perform the ritual again, under the same conditions, to restore her original reality. 

However, to complete the spell, she must convince the alternate version of Dax—who is now wary of her after their awkward first meeting—to kiss her. 

Over the next month, Gemma attempts to rekindle their friendship, despite Dax’s initial discomfort with her. Through persistence and shared moments, they grow closer, and their relationship takes a romantic turn.

While Gemma’s new life seems to have some upsides—she’s thriving in her small business and feels more fulfilled—Dax is struggling. 

His shoe store is failing, and a fire destroys it, leaving him financially unstable and forced to take a mundane tax job. 

Gemma realizes that in the original universe, Stuart’s connections had indirectly helped Dax’s business succeed, which leads her to question whether this new reality is truly better.

In the end, despite her growing love for alternate Dax, Gemma chooses to reverse the spell to save his dreams and bring back his successful business. After getting him drunk, she casts the spell again, and the next morning, she wakes up in her original universe. 

Although her friendship with Dax is strained by the kiss they shared before the spell, they eventually reconcile. Dax confesses his love for Gemma, and they decide to pursue a romantic relationship, realizing that they were meant to be together all along.

The book concludes with Gemma embracing both love and her new career path, but the story’s exploration of love, alternate realities, and second chances leaves readers reflecting on how one choice can change everything.

Characters

Gemma

Gemma, the protagonist, is a 28-year-old woman who has recently been dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Stuart. At the outset, she seems vulnerable, unsure, and regretful about the time spent in her previous relationship.

This regret propels her to perform a love-cleansing spell, setting the narrative into motion. As a character, Gemma initially comes across as someone who prioritizes stability, comfort, and the familiar over emotional growth, likely due to her challenging childhood.

Her relationship with Stuart, a character who is never truly developed because he vanishes early on, symbolizes this desire for security rather than genuine emotional connection. As the story unfolds, Gemma transforms from a woman mourning her past and clinging to stability into someone who begins to embrace the unknown, as represented by her small business in the alternate universe.

Her personal journey is one of self-realization and discovery. She moves from feeling like a victim of circumstances—losing years to a stagnant relationship—towards actively making choices that empower her.

The evolution of her relationship with Dax mirrors this personal growth. While initially seeking to reverse the spell and return to her old life, Gemma eventually finds that she thrives in the new reality.

Her journey highlights her growing independence and her recognition that she is not bound by the decisions of her past. She becomes someone who actively chooses love rather than passively falling into it.

Dax

Dax, Gemma’s best friend, plays a crucial role as the love interest in the narrative. He is initially depicted as a classic “in love with his best friend” character, embodying patience, loyalty, and hidden affection.

From the beginning, it is evident to everyone but Gemma that Dax has feelings for her, subtly revealed through his actions, such as canceling dates to support her after her breakup. Dax is the emotional anchor for Gemma, though his true feelings remain unspoken until the alternate reality forces a shift in their dynamic.

In the alternate universe, Dax is a near-stranger, and his personality is presented in a different light. He is initially skeptical and even fearful of Gemma’s sudden, overly familiar presence in his life, a sharp contrast to his warm, supportive demeanor in the original universe.

This shift highlights Dax’s practicality and rationality—traits that make him hesitant to trust someone who seems to know intimate details about his life. His arc in Universe B reflects a growing sense of vulnerability as he begins to trust and fall for Gemma once again, albeit under different circumstances.

Despite his initial confusion, Dax’s loyalty and deep capacity for love are constants in both universes. His journey, particularly in Universe B, also involves accepting help from Gemma, as seen in his financial struggles.

His failing shoe store and the eventual fire bring out his pride and reluctance to lean on others, but his relationship with Gemma softens this resistance. His journey is one of realizing that he doesn’t have to shoulder everything alone—a realization that allows him to open his heart and accept love.

Kiren (Gemma’s Sister)

Kiren, Gemma’s sister, provides much-needed comic relief and serves as a secondary character who supports the protagonist throughout her journey. She, along with their kooky aunt, helps Gemma perform the love-cleansing spell, showing her willingness to help her sister move on from heartbreak, even in unconventional ways.

Kiren’s presence in the story serves to highlight the close bond between the sisters. She is pragmatic yet fun-loving, offering a balance to Gemma’s more introspective nature.

Kiren’s role in the narrative doesn’t undergo as much development as Gemma’s, but her unwavering support makes her a dependable character in Gemma’s journey. Her ability to take risks and suggest bold actions (like the spell) complements Gemma’s often more hesitant and reflective nature.

Aunt (Kooky Aunt Character)

The aunt character, who is portrayed as “kooky” and eccentric, is another supporting figure in Gemma’s life. She introduces the idea of the spell, and her whimsical personality sets the tone for the novel’s flirtation with the magical and fantastical.

While her character isn’t deeply developed, she plays a symbolic role as the facilitator of change. In some ways, the aunt represents the untapped, adventurous side of Gemma, nudging her out of her comfort zone and into a journey of self-discovery.

Her role is less about personal evolution and more about being a catalyst for Gemma’s transformation. The aunt’s character provides a link to the mystical elements of the story and serves as a reminder that sometimes, stepping into the unknown can lead to unexpected and enriching outcomes.

Stuart

Stuart, Gemma’s ex-boyfriend, is more of a plot device than a fully fleshed-out character. His presence looms over the beginning of the novel but fades quickly after the spell is cast.

What is important about Stuart is not who he is as a person, but what he represents—stagnation, complacency, and the kind of relationship Gemma felt trapped in due to her fear of instability. He symbolizes the life Gemma initially believed she wanted but later realizes was limiting her potential for personal happiness and growth.

Stuart’s lack of development is intentional, as his role is primarily to act as a contrast to Dax. Where Stuart was a safe, predictable choice, Dax represents risk, vulnerability, and the possibility of true, passionate love.

Stuart’s absence from most of the narrative reinforces the idea that Gemma’s life is better off without him and that sometimes erasing the past is essential for moving forward.

Themes

The Fragility of Personal Identity in Alternate Realities and Memory Manipulation

One of the key themes in This Spells Love revolves around the precarious nature of personal identity, particularly as it relates to the manipulation of memories and alternate realities. Gemma’s decision to erase her ex-boyfriend Stuart from her past has far-reaching consequences beyond what she initially intended.

When she wakes up in an alternate universe where her ex no longer exists, the disruption of her memory creates a profound shift not only in her relationships but also in her entire sense of self. This raises the question of how much of our identity is shaped by the people we meet, the choices we make, and the memories we hold.

The novel subtly explores the existential crisis that emerges when a person’s past is rewritten. Gemma’s journey, from her initial wish to erase a failed relationship to realizing that the absence of that relationship has caused her to lose even more, illuminates the fragile nature of memory and its role in anchoring us to a cohesive sense of identity.

The theme emphasizes the dangers of tampering with one’s past, portraying memory not just as a repository of personal history but as the foundation upon which a sense of self is built.

The Illusion of Control in Love and Fate

Another significant theme in the book is the illusion of control over love, relationships, and destiny. At the heart of This Spells Love is Gemma’s desire to regain control of her life by erasing the memories of her relationship with Stuart.

Yet, in her attempt to reassert control over her narrative, she quickly discovers that love and relationships are more complex and unpredictable than any spell could manage. By altering her past, she not only loses the painful memories associated with Stuart but also alters her friendship with Dax, a consequence she did not foresee.

This shift forces her to confront the uncontrollable forces of love and fate. The novel suggests that while we may attempt to impose structure and predictability on our emotional lives, there are always unforeseen consequences when we meddle with the natural course of things.

Dax’s character, particularly in the alternate universe where he has no memory of Gemma, exemplifies this theme. Ultimately, the novel questions the extent to which we can—or should—control the unpredictable nature of love, illustrating how fate often works in ways that defy our intentions.

From Platonic to Romantic Bonds

In This Spells Love, Kate Robb delves into the transformative potential of love, particularly the transition from platonic friendship to romantic love. The core relationship between Gemma and Dax evolves from a close, long-standing friendship into something more profound.

The novel emphasizes how love is not a static emotion but a dynamic force that can shift and deepen over time. Dax’s affection for Gemma is palpable from the beginning, though unspoken and unexplored in their initial friendship.

When the spell erases their past, it also erases the foundation of their relationship. This process reveals how deeply entwined their friendship and romantic potential were all along, suggesting that romantic love often grows out of the deep trust and understanding formed through platonic bonds.

However, the theme also underscores the potential fragility of this transformation. Gemma’s concerns about whether their connection in the alternate universe can truly replicate the emotional depth they once shared highlight the fluid and ever-changing nature of love.

The Intersection of Reality and Fantasy in Emotional Healing

The novel occupies a unique space between reality and fantasy, exploring how escapism and magical thinking can sometimes be both a hindrance and a catalyst for emotional healing. Gemma’s decision to use magic to forget her ex is driven by an emotional impulse to escape her heartbreak.

This act of casting a spell, while whimsical, also represents her desire to take a shortcut through the painful but necessary process of healing. By creating an alternate reality where Stuart never existed, the spell offers her a temporary reprieve from her emotional turmoil.

The fantasy element contrasts with the very real emotions Gemma experiences as she navigates both versions of her life. The novel suggests that while fantasy—whether in the form of magic or wishful thinking—can offer momentary solace, it cannot replace the actual work of confronting one’s emotions and making peace with them.

The blending of reality and fantasy serves as a metaphor for the human tendency to escape uncomfortable emotions. Ultimately, the novel suggests that true healing comes from accepting and processing pain rather than trying to erase it.

The Consequences of Emotional Avoidance and the Complexity of Second Chances

Finally, This Spells Love delves into the theme of emotional avoidance and the complexity inherent in seeking second chances. Gemma’s initial choice to erase Stuart from her life reflects a desire to avoid dealing with the emotional fallout of their breakup.

Her attempt to magically bypass the grief and loss associated with their relationship reflects a broader pattern of avoidance. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that avoiding these emotions only complicates her life further, particularly with Dax.

By erasing Stuart, Gemma inadvertently erases her friendship with Dax, removing one of the most stable, positive relationships in her life. The novel suggests that by trying to avoid pain, we often create new problems for ourselves.

The alternate universe gives Gemma a second chance to build her relationship with Dax. It also raises questions about authenticity and whether relationships built under altered circumstances can truly thrive.

The novel presents second chances as both a gift and a challenge. Gemma’s ultimate realization that she must return to her original life, and face the consequences of her choices, underscores the importance of embracing emotional complexity rather than seeking an easy escape.