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Just Like Magic
From the author of Twice Shy comes a sprightly Christmas novel, a rollicking romp through the absurdity of family holidays and the hope of new love.Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury, flaunting a ridiculous collection of designer shoes and a stealthy addiction to CBD oils. That is, until her parents snipped her purse strings. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media. But the reality Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado, and her family has no idea.Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when a drunk Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” backwards and accidentally conjures Hall, an unexpectedly charming Holiday Spirit in the form of a man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé.But as the wiles of magic lose their charm, Bettie finds herself set off-kilter by Hall’s sweet gestures. Suddenly, Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways come back as soon as the holidays are over?
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
460 people are currently reading
29970 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hogle
9 books4,122 followersSarah Hogle is a mom of three who enjoys trashy TV and provoking her husband for attention. Her dream is to live in a falling-apart castle in a forest that is probably cursed. Her novels are You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, and Old Flames and New Fortunes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,861 reviews
June 13, 2024
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
this is a weird, wacky, bizarre sarah hogle release that probably won't be for most people...
but it is for me.
and that's all i care about.
that's the christmas spirit, right?
this book is SO WEIRD and at first i thought it would be my first sarah hogle hard pass...in fact i started it and then put it down for 7 months...but once i got past maybe 20%, i started enjoying it hugely.
i don't know what the hell is going on in sarah hogle's brain, but it's a magical place of sweet treats and christmas cheer and bizarre punchlines and an unreciprocated nemesis-ship with chip and joanna gaines and i love it. i want to live inside it.
in a normal way.
this book is sweet and weird and so, so lovely. it's funny and if you can make it past the start so charming and one of a kind.
what a dream.
bottom line: sarah hogle forever!
-----------------
tbr review
life is just the time between sarah hogle releases
this is a weird, wacky, bizarre sarah hogle release that probably won't be for most people...
but it is for me.
and that's all i care about.
that's the christmas spirit, right?
this book is SO WEIRD and at first i thought it would be my first sarah hogle hard pass...in fact i started it and then put it down for 7 months...but once i got past maybe 20%, i started enjoying it hugely.
i don't know what the hell is going on in sarah hogle's brain, but it's a magical place of sweet treats and christmas cheer and bizarre punchlines and an unreciprocated nemesis-ship with chip and joanna gaines and i love it. i want to live inside it.
in a normal way.
this book is sweet and weird and so, so lovely. it's funny and if you can make it past the start so charming and one of a kind.
what a dream.
bottom line: sarah hogle forever!
-----------------
tbr review
life is just the time between sarah hogle releases
March 6, 2023
… You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
… Holly Spirit HAL is comin' to your house!
If this book could be adapted into movie: I assure you: it would replace Die Hard as the best Christmas movie for me!
This is so entertaining, smart, sarcastic, unique fantasy giving you so much hope, lightening your mood like huge digital billboards of Time Square, making you laugh so hard till your stomach hurt and spitting out your drink!
I can sing “ I had the time of my life” all night long as I read this! ( actually I also ran towards my husband to lift me up but his arms were not strong enough to carry me: good news, it’s only sprained leg, no need to visit E. R.)
Hal is true magic of this book! ( he’s also Holiday Spirit embodied as a charming, cutest man you want to devour because he smells like cookies and his full name is Hal E. Day)
When Bettie Hughes hides in a death woman’s house after fall from the grace, heartbroken with her bankruptcy and tarnished reputation, penniless, hopeless, lost, she keeps her downfall secret from her family. Because her siblings are actually doing fine. She doesn’t want to be black sheep of the family( of course her three time divorced, four time married, struggling movie director brother Felix , having kids with weird and entertaining names might share that position with her)
So when she celebrates Thanksgiving alone, getting drunk, she decides to enjoy herself by playing Mariah Carey’s “ All I want is Christmas “ backwards ( honestly I also tried this at home but no magical entity appeared in my living room: but it gave me a great idea to listen entire songs of Ms. Carey backwards: they turn into magnificent rock ballads ! )
And then a handsome man with funny sweater appears in her living room insisting he’s Holiday Spirit in human form and he’s so adamant to bring her holiday spirit back by hanging with her throughout entire holiday season.
This means they should team up to join the Christmas celebration with Bettie’s big, unique, unconventional family and pretend like they’re fiancées!
As soon as they step in Bettie’s ex movie star grandma’s grotesque mansion, the laugh out loud fun starts out! Each family members is more unique, weird but also lovable!
A grandma who decorated her mansion’s garden with tombstones belongs to the characters she played and died in the movies. A joyful, mischievous grandpa who likes to put money in your pockets for buying pretzels or ice cream, a gold hearted mom who loves to cook so much, a father who wants to stuff cotton balls into his ears not to hear family members’ snarky comments, Athena: vindictive sister who loves to push people’s buttons as her husband Sean who truly scares of impregnate her again. , Kaia who sits with her guitar near you and each time somebody raises his/ her voice, she turns the quarrel into song lyrics, Felix is the grinch of the family who can do anything to attract the spotlight!
But their snarky comments start to cease. And their grumpy moods abruptly change because Hal is in DA HOUSE and he’s so adamant to bring back the holiday spirit of entire family. His kindness, his enthusiasm and his playful mood are contagious!
Bettie finds herself changing into more reliable, mature person. She’s not that spoiled brat anymore who finds her strength from her possessions and her social media followers! She even stops plotting revenge against the people who think ill about her! ( but nothing stops her using Hal’s magic to deliver a water buffalo to the reporter’s house who has tarnished her reputation)
But as she changes more, she also falls more for her lovely holiday spirit! How can she keep him forever? At each day she gets enchanted with the power of happiness which means Hal’s job is about to be done! Their attraction is palpable but their romance is doomed to fail when one of the parties is magical entity! Could they be together against all odds!
Overall: I laughed so hard! I enjoyed my reading time! I know there are so many exaggerated situations and family members are overdramatized but I considered this book as hilarious fantasy meets magical fairytale and I ignored those exaggerations, giving my five stars to thank to the author to lighten up my mood and give me hope by reminding me of sincerity and kindness are still pure magical elements of the life!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/ G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this magical digital copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
… Holly Spirit HAL is comin' to your house!
If this book could be adapted into movie: I assure you: it would replace Die Hard as the best Christmas movie for me!
This is so entertaining, smart, sarcastic, unique fantasy giving you so much hope, lightening your mood like huge digital billboards of Time Square, making you laugh so hard till your stomach hurt and spitting out your drink!
I can sing “ I had the time of my life” all night long as I read this! ( actually I also ran towards my husband to lift me up but his arms were not strong enough to carry me: good news, it’s only sprained leg, no need to visit E. R.)
Hal is true magic of this book! ( he’s also Holiday Spirit embodied as a charming, cutest man you want to devour because he smells like cookies and his full name is Hal E. Day)
When Bettie Hughes hides in a death woman’s house after fall from the grace, heartbroken with her bankruptcy and tarnished reputation, penniless, hopeless, lost, she keeps her downfall secret from her family. Because her siblings are actually doing fine. She doesn’t want to be black sheep of the family( of course her three time divorced, four time married, struggling movie director brother Felix , having kids with weird and entertaining names might share that position with her)
So when she celebrates Thanksgiving alone, getting drunk, she decides to enjoy herself by playing Mariah Carey’s “ All I want is Christmas “ backwards ( honestly I also tried this at home but no magical entity appeared in my living room: but it gave me a great idea to listen entire songs of Ms. Carey backwards: they turn into magnificent rock ballads ! )
And then a handsome man with funny sweater appears in her living room insisting he’s Holiday Spirit in human form and he’s so adamant to bring her holiday spirit back by hanging with her throughout entire holiday season.
This means they should team up to join the Christmas celebration with Bettie’s big, unique, unconventional family and pretend like they’re fiancées!
As soon as they step in Bettie’s ex movie star grandma’s grotesque mansion, the laugh out loud fun starts out! Each family members is more unique, weird but also lovable!
A grandma who decorated her mansion’s garden with tombstones belongs to the characters she played and died in the movies. A joyful, mischievous grandpa who likes to put money in your pockets for buying pretzels or ice cream, a gold hearted mom who loves to cook so much, a father who wants to stuff cotton balls into his ears not to hear family members’ snarky comments, Athena: vindictive sister who loves to push people’s buttons as her husband Sean who truly scares of impregnate her again. , Kaia who sits with her guitar near you and each time somebody raises his/ her voice, she turns the quarrel into song lyrics, Felix is the grinch of the family who can do anything to attract the spotlight!
But their snarky comments start to cease. And their grumpy moods abruptly change because Hal is in DA HOUSE and he’s so adamant to bring back the holiday spirit of entire family. His kindness, his enthusiasm and his playful mood are contagious!
Bettie finds herself changing into more reliable, mature person. She’s not that spoiled brat anymore who finds her strength from her possessions and her social media followers! She even stops plotting revenge against the people who think ill about her! ( but nothing stops her using Hal’s magic to deliver a water buffalo to the reporter’s house who has tarnished her reputation)
But as she changes more, she also falls more for her lovely holiday spirit! How can she keep him forever? At each day she gets enchanted with the power of happiness which means Hal’s job is about to be done! Their attraction is palpable but their romance is doomed to fail when one of the parties is magical entity! Could they be together against all odds!
Overall: I laughed so hard! I enjoyed my reading time! I know there are so many exaggerated situations and family members are overdramatized but I considered this book as hilarious fantasy meets magical fairytale and I ignored those exaggerations, giving my five stars to thank to the author to lighten up my mood and give me hope by reminding me of sincerity and kindness are still pure magical elements of the life!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/ G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this magical digital copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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January 2, 2023I read this in this reading vlog!
I wasn't sure about this one at first but once I got into it, boy did I ever get into it. I ended up absolutely LOVING this one. This is the perfect festive holiday read. It's a little over the top but once you kind of give yourself over to that, it's such a good time. Hall was the sweetest cinnamon roll and I just loved him. This had me laughing out loud many times, it was so fun and quirky (in the best way). This is definitely a book that is festive through and through so I'd say you might not want to read it other times of the year, unless you're wanting some holiday fun in July or whatever! But definitely add it to your next holiday reading list if you're as Christmas obsessed as me and love a fun, festive romance!
I wasn't sure about this one at first but once I got into it, boy did I ever get into it. I ended up absolutely LOVING this one. This is the perfect festive holiday read. It's a little over the top but once you kind of give yourself over to that, it's such a good time. Hall was the sweetest cinnamon roll and I just loved him. This had me laughing out loud many times, it was so fun and quirky (in the best way). This is definitely a book that is festive through and through so I'd say you might not want to read it other times of the year, unless you're wanting some holiday fun in July or whatever! But definitely add it to your next holiday reading list if you're as Christmas obsessed as me and love a fun, festive romance!
September 19, 2022
i avoid holiday books like the plague, especially christmas ones. to me, they are the cheesiest stories out there (i blame hallmark). but its sarah hogle… so of course i had to give this a chance.
and, unfortunately, this is exactly as cringey as i was worried it would be. holiday stories and i dont work well together in general, but this one is particularly farfetched. i understand that its a work of fiction, but i need characters to at least behave like real people. and they are just way too over the top ridiculous for me.
readers who really love the christmas/holiday spirit (and i mean really love it because its not subtle) will definitely enjoy this much more than i did, because it does have a cute message!
thanks penguin/g.p. putnams sons for ARC!
↠ 2.5 stars
and, unfortunately, this is exactly as cringey as i was worried it would be. holiday stories and i dont work well together in general, but this one is particularly farfetched. i understand that its a work of fiction, but i need characters to at least behave like real people. and they are just way too over the top ridiculous for me.
readers who really love the christmas/holiday spirit (and i mean really love it because its not subtle) will definitely enjoy this much more than i did, because it does have a cute message!
thanks penguin/g.p. putnams sons for ARC!
↠ 2.5 stars
November 21, 2023
This was absolutely unhinged, but also a lot of fun. RTC
September 25, 2022
It’s that time of year again where the holiday season kicks off, which for many people includes the one thing they either look forward to or dread the most: family visits.
Families are a gift, but let’s face it - not everyone has a smiling, happy, Hallmark movie-ready family. Sometimes families are a little more … complicated.
Meet Bettie Hughes, a once popular, self-involved twenty-four-year old social media influencer, who’s lost all her money and most of her fans after reckless spending and a breakup with a popular singer. Now she’s a bit of a pariah and secretly broke and squatting in a tiny Colorado home just down the mountain from her grandfather and namesake famous grandmother, Bettie Watson.
She’s been telling her family and her few remaining supporters that she’s living the successful, good life in a Hawaiian villa - a story she’s backed up with Photoshopped pictures, and one she’s used repeatedly to excuse herself from family gatherings with her legitimately uber-successful siblings, but this time she’s run out of excuses and has to join her deeply dysfunctional family for Christmas at her grandparents’ house up the mountain.
After a drunken night preceding her family visit that includes accidentally playing Mariah Carey’s hit song, All I Want for Christmas, backwards on a turntable … just go with it … a very unexpected thing happens, which introduces the ever-so-delightful: Hall E. Day
Hall - short for Holiday - is a boundlessly energetic, sweetly innocent, endlessly joyful holiday spirit who has a thing or two to teach Bettie and the entire Hughes-Watson clan about appreciating what’s right in front of them and the magic in every day, but first he’s got to melt that cold heart of Bettie’s and win over her family. Posing as Bettie’s fiance, his efforts to infuse the holiday spirit into this bickering, grumpy bunch are hilarious and heartwarming, and kept the giggles and smiles coming, and the dynamic between he and Bettie stole my heart! His comical magic conjuring alone is worth the read.
Those of us who’ve seen the movie, Elf, will likely find comparisons to make between Buddy and Hall’s personalities and outlooks, which I didn’t mind because I love that movie! Unlike Buddy, he’s not nearly as hyper, and he’s not obsessed with Santa, though Hallmark actress Lacey Chabert is another story …
If you can get past Bettie’s unlikable personality in the initial part of the book, you’ll find a quirky, fun, genuinely sweet story with a surprising amount of emotional substance. I would LOVE to see this movie on the big screen, with all of Hogle’s holiday imagination brought to life. It’s such an immersive book that even the Grinchiest heart will feel the icicles melting, and as an added bonus, you MAY even appreciate your family a little bit more!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam, NetGalley and author Sarah Hogle for the opportunity to honestly review this digital ARC. This will be published on October 4, 2021.
Families are a gift, but let’s face it - not everyone has a smiling, happy, Hallmark movie-ready family. Sometimes families are a little more … complicated.
Meet Bettie Hughes, a once popular, self-involved twenty-four-year old social media influencer, who’s lost all her money and most of her fans after reckless spending and a breakup with a popular singer. Now she’s a bit of a pariah and secretly broke and squatting in a tiny Colorado home just down the mountain from her grandfather and namesake famous grandmother, Bettie Watson.
She’s been telling her family and her few remaining supporters that she’s living the successful, good life in a Hawaiian villa - a story she’s backed up with Photoshopped pictures, and one she’s used repeatedly to excuse herself from family gatherings with her legitimately uber-successful siblings, but this time she’s run out of excuses and has to join her deeply dysfunctional family for Christmas at her grandparents’ house up the mountain.
After a drunken night preceding her family visit that includes accidentally playing Mariah Carey’s hit song, All I Want for Christmas, backwards on a turntable … just go with it … a very unexpected thing happens, which introduces the ever-so-delightful: Hall E. Day
Hall - short for Holiday - is a boundlessly energetic, sweetly innocent, endlessly joyful holiday spirit who has a thing or two to teach Bettie and the entire Hughes-Watson clan about appreciating what’s right in front of them and the magic in every day, but first he’s got to melt that cold heart of Bettie’s and win over her family. Posing as Bettie’s fiance, his efforts to infuse the holiday spirit into this bickering, grumpy bunch are hilarious and heartwarming, and kept the giggles and smiles coming, and the dynamic between he and Bettie stole my heart! His comical magic conjuring alone is worth the read.
Those of us who’ve seen the movie, Elf, will likely find comparisons to make between Buddy and Hall’s personalities and outlooks, which I didn’t mind because I love that movie! Unlike Buddy, he’s not nearly as hyper, and he’s not obsessed with Santa, though Hallmark actress Lacey Chabert is another story …
If you can get past Bettie’s unlikable personality in the initial part of the book, you’ll find a quirky, fun, genuinely sweet story with a surprising amount of emotional substance. I would LOVE to see this movie on the big screen, with all of Hogle’s holiday imagination brought to life. It’s such an immersive book that even the Grinchiest heart will feel the icicles melting, and as an added bonus, you MAY even appreciate your family a little bit more!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam, NetGalley and author Sarah Hogle for the opportunity to honestly review this digital ARC. This will be published on October 4, 2021.
December 23, 2025
this is THE best christmas book i have ever read. if you know me, i will read anything by sarah hogle. and it is such a morbid plight—embarrassing, almost—that this woman can essentially get me (an avid romance-book hater) to fold over anyone and anything. i got giddy over a holiday spirit. i lamented the fact that this spirit/man felt so endearing yet somehow not too cringe, and that i will never find a guy like this, or that sweet, sort-of-cliché-but-not-saccharine relationship betty and hall seem to foster. i had to put the book down a few times just to sit with myself. i am being so serious when i say sarah hogle could put me into paroxysms over an apple if she wrote a romance novel using nothing but her grocery list. i know. the realization nearly rendered me extinct with horror.
yes, this book is a little hallmark-y—but not in the soulless, aggressively cheerful way that typically deters me. THIS IS CAMP. it is unhinged in a way that works. sarah hogle’s voice is so distinctive to me—warm, genuinely funny, and conversational without crossing into that overly quirky, try-hard, eyeroll-inducing territory that so many contemporary romances fall into.
her female main characters are also deeply flawed—much to people's distaste most of the time, but frankly, that’s where she gets me. betty doesn't want people to get too close. she's cynical, jaded, sharp-edged, and harbours an ineffable hatred toward performative male manipulators. she spirals. she ruminates. she lets vindictive thoughts fester until they’re almost self-destructive and hinder growth. and i saw myself in her immediately.
and THE ATMOSPHEREEE. i could harp on about it forever. it's so whimsical and magical, yet so whack and full of madness—which may veer you away at first, but trust me, it gets much better after the 15–20% mark. mere words cannot describe how immersive and tender her books are while still being silly, and i would give anything to experience christmas and all its festivities, eat the food, and exist in the world as it appears in this book. i felt nostalgic for things i’ve never experienced. I FELT LIKE I WANTED TO FALL IN LOVE TOO. shoot me.
sarah hogle seriously needs to write another book before i go livid. and i should also take a break from romance for a bit.
-
IT’S TIIIIIMEEEEEE (again)!! i have copious tasks to do for school but i need a break, and i’m convinced that right now there is no better way than to briefly escape with a sarah hogle book. i also need to update my old review. i need saving
-
IT’S TIME!! sarah hogle actually puts drugs in her books, because nothing can compare to the ecstasy i receive reading a sarah hogle book. YDEO and twice shy are my favourite romance books of all time, and nothing will ever compare. hence, i will read anything by sarah hogle. A CHRISTMAS BOOK BY SARAH HOGLE THOUGH? i was actually like sign me up asap. this book was so fun and cute! very chaotic and crazy, but also immensely magical, very cozy and comforting, and very funny, as always. it gets better after like 10-15% mark, like i thought i wouldn’t like this book initially but it got so much better and now i love it. i want to live in this book so bad. this is definitely my new favourite christmas book, and i will be rereading to feel the magic. the treats, the settings, the decorations, the family, the activities, just most of the scenes in general were actually everything. ugh. i’d sell my limbs to experience christmas like it is in this book.
yes, this book is a little hallmark-y—but not in the soulless, aggressively cheerful way that typically deters me. THIS IS CAMP. it is unhinged in a way that works. sarah hogle’s voice is so distinctive to me—warm, genuinely funny, and conversational without crossing into that overly quirky, try-hard, eyeroll-inducing territory that so many contemporary romances fall into.
her female main characters are also deeply flawed—much to people's distaste most of the time, but frankly, that’s where she gets me. betty doesn't want people to get too close. she's cynical, jaded, sharp-edged, and harbours an ineffable hatred toward performative male manipulators. she spirals. she ruminates. she lets vindictive thoughts fester until they’re almost self-destructive and hinder growth. and i saw myself in her immediately.
and THE ATMOSPHEREEE. i could harp on about it forever. it's so whimsical and magical, yet so whack and full of madness—which may veer you away at first, but trust me, it gets much better after the 15–20% mark. mere words cannot describe how immersive and tender her books are while still being silly, and i would give anything to experience christmas and all its festivities, eat the food, and exist in the world as it appears in this book. i felt nostalgic for things i’ve never experienced. I FELT LIKE I WANTED TO FALL IN LOVE TOO. shoot me.
sarah hogle seriously needs to write another book before i go livid. and i should also take a break from romance for a bit.
-
IT’S TIIIIIMEEEEEE (again)!! i have copious tasks to do for school but i need a break, and i’m convinced that right now there is no better way than to briefly escape with a sarah hogle book. i also need to update my old review. i need saving
-
IT’S TIME!! sarah hogle actually puts drugs in her books, because nothing can compare to the ecstasy i receive reading a sarah hogle book. YDEO and twice shy are my favourite romance books of all time, and nothing will ever compare. hence, i will read anything by sarah hogle. A CHRISTMAS BOOK BY SARAH HOGLE THOUGH? i was actually like sign me up asap. this book was so fun and cute! very chaotic and crazy, but also immensely magical, very cozy and comforting, and very funny, as always. it gets better after like 10-15% mark, like i thought i wouldn’t like this book initially but it got so much better and now i love it. i want to live in this book so bad. this is definitely my new favourite christmas book, and i will be rereading to feel the magic. the treats, the settings, the decorations, the family, the activities, just most of the scenes in general were actually everything. ugh. i’d sell my limbs to experience christmas like it is in this book.
December 26, 2022
well, that was a lie.
i don't really know what i was thinking (i do actually, but i needed a way to start this sentence so). not only do i hate christmas romances. i hate christmas. full stop.
actually, i hate the entire month of december. the only thing worse than christmas is new year's eve. who made those two be in the same week? i take it as a personal attack against me and my already unstable mental health.
what i did think that i liked though, was books written by Sarah Hogle. I read You Deserve Each Other six times (yes, get me help, please) and Twice Shy twice. And i loved both of them.
so naturally i pre-ordered this because surely, SURELY, there's no way i could hate it, right?
dear reader, i fucking despise it. i hate everything about it. the way it's written. both main characters. the entire supporting cast. the entire plot.
Bettie SUCKS. her family SUCKS. Hall is so fucking boring. i could not care less about their romance. i am dnf'ing right after their first kiss (which i remember nothing about lol) because i do not care. do they get together? is there a third act break up? do they all get eaten by bears (god, i wish)? we (mostly and most importantly i) will never find out.
TL;DR: does anyone want my physical copy. i wrote "i want them all dead" in the margins once somewhere. dnf on page 189.
Read
December 29, 2025soft dnf-ing this one for now because it sadly put me into a slump because of how i couldn’t connect to the characters :’( i’ll get back to it tho!
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pre-read:
christmas book #10!! and also my 100th book, y’all! i exceeded my reading goal this year and i’m so happy that i’ll end it with a holiday-themed book 🙂↕️✨🫶🏼
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pre-read:
christmas book #10!! and also my 100th book, y’all! i exceeded my reading goal this year and i’m so happy that i’ll end it with a holiday-themed book 🙂↕️✨🫶🏼
December 30, 2022
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3.5 Stars
“He gives his harness bells a shake, to ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep of easy wind and downy flake.” - Robert Frost
Like the title suggests this book was pure Christmas magic and very much like a Hallmark Christmas movie, which usually isn't my thing, but Sarah Hogle did something here that I very much enjoyed. What I have noticed a lot of lately are stories of characters with (a fake) happy social media life but real life is actually a suck fest. It really is the case a lot of the time.
I found it funny when Bettie wanted to restart her entrance over and over again, with her wild wishes getting more and more outrageous as she goes along. That was the best part of the book for me. Hall has a childlike innocence that I found very sweet. I loved these characters so much but especially Hall he was over the top and very cheesy! Bettie, it took a minute for her to grow on me but over the course of the book, her heart grew three sizes. I guess the old saying that opposites attract is the point of this plot.
This book was a combination of the movie Elf (Hall) and the TV show The Grinch (Bettie) Who Stole Christmas. I loved all the old movie references as I am a lover of classic film myself. Cary Grant being my favourite actor of all time and he gets his due in this book.
This book surprised me in all the best ways but especially by how emotional it got and gave me all the feels. Three and a half stars rounded up.
This title is currently available for purchase.
3.5 Stars
“He gives his harness bells a shake, to ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep of easy wind and downy flake.” - Robert Frost
Like the title suggests this book was pure Christmas magic and very much like a Hallmark Christmas movie, which usually isn't my thing, but Sarah Hogle did something here that I very much enjoyed. What I have noticed a lot of lately are stories of characters with (a fake) happy social media life but real life is actually a suck fest. It really is the case a lot of the time.
I found it funny when Bettie wanted to restart her entrance over and over again, with her wild wishes getting more and more outrageous as she goes along. That was the best part of the book for me. Hall has a childlike innocence that I found very sweet. I loved these characters so much but especially Hall he was over the top and very cheesy! Bettie, it took a minute for her to grow on me but over the course of the book, her heart grew three sizes. I guess the old saying that opposites attract is the point of this plot.
This book was a combination of the movie Elf (Hall) and the TV show The Grinch (Bettie) Who Stole Christmas. I loved all the old movie references as I am a lover of classic film myself. Cary Grant being my favourite actor of all time and he gets his due in this book.
This book surprised me in all the best ways but especially by how emotional it got and gave me all the feels. Three and a half stars rounded up.
This title is currently available for purchase.
October 5, 2022
This is a quirky, odd story, but very endearing overall. Just a reminder--3 stars means it was a decent story. Will I remember much about it a year from now? Probably not, but it was entertaining for me right now.
This is the story of Bettie Hughes, whose life as a social media influencer has fallen apart and she is broke and directionless. She is expected to endure the holidays with her wealthy and famous family, but everyone is always at each other's throats. After drinking a couple of bottles of wine, Bettie accidentally plays Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" backwards and summons Hall, the Holiday Spirit who can grant Bettie's wishes in order to help her have more holiday spirit herself. However, those wishes sometimes backfire--occasionally on purpose--and Bettie has to learn to get along with her family and those around her.
I found parts of this book to be so funny, and others to just be absurd. Bettie and her family are basically caricatures, and Hall reminded me a LOT of Buddy the Elf (sometimes even making my eyes roll at what seemed like either a blatant copy or a thinly veiled homage). There are some weird parts that could have easily been removed and the book would have been better for it (the duel was just...strange)
It took me a long time to start liking Bettie. She is self-centered and a mean diva, bent on revenge on everyone she feels slighted her on social media and in person. After a couple of revenge scenarios it started getting really old and I was so thankful when she started making changes but it was a long time coming. In the end, I really loved how things came together and loved to see the growth of all of the characters. I couldn't piece together in my mind how this book could have a happy ending, but it definitely does.
The book is over the top and silly, but overall it's a fun, sweet holiday tale sure to bring a few smiles to your face.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is the story of Bettie Hughes, whose life as a social media influencer has fallen apart and she is broke and directionless. She is expected to endure the holidays with her wealthy and famous family, but everyone is always at each other's throats. After drinking a couple of bottles of wine, Bettie accidentally plays Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" backwards and summons Hall, the Holiday Spirit who can grant Bettie's wishes in order to help her have more holiday spirit herself. However, those wishes sometimes backfire--occasionally on purpose--and Bettie has to learn to get along with her family and those around her.
I found parts of this book to be so funny, and others to just be absurd. Bettie and her family are basically caricatures, and Hall reminded me a LOT of Buddy the Elf (sometimes even making my eyes roll at what seemed like either a blatant copy or a thinly veiled homage). There are some weird parts that could have easily been removed and the book would have been better for it (the duel was just...strange)
It took me a long time to start liking Bettie. She is self-centered and a mean diva, bent on revenge on everyone she feels slighted her on social media and in person. After a couple of revenge scenarios it started getting really old and I was so thankful when she started making changes but it was a long time coming. In the end, I really loved how things came together and loved to see the growth of all of the characters. I couldn't piece together in my mind how this book could have a happy ending, but it definitely does.
The book is over the top and silly, but overall it's a fun, sweet holiday tale sure to bring a few smiles to your face.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 24, 2022
5 stars
Sarah Hogle's Just Like Magic is hilarious, outlandish, truly magical, and such a good time. I can't remember the last time I smiled so much while reading. You do have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but it's perfectly odd in the best way.
Grumpy sunshine is my favorite troupe and Hall was truly the brightest ray of sunshine. Bettie started out as someone selfish and a bit on the grumpy side, but just being near Hall and falling for him changed her. He's the kind of person that rubs off on you. It's a feel good story and so romantic. After I finished reading this all I could think was that it would make the most fantastic Christmas film. I can't wait for it to release because I have plans to buy the audiobook and listen around Christmas.
I'm going to be honest with you here, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I first started it. As a matter of fact, I was pretty concerned the first 20-30% about it because Bettie can be insufferable and it was out there, but I'm so so glad I hung in there. A book that left me this happy after reading, well, I can't give it anything less than 5 stars. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't have loved this one more.
Sarah Hogle is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. All three of her books are so uniquely hers and all three have been 5 star favorites. I don't want to talk too much about the story because it's one you need to read for yourself! This book is a must read!
"Crushing has hit me with a vengeance... But it seems that out of all possible personalities, my favorite type is you."
Sarah Hogle's Just Like Magic is hilarious, outlandish, truly magical, and such a good time. I can't remember the last time I smiled so much while reading. You do have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but it's perfectly odd in the best way.
Grumpy sunshine is my favorite troupe and Hall was truly the brightest ray of sunshine. Bettie started out as someone selfish and a bit on the grumpy side, but just being near Hall and falling for him changed her. He's the kind of person that rubs off on you. It's a feel good story and so romantic. After I finished reading this all I could think was that it would make the most fantastic Christmas film. I can't wait for it to release because I have plans to buy the audiobook and listen around Christmas.
I'm going to be honest with you here, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I first started it. As a matter of fact, I was pretty concerned the first 20-30% about it because Bettie can be insufferable and it was out there, but I'm so so glad I hung in there. A book that left me this happy after reading, well, I can't give it anything less than 5 stars. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't have loved this one more.
Sarah Hogle is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. All three of her books are so uniquely hers and all three have been 5 star favorites. I don't want to talk too much about the story because it's one you need to read for yourself! This book is a must read!
"You are everything, Hall."
October 9, 2022
All I want for Christmas is you. 🎄 Want a holiday romcom with some magic? This could be the book for you. Bettie is a social influencer who's happiness meter is tanking. She's dropped to a 1.5 and Christmas is just weeks away. How will she be ready to deal with her ubersuccessful extended family? Then a wine/LP reaction brings Hall (Holiday) into her home. Think Buddy the Elf + Clarence the angel with a dash of Diesel from the Stephanie Plum series. This guy is drop dead handsome and an eternal optimist. He is up to the task of bringing up that happiness rating for Bettie. And he is pure magic. Wish Hall could come decorate my house for the holidays. What follows is at times frustrating. Bettie has a number of grudges and utilizes Hall's skills to get revenge. Some are hilarious like the Dancing With the Stars scene. It gets old pretty quickly. Thankfully Hall is also adept at channeling Bettie's energies. He makes a pretty good therapist, too. There were so many times I laughed out loud while reading this one. Sarah Hogle finishes strong with the best of humor. What was missing was a glimpse of the true reason for Christmas. Hogle is very clear that this is a secular holiday book. For me that was disappointing and thus a four star rating. Still an entertaining read.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2023
"ELF meets ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, plus the movie Airplane!"
JUST TAKE MY MONEY
----
my reviews of other Sarah Hogle titles:
You Deserve Each Other
Twice Shy
JUST TAKE MY MONEY
----
my reviews of other Sarah Hogle titles:
You Deserve Each Other
Twice Shy
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December 21, 2025
⤿ 🧣ⵌ┆4.25 stars ୭
゛ ⸝⸝ mini review
ⵌ┆thoughts ୭
I seriously have nothing bad to say about this book! Which is very unusual for me since I always have complaints, but I guess this book was too adorable to earn any dislike from me. This was such a magical Christmas read. I remember going to bed with this book in hand and waking up the next morning, having finished it. The pacing of this book 🤝 the magical Christmas atmosphere. It was all written perfectly.
Of course, this is a comedy, so beware of some cringey scenes- it was definitely a silly book, but I wouldn't say it had me dying from laughter or cackling. Those are the only negative things I have to say, and those aren't even that bad. Now on to some more positive things: I absolutely loved the sweet and cute MMC we were provided with in this book. It was so refreshing to read one after reading so many "morally gray, voice like sin, brooding" mmcs. Our fmc was flawed and spoiled, but the thing is, I didn't hate her at all! Her character development was amazingly written, and the opposites-attract relationship between Bettie (fmc) and Hall (mmc) made this book incredibly entertaining.
Overall, this is the perfect rom-com Christmas book to read if you’re in dire need of something, quick, cute, and simple to read.
゛ ⸝⸝ mini review
“You’re a powerful woman, Bettie Hughes.” His lips twist. “When you kissed me, I legitimately think it rewrote my DNA. And ever since, I’ve been dying to kiss you again.”
ⵌ┆thoughts ୭
I seriously have nothing bad to say about this book! Which is very unusual for me since I always have complaints, but I guess this book was too adorable to earn any dislike from me. This was such a magical Christmas read. I remember going to bed with this book in hand and waking up the next morning, having finished it. The pacing of this book 🤝 the magical Christmas atmosphere. It was all written perfectly.
Of course, this is a comedy, so beware of some cringey scenes- it was definitely a silly book, but I wouldn't say it had me dying from laughter or cackling. Those are the only negative things I have to say, and those aren't even that bad. Now on to some more positive things: I absolutely loved the sweet and cute MMC we were provided with in this book. It was so refreshing to read one after reading so many "morally gray, voice like sin, brooding" mmcs. Our fmc was flawed and spoiled, but the thing is, I didn't hate her at all! Her character development was amazingly written, and the opposites-attract relationship between Bettie (fmc) and Hall (mmc) made this book incredibly entertaining.
Overall, this is the perfect rom-com Christmas book to read if you’re in dire need of something, quick, cute, and simple to read.
September 28, 2022
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you - Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff
The Holidays are a magical time of the year. It's a time for connection, for being with family, for honoring traditions, and to share moments with others. Bettie Hughes is not looking forward to the holidays. Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado. She has fallen from grace as a jet setting influencer who boasts a glamorous life on social media. No one knows just how bad things are for Bettie. She is hiding out and keeping a low profile. After a drunken night, she spills some wine, someone how plays vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and *poof* there is Hal! Hal is a very happy, very excited and very magical Holiday Spirit! He is there to make her Holiday wishes come true!
Cute, cute, cute!
If you are looking for a light, holiday read with a message, look no further! This one left me smiling and singing along with Mariah Carey. Hal is absolutely adorable, and Bettie's family is a unique yet fun bunch. Plus, the magic! It brings about change and we see some massive change in Bettie as the book progresses.
What a great change of pace! This is a perfect read for the Holidays.
#JustLikeMagic #NetGalley
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you - Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff
The Holidays are a magical time of the year. It's a time for connection, for being with family, for honoring traditions, and to share moments with others. Bettie Hughes is not looking forward to the holidays. Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado. She has fallen from grace as a jet setting influencer who boasts a glamorous life on social media. No one knows just how bad things are for Bettie. She is hiding out and keeping a low profile. After a drunken night, she spills some wine, someone how plays vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and *poof* there is Hal! Hal is a very happy, very excited and very magical Holiday Spirit! He is there to make her Holiday wishes come true!
Cute, cute, cute!
If you are looking for a light, holiday read with a message, look no further! This one left me smiling and singing along with Mariah Carey. Hal is absolutely adorable, and Bettie's family is a unique yet fun bunch. Plus, the magic! It brings about change and we see some massive change in Bettie as the book progresses.
What a great change of pace! This is a perfect read for the Holidays.
#JustLikeMagic #NetGalley
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
December 24, 2022
this is already my favorite book of 2022. sarah hogle never misses. i feel like i can’t do justice to this book in a review. nothing compares to reading it- sarah’s writing is quite literally an experience. it’s just like magic fr
October 3, 2022
Not only am I reading an October ARC in March but this is also a Christmas-themed story. But hey, figured I'm closer to the holidays at this stage in the game than I would be if I read this before release. So, pfft.
When I tell you that I was laughing, gigging, cackling, and then crying, weeping, sniffling all within the span of a few pages.. well, I mean, no one would be surprised. But also please note the hilarity portion of the book does outweigh the sad by about 80/20. I spent a lot of time laughing. And oh man did I need this book exactly right now. Thank you, timing. For once you are in my favour.
Hogle's sophomore release took a break from offering us a harder kid of heroine to like, or maybe just a messier one, but she's back and with her is Bettie. Bettie has gone from having it all, and (mostly) being it all, to rock bottom. She's penniless, her reputation more or less in tatters from various situations, and squatting in a house that is now her own but still trying to maintain her social media image and convince her parents nothing is wrong. When a freak accident conjures the Holiday Spirit, manifesting him in a delightful human form capable of granting wishes for the purpose of improving her outlook on the holidays, well.. she takes advantage and cashes in; both in material goods and revenge. But the harder Hall (as in Holiday) tries to woo her towards good cheer, the harder it is to resist her better nature. And Christmas.
Listen, this book.. is totally outrageous. It's ridiculous. In all the best ways. This has a full cast of colourful characters in the form of Bettie's family and the hijinks that ensue are just amazing. But there are so many sly little emotional moments that Hogle includes that keeps this from getting too out there. And then there are the moments where she doesn't pull punches and actually breaks your heart. See aforementioned weeping.
I loved every second of this and, much like the two Hogles that came before it, I immediately wanted to start it up all over again. I had such a good time and though I'm not one for Hallmark movies or Christmas stories or anything of this nature, if they were all like this? I'd eat them up. This is everything holiday but also, somehow, does not feel like you're being smothered in tinsel. For all that Bettie is literally hanging out with the physical manifestation of the Holiday Spirit, and there's magic being flung here there and everywhere in every possible conceivable way, it's also.. bizarrely normal? Like, this doesn't feel like a fantasy but it is, of course, fantastical AF. I don't know how she managed the balance and maybe others could argue otherwise but I just loved it. It's silly and fun and romantic and sweet and touching and.. why haven't I given this five stars? I probably should. Okay, we're rounding that 4.5 up.
It's an act of courage to march to the beat of your own drum, to behave with compassion and generosity, and wonder.
So far this author has given us books with top notes of : biting and sharp, tender and sweet, and now absolutely bonkers -- with a dash of peppermint. I truly don't know where Hogle will go, and do, next, but I am in it and I want it.
ps, if anyone comes for Hall (and it's sorta weird saying this because I read this whole book hearing my own name in my head), I will come for you. He must be protected at all costs.
pps, I deleted all but one quote from the review because honestly they deserve to be experienced for the first time in context. But just know you have much hilarity and much sweetness and much silliness (as discussed in the review, I'm just hammering it home) to look forward to.
pps, you're welcome.
4.5 stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
When I tell you that I was laughing, gigging, cackling, and then crying, weeping, sniffling all within the span of a few pages.. well, I mean, no one would be surprised. But also please note the hilarity portion of the book does outweigh the sad by about 80/20. I spent a lot of time laughing. And oh man did I need this book exactly right now. Thank you, timing. For once you are in my favour.
Hogle's sophomore release took a break from offering us a harder kid of heroine to like, or maybe just a messier one, but she's back and with her is Bettie. Bettie has gone from having it all, and (mostly) being it all, to rock bottom. She's penniless, her reputation more or less in tatters from various situations, and squatting in a house that is now her own but still trying to maintain her social media image and convince her parents nothing is wrong. When a freak accident conjures the Holiday Spirit, manifesting him in a delightful human form capable of granting wishes for the purpose of improving her outlook on the holidays, well.. she takes advantage and cashes in; both in material goods and revenge. But the harder Hall (as in Holiday) tries to woo her towards good cheer, the harder it is to resist her better nature. And Christmas.
Listen, this book.. is totally outrageous. It's ridiculous. In all the best ways. This has a full cast of colourful characters in the form of Bettie's family and the hijinks that ensue are just amazing. But there are so many sly little emotional moments that Hogle includes that keeps this from getting too out there. And then there are the moments where she doesn't pull punches and actually breaks your heart. See aforementioned weeping.
I loved every second of this and, much like the two Hogles that came before it, I immediately wanted to start it up all over again. I had such a good time and though I'm not one for Hallmark movies or Christmas stories or anything of this nature, if they were all like this? I'd eat them up. This is everything holiday but also, somehow, does not feel like you're being smothered in tinsel. For all that Bettie is literally hanging out with the physical manifestation of the Holiday Spirit, and there's magic being flung here there and everywhere in every possible conceivable way, it's also.. bizarrely normal? Like, this doesn't feel like a fantasy but it is, of course, fantastical AF. I don't know how she managed the balance and maybe others could argue otherwise but I just loved it. It's silly and fun and romantic and sweet and touching and.. why haven't I given this five stars? I probably should. Okay, we're rounding that 4.5 up.
It's an act of courage to march to the beat of your own drum, to behave with compassion and generosity, and wonder.
So far this author has given us books with top notes of : biting and sharp, tender and sweet, and now absolutely bonkers -- with a dash of peppermint. I truly don't know where Hogle will go, and do, next, but I am in it and I want it.
ps, if anyone comes for Hall (and it's sorta weird saying this because I read this whole book hearing my own name in my head), I will come for you. He must be protected at all costs.
pps, I deleted all but one quote from the review because honestly they deserve to be experienced for the first time in context. But just know you have much hilarity and much sweetness and much silliness (as discussed in the review, I'm just hammering it home) to look forward to.
pps, you're welcome.
4.5 stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
October 21, 2022
I have a confession: I don’t like Christmas. I don’t passionately hate it, but if it ceased to exist, I’d be absolutely fine. Basically, I’m a low key grinch. Anyway, this results in me largely avoiding Christmas books because the cheesy warm and fuzzy nostalgic elements don’t appeal. (If Hall was reading this review, he would be recoiling in horror).
BUT when Sarah Hogle writes something, I am going to read it. Even if this book was written about national lemonade day instead (which is real, btw). So this might be an early Christmas miracle, but I really liked this book! Not as good as the other two IMO, but an entertaining read. Trademark SH humor, slightly immature and petty but somehow endearing protagonist, lovable and offbeat love interest. This is definitely similar to Elf but with even more magic. If you like Christmas books, I’d recommend this one. It is definitely a slow burn/extremely wholesome romance, so if you want a steamy read then this isn’t for you. And it makes no attempts to feel plausible. What can you expect from a holiday spirit coming to life and granting wishes? It’s whimsical and you need to believe in the magical spirit of Christmas. Or something. Idk, this scrooge is not the ideal reader probably. Anyway, very cute and I’m glad this is the book that completed my reading challenge! 🥳
BUT when Sarah Hogle writes something, I am going to read it. Even if this book was written about national lemonade day instead (which is real, btw). So this might be an early Christmas miracle, but I really liked this book! Not as good as the other two IMO, but an entertaining read. Trademark SH humor, slightly immature and petty but somehow endearing protagonist, lovable and offbeat love interest. This is definitely similar to Elf but with even more magic. If you like Christmas books, I’d recommend this one. It is definitely a slow burn/extremely wholesome romance, so if you want a steamy read then this isn’t for you. And it makes no attempts to feel plausible. What can you expect from a holiday spirit coming to life and granting wishes? It’s whimsical and you need to believe in the magical spirit of Christmas. Or something. Idk, this scrooge is not the ideal reader probably. Anyway, very cute and I’m glad this is the book that completed my reading challenge! 🥳
December 15, 2025
16.12.2025
this was absolutely wonderful 💜 i love everything!! i love when the female li is more evil than the male li 💜 yay!!! and the audiobook was so much fun. i laughed out loud multiple times.
10.12.2022
i just wanna get in my onesie and get under the covers and curl into a ball and sob. and also laugh. sarah hogle has ruined me for another people’s humour. nothing is funny if she wasn’t the one who wrote or said it. there’s like a gooey sticky feeling in my chest where my heart lives and it feels just like magic 💜
bettie “what you say about my flower? hold my flower” x hall “i got your flower baby”. bettie “excuse me you got his order wrong. he doesn’t like ketchup.” x hall “it’s fine i can pretend i’m not deadly allergic to peanuts”. bettie and hall “he was sunshine i was midnight rain”.
this was absolutely wonderful 💜 i love everything!! i love when the female li is more evil than the male li 💜 yay!!! and the audiobook was so much fun. i laughed out loud multiple times.
10.12.2022
i just wanna get in my onesie and get under the covers and curl into a ball and sob. and also laugh. sarah hogle has ruined me for another people’s humour. nothing is funny if she wasn’t the one who wrote or said it. there’s like a gooey sticky feeling in my chest where my heart lives and it feels just like magic 💜
bettie “what you say about my flower? hold my flower” x hall “i got your flower baby”. bettie “excuse me you got his order wrong. he doesn’t like ketchup.” x hall “it’s fine i can pretend i’m not deadly allergic to peanuts”. bettie and hall “he was sunshine i was midnight rain”.
March 21, 2022
5 stars ✰
— playlist: just like magic.
reading a sarah hogle book is like getting a warm, comforting hug or being wrapped up in a cozy blanket burrito and I think I have found my new comfort book and my favorite chaotic couple.
thank you to putnam, edelweiss, and sarah hogle for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. <3
— playlist: just like magic.
reading a sarah hogle book is like getting a warm, comforting hug or being wrapped up in a cozy blanket burrito and I think I have found my new comfort book and my favorite chaotic couple.
thank you to putnam, edelweiss, and sarah hogle for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. <3
September 9, 2023
update
after second thoughts i bumped this down to two stars so sorry
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
i am deeply confused. the only thought in my head is "what the fuck did i just read?"
i am convinced that this is the first original thought a human has had in history. not once did i know where the details of this book were going to go (other than the general trajectory of the plot, which was predictable). this book is...weird. in a good way, i think. jury is still out on that because i have yet to process exactly what i just read.
a general plot: bettie, a social media influencer who hails from hollywood royalty family, is broke. she overestimated her many business ventures and is now squatting in a dead woman's empty home. she is too stubborn to ask her family for financial help. one day, a week or so before christmas, she plays all i want for christmas is you backwards on a record player and conjures up hall, the holiday spirit.
hall is everything that bettie is not. a reverse grumpy x sunshine trope, hall is full of holiday cheer and love and warmth and optimism that juxtaposes bettie's cynicism and pessimism and thirst for revenge. bettie, to show her judgemental family that she is doing well (basically to lie about it), brings hall to her grandparents' home for christmas. however, over the week, hall shows her and her family how to become better people, basically.
the only way i can describe this is buddy the elf (being a hot man in his 20s) dropped into schitt's creek/arrested development family level dysfunction. it was the most chaotic romance book i have ever read. occasionally, found myself wondering just how this was managing to work, but then i realized that it is sarah hogle and sarah hogle can do no wrong in my eyes.
this book was a lot more didactic and a bit more serious than her other two books (you deserve each other and twice shy). a lot of times, i felt that i was being personally attacked (because at my core, i am a hater). i saw myself in bettie a lot: cynical, materialistic, and thinking that an eye for an eye is the best method for resolution (at least i'm self aware). although i am not a fan of the 'cinnamon roll main guy' trope, mainly because i appreciate sharp banter and sarcasm and guys who are vague chronic dicks, hall was so wholesome i was laughing and smiling at so many parts.
one thing i am a bit sad about is that i didn't get all the giddy squealing flutters i got from you deserve each other or beach read (the only romance books i've ever given five stars to). but it was so deliciously chaotic and funny that this book is a good solid four stars.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
mid book update
both of my current reads are buddy reads with emma which means we are finally morphing into one singular entity.
this book is literally SO chaotic i don't even know how to explain it. i am so confused in the best way.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
pre-read
i have been so miserable with good romance book withdrawals if this is good i'll be screaming for eternity.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
thank you to putnam books and netgalley for the arc! <3
after second thoughts i bumped this down to two stars so sorry
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
i am deeply confused. the only thought in my head is "what the fuck did i just read?"
i am convinced that this is the first original thought a human has had in history. not once did i know where the details of this book were going to go (other than the general trajectory of the plot, which was predictable). this book is...weird. in a good way, i think. jury is still out on that because i have yet to process exactly what i just read.
a general plot: bettie, a social media influencer who hails from hollywood royalty family, is broke. she overestimated her many business ventures and is now squatting in a dead woman's empty home. she is too stubborn to ask her family for financial help. one day, a week or so before christmas, she plays all i want for christmas is you backwards on a record player and conjures up hall, the holiday spirit.
hall is everything that bettie is not. a reverse grumpy x sunshine trope, hall is full of holiday cheer and love and warmth and optimism that juxtaposes bettie's cynicism and pessimism and thirst for revenge. bettie, to show her judgemental family that she is doing well (basically to lie about it), brings hall to her grandparents' home for christmas. however, over the week, hall shows her and her family how to become better people, basically.
the only way i can describe this is buddy the elf (being a hot man in his 20s) dropped into schitt's creek/arrested development family level dysfunction. it was the most chaotic romance book i have ever read. occasionally, found myself wondering just how this was managing to work, but then i realized that it is sarah hogle and sarah hogle can do no wrong in my eyes.
this book was a lot more didactic and a bit more serious than her other two books (you deserve each other and twice shy). a lot of times, i felt that i was being personally attacked (because at my core, i am a hater). i saw myself in bettie a lot: cynical, materialistic, and thinking that an eye for an eye is the best method for resolution (at least i'm self aware). although i am not a fan of the 'cinnamon roll main guy' trope, mainly because i appreciate sharp banter and sarcasm and guys who are vague chronic dicks, hall was so wholesome i was laughing and smiling at so many parts.
one thing i am a bit sad about is that i didn't get all the giddy squealing flutters i got from you deserve each other or beach read (the only romance books i've ever given five stars to). but it was so deliciously chaotic and funny that this book is a good solid four stars.
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mid book update
both of my current reads are buddy reads with emma which means we are finally morphing into one singular entity.
this book is literally SO chaotic i don't even know how to explain it. i am so confused in the best way.
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pre-read
i have been so miserable with good romance book withdrawals if this is good i'll be screaming for eternity.
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thank you to putnam books and netgalley for the arc! <3
September 6, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
So. This was pretty awful. I think at one point I was going to DNF it, but decided to struggle through. I really hate DNFing ARCs I receive unless they really do break my brain a lot. And this one danced on that line throughout. I think there were zero redeeming characters in this (including Hall). I thought this would be a nice romantic comedy and it was just not. I think Hogle was trying for some "Elf" energy here or something, but I should not spend most of my reading time rooting against the main character (Bettie). Bettie was awful and so was the rest of her family. The writing was not great, the flow was godawful. The countdown to Christmas felt like I was marching into the inner circles of hell. The ending was eyeroll inducing.
"Just Like Magic" follows former influencer (yeah whatever) Bettie Hughes who has been down and out I think for about 2 to 3 years. Bettie spent money like water, didn't really do a blessed thing and is now broke. Though her family does not know it (which I wonder about that). FYI, the timeline is so confusing on this one and I hope it's just the ARC and not final book that does this as well. Bettie has been hiding out near her grandparents home (do not ask) and squatting in a home of a woman who died. Bettie is focused though on her ex, reporters who maligned her, and getting her family the best Christmas presents ever. When Bettie gets drunk and finally plays a Mariah Carey record though, some wine being spilled and the record skipping causes Hall a holiday spirt to appear. Apparently Hall is like a genie or something, so he has to do whatever wish that Bettie wants and he also has the ability to reverse time. Look, I didn't write this, just go with it. Bettie realizes now with Hall's help she can finally crush Christmas and all of her enemies. Cue not so funny book.
Bettie is pretty terrible. There's a subplot about her relationship with her ex that was fairly dark, but I have to say that it didn't fit the rest of the book. And it really made zero sense why she was jealous of her sisters and actually seemed to despise the one who helped her out. She has a bad relationship honestly with the majority of her family. And at the end of this book I still have zero sense of who she is as a character. She starts catching feelings for Hall and I just rolled my eyes.
The other characters were messy and awful in different ways too. Hall started to work my nerves because he just didn't feel well written. Either he's super naïve or not. It depends on the scene. The growing feelings between him and Bettie did not feel at all realistic.
The writing was not good IMHO. I think Hogle kept trying to write things that were supposed to be funny, but went on too long and I just saw a nasty streak in Bettie. For example, her putting a random buffalo in a reporter's home.
The flow was painful though. I could have sworn at one point it was like only a few days before Christmas but this book just kept going.
The ending was just a hard shrug from me.
So. This was pretty awful. I think at one point I was going to DNF it, but decided to struggle through. I really hate DNFing ARCs I receive unless they really do break my brain a lot. And this one danced on that line throughout. I think there were zero redeeming characters in this (including Hall). I thought this would be a nice romantic comedy and it was just not. I think Hogle was trying for some "Elf" energy here or something, but I should not spend most of my reading time rooting against the main character (Bettie). Bettie was awful and so was the rest of her family. The writing was not great, the flow was godawful. The countdown to Christmas felt like I was marching into the inner circles of hell. The ending was eyeroll inducing.
"Just Like Magic" follows former influencer (yeah whatever) Bettie Hughes who has been down and out I think for about 2 to 3 years. Bettie spent money like water, didn't really do a blessed thing and is now broke. Though her family does not know it (which I wonder about that). FYI, the timeline is so confusing on this one and I hope it's just the ARC and not final book that does this as well. Bettie has been hiding out near her grandparents home (do not ask) and squatting in a home of a woman who died. Bettie is focused though on her ex, reporters who maligned her, and getting her family the best Christmas presents ever. When Bettie gets drunk and finally plays a Mariah Carey record though, some wine being spilled and the record skipping causes Hall a holiday spirt to appear. Apparently Hall is like a genie or something, so he has to do whatever wish that Bettie wants and he also has the ability to reverse time. Look, I didn't write this, just go with it. Bettie realizes now with Hall's help she can finally crush Christmas and all of her enemies. Cue not so funny book.
Bettie is pretty terrible. There's a subplot about her relationship with her ex that was fairly dark, but I have to say that it didn't fit the rest of the book. And it really made zero sense why she was jealous of her sisters and actually seemed to despise the one who helped her out. She has a bad relationship honestly with the majority of her family. And at the end of this book I still have zero sense of who she is as a character. She starts catching feelings for Hall and I just rolled my eyes.
The other characters were messy and awful in different ways too. Hall started to work my nerves because he just didn't feel well written. Either he's super naïve or not. It depends on the scene. The growing feelings between him and Bettie did not feel at all realistic.
The writing was not good IMHO. I think Hogle kept trying to write things that were supposed to be funny, but went on too long and I just saw a nasty streak in Bettie. For example, her putting a random buffalo in a reporter's home.
The flow was painful though. I could have sworn at one point it was like only a few days before Christmas but this book just kept going.
The ending was just a hard shrug from me.
December 24, 2021
SWOONY, BEAUTIFULLY BONKERS, ALL-THE-FEELS, HOLIDAY PERFECTION
January 20, 2023
2⭐ for the 1st half~ish + 4⭐ for the 2nd half~ish = 3⭐
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, rich to poor, entitled, celebrity, family drama, small town, reverse grumpy/sunshine, fake fiance, clean, magic realism, Christmas spirit galore, no steamage
For the first half of the book I did not care for any of the characters. Bettie was very self absorbed and materialistic, like over the top. Her family was pretty awful at times, except Grandpa. The children had some interesting names, but they seemed to be well behaved.
Hall was an absolute delight throughout. I don't have one bad thing to say about him. You can't help but smile at his holiday excitement. He acts, but does not look like, Buddy the Elf. And it was all because of Hall that the second half of the book was great. His infectious joy brought out the good in everyone.
*Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, rich to poor, entitled, celebrity, family drama, small town, reverse grumpy/sunshine, fake fiance, clean, magic realism, Christmas spirit galore, no steamage
For the first half of the book I did not care for any of the characters. Bettie was very self absorbed and materialistic, like over the top. Her family was pretty awful at times, except Grandpa. The children had some interesting names, but they seemed to be well behaved.
Hall was an absolute delight throughout. I don't have one bad thing to say about him. You can't help but smile at his holiday excitement. He acts, but does not look like, Buddy the Elf. And it was all because of Hall that the second half of the book was great. His infectious joy brought out the good in everyone.
*Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Want to read
June 19, 2022You Deserve Each Other is genuinely one of my favorite romcoms ever so I will be reading anything this woman writes (even though I hate Christmas-y books🙊)… or any holiday centered book, really.
December 16, 2022
Just Like Magic - or Buddy the Elf Finds a Girlfriend. Full of zany antics and a family of cotton headed ninny muggins this was yet another selection that shows either my own Christmas spirit is broken or the holiday book offerings this year have been turrrrrrible for the most part. I loved You Deserve Each Other by this author, but this is going down in the history books as hours of my life I wasted and will never get back. ⭐️ from this angry elf.
December 3, 2024
this was absolutely delightful!! i just love Sarah Hogle’s writing so much. having read all of her books so far, i can confidently say that she is one of the funniest contemporary authors i’ve ever seen, and this transpires in every single character she creates: they are so hilarious. and trust me, i don’t have a habit of laughing out loud while reading, but Bettie’s internal monologues had me giggling on several occasions.
speaking of the characters—halfway through the book, i already knew i would get unhealthily attached to Hall & Bettie, just like i did with Wesley & Maybell (Twice Shy) and Naomi & Nicholas (You Deserve Each Other). i honestly find them so unique and unlike any other characters in the genre?? a special mention goes to Hall because he is such a refreshing love interest; he is nothing but warm, pure and tender-hearted, i don’t think i’ll ever get over him (i’m still thinking about the fact that he kept accidentally making mistletoe appear above Bettie’s head when he wanted to kiss her and had to make it disappear before she noticed… so adorable). also, i was thrilled to see that the author made him bisexual!
all in all, Just Like Magic is a sweet, lovely story that doesn’t even take itself too seriously—if Bettie’s nieces and nephews’ names are any indication—but manages to steal a piece of your heart anyway. if you don’t mind magical realism in contemporary romance then please go give it a try! oh, and it’s a Christmas romance, which means you have no excuse not to read it this month!!!
speaking of the characters—halfway through the book, i already knew i would get unhealthily attached to Hall & Bettie, just like i did with Wesley & Maybell (Twice Shy) and Naomi & Nicholas (You Deserve Each Other). i honestly find them so unique and unlike any other characters in the genre?? a special mention goes to Hall because he is such a refreshing love interest; he is nothing but warm, pure and tender-hearted, i don’t think i’ll ever get over him (i’m still thinking about the fact that he kept accidentally making mistletoe appear above Bettie’s head when he wanted to kiss her and had to make it disappear before she noticed… so adorable). also, i was thrilled to see that the author made him bisexual!
all in all, Just Like Magic is a sweet, lovely story that doesn’t even take itself too seriously—if Bettie’s nieces and nephews’ names are any indication—but manages to steal a piece of your heart anyway. if you don’t mind magical realism in contemporary romance then please go give it a try! oh, and it’s a Christmas romance, which means you have no excuse not to read it this month!!!
January 2, 2023
Bettie avait grave des airs à Piper de It happened one summer !
Super mim's, une bonne dose d'humour et pas de smutt ! Top pour ceux que ça dérange !
Super mim's, une bonne dose d'humour et pas de smutt ! Top pour ceux que ça dérange !
December 25, 2022
With You Deserve Each Other being my favorite romance of the year, it's unfortunate to say that I absolutely hate this.
To be honest, I might have put too much faith in Sarah Hogle. I grew up detesting holiday-themed rom-coms so normally I would have avoided this but I wanted to try the new SH.
It's baffling to me that in the beginning of the book, every single character (except Hall who was quite literally the most absurb character I've read about but at least he is fun) was extremely insufferable and self-centered. However, in the end, all of them became saints (surprise surprise): the redemption is so goddamn ridiculous. The way SH wrote them in the beginning is partiularly convincing (and hateable) so I find it hard to believe that they became the best relatives in the world over the course one week. And to be honest, I didn't are about the romance; my mood was too sour to enjoy anything. It was a regrettable experience to say the least.
To be honest, I might have put too much faith in Sarah Hogle. I grew up detesting holiday-themed rom-coms so normally I would have avoided this but I wanted to try the new SH.
It's baffling to me that in the beginning of the book, every single character (except Hall who was quite literally the most absurb character I've read about but at least he is fun) was extremely insufferable and self-centered. However, in the end, all of them became saints (surprise surprise): the redemption is so goddamn ridiculous. The way SH wrote them in the beginning is partiularly convincing (and hateable) so I find it hard to believe that they became the best relatives in the world over the course one week. And to be honest, I didn't are about the romance; my mood was too sour to enjoy anything. It was a regrettable experience to say the least.
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