'The Miseducation of Evie Epworth' was one of my books of 2021 - I couldn't wait to see how Matson Taylor was going to follow up his impressive debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this sequel in exchange for an honest review.

This novel picks up a way after the first one finished with 1960s Evie heading for London. She's now 10 years older and living the high life in 1970s London - until a surprising and unfortunate incident involving Princess Anne ends her BBC career a little prematurely. Faced with a number of possibilities, Evie picks herself up and tries some different paths with the help of her friends.

As with the first novel, the period detail is beautifully done and weirdly nostalgic (even if you don't really remember the 1970s that clearly first time around) - Taylor bombards us with the music, fashion, products, food and knick-knacks of the 1970s and it makes for a vibrant backdrop to Evie's story.

Taylor's trademark humour is also evident in bucketloads - not only the Princess Anne incident (I'm still blushing about that one!), but also in Evie's distinctive voice as she narrates the story. Descriptions of people are particularly well done, with Evie differentiating between her colleagues (two men called Nick) as 'with the collars' and 'stick up bum', plus her skewering of colleague Griffin's rather eccentric dress sense. There's a lot of warmth in the telling of this story and some lovely people emerge from the pages as quirky, lively, engaging characters.

So is this a worthy sequel to 'The Miseducation of Evie Epworth'? Yes, in lots of ways. It absolutely channels the charm and warmth of the first novel, the gorgeous characterisation and the vivid period detail. There is so much to enjoy here and I'd recommend this without hesitation to anyone who wants to catch up with Evie ten years on.

My only niggle feels a bit unfair given the fact that Evie is ten years older and a lot more worldly - I kind of miss her naivety and her status as unreliable narrator in the first book (given the fact she doesn't understand adult ways and motivations). In 'All About Evie', she's a bit harder and has a string of failed relationships behind her (detailed in 'fact file' style inserts throughout the novel). It's a totally accurate view of growing up and moving on, but I missed young Evie even as I knew she couldn't be the same at 26 as she was at 16. I think I wanted the story of young Evie arriving in London - surely there's a wealth of material there!

I'd recommend this to anyone who loved 'The Miseducation of Evie Epworth' and wants a second dose of the charm and quirk. However, if you haven't met Evie yet, definitely start with book one and immerse yourself in her often joyful 1960s naivety.

Evie is now 26 1/2 years old and now living in London, and if there’s something the author – Matson Taylor does well, it is uplifting opening paragraphs and then sustaining that throughout the rest of a book.

Readers – Get re-acquainted with Evie Epworth! This time, the year is 1972 and she is at work doing a sound check at Broadcasting House in the Women’s Hour studio for a special broadcast of Princess Anne doing an interview.
Her best friend is Caroline, who brought her to London as they’re like sisters. She needs that kind of loving after still having her sparkley career in the morning and it vanishing by the afternoon… Then there’s the matter of her love-life and time is moving on and lots of guys are being picked off the shelf and coupled up, as her internal clock is also ticking away. It has a very entertaining, humorous Bridget Jones vibe, right down to a certain list, that fits well and seems a nice nod to those books/films. It’s a vibe that not everyone pulls off well, but Taylor does in this series and yet keeping originality in the characters and narrative.

Nestled amongst the hilarity, there are moments of poignancy and sadness in family matters, but not deeply depressingly sad, it’s another side of grief and dealing with the deceased belongings, a tender, bittersweet moment that is realistically captured, before moving back to Evie working on a plan of action for her next stage in life (sort of).

There are interesting interludes throughout the book, much like there were in the first book - The Miseducation of Evie Epworth. This time it is like a bit of a tour around different parts of Scotland and Yorkshire, giving insights into what happened for a person to get to where they are now. It may not sound like this works on paper like this, but in the book it does and flows naturally. The fact there are interludes sort of reminds me of a style in a drama I used to watch. The interludes in this book add much depth and poignancy.

I am absolutely hooked on reading about Evie Epworth and I am sure others will be too. I can’t wait to see what Matson Taylor writes next

I’ve been looking forward to this one for ages and it didn’t disappoint: the second instalment of Evie’s adventures was even better than the first! Although she’s ten years older, I was delighted that Evie still has her sparkling personality and aptitude for mischief. Without giving too much away, I was also thrilled that the first chapter ended with just as much of a bang as last time…

It was fun to read about Evie’s poor choices of men over the years and I thought the main romance was a slow burn but not in a frustrating way. Evie was hilariously oblivious! I definitely related to the feeling of being in your mid/late twenties and feeling like you haven’t quite found yourself and liked how Evie worked through those feelings over the course of the book.

I liked Caroline and Digby’s central role and found the new characters - especially Lolo, Genevieve and the Nicks - equally loveable. The ending was great and it was heartwarming to see Evie reunited with all the characters we know and love from the first book.

Had a whale of a time reading this - thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. The Miseducation of Evie Epworth was my favourite book of 2020.

It was wonderful to catch up with Evie, her friends and family again, ten years on.

A lovely summer read with likeable characters and a wonderful story arc I had a lovely weekend reading this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the novel.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I requested this book because of the amount of great reviews it has and I'm so glad I did. This book completely surpassed my expectations in so many ways and I wish I already had the physical copy of it to put on my shelf!

The Miseducation of Evie Epworth was one of my absolute favourite reads during the 2020 lockdowns, it brought a little bit of cheer to a whole lot of uncertainty and was just what I needed. So to say I've been on tenterhooks awaiting book two is an understatement!

All About Evie is everything I hoped it would be! It's full of the same warmth and wit and has just as many laugh out loud moments as it's predecessor - I loved every page!

All of my favourite characters were back, as well as introducing some amazing new faces. Evie's life is still full of madness and mayhem resulting in a smile on my face, just as big as the one I had when meeting Evie back in 2020. It was a real joy to be back with the whole gang and witness Evie thriving.

I don't think I'd ever tire of reading about Evie! Credit to Matson Taylor for creating such a loveable protagonist! 💛🐮

A five star trip around London that will have you giggling with Evie as she struggles to find her place in 1960s London. There are LOTS of references to the food of the times, especially Angel Delight! its a witty trip down memory lane, it is heartwarming and uplifting. Worth it especially if you Read The Miseducation of Evie Hepworth.

"And what an amazing ten years it's been. 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)...Power cuts, decimal nuts, shag haircuts. Colour TV. The Ford Capri..."

It's 1972 and Yorkshirewoman, Evie Epworth has been living in London, working as a production assistant for the BBC for nine years. Navigating the power cuts and fashions of the era, and an unfortunate incident involving Princess Anne, results in Evie losing her dream job. Down in the dumps, old friends Caroline and Digby do their best to help her find a new job. Evie is also cheered up by the arrival of the friend of a friend, Geneviève, a fellow Yorkshirewoman and spending time with another new friend, opera-loving, BBC Radio 3 colleague, Lolo and his dog, Oscar. Where will Evie's adventures take her and what will she learn about herself along the way?

The second book about Evie Epworth, which was set in Yorkshire, is a decade later than the first and it's an absolute joy to catch up with her. Astute, witty, poignant and heartwarming, this coming of age tale lives up to my hopes for Evie, who I am fond of. There are some old friends, some new friends and a sad loss, all woven into this engaging tale. Mostly from Evie's determined perspective in 1972, her narrative is interspersed with a couple of other characters' past narratives, giving Evie and friends even more context to build on the the first book. The story finishes nicely set up for book three (I am hoping 🤞) and the next chapter of Evie's life in the 1980s? A neat and pacy plot, plenty of humour and entertaining characters, you can probably tell I adored this!

Anne of Green Gables meets Bridget Jones in a warm-hearted, funny, retro-filled glory of a novel.

I adored Matson Taylor’s first novel The Miseducation of Evie Epworth and it’s wonderful to see the character return. It’s probably been one of my most anticipated sequels, so I’m particularly glad I got the NetGalley approval through to read it a few weeks early, although my pre-order for my own print copy has been in since pre-orders went live.

The last time we saw Evie she was heading off for a new life in London as a passenger in Mrs Scott-Pym’s daughter’s sports car. We pick things up with her in the sequel 10 years later in the early 1970s with Evie working as a junior producer on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

Any worries that 26-year-old Evie may be settling down are quickly put to rest as her misadventures quickly lead to a diplomatic incident with a member of the Royal Family and Evie’s subsequent need to find a new job.

Again, Matson manages to blend laugh out loud farcical moments (the wonderfully described section where Evie is stuck in an inflatable dress is particularly memorable) with tenderness, warmth and joy. He has created something absolutely wonderful in Evie Epworth and I hope we see her return in the 1980s.

I'll start this review by saying it's not essential that you read the first book prior to reading this. It very much works as a stand-alone novel but does feature characters from The Miseducation of Evie Epworth. Having said that, I'm glad I'd read the first book because I already loved Evie, back then as a 16-year-old, and now as a 26-year-old.

I felt Matson Taylor stayed true to the character of Evie from the first book and I could well imagine her getting into the scrapes she did. The warmth and wit were still there, as well as that Yorkshire grit and determination.

There were a few sad moments but overall the book is full of humour. It's a really uplifting read and I loved finding out what Evie's life in her 20s looked like. I'd happily read a book set in the 80s as Evie tackles life in her 30s!

You can read my full review at https://mmbbookblog.com/all-about-evie-by-matson-taylor-review/

A follow up to “The Miseducation of Evie Epworth”, it’s not essential to have read the first, but it does provide the background of the characters, and the book is hilarious! As always, the writer provides accurate details of the time, set in 1972, and as a 17 year old myself then, I can heartily endorse her grasp of the times. Evie, a Yorkshire lass settled in London for 10 years, is once again searching for a new career, love, change.
A quick and funny read, you’ll wish you had a friend like Evie.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy, I recommend.

All About Evie is funny, uplifting, and thought provoking. I found Evie has developed as a character in this latest offering, but also glad to find her as hilarious and loveable as ever. The ideal feel-good read for 2022.

Perfect Followup story

Ten years on from the events of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, Evie is settled in London and working as a production assistant for the BBC. She has everything she ever dreamed of (a career, a leatherette briefcase, an Ossie Clark poncho) but, following an unfortunate incident involving a Hornsea Pottery mug and Princess Anne, she finds herself having to rethink her future. What can she do? Is she too old to do it? And will it involve cork-soled sandals?

As if this isn’t complicated enough, her disastrous love life leaves her worrying that she may be destined for eternal spinsterdom, concerned, as she is, that 'even Paul had married Linda by the time he was 26’. Through it all, Evie is left wondering whether a 60s miseducation really is the best preparation to glide into womanhood and face the new challenges (strikes, power cuts, Edward Heath’s teeth) thrown up by the growing pains of the 70s.

With the help of friends, both old and new, she might just find a way through her messy 20s and finally discover who exactly she is meant to be…

Oh what a beautiful story packed with heartwarming, uplifting and though-provoking narrative. This novel is funny and sad in equal parts but ultimately uplifting and life affirming.

I loved this book, it is full of wit, heart warming moments, cringy laugh out loud moments, heartwarming moments and has lots of heart, love and romance. Wonderful. Don't miss it.