My mother’s New Year’s resolution for me was simple: make a serious effort at putting myself out there and dating again, and do it for one full year. Or until I fell in love. Whichever came first. How hard could one year of swipes and matches and awkward first dates be? In a word: bad. In nine words: bad and also hilarious, demoralizing, exhausting, and ridiculously amusing.But the only thing … ridiculously amusing.
But the only thing worse than dating in the era of hookup apps and unsolicited dick pics is the absolute whole-life-flail of falling in love.
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The Magnolia Chronicles was everything and more that I could have ever hoped it would be! OMG, this woman knows how to write. I’ve read every single book that she’s written and I’ve fallen in love with every single character–and every single time I think, “this is my favorite,” she releases something new and I have a new favorite. I didn’t follow the unfolding of this book on Book+Main because I wanted to read it in its entirety and I’m so glad I did because I couldn’t put it down once I started. Magnolia was introduced to us in Necessary Restorations and I’ve wanted to know Roof Garden Girl’s story since then. I think we can all see parts of ourselves in her if we’re really honest! She is smart, self-deprecating (humorously so), awkward, hilarious but it’s her kind, forgiving heart that really comes through. I loved re-visiting the Walsh clan – they are absolutely the most entertaining, high-spirited, wacky and rowdy people and I want to be part of their family! Even though the blurb indicates the premise of this book is modern-day dating, it is so much more than that–everything I love in a Kate Canterbary book and more. I love the world she creates in her books and can’t wait for her to take us on another journey that will no doubt exceed my expectations again. If you’ve never read a Kate Canterbary book, what are you waiting for?! You won’t be sorry! Incredible, excellent, wickedly funny — 10+ stars.
God, I absolutely love everything Kate writes. There is just something about her writing style that hooks me in and makes me fall in love with all the characters. Then makes me want their stories too. You’ll see.
If you have ever online dated, then this is the book for you. Magnolia’s mom throws the gauntlet down with her new year’s resolution for her daughter by wanting to create her dating profile and help screen possible matches. What could possibly go wrong?
That this adventure and read this book and find out how what happens to Magnolia and how things play out. Tons of twists and turns. Magnolia needs her HEA too.
I’ve wanted Magnolia’s book since she appeared in The Walsh’s books. She was known as the roof garden girl.
Magnolia has made her fair share of bad choices in men. She’s the only girl of a set of triplets. Her mom would like her to find a nice man and settle down. Her mom signs her up on a dating website so maybe she can meet Mr Right. She meets Rob on line and he brings his own troubles. Then she meets Ben, who is remodeling the house across the street from her.
Who will she choose Rob or Ben?
Kate Canterbary writes where you feel like your right there with the story. I was hooked from page one. I also loved that some of the Walsh’s made an appearance in the book. Now I wait patiently for more spin off stories from Magnolia and the Walsh’s.
More than 5 stars!!!
The Magnolia Chronicles is Kate Canterbary’s hilarious spin-off of her Walshes series. I haven’t read the series, but I can’t wait to now! Ms. Canterbary’s writing is captivating.
The Magnolia Chronicles is a standalone novel that doesn’t require reading the Walshes series in order to get swallowed up in this charming story. Thirty-something Magnolia has systematically screwed up her life. Her knack for attracting the wrong sort of man is astonishing, so she has given up on romance and relationships. She has her dog, Gronk, and her work; keep it simple and keep moving forward is her current motto. Too bad her meddling mom “helps” her re-enter the dating arena by creating some online dating accounts and vetting out potential suitors!
These things often take on a life of their own, and Magnolia becomes embroiled in unforeseeable, funny, and absolutely exhausting relationships with not one, but two men. Rob, Jake and Magnolia are each damaged but likable characters. Throughout the story, we see their slow growth as they learn to love and understand themselves.
“The best part of dating was I had a man who knew and loved me in all my part-time hot mess ways. I was enough.”
I haven’t laughed out loud while reading in a great while, but I found myself chuckling many times while reading The Magnolia Chronicles. Magnolia’s sarcastic wit is absolutely hilarious. It made for great banter. However, the best part, was seeing Magnolia let go of her past missteps and look forward to a happy future that she deserves.
Well-written and clever, The Magnolia Chronicles is highly entertaining and absolutely heartwarming!
Magnolia is the owner of her own successful landscaping business, but not a success at dating. After some serious missteps and misplaced trust, her mother decides to take over Magnolia’s dating life and signs her up for several profiles. Her mother does everything from filling out the profiles to deciding which men to pick and even sometimes posing as Magnolia to talk to her. After several disastrous first dates and many blocked creepers, Magnolia is messaged by a cocky user with sweet undertones who captures her attention. She messages with him for weeks before they even exchange names. At the same time, she meets the firefighter who bought the house across the street from hers and does all the renovations in the middle of the night. After yelling at him over 2 am usage of power tools, she sees the disaster he is drowning in and offers to help him on weekends since she actually knows what should be done. They also have a flirtation.
The fun really begins when Ben, the firefighter, stumbles into her first date with Rob, the online guy. Magnolia doesn’t know either one well enough to choose immediately, but she knows she likes them both and both are interested in her. They propose she dates them both – traditional dating, not repeated hookups until a couple ends up in a relationship by default. Neither man interferes with the other’s date with her, but both work for her. The put a time limit of the summer on their experiment, with Magnolia choosing one at the end. The trouble is, when faced with two seemingly perfect partners, how can she choose?
I did really enjoy this book. Ben and Rob are both really good guys, even though they are very different. Ben is more intense and Rob is more of the jokester. Both have their baggage and pain, but like one of the characters says in the book, it’s impossible to be single and dating in your 30s without baggage. My favorite part, though, was Magnolia’s journey. She knows she used to be a screw up. She knows she hasn’t made the best relationship decisions. Her family and friends don’t let her forget that either, but they don’t see the change in Magnolia herself. She has grown and is entirely capable of making better decisions, even if that includes choosing neither guy if it came down to that. Of course there is a choice, being a romance novel, but instead of a dating-show type dramatic ending of a relationship, things happen organically and in a really good way. I loved the epilogue.
This was an entertaining and thoughtful read. I definitely recommend it.
Where do I even start? I’ve loved Magnolia since her first appearance in The Walsh Series. Never understood other readers hate for her. While I never felt like she was a match for Riley as many assumed before his book was released, I knew one day she’d find her person. The one man who was perfect for her.
That day has finally arrived. Her journey to HEA might not be traditional, but when you look at today’s dating world, it probably isn’t that much different than that of many singles out in the world today. I love her journey to not only finding her match, but how she found herself in the process.
I won’t spoil it for you who she ends up with, but I can tell you he’s perfect for her. He remembers the little details, he sees her when no one else does, and that is so important to her in the end (as it should be!)
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Kate Canterbary’s writing and this book is no different! The only thing I didn’t like about it was that it ended!
When Magnolia’s mom pushes her to try a dating app, her misadventures in online dating begin. After some unwelcome dick pics and cringeworthy first dates she begins exchanging witty texts with “Mr Nine”. To complicate matters, a late night encounter also introduces her to noisy neighbor, hunky fireman Ben. Before she knows it, the perpetually unlucky in love Magnolia has more suitors than she can handle! Being pursued by two great guys is exhilarating, but knowing someone is going to get hurt in the end is also heartbreaking.
I loved this book! It was the perfect blend of laugh out loud humor and touching self reflection. I also loved that the Walsh family was a huge presence in her life after some rough early patches. Seeing Magnolia grow from the girl who always picked bad men to a strong empowered woman with her pick of suitors was a joy to watch. Magnolias romantic life didn’t always follow the path I expected, but it took the one that was right for her.
ARC for honest review with no compensation needs more than 5 stars!!
The Magnolia Chronicles, Adventures in Modern Dating by Kate Canterbary is a standalone book but if you read the Walsh series you met Magnolia (Gigi) the roof top garden girl. This is her story and what an amazing story it is!!
This book has so many feels it will keep you up reading and turning pages to find out what happens next…2 men, 1 woman…all trying to find their way in life, moving on, love and finding their HEA! Who will she choose????
Magnolia, my lovely Magnolia. I’m so happy that you got your story and it was truly magnificent. You are a treasure, a gift. You are all of us and your turn in the online dating world was nightmare and a dream. In the end you found comfort in yourself. And maybe love? I won’t tell. They’ll have to read the story.
Magnolia Santillian is giving into her mother’s wishes to find love in the new year. After so many false starts, to say she’s a bit jaded and a lot weary would be an understatement.
Rob Russo was left reeling by the betrayal of his best friend and his almost fiancée. Rob doesn’t want a commitment but he sure likes the way he feels with the girl he met on one of those dating sites.
Ben Brock is trying to hold on to his sanity while trying to convert the Cape Cod he bought for his grandmother. Being yelled at in the middle of the night never felt so good.
This story has been years in the making. Meeting Magnolia (aka Gigi) in the Walsh series, I longed to know more about her. I was so excited to learn she was getting her own book and even better having all of the Walsh clan make appearances. This book is another example of why I’m a huge fan of this author. It’s witty, charming and oh, so endearing..
I loved getting to know Magnolia better and having not one but two hot guys after her. Wow! I hope there will be another installment with the one she didn’t end up with. These two guys, both very much alpha in their own ways, couldn’t be further apart and are equally attractive.
This book will stay with me long after today. I definitely recommend reading it!
Magnolia oh boy!! This contemporary book had me in a tizzy, it definitely kept me wanting to know more on the characters, ms magnolia definitely had me second guessing her. Love love magnolia especially the scene with Sam .
The Magnolia Chronicles is the long awaited and much anticipated story of Magnolia “Gigi” Santillian. She made appearances in several of Kate Canterbary’s Walsh Family Series.
I loved Magnolia’s journey!!! I’ve been wanting Gigi’s story for a long time and Ms. Canterbary delivered a wonderful book. I adored how Magnolia explored her road to happily ever after in an unconventional way. Rob and Ben were both characters that I enjoyed and I was extremely pleased with the outcome of the story. It was heartwarming and had a perfect amount of humor that kept a smile on my face the entire book.
Warning – If you have any triggers regarding stories involving dating two people at once, please know that The Magnolia Chronicles does have this plot. However, it is done extremely tastefully and all characters involved are in agreement with the path they take. There is NO cheating.
The Magnolia Chronicles is the gorgeously-told story of Magnolia Santillian, a thirty-something, successful professional who takes on an online dating challenge from her mother and shortly thereafter meets two men who tick all her boxes. Magnolia’s story will resonate with many strong women: she is honest about her own internal mess and the superhuman juggling that is required in order for a woman to be at the top of her profession while also having a personal life. Ben and Rob, the men Magnolia meets and gets involved with, are wonderful men who appreciate Magnolia just as much as she should be appreciated, and she eventually has to make a choice between the two of them. The choice she makes is exactly the right one, and her process of making the choice is heartbreaking and beautiful and JUST RIGHT. There are some characters who come in and out of the foreground and background of this book and I hope that about seven gazillion other books will emerge about them. Kate Canterbary never disappoints, and in The Magnolia Chronicles she has yet again triumphed and brought us a beautiful story of a broken-not-broken woman and how she finds love and allows herself to have it.
There are just not enough words to describe how I feel right now. We’ve been waiting for Magnolia’s story for a while and now that it’s finally here I want to savor every sweet, witty, beautiful moment.
Magnolia’s growth from when we first met her until now is just beautiful. Watching her navigate the dating app hell and come into her own was definitely worth the wait. Kate Canterbary works her magic with her prose, timing and execution to deliver another unputdownable five star read.
Magnolia. Oh, sweetie! Your story has been highly anticipated and requested. You have lingered out there, always on the sidelines, looking through the window as everyone around you got their happily ever after. It was SO your turn!
When I started reading the weekly chapters on Book + Main, I can say I was rooting the other guy, but black cherry seltzer changed my mind. I was so happy to see Gigi end up with someone amazing. I hope we continue to get glimpses of their lives (like we do the Walsh’s) in books to come.
Kate Canterbary is truly an astonishing writer. Her ability to write modern women with flaws that make them perfect and men who are everything you’ve ever wanted is truly a marvel.
I highly recommend this book. (I will say that it took me a few chapters to get completely invested in this book. I am attributing that to having read the weekly chronicles before I read the book.)
5 Internet Dating at it’s Funniest Stars!!!
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Ms. Canterbary has been stalking my dating forays in this electronic age!! While the conversation with my Mom was never quite like Gigi’s, there was some definite Mom advice given out. More importantly, her messages and dates with these fools through this process had me snort laughing and rolling my eyes at the same time…because that’s me too!!!
I did not read Gigi’s adventurous as Ms. Canterbary was doing her posts in Books + Main and I’m kind of glad because I got to sit down and read this phenomenally fabulous and funny book from start to finish. Not only did I feel like I was on these dates with our heroine we got several drop-ins and references to some of my favorite Walsh’s too!!
This book is a true slow-burn which is a-okay with me. Not every book I read needs to be insta-love with hot dirty sex…don’t get me wrong I love those books too, but this one is perfect in every way possible!
This book is fantastically funny and engaging and captivating in all the best ways. Magnolia is a character I think a lot of us can relate to on different levels. The one really big take away for me from this book is learning to love who I am just as I am and that I’m worthy of a love that accepts me just like that!
If you love to laugh and are looking for a perfect weekend read, The Magnolia Chronicles is your next MUST READ book.
Kate Canterbary has penned a wonderful love story. It’s a romantic tale of a young woman looking for love and learning to love herself along the way. Realizing she has to put her needs ahead of others for the first time is huge moment for Magnolia Santillian. This revelation gives her a newfound sense of peace that was missing from her life.
It does not bode well when your mother decides to help you out with your love life by signing you up for a dating service. Magnolua hasn’t made the best choices when it comes to men and has shied away from the dating scene for a while. But a mother’s guilt trip coaxes Magnolia into putting herself out there. Thus begins the chronicles of Magnolia’s dating life. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince. In This case she finds two princes. An embarassment of riches. What’s a girl to do? Decisions! Decisions!
Magnolia, Rob and Ben are all struggling with emotional issues when they meet. For me it was love at first sight with Rob. His gentle caring attitude made him the perfect balm to assuage Magnolia’s regrets over her poor choices in men. Rob thought he wanted a no strings fling but meeting Magnolia quickly changes his rune. Ben is weighed down with guilt and his irrasiblity pushes the boss lady to come out when he’s with Magnolia. But, they fill a need in each other.
The Magnolia Chronicles by Kate Canterbary is simply perfection!! It can be read as a standalone book but also as a addition to the Walsh family series books. I enjoyed Magnolia so much! Magnolia is a character that was introduced in Necessary Restorations. I was excited to read that she was getting her own book. In her story, we get to see who she is: her ups and downs. Learn that she is human and makes mistakes; that she was hurt by love and just wants to be loved and where she is put first by a man, not last.
This book shows us Magnolia’s journey in dating and her hilarious interaction with a dating app. Through her dating journey, she ends up meeting two men – Rob and Ben- and she gets their permission to date them both. This is a beautifully written story that takes the reader on a emotional rollercoaster ride that shows how Magnolia overcame the heartbreak from the past to let love into her life and the path she took to do so. We got to see past characters in this story with the Walshes popping up all in the book. I so loved that!! But its not a Walsh thing– this is different- loved meeting Magnolia’s family and friends. I enjoyed the ending. I won’t say who she finally chose to be with but I do know whose book I want next
My Rating: 4.8 stars ******
Magnolia Chronicles is funny and quirky and sexy and swoony and heart wrenching and thoughtful. It is everything!
The story is a complete standalone but I loved the tiny glimpses of my favorite Walsh family members. Magnolia was introduced in a previous book but I loved getting to know her and see inside her thoughts.
“I was wandering and foolish and missed out on everything.
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever catch up. If I’ll ever get my turn.” I swiped a tear off my cheek. “But I’m not betting on horses anymore, Mom. I’m betting on myself now.”
Magnolia Chronicles is subtitled Adventures in Modern Dating and I can tell you Magnolia’s dating adventures are hilariously entertaining! But I am not laughing at her, I am a bit in love with this heroine who smiles even when she is unable to hide her flaws as much as she tries.
-5 Stars!-
Decisions, decisions… Adulting can be a daunting task but sometimes it’s a necessary evil and at times really funny, soul searching and so much more.
Kate Cantebary is an architect author. She lays the foundation and just keeps building on it. The foundation is always rock solid. It’s my intention to write a cohesive review but this story has me so jazzed I may not be able to accomplish this task. So I’m just going for it.
Beautiful, funny, touching and so many descriptive words I’ve yet to assemble in my brain are just some of the feelings I felt reading this story. I love how Kate gets right to the feelings and relays them so well that you can actually feel them as if it was you going through something. Magnolia’s internal feeling of not wanting someone but wanting them to want you is genuine. It stings. I’m sure we’ve all been there. This story is so real I’m sure every girl (woman) has been Magnolia at one time or another. The thing about Magnolia is she’s strong and resilient. She just doesn’t realize it. As women we take ourselves for granted so many times in life. Witnessing Magnolia bloom and come into herself was so fulfilling.
If you’re a Kate Cantebary fan than you are familiar with Magnolia. If you aren’t, well you need to rectify that as soon as possible. Those of us who are fans have been hopefully waiting for this story to be told and we finally got our wish. As usual Kate didn’t just write and tell this story but she did it in an original, witty, soul searching fashion.
I don’t do spoilers so you really need to read the book. I don’t feel it’s fair to the author. You can get the gist from the blurb and other reviews. I tell you how the book affected me. Well I loved it. You won’t be disappointed. The setup and banter alone make this book work reading but then she continues to dig deeper.
One of my favorite parts was getting to see some of my favorite characters from the author’s previous books. I never wanted to leave this family to begin with, so seeing them again is like revisiting with old friends. I want so badly to talk about certain scenes but that would be unfair. Let’s just say they touched me deeply and made me so happy. Then there’s Magnolia’s family who are a real trip. You will so fall in love and like with both Ben and Rob. They will have you laughing, swooning and maybe tear up a bit.
Another fact I almost failed to mention is that when you read the author’s book you become more educated. I always learn interesting facts I didn’t know before and they’re always fascinating. She does her research. Too, may I just say the epilogue is killer in the best way!
So I guess you can tell I really like this book. I read it in one sitting straight through and went back and re-read certain parts. I’m sure it will be a re-read for me. I did my best to make this review cohesive and do justice to the story. I’ll just leave you with this, do yourself a favor and read this book. In my opinion you won’t be disappointed. It’s one of my favorite reads for 2019.