Thursday, July 31, 2025

Review: The Spirit of Love by Lauren Kate

 
The Spirit of Love by Lauren Kate

The Spirit of Love by Lauren Kate
Publication Date: July 1st 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

My Thoughts:
Fenny travels to Catalina Island to prepare for her directorial debut on Zombie Hospital, the show she’s been writing for the last ten years, where she meets Sam as he rescues her in a storm. Instead of brainstorming alone, Fenny spends a passionate weekend with Sam while embarking on adventure after adventure.
 
Coming back to Hollywood Fenny’s blindsided when she finds out that instead of directing like she was promised, they’ve brought in a famous director Jude DeSilva, a man who resembles Sam in an uncanny way. She’s livid, at her network boss and Jude, and I was enraged for her, but Jude wasn’t the bad guy here and they began to form a connection as they work together.
 
I’ve seen a few reviews that recommend not reading the book description before reading, but I’m glad I did because it would’ve soured the romance for me if I didn’t have an idea of what was going on. I absolutely loved this romance! It was witty and fun but also explored deeper topics.
 
The setting was fun and featured places I love in Southern California, like the Huntington Library, Museum and Gardens. Despite having lived in SoCal for years, I didn’t know that there are really canals in Venice, California!
 
I would’ve loved an epilogue but was thrilled with how it all worked out!

4.5 Stars


Book Description:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Kate comes a magical time-slip love triangle about a man split into two—one version young and carefree, the other suave but jaded—and one woman’s quest to reunite his broken pieces.

Two loves. One soul. One choice.

Fenny’s got that boss glow. Not only did she just have the best sex of her life, but she’s finally about to direct the TV show she’s been a screenwriter on for ten years. Only one thing could floor her—finding out she’s been replaced by a hotshot director named Jude. Wait, no. Two things. Jude looks exactly like the guy who just turned her bones to jelly. Same dimples, same eyes, but he looks older and has a sadness Fenny wants to fix.

Last weekend, Fenny met Sam when he movie-style rescued her from a storm on Catalina Island. Here he is again, just…different. Can Sam and Jude be the same man? And if they are, will Fenny’s love be enough to put him back together?

7 comments:

  1. I don't think I've ever come across a story with a time-slip love triangle in it. I'm very curious about this one, especially because you liked it so much.

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    1. It was different and in a good way! I think you'd enjoy it, Lark! :)

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  2. I love when I recognize settings and have visited. I did like this book and found the magical touch quite interesting.

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    1. It is fun! It was. I would've loved a little more in the end.

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  3. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. Interesting premise.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  4. Yeah, I'm with you on needing to know something like that to enjoy this one. I read a book last year that was really vague in the blurb not sharing there was a magical bit in the middle of a straight-up contemporary and it floored me.

    This sounds great. My senior class did our trip to Catalina. And, I have read in a romance from several years ago that Venice beach has canals.

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