Reviews

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas

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amberreadsromance28's review against another edition

5.0

Reread 7/11/2024

Updated to ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I had a great time rereading this for the Wallflower readalong. I first read it in April 2022, and this was before I actually wrote reviews for everything. I am honestly surprised I only gave it 4 stars, so I increased my rating to 5 stars.

This is the perfect second chance romance! McKenna and Aline fell in love when they were teenagers, but he was the stableboy, and she was forced to let him believe she did not want to be with him due to his class because her father threatened him. He returns years later from America, where he turned his life around and has become a self-made man. He wants revenge or to finally have sex with her and leave her.

Aline had suffered a tragic accident after he left, and now, she has horrible scars on her legs. She has not married and does not think McKenna will want her with them. She was kind of frustrating at points in this book, but I still loved them.

One thing that I love about this book is that we get two romances. I also adore Livia and Gideon's romance. Gideon falls hard for her, but he suffers from alcoholism, and they have to work through that before she can be with him. Honestly, their romance was just as sweet and a perfect addition to this book.

jillian_elizabeth's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This prequel to the Wallflower series can be read as an standalone. It can be skipped if you would like to read the main series. The story reads quickly and has two parallel love stories, but I prefer the main series more.

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.25

Both main characters were insufferable. She's a solipsistic self pitying bore and he's a blindly vengeful, overly sensitive fool. The conflicts between them made some sort of sense in the beginning but frankly FMC's motivations are unbelievable. Some stars for the writing and the 🌶️ scenes being good from a technical standpoint.

I generally love Lisa Kleypas so I was surprised this book was so unpleasant. I'm going to consider it an anomaly and keep going with the series.

Content Warnings

winemakerssister's review against another edition

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3.0

I really dislike the I'm-lying-to-you-and-sending-you-away-because-it's-all-for-the-best trope. (2nd only to the I-should-probably-tell-him-my-big-secret-but-I-think-I'll-wait trope.) And this happens twice in Again the Magic!

Again the Magic is a prequel to The Wallflowers series and tells the stories of Aline and Olivia Marsden. I wasn't thrilled with the book telling both stories, but since I'm happy letting Jane Austen do it, I shouldn't complain.

I enjoyed the novel because: Lisa Kleypas. But all the angst made me shave two stars from the review.

Themes: 2nd chances, upstairs/downstairs, American self-made millionaire