This book is a gem! I loved the premise of only child Helena, whose never married mom is marrying a widower with 3 children, including the perfect Amelia. Helena and Amelia couldn't be more different. The family dynamics lead to so many frustrating but also fun moments. The character growth and development was well written in this book. The book takes place on an island with a beachy setting at widower's family island home.

There are laugh out loud and cringy moments all wrapped up in this wonderful book. There are twists and turns along the way including a suspicious fog coming in off the ocean. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it to readers of clean rom com books. It's a perfect summer beach read and I wish it was coming out in May or June vs. August but for those looking for a late summer beach read this one is it! I can see myself rereading this book in the future!

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

“It's All Relative” by Rachel Magee is a delightful modern retelling of Shakespeare's famous comedy, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”. Set against the backdrop of a beach wedding, the novel celebrates family, friendship, and the age-old adage that, "the course of true love never did run smooth."

The story revolves around two main characters: Helena Crosby and Amelia Maddox. Helena, an English teacher, finds herself thrust into her mom's wedding festivities. While she's thrilled for her mom, navigating family dynamics isn't exactly her strong suit. She has nothing in common with her soon-to-be stepsister, Amelia, who is an always-put-together, successful architect. Helena, on the other hand, favours messy buns and vending machine snacks while writing lesson plans. As if things weren't complicated enough, Helena develops a crush on Amelia's fiancé, adding an extra layer of tension to the family gathering.

Amelia, the other protagonist, has everything under control—or so she thinks. Her dad is dating again, and the wedding is happening sooner than expected. Amelia's past collides with her present when she discovers that Helena, her stepsister-to-be, is best friends with her ex, Landon. Determined to focus on her bright, shiny, expertly planned future, Amelia faces unexpected twists that challenge her carefully laid-out life.

Magee weaves humour, adventure, and genuine moments of connection throughout the novel. The beach house setting adds to the charm, making readers feel like they're part of the wedding festivities. The characters are relatable, flawed, and endearing, and their interactions create a delightful blend of laughter and heartwarming moments.

“It's All Relative” captures the essence of family bonds, the complexities of relationships, and the unpredictability of love. Magee's writing style is engaging, and her characters come alive on the page. Whether you're lounging on the beach or curled up on your couch, this book is the perfect escape.

This is a fun read that will leave you smiling and believing in the magic of love, even when it takes unexpected turns. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys heartwarming women's fiction with a touch of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love the adoptions of Shakespeare play. This gave a cute twist to the beloved story. However, I had a hard time rooting for Helena, she seems to get in the way of her own happiness when to comes to lusting over her soon to be step sister finance and with integrating into the family. Overall loved the use of four person POV which gave us insight to all the characters internal dialogue.

I can’t say I fell in love with this, even though I adore a Shakespeare retelling. I don’t think It’s All Relative was necessarily the book for me, but I would recommend it for a light, easy breezy read for the spring and summer. Thank you NetGalley for the arc

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the eARC!

This was a fun summer read about a family wedding full of drama, friendships, and romance old and new. I liked the multi-POV narration and found myself laughing out loud while reading. This would be great to read on vacation at the beach!

I was a little hesitant to read this after reading about Shakespeare in the description but I'm so glad I read it. The story was easy to follow along with and the characters were really enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Gage and Emory. There were lots of lessons learned about family and how important they are to everyone. I wish I could keep reading more about them


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own

This was a cute rom-com. Even if it weren't based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, it would still be predictable, but that's okay -- I knew that going in. (I can't speak to how well it followed AMND because I honestly can't remember much about the original -- it's been a LONG time since I read/saw the play in high school.) If you're in the mood for a clean, undemanding romance, look no further.

P.S. The cover is fun but misleading because I don't recall any pool lounging that involved all four main characters -- but maybe I'm wrong?

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

📖💖 Dive into this retelling of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare! 💍🏝️ This charming tale revolves around family, friendship, and the quest for true love.

From the get-go, it's an absolute blast to read, with moments that'll have you laughing out loud. 😂 Helena, with her endearing clumsiness, steals the show. As an English teacher myself, I found her profession especially delightful. And then there's Amelia, her polar opposite, creating a dynamic duo that's a joy to follow. Despite their initial differences, their journey shows how they complement each other in unexpected ways.

But hold on tight for the twists! 🌀 Who would've thought that Landon, Helena's friend, is actually Amelia's ex? The unresolved feelings between them add an intriguing layer to the story, keeping you hooked until the very end.

Overall, it's a heartwarming, feel-good read that left me thoroughly entertained. With four different points of view, you really get to immerse yourself in the characters' lives. And through their experiences, you'll discover that embracing differences and navigating the bumps in the road are all part of the journey to finding true love. 🌟

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

It’s All Relative by Rachel Magee is a sensational modern retelling of Shakespeare’s famous comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

I loved the multiple POVs interwoven to tell this story:

Nora and Steve are about to get married - which means that their families will become one. Nora has been a single mother to Helena for nearly 30 years, while Steve Maddox is a recent widow with two daughters: Amelia & Emory and a son named Peter.

This story allows us to get into the minds of the quirky unfiltered Helena, her soon to be step-sister Amelia who she dubs “Polly Perfect,” Helena’s best friend and co-worker Landon (who Helena has no idea is also Amelia’s ex-boyfriend!!!), and Amelia’s fiancee Gage (who Helena is crushing on HARD). This story is beautifully told through the eyes of the aforementioned and comes together perfectly. It’s so refreshing to see each of the characters through the eyes of one another and get a full circle big picture of what the reality of the situation is. The wedding is set to take place on the picturesque Indigo Island that belongs to the Maddox family, but not before some shenanigans go down.

I am a huge Billy Shakespeare fan, and I am confident that he would be impressed with this rendition of his classic. I laughed a lot at this one and appreciated each character for what they had to offer. I think pre-teen Emory is my favorite character in the book, and I love the way she gravitates to Helena…there’s even a hilarious scene where the two of them fail to make a viral Tik-Tok while washing dishes.

I highly recommend this book to rom-com lovers, fans of Shakespeare, and anyone who likes being amused while reading. I had a hard time putting this fast-paced story down!

I am so grateful to Thomas Nelson Fiction & NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I look forward to reading more from Rachel Magee!

Talk about a Shakespeare remix! This retelling of Twelfth Night was a riot—I couldn't get enough! The characters were flawed in the best way, and I was totally invested in their quest for happiness. Even though I knew they'd find their happily ever after, the journey had me grinning from ear to ear, eager to see how they'd pull it off!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a classic romance book, based on an existing story so you kind of know the plot in advance but it was interesting enough to read anyway. Would recommend to any contemporary romance readers.

I unfortunately DNF at 30%. I understood going in that it was a retelling of a Shakespeare play but I just couldn't get into it. Too many characters and the plot was too much.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I liked the multiple POV and this was very much a character driven book. I enjoyed this. I would like to read more from this author

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, however opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of this one and couldn't make it past the halfway mark.
On paper it has all the ingredients for a book I should love, its a modern Shakespeare retelling of a Midsummer's Night Dream, it has a resort/wedding setting and a fantastic cover. However I found it to be hard to get into and overall, not believable enough. It's difficult to put one of Shakespeare's comedies, which are written to be silly and ridiculous, into a modern more serious setting. Each of the characters' relationships or attractions didn't make sense to me and so the conflict also felt trivial. After picking it up and putting it down again for weeks, I just decided to DNF it and send my feedback.

If you love all things Shakespeare retellings, then give this one a go. It's still a faithful adaptation and I think the characters' personalities and descriptions fit well.

big thanks to thomas nelson fiction and netgalley as i received a complimentary copy of this book. opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

it's all relative is okay in a sense that i understood the plot, but reading through it, i can't help but to feel confused about the characters as it has a lot. i had a hard time telling who is who. this would've been better had the author lessened the characters' points of view.

would i recommend? i think so, if the reader just wants a fast read.

It’s All Relative by Rachel Magee is a stellar rom-com! Family drama, lovable characters, witty banter - these are just a few of the elements that made me fall in love with this book. Although this book has some great depth, it is still a quick, easy read. I’ll be recommending this book & author to all of my friends!

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the ARC copy of this book.

This book delivers a delightful and heartwarming tale of family dynamics and unexpected twists. The characters are lovable and well-developed, each adding depth to the engaging storyline. With its blend of humor and heartfelt moments, this novel is a charming read that keeps readers entertained from start to finish.

It's All Relative is the most fun I have read so far this year. I would not classify it as rom-com, but romance is secondary storyline. It is a novel of learning that a family can change, and it will be alright. The new family may be completely opposite of who you are, but that makes life all the better.
Helena’s mother is marrying the for the first time, which means Helena is “losing” her mother to a new family with three children-two adult and one teen. To make it even harder, the new family is perfect, especially the oldest daughter Ameila. When it is time for the wedding week, Helena talks her best friend Landon to go to the family’s beach home with her. They are both shocked with Amelia is Mia, his lost love. To complicate matters even more, Helena is falling for Amelia’s fiancé.
It’s All Relative is a great beach read but has deeper themes. New people in our lives should not be judged by initial meetings and may be just the people we need in our lives. Families may change in appearance, but love can grow to include more people in our lives.
I received a complimentary copy of It’s All Relative thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced Reader Copy.

This was such a sweet and poignant retelling of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. All four main characters were sufficiently flawed without being unlikeable or unrealistic. While knowing that the novel is a retelling of a Shakespearean comedy lets you know that things will end happily, I still found myself engaged and invested in finding out what Happily Ever After would look like for each character and how they would get there.