This was a good beach read, and I think there was so much potential, but all of the characters were so unlikeable and not in a fun way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for sending me this book!

It's All Relative by Rachel Magee is quick, fun read. I liked that it was a modern retelling of A Midsummer's Night Dream and thought the book itself had so much potential! But unfortunately, I didn't really like the characters, except maybe Emory (though she was thrown under the bus at times for being young and making "bad" decisions that seemed entirely age appropriate to me). The characters did improve over the course of the story, but I felt the relationships were entirely unrealistic and the perspective of the parents marrying (Nora and Steve) were also not so great either. Parts of the book were cute (like the sailing race) and the ending was adorable, except again... entirely unrealistic.

I did like the author's writing so the book was not all bad--would definitely read this author again! I loved the setting of the island and imagining that gorgeous beach house.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

A modern retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, this novel is a cute and sweet summer read. Overall, it's a feel-good story with a bit of humor here and there. Unfortunately, I didn't find it to have much depth, the characters irked me quite a bit and I can't imagine it will be memorable within a couple of weeks. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and the author for the gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is loosely based on the plot of a Midsummer’s Night Dream, which really intrigued me because I have not seen many reimaginings of this Shakespeare play. While the plot was predictable, the author focuses more on the growth of the four main characters. They were all a little frustrating at first but I grew to like all of them. The story has a happy ending, that seemed a little too perfect and unrealistic, but overall I enjoyed the story!

Helena drags her friend Landon to a small island in FL to attend her mother's wedding. Nora is marrying into a family Helena dubs "The Perfects," as she feels she is always coming up short next to them. In this modern day retelling of A Midsummer's Night Dream, we see relationships evolve over the days leading up to the wedding. Funny, tender book about families.

I found this relatively difficult to enjoy as trading boyfriends and male/female best friends aren’t a thing. Any seen When harry Met Sally? I found it difficult to know who to root for when everyone was making bad decisions.

Blending two families is hard to begin with; add in a week long wedding celebration and things are bound to get interesting! It's All Relative follows multiple POVs as the characters navigate new sibling roles and current relationships.

The good:

The overall theme of the book is following your heart and doing what is best for you; and working through complex familial relationships.

The bad:

I really wanted to enjoy this novel but the multiple POVs in the third person was really throwing me off. It was a little too chaotic to be in four different character's brains all while reliving some of the same timeline. That coupled with the grammatical errors and shallow characters left me wanting something more. Each character has their flaws and the reader was reminded over and over and over how type A Amelia is and how frazzled Helena is. The Male Main Characters lacked depth as well as both of them presented as the PERFECT guy. Each crisis that came up just steered into each of the FMCs character flaws and it was a bit repetitive

Crazy Aunt Robyn was a really fun character and could see through the MC's bullcrap as soon as she met them. I wish we had more of her!

Thank you Net Galley for an Advanced Reader Copy!

It’s All Relative is a delightful novel by Rachel Magee. In her sixth book, Ms. Magee crafts a magical tale with shades of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Nights Dream including the main four characters, eccentric relatives, and a night in a magical fog with a mystical Titania leading the way.

With threads of friendship, family relationships, star crossed lovers, and a world of possibilities as widower Steve Maddox and his three children, Amelia, Peter, and Emory, and single mother Nora Crosby and her daughter Helena, along with Landon Blake and Gage Demetrius, meet on a small Florida Gulf Coast island to celebrate the marriage of Steve and Nora and the blending of these two families.

This is a well plotted and presented tale that makes many twists along the way. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

I love shakespeare retellings and this story was so fascinating i almost didn't realize it was a shakespere retelling. Rachel Magee is an amazing author and I hope to read more from her soon. this was a fresh and fun take on midsommar nights dream and i could not put it down for a second

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this #gifted book!*
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Title: It’s All Relative
Author: Rachel Magee
Genre: Christian Romcom
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Synopsis: Helena shows up to her mom’s wedding with her best friend Landon in tow after she’s called her soon-to-be family only by the name “The Perfects” for years. So when Landon discovers one of these Perfects is Amelia, his ex-almost fiancé, everyone is shocked at who exactly is at this reunion. Amelia is now engaged to Gage who also came on the trip. Landon is faced with trying to seek closure. And Helena is trying to fit in with her new siblings while also squashing a silly crush. Emotions run high and the mishaps begin as everyone starts to question if they’re making the right choices for the future.

Analysis: This is summer romcom is full of family drama. It almost felt like a Christian “Modern Family” spin off. I think it had the potential to be cute and funny, and the setting was a lot of fun! I especially loved the sailing competition. There were four character points of view which was a little overwhelming, and the new family dynamics were dysfunctional and frustrating. I did enjoy the siblings’ interactions. Having four siblings myself, those seemed fun and realistic. I’m a firm believer that there is a book out there for everyone! This one just wasn’t it for me.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Content Rating: Clean

*I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions ťexpressed in this review are my own.

I received an advanced audiobook to listen to and an ARC (thanks NetGalley, Harper COLLINS, and Thomas Nelson Fiction!) and it was an easy breezy listen. However, the story and its characters fell a little bit flat. There scenarios and drama felt repetitive, but the story did have heart! The summery location was a plus too.

It’s All Relative is a cute romcom, but I feel like I had to work way too hard to keep the characters straight and remember how everyone was connected—there wasn’t much introduction or exposition in the beginning of the book, we just got straight to the story. I’ve never read A Midsummer Night’s Dream so I can’t speak to how It’s All Relative is as an adaptation. As a novel on its own, it’s cute but it lacks depth. While it’s character-driven, the characters do plenty of introspection and monologuing, I never got to the point where I got invested in the characters. A cute summer read that I don’t think I’ll return to, but enjoyed enough.

ah what a satisfying ending. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be but I was pleasantly surprised by it. It had just enough romance but I would have liked just a little more about the family dynamics

1.75

If you’re looking for a sweet, domestic family romance, this is the perfect book for you. It’s simple in almost all ways, so I can’t really say anything about it. If minimalism was a book, it would be this. It does it job, but it doesn’t really leave an impact.

It’s All Relative is a retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you know me, then you know I’m a sucker for Shakespeare retellings. Personally, I thought A Midsummer Night’s Dream was one of Shakespeare’s weaker plays, so maybe that’s also a factor in why I found this book boring.

This book was a great vacation read. I read it in one sitting. The romance was cute and I really enjoyed all the characters.

If you are looking for a sweet family style romance, then It"s All Relative is the book for you.. This was my first book by Rachel Magee and while it was a cute and fast paced book , it was not my style of romance. I thought the plot was simple , the steam factor was very low and would be a good book to turn to if you are in a reading slump. My problem with the book was the lack of character development, really no background of why and how the characters were put into this situation. I do want to thank NetGalley for the advanced e-book and look forward of trying another book by Rachel Magee. #It"sAllRelative #NetGalley #@amy_book_brew

I always want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book! I thought this was a great book that was a very easy read!

I really enjoyed this book by Rachel Magee. I loved the real and found family elements. Hearing the perspective of four different characters was a bit different, but overall the book flowed well and was easy to follow. I love that it involved a couple getting married late in life and the story of their children becoming siblings. Having a young sibling in the mix added a lot of fun to the story. The summer vacation beach setting was great as well.

Helena Crosby teaches high school English Literature in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her best friend, Landon Blake, teaches American History and coaches soccer. When they first met, they dated a few times, but soon realized that they were only ever going to be friends. As the school year is almost over, the summer awaits them.

Helena asks Landon to be her Plus One at her mother’s wedding. At first hesitant, Landon agrees. The wedding is going to be held at the groom’s family home on Indigo Island in Florida. As Helena has always referred to her mother’s fiancé’s family at the Perfects he doesn’t know their real name until they arrive. That’s when Landon realizes that a daughter Helena refers to as Amelia is realiy Mia, the woman he loved and lost some years ago and whom he still loves. Amelia is engaged to Gage who Helena has secretly admired. Helena feels that with her mother marrying into this big family, she is being pushed out and doesn’t necessarily care for the family members. Her mother wants her to just do all she can to join in with the family. Thus, we see a lot of family dynamics as they all go through a week of festivities in preparation for the wedding.

Some of Helena’s actions are juvenile and silly but there are good parts of the story that I enjoyed especially when Helena finally realizes that they all need to work together to become one big family.

This is a clever story with lots of lovely descriptions of the summer in Florida. As I live in Florida too, I found this quite special. A good story of give and take within a family. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I'm a sucker for any Shakespeare retelling and this one did not disappoint! It felt like looking into my own family dynamics and while this didn't really feel like it was a rom-com, it definitely has its twists with its forbidden feelings. I honestly wasn't sure where this one was going, but I loved the storyline.