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.

Thank you for this early copy!
This book certainly was not for me. Beautiful cover, looks and sounds engaging, but was overall a little slow.

Somehow both lighthearted and full of heart. This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer's Night Dream, is the perfect balance of sweet romance, family drama, and fun.
Both soon to be sisters navigate exploring where their new role in a changing family fits while learning how their identity is more than the one-dimension label they had set for themselves.
My favorite was how the other POVs showed either of the FMC as calm, collected, and in charge. While in their own POV they were freaking out feeling like a mess. It was a nice, realistic touch; everyone was just trying their best.
I am always weary of love triangles and knowing this was a square I was nervous, but honestly it was a total non issue. I rooted for the couples without feeling weird or guilty.

The narrator was also pretty good as I felt immersed in the story no matter whose POV it was.

"It's All Relative" is a delightful modern retelling of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," set against the backdrop of a beach wedding that is anything but smooth sailing. This charming women's fiction captures the complexities of blending families, navigating new relationships, and the inevitable chaos that ensues.

Helena Crosby's journey as a bridesmaid in her mom's wedding is both heartwarming and hilarious. Her clash with her soon-to-be stepsister Amelia, who is her complete opposite, provides plenty of comedic moments and heartfelt interactions. The dynamic between them is particularly engaging, highlighting the challenges and eventual bonds that can form between step-siblings.

The beach house setting adds to the book's charm, making it a perfect summer read. The intertwined relationships create a tapestry of emotions that keeps you invested in their outcomes.

As an only child, I found myself deeply moved by the evolving sibling-like relationship between Helena and Amelia. The author beautifully captures the essence of family and friendship, reminding us that love and family can be messy but ultimately rewarding.

"It's All Relative" is a lighthearted yet poignant read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good family story with a dash of romance and comedy.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Rachel Magee for this advanced listener copy!

Thank you so much to Rachel Magee for the ARC audiobook for It's All Relative in exchange for my honest review.

This book follows Helena, a school teacher who is forced to kick off her summer break by attending her mom's wedding, which would be fine if she wasn't marrying into a family that has everything so immaculately put together that Helena refers to them as "The Perfects." In order to survive her time with the over organized, agenda fueled crew, Helena decides to drag along her best friend and fellow teacher, Landon as back up. After a failed attempt at sailing, a shocking reunion, a crush that shouldn't be happening, and a tik tok video gone way wrong, it seems that there is no hope that Helena will every connect with her new family, but soon the walls around The Perfects begin to fall and Helena realizes there may be more layers to her new family and than she originally thought.

It's All Relative was such a sweet summer read that did a great job of examining family dynamics. I was surprised to find that the romance in this book felt more like a subplot, but I didn't mind it because the author did such a nice job of weaving a story about all the family members and what each of them brought to the table in terms of their relationships.

In the end, I did really enjoy this book, but felt like it could have been slightly shorter. I was having a really good time for the first 60% of the book, but started to tire of the story and was ready to be done for the last part of it. It's a great book to listen to, as the audiobook did a nice job of pacing and the narrator had a voice that was easy to listen to. I highly recommend It's All Relative if you are tired of the typical romance books and are looking for something a little different and a whole lot sweet.

What a fun engaging story - I loved the family dynamic and the story of 2 families becoming one with some scandal and romance in between. I listened to this book and thought the narrator was great!

4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!

Publish date: 08/06/2024

I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. The narrator did an excellent job portraying the different characters. The writing was witty, engaging, and heart felt. The author deals with real family issues and dynamics without feeling heavy or depressing. I give this book five stars!

Love love love this book!! Small island family drama and lovers finding themselves? Yes please! Finding out family is who you make is great!

This made me laugh! This made me tear up! This delighted my heart!!

Helena Crosby is a HS teacher. She’s a ‘fly by the seat of her pants’ type girl who’s always running late ( sounds a lot like me…), but has a heart of gold…and always tries to help e v e r y o n e !!

Her Mom is getting married for the first time at the age of 48, and although Helena wants to be there for her, she does NOT want to have anything to do with her ‘new family’…

Her Mom is marrying a guy from a ‘perfect’ family…hence, Helena calls each of them the perfects!

Her soon to be sister, Amelia, is the polar opposite of her. Every little thing is planned to the T, in advance, with multiple backup plans…
She’s got a great job, a home of her own, and a successful, handsome fiancé..

So when the two of them have to come together for some week long wedding events at their summer place on the beach, we’ll, we are in for quite the treat!

Helena does NOT want to go by herself, so she brings her emotional support dog, I mean person (…ahem…cough, cough) …Landon. A fellow teacher who she went out with briefly, until they figured out they were better off as just friends. And they are the BEST of friends!!

But when he gets there and meets the rest of the family, there a quite a few surprises in store…

This was hilarious at times, disheartening at others, but sugary sweet and honest and lovely…to the core…

With several terrific twists that led us to the grand ending!

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, happily round up to 5!!

#ItsAllRelative by #RachelMagee and narrated beautifully by #TanyaEby.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsChristianPublishing and #ThomasNelsonFiction for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

**** It is due to be released in 2 days on 8/6/24! ****

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I think what kept standing in my way of fully liking the characters was that they were falling for people who were already involved, seriously involved, with other people. I just find that cringy. Maybe if the sister and fiance had even secretly parted before the wedding festivities and only came as a couple to keep up appearances and not take away for the marriage of the parents, I could have gotten behind them more. Also, the weird bird thing in the woods was a silly for me. Still, I wanted to see the story through. The audiobook narrator was easy to listen to and the book was a fairly quick read, perfect for the beach.

DNF - Not only was the actress in this incredibly hard to listen to, but the content was very juvenile.

This book was truly so much fun to read (or, in my case, listen to). I felt invested in each character’s story, and was rooting for them and their individual happy endings. There are nuggets of wisdom throughout that stuck out to me; references to our lives as train tracks and the importance of recognizing that we nearly always have the choice to create change. The romance felt genuine, while the focus still was much greater on each character’s personal development, which I really loved! There was honest conversation about the difficulty of a blended family, and a refreshing level of respect and care for each character’s feelings. It felt like the equivalent of “no question is a dumb question” throughout the plot, and I was right there alongside the cast of characters feeling comfortable to be curious and work through deeper, uncomfortable emotions.
A very light and fun and wonderful piece of fiction that addressed real life issues in a gentle manner. Characters who were relatable and also felt like friends. Multiple POVs (which I’m a sucker for) that felt attentive to each one’s specific voice.
Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for this ARC. I can’t wait for it to be released into the world!

This audiobook arc landed in my inbox at the right time. I pressed play on my way to work and boom “I have a crush on my step-sisters fiancé” 👀 messy and here for it.

The book follows Helena as she gears up to spend time with her new family for her mothers wedding. It doesn’t help that she thinks they’re all super perfect (especially her step-sister, Amelia) and feels like her relationship with her mother will change. She invites her bestie Landon, for security and normalcy. Once they arrive, we find out that Amelia is Landon’s college ex. And from there, the games began 🤭

I appreciated the difference in Helena and Amelia’s characters. It’s what brought the comedic relief and softer/important tones to the book. While a rom-com, we get to see two adult women who want the best for their parents yet don’t know where to place themselves in their new lives while figuring out their own. I laughed, teared up and raised my eyebrows 😬 but overall, had a blast with this book.

The narrator voiced everyone is the book and did a fantastic job 🤌🏻

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own ✨

It’s All Relative is a sweet romance and women’s fiction story following two women and their love interests. The elements of family, and how we can shift and grow in what we view as family, were relatable and enjoyable.

This story is a great option for a summer read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story that was read by a single narrator for the four POVs. I listened at 2x speed (1.75-2x speed is my normal audiobook listening speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advanced audiobook copy.

first off - big thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review :)

you know the cheesy netflix rom coms where everything you think will happen, happens? there’s not a ton of depth to it, it’s predictable, but it’s reliable in that it provides good enough entertainment. it’s nothing to write home about but good to pass the time when you just need something lighter and easier.

side note: the narrator for the audiobook itself was not my favorite. unfortunately the voice felt a little too robotic and didn’t seem like it flowed naturally. once i sped up the audiobook i didnt notice it as much but wanted to make note as it does take away from the experience a bit!

I really wanted to love this story but I didn't. It wasn't horrible by any means but it lacked a plot and character building.

The narration was good, especially with all 4 characters. The narration made it easier to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook (:

I absolutely adored this book. I loved getting to know the characters and watching their relationships change and develop throughout the novel. I related to Helena a lot as a type B teacher who tries to do everything as good as possible but inevitably just messes stuff up and is constantly hoping I can charm people into forgiving me. I also liked how we got to read from multiple different characters throughout the story and we didn't listen to the entire story through Helena's perspective. I highly recommend this one!

I really enjoyed this book!

It’s a great multi-POV of a big family event, and it packs in lots of laughs and emotions.

As an Amelia myself, Helena really grated on me through the first half of the book but I came to appreciate her throughout the book as we got to know her better - which is quite literally the point of the whole book, so really nailed that one.

This was a cute book, an easy read, and something that you could recommend to anyone!

This was a cute rom com. I don't usually enjoy 3rd person POV, but this didn't bother me too much. I enjoyed the narrator.

"It's All Relative" by Rachel Magee is a delightful and modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." This lighthearted novel captures the essence of family, love, and the unpredictable journey of blending lives and traditions. The story follows Helena Crosby and Amelia Maddox, two women who couldn't be more different. Helena, the spontaneous and carefree daughter, dreads her mother Nora's upcoming wedding to Steve Maddox, which will thrust her into the midst of the Maddox family and their meticulously planned lives. On the other hand, Amelia, the epitome of perfection and control, has spent months organising the perfect wedding for her father and his bride-to-be, unaware that the week will bring unexpected complications and emotional upheavals.
Magee's characters are wonderfully crafted and relatable. Helena's free-spirited nature and Amelia's determination to maintain order create a compelling dynamic that adds humour and heart to the story. The introduction of Landon, Helena's best friend and Amelia's former love, adds a layer of romantic tension that keeps the reader engaged and rooting for both women as they navigate their feelings and familial duties.
The novel beautifully explores the themes of family, acceptance, and personal growth. Through a series of wedding week activities and mishaps, Helena and Amelia learn valuable lessons about flexibility, love, and the true meaning of family. Magee's writing is charming and witty, making the story both entertaining and thought-provoking.
"It's All Relative" is a heartwarming and enjoyable read. Highly recommended for those who appreciate a good laugh, a bit of romance, and the complexities of family life.