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He turns, flashing my favorite smile in the whole world. “I love you, Gemma McGuire.”
“Slip of the tongue?”
He shrugs, the smile still on his face. “Maybe? Or maybe I have plans.”
To my favorite Hamiltonian, Kath:
When I write the parts I hope are funny, it’s your laugh I hear in my head.
Acknowledgments
I think thismight be my favorite part of the whole process: thinking back on the wild ride that is publishing and transforming a late-night what-if into an entire book.
Emma Caruso, you get me and all the woo girls that live inside my head. I knew from the moment we met that you were the right editor for this book, and if you didn’t subconsciously hear me muttering from across borders as I worked through our many, many edits, I will tell you now what I chanted over and over to my computer screen: You are right! This is better! How are you so good at this?
Bibi Lewis, you are a superstar agent and a magical book whisperer. I picture the inside of your brain like the Beautiful Mind meme, dissecting my drafts and pulling out exactly what is needed to make them complete. You are a joy to work with. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of Team Ethan Ellenberg, and I look forward to sending you many more “This is good, right?” emails.
The Dial Press and Penguin Random House team, you are damn fine at what you do. Taylor M., I’m so sorry I still don’t know how to use a comma (and very grateful you do). Whitney Frick, Avideh Bashirrad, Cindy Berman, Diane Hobbing, andDebbie Aroff, it’s been an absolute dream to work with you. Thank you for all your hard work puttingThis Spells Loveout into the world.
I could write another entire book on all of the incredibly talented authors who have taken time to read, advise, critique, listen, and send incredibly inappropriate imagery over the last few years.
Katie Gilbert, my writing soulmate, you are so talented it makes my head hurt. I think about how far we’ve come from our days as baby authors and laugh, then cry a little, then laugh again. I would not be here without your constant kind words at every single step of this journey.
To the Boners: Aurora Palit, Christina Arellano, Jessica Joyce, Mae Bennett, Rebecca Osberg. Publishing can be hard on the heart. You were my lifeline in the toughest parts, pulling me out of the rough waters with snail dicks and Joshua Jackson in a cable-knit sweater.
My first readers (this title does not do you justice, let’s instead go with dear friends), Amanda Wilson, Blue, Kathryn Ferrer, Mae, Maggie North, Sarah T. Dubb, and Shannon Bright, you made me feel funny and smart. Your ideas made this book so much better. I hope you see your fingerprints on these pages.
To the SmutFest 2.0 community, you are my people. You bring joy (and some very fine smut) into my life every day. Thank you for being my safe space. Toronto Romance Writers, there’s clearly something in the water up here. We the North! And we know our romance. You’ve been a welcoming and supportive community from my very first meeting. Extra thanks to Hudson Lin for the retreats that gave me time and mental space to bring this baby into the world, and Farah Heron and Anya Simha for answering my endless publishing questions.
Noel and Dave, my loving parents, who told me I could beanything I wanted to be (as long as I got a business degree first). Thank you for telling me every day that I was smart, making me carry the ski bags, buying me Baby-Sitters Club packs every time we went to BJ’s, and setting the perfect example of what a happily ever after looks like.
Howie Wabb, you made it easy to write about two sisters who will always and forever have each other’s backs (and also hate owls, even though they made me cut that part out).
To Andrew, your penis obviously inspired all the sex scenes. (I’m only writing this because our kids still refuse to read books without pictures.) Love your guts. Thanks for giving me the space to do this.
My sweet boys, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably read the paragraph above. Sorry about that. But I hope I’m setting a good example of what a loving relationship looks like. I’m incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what you become (after you get your business degrees). Also, a big shout-out to my very kind MIL, Cathy, for all of the free babysitting.
To my girls. If you’re asking yourself, “Does this mean me?” the answer is yes. If you’ve made it this far in the acknowledgments, you are clearly one of the gems in my life who have been cheering and cheersing me all along the way. I am blessed to have a life filled with smart, talented women who inspire and push me. Love you all to pieces.
To every reader who has given this book and its debut author a chance, thank you! I hope I made you laugh or hug your sister.
And, finally, to Joshua Jackson and whoever knit him that damn sweater.
A Conversation Between Kate Goldbeck and Kate Robb
Kate Goldbeckis the author ofYou, Again,an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut about a commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic who clash over the years—until friendship and unexpected chemistry bring them together. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where she loves bantering with her partner, falling asleep to British audiobook narrators, and scratching dogs behind their ears.
Instagram: @kategoldbeck
Kate Robbis the author ofThis Spells Love,a whimsical friends-to-lovers debut about a young woman who tries to heal her heartbreak by casting a spell to erase her ex from her past—but she wakes up in an alternate reality where she’s lost more than she’s wished for. She lives just outside of Toronto, Canada, with her family, where she spends her free time pretending she’s not a hockey mom, and she aspires to one day be able to wear four-inch heels again.
Instagram: @kate_robb_writes
Kate Robb:So I will admit that I haven’t seenWhen Harry Met Sally,which inspired your novel. I feel like it’s a romance sin.
Kate Goldbeck:Wow! I actually love when people haven’t seen it.
KR:Did you always love the movie, or was this a recent thing? How did you go from the movie to writing the book?
