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Midsummer Magic
Recently engaged Josie is visiting her parents in Cornwall with best friend Diane, fiancée Harry and his pal Ant. Josie can’t wait to start wedding planning, if only Harry was more interested, and Diane and Ant weren’t at war with each other.
As the four make amends over a drink in the local pub, they meet Freddie Puck, a well known TV hypnotist and find themselves agreeing to a dare – to stay out all night on the hills by the standing stones.
Local mythology says a young married couple will find true happiness if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer’s Eve. But as night time falls, not everyone seems to have remembered the boundaries of love…
As the four make amends over a drink in the local pub, they meet Freddie Puck, a well known TV hypnotist and find themselves agreeing to a dare – to stay out all night on the hills by the standing stones.
Local mythology says a young married couple will find true happiness if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer’s Eve. But as night time falls, not everyone seems to have remembered the boundaries of love…
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2013
30 people are currently reading
849 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
August 29, 2016
If you want a story where people get confused about who they love, you'd be better reading A Midsummer Night's Dream.
It's not that there's anything really awful about this, but it's heavy-handed. The issues about the relationship confusion are too dragged out, and I didn't really believe any of the relationships.
This was a quick read. Fluffy. I knew exactly what I was getting, but it isn't one I'd urge people to read.
It's not that there's anything really awful about this, but it's heavy-handed. The issues about the relationship confusion are too dragged out, and I didn't really believe any of the relationships.
This was a quick read. Fluffy. I knew exactly what I was getting, but it isn't one I'd urge people to read.
January 13, 2014
A clever modernization of A Midsummer's Night Dream. The story begins with the breakup of Tatiana and Auberon (Bron) in 1982 and then jumps forward to modern day and a couple getting engaged- Josie and Harry. Add to the mix the couple's best friends Diana and Ant(Anthony)who knew each other years ago and hate each other and there is already confusion. Just like the original play, the four find themselves embroiled in a mix-up involving changing loves and emotional fights, only the instigator is not a fairy named Puck but a hypnotist named Freddie Puck.
I liked the way that the author used a modern wedding as the basis of the strife and stress between the four young people. Tatiana does not escape unscathed from the mischief caused by Bron and Freddie and finds herself trying to discourage a local man who thinks he is in love with her.
I enjoyed reading this new version of one of my favorite Shakespearean works. Kudos to the author for doing such a wonderful job.
I liked the way that the author used a modern wedding as the basis of the strife and stress between the four young people. Tatiana does not escape unscathed from the mischief caused by Bron and Freddie and finds herself trying to discourage a local man who thinks he is in love with her.
I enjoyed reading this new version of one of my favorite Shakespearean works. Kudos to the author for doing such a wonderful job.
August 16, 2013
Summer just wouldn't be summer without at least one version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and as I missed the Shakespeare in the Park production this year, I was delighted to disappear into this book instead.
Harry and Josie are getting married and are spending Midsummer in Cornwall with Josie's family and their potential best man and bridesmaid, Ant and Di. Josie is lost in bridezilla madness, Ant and Di aren't speaking having discovered a part of their past within each other and Harry's just confused.
Enter stage right celebrity illusionists Freddie Puck and Auberon Fanshawe (do you see what she did there ;)), desperate for a TV comeback as well as Auberon's old flame Tatiana Okeby, an ageing soap star hoping to return to the stage in a local production of Dream.
If you know Shakespearian comedy you'll know that this is a perfect setting for mayhem, madness and a lot of magic. Rather than distributing love potions (or tabs of E like the wonderful Puck in the BBC version), our Puck dances around hypnotising all and sundry and filming it for his great comeback. And nobody is safe from his charms.
After a lot of coming and going, a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of ill met by moonlight we do get our happy ending but is it the one we expected?
A fabulous summer read and a lovely homage to greatest playwright ever known.
Harry and Josie are getting married and are spending Midsummer in Cornwall with Josie's family and their potential best man and bridesmaid, Ant and Di. Josie is lost in bridezilla madness, Ant and Di aren't speaking having discovered a part of their past within each other and Harry's just confused.
Enter stage right celebrity illusionists Freddie Puck and Auberon Fanshawe (do you see what she did there ;)), desperate for a TV comeback as well as Auberon's old flame Tatiana Okeby, an ageing soap star hoping to return to the stage in a local production of Dream.
If you know Shakespearian comedy you'll know that this is a perfect setting for mayhem, madness and a lot of magic. Rather than distributing love potions (or tabs of E like the wonderful Puck in the BBC version), our Puck dances around hypnotising all and sundry and filming it for his great comeback. And nobody is safe from his charms.
After a lot of coming and going, a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of ill met by moonlight we do get our happy ending but is it the one we expected?
A fabulous summer read and a lovely homage to greatest playwright ever known.
April 8, 2025
100% knock off of a Midsummer's Night Dream.
July 5, 2013
I was very excited about Midsummer Magic, as I’d read novels before by Julia Williams and very much enjoyed them, and so I could not wait to get started! The cover of Midsummer Magic is very beautiful, I could not stop staring at it and I honestly believe that it is one of the most stunning book covers that I have seen this year.
Josie is recently engaged to her fiance Harry, and caught up in the excitement of the wedding, she decides that a trip to her family home in Cornwall is what they need, she even invites her best friend Diana, and Harry’s friend Ant along too. As the four drink in a local pub, they meet TV hypnotist Freddie Puck who proposes a dare: on Midsummer’s Eve they must go to the standing stones and agree to be hypnotised. Local mythology says that an evening by the standing stones will lead to everlasting happiness, but there is much more in store…
I thoroughly enjoyed this! I read the entire book in one day because I was so intrigued and interested by the plot line. I was so captivated by the characters and what was happening that I did not want to put the book down even for one moment. I had heard that this novel was inspired by William Shakespeare’s A midsummer Night’s Dream, and as a big fan of Shakespeare, that caused extra excitement for me and so I continually wanted to read on.
The descriptions in the book are beautiful! Julia Williams has effortlessly woven little intricate details of Cornwall and the surroundings in with the plot line, and it makes for a delightful read! I could imagine every scene clearly in my mind, it genuinely felt as though I had been transported there and was watching everything unfold in front of me. It felt wonderful to be whisked away to somewhere new and it thoroughly enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I liked the subject of hypnotists and hypnotism in Midsummer magic, I have only read one other book that I can think of with the element of hypnotism in so this aspect was particularly fascinating for me. I loved that this novel was so exciting – there are a few twists and turns in store and I was constantly being surprised!
Midsummer Magic is an enchanting and entertaining book that readers will enjoy losing themselves in. There is magic, romance, fun, drama and so much more to be discovered in these fantastic pages. It is a wonderfully told story and I am already looking forward to re-reading it over again.
Josie is recently engaged to her fiance Harry, and caught up in the excitement of the wedding, she decides that a trip to her family home in Cornwall is what they need, she even invites her best friend Diana, and Harry’s friend Ant along too. As the four drink in a local pub, they meet TV hypnotist Freddie Puck who proposes a dare: on Midsummer’s Eve they must go to the standing stones and agree to be hypnotised. Local mythology says that an evening by the standing stones will lead to everlasting happiness, but there is much more in store…
I thoroughly enjoyed this! I read the entire book in one day because I was so intrigued and interested by the plot line. I was so captivated by the characters and what was happening that I did not want to put the book down even for one moment. I had heard that this novel was inspired by William Shakespeare’s A midsummer Night’s Dream, and as a big fan of Shakespeare, that caused extra excitement for me and so I continually wanted to read on.
The descriptions in the book are beautiful! Julia Williams has effortlessly woven little intricate details of Cornwall and the surroundings in with the plot line, and it makes for a delightful read! I could imagine every scene clearly in my mind, it genuinely felt as though I had been transported there and was watching everything unfold in front of me. It felt wonderful to be whisked away to somewhere new and it thoroughly enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I liked the subject of hypnotists and hypnotism in Midsummer magic, I have only read one other book that I can think of with the element of hypnotism in so this aspect was particularly fascinating for me. I loved that this novel was so exciting – there are a few twists and turns in store and I was constantly being surprised!
Midsummer Magic is an enchanting and entertaining book that readers will enjoy losing themselves in. There is magic, romance, fun, drama and so much more to be discovered in these fantastic pages. It is a wonderfully told story and I am already looking forward to re-reading it over again.
July 17, 2013
I have received a copy of this book from publisher for review.
I was not familiar with Julia Williams' books before but when I say the cover of her new book, the title and synopsis I thought it would be something very summery and something very for me.
Please do remember that those are all my personal opinions, thought and feelings. This book didn't work for me. At all. The first half of the book concentrates on the coming wedding of Josie and Harry and I just couldn't stop to roll my eyes or sigh with desperation when Josie turned into bridezilla. I couldn't warm to her, in my opinion she is spoiled, stubborn, thinking only about herself. Harry is a total doormat,loser, Ant is a cliched matcho who thinks that his right is the only right and the best of all the friends is Diana.
That was the first half of the book for me. The second is totally confusing, everybody are running, hiding, losing themselves, sleeping, waking up and knowing nothing. Then we have the retrospections aboit Tatiana and Bron which has made more confused.
To be honest, I have skipped a lot. There is too less action and too many descriptions in my opinion. Not my pair of shoes.
I was not familiar with Julia Williams' books before but when I say the cover of her new book, the title and synopsis I thought it would be something very summery and something very for me.
Please do remember that those are all my personal opinions, thought and feelings. This book didn't work for me. At all. The first half of the book concentrates on the coming wedding of Josie and Harry and I just couldn't stop to roll my eyes or sigh with desperation when Josie turned into bridezilla. I couldn't warm to her, in my opinion she is spoiled, stubborn, thinking only about herself. Harry is a total doormat,loser, Ant is a cliched matcho who thinks that his right is the only right and the best of all the friends is Diana.
That was the first half of the book for me. The second is totally confusing, everybody are running, hiding, losing themselves, sleeping, waking up and knowing nothing. Then we have the retrospections aboit Tatiana and Bron which has made more confused.
To be honest, I have skipped a lot. There is too less action and too many descriptions in my opinion. Not my pair of shoes.
November 26, 2025
It's quite repetitive and the main four characters are monotonous and noisy. So, the plot's nice for the classic Shakespeare retelling but the execution is just not
September 12, 2020
This story just got more ridiculous as it went on. Unfortunately it was riddled with errors as well. A romance that was supposed to contain humour, but I didn't find it entertaining at all. Not for me, it seems.
June 23, 2023
💜Ja, jag gillar ju Shakespeare, så sa den här boken var en fröjd.
Författaren har tagit En Midsommarnatts Dröm och gjort en fantastiskt trevlig novell av den.
Moderniserat den och låtit alla dessa underbara förverkligar och missförstånd bli helt otroligt roliga!
Vägen till slutet av alltihop är sanslöst rolig och helt underbar.
Kan bara varmt rekommendera denna ljuvliga Feelgoodroman!
🎭🎭🎭🎭 av 5st möjliga 🎭💜
Författaren har tagit En Midsommarnatts Dröm och gjort en fantastiskt trevlig novell av den.
Moderniserat den och låtit alla dessa underbara förverkligar och missförstånd bli helt otroligt roliga!
Vägen till slutet av alltihop är sanslöst rolig och helt underbar.
Kan bara varmt rekommendera denna ljuvliga Feelgoodroman!
🎭🎭🎭🎭 av 5st möjliga 🎭💜
April 20, 2025
I've read this before so on my 2nd read it was nice to remember part of it but forget the ending...I would say it wasn't as cliche as other romance novels. A happy ever after with a twist.
I found the bridezilla thing a bit boring but that's personal preference. Some of it was funny though, in a "my god" kind of way 😆.
It was a fun romance to fly through and feel cosy reading.
I found the bridezilla thing a bit boring but that's personal preference. Some of it was funny though, in a "my god" kind of way 😆.
It was a fun romance to fly through and feel cosy reading.
May 31, 2017
Easy going. I'd give this 3.5 rather than 3 for it's readability.
Liked Josie. Didn't really click with Diane but didn't dislike her. Was amused by Ant. Thought Harry sounded a tad weak.
An entertaining take on Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
Liked Josie. Didn't really click with Diane but didn't dislike her. Was amused by Ant. Thought Harry sounded a tad weak.
An entertaining take on Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
October 1, 2020
Life seems almost perfect for the four main characters in this book until a chance encounter with a television hypnotist changes everything for one night. This book was a random pick. I loved the cover design and as I started reading it, I found it pleasant and light-hearted. The book starts off on a good note and then becomes messy in the middle and the ending is predictable. The plot began with the Josie announcing her engagement to Harry and then proceeds with the weekend at Josie’s parents place. At some point, I became confused as to whether the characters were under hypnosis or not. I liked how the author added an air of mysteriousness in the parts where hypnosis was used. I would only recommend this book for a quick, easy read.
August 2, 2019
A good idea but rather a rather messy ending
March 1, 2020
A fluffy, easy and quick read. Grand passing the time. I found it enjoyable enough but not one I would recommend. Its easily forgettable.
October 8, 2022
2.5* rather naff
June 28, 2025
I didn't understand what the book was about at all. The only thing is that it's more or less a storyline about Diana.
July 4, 2025
I felt this was not an easy read that it went round and round in circles.
September 2, 2013
Originally posted at: http://beckiesbookmix.blogspot.co.uk/...
I was immediately drawn in by the cover of this book! I know they always say don't judge a book by its' cover but wow this one is just so pretty. I have heard good things about Julia Williams' books so I was looking forward to reading Midsummer Magic.
Josie is over the moon when her boyfriend Harry proposes. She cannot wait to dive head first into wedding planning with the help of her best friend Diane. To celebrate, Josie, Harry, Diane and Harry's friend Ant decide to visit Josie's parents in Cornwall to partake in pre-wedding celebrations. Josie just wants to settle down in the countryside, spend some time with her family and friends and plan her dream wedding but it's not that easy. Harry doesn't seem as keen to get married as he once did and Diane and Ant have a secret that is causing them to fight like cats and dogs.
When the gang decide to take some time out and go to the local pub they bump into celebrity TV hypnotist Freddie Puck. After some gentle persuasion the four of them are persuaded to take part in a Midsummer Night's dare. Will they find true happiness and ever-lasting love or will their lives change forever for all the wrong reasons?
I enjoyed having multiple narrators in this book. It meant I could really see what motivated the main characters. I think Diane was my favourite character of them all. She was very honest and a very good friend. I could empathise with her more than any of the others as she was so likeable.
The subject of hypnotism is very fascinating to me. The thought of someone being able to influence the mind without the owner's permission is scary but interesting. The way Julia Williams approached this subject was thought-provoking but still kept an air of mysteriousness. It made me wonder how I would react if I had been hypnotised!
I loved that Midsummer Magic had a Shakespeare tie-in. Having studied A Midsummer Night's Dream in school I loved analysing the juxtaposition of storylines. It was fun to draw comparisons between the two works and decide which of Julia Williams' characters represented Shakespeare's characters.
Julia Williams described the Cornwall countryside so vividly I felt like I was there with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her descriptions, it sounded like a beautiful area to set this book in and it is a place I am now determined to visit.
I was immediately drawn in by the cover of this book! I know they always say don't judge a book by its' cover but wow this one is just so pretty. I have heard good things about Julia Williams' books so I was looking forward to reading Midsummer Magic.
Josie is over the moon when her boyfriend Harry proposes. She cannot wait to dive head first into wedding planning with the help of her best friend Diane. To celebrate, Josie, Harry, Diane and Harry's friend Ant decide to visit Josie's parents in Cornwall to partake in pre-wedding celebrations. Josie just wants to settle down in the countryside, spend some time with her family and friends and plan her dream wedding but it's not that easy. Harry doesn't seem as keen to get married as he once did and Diane and Ant have a secret that is causing them to fight like cats and dogs.
When the gang decide to take some time out and go to the local pub they bump into celebrity TV hypnotist Freddie Puck. After some gentle persuasion the four of them are persuaded to take part in a Midsummer Night's dare. Will they find true happiness and ever-lasting love or will their lives change forever for all the wrong reasons?
I enjoyed having multiple narrators in this book. It meant I could really see what motivated the main characters. I think Diane was my favourite character of them all. She was very honest and a very good friend. I could empathise with her more than any of the others as she was so likeable.
The subject of hypnotism is very fascinating to me. The thought of someone being able to influence the mind without the owner's permission is scary but interesting. The way Julia Williams approached this subject was thought-provoking but still kept an air of mysteriousness. It made me wonder how I would react if I had been hypnotised!
I loved that Midsummer Magic had a Shakespeare tie-in. Having studied A Midsummer Night's Dream in school I loved analysing the juxtaposition of storylines. It was fun to draw comparisons between the two works and decide which of Julia Williams' characters represented Shakespeare's characters.
Julia Williams described the Cornwall countryside so vividly I felt like I was there with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her descriptions, it sounded like a beautiful area to set this book in and it is a place I am now determined to visit.
July 29, 2020
So I am a huge fan of the classic Shakespeare play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and it's confused lovers idea, however this book took that idea and milked it until it was as dry as a bone. The couples had repetitive conversations and had personalities that made them seem vacuous and dumb.
The ending between the extraneous characters didn't make sense and the fact that she forgave him at the end was ridiculous and silly.
Overall, a story that needed more characterisation and less time spent trying to replicate Shakespeare.
The ending between the extraneous characters didn't make sense and the fact that she forgave him at the end was ridiculous and silly.
Overall, a story that needed more characterisation and less time spent trying to replicate Shakespeare.
July 16, 2013
I was instantly attracted to this book by its cover. What a lovely combination of colours- it really makes it stand out.
This was a lovely, heartwarming read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Based on Shakespeare's a Midsummer Night's dream, this was an entertaining, funny read with lots of plot twists and turns.
From the start I knew something was going to happen when Josie and Diana did a pagan Halloween tradition to determine the beginning letter of the person they were going to marry. Diana got H and Josie got A even though the person Josie was soon to be engaged to was Harry.
When Harry proposes to Josie, they all head down to Cornwall to make wedding plans, which Harry starts to find overwhelming and much to Diana's horror, Harry's best friend Ant who joins them is the man that broke her heart years before. Could the weekend possibly get any worse?
After a chance meeting with a former TV star, Freddie Puck, the four agree to be hypnotised for a TV show. What then occurs is a tragic, confusing and hilarious ordeal for the four of them as their 'true' feelings come to light and they may not be in love with the person they thought they were, but is it real or is it the hypnosis?
There were also some side chapters based on Tatiana and Bron, from the 1980's to the present day which really added to the story. Their story starts from the 1980's to the present day and goes through the different parts in their relationship and their love and hate for each other. They also play a part in the four main character's hypnosis tirade.
Each character was extremely likeable, despite at first not liking Ant, who I thought was an idiot, but as the plot twists and turns, the reader finds out why a character is the way they are, as their innermost thoughts come out in the open. I found myself really wanting things to work out for each of the characters and I was constantly surprised by what was happening to them.
I also loved the way the story was written. I really felt like I was in Cornwall with these characters, Julia described the surroundings so well. I used to go to Cornwall when I was little and I want to go back again now!
This really was a lovely read that left me feeling very happy. It will definitely keep your interest throughout. I look forward to reading more from Julia Williams.
July 4, 2013
Midsummer Magic landed on my doormat just a few days after Midsummer's Night. Pretty much perfect timing!
Julia Williams has taken inspiration from A Midsummer Night's Dream by giving Shakespeare's characters and storyline a modern twist. Described as 'a captivating modern day tale' that will 'delight fans of Katie Fforde and Veronica Henry', Midsummer Magic is an entertaining novel.
The plot is split between two time frames. Entertainers Tatiana and Bron and TV hypnotist Freddie Puck are followed through both these stories, mainly set in the present day but with regular flashbacks. Their 80s heyday now long past, Bron and Freddie visit Cornwall to make a TV show based around local myths and legends. The standing stones are believed to have magical qualities, providing true happiness to couples that spend the whole night there on Midsummers' Eve.
Newly engaged Josie and Harry are staying with family in Cornwall along with their future bridesmaid Diana and best man Ant. Impressed by meeting Freddie, they agree to being hypnotised as part of the show. How will they behave under Freddie's magical influence?
Inspired by one of Britain's best, Williams also portrays Britain at its best. The descriptions of the landscape and flora are beautifully written so that the reader can visualise the scene, the characters are either realistic in their flaws (Ant, Diana, Josie, Harry) or caricatures based on celebrity culture (Bron, Freddie and especially washed-up has-been Tatiana).
I found this book to be an easy read- funny, with elements of farce and characters that are likeable. Knowledge of A Midsummer Night's Dream (one of the plays I studied for A level English Literature!) helped my enjoyment as I was able to anticipate what would happen next, but is certainly not necessary to enjoy Midsummer Magic- ultimately a readable, humorous book which I am sure will be found by many a sun-lounger over the summer.
Midsummer Magic by Julia Williams is released on July 4th 2013, published by Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins.
7.5/10
Many thanks to Avon at HarperCollins for providing me with a review copy of this title. You can find out more about Julia Williams and her previous books at her website here.
Julia Williams has taken inspiration from A Midsummer Night's Dream by giving Shakespeare's characters and storyline a modern twist. Described as 'a captivating modern day tale' that will 'delight fans of Katie Fforde and Veronica Henry', Midsummer Magic is an entertaining novel.
The plot is split between two time frames. Entertainers Tatiana and Bron and TV hypnotist Freddie Puck are followed through both these stories, mainly set in the present day but with regular flashbacks. Their 80s heyday now long past, Bron and Freddie visit Cornwall to make a TV show based around local myths and legends. The standing stones are believed to have magical qualities, providing true happiness to couples that spend the whole night there on Midsummers' Eve.
Newly engaged Josie and Harry are staying with family in Cornwall along with their future bridesmaid Diana and best man Ant. Impressed by meeting Freddie, they agree to being hypnotised as part of the show. How will they behave under Freddie's magical influence?
Inspired by one of Britain's best, Williams also portrays Britain at its best. The descriptions of the landscape and flora are beautifully written so that the reader can visualise the scene, the characters are either realistic in their flaws (Ant, Diana, Josie, Harry) or caricatures based on celebrity culture (Bron, Freddie and especially washed-up has-been Tatiana).
I found this book to be an easy read- funny, with elements of farce and characters that are likeable. Knowledge of A Midsummer Night's Dream (one of the plays I studied for A level English Literature!) helped my enjoyment as I was able to anticipate what would happen next, but is certainly not necessary to enjoy Midsummer Magic- ultimately a readable, humorous book which I am sure will be found by many a sun-lounger over the summer.
Midsummer Magic by Julia Williams is released on July 4th 2013, published by Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins.
7.5/10
Many thanks to Avon at HarperCollins for providing me with a review copy of this title. You can find out more about Julia Williams and her previous books at her website here.
July 5, 2013
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed the read. It is something of a modern day version of Midsummers Night Dream, following Josie, Harry, Di and Ant who are on a weekend "wedding planning" visit to Cornwall. When they meet celebrity hypnotist Freddie Puck in the pub, he makes them a proposition; that they be hypnotised for a TV programme he wants to make. This is where I really started to enjoy the book; as events unfold the plotline gets very twisty and turny so you are never quite sure how everything is going to end up and are kept on your toes reading it. There is also a good side plot involving Bron (Freddie's co presenter) and his ex girlfriend Tati. I loved these two, they are OTT "luvvies" and great fun to read about, especially Tati and her fawning entourage. Freddie on the other hand, seems to be the only character who we never really get to know.
A lot of the story takes place at night, amongst a set of standing stones, in woodlands and at an open air theatre. There were times when I did find it a little hard to visualise each setting and got a little confused as to which character was supposed to be where as the plot twisted and turned and everything got a bit topsy turvy. It is a nice fun read, with a set of characters who you get to know throughout the book. At first I wasn't quite sure about Ant and Diana and their history; something just didn't seem "right" about it, but as the story went on, it did all seem to slot together and make sense.
A nice enjoyable, summer read with a pagan, magical romantic feel to it that is perfect for this time of year.
A lot of the story takes place at night, amongst a set of standing stones, in woodlands and at an open air theatre. There were times when I did find it a little hard to visualise each setting and got a little confused as to which character was supposed to be where as the plot twisted and turned and everything got a bit topsy turvy. It is a nice fun read, with a set of characters who you get to know throughout the book. At first I wasn't quite sure about Ant and Diana and their history; something just didn't seem "right" about it, but as the story went on, it did all seem to slot together and make sense.
A nice enjoyable, summer read with a pagan, magical romantic feel to it that is perfect for this time of year.
July 22, 2013
Loved this book! Brilliant summer read! Easy to get into I think I was hooked by the second chapter.
Josie is with Harry and has just moved in with her.Dianne is Josie's best mate and Ant is Harry's best mate who is currently travelling. Josie has a Halloween party where Harry proposes to Josie and then a wedding needs to planned ....This is where all four go to Josie' s parents house in Cornwall and where finally Diane and Ant meet but to every ones surprised they have met in their past and it was not good! Sparks fly but they decide to call a truce while they are wedding planning for the weekend.
The weekend away takes place during the Summer Solstice, and as a dare, the four friends decide to stay out all night on the hills by the local Standing Stones, where local mythology says, a young married couple will find happiness, wealth and fertility if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer's Eve... In the village itself, Tatiana Okeby, an ageing soap star is making preparations for her role in the local summer outdoor production of A Midsummer Night Dream. A night in the pub with Anthony Slowbotham, the rather unlikely local lothario, to wind up her agent and one-time lover, Auberon Fanshawe, turns out not quite how she expects, thanks to the intervention of Auberon's assistant, one Freddie Puck, who manages to persuade her a walk in the hills is just what she needs to be doing right now... But as night time falls, a summer mist comes down, and the world seems somehow changed.
Josie is with Harry and has just moved in with her.Dianne is Josie's best mate and Ant is Harry's best mate who is currently travelling. Josie has a Halloween party where Harry proposes to Josie and then a wedding needs to planned ....This is where all four go to Josie' s parents house in Cornwall and where finally Diane and Ant meet but to every ones surprised they have met in their past and it was not good! Sparks fly but they decide to call a truce while they are wedding planning for the weekend.
The weekend away takes place during the Summer Solstice, and as a dare, the four friends decide to stay out all night on the hills by the local Standing Stones, where local mythology says, a young married couple will find happiness, wealth and fertility if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer's Eve... In the village itself, Tatiana Okeby, an ageing soap star is making preparations for her role in the local summer outdoor production of A Midsummer Night Dream. A night in the pub with Anthony Slowbotham, the rather unlikely local lothario, to wind up her agent and one-time lover, Auberon Fanshawe, turns out not quite how she expects, thanks to the intervention of Auberon's assistant, one Freddie Puck, who manages to persuade her a walk in the hills is just what she needs to be doing right now... But as night time falls, a summer mist comes down, and the world seems somehow changed.
August 12, 2013
For once I'm actually lost for words. I do not know what to write.
(10 minutes later).... After looking over my notes and staring at the cover of Midsummer Magic, which is a very beautiful cover I must add, I realised that I couldn't find the right words to write because I was completely confused and disappointed by what I had just read.The book starts off well but quickly starts to lose its way. I didn't like it cutting off into the past with other people it didn't flow right at all for me. It's like it picks up and gets your interest then bang gone. By the time you get to that again the same thing happens it's infuriating.
You will be glad to hear that it does have good points too though. The characters are a good mixed bunch and you do connect with them and also dislike some. The overall plot of the book was original and for that it is worthy of a read.
Remember these are my opinions and a lot of people will disagree with them. That is fine. I love that books can cause debate and people see and take different things from them.Take a chance on this and let me know how you get on.
3/5
(10 minutes later).... After looking over my notes and staring at the cover of Midsummer Magic, which is a very beautiful cover I must add, I realised that I couldn't find the right words to write because I was completely confused and disappointed by what I had just read.The book starts off well but quickly starts to lose its way. I didn't like it cutting off into the past with other people it didn't flow right at all for me. It's like it picks up and gets your interest then bang gone. By the time you get to that again the same thing happens it's infuriating.
You will be glad to hear that it does have good points too though. The characters are a good mixed bunch and you do connect with them and also dislike some. The overall plot of the book was original and for that it is worthy of a read.
Remember these are my opinions and a lot of people will disagree with them. That is fine. I love that books can cause debate and people see and take different things from them.Take a chance on this and let me know how you get on.
3/5
January 13, 2014
When newly engaged Josie goes to visit her parents in Cornwall with her fiancé, and his best friend Ant and her best friend Diana, the idea was to begin making wedding plans, but when they meet a well-known TV hypnotist called Freddie Puck in a local pub and he invites them to take part in a hypnosis experiment to do with a local myth. Freddie claims that he can hypnotise a couple and make them fall in love on Midsummers Eve at the stepping stones just like it says in the myth.
The four agree to take part and what follows is a calamity of events that will test their relationships with each other and push boundaries of love and friendship. That could change their lives forever.
This is a great storyline and modern take on A Midsummer’s Night Dream that has some really great characters, the hypnosis theme is really good and sometimes the results are hilarious. It is a love triangle or a love circle spinning round so fast you have no idea who will end up with whom! The book keeps you guessing right up to the end. I just could not put this book down and before I knew it I was over half-way through! So I will certainly be looking forward to reading more books by Julia Williams.
The four agree to take part and what follows is a calamity of events that will test their relationships with each other and push boundaries of love and friendship. That could change their lives forever.
This is a great storyline and modern take on A Midsummer’s Night Dream that has some really great characters, the hypnosis theme is really good and sometimes the results are hilarious. It is a love triangle or a love circle spinning round so fast you have no idea who will end up with whom! The book keeps you guessing right up to the end. I just could not put this book down and before I knew it I was over half-way through! So I will certainly be looking forward to reading more books by Julia Williams.
January 17, 2016
My mum bought me this book for my 17th. I liked the look of it cause I'm from Cornwall and I love summer! However I didn't really like this book. I found the story line really bland and repetitive. The author kept repeating themselves with what the characters were feeling and I got bored. To get into a book I feel you need to make an attachment to the characters and as I don't think they were described particularly well I didn't. I also feel a good book should help you visualise what's going on, there was a part in the book where they were trapped in a cave and to be honest I was so confused and didn't know what was going on! However I did like how there was two story's going on at the same time that eventually linked together which I thought was clever. However I didn't really rate this book, but I feel a person maybe younger than me would enjoy it :)
July 22, 2013
Well written & clearly structured plot - but the narrative was quite dull. Most of the time, it did not enthral or engage me fully. The development characterisation of Harry, Josie, Diana or Ant, did not really progress very far either. They were not multi dimensional enough for my liking.
Please see comments for my additional comments about this book.
Overall:
This book was ok - but not really my sort if thing. I found continuing reading it, very tough at times. Next time I decide to read another 'chick lit' story, I will most probably opt for a novella. 400+ pages was too much for me to really stomach & enjoy.
If you read this book, I hope you enjoy it, more than I did.
Happy reading.
Please see comments for my additional comments about this book.
Overall:
This book was ok - but not really my sort if thing. I found continuing reading it, very tough at times. Next time I decide to read another 'chick lit' story, I will most probably opt for a novella. 400+ pages was too much for me to really stomach & enjoy.
If you read this book, I hope you enjoy it, more than I did.
Happy reading.
March 21, 2015
This is my 4th book by Julia Williams and, if I did not already know how cute her books, I would doubt reading any more by her. This book was okay and fun to read for summer but not what I am used to with her books. I could not get involved in the characters as much as her other books. The idea of the play on A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare really drew me to this book. I did like the idea of the plot but for some reason it did not hold my attention. Josie, Diana, Harry and Ant are likeable characters. Tati, Bron and Freddie throw in some fun but still it dragged on for me. I think it was because it took too long for the hypnotism to start. It was okay but not as good as I know her books can be.
January 17, 2016
At first I thought this was just going to be another soppy romance. The kind where once you've read one you've read them all.
After I started, it just seemed to have something that other romances don't. Yes I could predict the ending about 3 chapters in. I knew who would end up with who. But at the same time Julia kept me guessing all the way through, I found myself rooting for who I wanted to end up together, and at some points I was generally worried they wouldn't get together.
Lo and behold by the end my predictions were correct, however it was something about the overall story and I really couldn't put this one down. I would definitely reccommend to anyone who fancies a bit of a light romantic lead, with a bit of a twist.
After I started, it just seemed to have something that other romances don't. Yes I could predict the ending about 3 chapters in. I knew who would end up with who. But at the same time Julia kept me guessing all the way through, I found myself rooting for who I wanted to end up together, and at some points I was generally worried they wouldn't get together.
Lo and behold by the end my predictions were correct, however it was something about the overall story and I really couldn't put this one down. I would definitely reccommend to anyone who fancies a bit of a light romantic lead, with a bit of a twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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