Just Like Magic is a holiday, fantasy romance. I enjoyed Hogle’s book, Twice Shy, so I was excited to read this one. 

Bettie is a social media influencer on Instagram that has hit rock bottom. Her perfume, jewelry and lipstick companies have all gone under and she is being dogged by her ex-boyfriend’s hateful fans. Her ex-boyfriend, Lucas, is a famous singer who started out in a boy band and has a huge following. She broke up with him because he was emotionally abusive. She dumped him on Twitter because she was afraid if she tried to do it in person, he would talk her out of it. He says her claims of abuse are false and calls her heartless. It has been several years since the break-up, but no matter what she says to defend herself, people still believe him and slam her. People she thought were her friends turned on her and she loses all her sponsors. 

It’s Thanksgiving and Bettie is drowning her sorrows with Zinfandel when she accidentally bumps the needle and plays Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas backwards. Her record player starts sparking, her room pulsates, light bulbs explode and when the smoke clears, she finds a man standing in her living room. He’s in his mid-twenties with green eyes, chestnut brown hair and reminded me of Buddy, from the movie Elf. He tells her he is Holiday Spirit, conjured by playing Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas backwards on vinyl. He tells Bettie she can call him Hall (Hall E. Day) and he is there to fill her with holiday spirit. He says,

“Holiday Spirit is an individualized experience. ‘Holiday Spirit’ means something different to every person, so the makeup of a conjured Holiday Spirit would vary from person to person.”

He describes it as a mist that covers the world and he is a tiny piece that came to Bettie because she summoned him. Hall can use magic to grant Bettie wishes until she’s filled with spirit of her own. She is the first human he’s helped so he is also learning how his magic works and this adds humor to the story. 

Bettie wants to use Hall’s magic to help her get revenge on all the people who cancelled her. Her ideas for revenge were my least favorite part of the story and I thought this part dragged. There is a mean reporter from NYC, Kelly Frederik, who has made a name for herself by taking down celebrities. Kelly shared Betties financial problems with the world so Bettie has Hall put a water buffalo in her NYC apartment, causing a lot of damage. Another example of her revenge is that the tabloids, paparazzi and anyone who’s ever sued Bettie would have their taste buds tinkered with. There are many more revenge requests, some that I didn’t understand, like covering Salt Lake City in marshmallow goo. 

Bettie is getting ready to visit her family at her grandparents’ home for the holidays. She has been trying to hide her problems from her family and decides Hall will pose as her fiancé and use his magic to help her impress them. Bettie’s ideas of special presents for her family and ways to make a grand entrance were fun at first, but then I thought they went on too long.

Her Grandma is a famous movie star and philanthropist but isn’t impressed by any of her Grandchildren. Bettie loves seeing her Grandpa who adores her. Her father is a photographer and her mom hosts a holiday baking show on Netflix. They don’t want their kids taking money from Grandma and expect them to make their own way in the world.

Her older sister Athena is a model and is married with two children. Her younger sister Kaia is a singer on her way to fame with an upcoming album. Felix, her brother, is an assistant film director of two films that both tanked but he acts like Tarantino and he and his fourth wife are having trouble.

When they first arrive, her family starts sniping at each other and are even rude to Hall. Bettie wants Hall’s help to get revenge on them. Instead he begins to teach her and her family the true spirit of the holidays. I liked when Hall tells her,

“The best revenge is making peace with a past you can’t change and figure out how to make the future a happier place to live in.”

It’s fun to watch how Hall’s magic and holiday activities bring the family together and we see Bettie’s happiness grow day by day. However, the happier Bettie gets, the shorter Hall’s time with her on Earth is. He’s going away as soon as she has enough cheer according to his cheer scale.

My favorite part of the story is when Hall takes the family ice skating. I liked how he encourages Bettie and it was fun to watch their romance build.

“His hand in mine, we tread to the perimeter of the ice and…I feel it. A pull of magic. You can do anything it whispers. The magic has Hall’s voice, his peppermint scent. It feels exactly like a warm conspiratorial smile pressed to my cheek, a steady hand on my back, which shouldn’t make me shiver like it does.”

I like the creative way Bettie starts over, rebuilding her career. I wondered how everything would work out for Hall and Bettie and was glad the story had a long, satisfying ending. They story was zany and unique and I especially enjoyed the humor. I look forward to seeing what the author comes out with next.