Life lesson from Grady Buchanan: If you’re going to fall in love with the untouchable girl in town, don’t hire her as your only employee. Even after he bungled the interview with Magnolia MacIntyre, he knew better than to hire her. The list of why it’s a bad idea is a long one. Her father could ruin his fledgling business. She is completely overqualified. And he’s attracted to her. What does … to her.
What does Grady do? He offers her the job.
Magnolia knew better than to take it. Normally, she’d make the safe choice, and working for Grady is anything but.
He’s new in town–and entirely too charming.
Her dad will be furious.
She hates the outdoors and working for an outdoor adventure company is not exactly the right fit.
What does she do? She says yes on the spot.
Grady and Magnolia will have to prove to everyone in their life that they’re not crazy. And prove to each other that the list of why it’s a bad idea should be tossed out the window.
For these two opposites, sometimes doing the wrong thing is exactly right.
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Steal My Magnolia is the third book in the Love at First Sight series by Karla Sorenson. I really adore this series that includes a family love curse and small town charm.
Grady and Magnolia’s love story is a complicated one. Magnolia is the ex love of his twin sisters boyfriend Tucker. Add to that, she was with him when they met, and he broke up with her to be with Grady’s sister…it makes the whole situation a bit awkward to say the least. You know what doesn’t care about awkward? The Buchanan love curse and so Grady has no control over falling head over heals in love with Magnolia. Ignoring the awkward, ignoring that they are opposites (she’d rather make spreadsheets than go camping), and ignoring that she’s technically his employee, his need to express his feelings might ruin any chance they had at all of being together.
I really enjoyed so much about this book. Grady was an absolute sweetheart and gentlemen. He was always trying to be respectful and put Magnolias happiness first. He was ready to walk away from her even if it devastated him as long as in the long run she was comfortable and happy in life. Magnolia was such a strong character, which I wasn’t expecting from the glimpses of her that we had in the previous book. Once she got a taste of freedom from making her own decisions there was no stopping her. I also adored her relationship with her parents, no matter how over protecting her dad was you could tell he genuinely loved her. My favorite part of the book was Magnolias reaction to the Buchanan curse. She pretty much called them all crazy which was such a realistic response for any sane person in that situation.
Steal My Magnolia is a slow burn romance (I’m talking kisses at 66% and nothing more than that till the end) but I was okay with that. I thoroughly enjoyed Grady and Magnolias and their interactions and just because it was insta love doesn’t mean the couple couldn’t have depth to their relationship.
I’m really enjoying the Love at First series and I think Steal My Magnolia was a great addition to it. It’s simply a fun sweet contemporary romance series with the right amount of angst and southern charm.
P.S. OMG that second epilogue at the end !!!!!!! That tease of the next book, I need it NOW!
Karla Sorenson delivers a great book in Steal My Magnolia. Magnolia and Grady give all the feels. Both connected from other relationships, Grady is surprised to find the connection between them but he is so drawn to Magnolia. I loved watching both of them grow in the book and how they connected themselves and to the others in their lives!
A beautifully captivating interracial love story that hits all the right notes! Well written, and perfectly paced. Prepare to lose yourself in this couple.
Grady Buchanan is the twin brother of Grace Buchanan from earlier in the series. Destined to succumb to the power of the Love At First Sight curse that has infiltrated his family lineage, Grady is no match for the stunning Magnolia. When she walks into the room, she may as well have taken up residence in his heart, and for all she knew, that was exactly what she did.
Magnolia is a wonderfully bright, spirited young woman who wants to be seen for who she is, and respected for her intellect and charm. She wants her father to acknowledge her talents, and she wants a love that her father and mother share. This was such a sweet and endearing aspect of the story…a long lasting romance between two people!! I loved the example that they set for Magnolia and ultimately Grady. Grady proved he was up to the task when he made the decision to win Magnolia over no matter the effort!! What a great guy!!
The story hits some bumps when Grady learns what has been holding Magnolia back. When he discovers her “baggage”, the story really gets interesting. Do Magnolia and Grady really have what it takes to make their love last or will they escape the curse of Love at First Sight?
A terrific story and an excellent addition to the series. Can’t wait to sink my teeth into Hux’s story next!!
I cannot have loved this book more. I loved absolutely everything about this book. Poor Grady didn’t know what was going to hit him when he scheduled the interview with Magnolia. And all it took was one look at her when she walked into Valley Adventures to be struck with the woman for him from the Buchanan curse. Poor Grady tried to do everything right but when he needed to he really made me swoon with how he knew how to give Magnolia a sign. And I loved watching Magnolia come into herself. She really wanted to be able to stand on her two feet and make decisions for herself. She was so strong and my favorite from the Love at First Sight series. I am so excited Magnolia got her own book and I just loved how Grady loved her for her and let her be herself without judgement.
“Maybe all along, the key to my happiness wasn’t in the safest choice, or the one that made the most sense, or in the path of least resistance.”
A sweet, slow burn romance with the charm of small town life and the humor of falling in love at just the wrong time. While the story is light on the steam, it builds a beautiful friendship turned romance and doesn’t lack for swoon worthy moments. When the Buchanan family love “curse” strikes the moment Grady lays eyes on Magnolia, all bets are off for how their love would unfold.
Magnolia’s Dad had protected her since the day she was born, whether she needed it or not. I loved that she decided to break out on her own and make her own path in life, even if it scared her. I definitely got a few good laughs out of Magnolia trying to wrangle Grady into her organizational ways when she started working for him. Magnolia and Grady were complete opposites, while he loves to hike and is extremely unorganized, she’d rather stay indoors and work on spreadsheets. I loved their banter while working together and that they built a true friendship together before embarking on a relationship, even if Grady was already head over heals in love. Overall, a sweet slow burn romance and great addition to the series.
“Everyone has a different path. And you’re still on yours. Just because you’re building your foundation in a different way doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
I love Karla’s other books, so I’m starting to think that my problem is that I didn’t connect with the twins, especially with Grace and her intrusions in Grady’s relationship with Magnolia annoyed me and affected my interest in the book.
I really like the curse plot, how Karla works on it during the book and her writing always make me not wanting to stop reading till I finished, however the first book in the series remains as my favorite because this one was just a nice reading. I enjoyed their story and I liked Grady and Magnolia moments together, they’re cute and I loved Magnolia individually too, but I don’t know… it was missing something, maybe it’s the lack of connection I didn’t have with Grady.
I’m excited for hunter’s book because he has intrigued me since book 1, I need to know more about his story.
I really love Karla Sorensen’s books. This is the third in the Love at First Sight series. It’s hard to pick a favorite because they’re all so different, and so good! The underlying storyline – of a family “love curse” – is unique, and fun to read.
Each member of the Buchanan family deals with this situation, finding themselves completely in love with someone the minute they lay eyes on them and knowing that this person is their forever, differently. The storylines are so creative and interesting, particularly these last two since they deal with Grace and Grady, a sister and brother whose “forever” people have a deep history with each other, which causes its own particular set of issues.
One thing I really appreciated about this story was there was no misunderstanding or created discord or forced conflict between the characters. I hate those, especially when they seem manufactured, just to cause drama in the story. The issue between Grady and Magnolia, when it comes, is completely organic because it deals with the love curse, which is the basis for the entire Love at First Sight series.
I love how entrenched this series is in the Green Valley World that Penny Reid created. I’ve read some books in the Smartypants romance collection that only have a mere mention of a character we know from the Winston family, for example, as if that would be enough to make it a part of this world and enough to invested us in it. By contrast, in this book, Magnolia’s aunt is Daisy Peyton! Magnolia shops at the Piggly Wiggly where Jennifer Sylvester gets her bananas and where Cletus came to her rescue in the parking lot that time. (This is not mentioned but it came to mind while I was reading.) It feels authentic and genuine, and I love that because I can’t get enough of Green Valley, especially because I’ve visited Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains recently and I feel more connected to these books now.
I have been desperate for their cousin Hunter’s story since the first book in the series and it looks like it’s next. I can’t wait!
Thanks to the author and Smartypants Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Grady isn’t really sure he believes in this “love at first sight” thing his family has going on. He has yet to witness it for himself. He knows his sister and his cousin believe in it, because after all, they have found their perfect matches, but he’s not expecting it to happen to him. He’s new in Green Valley and just starting out his business with Grace’s boyfriend Tucker. He’s kind of a mess, but he’s determined to take his business to the next level.
Magnolia was the talk of the town last year when her longtime boyfriend broke up with her for the new girl in town. Well, it wasn’t exactly for the new girl, they both knew their relationship had gone stale, but she was still blindsided because she had a plan. A perfectly mapped out plan of how her life was going to go, and now she was just starting over.
Magnolia has always worked for her daddy, and since she’s his baby girl and he would do anything to protect her, he often gives her special treatment. She wants to show him she can make it on her own and when she sees a new struggling business owner, she knows what she has to do.
Grady needs all the help he can get and when Lia (as she calls herself) walks through the door, he knows he is done for. This is his person, the curse has found him. What he doesn’t know is that Lia is Magnolia and that is going to make it a whole lotta awkward at family gatherings.
I really didn’t hate Magnolia from Grace and Tucker’s book, so I am glad that there wasn’t a huge redemption needed here. I thought the whole book was done so well and Grady was the ultimate sweet guy. You could feel the tension in the air immediately. I loved how strong Magnolia was and how she stood up to her family because it was finally time she took control of her life. These two had so much against them, but because it was right, they knew they were going to make it work no matter what.
I should definitely know better at this point, this many books in, but how in the world does Karla always ALWAYS surprise me with the level of gooey emotions I’m left with after reading one of her books?! Seriously! Steal My Magnolia is a shining light in these trying times. Magnolia was an incredible character and I absolutely loved how she stood up for herself and was doing everything she could to make it on her own outside of her family name. She’s a smart, strong, driven woman that deserves admiration. And Grady. GRADY! *sniffle* This man is one of the good ones ten times over. The way he fell hard and fast for Magnolia, and then how he knew he might have to let her go even though he would never feel this way for anyone else…gut punch. Like I said…emotions. So many emotions. I adored this story and I really adore how Karla wrote about a woman of color in a responsible, meaningful way. What else can I say? 5 happy stars for Steal My Magnolia. I’m ready for more!
This was such a delightful read!
“…the second her face came into focus, everything went static and quiet. An eerie calm that I’d never felt before spread through my body like an ink stain.”
The first time Grady Buchanan meets Magnolia MacIntyre, he doesn’t know who she really is. Not that it matters because when he meets her, he realises that the family curse is well and truly alive and kicking! Unfortunately, things just aren’t that simple – in fact, they’re pretty complicated.
“Something unlocked behind my chest. Something rusty and unused. Almost like a bird who was trying out its wings after a long rehabilitation. It was hope. And it looked an awful lot like Grady Buchanan.”
Magnolia adores her father but she’s not blind to his faults. When her patience is tried one too many times, she makes a break from his protection by applying for a job with Grady. However, when her true identity is revealed, awkwardness ensues as they all try to find their footing. Throw in her attraction to her boss and things are taken to a whole other level of complicated.
“When he stood over me like that, I wanted a whole lot of things from Grady. Touch me. Hold me. Kiss me.”
This was a fab story. Grady was sweet, fumbling, determined and gorgeous. His behaviour was comical in the face of his attraction to Magnolia. I loved his earnestness and his determination to do right by her. I just adored him! Magnolia, whilst having grown up privileged and loved, had also had to deal with her fair share of prejudice. She was trying to break out of a box she’d been put into and, therefore, I could understand her resistance to Grady’s revelation, and the fact that she wanted to make her own choices of her own volition, rather than fall in to other people’s expectations of her. She’s my idea of a southern belle with her integrity and confidence. Once she knew what she wanted, she wasn’t afraid to go after it, and I loved how they worked their way back to one another. Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Another wonderful story from Karla Sorensen in her Love at First Sight series set in Green Valley.
Grady and Magnolia’s story was a slow burn, sweet read. Just like many members of his family before him, Grady falls in love at first sight when he meets the person he’s meant to be with. Things are complicated by the fact that Magnolia works for him and she is the ex-girlfriend of his sister’s new boyfriend.
I really liked how their relationship developed. They spent more time apart than I expected, but it made sense with the issues they needed to work out to reach their HEA. This story had a different feel than the first two, but I enjoyed it just as much!
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Overall Grade:
There are too many delicious things about Karla Sorenson’s newest SmartyPants Romance book, Steal My Magnolia
-The fact that the story is a premeditated slow burn seeps into you as Grady and Magnolia evolve. Sorensen’s pacing makes you salivate for their eventual coupledom. It becomes this compunction to keep reading because their journey draws you in
-The complexity of race discussion found in SMM reminds you of the gravity belying SPR stories. Packaged as “sweet and fun,” the truth of this book and its ilk is weightier than you initially believe.
-The idea behind self-sacrificing love in this book is its tempest. As Grady denies the gravity of his feelings for Magnolia, moments that Sorensen so perfectly crafted, you are reminded of why heroes like him make reading romance both special and challenging. It sometimes reminds you that loving someone from afar and forgoing acting on it because you want to protect them and put their needs first can only be found in fiction.
-That you can read a romance and feel replete without heavily erotic moments, that story and character development can be enough to heat your blood.
-The visceral feelings Sorensen so careful crafts with the complications between Grady, Grace, Magnolia, and Tucker. It shoots straight to your stomach with your investment in their happy ending.
-The ease of Sorensen’s style carries you through Grady and Magnolia’s journey. The witticisms, the residential truths of her characters, and the beauty of her prose make each page feel like essential reading.
-The carefully curated romantic gestures that build deeper and deeper into Steal My Magnolia that it sometimes hurts to read the next sentences.
Each of these qualities conspires to a truth, one that says “to thine own [heart] be true” no matter the consequences. The moments of Karla Sorensen’s Steal My Magnolia, the first book of this newest season of SmartyPants Romance, make it the perfect beginning to a fantastic array of stories. Grab this one NOW.
Once agin, Karla Sorensen has graced us with an absolute love-at-first-sight masterpiece!
I was completely obsessed with this series from the moment I read the first novel! I totally believe in and love the whole idea of the “Buchanan curse.” Karla took a familiar trope and give us something completely original. She writes with such heart and has repeatedly given people exactly what they didn’t even know they so desperately wanted! The sign of a truly fabulous author!
Magnolia and Grady were such a perfect pairing. So sweet and tension filled, so deep, and well-developed. I felt fully invested in their HEA before I even read the whole novel! I love that through Karla’s writing we were able to experience both main character’s (perfectly depicted) intense feelings and emotions throughout each scene. Every romantic, tension-filled moment between them was absolutely breathtaking and I couldn’t have hoped for more than was delivered! Grady and Magnolia’s story is some of Karla’s best work yet!
I cannot wait to read more Buchanan stories in the future (maybe a certain broken hearted big bro has a romantic homecoming …) This novel (and this series) is absolutely worth the read!
The Buchanan curse strikes again!
I am so enamored by this world that Ms. Sorensen has created in the Green Valley world! Her stories flow so seamlessly into the world that Penny Reid has created and created her own corner of Green Valley that I love just as much!
This is the story of Grady and Magnolia. There is awkwardness aplenty and when the curse strike Grady, well he just doesn’t know what to do!
Magnolia is a southern belle, she was raised on etiquette classes. She was born and bred to be a lady. She knew her place that her family has plotted for her and for the longest time, she did what she was told. When a huge shakeup happens in her world, she realizes just how “go with the flow” she has been doing and she wants to be done. I love her character, her inner strength and her outer beauty. She is a beautiful soul.
Grady is full of big hopes and dreams, he has a million ideas and just doesn’t know how to sort everything out. His organization skills are not pretty and he needs help! When he unknowingly hires Magnolia to help his fledgling business, well the curse strikes him hard! He knows that there is a complicated history between his twin sister and Magnolia, but his heart wants her and he is overwhelming swoony in the way he goes about trying to work everything out.
I could so empathize with both Grady and Magnolia about the trickiness of their situation and their developing relationship. And reading Grady’s honesty and forthrightness was both swoony and scary.
I absolutely loved this story and I cannot wait to see the next story in this series!
Steal My Magnolia is a story about determination, grit and a family curse?..superstition?.. blessing? As we work our way through Grady and Magnolia’s story- the third in the Love at First Site series) we see how perfect timing, luck, and love all come together. You won’t want to miss their story!
Love curse meets workplace romance and a slow burn.
Yet another Buchanan falls to the love curse, when Grady hires and then meets Magnolia – his sister’s boyfriend’s ex. That shouldn’t get awkward at all, right?! Nailed to the spot, knowing she’s his one, Grady struggles with getting to know her and not overwhelming her. Seeing him so struck, and realising the huge mountain ahead of him to climb was hilarious.
Overall, this was super cute and sweet, slow burny goodness. But, it also felt like we didn’t really get to see them get to know each other that much. Though I loved some sweet gestures, I wished they talked things through more, rather than leaving things unsaid. This made me struggle to feel their connection, especially from her side.
3.5 stars
I’m rarely at a loss of words when I find a book that just had me falling so throughly in love with it, but I don’t think I can adequately find the word to tell you how amazing Steal My Magnolia was!
I’ve loved every Buchanan book that Karla has written and I think it’s safe to say that Magnolia & Grady might be my favorite yet. These two were so polar opposites that I just couldn’t wait to see how they’d handle the “curse”. Grady is so open and excited about everything, where as Magnolia is more reserved and prone to think out every step.
I was worried about liking Magnolia because in Batter of Wits she’s the one who is keeping Grace & Tucker apart, I ended up loving her so much. Karla did an amazing job at bringing her to life and making her so perfectly flawed that you just relate to her.
It was absolutely magnificent!
Imagine a family curse that revolves around finding your true love. Would you believe it or avoid any tendrils of a relationship at all cost? Grady Buchanan has always avoided the subject of his family’s curse. With parents that ‘proved’ the curse wasn’t real, Grady was certain that he was immune from this family folklore. What he didn’t count on was Magnolia MacIntyre leaving him breathless without even a thought. Could it be true?? Has the immunity to this love curse worn off?
Grady is a new resident in the town of Green Valley, Tennessee. With a fledgling business to get up and running, Grady knows it will take a miracle to get his office to resemble something other than pure chaos. The answer to his prayers walking through the office doors and takes his breath away. The culprit is none other than Magnolia, the former girlfriend of his sister’s current fiancé. If the awkwardness wasn’t enough, Grady is reluctant to tell anyone Magnolia will be working at his office.
Can the family curse be the reason that Grady is so dumbstruck by Magnolia? Only time will tell if this relationship will crash and burn or sizzle upon impact. One this is for certain, when the folks of Green Valley catch ‘wind’ of Magnolia’s current employment situation, tongues will be wagging.
Steal My Magnolia is the latest release in the Love at First Sight series by Karla Sorensen and Smartypants Romance. This slow burn romance revolves around yet another Buchanan sibling and features a family curse. I will admit – when we were teased about Grady getting bitten by the curse, I couldn’t wait to uncover what his story would hold. However – what I found was a bit lack luster for my expectations.
As a fan of Karla Sorensen’s writing, I expected a story as delicious as the previous books in the Smartypants collection. Instead – I found a book that felt more ‘forced’ than believable. Grady and Magnolia are great characters on their own, but the chemistry was just off the mark for me. The writing of the book was good, so that wasn’t the issue. I think the hype of Grady and Magnolia was so built up that the reality of the union was more of a let down for me. When I finished the novel, I felt the ‘curse’ didn’t live up to the depth that it did in previous books.
There was so much potential in the romance that grew between Grady and Magnolia. So many moments where they two were not even connected throughout the story. When you take the curse into play and the lack of believability, the story just earned a ‘meh’ out of me when turning the last page. The bones of a great story was there, but Steal My Magnolia missed the mark when trailing the connection of a family curse.
Steal My Magnolia is Swoony with a capital S and oh so Sweet! It’s the kind of story that reminds me why I love romance. It is both insta-love and slow burn at the same time as Grady has to find the patience to allow Magnolia to catch up to him.
“You are the best thing that has walked through these doors.” Honestly, she was. That was no curse talking, or the fact I wanted to lay my head in her lap and stare up at her, or peel every inch of those clothes off her body and listen to her talk for hours. She just was…”
Magnolia has spent her whole life being loved and protected by her father. But when that overbearing protection becomes the last straw she decides to stand on her own feet and get out from under his thumb.
When Grady realizes who Magnolia is, it is too late. The family “curse” has hit him and he has fallen hard.
I absolutely adore this story and this series. I can’t wait for more!
-5 Stars!-
4.5 stars
The Buchanan curse is alive and well in Green Valley.
Grady Buchanan doesn’t believe in the far fetched family legend. At least not until he interviews a potential new employee for Valley Adventure and then all bets are off!
Grady just doesn’t know how to deal with his newest dilemma. The ‘one’ for him is a going to cause some family friction.
I loved this addition to the
Smartypants world and Karla Sorensen’s Love at First sight series.
We saw a human and loving side to JT MacIntyre which in a way, made this book so much more special.
I so admired that this Southern belle fought her corner and came out victorious and the slow burn love story is just to die for!
Oh how I love Green Valley and the Buchanan curse. I can’t wait for more!