ARC Review
Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review 💜

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Unwritten Rules of Magic by Harper Ross

This story begins with Emerson, a single mother coping with the loss of her father to Alzheimer’s. While sorting through his estate, she discovers his old typewriter—the “lucky charm” he always swore by. From there, the story takes on a life of its own.

Ross balances heavy themes—Alzheimer’s, alcoholism, and single parenting—with a quirky, fast-paced narrative that keeps the pages turning. I especially enjoyed following Emerson as she navigates the mysterious “lucky typewriter,” which grants wishes but always with a twist. It’s not just magic—it’s mischief with consequences.

This was a heartfelt, engaging, and fun read that made me laugh and think in equal measure. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction with a magical twist.

What if you discovered an old manual typewriter that grants you the wishes you type out? What if these wishes come true but there's a price to pay? This is what Emerson learns after she experiments with the typewriter after her father dies. He kept the device under lock and key and forbade anyone from using it. This is an intriguing premise. I enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who like a hint of mystical happenings.
Five stars and my thanks to #NetGalley for the chance to early read.

3.5

I loved how the typewriter became a way to explore themes of grief, family, and the temptation to rewrite our lives. That theme reminds me a bit of the Midnight Library! I actually wasn't expecting it to dive into family dynamics so much, and I really appreciated that.

Where it felt a bit more flat than expected was that the magical element felt more subtle than I expected. I was hoping the magical element was a bit more prominent, but that is just a personal expectation. I'd say the “magic” is understated and tied more to emotional and moral questions than a full-blown fantasy system.

Thoughtful and emotional, but a bit slow at times. Would be a cozy read for fall/winter.

Imagine for a moment you have an instrument that grants your wishes for things to change. Would you tempt fate and use it? Or, would you destroy it and all the changes or calamity it could cause? Such is the tempting choice that faces Emmerson when she steals an old typewriter from her deceased father’s office. Learning by accident that her words typed will impact fate, it becomes a lure she cannot resist. Many outcomes happen with their own set of results. The biggest result is her greatest challenge.
An engrossing look at a take on the “What If…” question if given the chance to answer it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you discovered a magical typewriter that allowed you to type a wish that would come true, would you use it? No matter the twist (and there always is a twist) or cost? This is Emerson's dilemma when her famous author father dies. The message is a little heavy handed but the story is engaging.

This is a great story about finding one's self after a loss. It also was great for being able to reconnect with family after being estranged for many years.

Be careful what you wish for…

I have to admit, I was hoping for a story steeped in magical realism; a tale about a vintage typewriter that grants wishes. But as we all know, wishes rarely unfold the way we imagine. Instead, this novel centers on trauma and grief, as three generations of Clarke women navigate the loss of their patriarch, Jefferson William Clarke, a globally beloved science-fiction author.

It all starts with a typewriter…

A vintage 1930s Underwood typewriter wouldn’t seem out of place in the office of a celebrated writer. Perhaps it might raise an eyebrow that it’s kept under lock and key. After all, such an item holds more sentimental than monetary value. So when Emerson Clarke lays her father to rest, it’s this typewriter that captures her curiosity. Forbidden from ever touching it, she finds catharsis in freeing it from its confines and bringing it home.

It’s not a particularly infamous typewriter—not like the Adler Universal 39 used in The Shining. But when Emerson types a letter to her deceased father, something unexpected happens:

“Look where silence has left me! Stealing this typewriter as if it will bring closure. That’s as pointless as wishing by some miracle would revive my neglected flowerbeds or help me lose five pounds by Mel’s birthday party this weekend.
This is real life, not one of your story worlds.”



Suddenly, her azaleas and tulips spring to life, and she’s struck with a stomach bug that leaves her exactly 4 pounds, 12 ounces lighter. Reeling from the coincidence, she types out more wishes—each one subtly manipulating her family to behave the way she wants.

Emerson is not a particularly likable character. She’s controlling, and while she insists her actions stem from love for her daughter and mother, they often feel self-serving. Her life revolves entirely around caretaking, with no room for personal fulfillment. Her dream of writing fantasy novels was crushed by her father’s harsh criticism, leaving her ghostwriting romance thrillers for a pushy bestselling author. She rarely goes out as her world is so tightly wound around her family. Emerson has a tendency to read too much into her family's emotions and actions, often jumping to conclusions and feeling compelled to intervene. Especially when it's not wanted or even helpful.

It's her lack of control over her own life, that leads her act in this way. She even lacks creative control with the books she writes. Ironically, she offers this unheeded advice to the author she ghostwrites for:

“Tension drives pacing, which keeps the reader turning the page.”

Yet that same advice seems lost in this novel. Once the typewriter is hidden away out of fear of causing further harm, the story loses its momentum. The tension fizzles, and the narrative leans heavily on Emerson’s strained relationships. Her issues with her daughter are obvious to the reader, but we’re forced to watch her stumble through interactions until her daughter finally voices what we already know.

That said, the author deserves credit for crafting emotionally resonant scenes and layered characters that reflect the complexities of grief, motherhood, and identity. The writing is thoughtful and evocative, even if the magical elements take a backseat.

Readers who enjoy women’s fiction and stories about complex relationships (touching on themes like alcoholism, narcissism, and single motherhood), may find much to appreciate here. But I came for the magic.

Based on the synopsis, I was expecting more of a magical realism story but it turns out that is more of a family drama (although there is a magical typewriter).

Gosh, I adore books like this. This book felt so magical and was so full of heart and love and grief. Emerson was such a great character. I loved the exploration of kind of what would happen if all your wishes really came true and would it be as great as you think it would? A beautiful story!

This is a very interesting idea for a book and the main plot of a secret magical typewriter is what had me interested in reading this book!
I will say it felt like the characters were very distant, I just didn’t feel much attachment to them! And also this book is very long which made it hard to get through when it was slow!

I really wanted to love this book, but honestly it fell short. Don’t let the title fool you this isn’t gonna be a magical witchy vibe, it has a good plot and the writing style is there but it’s really missing something that I just can’t put my finger on. Some of the magic in the book seems like a last minute decision to try and make things exciting but it just really doesn’t do it. While the characters are relatable at times it just doesn’t give you enough to want to keep reading, I found it slow paced with a fairly predictable ending.

The magic of Harper Ross compelled me to finish this book in two days. (Would've been one, but I had taken NyQuil so....)

While not a thriller, I still had to keep turning those pages to see what would happen with Emerson, Sadie, and Dorothy. All had been manipulated by the wishes of the father; all were prey to the wishes of Emerson. At the heart of the novel lies the question, "Can you control life for others?" As it turns out, no. Not even with a magic typewriter.

More importantly, however, this is a story of a mother who learns to take chances while also letting go, and that push-me/pull-me of emotion sustained me through the story as did the lush prose and poignant insights.

This is a story about mothers and daughters and their relationships. Emerson doesn’t have a good relationship with her mother and now her own need to control things is starting to ruin her relationship with her daughter. The story has a unique premise and sends a good message of living your life and not trying to control the outcome.

I am typically a fan of magical realism stories and was looking forward to this one, but it ended up falling a little flat for me. Maybe I was expecting more whimsy from the title, but it definitely was more of a family drama than anything else. I appreciated the deeper topics of grief, middle age, alcoholism in a family member, abortion, etc but I also struggled with feeling connected to the main character. It was interesting enough that I finished the book, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

This would be a perfect book for those who liked the character-drivenness of Divine Rivals. This book tackles grief and love through the use of a magical antique typewriter. I found it to be very charming and any book that deals with grief and loss is something that hooks me.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the arc!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Unwritten Rules of Magic" and all opinions expressed are my own. I love magical realism books. This story was really more of a drama. I understand the aspect with the typewriter but it wasn't magical for me. The characters were ok. It just seemed like there was a lot going on but nothing felt connected. Overall rating it ok.

As much as I wanted to like this book, I felt it came up short. The characters, especially the main character, were hard to empathize with. The magical typewriter feels like an afterthought in a family drama where all three women seem to dislike one another while the MC attempts to control everyone else. I know she cared deeply and that’s where her attempt at control came from but it was still very hard to like her.

Solid 3.75 stars! This was a great read. I loved the magical theme of the typewriter and the realities of using it and its effects on the main characters life. The characters had enough depth that you care about them and their story- something that a similar book- Ghostwriter I feel lacked. I had a fun time with this read, and although I wish there was more use of the typewriter throughout the book, I understand why there wasn't.
Thank you to Harper Ross and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love magical realism. This really was not that. This was a family drama, romantic romp, teen angst book with a "magical typewriter" thrown in. I did not care for the characters, couldn't understand their disdain for what the father worked for his whole life (his writing, his art collection, his possessions, his gorgeous home, his money) I just didn't get it. It was like they just wanted to be rid of it all, of him. Emerson irritated me with her lack of sense. Not my cup of magic potion.

Currently not going to finish reading this story (maybe a soft DNF?). Im about 12% in and im just not connecting with the storyline right now, I need something more fast paced and distracting! Maybe later in fall I might pick this one up again and see how I like it!