Steal My Magnolia by
Karla Sorensen
My rating:
4 of 5 stars
I received an ARC via Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released on February 5, 2021.
This is the third book in the Love at First Sight Series (previously part of the Donner Bakery series), and follows Grady and Magnolia who are mentioned in the previous books but are mainly featured in
Batter of Wits. Grady is Grace's twin brother and Magnolia is Tucker's ex-girlfriend which makes for quite the interesting love story. I really loved this slow burn romance!
Grady has moved to Green Valley from California for a fresh start. He hated his life behind a computer and has since traded it for a life in the great outdoors and has decided to start his own outdoor adventure company in Green Valley. He needs some help with the office and organization side of the business so he can do the hiking and outdoor part of the business that he loves.
Magnolia is looking for a fresh start as well, she has been sheltered by her very loving family for much of her life and for once she'd like to make some decisions of her own. She is a very capable person, loves her town, and is very good at what she does. She has only worked for her overbearing and overprotective father for much of her adult life, which has made it hard for her to pave her own way in life. When the opportunity arises for her to take on the role of office manager for Grady's new business, she uncharacteristically jumps on it. It is exactly the type of work she loves and despite the potentially awkward situation it will put them all in with Grace and Tucker, she needs to do something new and out of her comfort zone.
If you have read the previous books in the series, you are well acquainted with the Buchanan curse. Each of the members of the Buchanan family, when they find their true love, fall in love instantly, and Grady falls for Magnolia the second she walks through his door for the weirdest job interview you've ever seen. Magnolia is attracted to Grady, but she is still getting over her breakup from Tucker and while she isn't necessarily mourning the loss of the relationship and the man, she is still feeling loss and embarrassment for the life she pictured for herself and things not working out the way she had planned. She is one of those people who has lists for her to do lists and has everything planned out, so when things didn’t work out with Tucker, she was left a little adrift. Grady knowing that his family curse is kind of crazy and that he's her boss is willing to wait for Magnolia and doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize their working relationship, because she is pretty amazing when it comes to whipping the office and business into shape, and he doesn't want to scare her away. When it comes to slow burn romances, this is the slowest of burns, but if you are patient it is worth waiting for. They both tiptoe around their feelings waiting for the other one to make the first move. Neither of them wants to make it awkward at the office, and it is already slightly awkward between Tucker and Grace.
I want to leave you with two pearls of wisdom from Aunt Fran when she is talking to Grady about his relationship woes, (mind you this is from the ARC and they might change but they are pretty perfect so I don't expect them to) " Worry is like trying to win a race while you're sitting on a rocking horse. You'll move, all right, but you sure won't get anywhere good." Grady is willing to wait for Magnolia for eternity, but patience doesn’t come easy when you are waiting for your soul mate to come to terms with a family curse, especially when you are trying to break out of a life where everything has been decided for you. I love that Magnolia goes to her father for advice on how to maneuver through her feelings and that she doesn’t rush into anything. Magnolia is a pretty wonderful character; she doesn’t let anything or anyone change who she is or her values.
and a few lines later
"And don't you even thing about leaving that dirty dish in the sink. Every person who walks in this house knows how to open a dishwasher." If only my family would put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink ledge. This has nothing to do with the story or my review, I just thought it was a pretty great line, and every mom can relate.
I love the side characters. I do wish Grace would stop punching Grady every 2 seconds, but having to sons who are practically twins, so I get it. They are constantly punching each other. Aunt Fran gives excellent advice, and while Magnolia's parents are polar opposites they are a great example of two people who love each other despite their differences. I love the characters in this series and I'm very much looking forward to Hunter's book!
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