Harper Anderson has a to-do list longer than the Colorado river, and fields of tulips to tend to at her family’s flower farm in Hillsboro County, California. It’s her dream to run the business with her sisters when their father retires, keeping up traditions that began with her great-great-grandmother.That is, if there’s a farm left to run. Rich out-of-towners looking for a slice of country … slice of country living are hiking up the prices in town and it’s putting her family out of business. So she has no time for the arrogant LA tech mogul who makes her an offer to use their farm as his sister’s wedding venue. No amount of money could make up for the destruction it would wreak on next season’s crop. The sooner Luke Martin is on his way, the better.
But Luke isn’t willing to go. He’s been looking out for his sister ever since their deadbeat parents left them to fend for themselves, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy. So when Harper’s newest farmhand leaves her in the lurch, he sees an opportunity to strike a deal. He’ll work on the farm for free if she’ll give him the chance to change her mind.
Harper and Luke each expect the other to crack first. What they don’t expect is the chemistry that sparks between them as they work side by side among the budding roses. But Luke’s presence is turning over more than the earth, and just as Harper is starting to let her guard down, he stumbles upon a secret that could spell disaster for the entire Anderson clan.
With her family’s happiness at stake, can Harper put her trust in a man who is worlds apart from everything she knows?
An emotional, spellbinding story about family, first impressions and the transformative power of love. Fans of Susan Mallery, Debbie Macomber and Carolyn Brown will be carried away by The Magnolia Sisters.
Readers love Alys Murray’s small-town romances:
“Wow… Loved it, loved it, loved it! The romance, humor, memorable-after-memorable scene (believe me there is a LONG list I could share here)… make this book a must-have addition for any shelf.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“All I can say about this book is that it is brilliant, addicting, memorable… The best book I have read all year… I’m giving it five stars, I wish I could give it more.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“I loved it. Finished it all in one sitting… Great book pulled on my heartstrings. It’s a must read!!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Funny, smart, emotional and memorable all at the same time. It’s hard to put this book down.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“I could not have been happier. This book has everything you could ever want (and more)… the warmth of the story enveloped my soul… an exceptionally fun and sweet story.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“This book meets all expectations: it’s full of lovely characters, witty dialogue and wonderful settings, the kind of place where you’d like to live.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Such a delight to read. A fresh idea full of happiness and community… likeable characters who dance right off the page and into your heart.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“I loved the way the author wrote these characters and their story. I fell in love with them and this small town immediately! I couldn’t put it down! I read in less than a day!… Made me so happy!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Has it all – captivating characters, witty dialogue, a breathtaking town setting, a touching plot with a nice build-up, surprising revelations, sweet romance, and a heart-swelling storybook ending. What’s not to love?” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“A story that has it all; a touch of mystery, a bit of pain, a whole lot of: love, joy and celebration… such a wonderful book.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 starsmore
I thoroughly enjoyed this opposites-attract, small-town romance. I’m not sure that those classifications do it justice, though. The sparring between the two leads, Harper and Luke, grabbed me and had me rooting for them. The description of the family flower farm had me wishing that it was real so I could visit. The themes of family and dedication are woven seamlessly into the story. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a pre-release, digital ARC of the book.
Love the series ‼Highly recommend them‼
Favorite Quotes:
She yawned, practically tripping down the stairs with half-open eyes, probably following the scent of coffee instead of using her sight like some kind of millennial badger.
Harper noticed something about May she’d never noticed before. It was there in her walk, there in her sitting. She carried herself straight and broken, like she was trying not to disturb an open stab wound right in the center of her back. How had she never noticed before? How had she never taken the time to actually see the pain she’d been carrying around for years now?
One mystery solved. Well, not a mystery, more like a Scooby-Doo cartoon where the true culprit was before them all along.
My Review:
This was my first experience reading the agile and smoothly penned tales of Alys Murray and I have since added more of her books to my TBR. Her relatable characters were uniquely quirky and likable and inhabited storylines that were engaging, easy to follow, and well balanced between humor, family drama, and angst. I would classify the genre of this entertaining story as women’s fiction with a bit of light romance that only went as far as earth-rattling and heart-racing smooching. I was smiling throughout most of this pleasant and amusing tale until the author unfortunately tossed in one of my least favorite tropes near the end which took a bit off the shine, but I would still read it again and look forward to more from this clever storyteller.
This is the first book I have read by this author and it won’t be the last because I’m struggling to understand why Alys Murray has not crossed my radar before now.
Harper loves working on the family flower farm what she doesn’t love is rich townies trying to buy what the want. Unfortunately she sees Luke as one of those townies and her hatred goes even deeper when after she refuses his blank cheque for his sisters wedding to be held at farm, he goes behind her back and gets her father to employ him to work on the farm……
There is a fine line between love and hate and the love soon shines through once Harper and Luke realise there is more than just an attraction between them.
The Magnolia Sisters is a sweet entertaining read that would be a perfect beach read, I was captivated from the first chapter and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from NetGalley and the Publisher, and this is my fair and honest review.
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray was a very sweet read. This was my first book by this author and I found it to be well written, and I really enjoyed the chemistry between Harper and Luke. The story is full of family loyalties and misconceptions that take awhile to work through but it was certainly worth it in the end. I would definitely recommend this book to those that enjoy a good cleam romantic read.
This was a nice sweet story! It was a quick story, perfect beach book! I enjoyed the characters and the story. Looking forward to more from this author! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copyThe
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray is a heartfelt romance placed in a field of beautiful flowers! Life is not always easy for the three magnolia sisters as they fill integral jobs to help keep the family business going smoothly. Harper Anderson does not take it very kindly when Luke Martin and his sister, Annie, try to force Harper into an agreement to host a wedding in the midst of the floral hillside during the busiest season. Luke will not take “No’ for an answer and makes an arrangement to work at the farm as Harper’s assistant. Harper has no time for this big city interloper and tries to work Luke down and force him to quit.. As emotional sparks fly Harper befriends Annie and then finds herself in a conflict with her own sister, May. The family dynamics become complicated as Harper tries to come to terms with the aggravations and charms of Luke Martin!
Publication Date: March 5, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and post an honest review of this book.