With David working in the evenings and Charlie either outside or in his room I needed something to keep my busy. I turned to the TV and found a series on Netflix called Sweet Magnolias and as I watched the first show, I kept thinking I had read a book like this show.
Learn more about the Sweet Magnolia show here:
Come to find out I was right as Sweet Magnolias is a series written by Sherryl Woods which I didn’t know until I went into Walmart’s to find a new book to read. When low and behold I stumbled upon the first three books in the series Sweet Magnolias.
David knew I was wanting a new book because Danielle Steel didn’t have a new book out and we all know Jackie Collins had passed away so I couldn’t purchase anything from her. I left Walmart a tad upset but decided to stop by Half Price Books to see if they had any of the Sweet Magnolia books which they didn’t have.
We went home and David ran back to Walmart’s to pick up a heater. While there David surprised me and purchased the first three books for me, and I can’t wait until I finish Going Home by Danielle Steel so I can begin these new books and then rewatch the series to see how it compares to the book.
Book One Stealing Home
For the Sweet Magnolias, now a Netflix original series, friendship lasts a lifetime…
Maddie Townsend might live in a town called Serenity and have the best friends a woman could ask for, but her life is overturned when her husband leaves her for a younger woman. With her three children heartbroken from the change, Maddie has a lot to contend with. On top of it all, after years outside the workforce, she must dust off her business skills to take charge of her best friends’ newest project—planning the town’s only fitness spa for women.
When her son’s developing anger issues begin to affect his passion for baseball, Maddie knows she must step in to help. She didn’t expect to develop feelings for her son’s coach, the handsome Cal Maddox, and to learn he has feelings for her, too. But gossip travels quickly in a small town, and Maddie and Cal’s relationship may threaten both their reputations and careers.
Then again, he could be the one man in all of South Carolina who can help her find serenity after all.
Book Two A Slice of Heaven
Return to the world of the Sweet Magnolias, where friends are closer than family, and fun and scandal are always part of the mix. Now a Netflix original series!
Ever since she discovered her ex-husband’s affair, Dana Sue Sullivan decided to put down new roots and create the best restaurant in Serenity, South Carolina. After years of hard labor, her dream has become a reality. Sullivan’s provides more than just Southern comfort food—it’s become a haven for the whole town—and Dana Sue knows better than anyone that relying on friendship can get you through the toughest times.
But when her teenage daughter, Annie, develops an eating disorder that lands her in the hospital, Dana Sue’s perfect life comes crumbling down. On top of it all, her own health starts to deteriorate. Dana Sue knows she needs to change habits now to help them both get better—even if that means letting Ronnie Sullivan back into their lives.
And who knows, his return might end up being a recipe for a new beginning…
Book Three Feels Like Family
Helen Decatur spent a lifetime setting goals—getting through college and law school, opening her own practice, becoming financially secure, and establishing herself as one of the most highly respected divorce attorneys in the state of South Carolina. Achieving those goals was a breeze compared to the one she’s faced with now.
The most driven—and cynical—of the Sweet Magnolias, Helen is forty-two, single and suddenly ready for the family she’s put on the back burner for all these years. Unfortunately, having a child at her age comes with lots of complications, not the least of which is the absence of a serious relationship in her life.
Handling so many divorces has left her skeptical about love, but Helen’s not the type of woman to wait around for fate to step in. Taking charge of her own destiny puts her at odds with her two best friends and sets sparks flying with a man who claims he doesn’t want a family, and nothing turns out like she planned.
Book Four: Welcome to Serenity
When Jeanette Brioche helped launch The Corner Spa in Serenity, South Carolina, she found a whole lot more than professional satisfaction. She discovered the deep and loyal friendships that had been missing from her life. But even the Sweet Magnolias can’t mend the terrible rift between Jeanette and her family.
Pushed into working on the town’s much-loved annual Christmas festival, Jeanette teams up with the new town manager, Tom McDonald, who may be the only person in Serenity who’s less enthused about family and the holidays than she is.
But with decorations going up in the town square and a bit of romance in the air, Jeanette and Tom take a fresh look at the past and a hopeful look into the future. Together they discover that this may be the season of miracles after all…
For Ty, losing Annie was heartbreaking. Still, he can’t imagine life without the three-year-old son whose mother left him for Ty to raise. Ty wants it all—Annie, his child and the future he’d dreamed about—and he’s back home in Serenity to fight for it. But getting Annie to forgive and forget may be the hardest challenge he’s ever faced. With the stakes so high, this is one game he can’t afford to lose.
Books Six: Sweet Tea At Sunrise
Emotionally wounded single mom Sarah Price has come home to Serenity, South Carolina, for a fresh start. With support from her two best friends—the newest generation of the Sweet Magnolias—she can face any crisis.
But sometimes a woman needs more than even treasured friends can provide. Sexy Travis McDonald may be exactly what Sarah’s battered self-confidence requires. The newcomer is intent on getting Sarah to work at his fledgling radio station…and maybe into his bed, as well.
Sarah has learned not to trust sweet words. She’ll measure the man by his actions. Is Travis the one to heal her heart? Or will he break it again?
Book 7: Honeysuckle Summer
Her devastating marriage behind her, Raylene Hammond is truly thankful for her best friends, the Sweet Magnolias. They’ve taken her in, shielding her from the world. Then she meets sheriff’s deputy Carter Rollins, and suddenly Raylene’s haven no longer feels quite so safe.
Carter understands why Raylene is trapped inside. He’s even taken to bringing the outside world to her. But with two kid sisters to raise, just how much time can he devote to this woman who’s stolen his heart?
Raylene knows Carter is a man worth loving, but she may never be strong enough to accept what he’s offering. How long can she ask him to wait? Maybe they’ll never have more than this one sweet summer.
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Sherryl Woods draws you into the emotional journey of a marriage worth saving.
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?
Book 9: Catching Fireflies
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Sherryl Woods captures a community’s heartfelt fight to preserve the innocence of childhood.
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?
Book 10: Where Azaleas Bloom
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, he’s also wise enough to encourage Lynn to find her own way…hopefully straight into his arms.
Book 11: Swan Point
Determined to build a new life for her family after her divorce, Adelia Hernandez has bought a home in the historic Swan Point neighborhood of Serenity. Promoted to manager of Main Street’s most fashionable boutique, she feels revitalized and ready for a fresh start as a single mom. But barely into this new independent phase, she crosses paths with the sexiest man to hit Serenity in years.
Gabe Franklin, back in town to make amends for past mistakes, has no intention of settling down, but Adelia’s proving irresistible. Cheered on by their friends “the Sweet Magnolias,” Gabe is bringing long-absent passion and laughter into Adelia’s life. To his surprise—and hers—sometimes a rolling stone is just what it takes to build the rock-solid foundation of a family.
Fill your home with the freshly baked scent of luscious apple pie, the sizzle of peachy grilled chicken or the beckoning aroma of juicy roast lamb, all brought to life in this charming collection of recipes.
New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods invites you into the world of Serenity, South Carolina, where good food and good friends await. Based on her beloved Sweet Magnolias series, this gorgeous cookbook is full of Southern classics and heartwarming stories of friendship and fun. Join Dana Sue Sullivan, a popular character and Southern cook herself, as she shares her favorite down-home recipes as well as secrets, stories and small-town gossip from the world of the Sweet Magnolias!
Whether you’re making flaky, buttery, too-good-to-be-true biscuits, or spicy seafood gumbo, the 150 recipes found in these pages will bring your family and friends together to celebrate the comforts of home.
From legendary margarita nights to indulgent Sunday brunches to heartening holiday meals, every recipe in this book is sure to infuse your life and your kitchen with the warmth of the South and the comfort of good food.
With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether her home state of Virginia, her adopted State, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. She’s also especially partial to small towns wherever they may be. In Amazing Gracie, as in her later Trinity Harbor series, Woods creates a fictional version of the town where she spends Summers on the shores of the Potomac River. “This town just lends itself to fascinating characters and a charming locale,” she says.
A member of Novelists Inc., Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America, Sherryl divides her time between her childhood Summer home overlooking the Potomac River in Colonial Beach, Virginia, and her oceanfront home with its lighthouse view, in Key Biscayne, Florida. “Wherever I am, if there’s no water in sight, I get a little antsy,” she says.
Sherryl also loves hearing from readers. You can join her at her blog, www.justbetweenfriendsblog.com, visit her Web site at www.sherrylwoods.com or contact her directly at Sherryl703@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
