Just Like Magic

By: Sarah Hogle

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

The holidays were never her thing, until she accidentally conjures the Holiday Spirit...before her very eyes.

Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury, flaunting a collection of designer purses and an enviable dream home in Hawaii. That was before she lost all her money. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media. But the reality is Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado, and her family has no idea.

Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” backward and accidentally conjures up Hall, the Holiday Spirit, in the form of a charming and handsome (if offbeat) man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé.

But as some of Bettie’s wishes lose their charm, she finds herself thrown off-kilter by Hall’s sweet nature. Suddenly, grumpy Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways return as soon as the holidays are over?

©2022 Sarah Hogle (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Full of hope and holiday cheer, Just Like Magic is an unforgettable laugh-out-loud romance sure to become a Christmas classic. With over-the-top antics, lovable characters, and a romance sure to melt even the coldest of hearts, Just Like Magic cast a spell that kept me turning pages all night just to see what would happen next. This book is Sarah Hogle at her best.” (Sarah Grunder Ruiz, author of Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships)

"Sarah Hogle's Just Like Magic is a brilliant and totally bonkers romance told with hilarious, effervescent charm. Imagine spinning in blissful abandon amongst sparkling lights and rollicking music, then being caught by steady arms before you fall. That's what reading this book is like. It's sheer joy and true heart and utterly glorious pandemonium, and I adored it." (India Holton, author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels)

"I would pay so much money for all Christmas content to be as GLEEFULLY UNHINGED as this. I cannot remember the last time a book made me literally laugh out loud this much." (Martha Waters, author of To Marry and to Meddle)

Ridiculous premise, awful narration, but still fun

I won’t spoil anything for you, but this is absurd. Original? Yes. Festive? Yes. Clean? Almost 100%. We’ll written? Meh. Not particularly. Well narrated? Not at all (the main male character suffers from horrible upspeak, and has an affect that makes it extremely surprising that he is romantically interested in our female protagonist.it’s bizarre. All the way around- weird. And yet.. I finished it.

Story of redemption

I like the last several chapters but the main character is so unlikable for much of the book.

BEAUTIFUL. WEIRD. PERFECT.

I don’t understand why there are some negative reviews on this book, because to me it is perfection. If you like realism, this book isn’t for you. If you love whimsical, witty, spontaneity, and humor then this book is DEFINITELY for you. I peeped all the (not so subtle) Taylor Swift references and I just enjoyed the whole thing. The love story is so adorable and it made me extremely invested. This book brought a ton of Christmas cheer into my life!!!

Charming!

Wonderful holiday read! Not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed this warm and witty romance tremendously .

Loved the story

Hard to get into it as a romance when she made him sound so flamboyant. Literally at the halfway point I was like HE’S the love interest??? But she’s such a hilarious author so I still loved it.

A fun, quirky and weird,, completely unpredictable story

I don’t know why there are so many bad reviews because this is a fun listen/book!!

am a typical Hallmark movie, hopeless romantic, love story addict. But this book really has me speechless. I wish I had read it instead of listening only because it was so unpredictable and honestly such a fun listen. The narration was a little weird because of the different characters and their personalities, but I have loved listening to this one! Definitely not what I expected, and I love that.

Completely hilarious!

Picture yourself completely intoxicated, in a state of absolute bewilderment, right down to your very socks, as the sound of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" echoes through the room backwards. Then, in a sudden flicker of lights, the Christmas spirit itself materializes before you in the form of a dashing man, bursting with enthusiasm for everything and anything. And slowly but surely, even the coldest, most materialistic girl begins to feel something stirring within her.

✨Thoughts✨
I found this book to be absolutely hilarious. However, I must admit that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you're not accustomed to Sarah Hogle's brand of humor. There were moments when I was uncertain of the direction the story was taking, particularly when we were introduced to Betty, a girl consumed by material possessions, and the wholesomely innocent Hall, who’s mission is to teach her the true meaning of the Christmas spirit. Nevertheless, with each passing chapter, I found myself bursting into laughter. By the middle of the book, Betty had unexpectedly won me over, and as for Hall... well, it's impossible not to fall head over heels for that sweet goofball!

All in all, this book provides a delightful dose of lightheartedness, filled with outlandish and absurd events. Our main characters are utterly endearing, and their banter is simply precious. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers who are looking for a delightful blend of romance, humor, and the warm and fuzzy atmosphere of the holiday season.

Although the narrator exhibited talent, her portrayal of every character came across as snobbish, lacking the desired diversity. Consequently, it became challenging to swiftly identify changes in characters.

In general, the story and narrative were fairly satisfactory. The plot captivated my interest more than the way it was narrated, hence my decision to remain engaged with the book.

A perfect book

Sarah Hogle wrote the perfect book! It’s hilarious, nostalgic, and full of growth—an instant classic.

Almost stopped listening, glad I didn’t

The character voices were very annoying for the first half of the book, the storyline kept me going, and it does get better. Overall, I love this book as a holiday read, would probably recommend buying the book instead of listening to it. 

Loved it

This book is completely ridiculous, and I loved every minute of it. It is so funny and so original. I’ve never read anything like it, and I fell in love with the characters and all of the little details thrown in. The narrator also did an amazing job! She really brought every scene to life. I will return to read this book each Christmas