What do you think?
Rate this book
Magnolia Cove Magic #0.5
Sweet Harmony
An enchanted beach town.
A rivalry over frozen treats.
And two hearts about to discover the sweetest surprise.
When Magnolia Cove Middle School’s band program
is threatened, I do what any dedicated teacher
would drag a snow cone cart on the beach and
declare war on bad budgets. In a town where magic
flows as freely as a sea breeze, you’d think saving
the arts would be easier. But maybe a summer of
snow cones will do the trick.
My unexpected opponent? Grant Pierce, whose
gleaming magical ice cream cart and too-perfect
swirls are stealing all my customers.
I need to save this program—it’s where kids find
their rhythm, their voice, their magic. But with every
spat and sideways glance, I find myself noticing
more than Grant’s (infuriatingly) flawless sweets.
There’s something beneath that polished surface,
something messy, passionate, and… dare I say,
sweet.
He’s the last person I should trust with my heart,
but as summer heats up and sparks fly, I’m starting
to wonder if this fight is less about who wins the
beach—and more about what we’re willing to lose
for love.
A rivalry over frozen treats.
And two hearts about to discover the sweetest surprise.
When Magnolia Cove Middle School’s band program
is threatened, I do what any dedicated teacher
would drag a snow cone cart on the beach and
declare war on bad budgets. In a town where magic
flows as freely as a sea breeze, you’d think saving
the arts would be easier. But maybe a summer of
snow cones will do the trick.
My unexpected opponent? Grant Pierce, whose
gleaming magical ice cream cart and too-perfect
swirls are stealing all my customers.
I need to save this program—it’s where kids find
their rhythm, their voice, their magic. But with every
spat and sideways glance, I find myself noticing
more than Grant’s (infuriatingly) flawless sweets.
There’s something beneath that polished surface,
something messy, passionate, and… dare I say,
sweet.
He’s the last person I should trust with my heart,
but as summer heats up and sparks fly, I’m starting
to wonder if this fight is less about who wins the
beach—and more about what we’re willing to lose
for love.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2025
65 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Noel Bailey
5 books31 followersNoel grew up with her nose buried in the worlds of Anne Shirley and Elizabeth Bennet, falling for Gilbert Blythe and Mr. Darcy long before she knew what "dreamy literary hero" even meant. Now, she channels that same love of romance and banter into her own cozy, feel-good stories filled with music, baked goods, and a pinch of magic.
When she’s not writing, Noel can usually be found reading her way through stacks of romance and fantasy novels, listening to Hozier and Fleetwood Mac, or hiking through fairy tale forests. She believes life is always better with a sprinkle of fairy dust, a perfect cinnamon roll, and a HEA.
When she’s not writing, Noel can usually be found reading her way through stacks of romance and fantasy novels, listening to Hozier and Fleetwood Mac, or hiking through fairy tale forests. She believes life is always better with a sprinkle of fairy dust, a perfect cinnamon roll, and a HEA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 31, 2025
What a lovely little prequel to take you into Magnolia Cove 💕
A small magical town romance with frosty rivals to lovers, filled with lots of cute & sweet moments. I’m definitely becoming a fan of Noel Baileys writing. ✍️
She writes such heart warming & cozy stories.
MMC- Grant is the son of a Hot shot business man trying to make a name of his own away from the family business by starting his own ice cream cart.
FMC - Rachel is a music teacher with lots of sass trying to save her band programme by running a snow cone cart.
Both the mc’s pitch their carts on the same beach 🏝️
So understandably start off as rivals , even though there is instant attraction neither of them show that at first.
I love reading these books and getting to know each character’s and their personalities, little quirks etc.
Easily read in an afternoon (2 hours)
A small magical town romance with frosty rivals to lovers, filled with lots of cute & sweet moments. I’m definitely becoming a fan of Noel Baileys writing. ✍️
She writes such heart warming & cozy stories.
MMC- Grant is the son of a Hot shot business man trying to make a name of his own away from the family business by starting his own ice cream cart.
FMC - Rachel is a music teacher with lots of sass trying to save her band programme by running a snow cone cart.
Both the mc’s pitch their carts on the same beach 🏝️
So understandably start off as rivals , even though there is instant attraction neither of them show that at first.
I love reading these books and getting to know each character’s and their personalities, little quirks etc.
Easily read in an afternoon (2 hours)
May 19, 2025
"We've been writing our own fairytale."
"If you could understand how precious you are to me. How much I already love you."
"Each breath feels like inhaling glass."
"I don't know how to love myself enough to fight."
"Watching other people live while I exist in a gilded prison."
This book was a 4 ⭐️ overall, but I'll list the pros and cons (for me) below. The cons appear longer as I explained my reasoning with each one, to get my own thoughts on it out more clearly. There *were* more pros than cons.
Pros:
- Okay, bonus points for a super cute cover.
- Grant, he was super cute and I liked learning little bits and pieces of him growing up in a toxic enviroment and learning to do things on his own as his own person.
- His romantic relationship with Rachel — they brought out the best in each other and were very cute together, once the bickering ended.
- Ice cream and the beach, obviously.
- Representation of growing up in a toxic enviroment.
Cons:
- Rachel was immediately bitchy, and childish af. It seemed strange that she could feasibly raise 20k in one summer on a single snow-cone cart at the beach, but also, she had no business being so ignorant and rude to someone with a legitimate business, who was granted permission to use the beach. The fact she raised 75k was unreasonable, and it got a little confusing at the end when suddenly Grant's truck was an actual store building.
- Grant was constantly made to feel guilty and negative about himself over this "business" war, which was really aggravating.
- Even after Grant spent most of the summer showing her who he was, what drove him to go out on his own, and how much he cared about her, Rachel had the audacity to bitch at him and sling accusations around, after his dick of a father showed up unannounced; I'm glad she never had to know the pain of being treated the way he was, because I understood his reaction. For a 95 page novella, it felt really long, entirely because of Rachel's unlikable, bratty behavior throughout the book, even though she did have some good moments.
- No spice; I would have really enjoyed some spice in this book and seen what Grant gave in the bedroom, though I understand this isn't for everyone, so it's just a con for me personally, and used loosely.
"If you could understand how precious you are to me. How much I already love you."
"Each breath feels like inhaling glass."
"I don't know how to love myself enough to fight."
"Watching other people live while I exist in a gilded prison."
This book was a 4 ⭐️ overall, but I'll list the pros and cons (for me) below. The cons appear longer as I explained my reasoning with each one, to get my own thoughts on it out more clearly. There *were* more pros than cons.
Pros:
- Okay, bonus points for a super cute cover.
- Grant, he was super cute and I liked learning little bits and pieces of him growing up in a toxic enviroment and learning to do things on his own as his own person.
- His romantic relationship with Rachel — they brought out the best in each other and were very cute together, once the bickering ended.
- Ice cream and the beach, obviously.
- Representation of growing up in a toxic enviroment.
Cons:
- Rachel was immediately bitchy, and childish af. It seemed strange that she could feasibly raise 20k in one summer on a single snow-cone cart at the beach, but also, she had no business being so ignorant and rude to someone with a legitimate business, who was granted permission to use the beach. The fact she raised 75k was unreasonable, and it got a little confusing at the end when suddenly Grant's truck was an actual store building.
- Grant was constantly made to feel guilty and negative about himself over this "business" war, which was really aggravating.
- Even after Grant spent most of the summer showing her who he was, what drove him to go out on his own, and how much he cared about her, Rachel had the audacity to bitch at him and sling accusations around, after his dick of a father showed up unannounced; I'm glad she never had to know the pain of being treated the way he was, because I understood his reaction. For a 95 page novella, it felt really long, entirely because of Rachel's unlikable, bratty behavior throughout the book, even though she did have some good moments.
- No spice; I would have really enjoyed some spice in this book and seen what Grant gave in the bedroom, though I understand this isn't for everyone, so it's just a con for me personally, and used loosely.
October 10, 2025
📖 Title: Sweet Harmony-Magnolia Cove Magic 0.5
✍🏾 Author: Noel Bailey
📅Publication date: 5/28/25 | Read: 10/10/25
📃 Format: e-Book 104 pgs.
Genre:
*Romance
Tropes:
*rivals
*music
*found family
*small town
👆🏾POV: 1st person dual
⚠️TW: toxic parent
🌎 Setting: Magnolia Cove
Summary: In the enchanted magical community of Magnolia Cove, the middle school is losing funds for the music program. The English teacher Rachel spends her summer selling snow cones @ Musical Mills Snow Cones with Soul on the beach. She's in competition with Grant who operates his own ice cream cart-Grant's Coastal Creamery. Rachel raises the money to save the music, while Grant wants something independent of his domineering father. They fall for each other through the music with a found family of musical misfits supporting them.
👩🏾 Heroine: Rachel Williams-English teacher + band & symphony overseer
👨🏾 Hero: Grant Pierce-owns ice cream cart Grant's Coastal Creamery and plays piano. His family business Pierce & Sons Ice Cream Shop is looking to Grant for an expansion in CA
🎭 Other Characters:
* Mia + Zoe-quiet one who works @ the bookstore + Mia's wife who works @ the bakery w/ Ethan
*Ethan-owns The Whimsical Whisk Bakery
*Owen + Vivian-Grant's brother and sister
*Tom-coaches little league baseball
*Violet-works @ the local paper
*Rhianna-the upbeat librarian
*Grammie Rae-the town gossip
*Dean Markham-head of the town council
🤔 My Thoughts: A very cozy, low stakes romance. A bit of repetition but had summer vibes w/ ice cream and music on the beach. Grant was a bit weak not standing up to his father. He redeemed himself, groveled to Rachel and started the Sweet Harmony Ice Cream & Jazz w/ a HEA.
Rating: 3/5 ✨
Spice level: 0/5 🌶️
✍🏾 Author: Noel Bailey
📅Publication date: 5/28/25 | Read: 10/10/25
📃 Format: e-Book 104 pgs.
Genre:
*Romance
Tropes:
*rivals
*music
*found family
*small town
👆🏾POV: 1st person dual
⚠️TW: toxic parent
🌎 Setting: Magnolia Cove
Summary: In the enchanted magical community of Magnolia Cove, the middle school is losing funds for the music program. The English teacher Rachel spends her summer selling snow cones @ Musical Mills Snow Cones with Soul on the beach. She's in competition with Grant who operates his own ice cream cart-Grant's Coastal Creamery. Rachel raises the money to save the music, while Grant wants something independent of his domineering father. They fall for each other through the music with a found family of musical misfits supporting them.
👩🏾 Heroine: Rachel Williams-English teacher + band & symphony overseer
👨🏾 Hero: Grant Pierce-owns ice cream cart Grant's Coastal Creamery and plays piano. His family business Pierce & Sons Ice Cream Shop is looking to Grant for an expansion in CA
🎭 Other Characters:
* Mia + Zoe-quiet one who works @ the bookstore + Mia's wife who works @ the bakery w/ Ethan
*Ethan-owns The Whimsical Whisk Bakery
*Owen + Vivian-Grant's brother and sister
*Tom-coaches little league baseball
*Violet-works @ the local paper
*Rhianna-the upbeat librarian
*Grammie Rae-the town gossip
*Dean Markham-head of the town council
🤔 My Thoughts: A very cozy, low stakes romance. A bit of repetition but had summer vibes w/ ice cream and music on the beach. Grant was a bit weak not standing up to his father. He redeemed himself, groveled to Rachel and started the Sweet Harmony Ice Cream & Jazz w/ a HEA.
Rating: 3/5 ✨
Spice level: 0/5 🌶️
April 25, 2025
“I watch his profile in the moonlight, seeing him—really seeing him—maybe for the first time. Not the polished, corporate ice cream vendor or the shadow of a rebellious son, but just…Grant. A man who remembers the courage in fairy tales instead of the crown.”
✔️prequel novella
✔️rivals to lovers
✔️a little bit of magic
✔️closed door romance
This is a cute prequel novella! I think this strikes the perfect balance between setting up the close-knit beach community setting, showing that there is magic within the community and introducing the friend group that seems like it will be important in the main series, but also giving the couple the space to develop a relationship and find their HEA. I love that their love story feels complete, while I would love to see more of it and wish there was more relationship development on page rather than time jumps, I understand the page/word count constraints of a novella. The fairy tale parallels are cute and I am definitely interested in learning how the magic works in this world in future stories in this series.
Grant (MMC) and Rachel (FMC) start as rivals when Grant opens his ice cream truck on the same beach where Rachel is attempting to sell snow cones to raise money for the (about to be dismantled due to budget cuts) middle school band. She sees him as a soulless corporate robot, but in reality all he wants to do is get away from his father’s influence and chase his own dreams. They come to an understanding and realize that they are a perfect match, until reality comes crashing back in and they have to decide what is worth fighting for.
✔️prequel novella
✔️rivals to lovers
✔️a little bit of magic
✔️closed door romance
This is a cute prequel novella! I think this strikes the perfect balance between setting up the close-knit beach community setting, showing that there is magic within the community and introducing the friend group that seems like it will be important in the main series, but also giving the couple the space to develop a relationship and find their HEA. I love that their love story feels complete, while I would love to see more of it and wish there was more relationship development on page rather than time jumps, I understand the page/word count constraints of a novella. The fairy tale parallels are cute and I am definitely interested in learning how the magic works in this world in future stories in this series.
Grant (MMC) and Rachel (FMC) start as rivals when Grant opens his ice cream truck on the same beach where Rachel is attempting to sell snow cones to raise money for the (about to be dismantled due to budget cuts) middle school band. She sees him as a soulless corporate robot, but in reality all he wants to do is get away from his father’s influence and chase his own dreams. They come to an understanding and realize that they are a perfect match, until reality comes crashing back in and they have to decide what is worth fighting for.
April 30, 2025
A super sweet novella featuring our favorite Magnolia Cove characters. I quickly devoured this after discovering it on Noel Bailey’s website. It’s a prequel told in dual POV. I wish it was longer, but knowing there’s a third Magnolia Cove book coming is keeping me smiling. I fully believe I will read anything and everything Noel Bailey writes. It’s just such a feel-good romance.
Rachel is a middle school teacher desperate to raise funds to save the music program in Magnolia Cove. She comes up with the great idea of selling snow cones on the beach. 🏖️ But then she runs into him. Grant is a nap-baby trying to escape the pressure and confines of his family business and follow his own dreams to create a distribute gourmet ice creams with decadent flavors. When the two meet (competing for sales and tips on the beach), sparks fly. What follows is a whirlwind romance and both learning about who they are and what it takes to reach their dreams. Will Rachel and Grant have their happily ever after?
Check out all the Magnolia Cove romances if you love love. 💕
Rachel is a middle school teacher desperate to raise funds to save the music program in Magnolia Cove. She comes up with the great idea of selling snow cones on the beach. 🏖️ But then she runs into him. Grant is a nap-baby trying to escape the pressure and confines of his family business and follow his own dreams to create a distribute gourmet ice creams with decadent flavors. When the two meet (competing for sales and tips on the beach), sparks fly. What follows is a whirlwind romance and both learning about who they are and what it takes to reach their dreams. Will Rachel and Grant have their happily ever after?
Check out all the Magnolia Cove romances if you love love. 💕
June 20, 2025
This book is what happens when Hallmark meets Hocus Pocus and then goes to war via snowcone cart.
We’ve got:
Enchanted beach town drama
Musical education on the line
A frozen dessert rivalry hotter than the July sun
And one grumpy, ice cream man who absolutely should not be that kissable
Harmony? An absolute icon. Fighting budget cuts with shaved ice and righteous rage. Grant? Secret softie under that perfectly swirled façade. Together? Frosty enemies to lovers deliciousness.
Four stars because I wanted a little more magical chaos, but I devoured every bite of this sweet beachy romance. Warning: may cause sudden cravings for emotional growth and rainbow sprinkles.
June 21, 2025
This book is a prequel book to the A Magnolia Cove Magic series. This was a cute story pitting two ice cream stand owners against each other. One trying to prove his worth, and the other trying to raise funds for the music program at the local school. This book had some funny moments and I did enjoy the banter between the two main characters. Since I had already read book 1 of the series, I recognized several of the characters. I however don’t really remember the main characters being in book 1 even though I’m sure they were at some point.
Cute beginning to a series as a prequel but not necessary to read in order to start the series.
Cute beginning to a series as a prequel but not necessary to read in order to start the series.
October 12, 2025
Sweet Harmony is a the prequel of Magnolia Cove that feels like a cozy hug 🫶
The FMC Rachel is upbeat and a big bundle of bubbly joy trying to save the music class and MMC Grant is an uptight man trying to get out of his fathers shadow and the family business
This book is written with swoon worthy romance that will sweep you off your feet! It is a quick and easy comfort read and everything a good small town romance should be.
Everything about the way Noel Bailey writes brings me a magical experience that feels like a warm embrace.
The FMC Rachel is upbeat and a big bundle of bubbly joy trying to save the music class and MMC Grant is an uptight man trying to get out of his fathers shadow and the family business
This book is written with swoon worthy romance that will sweep you off your feet! It is a quick and easy comfort read and everything a good small town romance should be.
Everything about the way Noel Bailey writes brings me a magical experience that feels like a warm embrace.
April 9, 2025
Such a cute story to start a series! I loved it!!! Just what you need to make you feel warm. Such a sweet story with a pinch of magic, follow your dreams theme and the love and support of the family you make your own. I loved the fairytale references that gave the book a unique charm. This is my first by Noel Bailey and I can't wait to read Whisked Away!!!!
June 12, 2025
Sweet Romance
This was a charming story of unexpected love. Grant and Rachel both have so many layers but don’t always show them. I love how Rachel challenges Grant and pushes him to follow his dreams. His desire to support her is sweet, even if she doesn’t want help the way he knows how to give it.
This was a charming story of unexpected love. Grant and Rachel both have so many layers but don’t always show them. I love how Rachel challenges Grant and pushes him to follow his dreams. His desire to support her is sweet, even if she doesn’t want help the way he knows how to give it.
June 25, 2025
This was a fun story. I loved the premise and, being a former band nerd, the heroine's problem raising money for the music program. But I wasn't 100% keen on the hero's dilemma. I mean, he took care of it, but I think he needed to be more forceful with his father. Be the hero his lady needed him to be. Right then and there. :shrug: It's probably just me.
March 9, 2025
A very sweet short story. I feel like it could’ve been a little longer? maybe touched more on the “magic” that kept being mentioned, (like was it actual magic? Or just an expression?) but overall a light hearted, feel good HEA.
November 5, 2025
Like the first in this wonderful world, this prequal gives you a glimpse into the world of Magnolia Cove with the story of the local school teach and newcomer ice-cream shop owner. Simple, to the point with everything you need in a cute short story!
March 4, 2025
Cute enemies to lovers! I enjoyed the characters and how the small beach town came together to help each other out. This was a quick and easy read that was worth the time.
April 7, 2025
Cute short story to start the week off with!
May 12, 2025
This was cute! Another easygoing story about resilience and perseverance.
May 22, 2025
Cute story
June 12, 2025
Sweet and cute. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews