The Magic Between by Stephanie Hoyt

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Ninestar Press LLC and I am leaving this review voluntarily

In a world where everyone has magic coursing through them, legend says magic itself craves a mate. Legend says those with opposite magics have the greatest chance of forming the unbreakable Bond it desires.

A.B. Cerise is an obsessive compulsive pop star with the ability to turn invisible. He’s an out bisexual with absolutely no belief in Bonds. He has a love-bruised heart, thinks dating in the spotlight is a hassle at best and a nightmare at worst, and has no intention of going through it all over again.

This book just didn't work for me - in many places I considered giving up on this book as I was struggling with the writing style. I am aware that the introduction to the magic has been changed for the published version, but for me it was difficult to follow. I just felt like I was missing something - when I was 15% into the book I actually went back to the start as I was convinced I had missed a key piece of information but unfortunately this still didn't help me.

I have seen many raving reviews for this book, so I do feel that this could be a book that people love - but I just didn't connect with the writing/characters.

Rating 3/5

This was a cute read but I found it pretty lacking in explanation and world-building when it came to the magic system. While I liked the two protagonists, I never really could wrap my mind around the whole premise and thus struggled to make my way through this novel. That being said, I did like the protagonists and their romance enough to finish it, so I'd be up for reading Hoyt's novels in the future, perhaps without the magical realism components.

I'm going to be honest...this was almost a DNF for me. I was not a fan of the writing style. I did not understand what was going on with the magic. It was super confusing and could have easily not even been a part of the story. This could have easily just been a sexual discovery/awakening story about a hockey player who has to deal with coming out and a celebrity who is gun-shy. There were so many instances where I felt like I was totally missing something. Looks between characters about things that we aren’t told. Mention of things or people that weren’t introduced. It was also really long. There were so many words. This easily could have been cut down a bit.
All that aside, once I made myself get in to it, I was fairly invested. I can see how a lot of people would love this...it just wasn't for me.

Happy Publication Day!💝

Thank you, Nine Star Press, LLC for the advance reading copy.

This is so freaking cute to start with!

The magic is real and gets more real with the sizzling chemistry between the two MCs. I am smitten!

The writing is quite accessible and it's not at all confusing for someone who doesn't read much sci-fi and fanstasy. A.k.a me. So if you're someone who loves reading romance representing LGBTQIAP characters with a little bit of magic throughout the story with a really good subtle plot like me, go for this one.

The plot lives up to the blurb and please do check out the tags given before you pick up this book.

I love the book however I find it to be a little bit longer than necessary towards the second half.

Overall, a good fun read.

4.5 stars

This was so sweet and I can't get enough of Matthew and AB. The boys are adorable and I loved how their relationship slowly developed over the book. No insta-love, just a spark between them that grew into friendship and then more. The world was also fun, with everyone having at least a bit of magic and some people getting some pretty awesome abilities. I liked seeing people's magic and kind of wish we'd gotten to see more of it!

What I really liked about this was that while there was some low level drama, including homophobia and mean fans online, Matthew and AB had a strong relationship and weren't constantly fighting or breaking up. I love seeing a couple support each other through tough times without unnecessary issues popping up.

The only reason I gave this four stars was because it felt pretty slow to me and I think it could have had a bit more excitement to keep the pace up. Other than that, this was probably the softest and cutest book I've read in a while.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thank you to NineStar Press and NetGalley for the copy

I absolutely loved this contemporary romance.

Such a great book with a solid storyline and great characters.

I eagerly look forward to reading more from this author.

A definite recommend

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.

This book could've been a new almost favorite. If only the characters did not refer to themselves in such a weird way, the writing is what brought down my enjoyment of the book. I kept feeling like I was on the surface of the book and not actually reading the book or getting to know the characters as they referred to themselves by name E.g. (with me) : "Karina walked down the street".....
Now the bi-rep LOVED it, it was so nice to see some good representation of bi people.
There is magic and hockey and a very nice way to introduce and explain the magic as we all only were here for the romance mostly let's be honest, through a very nice sort of blog entry at the beginning of the book. (hopefully they will keep it in the final copy).
There is also some anxiety rep (so trigger warning if this is something you don't like to read about).
Nothing about the romance was insta-love, I loved the slow-paced romance and their magical bond together.
It is also a "I was straight or thought so until I met you", because yes one of our MC was sure he was going to be bonded to a woman and not our other MC, but they are just perfect for each other as they slowly get to know each other and fall in love in spite of their bond (soulmate thingy). Which YES get me some of that, I love you for you and not because we are soulmates that don't click instantly !
Also TW : queer/bi phobia, etc.
Anyhow, once I sorta got used to the weird writing, I really enjoyed it.
4/5 stars
Bookarina.

3.5 stars

I wish i could give this book a higher rating because, I love the mcs. They were fantastic and their chemistry and romance was great.
I really liked the side characters. They were funny and made the story flow really good.
I love the talks about sports and homophobia and the Fandom life and its toxicity sometimes.
I really liked all that but... the magic system man... it was.. I finished the book and I can't explain how the magic system works to anyone because it was messy. I understood a few things but in a book where the magical part is important it was a big let down.
Also I've read books written in first person and third person and I don't mind either but... this one was written in... "a person" which one? I don't know. It took me out of the story sometimes and I had to reread sentences several times because I didn't know who was talking. And that's why this doesn't have a higher rating.
Overall though this book was amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Magic Between was such a fun book to jump into. After having so many meetings lately, I just needed something to relax to. So, I jump into this and absolutely fell in love. First off, the prologue jumps into all the different kinds of magic there are within this world. Also, the percentage of how likely it is to have this certain ability. It was nice to get all the information right then and there because now we sort of know what to look for after we meet everyone.

Enter A.B. and Matthew. He is a pop star with the ability to become invisible. While the other dreams to become an NHL goalie in the very near future. He can also see the unseeable. One doesn't believe in the the bonding experience while the other secretly does and hopes it happens. So, I'll admit that when they first meet one another it's pretty interesting.

In all honesty, I loved everything about these two. Whether it was them starting off with just being friends or eventually becoming something more. They took it slow, and feelings came naturally between them. So, yes, I loved all the romance that went around them throughout the entire book.

As for the drama? Well, I wouldn't really say that we got a whole lot. Only a little here and there. Other than that, I definitely devoured the heck out of this book and I'm so happy with how it all ended. I had a huge smile on my face and screamed a little.

In the end, I'm so very freaking happy that I got the chance to dive into this. Falling in love with every little piece I got was a huge plus. So excited for everyone else to get their hands on this.

So so so sooooo good! This book is amazing, from the magic world-building to the existence of bandmates.

This is such a magical and spellbinding book I only wish there was more of it! I also really enjoyed the little photos that were dotted throughout the book, they were so brilliant and a great and interesting way to further the story!

2.5 stars

I understand that this book is getting a new prologue prior to publication which explains the magic system better. I’m one of the few that thinks the magic system itself is too complicated and I don’t think a prologue is going to help that. There are code words that explain what kind of magic is each person can do, and some of them don’t really make any sense. A.B. has an obsession with keeping his magic secret and I don’t understand this at all. It’s not like anyone has control over what kind of magic they get, so why the secrecy? But everyone in this world focuses so much on their magic, and what they can and cannot do, that I wonder how they manage to get anything done (it makes the book read very YA with all of the social media references, even though I think this is being marketed as adult). Reading Matthew’s struggle with his realization that he could be bisexual felt very real and was well done. But I really wonder if he truly was bi or if the Bond that their magic formed kind of made that choice for him.

Thank you to NetGalley & NineStar Press for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I struggled with this book. Although it had a cute cover and many of the elements I look for in a book the execution was lacking. The initial explanation about magic at the start was a bit much but made me eager to want to dive in. But after first couple of chapters where two people sort of bounce around each other I was bored. The magic felt like it only had to do with bonding when the beginning blurb felt like an intricate world. The pacing of the story was off and made it really difficult to remain engaged. Even the dialogue between the two MCs didn’t come across as realistic. I really wanted to like this book but I can’t say that I did. Maybe others will have better luck. I’d still suggest others check it out but it wasn’t for me.

Super cute, super charming softly fantasy romance. The world building is brilliant and the explanation of magic never overwhelming, the romance is sweet and believable. Just a really nice read. Perfect for fans of One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston!

Totally adorable! I enjoyed reading The Magic Between so much that I was smiling the majority of the time and probably giving off major heart eyes. This is the perfect read if you enjoy soul mate type stories, magic worldbuilding, celebrities in love, and slow burn romance. The story has gentle pacing and I love that Matthew and AB take their time getting to know each other, become friends, and slowly become more. They both have issues to work through and I liked that they're patient and support one another. I especially appreciated that while their magical bond helps them deal with some of the negative aspects of their magic, it isn't a cure all. For example, AB still has OCD and intrusive thoughts but with the bond he's learning how to better manage it. One of my other favorite things is the communication through the story. Matthew and AB face a lot of challenges and they always take the time to talk through things with each other and with their friends.

All the characters in this book are stellar! I instantly fell for Matthew and AB. From their initial meeting they charmed me and I got so invested in seeing how things would turn out. I also loved the supporting characters! Friends, family, band members, and team mates, they all have important roles in the story. They're a diverse cast and super queer!

This book is sweet, tender, fun, and flail-inducing! An instant comfort read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ninestar Press for the ARC of this!

This was super cute! I wish there had been more of the illustrations because they were so fun. Stars for great friend groups and families full of allies.

Love the concept and desperately wanted to enjoy this, but I unfortunately had to DNF as I just did not gel with the writing style at all.
(giving 3 stars as I don't want my personal taste to effect overall rating).

A pretty sweet book! The addition of the illustrations was really fun. The pacing was a bit strange at parts, and the cast of side characters was pretty big, but overall a good book.

Also this may be because I read an advanced copy so it didn't influence my rating but the thin gray font used for the chapter titles, social media, and texting was difficult for me to see. I even messed around with the formatting on my e-reader to see if that would help, but it didn't.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. I don't know if it's a case of the cute illustrated cover giving me the wrong vibe, or if it was just my own expectations, but this book was not quite what I thought I was going to read. This was not the light hearted romantic comedy I'd expected, and that threw me off. This book was angsty enough that I got frustrated about five chapters in, and it felt more like a young adult book than an adult offering, partially due to the fairly low heat levels. If this is what you want or like, then this will be great for you.

I really had fun reading The Magic Between by Stephanie Hoyt.
I absolutely loved AB and Matthew they were so cute together and I really loved the side characters as well.
I highly recommend this book especially if you want a sweet romance story with some magic.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for a review copy of this book.

I desperately wanted this book to be a 5 star, because it had everything I love in books. It had magic, chaotic awkward boys, and adorable dating, but there were some things that didn’t do it for me. To start I will say that I really loved both A.B. and Matthew. I really enjoyed the complexities of both these characters. Being a celebrity with anxiety, while dealing with being out and bi-erasure is complicated and frustrating, but I really loved how A.B. was depicted. I also really enjoyed how Matthew was depicted. He is such a sweet soul, looking for love, and watching him explore his sexuality and his feelings for A.B. was really sweet and totally chaotic.

I loved how real both characters felt. I think the confusion and trying to ignore his feelings Matthew was dealing with felt really authentic to how some people experience their sexuality and discovering their feelings for someone. I also really liked how sure A.B. was that he didn’t want a relationship and how he navigated his feelings about past relationships and his feelings for Matthew.

One thing I think this book suffered from was having too many things going on in one book. For starters, the chapters were divided between A.B. and Matthew’s point of views, but it didn’t always feel like an even divide. Sometimes it felt like there was more focus on one character than the other and it almost felt like one character should have been chosen as the point of view and left it at that. I think there were also a lot of things going on and it made things feel a little bit rushed. A.B. is dealing with a lot personally, Matthew is discovering his sexuality, A.B. is also dealing with celebrity, and Matthew is tackling homophobia in the hockey industry. I think my main issue was that there were so many topics and issues being discussed and focused on that it felt like none of them were not given enough time to develop and progress.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book. I think it would have been a better read for me if a few of the topics were cut down and there was more focus on one topic. Honestly, I think it could have been a good start to a series or duology where one topic was focused on per book. I would absolutely still recommend this to anyone who like urban fantasy, bi awakenings, and boys being cute while falling for each other.

Rating: 3.5