What can I say? This was a pleasant, magical story that I read through quickly and contentedly. This is as good as it gets--good feeling magic--nothing stressful, very relaxing and definitely not boring or slow. Thank you to the Harper Muse and NetGalley. I have absolutely nothing negative to say and this book receives a full 5 star rating for providing me with a very perfect day. This opinion is my very own but I would be surprised if it were not shared by many others. I definitely want more from this author.

This was such a fun book to read. It is about family, dreams, destiny, truth, and love. 

The Russell women could be considered enchanted, as they have the ability to make life better for themselves and others around them through their talents. While decisions made by some kept the family apart, her death brings them back together. It is also about looking past the choices made in your younger years to discover your destiny for today.

This story is told from several points of view - Mattie, Penelope, and Jonathan. Mattie is dealing with the death of her mother and what this means for her going forward. Her life was following her mother from town to town and living a nomadic lifestyle. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when the person dies that you had those experiences with, it changes your life forever. Penelope has been locked into her world in Ivy Ridge for a few decades based on some decisions she made in the past. But life is about second chances and the strength to change the trajectory your life is on. The same could be said for Jonathan. He might not think that he would be happy in Ivy Ridge, but a medical scare with his father gives him the opportunity to rethink what life might be like in this little town.

I really liked how the story came together, weaving in the past with the present. The three main characters all learn something about themselves and what they believe to be true when it might not be the truth. The characters all get happily ever afters, but it is a journey to get to that point. 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the house and its enchantment in helping guide Penelope and Mattie in the right direction. 

We give this book 5 paws up and suggest adding it to your TBR list

Encanto meets Practical Magic, The Magic All Around follows Mattie, a young woman who is dealing with the tragedy of losing her mom. After spending her entire life moving from city to city with her single mom, Mattie lands back in Ivy Ridge, Georgia for the funeral and stays with her Aunt and great Aunt / Uncle. As the title suggests, this book is packed with magical realism and gives the reader the hope that everything will end up as it was always meant to be. I honestly didn't love this book - I found the characters to be extremely frustrating, especially at the end (Mattie? San Fran? Literally why???) but wouldn't outright tell any reader to avoid it. I can definitely see how some readers would love this book, I just unfortunately wasn't one of them.

A fun, magical tale of a family with special gifts.

Description:
Sometimes a family treasure hunt unfurls new paths in life. The Russell family members all seem to have . . . gifts. Eldest sister Penelope naturally infuses strength or joy or love—whatever the wearer requires—into the fabric of the dresses she designs as a seamstress. Her younger sister, Lilith, is never without whatever she needs—despite the free-spirited and nomadic life she lives with her daughter. There’s always a person nearby who just happens to have an apartment available to rent, or a part-time job open, or a car to borrow just when they need it. And Lilith’s adult daughter, Mattie, always seems to trigger the perfect song to mysteriously start playing—whether from a radio in another room that was turned off or from a friend’s phone in their pocket. And at the heart of the family is their old Victorian home that sometimes seems to have a personality in and of itself. When independent, artistic Mattie Russell finds herself back in the family home after her mother’s unexpected death, she has no intention of sticking around the small town, even though she has no future destination in mind. She’s used to living in a new city every couple of years with Lilith as her sole companion, and she’s especially hesitant to entangle herself in the Russell family secrets about their special giftings. But during the reading of the will, the family is shocked to learn Lilith included a testamentary trust that requires Mattie to stay in Ivy Ridge long enough to complete a series of seemingly absurd tasks in order to claim her inheritance. While completing the tasks, Mattie discovers that her mother had a well-thought-out plan for her daughter that would lead Mattie to finding her birth father, teach her how to choose her own path, learn to keep her heart open for love, and discover that staying still long enough to sow seeds can produce a stunning garden and vibrant life. This enchanting and whimsical tale of mothers and daughters, home, and love will open readers’ eyes to the magic all around them.

My Thoughts:
I found the special gifts the Russell family had to be inventive and fun. They are different from any I've read about in other novels. I loved the list of things Mattie had to accomplish for her inheritance and what she found while she was performing these tasks. The Russell family provided great whimsical characters in a loving environment. I liked them all. The plot moved at a steady pace and kept my attention. This was a fun read.

Thanks to Harper Muse for an advance copy. Expected publication January 16, 2024.

This tale of magical realism had touches of romance, family, and grief.

When Mattie's mother dies, she is forced to go back home to the family home for the funeral and to see her aunt and the neighbor's son who she had a connection with years ago. She is shocked to discover that her mother had a great deal of money to leave her, but that she must finish a list of tasks before she can receive the money.

Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. The first half of the book felt very slow and clunky, and I struggled to feel a connection to the characters or the story. Books told in third person often do this to me, and this one was no exception.

Things did pick up slightly when Mattie heard the list of tasks at the reading of the will, but I still felt a disconnect to the character and a disappointment that there wasn't more magical realism involved. This one just wasn't for me at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Magic All Around is a sentimental story about Mattie whose mother passes away which leads her back to their hometown. She is tasked with completing a list before an inheritance. Her family, home, and quirky small town holds secrets and a bit of magic. Of course, there's romance involved.
The writing is this book is sophomoric, and every situation is glaringly obvious. I feel this book really should be categorized as YA. The hummingbird cover is beautiful though.

I enjoyed this book. Magic All Around is the story of a magical house that guides its family on matters of the heart. In the book, Mattie’s Mother dies and Mattie returns to her home town for the funeral. To obtain her inheritance,, Mattie has to complete certain tasks. Because of these tasks and and some pushing from the magical house, Mattie finds love and identifies her path foward.

I am a fan of fantasy romance and this book delivers. Thank you Netgalley and Jennifer Moorman for an early copy in exchange for a fair review.

This story revolves like a fantasy mystery around family and this century old Victorian house and loyalty of the Russell sisters..There is a past that causes magical things happening within the house in Ivory Ridge Georgia. Lilith is the exception of loyalty , and leaves the home, living from home to home with her daughter Mattie.
The story moved abit slow at first, I had to start over again to understand the characters more. Once I did this, I couldnt put the book down. Mattie's mother isnt around later in the book(reason says why later) and in order for her daughter to be the beneficiary of an inheritance, Mattie must fulfill a list of intriguing tasks.
The journey is delightful and mysterious ,plus Mattie is trying to find out who her father is.
Give this book a chance, it does capture your attention once you get into the storylines. Thank you Netgalley for your ARC and my perosnal opinion.

This is one of those books that gives you a warm hug. Maybe this novel in itself is a gentle life lesson to listen to your heart and the signs the universe may give you. I am not sure, but I like that idea.

I very much enjoyed the characters that Moorman created, especially Mattie herself, Penelope, and surprisingly also the Russell house! I really enjoyed the feel of writing, the details the author described and the associations. That is something that evokes a certain feeling for me and it is something that really worked for me.

The romance in this was fine, but I am glad it did not take up more of a prominent role than it did, especially the relationship between Mattie and Jonathan, because oddly that was my least favourite part. My favourite part was very much the family relationship and friendships, rather than the romances.

I like the witchy touches that brought a bit of wonder to the story and gave it that warm wholesome feeling.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and if you enjoy cosy, magical realism type books I would highly recommend this one. It feel leave you feeling perfectly content.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the chance to read and review this book.

Unfortunately, there is something off about the writing and I had to give up around 55% as I was forcing myself to read the book. Lilith is obnoxious, Mattie is plaintive, and Penelope is steadfast. The way people talk feels weird sometimes; Mattie is, of course, so beautiful without knowing it, and Jonathan is the city boy who has come home and will probably get the girl. The magical house was amazing, but the people were not, even though they're all the best at what they do. Just the way Laura was described angered me.

The radio was the loveliest bit of magic though.

The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman is a charming story full of magic that was heart warming and delightful.
Goodness I thought this book was extremely well written.
I was honestly hooked and found it extremely hard to out my Kindle away.
Her characters are vividly drawn and made me want to know even more about them. There's the perfect amount of intentionality by the author to craft an imaginative and moving tale.
An engaging story of family, love and friendship with magic and a touching story.

Thank You NetGalley and Harper Muse for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A magical house and a magical story. A touching story of family, grief and love. Loved this family and this book.

Mattie is the youngest of the Russel Women. The Russel are a name in Georgia, living there in an old Victorian house, they have been called, witches, weird, and unique... their house is described the same way. Upon her mother's death, Mattie returns to the old Victorian house in Georgia, after living like a nomad with her mother, moving every few years to appease her restless body. Although Mattie expects her trip to Georgia to be a short one, as she returns she learns that her mother had left her an inheritance, which is conditional in that she must follow the steps her mother outlined for her to complete. As Mattie works through her requirements she is confused, angry, and lost feeling like she doesn't even know the woman she grew up with. But as she completes her tasks, Mattie begins to realize why her mother asked her to do all of these things, and learns more about herself than she thought possible.

-Enjoyable book
-A tab bit of Whimsey and "magic"
-Coming of age novel, self-discovery
-Cute characters, including the old Victorian House
-Happy ending
-Lightly romantic

The Magic All Around follows Mattie Russell’s journey out of unexpected heartbreak and into an enlightening search where she unlocks clues about her unusual upbringing and a special gift. When Mattie learns to slow down and stop trying to be anywhere but where she is, she finds all of the reasons she needs to stay…family, friends, and love. Once again, Jennifer Moorman’s highly enjoyable storytelling welcomes you into a magical Southern town and introduces you to characters who make you want to move there.

My Thoughts:
Jennifer Moorman had me a magical house with a pantry that always has the right ingredients for what you need. Add in Ivy Ridge, a quaint Georgia town, with lovable residents and festivals to rival Stars Hollow, and I'm gonna pick this up every time. Watching Mattie and others around her pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives after losing Lilith was just what I needed to start off the new year.

About the Book:
It's always been Lilith and Mattie, moving from place to place, exploring the US and experiencing new adventures. Mattie is left reeling after Lilith's sudden death. With her mother gone, she doesn't know what to do next. Upon returning to her mother's hometown for the funeral, Mattie learns her mother hasn't left her completely on her own. Mattie must complete seven tasks in order to obtain her inheritance. With things like taking a cooking class, planting a garden, and hosting a party, the tasks seem random. "But Mattie soon realizes that if she completes the tasks, she may unearth her mother's secrets, including the identity of Mattie's father... [and] more about the Russell family 'gifts' "

Read this if you like:
• Magical realism
• Small town fiction
• A magical house with a special pantry and a dream phone

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

I love magical realism and Jennifer Moorman has become an auto=buy author for this genre. Another great heartwarming read. I loved how the house was a character itself. The way it responded to the families conversations made me smile as it seemed to know what they needed before themselves. It was a little slow in the beginning leading up to Lilith’s will reading, but after that I loved it. I loved the “magic” behind the family and all the projects that Mattie completed along the way. The romance was subtle at first but the banter between Mattie and Jonathan was good. Multiple POV, small town vibes, new friendships, and characters with great depth and heart. I loved the ending but it’s hard to say why without spoilers.

Thank you @wunderbookspr @harpermusebooks and @netgalley for the gifted copy

Cozy little magical family story; the magic isn't prominent as it jumps between 3 POVs. The story really focused on finding yourself and making a life for yourself. Easy read that warms you up like a good spot of tea. 2.5 stars rounded up

This book is a must read, and not just because it comes out on my birthday! 😊 This amazing, magical book has family, loss, love, second chances, finding yourself, and a magical house! When Mattie loses her mother, Lilith, she goes back to Ivy Ridge, GA to stay with her Aunt Penelope in the house that she visited every summer. Lilith left Mattie an inheritance, but she must complete 7 random tasks before she can receive her money and leave town. While the tasks seem random, they are anything but. They lead her on a journey of self-discovery and bring her the things that she didn’t even realize she wanted or needed. This book is full of a cast of wonderful characters and a house with a mind of its own. One of my favorite quotes: “Being different in a small Southern town was worse than wearing white after Labor Day-an unfortunate circumstance that people couldn’t help but gossip about.”
This was my first book by Jennifer Moorman, but it won't be my last!

This book was like a warm, magical hug. I love stories surrounding strong independent women who are on journeys of discovery. The Russell women did not disappoint.

The Russell women all have their own unique gifts and the house they live in, has gifts of its own. When Mattie’s mother passes away she heads back to Ivy Grove with her aunt, Penelope, to tend to her mother’s funeral and will. To Mattie’s surprise, her mother leaves her a significant inheritance all contingent on the completion of seven seemingly random tasks. This is a wonderful story of family, self-discovery, healing, and the meaning of home.

The Magic All Around is a feel-good closed-door romance set in small-town Ivy-Ridge, Georgia where Mattie has returned to bury her mother, Lilith. After her unexpected passing Mattie is devastated and unsure of her future. Her mother was her whole world. Lilith, ever the adventurer has surprisingly left Mattie with a task list she must complete in order to receive her inheritance. Forced to stay with her aunt Penelope, Mattie tackles the list and, in the process, not only learns more about her mother’s past, but also more about herself as well. It doesn’t hurt that her first crush Jonathan, happens to be temporarily home in Ivy Ridge as well.

This reads more like a contemporary romance than magical realism, and for that I am grateful. The magical touches to the story are “just enough” for me to feel serendipitous and not over the top. Told in alternating points of view between Mattie, Penelope, and Jonathan we begin to get a picture of the Russell womens’ history in the small town, though I wish Lilith’s point of view was added as well. What could have been an amazing generational story, fails to include much about Sophia (the great aunt) and Lilith and Penelope’s mother. Despite my wanting more about the older Russell women, this is still a quick and charming read that’s easily devoured in a weekend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and of course the author Jennifer Moorman for the advanced copy of the book. The Magic All Around is out on January 16th. All opinions are my own.