A really sweet love story, with captivating characters, “Love Potion Number 99”, by Daphne James Huff, features an adorable, and a bit shy hero, going through hard times, and a heroine struggling with her own issues.
I loved the main characters and their very rocky beginning. The events related to the rambunctious dog and the love potion are fun, often hilarious with the sequence of awkwardness, embarrassement and misunderstandings.
Ethan is a wonderful hero, an introvert trying to roll with whatever the universe sends his way even if his life has turned upside down with a recent diagnosis.
I loved how the author portrayed the struggles of the socially awkward, shy hero as he tries to adapt to a new reality and an uncertain futur while having to to abandon the career he loved which provided easy social interactions.
Ethan’s life philosophy of accepting fate is interesting. His personality is marked by tragedy and he tries to be stoic again now when facing another challenge.
The feelings of insecurity and inadequacy common to both leads are addressed with care and humor.
Brooke’s issues seeing herself as a failure when she is a caring person are also compelling.
I loved that Ethan was honest and brave enough to tell Brooke early on about his condition.
All the characters are complex, and very interesting.
Although Brooke and Ethan get their romance, the story also has an open-ended feeling into it that I appreciated: as in real life things aren’t entirely solved or closed.
Goodreads; May 18, 2025.
Amazon: Release date.

Who doesn't love a little enemies to lovers set in cute small town? Brooke is opening up the town's first animal shelter to fulfill her late grandmother's wishes and Ethan is attempting to transition into a new role at the fire station after a life-changing diagnosis. Their first interaction could not have gone worse and their second isn't any better. Surely they won't ever be able to get along ... unless we introduce a little magic?

This is a cute and cozy rom-com that features kissing only scenes between the main characters. It also has dual POVs between the FMC and MMC, which allows readers to get a glimpse at the thought process and reasoning behind both of their actions. There are times when I found both of them to be frustrating/immature and this was in part due to a bit of a miscommunication trope, but not enough for me to not enjoy the book. It boils down more to them not explaining the incentives behind their actions and having topics that are understandably difficult to broach for the first time.

There is a touch of magic at play in this story, as the title would suggest, but there isn't anything supernatural about the world/environment the story is set in. If anything, I actually would have appreciated a bit more exploration into if it is/isn't magic (and more of the shelter animal cameos), but that's more of a personal preference. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for interconnected stories for Brooke's two best friends (Krista and Aisha) because I'm already invested in their love lives.

Love Potion Number 99 has a quirky charm to it, mixed with playful banter among the characters, and animals - what's not to love? I'd recommend this to anyone looking for an easy romcom/beach read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Daphne James Huff for the opportunity to read/review this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

If you love cozy reads this could be a good book for you but unfortunately it didn’t quite work for me.

I thought the main characters on their own had interesting character development but I didn’t really buy into their love and become attached to the idea of them being together.

If you enjoyed books like the Baby Dragon Cafe and want another with less dragons and just a splash of witchy potions. Then you should give this a go.

This was one those books you sit down with and dont get back up until its over! This book had all the whimsical aspects to it and even thought meet-ugly was rough in the end it worked out. I enjoyed the FMC but felt that the MC was just a little immature in some parts. Overall, I enjoyed it though thanks for the ARC!

This was honestly adorable. I really liked it, it was warm and whimsical with a little bit of chaos.

Brooke is trying to open an animal shelter in memory of her grandmother.
Ethan is a former firefighter, who had to leave a job he loves after a life-changing diagnosis.
Their first encounter went badly, the second even worse. But a magical tea is about to change all of that. Because after accidentally drinking a "love potion" Ethan is suddenly nice towards Brooke and wants to help her. For Ethan, volunteering at the shelter is the perfect opportunity to show his boss that he is perfect for this new job.
But, is this all because of the tea or are there real feelings in play?

I loved the small town setting and the animal shelter. The animals were adorable, especially Cloudy. I wish we got more of them.

The romance between Brooke and Ethan was so sweet. I liked them together.
They had their fair share of baggage and they were really slow to deal with it, which was annoying at times, but I'm glad they at least took steps to do it at the end.
I really loved the secondary characters, especially Aisha and Krista. I can't wait to read their stories too.

The initial conflict, as well as the start of the miscommunication, was honestly so ridiculous, I can't even be mad about it. A win is a win.
I also liked the pacing, it was a quick and lighthearted read.

Love Potion Number 99 by Daphne James Huff is the cutest magical rom-com you’ll read this year.

Love Potion Number 99 is a warm, whimsical delight with just the right splash of chaotic premises. Daphne James Huff delivers a sweet small-town romance where fate, feelings, and an enchanted cup of tea collide in the most entertaining way.

Brooke is a practical, big-hearted heroine trying to fulfil her grandmother’s last wish by opening an animal shelter. Ethan is a gruff former firefighter with a life-changing diagnosis and set out to prove that his diagnosis can't & won't stop him. Their meet-cute is pure awkwardness (thanks to one pesky puppy), but it’s the accidental love potion that kicks everything into gear—and gives this story its irresistibly quirky charm. The chemistry that develops between these two is irresistible.
Banter throughout this book makes it feel fun and light. The couple is sweet but there are no wild spicy scenes, they are closed-door.

The chemistry is sweet, the banter is playful, and the side characters are lovable. Mix in magical tea blends, meddling friends, and a budding fated romance and you’ve got a page-turner that’s full of heart.

Perfect for fans of closed-door romance, second chances, and a touch of unexpected magic. Love Potion Number 99 is the literary comforting, cozy, and impossible to resist.

Tropes/ Ingredients = silly meet cute (or ugly, as is said), a grumpy ex-firefighter, a woman trying to fulfill her Grandmother's last wish, and a puppy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne James Huff for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

I loved this book.
I thought it was adorable.
Ingredients = silly meet cute (or ugly, as is said), a grumpy ex-firefighter, a woman trying to fulfill her Grandmother's last wish, and a puppy.
Love this book. This one I could read again because I liked it enough.
Brooke, our FMC, is a determined, practical, and big-hearted heroine in our book. She is determined to fulfill her Grandmother's last wish to open an animal shelter. Ethan, our MMC, is an ex-firefighter trying to prove that a diagnosis can't stop him.
The meet-cute was hilariously awkward due to the puppy, but then the chemistry that develops between these two is irresistible.
Banter throughout this book makes it feel fun and light. The couple is sweet, but not sickeningly so.
No wild spicy scenes, they are closed-door.
Both MCs have baggage they try to work through, but sometimes feel like they are not making much progress (one of my few criticisms).
The plot was well structured, but it did switch POV's (first and third), so I did find myself a bit confused once or twice, but I quickly recovered and figured things out. The pace was good; I could have used a little quicker pace, but it works with this plot.
Characters are well-developed and easy to connect with. Just normal folks with baggage they try to work through. Still, their connection/chemistry was great.
I loved the animal shelter, the small town, and the sweet romance. It made me want to come back to this little world that Daphne James Huff creates for the reader. I can't wait for subsequent books. The subplots are a great setup for further development of this world!
Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne James Huff for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

ARC Review – Love Potion Number 99 by Daphne James Huff
Rating: 3.5 stars

This story starts off fun and whimsical, with a chaotic “meet-ugly” and a magical premise that immediately drew me in. Brooke and Ethan both have emotional baggage, but instead of working through it, they often seemed to circle back to the same issues without any actual growth, which became tiring. Ethan’s superstition felt more like indecision—he avoided making real choices by leaving everything up to “fate.” The narrative also shifts confusingly between third and first person at times, like in the line: “She knew she’d done the right thing by pushing Ethan away. So why am I so miserable?” Still, their slow-burn connection felt genuine, and I loved the animal shelter subplot and cozy small-town charm. A sweet, low-heat romance with a sprinkle of magic and plenty of heart—this is a solid start to a promising series.

This was such a warm and cozy romance book with some whimsical feels to it!
My favorite was definitely the dog in this book!
Brooke is such a sweetie who is literally me when it comes to animals. I have always wanted to open an animal shelter. Ethan was a fun mmc and I really liked the romance between him and Brooke. The banter was cute and they both had great chemistry.
This was a cute closed-door romance that just makes you feel good by the end of it!
Thank you to NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

What do you get when you mix a love potion, a grumpy ex-firefighter, a chaotic puppy, and one very determined heroine? The cutest magical rom-com you’ll read this year.

Love Potion Number 99 is a warm, whimsical delight with just the right splash of chaos—and a misbehaving dog, because obviously. Daphne James Huff delivers a sweet small-town romance where fate, feelings, and an enchanted cup of tea collide in the most entertaining way.

Brooke is a practical, big-hearted heroine trying to fulfil her grandmother’s last wish by opening an animal shelter. Ethan is a gruff former firefighter with a life-changing diagnosis and something to prove. Their meet-ugly is pure awkwardness (thanks to one pesky puppy), but it’s the accidental love potion that kicks everything into gear—and gives this story its irresistibly quirky charm.

The chemistry is sweet, the banter is playful, and the side characters (both human and furry) are scene-stealers. Add in magical tea blends, meddling friends, and a budding romance that might be fate… or something a little sparkly, and you’ve got a feel-good page-turner that’s full of heart.

Perfect for fans of closed-door romance, second chances, and a touch of unexpected magic. Love Potion Number 99 is the literary equivalent of a warm hug and a cup of tea—comforting, cosy, and impossible to resist.

This was a very cute book, I really liked the dual POV, and I'm always a sucker for reading book with animal shelters, and a huge plus having fire fighters in it as well. But I must admit I was wanting more of the magic. Like even if the main character didn't believe in magic, her friends could have asked her for more of those potions. Overall it was a cute story, belongs in the feel-good section for sure.

The idea was cute, and whimsical. I love how the characters were written, and wish there were more about the animals, especially, especially Cloudy. I did enjoy the growth the characters went through and how they worked to better themselves, particularly going to therapy. Personally I just don't love miscommunication tropes, but this was definitely the best done of it. Also, please just let the characters curse.