In Choose Me, RC Boldt brings us an unforgettable, heart-wrenching coming-of age romance…Wearing the nicest suit I own, I stand in the very back with a flask full of whiskey in my inner pocket. I put on a brave face as I watch her walk down the aisle.Because it’s too late.I refuse to be the bastard who makes her cry on her wedding day, but I’m dying to tell her what I’ve always known. She’s my … dying to tell her what I’ve always known. She’s my best friend, but she doesn’t realize she owns my f*cking heart and soul, too.
Each step down that aisle takes her farther away from me and brings her closer to him, forcing me to face the truth: I’ve fallen in love with someone who can’t be mine. If she’d just turn around, maybe she’d realize I love her more than he ever could.
I won’t ruin her perfect day, but my broken heart begs me to try and convince her.
Choose me.
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I feel like Choose Me is unlike anything R.C. Boldt has ever written. It’s a slow burn, but the burn is given to us in snapshots of time over the course of Hollis & Magnolia’s lives. We meet them as children, and get immediately hooked on their sweet, innocent, fiercely loyal friendship. And from there, we are given the opportunity to fall in love (or maybe get our hearts broken) with this couple at every stage. We see them grow – together and apart. We see the hurtles that kept them apart, and the fierce loyalty they had for each other against all odds. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking and I am little bit stunned and a little bit blown away by how different and wonderful this story was.
I was tickled to get a cameo appearance from some of Ms. Boldt’s other work, and one of my favorite things about this author is how her books all tie loosely together. You definitely do not have to have read any others to enjoy this one, but if you’ve read the others, you’ll love how each book gives a nod to a character (or characters) from her back catalog and as a long time reader, that feels like a special treat.
In all? This was a touching and unique coming-of-age love story. Ms. Boldt kept me on the line until the very end and then delivered a happily ever after that left my heart overflowing and happy. Definitely recommend.
I will choose Hollis any day of the week! He is absolutely the best friend anyone ask for. After seemingly being friend zoned over and over he is still incredibly supportive of Magnolia. He truly just wants our hero to be happy, even if that means she’s with someone else.
My heart broke over and over for this couple. Both want more, but are afraid to take that leap out of fear of losing an incredible friendship. And then when things get real, life throws a curveball.
The sadness that I felt trying to get to the HEA almost overwhelmed the HEA itself. It made me sad to even look at the book while it was closed. I would have preferred it a little lighter, but that’s just my opinion. I have no doubt that many people love or will love this book in the future.
Two souls, brought together by circumstances, perhaps fate, as children. Their pure hearts see past the exterior to the inner beauty.
RC Boldt opened my heart with Choose Me. At tiTwo souls, brought together by circumstances, perhaps fate, as children. Their pure hearts see past the exterior to the inner beauty.
RC Boldt opened my heart with Choose Me. At times she opened it to see kindness and beauty and at other times she ripped it apart. Choose Me is an amazing friends-to-lovers story. An amazing story of acceptance, understanding, and true love. It was an escape for me during a time of chaos in the world. The slow burn was painful at times but so worth it when the sizzle turned to a blazing fire. The slow burn set the stage for the beautiful friendship turned passionate relationship between Hollis and Magnolia.
It is sad how society can raise invisible walls to seep into the deepest parts of our souls and make us believe their lies, make us believe we aren’t worthy and that some people are better off without us in their lives.
Hollis is and always has been a kind and giving person. In everything he does, he is always respectful, uplifting, and supportive of the people around him. He isn’t always loved or appreciated, yet he perseveres and stays true to himself. He is the man every parent should want for their daughter.
Magnolia is from the better side of the tracks and her parents intend to keep her there. Growing up is hard enough but trying to do it with grace when you ate never good enough makes it even tougher.
Hollis and Magnolia formed a bond that lasted a lifetime. They let it bloom slowly, cautiously testing the waters through puberty. As they start to see deeper into the eyes of their childhood best friend, feelings change and decisions have to be made. Decisions that will change the course of their lives forever.
Choose Me is an uplifting story of two souls overcoming the binds of society and finally learning to not worry about pleasing everybody else, about finally choosing love above all else. Books receive a 5-star rating from me whenever they evoke all the feels. Every emotion possible was wrung from me during this story. The happiness was real as well as my tears. The slow burn was tough but really made the story so much better in the end. RC Boldt knew what she was doing when she was developing these characters and their precious bond.
Omg I want to give this one ALL the stars!! RC Boldt is one of my all time fave authors, and she never disappoints. Choose Me is such a beautiful story of love and courage.
I absolutely adore Hollis and Magnolia, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll fall head over heels in love. Wow. Hollis is like the guy every girl dreams of. He’s sweet and caring, he’s attentive and supportive, and so damn protective.
Best friends since they were children, Magnolia and Hollis are the perfect team. Words don’t need to be spoken for them to know what the other needs. A friendship like no other.
I know I say this pretty much every time, but I think this just might be my new favourite
CHOOSE ME is a YA/NA book about two friends and their journey from 8 year olds to adults. We follow them through their public school years, college and beyond. Through it all, they remain best friends.
A few things about this book…
-Great Playlist
-Moves through stages of life fluidly
-I now want cherry pop rocks in a treehouse
-Read in one day
-One click author did not disappoint
-Absolutely recommend.
SO MANY EMOTIONS. I normally don’t like slow burns, but holy hot damn. This author has temporarily changed my mind.
Magnolia Barton grew up near Hollister Barnes. Having been the step daughter of a politician and daughter of a woman who cares do dearly about how her family is perceived. I loved reading about how Hollister had a father that worked way too many hours to make sure a roof stayed over their head, food was on the table and Hollister was always happy.
This book starts out when they were younger, but as time goes on, they get older, go through life and come to where the prologue leaves off at. That prologue had me hooked to figure out what the heck on earth happened.
I was thoroughly impressed with the story and how easily it flowed and kept my attention. It was heart breaking to read about how little Hollis’s mother showed love to him. It also saddened me to read how Magnolia’s mother updated her room into her vision of what it should be. I am so grateful that my mom let me and my sister pick out our room colors and bedding. I loved how Grandpa Joe was so chill about Magnolia and Hollis having a relationship and putting aside differences. Of course, it also helps mentioning that Grandpa Joe is a preist.
I will say that I read some reviews before reading this book and at first. I was just going to leave this book on my TBR, but I recently finished another book that had mixed reviews and loved it. I am so glad I read this book and formed my own opinion.
This is my first book from RC Boldt and I am definitely looking forward to reading a few more. I would recommend this book.
Choose Me is a complete standalone novel told in dual pov that begins with a harrowing prologue. I absolutely love the structure and layout of the narrative. We begin with childhood friendships until adulthood with intricately weaved angst swirling through the narrative. A unforgettable poignant coming of age romance with compelling loveable characters that you are drawn to. I fell in love with Holis and Magnolia right from childhood and continued to fall deeper at every chapter. The writing style is organic & captures your mind. I absolutely love the ending, as it was perfect.
Narrators Samantha Summers, David Vaughn are both new to me and definitely would listen to them again. A perfect dual naration. I absolutely loved David Vaughn’s portrayl of Holis and the way he changed his tone as Holis grew older. Very talented and lovely to listen to. Samantha Summers portrayal of Magnolia was veracious. Their inflection fit the characters perfectly and these two brought profundity to the characters. These two narrators brought their A Game and knocked this naration out of the park. I absolutely loved the narration.
Overall, a beautiful angsty listen with talented narators who gave the narrative and characters justice.
Choose Me is a fantastic read. I love the childhood friendship between Magnolia and Hollis. They have this lifetime special bond that you can’t help but to smile over. The love they share as children just morphs into something beautiful even as they go off in different directions. Magnolia and Hollis are each others person. I loved every beautiful heart felt moment of this read. The journey of Hollis and Magnolia was a joy to take.
Going in, in all honesty, I really didn’t think this was the romance for me. I mean, I’d read books with flashbacks to when the MCs were kids, but starting the book there and following them all the way through? I don’t know about that.
But a friend loved it and recommended it, so I agreed to try it.
And I LOVED IT. Really loved it. This was my first ever RC read, and it turned out to be the most unusual romance I’ve ever read, but also sweet and sexy and heartwarming and lovely. I was blown away—and I can’t say that very often! You don’t want to miss this touching romance.
Choose Me by R.C. Boldt is an epic love story that beings when Hollis and Magnolia are only 8 years old and spans until they are in their mid 20’s. This is a best friends to lovers romance filled with southern charm and manners. It’s very sweet, somewhat emotional, and intense. R.C. Boldt told the story in a way where their most important childhood memories are at the forefront of the story and builds their journey from there. I appreciated the way she wrote it because we got to watch these two grow together from a young age.
Hollis is definitely a swoon worthy male who will do anything to protect his sweet Magnolia. Both have issues within the family which make them who they are and and also adds to the emotional vulnerability to the characters. I feel like I totally understood both of them from beginning to end which is a hard feat now a days with romances books. There’s usually either too much detail or too little but Boldt has JUST enough to make it perfect.
The only reason I gave this one 4 stars is because it honestly started a little slow for me. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the story. Other than this, I think this is one of the sweetest southern romances I have read in a long time. If all her books are like this you can bet I will be picking up the rest because it touched my heart!
I would absolutely recommend Choose Me to readers that are looking for a sweet southern romance. You won’t be disappointed! Choose Me will have you feeling butterflies and will tug at your heart strings. Throughout the novel we get to see how Hollis and Magnolia’s feelings develop towards each other. It is obvious that they are meant for each other even when their worlds try to tear them apart.
The characters that RC Boldt are fantastic. Hollis is such a sweetheart and even though he’s had a rough life, he does all that he can to make his best friend happy. Magnolia may appear to have the perfect life, but all she wants is for someone to see who she really is.
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.)
This book is everything! It pulled me in from the first chapter.
Hollis and Magnolia are two opposite people but they instantly become best friends. Their families may not approve but that doesn’t stop Magnolia and Hollis from being there for each other through everything.
They even end up going to the same college. Then Hollis makes a decision he thinks is best and leaves Magnolia to finish college on her own. It takes a while for Magnolia to come to terms that Hollis isn’t going to be a big part of her life anymore, she meets Grant and he wants to marry her after graduation. Hollis must let Magnolia go for once and for all…. But can he do that???
This is a slow burn friends to lovers, hot and steamy, forbidden romance that I adored from beginning to end. I highly recommend you read this. It’s my favorite Romance of 2019, so far!
Choose Me by R.C. Boldt is a standalone second-chance contemporary romance. Told in a unique way, beginning with just before the wedding of Magnolia to someone else and Hollis leaving before the nuptuals begin. Then we are taken through the years of their friendship from their first meeting and leading up to that moment at the beginning of the book.
From best friends at eight years old to teenagers dealing with a difference in social class that has never been an issue for either of them but it most certainly has for both of their mothers. Being told throughout his whole friendship that he is not worthy of Magnolia, Hollis ends up believing this to his soul. Magnolia is too much of a yes-girl where her mother is concerned to dare to go to far beyond her mothers wishes so despite her attraction to Hollis, the boundary never gets pushed. A slow build, somewhat painful at times with the way Hollis was put down, especially by his own mother, but the ending is happy and hard won. Angsty and emotional and not overly sexual (most of the book is young kids to teenagers to new adults). Enjoy!
I love RC Bodlt’s books and just add this one to the list. I was hooked right from the beginning and I could hardly out this one down. I loved watching Hollis and Magnolia’s story start from the beginning. From their friendship eight and all through life’s changes. There were a few times I had tears in my eyes while reading this one. This is just one beautiful book and it’s a love story anyone would dream of to have. The epilogue was the perfect touch and it left me finishing this one with a smile on my face. I also liked a surprise cameo in this one. Made me a little giddy. I would highly recommend this one because you won’t be able to put it down. It’s a book with true friendship and love that will make you swoon.
Sweet and tender and oh so romantic! This is the first book I read by this author and it certainly will be the first of many. I loved her writing style with its forward style and wonderful characters. It kept me entertained and interested all the time, wanting to know what would happen with the characters. It has a little angst but the strong current was of selfless love.
Hollis and Magnolia met when they were eight years old. Magnolia lives in a huge house and her stepfather is a state senator. Hollis lives right behind her house, but in a much smaller and humble house. She never notices the difference in their stations, she just wants to play and be friends. Since Hollis and his father are constructing a treehouse, she joins in and helps in the construction, even though she always wears nice clothes, and has no idea how to do things. Jay, Hollis’ father, teaches them both and helps them build a magnificent treehouse, even with an A/C.
This starts a strong and beautiful friendship that goes through the years until they are seniors in high school. Their treehouse is central to their well-being and closeness. The stories as the years go by are so entertaining and yet, there is a little of sadness. Hollis’ mother hates him and denigrates him constantly, for no reason that we know of. His father does his best to protect Hollis but he’s not there all the time. Magnolia has a snooty, snobbish mother, who only likes to hobnob with high society and has no place for the lower classes. She’s raising Magnolia to be a high-class lady, with a bright future in politics and possibly a convenient marriage, when all Magnolia wants is to be happy and be friends with Hollis. Predictably, Mrs. Barton never loses a chance to let Hollis know that they are doing a charity on him by allowing the friendship but he will never be good enough for her.
With such upbringing, both Magnolia and Hollis have low self-esteem, they don’t think they are good enough for the other and this lack of confidence is what drives them apart, with so many lost opportunities to make things right. We gnash our teeth when we see all the hurt and pain and desolation our characters go through, and hate the mothers who have wronged them so much.
Both characters are brilliant, but Hollis shines so much more. Magnolia was at times a little clueless, never realizing how beautiful she is, never daring to stand up to her overbearing mother. Hollis was generous, caring, hard-working, and he wanted her happiness most of all. He was perfectly willing to sacrifice his happiness to ensure her a future she deserved. He was truly kind and selfless. They really had a hard road to travel to their HEA. Cute detail in the story: They both had a thing for a candy called Pop Rocks and model car kits.
Check out RC Boldt’s new adult, coming of age romance!
Magnolia and Hollis… I swear these two about did my head in, but in all the very best ways. I loved every single chapter, every almost. And every single ‘but not like that’ about freaking KILLED me. Seriously, my heart about shriveled up and died. All of the feels, and the ending is so, so worth it. Stellar book!
What a great book this was! Hollis and Magnolia, I love them!!
I loved the storyline, and how it all played out!! It was emotional, funny, and heartwarming. And Hollis broke my heart a few times, as he couldn’t tell Magnolia how he really felt about her.
I loved their relationship when they were younger, and how much Hollis protected her.
The whole time, I’m like come on Magnolia, choose him. You know you want to!
I could actually feel their emotions throughout the book!
AND OMG!! When the big phone call comes through from Hollis, I burst into tears reading that!
And another OMG moment, when Hollis found the letter from his dad!! WHOA!!!
RC you did amazing job with this story as the story flowed very nicely, and I couldn’t put the freaking book down!!! I really enjoyed the epilogue and didn’t want it to end at all!
My fave quotes from the book:
1. I wish I had the courage to ask her to choose me. – I so wished that too Hollis, but there’s a reason why she didn’t at first.
2. Just remember, you always say orange washed you out, so prison won’t be a good choice. – ROFL!!!!
3. I’d been her friend – her best friend – and I knew I had to step in. – AWE!!!!
4. Built by: Dad, Hollis & Magnolia – LOVED IT!
5. I walk down the hall to where my husband and six year old son Jase – or J, as we’ve nicknamed him – have been working quietly at the dining room table. – I lost it when I read that!! In memory of a loved one!
5 Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Holy. Crow. Absolutely amazing!! I have been a huge fan of RC Boldt for some time now and her latest book, Choose Me, owned me from beginning to end. Buckle-up for an emotional ride and have tissues handy!
Hollis and Magnolia meet when they are eight years old and immediately become the best of friends. With both of them coming from different sides of the tracks, so to speak, it was not easy to maintain the friendship they shared but they did. As the story progresses we get to see them navigate the early years through teenage years and finally college.
The chemistry between Hollis and Magnolia is infinite. You can see the love they share for one another even if they are too pig-headed to admit it. RC Boldt wrote a kick-behind story about two best friends that will do anything to protect each other. Even if it means giving up the one person that makes you feel whole. There were a lot of emotions floating around in, Choose Me and I cried more than I care to say. These two are impossible not to love and I did not want to see it end.
Choose Me is a slow burn friends to lovers romance, featuring Hollis & Magnolia. Neighbors as children, who come from very different backgrounds, they form an unlikely friendship that spans the years. Their tale is told in a dual point of view that moves between the past and present.
Hollis is a true southern gentleman, even as a child he’s incredibly polite, kind, charming and big hearted, yet incredibly insecure.
Magnolia’s mother tends to treat her like a doll that you put on a shelf, she’s expected to act perfectly all the time and be admired from afar, but she’s strong and determined and not willing to completely indulgence her pampered and wealthy mother.
Both Hollis and Magnolia suffer at the hands of their mother’s and incredibly insecure and vulnerable and struggle to recognise their own worth.
The connection that Magnolia and Hollis share is incredibly deep, and not just physical connection. They know each other inside and out, and the moments and memories that they share are what cements their relationship.
If you are familiar with Ms Boldt’s previous works you may recognise a couple of characters who are referenced and make a cameo appearance.
A thoroughly enjoyable sweet, emotional yet angsty story full of secrets and reveals that will keep you glued to your kindle.