Where Azaleas Bloom - Sherryl Woods (Mira - Sept 2012)

Series: Sweet Magnolias (Book 10)

Single mom Lynn Morrow is determined to put food on the table for her son and daughter. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband has failed to meet his obligations time and again -- but it turns out that Ed is struggling with his own demons.

Enter contractor Mitch Franklin, an unlikely knight in shining armor. A widower with two grieving sons, Mitch once admired Lynn from afar. Now he sees in her not only the sweet girl who got away, but a woman desperately in need of support. While rushing to the rescue of Lynn and her children comes naturally to Mitch, he's also wise enough to encourage Lynn to find her own way…hopefully straight into his arms.

Good book. Lynn is in the midst of a crisis. Her soon to be ex-husband has missed child support payments and hasn't been paying the mortgage on the house. She's down to her last few dollars with little food in the house and no way to pay the bills. She is justifiably angry at Ed, but determined to protect his relationship with their children. This is especially difficult with their fourteen year old daughter, who is old enough to understand what is happening. She has one part-time job with friend and neighbor Raylene, but needs something else. While looking for a job in a bad part of town, she is spotted by Mitch, who offers her a job with him instead.

Mitch is a widower who lost his wife to a drunk driver a year earlier. He is slowly working himself out of the overwhelming grief he had felt at the beginning. Mitch and Lynn have known each other since they were kids. Mitch had had quite the crush on her when they were thirteen, but she was already fixated on Ed, so he never did anything about it. Now he can't help but want to make things better for her.

I loved Mitch. He is sweet and protective and he understands Lynn very well. I really liked the way that he didn't stomp on her pride in his eagerness to help, but instead made it possible for her to help herself. I really liked how they began with friendship that slowly grew into more. Mitch is careful to ensure that he is truly ready to move on after his wife's death before he tries to advance things with Lynn. I also enjoyed his interactions with her kids, especially taking Jeremy under his wing.

I liked Lynn's determination to take care of her family. There were times when her pride refused to allow her to seek the help she needed, but her children's welfare was always at the top of her priorities. I liked watching her stand up to Ed when she needed to.

The development of their relationship was slow and sweet, with a hint of fire lurking under the surface. I liked the way that Mitch made his interest clear without pushing Lynn to move faster than she was ready for. Lynn was surprised by her attraction to Mitch, and a bit wary of her feelings at the beginning. There was one stumbling block that had to be dealt with, but I thought that Mitch handled it very well. When Ed decided to use Lynn's relationship with Mitch during the divorce proceedings, I ached for Mitch and what he decided to do. There was also a little bit of drama with Mitch's sons, but again, maturity and communication went a long way toward resolving that issue. I loved the ending and seeing Mitch and Lynn get the future they wanted.

The drama of the divorce was well portrayed. The problems faced by Lynn are all too common. I loved seeing Helen's reactions to Ed's antics and her determination to protect Lynn and the kids. The mystery of what Ed and his lawyer were up to was interesting, and had me considering several possibilities. What it turned out to be never crossed my mind. There were times I detested Ed and others when I felt sorry for him. In the end, I felt that Lynn handled everything quite well, including her dealings with Ed's mother. I also ached for the two kids, most especially for Lexie. Her feelings for her father were affected by his actions and she was torn in how she wanted to treat him. I liked the way that Lynn helped her to accept her feelings, but also to look at things from other perspectives.

Also running through the book was a continuation of what is happening with the three senior Magnolias. In the previous two books we had seen that Frances is having health problems that have begun to escalate. I hurt for her and her fears and frustration, and ached for Liz and Flo as they helped her deal with them. Their problems were lightened somewhat by Flo's revelation of what she has been up to. Helen's reactions are just what is expected, and seeing the two of them resolve the strain between them was both funny and heartwarming.

As always, the deep friendship among the Magnolias and their support of each other through thick and thin is a force to be reckoned with. I loved Lynn's acceptance into the group and how each of them helps her in their own way. I hope that there will be more books in the future, when the younger generation, who have already shown Magnolia values, are ready for stories of their own.

Catching Fireflies - Sherryl Woods (Mira - Aug 2012)

Series: Sweet Magnolias (Book 9)

When bullying threatens to destroy a teen's life, painful memories resurface for dedicated high school teacher Laura Reed and pediatrician J. C. Fullerton. With the support of the Sweet Magnolias, they bring the town together to ensure that a promising student's future isn't ruined. And to establish once and for all that bullying has no place in Serenity, South Carolina.

Both J.C.'s and Laura's passion for the cause is deeply personal, and their growing feelings for each other are just as strong. But with so many secret hurts to overcome, can these two vulnerable lovers find the strength to believe in happily ever after?

Excellent book. A teacher and a pediatrician are brought together in a sweet romance when they combine forces to deal with a case of bullying at the high school. Misty is a junior, smart and hard-working, so when she starts skipping class, Laura is worried. JC is equally worried when Misty comes to him asking for a note that will let her get out of going to school. Since she won't tell him what's happening, he makes her promise to talk to someone, and have that person call him. Though she talks to Laura, the lack of real information has Laura and JC determined to discover the truth.

I really liked Laura and JC. Both are deeply caring people who want the best for those around them. Laura has seen the bad side of love in the past and doesn't do much dating. JC has been burned himself and considers himself too bad at relationships to indulge again. That doesn't stop various people from doing their best to find matches for them (JC's nurse is especially persistent). From the moment they meet, there are sparks between Laura and JC, though they both try to resist and deny. It was fun to see them both try to deny the attraction even as they found reasons to get together. It was hilarious to see the whole town get involved, commenting on sightings of them together. I really loved JC's bewilderment at the way he can't stay away from Laura, and how his feelings are changing. The support they showed for each other during some really tough times was sweet and heartwarming. I loved JC's big moment at the end.

The romance was wonderful, but there is more than that. The case of bullying that brings the two together is an eye-opening look at one of the toughest issues kids today face. When Laura and JC discover what the problem is with Misty, it calls to them in a deeply personal way. Both had had experience with bullies in their own youths, affecting their lives even now. I loved the honesty and depth with which the issue was handled. Misty, who is having other troubles at home, tries to deal with the problem on her own. She gets some support when her best friend gets involved, but swears that friend to secrecy. Fortunately that friend is a daughter of a Sweet Magnolia and finds a way to keep her promise and still help. I hurt for Misty and everything she was going through. As the truth comes out, Laura and JC are assisted by the Magnolias and others as the issue of bullying is brought into the spotlight. I loved seeing Misty come out the other side, not unaffected, but stronger for surviving.

I loved seeing so many of the Sweet Magnolias and their husbands in this book. Their willingness and desire to do whatever necessary (loved Helen!) made resolving the issue even more successful. They were especially critical in support of Laura when the mother of the bully got involved. I also loved seeing the husbands checking out JC and making sure he knows that he's being watched. There are some terrific scenes that had me laughing out loud - margarita nights were especially good at that. Others had me cheering as they banded together. I loved Frances's speech at the rally, while JC's brought me to tears.

Midnight Promises - Sherryl Woods (Mira - July 2012)

Series: Sweet Magnolias (Book 8)

When Elliott Cruz first courted struggling single mom Karen Ames, it was a romance worthy of any Sweet Magnolia fantasy. The sexy personal trainer made it his mission to restore Karen's strength -- physical and emotional -- and to charm her children.

Now, a few years into the marriage, colliding dreams threaten to tear them apart. Elliott's desire to finance the business opportunity of a lifetime with their hard-earned "baby money" stirs Karen's deep-rooted financial insecurities. It's the discovery that their brother-in-law is cheating on Elliott's sister -- and thinks it's justified -- that puts their irreconcilable differences into perspective. Will their own loving fidelity be a bond so strong they can triumph against all odds?

Good story about trust, communication, and belief in each other. Elliott and Karen have been married for a couple years. Their courtship had been difficult, as Elliott had had to overcome Karen's fears and wariness. Their marriage has been going well, as they settle into life as a blended family. Elliott adores Karen's two children and Karen herself. His goal in life is to make sure they never want for anything. When he is given the opportunity to be part of a new gym for men, he jumps at the chance - but doesn't tell Karen about it. To say that she isn't happy about it would be a vast understatement. Karen's first marriage ended when her husband walked out, leaving Karen with a mountain of debt she had known nothing about. Now her two biggest hot buttons are secrecy and money. When she finds out about Elliott's plans from someone other than Elliott, she is furious and terrified. Confronting Elliott doesn't really calm all her fears.

I liked both Karen and Elliott, but each of them had their issues that contributed to the stress between them. Karen's biggest issue is her fear of financial difficulty. Having barely survived the results of her first marriage, she is determined never to fear for the ability to pay the bills again. I understood her point, but her obsession with it got to be very annoying after a while. Especially since Elliott is nothing like her first husband. Elliott is a kind, loving and protective man. He is also a product of his upbringing in a traditional Hispanic family, where the man was the head of the household and made the decisions. Though he wants to believe that he is better than his father had been, there are some things that he just doesn't realize he does. Keeping the gym plans secret was one of those things. He didn't want to worry Karen about it until he had all the information ready to show her because he knew what her reaction would be.

I liked seeing how Karen and Elliott worked to resolve their differences. It wasn't easy, and both had some hard lessons to learn. Karen's constant fear was caused by what she went through with her first husband, and she had to fully accept that Elliott was not going to do the same. Though her heart knew it, her head would frequently create doubts in her mind. She was also oblivious to the fact that her doubts hurt Elliott's pride. Though Elliott is well aware of Karen's phobias about debt and keeping secrets, he still has a hard time being fully open about his plans. He is confident about the prospects for success, but has difficulty finding a way to share that confidence with Karen. He is also suffering from what he sees as a lack of faith in him. Elliott also wants to adopt her children and doesn't understand why she is dragging her feet.

The problem with the gym was the catalyst for Karen and Elliott to realize that since their marriage their lives had gotten extremely busy and they had lost their ability to communicate openly and honestly with each other. Thanks to the interference of several friends, they started making a concerted effort to remedy that, and things started to improve. When Elliott's sister began having problems with her marriage, Elliott and Karen realized that though they may have their own issues, their love for each other was never in doubt. Something Adelia says to Elliott about their father also makes him aware of the mistakes he had been making in his own life, and opens his eyes to the changes he needs to make. Thanks to some prodding from her children, Karen also realizes that she has been letting the past influence her future, and that she's the only one who can change that. By the end of the book, their marriage has made it through the rough patch and emerged stronger because of it.

The problems Adelia is having with her marriage show the differences in outlook between Karen and the women of the Cruz family. Adelia has been raised to be a peacemaker and to go along with whatever her husband says. But his constant affairs have become unbearable for her, and when it also begins to affect their oldest daughter, Adelia realizes that she has had enough. I loved seeing her start to regain her self-respect and to stand up to her husband. I got very irritated with the way that even the women blamed Adelia for the breakdown of her marriage. It was great to see Adelia and Karen grow closer, as Adelia discovers that Karen is a better source of support than her own family. Even Elliott needed an occasionally smack upside the head when it came to his family.

I loved catching up with other residents of Serenity who have appeared in earlier books. The deep friendships showcase the support that is always there for those who need it. I loved seeing Frances, Flo and Liz, the "senior Magnolias" and what they were up to. I ached for Frances and her fears, and loved seeing how everyone rallied around her.