From the author of the bestselling Sweeney Sister Series and Sweet Tea Tuesdays comes a new novel of passion, intrigue and redemption. Ellie Pringle has spent endless hours and countless dollars working with a therapist to remember the lost years of her childhood. She’s baffled and more than a little intrigued when the grandmother she hasn’t seen in thirty-four years dies and leaves her a … her a fortune. The time has come to face her past in person. Still reeling from a recent breakup of a long-term relationship, and with nothing to keep her in San Francisco, Ellie packs her meager belongings and boards a plane for the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Standing in the entryway of her grandmother’s antebellum home on South Battery Street in Charleston, Ellie faces the first of many ghosts who will soon haunt her. On her first night in the creepy, creaking mansion, as she’s perusing the titles in a dusty bookcase, she comes across her deceased mother’s leather-bound journal. Her mother’s words create more unanswered questions and send her on a quest to find more journals. As Hurricane Lorene bears down on the South Carolina coast, Ellie encounters Juan Hagood, a handsome architect who has the talent to restore her dilapidated mansion and the charm to mend her broken heart. But as Ellie reads her mother’s diaries, they dislodge a stone in the wall that safeguards her memories, causing her world to come crumbling down. Revelations about her childhood lead Ellie on a harrowing journey of discovery. The sequel, Beyond the Garden, releasing in April 2018, will hold you spellbound until the dramatic conclusion.
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A complex tale of family with many twists and turns. Historic Charleston, SC, is beautifully portrayed.
I like to read books that take place in the south. I enjoyed it.
I picked this book out for the cover,I was curious what the Magnolia signifies.I liked the book ,was suspenseful and had me wanting to turn the page to see what happened next,Ellie and Lia had grown up in rare ,horrible conditions,Ellie finding g this out by reading her moms journals, leading her to try to right the wrongs her grandmother placed on them when they were young girls,I hope there will be a sequel as there are still some unanswered questions.
We find ourselves back in Charleston…
Ellie Pringle can’t remember too much from her early childhood…she seeks help to fill in the gaps but it’s not working…
She receives a letter from a lawyer saying that Ellie has inherited everything from her estranged Grandmother, whom Ellie lived with until she was 6. She flies to Charleston from San Francisco..
As she stands in the doorway of her grandmother’s house…she is confronted with some ghosts of the past…
Coming back to where she spent the first 6 years of her life…will she remember her past? With the help of a journal she gets more questions…but she understands what kind of life she and her mother lived while in Charleston…
Excellent story which flowed nicely and kept me reading…
Love, love her Magnolia series.
A twisted good read
Ms. Farley kept the reader turning the pages looking to find what the next page would reveal. The lives of troubled children due to mistreatment by their relative kept the reader hoping all would turn out the best for all. When I got to the end I was saddened that there wasn’t true closure. BUT I quickly looked back to find there was a second book continuing the heart wrenching story! Hooray for Ms. Farley making their story continue giving the reader hope for the future!
I almost didn’t finish it. Average writing. Boring characters.
A story already told.
Very good book and so was the sequel.
I love love love Ashley’s books and this one is no exception. I think I heard this will be a series (or at least a 2nd book) which I am glad of because there is so much more to the story that hasn’t been told yet.
This book is about learning about the past and coming to terms with it, finding love and strengthening family. There is even a little bit of action and mystery – a very well rounded book.
This book also reminded me of Flowers in the Attic with the strict grandmother and her actions and comments to her daughter and granddaughter.
Ellie has inherited the estate from the crazy grandmother. She has mixed feelings, as anyone would, about the house and everything else. But it is also cathartic because she knows she is repressing something but isn’t sure what. You do find out but not giving it away, you’ll have to read the book to find out.
The book does leave you hanging a little bit because Ellie’s story is not complete and there are some other things that are revealed that need to be addressed more fully. Yes I know it is vague but has to be to not spoil part of the story.
This book sounded appealing. An estranged grandmother leaves her Charleston estate to her granddaughter, who doesn’t remember much about her childhood. Upon stepping into the old house, memories from the past begin to emerge and the story unfolds, revealing a not-so-cozy family history. Magnolia Nights was a short, easy to read mystery-romance, but not the captivating, enchanting suspense I had anticipated. I want a book to transport me. I wanted to feel drawn in. This one fell short. There is nothing fresh about the story or the style of writing.
Magnolia nights is a lovely and intriguing read that delves into complicated familial relationships. Ellie has inherited the house belonging to the grandmother whom Ellie has not seen in decades. While exploring her new place, Ellie discovers journals written by her mother who passed away when Ellie was quite young. These journals ignite memories long buried in the depths of Ellie’s mind. Ellie begins a journey of self-discovery and finding a long-lost piece of her past. Author, Ashley Farley’s, charming story keeps the reader enthralled throughout!
f you have read Sweet Tea Tuesday’s by Ashley Farley, you will recognize some characters in Magnolia Nights. If you haven’t read Sweet Tea Tuesday’s, when you do read it, you will already have been introduced to a few of the characters. Skillfully woven into the storyline, Midge, Heidi, and Bennett make appearances in this book. Ellie Pringle inherits her grandmother’s estate – a grandmother she has been estranged from for thirty-four years. As she moves across country from San Francisco to Charleston to settle the estate, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She has traumatic memories of her six years of living with her grandmother. Long repressed memories lead her on a path with many unexpected twists and turns. She learns more about her mother, who died when Ellie was young. Ellie finds her mother’s journals and begins to learn about her grandmother, mother, and a newly discovered person from her past. Maddie, the housekeeper now as well as for Ellie’s grandmother, helps fill in more holes in Ellie’s memory. Meanwhile, a hurricane threatens Charleston and Ellie is living in an old home in dire need of repairs. How does she survive the storm ? Weather and internal questioning? Does she find closure? Who is the newly discovered person from her past? These questions can only be answered by reading the book.
I love anything by Ashley Farley.
This was a book I could not put down. It held me until the end then of course I wanted the next book. It will keep you turning pages until you reach the end. Ashley has a way of telling a story that keeps you wanting more.
Thank you to #NetGalley #Ashley Farley #Magnolia Nights and #Kindle Press for this wonderful book
Fell in love with Ellie’s character and the Charleston setting. Had to order the second in series and half through it. Beyond the Garden is book 2. Reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Dorthea Benton Frank.
it was an enjoyable read. Predictable at times, but a nice “fluff” read. Appears to have a second book to continue the story, but doesn’t leave you hanging. Finishes the plot in this book but will probably continue on with some of story lines started in first. I will read the second when comes out knowing the author provides a nice read.
An amazing journey taken with a woman named Ellie who inherits her grandmother’s old home in Charleston and returns to find sad, disturbing memories.
What she sees as the days go forward, is a family she lost and a love like no other.
“No more obsessing about the past. From now on we’re marching toward the future.”
This is a book I could not put down.
The descriptions of the town of Charleston, the run down home, the magnolia tree, the memories found, all come alive in Ashley’s writing!
This was a fun read.
Ghosts are in the very first chapter and only the main character can see them. This is not my typical type of reading. Just an average book.