Review: Sweet Pea Summer

 

* Book 2 in the Full Bloom Farm Series *

Eight years ago, May decided not to travel the world with Tom after graduation. She never told anyone the truth about that night and let everyone think he left her. Everyone in town turned against him, which wasn't a bad thing because he never came back.

Until his family needed him to come home and run the vineyard. But the vineyard is struggling. Tom needs the Northwest Food and Wine Festival to be a big hit in order to survive. He's willing to do anything to make that happen - including co-organize the event with May.

The more time May spends with Tom, the more she realizes that:

1. She was never brave

2. She should not have kept silent all those years ago

3. She's stuck in a rut

4. She might still have feelings for him.

Could there be room for a second chance?

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the second book in this four book series. Obviously, this is the Persuasion retelling. And I liked that May was the one in the wrong. The tight knit community might be a bit too tight in this one - I felt badly for Tom. He struggled with all the negative comments, but handled it well (much better than I would have.) I liked the moments between May and her father. Looking forward to book 3. 

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: Book sent for Review

Library Recommendations: Perfect for your Jane Austen fans and your Hallmark movie fans. 

Review: Magnolia Sisters

Harper loves working on the family flower farm, but there are updates she would like to create. But there's not much of a budget, so they will have to wait.

When an arrogant man asks to use the farm for his sister's wedding, Harper is in no mood to be polite. It would ruin the crop and cause significant issues for next year. She turns him down flat.

Luke Martin doesn't hear the word No very often. He doesn't want to let his sister down. Luke decides to work at the farm in hopes of changing their mind. But who will break first?

My Thoughts: This is the start of a new series and I'm eager to read them all. This is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a dash of White Christmas. I love the setting - the small town charm and the flower farm. I love the tight knit family from the parents to the sisters. And I loved all the talk about pie. I'm quite happy Annie will be her own book too. 

Cover Thoughts: Gorgeous 

Source: Sent for Review

Library Recommendation: Grab this for your Hallmark channel loving readers

Cover Reveal: Magnolia Sisters

Title: Magnolia Sisters

Author: Alys Murray

Publisher: Bookouture 

Release Date: March 5, 2020

About the Book:

BOOK ONE IN THE HILLSBORO FLOWER FARM SERIES

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 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?

About the Author:

Alys Murray is an author who writes for the romantic in all of us. Though she graduated with a degree in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London, her irrepressible love of romance led her to a career as an author, and she couldn’t be happier to write these stories!

Her debut novel, The Christmas Company, was the first original Christmas novel published by Hallmark, and it is currently optioned for a future Hallmark Christmas movie. Additionally, Alys pens screenplays for Lifetime. You can see her work most recently in 2019's Christmas in Louisiana, starring Jana Kramer, Percy Daggs III, Moira Kelly, Dee Wallace, and Barry Bostwick.

Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter at @writeralys.

Time for the BEAUTIFUL cover:

My Thoughts: I love it!

Don't you?

I would love to have a nice dinner at that table.

I can hear the laughter, taste the amazing good, a sip a generous glass of white wine.

It's Perfect!