Cover Image: All About Evie

All About Evie

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This is the second book on the series but can be read as a standalone. I loved the main protagonist. She is sassy and has some character. The authors writing is lighthearted.

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This is a really charming experience. If you liked and loved Evie in her first outing by Matson Taylor, you will fall a bit more in love with her here.

It's a great expansion- seeing Evie grow and develop in a way that feels realistic, yet still entertaining. She has gumption and humour, and is a wonderful heroine to spend time with. I raced through this.

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I think I liked this one more than the first. If Evie as a child was charming, she is even bolder as an adult. And her story is more poignant in this book.

While it is set 10 years after the first one, it is still very much a coming of age novel, just a different age. An adult. Questioning your place in the world and finding your people. I loved the culture references. And loved even more that it brought a tear or two to my eyes while still being a light and easy read.

I rooted hard for Evie and wanted very much for her to succeed in life and love.

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I loved The Miseducation of Evie Epworth so I was delighted to be back in her world and to catch up on what has been happening. This was such a lovely read following Evie and her life in London as she navigates working at a newspaper with a colleague who has taken against her. She still has her friends from the previous book and I loved seeing them again. I also enjoyed the sense of Yorkshire running through the novel. This is a gorgeous summer read and I recommend it!

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It’s been ten years of London life for Evie Epworth, she’s had a few adventures and found her feet but is she starting to stagnate? Due to an unfortunate incident involving a mug of warm wee and Princess Anne, Evie finds herself without a job for the first time and has to decide if she wants to play it safe or try something new. This was a mixed bag. Evie and her friends are a solid bunch of characters and Evie herself carries the book with her lighthearted optimistic attitude. The book is punctuated with a series of interludes some as flashbacks to Digby’s life and some are the last months of Mrs Scott Pyms life, I didn’t think these worked so well, most especially Digby’s which were fine by not tied to Evie’s story so it pulled focus when Evie’s story could have had a bit more meat. Evie and Lolo’s relationship was a bit light too, and the assumptions Evie makes about Lolo meant I couldn’t invest in it from the start so when I came together at the end it felt a bit rushed. All About Evie is still some light hearted fun and enjoyed reading it.

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This is the sequel to The Miseducation of Evie Epworth which I read last week (see my review here) and it’s now 10 years later – it’s 1972 and Evie is 26 years old and lives in London and in her own words…..

“I’ve seen Beatles strolling, two Stones rolling, Coward Noeling, Quant- tights holing; great trains robbed, long hair bobbed, pop stars mobbed (hormones throbbed); white heat, dancing feet, plastic seats, groovy streets. I’ve watched a World Cup win, been to West Berlin, had a fridge built- in, dyed a coat (sheepskin), made a dress (sequin), met a Redgrave (Lynne). Motorways, a trim- phone craze, All You Need is La Marseillaise. Yellow Submarine, Harper’s & Queen, no more scouring thanks to polytetrafluoroethylene. Flower power, Woman’s Hour, revolving dates in the GPO Tower . Paris precarious, vexatious boyfriends (various), the age of Aquarius. Vidal Sassoon, tripped- out car-toon, women on a wage strike and a man on the moon. Power cuts, decimal nuts, shag haircuts.”

Once again Matson Taylor provides the reader with a laugh-out loud scenario in the opening few chapters and luckily no cows were involved this time but a member of the royal family may have been slightly upset and so we begin to follow Evie in her own inimitable way as she is still trying to work out what kind of woman she will be.

If you enjoyed The Miseducation.. then you will be delighted to know all the main characters are back. The wonderful Caroline and Digby are more involved this time and we are introduced to the equally quirky and adorable Geneviève, Mrs Swithenbank’s niece, who arrives on Evie’s doorstep fresh from Yorkshire needing a place to stay.

With another stellar cast of characters I thought it would be hard to beat the revolting Christine in the first book, but Matson Taylor has outdone himself by creating Griffin, possibly the worst work colleague/boss ever, but I would love to hear her do her lunchtime chants one more time!

There are several laugh out loud moments, Evie getting stuck in Genevieve’s dress was probably my favourite and once again this book had me smiling throughout.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a giggle, or was a child of the 60s or 70s or just loves a feelgood story.

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Having loved The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, I jumped at the chance to read Evie's continued adventures in this sequel and it didn't disappoint. Evie is warm, and likeable which the author has brought to life to offer an authentic and engaging character. Surrounded by an equally well drawn cast of characters, this results in an uplifting and witty read. We join Evie as she is finding her way having relocated to London, 10 years after the Yorkshire based events of the first book. The book was compelling, witty and a really enjoyable read with the perfect ending. Here's hoping Evie returns again! Thanks to the TBC book club and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read.

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I loved The Miseducation Of Evie Epworth so I was delighted to be back with Evie and her friends for All About Evie. They once again provide us with several moments of humour and there were a few situations that made me laugh out loud. Whilst some of the characters were familiar, it was also wonderful to meet new people such as Evie's work colleagues and Lolo and Geneviève, who all brought a different dynamic to the story. It was also brilliant to be able to put a "face" to Digby's name.

We join Evie ten years after the ending of The Miseducation Of Evie Epworth in 1972, and once more, Matson Taylor has captured the atmosphere and essence of the the time with references to culture (David Bowie features heavily), politics and society of the time. This felt really authentic and made it really easy to lose myself in the novel.

Although there are plenty of lighthearted moments, All About Evie does touch on some more serious issues. I was particularly interested in the portrayal of sexuality as the novel is set at a time when homosexuality was only made legal relatively recently. I felt that this was handled well with gentle humour and sensitivity. There are also themes of grief and the idea of "finding yourself" is prominent, both of which are explored in a touching way.

I'd definitely love to catch up with these characters again!

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What can I say about Evie Epworth? Absolutely one of my favourite ever characters from a novel, so I was totally thrilled to see her returning in the latest novel from Matson Taylor: All About Evie.

This book is such a tonic; I just love seeing the world through Evie’s eyes. The humour is sometimes quite ridiculous but, I’ve got to be honest, I love it!

All About Evie captures perfectly that kind of messy, chaotic time between turning 20 and 30. I also got a really vivid sense of time and place, primarily 70’s London. There are plenty of nostalgic links to the first book, The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, which had me wanting to read it all over again.

If you haven’t read either of these books I’d really recommend them.

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Evie Epworth is an eminently likeable protagonist whose positive outlook and breezy determination to throw herself into new experiences are a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed the many references to life in the 1960s and early 70s, which brought back a few memories. The romance was fun and the characters almost all had charm, especially Genevieve, although the “villain” was a little ridiculous.
Reading this book was like inhabiting a happy little bubble, with moments of comic gold. The only things that jarred a little were the overuse of parenthesis and the weird footnotes about past relationships, which didn’t work well for me - especially as the formatting on my Kindle Paperwhite mixed these up with the main body of text.
I was a bit confused about Evie’s connection to Caroline and Digby, but that’s probably because like an idiot I read this book before its prequel - doubtless all will be revealed when I read the first one! The fact that I still enjoyed the story enough to rate it 4 stars in spite of my mistake speaks volumes.
Thank you to Netgalley and The Book Club for the opportunity to read this fun, lively book in exchange for an honest review.

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We met Evie when she was set to leave school and be an adult. It has been a while since then, and Evie is now well-settled in London. Despite this not being an exact sequel, it does talk about all the people we previously encountered. I did not remember the dynamics immediately, but even the faint knowledge I had helped improve my reading experience, although it is not compulsory.
Apart from Evie's story currently, there are two separate voices that tell a story of an earlier time. Despite knowing the names, I was still surprised by the revelation of one of the story's arcs.
Our central protagonist is at a fork in her life. She has been working hard at a job she considers important and takes up a large chunk of her time. Evie owns the house she lives in, so she does not feel the burden immediately when she loses the previously mentioned dearly loved job. She has to assess her priorities, and using her capacity to spin a tale - she lines up some new things to do.
This book is not just her story. It is the collective narration of multiple voices, each going through a similar coming-of-age reassessment of their lives and purposes. It is light and fun, even with the heavier undertones of loss and yearning. Found families and friendships helped advance the story, and the romance was sweet. I was quite surprised at how blind Evie was, but it felt believable, given all the other factors.
I would recommend this to readers of the genre. The book is set in 1972, providing a different background than I am used to for books like this. If you have read the previous work, it might interest you more than it would otherwise.
I originally received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and the previous book by the author.

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Ten years on from The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, we now find Evie living in London and working at the BBC. She is older and wiser, but still the same irrepressible Evie underneath – nothing gets her down for very long. Due to an unfortunate incident, she loses her job and takes the opportunity to reassess her life. She tries working in an art gallery, but it’s not for her. She talks her way into a job at a listings magazine and finds she both likes the work and is good at it, if only they don’t find out that she was not entirely truthful about her qualifications.
Most of the story is told from Evie’s point of view in the summer of 1972. There are occasional flashbacks from Mrs Scott-Pym earlier in the year, and from a mysterious character whose relevance only becomes clear later in the book. I enjoyed the short post-it-like notes between the chapters listing the good and bad qualities of men Evie had briefly gone out with. This is a very succinct way of catching the reader up with ten years of her dating history.
The writing style is engaging and witty with lots of lists and descriptive imagery. Matson Taylor captures the narrative voice of twenty-six-year-old Evie in a thoroughly convincing way. The 70s cultural references are spot on; I was seventeen in 1972 and it’s just how I remember it. The characters are well drawn and believable. It is lovely to be reacquainted with some old friends from the first book, and to meet Lolo, Genevieve, the two Nicks and Evie’s nemesis, the ghastly Griffin. Parts of the story are truly hilarious, others are sad and poignant, but there is a heartwarming scene straight out of a Richard Curtis film, and an ending that made me think we have not seen the last of Evie Epworth – I certainly hope not! Thanks to Scribner UK and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

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4.5

Evie Hepworth is easily up there in my top three literary characters of all time. This didn’t quite match up to the first book (5 stars) however, I think that’s purely because being introduced to Evie Hepworth for the first time was a very special event. This is a wonderful sequel to the first book and I loved seeing how Evie had evolved as a character and as always her escapades were as charming and funny as ever. It was also lovely to read about the characters from the first book and Genevieve was a breath of fresh air.

The story follows Evie ten years on from the first book. She’s 26, living in London and working for the BBC. After an encounter with Princess Ann goes very wrong she finds herself working at a magazine and living her best life. Throughout the story she makes friendships, finds herself in hilarious situations and falls in love with a man that she thought was out of the equation.

This series of books is the equivalent of a big slab of your favourite cake and a huge cup of frothy coffee. It’s warm, compassionate, cosy and comforting. You will find yourself falling in love with Evie and you’ll become fully immersed into her life just like I’ve found myself.

Matzoh Taylor please tell me that you’re writing a third book, I need Evie Hepworth in my literary life.

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I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.

I was saddened not to enjoy this book as much as the first Evie, but I know that can sometimes happen with sequels. I found myself shocked at some of Evie's behaviours and I just didn't connect with her as much as in the first book. However, I still love Matson as an author and I look forward to the final book in the trilogy.

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I enjoyed this warm, witty book and Evie was a real treat. It was a quick and easy read, a lovely way to spend a quiet evening enjoying Evie's adventures.

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I was excited to meet Evie again, as I really enjoyed the first book. This time around we meet Evie ten years on, living and working in London. I enjoyed this sequel but found I wanted a bit more depth and detail about the character's motivation and emotion. I feel Evie is well portrayed, but others less so, and the plot is tied up rather quickly. I missed Yorkshire too.

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Great to catch up with Evie again in this fun sequel. I love the time setting and everything about this character! More please!!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

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Joyous. Funny. Delightful.
Evie Epworth's escapades continue, this time in 1970s London.
Do you need some joy and laughter in your life? Of course you do! Then read this novel. It's wonderful.
Featuring great period detail, characters you care about and plenty of laughs.
I loved it.

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Oh Evie, Evie, Evie! It was an absolute JOY to catch-up with Evie and her friends and if it were at all possible, I think I loved this latest installment of her more than the first.

There's such a sweetness to Evie's stories and they are SO uplifting. They just give you all the feels.

Hilarious, warm and engaging, I already can't wait for Evie Part 3!

There aren't enough stars in the world to give this book!

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An absolute joy of a book to read - thank you to Netgalley and Scribner books for the chance to read the ARC of All About Evie, an utterly worthy sequel to 'The Miseducation of Evie Epworth'!

The last time we saw Evie at the end of the first book, she was living her best life in London, having left Yorkshire behind her, forging her way in the swinging 60s and finding out who she was. Now, 10 years later, she's still loving it, embracing all that London in 1972 can offer , working for the BBC, living in a little flat of her own, out on the town with her friends. Matson Taylor's easy writing style completely sums up Evie's carefree life, and he writes such beautiful poetic lists about what she's experiencing and enjoying, I kept smiling with the thoughts of how happy Evie was.

But all good things come to an end, and due to a hilarious misunderstanding with Princess Anne, a mug and a state of the art pregnancy test, Evie swiftly leaves the BBC and has to find a new job. She walks into a job in an art gallery but quickly realises the art world isn't for her, and finds a job writing the listings in a 'Whats on' type magazine. I loved reading about Evie's introduction to the world of journalism and all of the characters she met- such a different working world from how things are nowadays!

There's also a gorgeous storyline about Evie's love life; she has had a few relationships before but nothing that's lasted or made her happy. When she meets Lolo from Radio 3, they become firm friends but he's gay & lives with another man, so it can only ever be a friendship....

We also have flashbacks from other characters including Mrs Scott Pym, and a character in the 1950s whose relevance becomes clearer and clearer as the story develops.

Loved every word of it, joyful and uplifting - thank you! All About Evie is a beautifully written story full of happiness and hope. 😍

Such a beautifully written story full of happiness and hope,

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