Inheriting the Magnolia Inn, a Victorian home nestled in the East Texas pines, is a fantasy come true for Jolene Broussard. After living with the guilt of failing to rescue her self-destructive mother, Jolene knows her aunt and uncle’s B&B is the perfect jump start for a new life and a comforting place to call home. There’s just one hitch: stubborn and moody carpenter Tucker Malone. He’s got a half interest in the Magnolia Inn, and he’s planting his dusty cowboy boots squarely in the middle of her dream.
Ever since his wife’s death, Tucker’s own guilt and demons have left him as guarded as Jolene. The last thing he expects is for his new partner to stir something inside him he thought was gone forever. And as wary as Jolene is, she may have found a kindred spirit—someone she can help, and someone she can hold on to.
Restoring the Magnolia Inn is the first step toward restoring their hearts. Will they be able to let go of the past and trust each other to do it together?
Title: The Magnolia Inn
Series:
Author: Carolyn Brown
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 15, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 4.5 stars
“The Magnolia Inn” is an emotional story full of reality checks, life lessons and the sense that there are always possibilities if you simply open yourself up to them. I was easily caught up in Jolene and Tucker’s lives and enjoyed walking along with them on a journey that discovers forgiveness, redemption and second chances exist but they really only work when you put some effort into them.
Slowly the Inn’s remodeling begins to show the restoration of its former beauty and grace… and just as slowly yet steadily are Jolene and Tucker given a new look on life, the chance to forgive others and themselves. Letting go of the past while reaching out to the future isn’t always easy but is definitely worth the investment.
Secondary characters often set the pace for the story, and these lovely ladies of a certain age were priceless in making “The Magnolia Inn” as enjoyable and engaging as it is.
I enjoyed this world very much. Tucker and Jolene each grabbed a piece of my heart for different reasons. Theirs is a slow burn romance, and a new vision of what life could be with the right partner, attitude and letting the past stay where it belongs… in the past.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Available in a variety of formats including the Kindle
