Everyday Magic

by Emily Albright

Overview

From the critically acclaimed author of The Heir and the Spare comes another enchanting tale of love and fame set in England, among the privileges and pressures of the red-carpet life. Maggie's dad is a Hollywood director, and he has her whole life planned: Not only will she grow up to be an entertainment lawyer and work for him, he literally blackmails her to date the boy who's starring in his new movie. But Maggie loves Preston, the British boy who stole her heart, and despite the risk that her dad will make her mother miserable if she doesn't give in, Maggie decides to go for it, designing a red-carpet gown for a young duchess that puts her and the duchess in the limelight. Once there, she turns to Preston and issues a challenge: Can a girl who has given up the glamorous life any other girl would want...be the girl for him?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440598739
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	12/02/2016
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	1,114,364
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.50(h) x 4.00(d)
Lexile:	HL620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Emily Albright was born in Salt Lake City, and her parents moved her all over the continental US growing up. As a result, she now knows several places that she could never move to. As an only child, often in a new city, Emily spent all of her time lost in the worlds of her favorite books and making up imaginary places and friends to keep her company. A graduate of the University of Oregon, she received a degree in journalism and communication. She now gets to spend her days going back to her roots, dreaming up heroes and heroines and putting them in awkward or sometimes swoony situations. Emily now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her handsome husband, her amazing daughter, their crazy cock-a-poo, and feisty kitten. She has no intention of ever leaving the PNW...well, unless she could somehow finagle a free and adorable cottage in Scotland, but that seems highly unlikely. When Emily isn’t writing, she’s usually reading, and when she’s not reading, she’s binge-watching Netflix or her DVR. She always has a glass of tea at her side and usually something furry cuddled up to her. Emily is the author of The Heir and the Spare series and Perfect Harmony.

Editorial Reviews

This book is clean-with-steam fun, the sort of read that feels like a guilty pleasure ... but without the guilt. With royals, movie stars, fashion, scandal and an intense kiss or two, Everyday Magic is sure to be another contemporary romance win for author Emily Albright.

USA Today Happy Ever After

A sweet and charming novel that explores the complex relationships between friends, family and everything in between. Emily Albright really succeeded in creating a well-rounded story with a character that is multidimensional and extremely relatable. It was one of those books that I just couldn’t put down and really hooked me.

Teenreads

"The ending is a happy one... Characters from Albright's The Heir and the Spare make appearances and are central to the plot... For fans of Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot, and Nicholas Sparks." —School Library Journal

"The romance is...sweet [and]...fans of the first book will love seeing Preston getting his turn in the spotlight...as he's a great hero. The heroine is also well written, as her character grows and overcomes obstacles while chasing her dream. An enjoyable read with great character development." —RT Book Reviews

"A modern day fairytale. It is a feel good story... and can inspire young girls out there to go for their dreams regardless of their circumstances.... The characters are so full of personality and spunk.... Everyday Magic is great if you are craving a light read that is both heartwarming and enjoyable. It is perfect for curling up with during the holiday season!" —YA Books Central

From the Publisher

10/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Maggie McKendrick, a recent high school graduate from California, is in Scotland, where her famous father Scott is directing a new movie starring the teen male actor du jour. To the outside world, she seems to have it all. In reality, Scott is controlling, manipulative, and abusive to Maggie, her older brother Marc, and their mother Diana. Their happy family is a charade for the paparazzi. The protagonist seeks solace in sketching, contemplating ways to tell her father she will decline acceptance to UCLA's law program and instead matriculate at an elite fashion design school come autumn. One day, while drawing outdoors, Maggie meets Preston, who is visiting his family in the home next door. A sweet romance begins to blossom, contrasted with Diana's decision to finally divorce her husband. Scott vows to make Diana's life miserable unless Maggie agrees to date his movie's star, Ben. Scott dangles payment for her fashion school as a carrot. Maggie reluctantly complies but secretly tells Ben, who has already agreed, and Preston the plan. Ben's motivation for going along will be obvious to readers long before it is revealed in dialogue. What ensues will test the teen's resolve, and Preston's, as the facade of her fake relationship comes under scrutiny from the tabloids. The ending is a happy one, if perhaps a bit melodramatic. While this is not a sequel, characters from Albright's The Heir and the Spare make appearances and are central to the plot. VERDICT An additional purchase for fans of Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot, and Nicholas Sparks.—Jillian Woychowski, West Haven High School, CT

School Library Journal

2016-09-19
The daughter of a Hollywood director juggles her real feelings for a charming English aristocrat and a forced publicity-stunt romance with a movie star. In Albrights companion novel to her royals-inspired romance, The Heir and the Spare (2015), white teen Maggie McKendrick is in Scotland for the summer during her cruel fathers latest movie shoot. She has a meet-cute with Preston, a handsome, white Oxford student vacationing at a family estate (readers of the first book will remember hes Prince Edmunds best mate), but their blossoming romance takes a back seat to Maggies family troubles. Not only does Maggies mother finally file for divorce, but her father cuts Maggie off financially for deciding to attend a British fashion institute instead of UCLA. While shes at design school, Maggies egomaniacal father forces her to date his flailing movies white it-boy star, Ben, for publicitys sake, or else hell out Ben and leave Maggies mother with nothing. If this sounds clichd, thats because it isas is almost everything in this poorly executed romance. The voice is clunky and anachronistic (what 18-to-20-year-olds say "jeez," "crap," "jerk face"?); the British slang laughably false (particularly for posh, titled characters); the substantial themes (physical and emotional abuse, depression) barely explored; and the characterization underdeveloped. Maggie is simply too nave and immature to be believable as a young woman raised in Hollywood. Its telling that the most-uttered word is filler: "um." Skip it. (Romance. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews

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