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.

Family wedding at a beach with week long events merging two families. Groom is Father of 3 (teenager to grown adults) who lost wife to cancer and bride is a single mom of grown daughter who brings a friend to be her plus one that just happens to be college sweetheart of her new step sister. Story of second chances and happiness. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this story. It’s a great summer read.

I've not read many romcom books with multiple POVs that worked very well for me, but this one surely did. This was a lovely, heartwarming story that I could hardly put down. I enjoyed the characters and how they changed throughout the book. Be advised that this isn't just about one person's love story, or one couple's story, but about multiple stories, and it all works really well to tell a story about a family coming to understand each other better.


Thank you to #Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Harper Collins Christian Publishing, and the author, Rachel McGee for this Audio ARC of It's All Relative. This is my honest review.

Wow. This book! I went a little blind, only knowing about the premise, but I’m so glad I did. Helena and Amelia were such a delight of characters, I found myself thinking they were real and I was part of their lives. They were both so different, yet so much I could pick from them and see in myself. I couple of times I found myself actually laughing out loud, and that doesnt happen too often when reading a book. The plot was unique and well paced, with what I call the Heart-Swoony characteristics, which immediately move the book up my ranks. I have a strong feeling this book is going to be everything anyone in the book community is going to be talking about.

I wholeheartedly will be recommending this book to my followers and even gifting it to friends.

It’s All Relative by Rachel Magee. Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins and Rachel Magee for my #GIFTED copy. My review is voluntary!

Helena is joining her mother and her future step family for a wedding. Her mother’s wedding to The Perfects. The Perfects are, well, perfect. They are successful and proper and planners. Everything is organized and just….perfect.

Helena, on the other hand, is the definition of chaotic. Her life is in disarray and nothing ever goes as planned. Oh, and she’s pining for her future step-sisters fiancé, Gage. Every time she’s with Gage, they just click. He gets her but does he fell it too? Their connection?

Dreading facing The Perfects by herself, Helena brings along her best friend, Landon, not knowing that Landon is her step-sister’s long lost and beloved ex from college. What a disaster!

While wedding activities, adventures and disasters ensue, Amelia and Helena come head-to-head and have to dig deep. Will there be a happy ending or two or will everything end in disaster and heartbreak?

My thoughts!
A tornado of mishaps, laughs, surprises and romance enveloped me in this feel-good, funny read. Fans of Lucy Score and Megan Quinn will love this one!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Rachel Magee for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received the ebook and audio so I frequently “read along” with the audio which I enjoyed. I wish this had multiple narrators since the book was told in 4 characters perspectives and really only had 7 reoccurring characters throughout the book but I appreciate the narrator trying to differentiate the voices.

The book itself had some interesting aspects and storylines but I cannot get over the simplicity of the ending. I don’t want to spoil it but, in what reality would anyone just switch and carry on?!

I did enjoy the fact that both female characters had some personal reservations about their families merging and appreciated how they eventually addressed it maturely after avoiding it for the first 3/4 of the book.

Overall, it was enjoyable but obvious from the start what was going to happen and I feel like there could have been more conflict before the resolution.

Great beach read that is perfect for an afternoon with nothing to do but read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is a retelling of a Shakespearean tale that I haven’t read, so I can’t compare. It’s the story of a blended family meeting for the wedding of their parents, Nora and Steve. Nora’s only child, Helena, is an eccentric teacher, bubbly and adventurous yet clumsy. On the other hand, Amelia is the eldest of the three siblings, a successful architect, responsible and borderline control freak. Landon is a colleague and best friend of Helena, while Cage is Amelia’s fiancé, both well-rounded men. The story is told from the perspective of four characters.