Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Just Like Magic

I picked this book up wanting something light, fluffy, and cozy. What rom-coms are at their best, but in book form.

This book sort of waved in that direction. The main character begins the book over the top obnoxious. She ends it over the top obnoxious in a different direction. The rules of magic are loose at best and bafflingly unexplained. (And HOW does everyone else not notice?!) Many things fall into "told rather than shown", even while the author attempts to "show".

Two things redeemed it for me:

1. Hol is charming. He's enthusiastic, curious, and determinedly optimistic. It's hard not to like him. It's easy to see why a couple ice skating is the cover of the book, it's the single best scene.
2. In probably the most "real" the book gets, the story discusses a prior emotionally abusive relationship. So while the main character's gushing over Hol can feel a bit contrived, it does serve as a direct counterexample. For this example alone, I feel like this book is a useful one for younger readers--it sets a clear example of "XYZ behavior is a red flag and NOT okay" while "ABC behavior is supportive and loving and has long term potential."

Content Warnings

wilybooklover's review

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

There was a bit too much family drama for my personal tastes, but this was ridiculously bonkers in the BEST way.

Content Warnings

katievallin's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

whatbeccareadnext's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is absolutely BANANAS and I loved every second of it.

I have enjoyed all of Sarah Hogle's books - she has a wonderful knack for coming up with romances that don't necessarily fit into the cookie cutter romance tropes that we see in lots of novels. This book was so charming and full of Christmas magic, and if it ever gets made into a made-for-TV movie, it had better be starring Lacey Chabert iykyk.

Content Warnings

kestrel's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Utterly chaotic and sweet. I can't believe Sarah Hogle managed to get a crack fic published. Respect 🙌🏻

Content Warnings

vagrantheather's review

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

Super strange and cute. Love Sarah Hogle. So absurd.

Content Warnings

decklededgess's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.0

trigger warnings: death mention, emotional abuse, cyber bullying and harassment, bankruptcy, physical injury, infidelity

Dudes when I tell you I was ready to hate…you’re about to market a holiday book scrooge style as a romance??? but then. BUT THEN. The main character spent a sentence too long describing the Holiday Spirit’s eye colour and i went OH YESSSSS

So as you can tell, it’s a romance between Bettie (scorned and bankrupt socialite from a celebrity family) plays Mariah Carey’s vinyl and summons Hall ie Holiday Spirit with sunshine shining out of his ass in addition to every pore of his body. Hall is determined to make Bettie happy. And Bettie realises she likes seeing Hall happy. You see what’s going on? Except of course that if Hall completes his mission he is gone so…

This was so spectacular in its outlandish sense of fabulism and humour. Bertie’s family is a bunch of fucking weirdo celebrities which makes them basically any other large family but people recognise them. It was such fun to see how they all managed to overcome their own hang ups with each other and learn to live and be happy outside of “public image.”

And of course the romance between Bettie and Hall is one of those “you better not make this a she found love but learnt to love herself along the way even though she was lone IM WARNING YOU” books. I won’t tell you which way it goes because that’s of course the whole fun of it. But everyone IS happy because these books are required to have a HEA. 😌

Content Warnings

More...