This was all the family/friend/ex drama I didn’t know I needed. I loved this book!! I gave it a 4.5 overall rating ONLY because the beginning felt so slow. Once you get the ball rolling.. oh my goodness it’s such a wild ride. I was fortunate to listen to this as audiobook while still being able to read along in eARC format.

I was happy, sad, annoyed, angry, anxious, and all the emotions reading this. Even though there was a lot of characters and conflicts and background stories to follow, this was easily very effortless to follow. I could read a whole series based on these chapters and this family. I can confidently say this would make a great movie or tv series as well! I need more.

I did have some least favorite characters and was rooting for some more than others. It’ll be interesting to see who everyone loves and hates in this book.

Very disappointed in myself for putting off reading this one but I am thankful to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction.

This was such an enjoyable read! It's about families merging when most of the kids are grown and learning to let go of things we can't control. I thoroughly enjoyed the story & characters. Technically it is a romance but that is not the main focus of the book & there is nothing explicit in the book.

Loosely based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rachel Magee gives us a fun, light-hearted romcom perfect for beach reading.

Helena Crosby’s mother is getting married after so many years of it being just the two of them. Of course she is happy for her mom, but she is positive she will never fit in with “the Perfects”. The Maddox family always seems to have it all together, while Helena is more of a fly by the seat of her pants kind of gal. Her quirky demeanor and tendency to be late is not the Maddox way. But she is determined to make this wedding week work, and bringing her best friend and fellow teacher Landon as her plus one will help her get through it.

Amelia Maddox is close to cracking. On the outside she appears like she has it all together. Helping her future mother-in-law plan her wedding is right up Type A Amelia’s alley, but in doing so, she is sure she has made an enemy of her daughter Helena. Ever since her own mother passed away, Amelia has been just getting by. Now, her dream job has come calling and she isn’t sure she can ruffle any feathers as things are finally back to some sort of normal. Her fiancé Gabe has been nothing short of spectacular, but they need to set a date soon, and Amelia can’t seem to make herself move forward.

Told in four different POVs between Helena, Landon, Amelia, and Gage we see how everyone seems to believe that the other has it together, but hey “it’s all relative” right?!? Though the characters are pretty predictable, they do evolve a little near the end of the story. This tale is not going to be surprising in any way, but it doesn’t detract from the need for a lighthearted love story every now and then.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and of course the author Rachel Magee for the advanced copy of the book. It’s All Relative is out now! All opinions are my own.

It’s All Relative, by Rachel Magee, is the story of a newly formed family of step-siblings centered around the wedding week of the two parents bringing them all together. The week is full of ups and downs, jealousy and competitiveness, old love, new love and lost love, and most importantly the strong bond of family. Although the story did drag a little bit, with nothing too terribly interesting happening until over halfway through, it still ended nicely with very few complaints from this brand new family nor from this reader.

What happens when you bring a date to your mother’s wedding, but have a huge crush on your soon-to-be stepsisters fiancé?
What happens when your date turns out to be your soon-to-be stepsisters ex boyfriend?!

Find out in this new release!! Happy pub day to Its All Relative!

Best friends Helena and Landon head down to Florida for Helena’s mother’s wedding. She can’t stand her new family, calling them ‘The Perfects.’ She has nothing in common with them.
Worst of all, Helena has a massive crush on her soon-to-be stepsisters fiancé, Gage. He is way too good for her. Helena needs her best friend’s support to help her get through this wedding week.

Landon hasn’t been able to get over his college ex-girlfriend, Mia. He compares every girl he meets to her.
Imagine everyone’s shock when they arrive in Florida and learn that Helena’s soon-to-be stepsister is in fact Landon’s ex, Mia/Amelia.

This book was a whirlwind of family drama and unresolved feelings. Everyone’s POV was so much fun to read. The ending felt a bit rushed, and could’ve gone a few different ways, but I enjoyed the route the author went.

Trope: second chance romance

Thank you @netgalley and @thomasnelson for this early release!

It’s All Relative by Rachel Magee is such a fun read! As a fan of Shakespearean plays, I ran to request this one, and I was not disappointed.

It’s All Relative is a contemporary retelling of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, instead of taking place in Athens (and a nearby forest), the book takes place on a small Floridian island (and a nearby wooded area?) leading up to a wedding!

The story follows soon-to-be stepsisters Helena Crosby (Helena) and Amelia “Mia” Maddox (Hermia) as they prepare the become a family; their mother and father, respectively, are getting married. But Helena and Amelia don't really get along. We're also introduced to our two leading men: Landon Blake (Lysander)—Amelia’s ex-boyfriend and Helena’s current BFF—and Gage Demetrius (Demetrius)—Amelia’s fiancé. (Other names from the original comedy grace the pages as well--Peter and Titania, among them.)

Going into the book, I knew how the pairings would end up, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story!

I completed this book and at first didn't find much to complain about but then got to thinking.

It had four POVs; Helena, Amelia, Landon and Gage. Helena's mother was getting married to Amelia's father. Helena was headed for the wedding week with Landon, her best friend, who also happened to be Amelia's ex. Amelia was engaged to Gage. The blurb teased trouble in paradise for the engaged couple. Plus Landon and Amelia had feelings that were resurrected when they saw each other again.

The title was definitely fitting 😂 I just wasn't that invested in the characters and found myself spacing out during the audio which was amazingly done by only one narrator.

Landon and Pete, Helena's younger brother, definitely carried the show. It also took forever for the romance part to finally kick in so that was a bit of a let down for me 😅

That said, it was a breezy read. Minimal angst and a summery setting with family hijinks 😄 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

2.5 stars

Felt like the plot was all over the place. It definitely had an interesting storyline and not done before. I just felt like the characters were all over the place in the beginning and it was hard to track each one and their storyline.

I thought it was sweet and cute summer read, but there were a lot of holes that needing clearing up and some things were rushed and not done well.

In It’s All Relative, a group of young adults gather at a family beach house for the wedding of their parents - Brady Bunch style. 3 kids on the dad’s side and 1 kid on the mom’s side. Plus significant others and a best friend. Personalities clash, competition sours, romances flourish and some flounder, past relationships resurface, feelings are hurt and calamity ensues. It was a light-hearted, sweet, fluffy fun book - no real stresses or heavy issues - sort of like watching an 80s sitcom. It would be a great beach read if you want something frothy.

I throughly enjoyed It’s All Relative. Very well written with flawed but delightful characters. I definitely recommend this fun book.

Florida beaches and family drama, this book takes place over the course of a weeklong wedding. The story centers on two soon-to-be step sisters that, from all appearances, couldn't be more opposite in demeanor. Their parents are getting married to each other at an idyllic island beach house. Everyone is trying to just 'do right' by making this family celebration the best it can by but their is conflict, frustration, and maybe a tad bit of jealousy afoot. Throw in two mismatched love interests for the female leads and you've got a fun, caring beach read, perfect for the pool (if you can't make it to a sandy shore).
Thanks so much for the ARC!!

I decided not to finish this book.

The story is about a girl who attends her mom’s wedding with her coworker friend. Her mom is marrying a man who has two daughters and one son. The oldest daughter is a bit of a perfectionist and very controlling, especially after taking charge when her own mother passed away. She became even more obsessed with control. This oldest daughter is engaged to a guy who happens to be the ex-boyfriend of the bride’s friend’s daughter. I think my synopsis is a bit confusing, but you'll get the gist once you start reading.

The book is written from four different points of view and in the third person. I don't know if it was the characters' personalities or the third-person narrative, but I felt very disconnected from the characters and didn't care about them as much as I had hoped. The bride's daughter was a bit annoying, and her crush on her soon-to-be stepsister was just weird to me. They had a lot of close moments, which made me feel uncomfortable. Her friend, who is still hung up on a girl he dated 20 years ago, is honestly a great guy, but I still don’t think he matches well with the other girl. The obsessive daughter is kind of annoying too. I understand where she’s coming from, but I just can’t deal with her anymore.

In summary, all the characters were a bit annoying. I didn’t like the pace of the book; it took an entire chapter for something to happen. Seriously, there was an entire chapter about doing the dishes, and in the end, they didn’t even do them. I think that people who enjoy books with a slow pace and character-driven plots will definitely enjoy this. It just didn’t work for me.

A fun and faithful Shakespeare adaptation- this time for A Midsummer Night's Dream! I wasn't actually sure how this one would play out in a modernified way, but it was a very fun little journey!

This book is an engaging read with a charming premise, though it doesn't quite hit all the right notes. The story revolves around family dynamics and the complexities of relationships, which Magee handles with a light touch and some humor. The characters are likable, but they sometimes feel a bit one-dimensional, and the plot can be a bit predictable. Despite these flaws, Magee's writing is warm and accessible, making it a pleasant, if somewhat unremarkable, read. If you're looking for an easy-going book about family and connections, this one might be worth picking up.

Thank you so much to Rachel Magee and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review

This book was fun to read. It had all the elements of family drama we all know, but would much rather read about than experience. 😊

I liked the chapters being told from different perspectives. It brought the story more realism that way, at least in my opinion.

If you've seen the movie "The Family Stone" I imagine you'll see the similarities to the story in this book. That's not a bad thing, just something I noticed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s billed as a romance book but more than anything it felt like it was about family. Helena’s mom is getting married to Amelia’s dad and to say Helena and Amelia are polar opposites would be an understatement. There is no bad guy in this story, but it’s about Helena feeling like she doesn’t fit in with Amelia’s family, feeling like she’ll lose her mother after the wedding, and having a massive crush on Amelia’s fiancé, Gage. Except the story felt more centered on Landon, Helena’s best friend, and Amelia. There was little development on Helena’s mom or other characters so it felt that they were just in the background. There were some funny and cute scenes and the book overall was fun, but I needed more of everything to love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Helena is bringing her best friend, Landon, to her mom’s ,Nora,wedding that she is a bridesmaid in. All she wants to do is get through the weekend because she is reluctant to meet her mother’s fiancés family and create this blended family. Lo and behold Nora’s soon be husband daughter Amelia knows Landon, but doesn’t just know Landon…used to date Landon. Just when you think things couldn’t get weirder, Amelia has brought her fiancé, Gage, to the wedding as well.

Will this wedding weekend be the most awkward weekend in the entire world or will they be able salvage the weekend to not make it awkward.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

It's All Relative by Rachel Magee was such a delightful rom-com!
I had so much fun reading this modern retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In this loose contemporary interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, stepsisters-to-be Helena and Amelia, along with Helena's (male) best friend and Amelia's fiance, come together with their engaged parents for a week of festivities prior to the parents' wedding. Helena and Amelia's divergent personalities and circumstances lead to plenty of jealousy and conflict, but as they spend time together they slowly gain sympathy for one another as well as perspective on their own lives.

I've written this plot summary as if It's All Relative is not a romance novel because it doesn't feel like one. It's an enjoyable family drama, exploring the relationship between the stepsisters-to-be and each of their relationships with other members of the family. Although I can't argue with reviewers who felt the characters were flat, it didn't bother me, perhaps because the story's ensemble was so large.

What did bother me was the romantic plotlines, which were a major component of the story but felt undeveloped. Because I didn't get much insight into the couples, I had a hard time feeling invested in them. I did enjoy the ending, which found an original, comical (and slightly bizarre) way to mimic some of its source material's twists.

Recommended for lovers of family drama and Shakespeare. 4 stars.

“It was the right thing to do. And doing the right thing always trumps doing the easy thing.” 📚☕

*New Release* - -> publish date is August 6, 2024.

What a fun, unique, contemporary romance. It was a great escape with Helena and her best friend, Landon Blake to a remote island (only reached by ferry) for her Mom’s wedding — to “the perfects.”😁

Helena was an incredibly entertaining character to keep up with. Her emotions and fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants ways were all over the place but it was SO fun! It was also highly entertaining to see her face off with her oh-so-perfectly-planned out-and-high-strung sister to be.

Talk about oil and water! I laughed a lotta lot.

I literally could not put this book down and “had” to know… were Helena and Landon really just friends? Or was Helena going to get too involved with Gage, the sweet, gorgeous guy she’s been crushing on that just so happens to be her sister to be’s fiance.

There were more siblings and the couple tying the knot, AND, oh yeah, all these people are staying in the same enormous luxury beachhouse.....

Yeah, it’s a whirlwind and I loved it.

But there hurt feelings, grief, anxiety, and tender moments as well.

Not only are we able to be in Helena’s head, but also inside the thoughts of her best guy friend, her “perfect” sister to be, and the gorgeous guy she can’t stop thinking about. Yep, that’s right - 4 POVs.

So crazy - but it worked. I didn’t think I was going to like it, but I definitely did. I will check out this author’s other work!

No profanity and squeaky clean, cute romance~Yay and Yay!

MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟

More in-depth book reviews on my ‘Clean Reads’ YouTube channel. 💙☕

I received a complimentary copy of this novel and this is my honest opinion.

I’m always going to give a Shakespeare retelling an extra look. In the case of It’s All Relative, it doesn’t quite live up the its namesake’s wacky promise, but it’s still a decently nice time. Helena drags her best friend Landon along to her mom’s wedding at a fancy beach house, in part in defense from her stuck-up future step-sister Amelia and in part because she has a huge crush on said step sister’s fiancé Gage. Too bad none of them knows Amelia is actually Landon’s ex - and the one that got away. As the wedding nears, Helena can’t seem to do anything right to fit into her new blended family, and Amelia can’t seem to shake her anxiety that something could go badly wrong.

Part of the problem is one of expectations: The story opens with Helena (who is ultimately paired with Gage), but the emotional heft lies pretty solidly with Landon and Amelia, who never quite got over one another. Balancing the story out to place more emphasis on their relationship would have landed better. Landon is really the only one of the four leads with much depth, and while there was something worth pursuing in both Helena’s relationship with her mom and Amelia’s relationship with her family, both story lines felt somewhat one-note. I understand why the author gave us four POVs, but two probably would have been more manageable.

There were some fun scenes - a wild boat race, the search for a missing parrot (though the sudden - and suspiciously timed - fog was a bit much) - and everyone ended up satisfyingly with the right person in the end. Can’t ask for much more than that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.