All I wanted from Jackson was a job, but I got something more. I just hope that I'm enough of a reason for him to stay.
Welcome to Magnolia
Penny My life is falling apart. With my job on the line, I'm forced to return to the one place I swore I would never go back to: Magnolia.
Now faced with my crumbling relationship with my daughter, it's up to me to attempt to rebuild what I broke so long ago. Wedding plans would be perfect for us to reconnect over--except they're not. Especially when I feel as if I am more of a nuisance than a help.
That only feeds into my fears that my daughter will never want me in her life.
My heart wants me to stay, but my head tells me to leave.
Fiona I'm waiting for my court date to come around. In the meantime, I'm determined to find a job to help out my mother's struggling coffee shop. As luck would have it, Maggie knows of a recluse on the far end of the island who is looking for a housekeeper slash chef.
Even though I'm not the greatest homemaker, I decide to give it a shot.
Until I meet Jackson.
He's dark. He's broody. And he has a secret that I can't quite figure out.
As much as I want to walk away from him, I soon discover that there is more to him than meets the eye.
He may want me to leave, but I'm determined to stay.
If you love reading about a mother and daughter who find healing and a brooding hero who is more than he appears on the surface, you will love A Magnolia Wedding.
Anne-Marie Meyer is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives south of the Twin Cities in MN. She spends her days with her knight in shining armor, four princes, and a baby princess.
When she's not running after her kids, she's dreaming up romantic stories. She loves to take her favorite moments in the books and movies she loves and tries to figure out a way to make them new and fresh.
Fiona. What an "old-fashioned" name for a sweet, new-fashioned girl. My heart broke for Jackson and what he's going through. The two of them finding one another is nothing short of amazing.
I have to admit, though, that I am getting a bit frustrated with the similar actions, words, emotions, and scenes. Each woman has felt lost, broken, alone, and as if she isn't lovable. Someone always claps at odd moments. There's some hot kissing, then insecurities get the better of both lovers only to have them realize their idiocy and they come back together to declare their love for one another. And others....
PS: I highlighted a lot in this one, but I can't share the highlights and comments because I purchased this series direct from the author rather than through Amazon. Because of that, the ebooks aren't connected to Goodreads or Amazon. That is a big loss for me. I wonder what Anne-Marie's perspective on this issue is.....?
I’m really enjoying learning about all the people in Magnolia. This series keeps me on my toes as it slowly dissects each person and their relationships to everyone around them (as well as the new budding romances). I like the simplicity of the romances and how they are detailed enough to let you feel what they are feeling but not overly depicted in a smutty way. Jackson and Fiona are my second favourite couple-Archer and Maggie still take the lead, or maybe Brett and Victoria? Regardless, each romance is unique in its own way and I thoroughly am looking forward to reading about Penny and Naomi in the next book!
This is one of my favorite series. None of the books before the Magnolia Wedding where wonderful and this one was no different. The main characters are wonderful. I love reading about the things they are going through and what the out come is like. I love the relationships that develop as well as the friendship. I can not wait to read the next one.
Emotionally immature characters drive me crazy, and the 3 protagonists in this book all fit that role. The story and setting were sweet, and it helped pass the time in the car ride, but I’m not rushing to read the other books in the series.
A HUGE disappointment that there was no actual wedding in this book. Not even a lot of planning for the wedding. There was also only 1 meeting of the book club.
This series has been ok going with 2 stories within each book, but this one missed the mark totally. The Fiona story would have been more than enough to carry this book, and then name it something else. And then give the 2nd POV to Jackson. Have Penny get her own book with Maggie as the second POV again (as the Inn is an integral part to these stories) and then have the ACTUAL WEDDING between Maggie and Archer.
This one does not have the same natural flow as the others in this series either. The ending was very abrupt and again... we needed the actual wedding.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Fiona is a character that my heart reaches out to. She's made some bad decisions and has some hard experiences because of those. I enjoyed seeing her grow and change in the last two books and thanks to Jackson and the Red Stiletto Club she is able to find herself again. I really liked Jackson for her. He was an interesting character himself, but was so wonderful to Fiona and Blake.
I was not expecting Penny to have her own book in this series, but I'm glad she did. It was good getting to know her side of the story and seeing her insecurities. Several times I wanted to shake her though. Luckily she finally started figuring things out. I'm excited to read more of her story in the next book.
Jackson might be my favorite male character in this series!!! We get to read about Fiona and Penny. Fiona really needs something good to happen to her and her son. Jackson definitely is their something good. Loved how they met and their interactions as well as their changing relationship. I really didn't like Penny in the previous books and wasn't really excited about her being in the book. But oh how the author changed my mind. Love when that happens. Sometimes things and people aren't what we think they are. We really get to see who Penny truly is by seeing her thoughts and internal struggles. I honestly can't wait for her to be in the next book. Good ending.
This was 10% about the wedding and 90% literally everything else. Fiona falls in love with not the first, but the second guy she meets since Dave. A refreshing difference from the other women in the series. She’s so whiny and weird about seeing Jackson. Like oh my gosh a shirtless man - scary!!
Why are all the MCs in this series absolutely terrified of hot guys? They’re all the same love story with different names, I feel like.
Because every book in this series is two stories happening at once - one romance plot being laid out, while another (the one that was laid out in the previous book) is coming together (and AMM writes her other books this way too) this is a difficult one for me to rate. I absolutely loved the story between Fiona and Jackson (6/5🌟), but was not a fan of Penny’s story at all (2/5🌟). This book would have been amazing if it was a dual perspective book of Fiona and Jackson, with Fiona’s backstory from Magnolia at Midnight.
While I love the unfolding and continuing story of friendship and the red stiletto book club in the books of this series, I find the romance/relationships lacking quite a bit. There is not much build up between the couples, and once they kiss or go on a date they are pretty much in insta-love. There needs to be more plot development/relationship building between the time they kiss and the time the bump in the road that happens to break them up. With the exception of book 1 and this book, they all felt like this. They kissed, had a disagreement, came back together because they were so in love. There just needs to be….more of something.
With my above feelings, reading the synopsis of the next few books, as well as the reviews, I’m shelving this series for the time being. It doesn’t look like things get any better from here.
Penny and Fiona... Fiona, this girl is a hot mess. She needs all the help, and when Maggie and Shari step in, things start happening. Penny is Maggie's mom. High profile publisher in NYC. Not the best mom, but a killer publisher. When Penny's Star author pulls away it's her job to get him back to NYC or she's out of a job. With trying to wrangler Jackson back in, and making amends with Maggie, nothing is going right for Penny. It's taking a trip down memory lane and some self needed time to realize everything is wrong in her life. Fiona is at her breaking point. With trying to raise Blake alone, also trying to help get Mom out, she's struggling. When Dave her ex refuses to help her, Fiona needs all the help she can get. Maggie gives her a number and tells her it's a job. Jackson is a recluse for a reason. This best seeking author wants to live his life alone, but Penny is adamant. Now with Fiona as his cleaning lady, things start to developed with these two. She finds out some secrets that Jackson's been hiding, and the more she knows, the more she falls for him. Fiona and Jackson are my favorite couple.
Fiona is weak and whiny. Jackson is rude and just an asshole. But that doesn’t stop Fiona from insta-love the moment he does something that is semi-nice. He threw away a blanket that he cared nothing about because it had been puked on, instead of waiting for her to do it. That’s it. That’s the grand gesture that changed him from asshole boss to love interest. Fucking gross.
Then there’s Penny. Penny went from being a badass with an assistant who worshipped her to being an aging editor with imposter syndrome and an assistant who was backstabbing her for her job. She claims to want to repair her relationship with her daughter but does nothing to actual do so and then bails again. Only to do the bare minimum and Shazam! Relationship mended.
Plus ZERO SPICE. No romantic tension. No romance.
I hated this book.
There were so many inconsistencies in the story that I have to wonder if there was an editor on it. There was also clearly no research done on how child support cases work. I just… ugh.
I have stuck with this author through 5 of these books and I’m done. Done with the series and done with the author.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. This book follows Penny and Fiona. Penny is back in her hometown for her daughter's wedding and on business. She might find something she was not looking for. Fiona court date is coming up and is looking for a job. She meets this grumpy mysteries man. She is very intriguted and wants to get to know him but she will get too close. I loved the writing. I loved the character development throughout the book. I love the female friendship on this book. I loved Fiona and Jackson’s story. We are left on a. cliff hanger as to how Penny’s story is going to end. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Favorite Quote: “He was scared. I was scared. We were both broken people. But together, we made something great. We could be something better than either of us could be alone. He had to know that I wasn’t going give up. Not when I found what I’d been looking for.”
This is my favorite so far! All because of Fiona! This girl has a pending court date because her jerk of an ex wants nothing to do with her or his son. Jackson has some pretty big secrets but of course he’s keeping them to himself. Ran away from his job and his sister and his editor. But ended up meeting Fiona and lil Blake who he couldn’t help but open up to and want more!
Now for Penny! That lady is so stuck in her head that not only I she battling her past memories of Magnolia but what she assumes is what’s best for her and everyone else. She gets so caught up in her own thoughts she starts assuming how others are reacting or thinking and making a much bigger mess of things! It’s frustrating sometimes but yet oh so good and unable to put the book down!
I honestly thought the book was going to be based solely on the wedding. Well, it’s not. But this book was fun to read and there was some sort of closure. Penny did not have a good relationship with Maggie because she prioritized her career over her daughter. Now that Penny sees Maggie living her best life in Magnolia and is getting married, she wants to bond with her and fix the relationship. Penny and Maggie got the closure they needed when Penny asked Maggie for forgiveness. As for Fiona, I think she got the closure she needed when Jackson stood up for her and her son. I felt bad for Fiona when she came back from Nashville empty-handed because her ex-husband did not want to deal with her and their son. She needed money ASAP to help her mom and raise Blake. She was adamant about working for Jackson even though he was broody and even fired her because she really needed the money. Somehow, her determination and curiosity about Jackson warmed Jackson’s heart - he even had Blake stay at the house and bond with him.
Overall, I had fun reading this book. It’s both heartbreaking and wholesome at the same time. I recommend reading this book!
It was cute love story between Fiona and Jackson how he fall in love with her and the goodness in her and let her see what is love and to her son see how can a father love his son even he is not his real dad by caring and show up when she need him even he was scared to hurt her or hurt her son, after her ex abandoned her and his son and tell her he didn't believe it his son after she sacrifice so much for him.as for penny it was good that she want to repaire her relationship with her daughter after she did a big mistake but she shouldn't decide how she react before and let the fear hold her because she don't know her well . that teach us to not overthink and let us live the moment.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the Red Stiletto Book Club series! Each book is cute, heartwarming, and easy to dive into. While the plots are definitely predictable, they still deliver a cozy, feel-good vibe that makes them a fun and comforting read. There’s no spice to speak of, but the sweetness and charm more than make up for it.
If you’re someone who enjoys stories about friendship, romance, and happy endings, this series is a great pick—definitely gave me Hallmark movie energy (in the best way). Perfect for when you’re not sure what to read next or you want something light that won’t completely pull you under. A great in-between-books kind of series.
I read this book in between more serious books. I generally enjoy the red stiletto series. This one started out really strong for me, but the resolution to the conflict between Jackson and Fiona fell a bit flat imo. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding Jackson at the beginning and all this tension was built. Then at the end it all sort of deflated? I just felt like they needed more of an in depth conversation to resolve their main issue before declaring their love... or maybe more of a grand gesture on his part? I'm not sure. The ending just didn't do it for me.
I use these books for pallet cleanser between my darker and wilder books. This one was the continuation of Fiona and the beginning of Penny’s. These aren’t standalone so you definitely have to start from book 1.
These are cute little romance stories that show how each couple over come their own dark struggles to get what they were really needing to be happy from their tortured past.
Fiona and Jackson got their shit together and are starting their HEA. Penny finally realized she’s not happy and started her journey to find her HEA
Just finished A Magnolia Wedding from the Red Stiletto Book Club series. This was such a great read. There were times that my heart broke for Penny, Fiona, and Jackson. There were also times that I cheered for them. I found this book very moving, loving, and it had so much feeling in it. Looking forward to the next book A Magnolia Move-In. That book brings more of Penny's story and introduces us to Naomi, Jackson's sister. Get read to read.
Omg I loved this book!! Jackson mystery makes it very interesting and I love how he slowly open up to Fiona. That Penny try to fix her mistake with her daughter, Maggie. It was relatable. The book is clean and is about friendship with a side of romance and a single mom who struggling and taking her ex husband to court for child support. The content is clean and it sweet connection story with all the books before
Okay. I have A LOT to downplay and cross-check. Penny and Jackson are the worst thieves ever! Fiona falling for Jackson when she doesn't even KNOW he is an author!? Penny is just a hard woman to understand. Yes, she came back to Magnolia to get Jackson to go back to New York and be an author. But Penny wasn't happy anymore at her job. Or with her life. Or just in general. Penny wanted everything to be different and started to want her life to mean more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Anne-Marie's details in this book captivated me as the reader. The male leads were written with emotion, and we saw more of their character development throughout the book. I loved how she captured Fiona and Penny as they grew towards understanding their worth and their ability to love and be loved.
I had some laugh out loud moments in this book that I did not anticipate. This might be my favorite in the series so far. It was a little weird having the same narrator for Maggie and her Mom when we finally get to hear her Mom's thoughts since it is her story time. Overall, I adore this little series.
This is the fifth book of the red stiletto series. The books are standalones, but should be read in order. I really like the stories. But at times they are dragging on with the same thoughts over and over without anything relevant happening. And the insecurities are a bit dramatic. Nonetheless I'm invested in the series and will continue.
I really loved the MMC in this book he was kinda mysterious, but such a good guy. the romance is thrilling and heartwarming.
after reading so many books by the same author, I am picking up on repeating words and phrases that I am kind of getting tired of. I know authors have their own style and voice, but it is making all the characters feel the same at time.
A fun but heart wrenching in every way. You learn to live these characters and you don’t want to see them hurt. Magnolia seems like a perfect escape for you. Sad I have to wait till November to read the next installment 😔
Didn’t enjoy this one as much as the other in the series so far. The beginning was good but the ending for the main characters, while happy, was lacking in my opinion. So much fire in them built up and then not explored.