What do you think?
Rate this book
The Heir and the Spare #2
Everyday Magic
For once, Maggie McKendrick just wants to control her own life. Her overbearing Hollywood director father has it all planned out for her: UCLA, law school, then working as an entertainment lawyer, preferably for him. But Maggie has other, more creative-spirit friendly, plans. Namely, Thrippletons School of Fashion and Design in England, and then onto becoming a designer, preferably a wildly successful one. The big snag in her plan? Getting it past her dad.
A movie shoot takes the family to the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and closer to Maggie’s dream school. While there, she runs into the charming Preston Browne. Maggie is intrigued and decides to bend her no guys rule—instituted after her ex used her to get close to her dad. Forced to keep secrets from Preston in order to protect the future plans she’s made, Maggie finds herself falling for the tall Brit. And for once in her life she knows that he’s interested in her, not her Hollywood connections. When Maggie's father blackmails her into dating his lead actor, she isn’t left with a choice. The biggest problem isn’t having to date hunky, mega-hottie, Ben Chambers. No, it’s praying she doesn’t lose Preston in the process.
Excelling at her dream school, Maggie’s personal life is a tangled mess. She needs to decide if living a lie is worth losing Preston or chance going against her father and facing his wrath. When the tabloids expose the truth of her fake relationship with Ben, Maggie's world is thrown into a tailspin. Ultimately, Maggie must find the courage to take risks and forge ahead on her own path.
A movie shoot takes the family to the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and closer to Maggie’s dream school. While there, she runs into the charming Preston Browne. Maggie is intrigued and decides to bend her no guys rule—instituted after her ex used her to get close to her dad. Forced to keep secrets from Preston in order to protect the future plans she’s made, Maggie finds herself falling for the tall Brit. And for once in her life she knows that he’s interested in her, not her Hollywood connections. When Maggie's father blackmails her into dating his lead actor, she isn’t left with a choice. The biggest problem isn’t having to date hunky, mega-hottie, Ben Chambers. No, it’s praying she doesn’t lose Preston in the process.
Excelling at her dream school, Maggie’s personal life is a tangled mess. She needs to decide if living a lie is worth losing Preston or chance going against her father and facing his wrath. When the tabloids expose the truth of her fake relationship with Ben, Maggie's world is thrown into a tailspin. Ultimately, Maggie must find the courage to take risks and forge ahead on her own path.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2016
26 people are currently reading
2023 people want to read
About the author
Emily Albright
3 books232 followersEmily Albright is the author of EVERYDAY MAGIC and THE HEIR AND THE SPARE, both available now from Simon Pulse. Her next novel PERFECT HARMONY will release 9.25.2018.
She's a writer, a major bookworm, a lover of romantic movies, a wife, a mother, an owner of one adorable (yet slightly insane) cockapoo, and uses way too many :).
Visit her facebook.
Find her on Twitter.
Or check out her website.
She's a writer, a major bookworm, a lover of romantic movies, a wife, a mother, an owner of one adorable (yet slightly insane) cockapoo, and uses way too many :).
Visit her facebook.
Find her on Twitter.
Or check out her website.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 24, 2019
.
This is a quick and entertaining read, but it deals with some very serious issues. This engaging story tears at your heart strings, as a cruel and domineering father, threatens his willful daughter in a struggle over her choices about her future job and love interest.
This domineering father is a bully and his abuse leads to a threat against her mother, in order to force his daughter to adhere to his demands (expecting to be in total control of her life), flagrantly disregarding her thoughts, dreams, and feelings. This family strives to learn to make individual decisions.
This is a quick and entertaining read, but it deals with some very serious issues. This engaging story tears at your heart strings, as a cruel and domineering father, threatens his willful daughter in a struggle over her choices about her future job and love interest.
This domineering father is a bully and his abuse leads to a threat against her mother, in order to force his daughter to adhere to his demands (expecting to be in total control of her life), flagrantly disregarding her thoughts, dreams, and feelings. This family strives to learn to make individual decisions.
August 21, 2021
*cracks my knuckles* *takes a sip of water* *BITES MY BOTTOM LIP* It is time for my review of Everyday Magic. It will be.. uhhh how do I say it?? honest.
Everyday Magic. This book was definitely not magic, but it was extremely tragic.
1. The thing that bothered me the most. How obsessed the main character who, even though I read this a few hours ago, I have already forgotten their name, was OBSESSED with biting her bottom lip. When she bit her lip 3 times in the first 17 pages I HAD to record it. Final report: She bit her lip a total of 29 times. Yikes. Emily Albright probably wrote the word "lip" in the book at least 100 times. I'm not even joking.
2. The writing was extremely cringy, to the point I was SWEATING from my hands. Here are some magical examples:
'He laughed and reached over, nonchalantly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'd slay any bug you needed" ' pg. 22
a. how can you nonchalantly tuck a strand of hair behind someone's ear?? Rhetorical question, you can't.
b. The second half of that line is very upsetting. Is that how you think someone is going to fall for you? By telling them in a flirtatious tone that you would kill bugs for them? no just no (Did I mention that this is the first time they met? THE FIRST TIME!)
'Being this close to him made all my senses go into rapid-fire mode and my brain no longer functioned at full capacity. His warmth seeped through my thin tee as his delicious scent surrounded me.' pg .95
This is just ONE example of the dumb things the main character thinks when she is near the love interest, Preston Browne. How can your brain no longer function at full capacity? You're just sitting next to him on the couch.
There were many other lines that made me cringe but I didn't include them because then my whole review would be quotes.
3. This book felt nothing like the first book in the companion duology. The writing is much more annoying, the plot is not as interesting and the characters are kinda different. I didn't realize the love interest was the best friend of the love interest in the previous book until I was PRETTY FAR into the book.
4. The abusive dad. The plot depended on the abusive dad blackmailing the daughter (and the co actor for being bisexual). Something about that rubs me wrong. Yeah.
5. The main character is an extremely idiotic person. When she has to fake date this actor (the bisexual one) so that her dad doesn't draw out the divorce with her mother, she is in a relationship/pending relationship with someone. She was blinded to the manipulation of her dad and didn't see that he was blatantly lying to her. When Preston, the person she was actually dating, decides it's too much for him to stay with her while seeing all of the tabloids she goes full "I hate him". His decision makes complete sense and you earlier said he could back out if he wanted to. You shouldn't have put him in that situation.
6. The communication in the relationship. Aka nonexistent communication. Come ON, so many things would be fixed if you were just honest with each other.
7. Instalove. INSTALOVEEEEEEE
I did think that the interests/hobbies of the main characters were really interesting and I liked her friends (the ones that she was INSTANTLY friends with).
I was tempted to DNF this so many times. The spine is ugly and the plot actually stressed me out.
Ta-Da this is my review of Everyday Magic. What a book. See you guys in the next one! (And thank you for reading this <3)
Everyday Magic. This book was definitely not magic, but it was extremely tragic.
1. The thing that bothered me the most. How obsessed the main character who, even though I read this a few hours ago, I have already forgotten their name, was OBSESSED with biting her bottom lip. When she bit her lip 3 times in the first 17 pages I HAD to record it. Final report: She bit her lip a total of 29 times. Yikes. Emily Albright probably wrote the word "lip" in the book at least 100 times. I'm not even joking.
2. The writing was extremely cringy, to the point I was SWEATING from my hands. Here are some magical examples:
'He laughed and reached over, nonchalantly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'd slay any bug you needed" ' pg. 22
a. how can you nonchalantly tuck a strand of hair behind someone's ear?? Rhetorical question, you can't.
b. The second half of that line is very upsetting. Is that how you think someone is going to fall for you? By telling them in a flirtatious tone that you would kill bugs for them? no just no (Did I mention that this is the first time they met? THE FIRST TIME!)
'Being this close to him made all my senses go into rapid-fire mode and my brain no longer functioned at full capacity. His warmth seeped through my thin tee as his delicious scent surrounded me.' pg .95
This is just ONE example of the dumb things the main character thinks when she is near the love interest, Preston Browne. How can your brain no longer function at full capacity? You're just sitting next to him on the couch.
There were many other lines that made me cringe but I didn't include them because then my whole review would be quotes.
3. This book felt nothing like the first book in the companion duology. The writing is much more annoying, the plot is not as interesting and the characters are kinda different. I didn't realize the love interest was the best friend of the love interest in the previous book until I was PRETTY FAR into the book.
4. The abusive dad. The plot depended on the abusive dad blackmailing the daughter (and the co actor for being bisexual). Something about that rubs me wrong. Yeah.
5. The main character is an extremely idiotic person. When she has to fake date this actor (the bisexual one) so that her dad doesn't draw out the divorce with her mother, she is in a relationship/pending relationship with someone. She was blinded to the manipulation of her dad and didn't see that he was blatantly lying to her. When Preston, the person she was actually dating, decides it's too much for him to stay with her while seeing all of the tabloids she goes full "I hate him". His decision makes complete sense and you earlier said he could back out if he wanted to. You shouldn't have put him in that situation.
6. The communication in the relationship. Aka nonexistent communication. Come ON, so many things would be fixed if you were just honest with each other.
7. Instalove. INSTALOVEEEEEEE
I did think that the interests/hobbies of the main characters were really interesting and I liked her friends (the ones that she was INSTANTLY friends with).
I was tempted to DNF this so many times. The spine is ugly and the plot actually stressed me out.
Ta-Da this is my review of Everyday Magic. What a book. See you guys in the next one! (And thank you for reading this <3)
June 9, 2016
Preston's story was a blast to write. I hope you enjoy it! :)
May 30, 2018
Everyday Magic was so freaking good. It's the second installment of The Heir and the Spare series. It was okay, not really better than the first book - but still enjoyable.
Now I didn't think I could fall in love with a couple other than Evie and Edmund, but Maggie and Preston were magical. I loved everything about these two. However, I didn't really like that the characters were so freaking cliché. Yeah, Maggie had an abusive asshole of a father. Then there was the insta-love, which I'm not really a big fan of unless it's written write.
At the beginning, I didn't like Maggie. Yeah, she has a sucky family situation but she lets her dad overcontrol her life. If she has dreams, and her dad doesn't support her at all, then she should've fought harder for them. She still had a loving mom and brother.. but her dad is an asshole. I get that he's her parent and all but still, one person can't stop you from living your life or your dreams.. except for yourself.
Then Preston came into her life and Maggie became more bearable to me. I loved them together - even though I didn't really know much about Preston in the beginning. I kind of just rolled with the punches in this book.
Overall, the characters in this book were equally likable and enjoyable. I loved the story that was told (even if I didn't in the beginning). Preston was Maggie's rock through it all. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see if there will be another one. If there is, I have no idea who it would be about but I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
Now I didn't think I could fall in love with a couple other than Evie and Edmund, but Maggie and Preston were magical. I loved everything about these two. However, I didn't really like that the characters were so freaking cliché. Yeah, Maggie had an abusive asshole of a father. Then there was the insta-love, which I'm not really a big fan of unless it's written write.
At the beginning, I didn't like Maggie. Yeah, she has a sucky family situation but she lets her dad overcontrol her life. If she has dreams, and her dad doesn't support her at all, then she should've fought harder for them. She still had a loving mom and brother.. but her dad is an asshole. I get that he's her parent and all but still, one person can't stop you from living your life or your dreams.. except for yourself.
Then Preston came into her life and Maggie became more bearable to me. I loved them together - even though I didn't really know much about Preston in the beginning. I kind of just rolled with the punches in this book.
Overall, the characters in this book were equally likable and enjoyable. I loved the story that was told (even if I didn't in the beginning). Preston was Maggie's rock through it all. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see if there will be another one. If there is, I have no idea who it would be about but I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
December 13, 2016
EEEEEEE!!!
I loved the first book. This book was even better. I started this as soon as I got the email from Amazon that my pre-order came through, and then blew through this in a few hours. So good!
While this is a fun read, just like in The Heir and the Spare, the author brings in some serious issues. With Evie, it was grief. Here, it was an abusive relationship. Because Maggie's dad is a monster who would blackmail his own daughter.
It was so great to see the gang again, even though they mostly had cameo appearances, and it made me want to re-read The Heir and the Spare. And the new characters were great!
I desperately hope there's another book.
I loved the first book. This book was even better. I started this as soon as I got the email from Amazon that my pre-order came through, and then blew through this in a few hours. So good!
While this is a fun read, just like in The Heir and the Spare, the author brings in some serious issues. With Evie, it was grief. Here, it was an abusive relationship. Because Maggie's dad is a monster who would blackmail his own daughter.
It was so great to see the gang again, even though they mostly had cameo appearances, and it made me want to re-read The Heir and the Spare. And the new characters were great!
I desperately hope there's another book.
November 30, 2016
To see review with Lady Edith gif click here.
If you looked at my review, or should I say my Beagle’s review of The Heir and the Spare, you’ll know that I wasn’t a huge fan of that book. Or Patty wasn’t. I still decided to give the sequel a try though because Hollywood and British Aristocracy what could go wrong there.
You’re asking if I have a glass of brandy by me right now. Well, blimey you’d be right!
Or you’ve gotten used to me getting drunk whenever I read a bad book. To be fair though, I only made it to about page fifty with this one so I didn’t have to get too drunk. What I’m doing with this one is I’m going to list the reasons why I DNF’d it.
1) Abusive Father Cliche:
Abuse happens in real life. It sucks. And it comes in many times. This book though. Ooph. I felt like it handled the abuse in such a cliche way. Really? As high profile as the main character and her family is you’d think that one of the tabloids would allude to their issues. But nope.
2) Insta Love
Enough said.
3) But Daddy Won’t Let Me Pursue My Dreams:
Apply for a scholarship or seek financial aid like the rest of us. If you don’t qualify get a job and save up for a bit. The career you want actually likes work experience so…
4) Learn How the Oxford Educational System Works
For the love of all things British, you got blasted for this in the last book. You should’ve fixed it now. At least this book didn’t focus that much on the Oxford bits, but from what I read it still seemed like Albright thought it was like American colleges are ran.
5) Who the hell is Preston
Obviously, I didn’t pay close enough attention in this book. But I think I was supposed to care?!?!?!?
Okay, I’ll admit that when I originally wrote this list I was planning on having ten points. Or at the very least seven, but I ended up not having that many because while the book was so bad it was extraordinary dull. And when I put off my drafting of this review on Sunday because you know I had to get ready to start my new job the next day, I sort of forgot where my hatred for this thing went because it was so forgettable and so bad. So yeah, I DNF’d it…
If you looked at my review, or should I say my Beagle’s review of The Heir and the Spare, you’ll know that I wasn’t a huge fan of that book. Or Patty wasn’t. I still decided to give the sequel a try though because Hollywood and British Aristocracy what could go wrong there.
You’re asking if I have a glass of brandy by me right now. Well, blimey you’d be right!
Or you’ve gotten used to me getting drunk whenever I read a bad book. To be fair though, I only made it to about page fifty with this one so I didn’t have to get too drunk. What I’m doing with this one is I’m going to list the reasons why I DNF’d it.
1) Abusive Father Cliche:
Abuse happens in real life. It sucks. And it comes in many times. This book though. Ooph. I felt like it handled the abuse in such a cliche way. Really? As high profile as the main character and her family is you’d think that one of the tabloids would allude to their issues. But nope.
2) Insta Love
Enough said.
3) But Daddy Won’t Let Me Pursue My Dreams:
Apply for a scholarship or seek financial aid like the rest of us. If you don’t qualify get a job and save up for a bit. The career you want actually likes work experience so…
4) Learn How the Oxford Educational System Works
For the love of all things British, you got blasted for this in the last book. You should’ve fixed it now. At least this book didn’t focus that much on the Oxford bits, but from what I read it still seemed like Albright thought it was like American colleges are ran.
5) Who the hell is Preston
Obviously, I didn’t pay close enough attention in this book. But I think I was supposed to care?!?!?!?
Okay, I’ll admit that when I originally wrote this list I was planning on having ten points. Or at the very least seven, but I ended up not having that many because while the book was so bad it was extraordinary dull. And when I put off my drafting of this review on Sunday because you know I had to get ready to start my new job the next day, I sort of forgot where my hatred for this thing went because it was so forgettable and so bad. So yeah, I DNF’d it…
Read
August 14, 2019This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I really wanted to love this book (I enjoyed its companion, The Heir and the Spare), but somehow it just kept falling flat for me. The idea of Maggie’s painful relationship with her father was intriguing. He’s a big Hollywood director, but he’s abusive and controlling. Maggie and her family live in fear of him. My problem was, when Maggie’s dad blackmails her, I couldn’t help but wonder why in the heck Maggie goes along with it. It seems pretty obvious that he’s not going to hold up his end of the deal (and he proves early on that this is the case).
The romance in this story was pretty good, but it played off of a pet peeve of mine—a case where the conflict in the relationship is based on the characters simply not talking to each other and telling each other how they really feel. Though in the book’s defense, Maggie didn’t keep any of her secrets for long, and she ended up confiding in Preston. But then a new misunderstanding would replace the old one, and we’d start the cycle all over again.
There were aspects of the story that I really liked—the fashion side of the story was fun, and I thought it was interesting to see characters from the first book again. But, in the end, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel all that invested in this book.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I really wanted to love this book (I enjoyed its companion, The Heir and the Spare), but somehow it just kept falling flat for me. The idea of Maggie’s painful relationship with her father was intriguing. He’s a big Hollywood director, but he’s abusive and controlling. Maggie and her family live in fear of him. My problem was, when Maggie’s dad blackmails her, I couldn’t help but wonder why in the heck Maggie goes along with it. It seems pretty obvious that he’s not going to hold up his end of the deal (and he proves early on that this is the case).
The romance in this story was pretty good, but it played off of a pet peeve of mine—a case where the conflict in the relationship is based on the characters simply not talking to each other and telling each other how they really feel. Though in the book’s defense, Maggie didn’t keep any of her secrets for long, and she ended up confiding in Preston. But then a new misunderstanding would replace the old one, and we’d start the cycle all over again.
There were aspects of the story that I really liked—the fashion side of the story was fun, and I thought it was interesting to see characters from the first book again. But, in the end, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel all that invested in this book.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
December 12, 2016
Sigh. This book has me SO conflicted.
I loved, loved, loved The Heir and the Spare. It was one of the most fun books I've read this year. And when I saw Everyday Magic would feature Preston...? I got the excites. Preston was so adorable, and sweet, and funny in The Heir and the Spare. But in Everyday Magic he was...generic. He didn't have his sparkle. And that makes me so sad.
Same with the romance. The romance in this book is a strange, jumbled thing that I can't really give away without spoilers. It was sudden and cliché and then messed up and frustrating, all the while never having that "oomph" factor.
That basically sums up the whole book for me, actually. And I could not be more sad about it.
Highly, highly recommend The Heir and the Spare. I wish I could say the same about Everyday Magic.
2.5 stars.
I loved, loved, loved The Heir and the Spare. It was one of the most fun books I've read this year. And when I saw Everyday Magic would feature Preston...? I got the excites. Preston was so adorable, and sweet, and funny in The Heir and the Spare. But in Everyday Magic he was...generic. He didn't have his sparkle. And that makes me so sad.
Same with the romance. The romance in this book is a strange, jumbled thing that I can't really give away without spoilers. It was sudden and cliché and then messed up and frustrating, all the while never having that "oomph" factor.
That basically sums up the whole book for me, actually. And I could not be more sad about it.
Highly, highly recommend The Heir and the Spare. I wish I could say the same about Everyday Magic.
2.5 stars.
June 10, 2017
A delightful sweet and fun romance! Maggie and Preston are great characters that make it easy to cheer them on and wish them success. I really like that Maggie had a strong passion for her work and was able to stand strong as she overcame the barriers presented. I also enjoyed that Maggie nurtured a close relationship with her mother and brother despite her over bearing father. While the second book in a series it stood alone very well. I am sure I will not be able to resist picking up "The Heir and the Spare" the first book in the series. A good read.
March 27, 2017
A perfect follow up to The Heir and the Spare. I loved revisiting with characters from the first novel, and quickly got wrapped up in the intricacies of Maggie's world and domineering father while devouring this book. And the romance? Swoon city. Great read!
December 6, 2016
I love novels in which characters I already know and enjoy (in this case Evie and Edmund from THE HEIR AND THE SPARE) are featured as secondary characters in a new story. And, I freely admit, I'm a sucker for any Cinderella remake. EVERYDAY MAGIC has all that and more.
Maggie, daughter of Hollywood mogul, is visiting the UK on a movie set. Her goal is to stay on this side of "the Pond" to learn fashion design. She'd love to ditch her dad and his not-so-considerate helicoptering, but to save her mom from her dad's meddling influence, she agrees to play by his rules which extend to her personal life. Enter Preston, cute English aristocrat, who has no idea that she's related to American "royalty".
Fun, twisty, romantic story with a dash of paparazzi. Enjoy!
Maggie, daughter of Hollywood mogul, is visiting the UK on a movie set. Her goal is to stay on this side of "the Pond" to learn fashion design. She'd love to ditch her dad and his not-so-considerate helicoptering, but to save her mom from her dad's meddling influence, she agrees to play by his rules which extend to her personal life. Enter Preston, cute English aristocrat, who has no idea that she's related to American "royalty".
Fun, twisty, romantic story with a dash of paparazzi. Enjoy!
September 22, 2016
A fan of The Heir and The Spare, I was thrilled to learn Preston would be in Everyday Magic.
Maggie struggles to break free from her overbearing father’s plan and go her own way. While maintaining an upbeat personality, she sheds light on deeper issues. Maggie’s personality and obstacles are revealed through her teasing relationship with her brother, budding romance with Preston, and friendship with movie star Ben.
Emily Albright has a wonderful writing style and the pages flew by. I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie and Preston’s story.
Maggie struggles to break free from her overbearing father’s plan and go her own way. While maintaining an upbeat personality, she sheds light on deeper issues. Maggie’s personality and obstacles are revealed through her teasing relationship with her brother, budding romance with Preston, and friendship with movie star Ben.
Emily Albright has a wonderful writing style and the pages flew by. I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie and Preston’s story.
October 25, 2016
Loved! Full review on Lisa Loves Literature soon!!
November 6, 2016
I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows a girl named Maggie who has a passion for fashion and dreams of becoming a fashion designer despite how much her father will hate her ideas of attending a fashion school. I thought Maggie was a very talented character and knew her passions and wanted nothing to do with her father's world of glitz and glam and Hollywood. She was a very strong character as well but kept people at a distance for fear of who her father is and her brother Marc was the same way. I thought she was a very determined young girl who was both afraid of her father but also craved the moment when she could prove him wrong and go against his abuse of the family. I also loved that we get to see some of the characters from the first book in this one, such as Evie and Edmund as well as having the love interest be Preston, their best friend. I loved all the characters, they all made me laugh and I felt so connected and dedicated to the characters that it made me feel like I needed to finish the book ASAP.
I loved the pace of the book, the fluffiness to it, and the romance was totally swoon-worthy and didn't feel too cheesy or dramatic which I really loved and was right up my alley. I love a good romance but only if it's done right and flows with the rest of the plot which was the case with this book. The romance was only a part of the entire story, it also dealt with how abusive and delusional Maggie's father was to her and the family, how Maggie had to learn how to trust people again and become confident in her own talents as well as figure out how to start over in a sense as the story progresses. It was lighthearted read that had some heavier topics sewn in and I loved reading this book because of that.
The themes of family and friendship and second chances were highlighted many times throughout the book and I think this contemporary series is a great one for fans of Anna and The French Kiss and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I would also recommend it to anyone curious about the fashion and film industry if you're willing to deal with a power-hungry director of a father trying to tear apart Maggie's life. Needless to say, I'm really hoping there's a third installment in the works for this series!
I didn't give this book a five-star rating because while the pages flew by too fast for me- I WANTED MORE- I was hoping for just a tiny bit something extra to really make the story perfect. I'm not quite sure what would have made me give this book a five-star rating but maybe a small plot-twist might have done the trick.
Full review and Blogger's Choice Playlist on my blog: http://thebookwormcentral.blogspot.co...
This book follows a girl named Maggie who has a passion for fashion and dreams of becoming a fashion designer despite how much her father will hate her ideas of attending a fashion school. I thought Maggie was a very talented character and knew her passions and wanted nothing to do with her father's world of glitz and glam and Hollywood. She was a very strong character as well but kept people at a distance for fear of who her father is and her brother Marc was the same way. I thought she was a very determined young girl who was both afraid of her father but also craved the moment when she could prove him wrong and go against his abuse of the family. I also loved that we get to see some of the characters from the first book in this one, such as Evie and Edmund as well as having the love interest be Preston, their best friend. I loved all the characters, they all made me laugh and I felt so connected and dedicated to the characters that it made me feel like I needed to finish the book ASAP.
I loved the pace of the book, the fluffiness to it, and the romance was totally swoon-worthy and didn't feel too cheesy or dramatic which I really loved and was right up my alley. I love a good romance but only if it's done right and flows with the rest of the plot which was the case with this book. The romance was only a part of the entire story, it also dealt with how abusive and delusional Maggie's father was to her and the family, how Maggie had to learn how to trust people again and become confident in her own talents as well as figure out how to start over in a sense as the story progresses. It was lighthearted read that had some heavier topics sewn in and I loved reading this book because of that.
The themes of family and friendship and second chances were highlighted many times throughout the book and I think this contemporary series is a great one for fans of Anna and The French Kiss and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I would also recommend it to anyone curious about the fashion and film industry if you're willing to deal with a power-hungry director of a father trying to tear apart Maggie's life. Needless to say, I'm really hoping there's a third installment in the works for this series!
I didn't give this book a five-star rating because while the pages flew by too fast for me- I WANTED MORE- I was hoping for just a tiny bit something extra to really make the story perfect. I'm not quite sure what would have made me give this book a five-star rating but maybe a small plot-twist might have done the trick.
Full review and Blogger's Choice Playlist on my blog: http://thebookwormcentral.blogspot.co...
October 14, 2017
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Read this review and more on my blog.
The Book Return BlogMaggie's father is a big Hollywood director. He is domineering and loves to have control. Maggie's father wants her to become an entertainment lawyer. Maggie's dream is to work in the fashion industry. 'Everyday Magic' tells of Maggie's struggle to be who she wants to be and break free from her father's grasp.
'Everyday Magic' is a companion book to Albright's first book, 'The Heir and the Spare'. 'Everyday Magic' features Preston, one of the background characters from 'THATS'. I did not realize this until I was already finished with 'Everyday Magic.' You do not necessarily need to read "THATS' to understand the events in 'Everyday Magic'. With that being said, there were elements in the story that left me with questions. For example, how did Evie (an American) become a Duchess Suo Juro (in her own right) and why is a British prince living in a flat with friends.
An important element of this book is the abuse Maggie and her family have to endure at the hands of her father. Maggie's family dynamics demonstrates that abuse transcends all levels of wealth and status.
The character of Maggie was sweet. I found myself rooting for her. She did seem to be very naïve though. For example I found it difficult to believe that someone who was so talented and such a good student in school was so gullible. It didn't make a lot of since that her father could blackmail her when it was apparent that he was not going to keep his end of the bargain. I did like the character of Preston. He as really charming (if not a little too good to be true).
My main issue with the believability of the storyline was fictional British royalty.This made the story seem more of a fairytale than a YA contemporary (I think we all know who the first few people in line to the British throne are).
I did love the fashion elements of the book. This made the story different and gave it a 'Project Runway' type of feel.
I loved this book as a fun fairytale type read but I would recommend reading 'The Heir and the Spare' first.This review was originally posted on The Book return...
April 2, 2017
While I liked the first book in this series fine, I definitely liked this one better. I really liked Preston from the first book, so I was excited to learn a little more about him in this one. Maggie as a main character was fun and interesting. I really liked that she had such a clear vision for herself and she had the passion and drive to make it happen. I also really liked her relationships with her mom and brother. Her dad on the other hand…maybe I’m a bit naive, but I just don’t even want to believe that there are people out there who are that evil. But, you know, definitely a very hateable character. That’s all I’ll say about him.
Like the first book, nothing was really groundbreaking as far as the plot went, but it was still enjoyable nevertheless. While I enjoyed some of the added subplots, there were a couple of times that I felt like the author was trying to cram in too many different ideas into one book. Instead of taking the time to really develop different plotlines, everything was kind of crammed together and happening at the same time. It just made the book feel kind of busy, but again, I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I thought the book was a great follow-up to The Heir and the Spare. I did enjoy seeing some of the original characters and catching up with them. I have a feeling that there will be a third book in the series but I’m not sure who it’s going to feature…Maggie’s brother? Suze? Someone else entirely? I’ll definitely be on the lookout though.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate
Like the first book, nothing was really groundbreaking as far as the plot went, but it was still enjoyable nevertheless. While I enjoyed some of the added subplots, there were a couple of times that I felt like the author was trying to cram in too many different ideas into one book. Instead of taking the time to really develop different plotlines, everything was kind of crammed together and happening at the same time. It just made the book feel kind of busy, but again, I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I thought the book was a great follow-up to The Heir and the Spare. I did enjoy seeing some of the original characters and catching up with them. I have a feeling that there will be a third book in the series but I’m not sure who it’s going to feature…Maggie’s brother? Suze? Someone else entirely? I’ll definitely be on the lookout though.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate
October 31, 2016
Excellent! I picked this book up before reading the prior one, but didn't feel like I missed anything. Actually, I probably gained more this way, since it seems that the prior book (heir and the spare) would've given away a lot about certain characters pasts, but like Maggie, I got to find out about her friends' lives as they were revealed to her. I'll probably know many of the surprises in the first book before I read it, but I'm still feeling that Albright is a great author and the journey into her world will be worth it.
Back to Everyday Magic, it was awesome. I really cared for the characters' lives, their struggles, and decisions. I haven't read a book this good in a long time.
And Preston, he's so real! This isn't some modern literary insta-crush, but a really great developed romance.
I identified a lot with Maggie's struggles, and cheered on her fight for independence and success. Her father was a perfect villain. I identified with each character, especially Maggie's family. I'm so glad I didn't read the first book yet, because now I have another great book waiting for me.
I definitely recommend this book. Like the title says, it's magical. I happily give it five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Back to Everyday Magic, it was awesome. I really cared for the characters' lives, their struggles, and decisions. I haven't read a book this good in a long time.
And Preston, he's so real! This isn't some modern literary insta-crush, but a really great developed romance.
I identified a lot with Maggie's struggles, and cheered on her fight for independence and success. Her father was a perfect villain. I identified with each character, especially Maggie's family. I'm so glad I didn't read the first book yet, because now I have another great book waiting for me.
I definitely recommend this book. Like the title says, it's magical. I happily give it five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2017
I don't know why, but this book just brought me back to the atmosphere of reading books as a child (if that makes sense at all) and I felt innocent and naive again. Also, the book was heartwarming and a light read (although there are some not so light topics situated in the the novel) that I adored.
November 8, 2016
This book follows Maggie and her family as they move out to the Scottish Highlands for the summer. Maggie is close with her mother and brother, but her father is a big director and she is far from close from her father. We can tell right off the bat that Maggie's father rules the family and she is constantly walking on eggshells around him. Maggie really opens up throughout the book about the struggles that she has had in life.
The author did a great job setting up the scenes for the book and all of the little details. I felt like when I was reading I was able to picture where Maggie was going and what she was seeing. The author did a great job with details to help create a very vivid picture of what was going on.
I liked Maggie as the main character in the book. She is still very young with just entering college so some of the things that she does is not in the best judgement, but it matches with her being so young. I felt like Maggie had a very strong support system in place even if she didn't always see it that way. The story is told completely through Maggie's eyes and she really grew on me throughout the book. I did like that we got to see her fears and flaws as well as her successes it gave me a true picture of who she was as a character.
There are a few side characters in the book that I just couldn't stand like Ben Chambers. I felt like the author didn't really focus on him to much so I got a bad taste in my mouth from the small details that I knew about him.
The story is very cute to follow along with and the author does a great job keeping the reader entertained. I didn't see some of the stuff coming in the book so it was a great read!
Things I didn't love was the topic of abuse was brought up a lot during the book and I felt like it was handled well. I sort of felt like it was an after thought. I felt like we all knew what was going on and the author didn't want to make it to graphic because then it would have needed to be addressed further. This was the main reason I couldn't give this book a 5, although it is a very enjoyable read.
I would suggest this as a perfect nighttime read. The book was very easy to follow along with and I enjoyed reading about Maggie's life crisis. The book is pretty fast paced so it was very easy to take your mind off of everything.
I received a copy of this book from The Fantastic Flying Book Club for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not effect my opinion of this book.
The author did a great job setting up the scenes for the book and all of the little details. I felt like when I was reading I was able to picture where Maggie was going and what she was seeing. The author did a great job with details to help create a very vivid picture of what was going on.
I liked Maggie as the main character in the book. She is still very young with just entering college so some of the things that she does is not in the best judgement, but it matches with her being so young. I felt like Maggie had a very strong support system in place even if she didn't always see it that way. The story is told completely through Maggie's eyes and she really grew on me throughout the book. I did like that we got to see her fears and flaws as well as her successes it gave me a true picture of who she was as a character.
There are a few side characters in the book that I just couldn't stand like Ben Chambers. I felt like the author didn't really focus on him to much so I got a bad taste in my mouth from the small details that I knew about him.
The story is very cute to follow along with and the author does a great job keeping the reader entertained. I didn't see some of the stuff coming in the book so it was a great read!
Things I didn't love was the topic of abuse was brought up a lot during the book and I felt like it was handled well. I sort of felt like it was an after thought. I felt like we all knew what was going on and the author didn't want to make it to graphic because then it would have needed to be addressed further. This was the main reason I couldn't give this book a 5, although it is a very enjoyable read.
I would suggest this as a perfect nighttime read. The book was very easy to follow along with and I enjoyed reading about Maggie's life crisis. The book is pretty fast paced so it was very easy to take your mind off of everything.
I received a copy of this book from The Fantastic Flying Book Club for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not effect my opinion of this book.
January 13, 2019
Why did I read this even after straight up hating The Heir and the Spare?? Why?? This was, I think, technically a better book -- better written, a little more realistic (in some respects), better constructed -- but it was also somehow more boring and less engaging to me?? So it more or less evens out to two stars, but uh, YIKES, I still did not care for this at all. Maggie and Preston both felt like cardboard cutouts (even though we knew Preston from the prior book!!) with zero actual chemistry or connection, not to mention Maggie's insane amounts of talent for someone with no formal training and extreme youth? (Like, seriously, the book ends with her HAVING HER OWN FASHION LABEL AND HOLDING SHOWS WITH ROYALTY AND CELEBRITIES AT AGE 20? REALLY?? REALLY???) The parental abuse was so over the top, and most of the secondary characters just felt like filler fluff, and so many weird threads wound through it (ghost-hunting?? really??), and just... I am so done with this author, honestly. I'm not even going to bother reading the book that I was interested in from her, because it's just going to make me mad that she managed to ruin things I liked, ha. Extreme anti-rec.
March 12, 2017
this book is a series of rookie errors.
1. bringing up plot conflicts so early on when no one yet cares about the characters.
2 introducing love interest so early because ditto.
3.weak characterization, ex: stereotypes..
4. winking characters. (Andrew is a veritable chronic winker.)
5. Preston. he is an error because I don't like him. at the part when Ben says : "who cares, I'm Bi" I was thinking: dump Preston and take Ben! He's got some personality!
6. so happily ever after. so perfect and neat.
7. pacing was bad.
8. no suspense. if this was a real pink drama and boyfriend Hollywood famous actors book, main character would keep all her secrets until Preston found out the hard way and then gets mad, then she has to win him back. this book didn't even go with that cheesy, overused, painful plot line. hers didn't have anything to keep me reading because everyone was clued in with why she was doing what she was doing.
oh, and girl said she's dreadfully afraid of bugs on page, I don't know, 5, 6? on page 2 she's holding a ladybug. keep your facts straight.
1. bringing up plot conflicts so early on when no one yet cares about the characters.
2 introducing love interest so early because ditto.
3.weak characterization, ex: stereotypes..
4. winking characters. (Andrew is a veritable chronic winker.)
5. Preston. he is an error because I don't like him. at the part when Ben says : "who cares, I'm Bi" I was thinking: dump Preston and take Ben! He's got some personality!
6. so happily ever after. so perfect and neat.
7. pacing was bad.
8. no suspense. if this was a real pink drama and boyfriend Hollywood famous actors book, main character would keep all her secrets until Preston found out the hard way and then gets mad, then she has to win him back. this book didn't even go with that cheesy, overused, painful plot line. hers didn't have anything to keep me reading because everyone was clued in with why she was doing what she was doing.
oh, and girl said she's dreadfully afraid of bugs on page, I don't know, 5, 6? on page 2 she's holding a ladybug. keep your facts straight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2016
Emily is stuck under he thumb of her power hungry movie director father. He has her life planned and is not above blackmail to keep her inline. This is a well written and addicting read. It encompasses the movie industry and the fashion world. I enjoyed seeing Maggie and Preston overcoming obstacles and finding happiness.
September 22, 2019
Alright, I probably shouldn't have waited so long to read this. I still got the hints to book 1, though. So I guess it hadn't faded that much from my memory. This was cute, but a little predictable. Maggie's dad was a total jerk and I kind of wish she'd stood up to him sooner. The epilogue was great, though. I wish more contemporary novels had epilogues like that.
November 7, 2016
Much like the first book, Everyday Magic is a sweet, humorous romance with a bit of wisdom to bestow upon young potential lovers. I enjoyed this light-hearted look at two people trying to figure out who they are separately as well as together. If you're looking for actual magic though, look elsewhere as this is strictly in the real world. I like to unwind with an easy to read contemporary once in a while, and this book certainly fits that bill. Sometimes I get so bogged down with details in an epic fantasy or paranormal series, that it's nice to read something that focuses more on a couple of characters and their relationships of all stripes. There isn't as much need for world building and thus you can really draw your audience into the drama. This is also a clean read so you can feel good about your twelve year old niece getting ahold of it.
Thanks to the publisher and tour host for the review opportunity!
Thanks to the publisher and tour host for the review opportunity!
June 9, 2017
After reading the first book by this author, I couldn’t wait to sink into this story. I was not disappointed. I loved Preston from The Heir and the Spare, and I loved that he was in this book. Maggie was easy to understand and connect with. Her journey to get out from under her controlling abusive father. The relationship between Preston and Maggie was messy and fraught with complications but it was also sweet and charming. I loved that the characters from the Heir and the Spare made an appearance in this novel. I loved the author’s writing even more in this story. The family dynamics Maggie had to contend with and the relationships she built were wonderfully written. I couldn’t put this book down either. The ending was everything. It was sweet and to the point. The epilogue was perfection. It wrapped up the story so nicely. I didn’t feel like I was missing something when I closed the book.
July 7, 2020
Just as incredibly readable and terribly likable as the first in the series but with some meat on it. In the first one, the main problem was to be a duchess or not to be a duchess 🙄. But this one—with family trauma and drama felt much more relatable and also much less like brain candy. Super cute, but also a little more relevant.
If you read the first one, get this right away. And if you want to skip the first, you’ll still fully understand this one.
If you read the first one, get this right away. And if you want to skip the first, you’ll still fully understand this one.
March 9, 2017
I was a fan of Emily Albright's first book so I picked this one up with high hopes. While parts were predictable it was a fun light read. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Knowing it was a squeal but had different characters I was curious as to how she would make both books flow but the story line was very good.
October 17, 2017
I enjoyed this novel. It was a light YA Romance. It is very relatable to a young teen struggling with controlling parents. (Although most parents do not go to the extreme that Maggie's Dad did.) I recommend this read to anyone looking to pick up something not so complex. Although I wasn't amazed it was very fun to read!
April 21, 2020
I loved diving back into this world and was pleased to read Preston’s story. Preston was the one character that I had felt sorry for. Meeting Maggie McKendrick is life-changing for both of them. Maggie is trying to get out from underneath her father’s domineering control and become a fashion designer. We also get to delve into Preston’s life more. Of course, the road to true love never runs smooth. The only complaint that I have about this book was that the ending seemed a little far fetched. I did enjoy the appearances by Evie Gray from the first book.
June 16, 2017
Wonderful story told from a young woman striving to become an adult on her own.
This was a sweet romance that had an interesting plot and characters.
Thanks to Emily Albright and the Goodreads First Reads Program for an advanced copy of this book.
This was a sweet romance that had an interesting plot and characters.
Thanks to Emily Albright and the Goodreads First Reads Program for an advanced copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews