What do you think?
Rate this book
Full Bloom Farm #1
The Magnolia Sisters (Volume 1)
For readers of Waitress , Jill Shalvis, and Jenny Hale ―love blossoms in the most unlikely of places in a charming novel about family, first impressions, and finding the courage to belong!
Harper Anderson has a to-do list longer than the Colorado River and fields of tulips to tend at her family’s flower farm in California. What she doesn’t have is time for the arrogant tech mogul who makes her an offer to use their farm as his sister’s wedding venue. No amount of money could make up for the destruction it would wreak on next season’s crop. The sooner Luke Martin is on his way, the better.
But Luke will do whatever it takes to make his sister happy. So when Harper’s newest farmhand leaves her in the lurch, he strikes a He’ll work on the farm for free if she’ll give him the chance to change her mind.
Harper and Luke each expect the other to crack first. What they don’t expect is the chemistry that sparks between them as they work side by side. But just as Harper is starting to let her guard down, Luke stumbles upon a secret that could spell disaster for the entire Anderson clan. With her family’s happiness at stake, can Harper put her trust in a man who is worlds apart from everything she knows?
Harper Anderson has a to-do list longer than the Colorado River and fields of tulips to tend at her family’s flower farm in California. What she doesn’t have is time for the arrogant tech mogul who makes her an offer to use their farm as his sister’s wedding venue. No amount of money could make up for the destruction it would wreak on next season’s crop. The sooner Luke Martin is on his way, the better.
But Luke will do whatever it takes to make his sister happy. So when Harper’s newest farmhand leaves her in the lurch, he strikes a He’ll work on the farm for free if she’ll give him the chance to change her mind.
Harper and Luke each expect the other to crack first. What they don’t expect is the chemistry that sparks between them as they work side by side. But just as Harper is starting to let her guard down, Luke stumbles upon a secret that could spell disaster for the entire Anderson clan. With her family’s happiness at stake, can Harper put her trust in a man who is worlds apart from everything she knows?
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2020
1754 people are currently reading
1438 people want to read
About the author
Alys Murray
15 books162 followersAlys Murray is an author who writes for the romantic in all of us. Though she graduated with a degree in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London, her irrepressible love of romance led her to a career as an author, and she couldn’t be happier to write these stories!
Her work as an author led to a flourishing career in screenwriting, where she has penned films and shows for Hallmark, ViacomCBS, Lifetime, and British television. An alum of RespectAbility, The Inevitable Foundation, and The Orchard Project, she is a tireless disability advocate.
Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter and instagram at @writeralys.
Her work as an author led to a flourishing career in screenwriting, where she has penned films and shows for Hallmark, ViacomCBS, Lifetime, and British television. An alum of RespectAbility, The Inevitable Foundation, and The Orchard Project, she is a tireless disability advocate.
Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter and instagram at @writeralys.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
June 17, 2020
A sweet small town love story. Flowers, family, friendship... This was a fun feel good enemies to lovers romance with a gorgeous flowery setting. Harper enjoys her small-town life working aside her sisters on the family flower farm. When Luke blows into town prepared to do whatever it takes to give his little sister Annie the perfect wedding he and Harper immediately clash. Annie wants to get married on the farm, but Harper immediately gives this idea the kibosh. No amount of money good make up for the disruption to the farm that this would cause. Luke however is not deterred and strikes a deal with Harper‘s father that he will work the farm in order to offset the anticipated disruption. What follows is a sweet story of push and pull, give and take, filled with fun and banter.
This was an easy breezy delightful read. I loved the beautiful setting and the strong family ties. Loved Harper’s bond with her sisters and Luke and his little sister Annie’s bond as well. I also loved the friendship that develop between Harper and Annie. However I have to say Annie seems like a very reasonable person that probably would be OK if big brother Luke told her she could not have her wedding on this farm. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with these characters and I am hoping that there will be more in store for us from them.
This book in emojis. 🌷 👩🏼🌾 🌼 👰🏼 🌸 👩❤️👨
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This was an easy breezy delightful read. I loved the beautiful setting and the strong family ties. Loved Harper’s bond with her sisters and Luke and his little sister Annie’s bond as well. I also loved the friendship that develop between Harper and Annie. However I have to say Annie seems like a very reasonable person that probably would be OK if big brother Luke told her she could not have her wedding on this farm. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with these characters and I am hoping that there will be more in store for us from them.
This book in emojis. 🌷 👩🏼🌾 🌼 👰🏼 🌸 👩❤️👨
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
May 9, 2020
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray is the first book of the contemporary romance Full Bloom Farm series. Each book of this series will be changing the main characters so each book is a full romance on it’s own and can be read as a standalone. The series will follow the Anderson sisters who work their family’s farm.
Harper Anderson lives and works on her family’s flower farm in Hillsboro County, California and enjoys running the farm with her sisters. Harper is in charge of the physical side of the farm working the fields along with their help. The last thing Harper would ever agree to would be renting out their farm which is exactly what Luke Martin wants to do.
Luke has always been overly protective of his little sister and only wants the best for her after their rough childhood. Luke was a self made millionaire in the tech industry and is willing to pay whatever it takes to get his sister the venue she desires for her wedding but Harper Anderson is just as stubborn as Luke when it comes to protecting their families.
The Magnolia Sisters was a wonderfully sweet enemies to sweethearts love story. Both characters are family first orientated so you can’t help but like them both as their relationship is a slower building one as they overcome plenty of obstacles in their paths. With a wonderful setting on the farm I’ll look forward to meeting the next of the sister in book two of this series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Harper Anderson lives and works on her family’s flower farm in Hillsboro County, California and enjoys running the farm with her sisters. Harper is in charge of the physical side of the farm working the fields along with their help. The last thing Harper would ever agree to would be renting out their farm which is exactly what Luke Martin wants to do.
Luke has always been overly protective of his little sister and only wants the best for her after their rough childhood. Luke was a self made millionaire in the tech industry and is willing to pay whatever it takes to get his sister the venue she desires for her wedding but Harper Anderson is just as stubborn as Luke when it comes to protecting their families.
The Magnolia Sisters was a wonderfully sweet enemies to sweethearts love story. Both characters are family first orientated so you can’t help but like them both as their relationship is a slower building one as they overcome plenty of obstacles in their paths. With a wonderful setting on the farm I’ll look forward to meeting the next of the sister in book two of this series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 17, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
She yawned, practically tripping down the stairs with half-open eyes, probably following the scent of coffee instead of using her sight like some kind of millennial badger.
Harper noticed something about May she’d never noticed before. It was there in her walk, there in her sitting. She carried herself straight and broken, like she was trying not to disturb an open stab wound right in the center of her back. How had she never noticed before? How had she never taken the time to actually see the pain she’d been carrying around for years now?
One mystery solved. Well, not a mystery, more like a Scooby-Doo cartoon where the true culprit was before them all along.
My Review:
This was my first experience reading the agile and smoothly penned tales of Alys Murray and I have since added more of her books to my TBR. Her relatable characters were uniquely quirky and likable and inhabited storylines that were engaging, easy to follow, and well balanced between humor, family drama, and angst. I would classify the genre of this entertaining story as women’s fiction with a bit of light romance that only went as far as earth-rattling and heart-racing smooching. I was smiling throughout most of this pleasant and amusing tale until the author unfortunately tossed in one of my least favorite tropes near the end which took a bit off the shine, but I would still read it again and look forward to more from this clever storyteller.
She yawned, practically tripping down the stairs with half-open eyes, probably following the scent of coffee instead of using her sight like some kind of millennial badger.
Harper noticed something about May she’d never noticed before. It was there in her walk, there in her sitting. She carried herself straight and broken, like she was trying not to disturb an open stab wound right in the center of her back. How had she never noticed before? How had she never taken the time to actually see the pain she’d been carrying around for years now?
One mystery solved. Well, not a mystery, more like a Scooby-Doo cartoon where the true culprit was before them all along.
My Review:
This was my first experience reading the agile and smoothly penned tales of Alys Murray and I have since added more of her books to my TBR. Her relatable characters were uniquely quirky and likable and inhabited storylines that were engaging, easy to follow, and well balanced between humor, family drama, and angst. I would classify the genre of this entertaining story as women’s fiction with a bit of light romance that only went as far as earth-rattling and heart-racing smooching. I was smiling throughout most of this pleasant and amusing tale until the author unfortunately tossed in one of my least favorite tropes near the end which took a bit off the shine, but I would still read it again and look forward to more from this clever storyteller.
March 18, 2022
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
He was entranced. And he wasn't sure he'd ever been entranced before.
Growing up with parents that couldn't be bothered with them, had Luke Martin dropping out of school and working hard to care for his younger sister Annie. He managed to build up his own tech firm in LA and become very close to a billionaire. So when Annie falls in love with someone who lives in a small town in CA and wants her dream wedding at a flower farm, Luke will do anything to make that possible.
Harper doesn't have time for the rich guy from LA and even though their family farm is struggling, the blank check he hands her to have a wedding on the farm, only makes her more angry.
Luke's plan to work on the farm and show Harper he's more than his bank account might give him blisters but it also has Harper opening up her heart.
She wanted to hate him. She wanted an excuse to push him away and hold him at arm's length, to spend so much time despising him she had no room in her schedule for thinking anything else about him. But she couldn't. Not anymore. And she didn't know how to feel about that.
First in a series about three sisters who grew up and work on the family flower farm in a small town in CA, The Magnolia Sisters started off with Pride and Prejudice vibes. Readers get to know the Anderson family, older sister Rose, middle sister Harper, and youngest May, along with their gossipy energetic mother and quietly but lovingly dealing with it all father. Harper starts off a bit hardhearted and cutting her nose off to spite her face with her constant rejection of Luke and his money but her wall slowly starts to crumble as she spends more time with him. Luke, for his part, is instantly drawn by Harper on an almost metaphysical level but has moments of struggling mightily with her attitude on earth.
As she sat there, close enough to touch him but afraid to even breathe in case it knocked them out of this spell, a realization dawned on her. Slowly at first, but with all the rushing energy of a star bursting within her very heart.
She'd been falling for him this entire time, and she didn't even know it.
Harper and Luke are pretty brittle towards each other but at the half-way mark they start to thaw as they learn their preconceptions were wrong and they want to learn about each other. Their coming together is hampered by Luke's sister Annie engaged to marry Harper's sister's ex-highschool love. It's an obvious series baiting plot, readers never even get to see this fiance, Annie doesn't really seem into him, and much is made about how May never told the story of the night she and the ex broke up. It's there, like I said, to intrigue for future books in series, but also gave some manipulated, easy to reach for angst towards the end when Harper turns heel a bit to stick up for her sister and provide a wedge between her and Luke when her feelings scare her. The secondary characters work to fill out the world but there were times I wish we could have gotten more focus with emotional depth scenes between Harper and Luke.
This was very much a Hallmark movie in written form and when the I love yous come it at around the 75%, they were lukewarm. P & P vibey beginning, irritability between leads that masks some fear of attraction feelings, a sweet family/small town setting, and a warm romance.
He was entranced. And he wasn't sure he'd ever been entranced before.
Growing up with parents that couldn't be bothered with them, had Luke Martin dropping out of school and working hard to care for his younger sister Annie. He managed to build up his own tech firm in LA and become very close to a billionaire. So when Annie falls in love with someone who lives in a small town in CA and wants her dream wedding at a flower farm, Luke will do anything to make that possible.
Harper doesn't have time for the rich guy from LA and even though their family farm is struggling, the blank check he hands her to have a wedding on the farm, only makes her more angry.
Luke's plan to work on the farm and show Harper he's more than his bank account might give him blisters but it also has Harper opening up her heart.
She wanted to hate him. She wanted an excuse to push him away and hold him at arm's length, to spend so much time despising him she had no room in her schedule for thinking anything else about him. But she couldn't. Not anymore. And she didn't know how to feel about that.
First in a series about three sisters who grew up and work on the family flower farm in a small town in CA, The Magnolia Sisters started off with Pride and Prejudice vibes. Readers get to know the Anderson family, older sister Rose, middle sister Harper, and youngest May, along with their gossipy energetic mother and quietly but lovingly dealing with it all father. Harper starts off a bit hardhearted and cutting her nose off to spite her face with her constant rejection of Luke and his money but her wall slowly starts to crumble as she spends more time with him. Luke, for his part, is instantly drawn by Harper on an almost metaphysical level but has moments of struggling mightily with her attitude on earth.
As she sat there, close enough to touch him but afraid to even breathe in case it knocked them out of this spell, a realization dawned on her. Slowly at first, but with all the rushing energy of a star bursting within her very heart.
She'd been falling for him this entire time, and she didn't even know it.
Harper and Luke are pretty brittle towards each other but at the half-way mark they start to thaw as they learn their preconceptions were wrong and they want to learn about each other. Their coming together is hampered by Luke's sister Annie engaged to marry Harper's sister's ex-highschool love. It's an obvious series baiting plot, readers never even get to see this fiance, Annie doesn't really seem into him, and much is made about how May never told the story of the night she and the ex broke up. It's there, like I said, to intrigue for future books in series, but also gave some manipulated, easy to reach for angst towards the end when Harper turns heel a bit to stick up for her sister and provide a wedge between her and Luke when her feelings scare her. The secondary characters work to fill out the world but there were times I wish we could have gotten more focus with emotional depth scenes between Harper and Luke.
This was very much a Hallmark movie in written form and when the I love yous come it at around the 75%, they were lukewarm. P & P vibey beginning, irritability between leads that masks some fear of attraction feelings, a sweet family/small town setting, and a warm romance.
March 11, 2022
If you are looking for a fast, fun, sweet romance then this just might be for you. I enjoyed this one and I hope that you do too.
Grab this 4-star romance.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
Grab this 4-star romance.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
February 19, 2022
This is my first by author Alys Murray and it certainly won't be my last.
THE MAGNOLIA SISTERS is set in Northern California on the Anderson family's flower farm -- as idyllic a location as any for a fine romance.
We meet Harper Anderson as she tends tulips (dream job!), and tries to prevent tech biz whiz Luke Martin from taking over the farm for his sister's wedding.
His big bucks would certainly help the cash-poor Andersons, but will they cut off their noses just to say "no" to the arrogant guy?
Don't be surprised when Luke fills in for an errant farmhand and sparks fly between him and Harper. And what about that secret he uncovers that could hurt the family big time?
Romance lovers will adore this charming yarn about two people with the chance for everlasting love. I certainly did!
Thanks to the author and my partner Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, for the gifted copy; opinions are mine.
#themagnoliasisters #alysmurray #forevergrandcentralpublishing #romanceonaflowerfarm #northerncaliforniasettings #romancenovelsbigsecrets #moneystrappedfarmers #bookstagramcommunity
THE MAGNOLIA SISTERS is set in Northern California on the Anderson family's flower farm -- as idyllic a location as any for a fine romance.
We meet Harper Anderson as she tends tulips (dream job!), and tries to prevent tech biz whiz Luke Martin from taking over the farm for his sister's wedding.
His big bucks would certainly help the cash-poor Andersons, but will they cut off their noses just to say "no" to the arrogant guy?
Don't be surprised when Luke fills in for an errant farmhand and sparks fly between him and Harper. And what about that secret he uncovers that could hurt the family big time?
Romance lovers will adore this charming yarn about two people with the chance for everlasting love. I certainly did!
Thanks to the author and my partner Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, for the gifted copy; opinions are mine.
#themagnoliasisters #alysmurray #forevergrandcentralpublishing #romanceonaflowerfarm #northerncaliforniasettings #romancenovelsbigsecrets #moneystrappedfarmers #bookstagramcommunity
February 21, 2020
Author Allys Murray is a genius wordsmith. Her words in the prose carried so much passion that I had tears just reading them. The way the main character Harper described her flowers made me look at them with a new eye.
Harper hated the townies, especially the rich ones. Luke was one of them. He wanted her flower farm as the venue for his sister's marriage, even gave Harper a blank check for it. When she refused, he approached her dad and came to work on the farm. Attraction sparkled, a secret brought the tension between them. Would love happen?
I don't read many romances, but this book pulled me in with the first word, the first chapter. Love between the family members and their obvious bond brought a smile to my face. There were so many things in this book that touched my heart, from the cover to the prose to the emotions. I was so thankful that the author's writing to give me a world filled with the Anderson sisters. They were different, yet so loving to each other.
Attraction and love soon enveloped the story and swept me away in its warmth. The words in the book made me forget that my boring real life existed. I connected with Harper right from the first sentence of the book, and that continued on until the end. Luke tried to buy her off, and hence he took some time to warm my heart. I was completely a Harper fan. Thus the gushing. Interactions between them were fun and humorous.
Lyrical prose in its descriptions, there was something so entrancing in the story, that like a magnet it pulled me in. I couldn't stay away until I finished the book. This was a complete book of feels and fun, family and love, where the complex and varied characters made the romance come alive.
I loved the book wholeheartedly, and it loved me back.
Harper hated the townies, especially the rich ones. Luke was one of them. He wanted her flower farm as the venue for his sister's marriage, even gave Harper a blank check for it. When she refused, he approached her dad and came to work on the farm. Attraction sparkled, a secret brought the tension between them. Would love happen?
I don't read many romances, but this book pulled me in with the first word, the first chapter. Love between the family members and their obvious bond brought a smile to my face. There were so many things in this book that touched my heart, from the cover to the prose to the emotions. I was so thankful that the author's writing to give me a world filled with the Anderson sisters. They were different, yet so loving to each other.
Attraction and love soon enveloped the story and swept me away in its warmth. The words in the book made me forget that my boring real life existed. I connected with Harper right from the first sentence of the book, and that continued on until the end. Luke tried to buy her off, and hence he took some time to warm my heart. I was completely a Harper fan. Thus the gushing. Interactions between them were fun and humorous.
Lyrical prose in its descriptions, there was something so entrancing in the story, that like a magnet it pulled me in. I couldn't stay away until I finished the book. This was a complete book of feels and fun, family and love, where the complex and varied characters made the romance come alive.
I loved the book wholeheartedly, and it loved me back.
March 7, 2020
I must probably be living under a rock or why didn't I hear about this author before? So here I go with nothing but the blurb as my guide and what I find is a modern version of 'Pride and Prejudice'. Did you hear a scream? Yes, that's me jumping up and down in excitement. If you want to know, that happened pretty much throughout the reading process. Had my sister worried.
So what is that glued me to the kindle? Everything -- vibrant and funny characters, the language that flows off the page, a storyline that makes you tingle . . . well, the list goes on. A kickass heroine prejudiced against the city dwellers, a socially awkward billionaire uttering all the wrong words -- that surely is a killer combination proved and tested from the classic times onwards. And it has ticked all the boxes for me: enemies to lovers, siblings love, and to top it all a sassy narrative that engages you throughout.
Anderson family is similar to the Bennetts in most ways including a mother who is socially humiliating (in the perspective of Harper, anyway). The flower farm setting, if you borrow the term from Indian aesthetics, just adds to the rasa. I loved the way the bond between Harper and Luke developed slowly, thanks to some sisterly meddling from both sides. I don't want a single thing to be changed about this book, it's going straight to my favourite shelf.
A sweet romance that will cheer you up and comfort you like a gift of flowers. Highly recommended!!!
So what is that glued me to the kindle? Everything -- vibrant and funny characters, the language that flows off the page, a storyline that makes you tingle . . . well, the list goes on. A kickass heroine prejudiced against the city dwellers, a socially awkward billionaire uttering all the wrong words -- that surely is a killer combination proved and tested from the classic times onwards. And it has ticked all the boxes for me: enemies to lovers, siblings love, and to top it all a sassy narrative that engages you throughout.
Anderson family is similar to the Bennetts in most ways including a mother who is socially humiliating (in the perspective of Harper, anyway). The flower farm setting, if you borrow the term from Indian aesthetics, just adds to the rasa. I loved the way the bond between Harper and Luke developed slowly, thanks to some sisterly meddling from both sides. I don't want a single thing to be changed about this book, it's going straight to my favourite shelf.
A sweet romance that will cheer you up and comfort you like a gift of flowers. Highly recommended!!!
March 13, 2020
Harper and Luke, the perfect non-couple, until, of course, one thing leads to another. This story is rich with details making readers feel as though they can smell the flowers on the farm and taste the wine. I did enough a slight twist that I didn’t see coming (but I won’t spoil it for you) and I think it added extra depth to the character’s motive. If only this book was a scratch and sniff, then it would be perfect.
April 10, 2020
Loved this book! Love all this authors work but this may be my favorite book yet! Absolutely wonderful feel good read and perfect amount of romance! I read this book in a sitting and it was a pure delight!! I could totally see this as a hallmark movie!! Can’t wait to read more by this author! I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. Highly recommend this book!
February 26, 2020
A fast and easy romance. I liked the farm flower setting, I pictured myself in that setting all through the book.. It is a sweet story about Harper Anderson and her sisters.
Harper lives with her parents and her two sisters. They started their business at the farm since they were teenagers.
Harper is the one running the family farm and is holding all the business stresses and the one who is aware of its uncertain financial future.
Luke and And his sister Annie are very close siblings , Luke is working at the family farm business helping Harper.
Harper and Luke get closer to each other and I really liked the way their romance flourishes. I enjoyed the wriiting style,the author beautifuly staged the detail and engaged the reader.
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutour For the ARC.
You can see the more reviews on:Bookoholiccafe and @Bookoholiccafe
Harper lives with her parents and her two sisters. They started their business at the farm since they were teenagers.
Harper is the one running the family farm and is holding all the business stresses and the one who is aware of its uncertain financial future.
Luke and And his sister Annie are very close siblings , Luke is working at the family farm business helping Harper.
Harper and Luke get closer to each other and I really liked the way their romance flourishes. I enjoyed the wriiting style,the author beautifuly staged the detail and engaged the reader.
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutour For the ARC.
You can see the more reviews on:Bookoholiccafe and @Bookoholiccafe
March 18, 2022
Ughhh LUKE. Great brother, fumbles over his words around the girl he likes, AND even pretends to not have tried the local pie to spend time with said crush!! They say he’s cute too, so I’m goin with it! Harper Anderson’s family owns the local flower farm in small-town Northern California. Annie, big time city girl, and her brother Luke roll into town thinking money buys everything….and she has her heart set on getting married at the flower farm. Luke throws his wealth around like it’s no big deal, but Harper is less than impressed. These two better figure something out though, Luke just got a new job….on the flower farm! This enemies to lovers romance is as sweet as honey!
*
My one qualm about this book was one of the sisters was still very, very upset and distraught about a relationship that ended over 6 years ago.To each their own…I guess?
*
My one qualm about this book was one of the sisters was still very, very upset and distraught about a relationship that ended over 6 years ago.To each their own…I guess?
March 3, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this opposites-attract, small-town romance. I’m not sure that those classifications do it justice, though. The sparring between the two leads, Harper and Luke, grabbed me and had me rooting for them. The description of the family flower farm had me wishing that it was real so I could visit. The themes of family and dedication are woven seamlessly into the story. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a pre-release, digital ARC of the book.
February 8, 2020
The Magnolia Sisters is a very sweet read that I really enjoyed. I found the characters likable and relatable. I especially enjoyed the interaction between Harper and Luke.
This would be a perfect beach read. It has a cute, slow burning romance aspect with humor thrown in that will keep you smiling.
I look forward to reading more from Alys Murray.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Alys Murray, for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of this book.
Publication date: 5 March 2020
This would be a perfect beach read. It has a cute, slow burning romance aspect with humor thrown in that will keep you smiling.
I look forward to reading more from Alys Murray.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Alys Murray, for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of this book.
Publication date: 5 March 2020
June 29, 2024
I read the second book in this series and immediately bought this one so I could listen to it and I'm glad I did. Harper Anderson works with her father on the family's flower farm. She hopes to take over the business eventually, but they are having some difficulties. Tech mogul, Luke and and his sister Annie are very close, and when Annie gets engaged to a man from Hillsboro County, they are in town to plan the wedding. Annie falls in love with Full Bloom Farm and wants to have her wedding there. Harper vetoes it due to the damage it will do to the farm. Luke hopes to change her mind, so meets with her father and volunteers to work on the farm, free of charge. Harper hopes to work him so hard that he will quit, but he doesn't give up. As they work close together, they grudgingly begin to respect one another and eventually develop feelings. The other problem is that Annie's fiance was once engaged to Harper's sister and broke her heart, but you can't help but like the kind, caring, generous woman once you meet her. Will Harper be able to deal with the wedding? Will she and Luke become more than co-workers and friends?
I really enjoyed meeting both Harper and Luke. They were similar in so many ways, both stubborn, both trying to take care of their families and both with secrets. I enjoyed seeing their feelings develop as the chemistry was apparent from the start, and the banter was quite funny. I really liked the theme of family and helping one another. Luke supported Annie when their parents dies and Harper is carrying the burden of the flower farm and it's financial woes. The Magnolia Sisters was a wonderful enemies to sweethearts love story. The relationship is a slower building one as they overcome plenty of obstacles in their paths. The secrets and issues that come up when they are finally getting together almost derails the relationship, but there is a cute, emotional HEA at the end that I loved. I am looking forward to reading or listening to the last book in this series. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sarah Borges. She does a nice job with the book and it made for an enjoyable listening experience for me.
I really enjoyed meeting both Harper and Luke. They were similar in so many ways, both stubborn, both trying to take care of their families and both with secrets. I enjoyed seeing their feelings develop as the chemistry was apparent from the start, and the banter was quite funny. I really liked the theme of family and helping one another. Luke supported Annie when their parents dies and Harper is carrying the burden of the flower farm and it's financial woes. The Magnolia Sisters was a wonderful enemies to sweethearts love story. The relationship is a slower building one as they overcome plenty of obstacles in their paths. The secrets and issues that come up when they are finally getting together almost derails the relationship, but there is a cute, emotional HEA at the end that I loved. I am looking forward to reading or listening to the last book in this series. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sarah Borges. She does a nice job with the book and it made for an enjoyable listening experience for me.
April 15, 2020
I’m not someone who typically leans towards either romance as a genre when I read, mostly because I prefer the TV shows and movies flooding my Netflix recommendations to, say, an actual book, but I always make an exception when it comes to Alys Murray.
I read Alys’ debut novel in the first year that I was on Netgalley and fell in love with the way she wrote and her characters. Yes, it was a little cheesy and romcom-y, but in the BEST way possible! Since, I’ve always kept an eye out for new books from Alys and I love reading the new worlds and stories she creates in her books. The Magnolia Sisters is no different.
This novel follows our main characters Harper Anderson and Luke Martin- a spunky manager of a flower farm in Northern California and an ambitious multi-millionaire from Los Angeles - as they go from being enemies to unlikely friends to one of the cutest couples EVER! The story has a relatively common structure- they meet, they fight, then they stop fighting, then they fight A LOT, then they get together and live happily ever after (THERE WAS EVEN AN AIRPORT SCENE I SWOONED!) <3
I had a little trouble getting into the novel fully in the first quarter, not gonna lie. The story was a little stumbly, and the writing wasn’t as smooth, but then it got exponentially better as I read on! The characters were all so easy to love - except May. I DO NOT like May. I have a feeling she’s going to be the protagonist in the next book, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. I care a lot for Harper and, surprisingly enough, Annie Martin, Luke’s sister. Save for a few moments here and there, the characters managed to have a very distinctive voice, which is a very important thing when you have dual perspectives in a novel, and not a solid differentiation between the two.
The thing I loved the most about The Magnolia Sisters is the portrayal of family values and relationships. We don’t see this in the kind of contemporary romance that I usually read, and it really was quite sweet to see the beautifully imperfect dynamics in between the siblings, and the parents and the daughters, and all that jazz. I also adored the friendship between Harper and Annie- it felt so….organically developed that I was rooting for them to be besties about halfway through! Also, I ship Rose and Annie hard. WE NEED SOME SAPPHIC SHIT ALYS PUT IT IN!!
All in all, this was a super light, feel-good, fun read and I’d definitely recommend if you’re looking to have a good time, especially now with all the...you know.
I’m so grateful to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy! All the opinions are my own!
PS: THERE ARE SO MANY FLOWERS IN THIS BOOK, IT’S CUTE AS FUCK OKAY READ IT!
I read Alys’ debut novel in the first year that I was on Netgalley and fell in love with the way she wrote and her characters. Yes, it was a little cheesy and romcom-y, but in the BEST way possible! Since, I’ve always kept an eye out for new books from Alys and I love reading the new worlds and stories she creates in her books. The Magnolia Sisters is no different.
This novel follows our main characters Harper Anderson and Luke Martin- a spunky manager of a flower farm in Northern California and an ambitious multi-millionaire from Los Angeles - as they go from being enemies to unlikely friends to one of the cutest couples EVER! The story has a relatively common structure- they meet, they fight, then they stop fighting, then they fight A LOT, then they get together and live happily ever after (THERE WAS EVEN AN AIRPORT SCENE I SWOONED!) <3
I had a little trouble getting into the novel fully in the first quarter, not gonna lie. The story was a little stumbly, and the writing wasn’t as smooth, but then it got exponentially better as I read on! The characters were all so easy to love - except May. I DO NOT like May. I have a feeling she’s going to be the protagonist in the next book, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. I care a lot for Harper and, surprisingly enough, Annie Martin, Luke’s sister. Save for a few moments here and there, the characters managed to have a very distinctive voice, which is a very important thing when you have dual perspectives in a novel, and not a solid differentiation between the two.
The thing I loved the most about The Magnolia Sisters is the portrayal of family values and relationships. We don’t see this in the kind of contemporary romance that I usually read, and it really was quite sweet to see the beautifully imperfect dynamics in between the siblings, and the parents and the daughters, and all that jazz. I also adored the friendship between Harper and Annie- it felt so….organically developed that I was rooting for them to be besties about halfway through! Also, I ship Rose and Annie hard. WE NEED SOME SAPPHIC SHIT ALYS PUT IT IN!!
All in all, this was a super light, feel-good, fun read and I’d definitely recommend if you’re looking to have a good time, especially now with all the...you know.
I’m so grateful to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy! All the opinions are my own!
PS: THERE ARE SO MANY FLOWERS IN THIS BOOK, IT’S CUTE AS FUCK OKAY READ IT!
February 2, 2020
This was a quick easy romance read . It was fun to watch the 2 main characters learn to trust each other. I also enjoyed the beautiful setting of the flower farm and how they worked to save it. The secondary characters were also great. I look forward to reading more from this author . Thanks to Net Galley for an early copy .
April 8, 2020
I loved it! This my second book by this author. I'll be reading everything she writes. So lyrical and drew me right in. This was an excellent small town romance. As beautiful as the book cover.
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
March 6, 2020
They always say that there is a thin line between love and hate and it seems to be true once again.
You might know the feeling when you meet someone for the first time and he/she does something that makes you want to slap them and when you get to know them better they become the love of your life or your best friend. It's a case of not judging a person based on their faux pas, but being open to looking beyond first impressions.
What you can do yourself, you do better, right? And when it goes wrong, you are the only one to blame, but everything is so much more fun when you have someone to share it with. This means opening your heart and having faith in the one you are letting in.
This is a lovely story about family bonds and learning to trust and when the title is explained in the book, it made my heart melt. 4 stars
Thank you, Alys Murray and Bookouture.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
You might know the feeling when you meet someone for the first time and he/she does something that makes you want to slap them and when you get to know them better they become the love of your life or your best friend. It's a case of not judging a person based on their faux pas, but being open to looking beyond first impressions.
What you can do yourself, you do better, right? And when it goes wrong, you are the only one to blame, but everything is so much more fun when you have someone to share it with. This means opening your heart and having faith in the one you are letting in.
This is a lovely story about family bonds and learning to trust and when the title is explained in the book, it made my heart melt. 4 stars
Thank you, Alys Murray and Bookouture.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
March 23, 2020
The Mangolia Sisters is such a feel good, small town love story. This is one of those books that you can sit down with after a long day and just be absorbed in good feelings.
What a fabulously delightful read. The setting is just beautiful and I absolutely love the Alys Murray‘s writing. It was easy to be absorbed into the story. I felt swept away.
Love the strong family ties this novel has. The characters are absolutely incredible. So realistic and it felt as though I knew these characters after reading this story.
Overall, this was a fabulous, breezy read that I flew through and highly recommend.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Book On The Bright Side in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
What a fabulously delightful read. The setting is just beautiful and I absolutely love the Alys Murray‘s writing. It was easy to be absorbed into the story. I felt swept away.
Love the strong family ties this novel has. The characters are absolutely incredible. So realistic and it felt as though I knew these characters after reading this story.
Overall, this was a fabulous, breezy read that I flew through and highly recommend.
Rating:
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Book On The Bright Side in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
February 7, 2020
This was truly the PERFECT sweet romance! I fell in love with Harper and the other Andersons immediately, and could almost smell flowers blooming around me as I read. Rarely have I stumbled across such poetic, breath-stealing descriptions of love. Alys Murray created an adorable, quirky small town that felt like home, and a cast of characters as loveable as they were frustrating sometimes (just like family!)
I adored the family dynamics of the Andersons, and appreciated that the love between them was just as important as the love story between Harper and Luke. Murray did a fantastic job of highlighting this, never straying from the plot but adding enough backstory and "background noise" to let me believe I was sitting around the kitchen table with everyone else. Every character was given...well, character, and I enjoyed learning that Luke and his sister, Annie, had much more to them than meets the eye.
The Magnolia Sisters was full of humor and heart, family ties and friendships, and quotes so heartachingly beautiful I'm considering getting them tattooed so I can carry them with me always. I cannot WAIT for more from Murray, and can't wait to tell my husband that he makes me feel like "a forest of flowers blossomed in [my] heart." ❤
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this incredible book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I adored the family dynamics of the Andersons, and appreciated that the love between them was just as important as the love story between Harper and Luke. Murray did a fantastic job of highlighting this, never straying from the plot but adding enough backstory and "background noise" to let me believe I was sitting around the kitchen table with everyone else. Every character was given...well, character, and I enjoyed learning that Luke and his sister, Annie, had much more to them than meets the eye.
The Magnolia Sisters was full of humor and heart, family ties and friendships, and quotes so heartachingly beautiful I'm considering getting them tattooed so I can carry them with me always. I cannot WAIT for more from Murray, and can't wait to tell my husband that he makes me feel like "a forest of flowers blossomed in [my] heart." ❤
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this incredible book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 17, 2022
This is a lovely small town romance with a few fun tropes thrown in. Luke Martin is a young, almost billionaire thanks to his tech skills. His sister has come to a small town in California wanting to plan her perfect wedding and he will do anything to give it to her. When she spies fields of flowers she decides it is the ideal location for her nuptials. Harper Anderson's family owns the farm and flatly turns down his money is no limit offer because it will disrupt the harvest. Luke somehow decides that he'll go to work on the farm as a way to make her change her mind.
The characters are cute and Harper is looking for love. Luke is a typical fish out of water not realizing the labor involved in a flower farm. He also makes mistakes as Harper and his sister become friends. The premise is fun but part of the story doesn't make sense to me. The farm is in need of cash and Luke could have made his offer to her father who would probably have taken it. It wasn't really Harper's place to turn down the money. So the plot felt a little silly. Also their antics and behavior seem somewhat juvenile.
If is an enjoyable story and the beginning of a new series. I am interested in Harper's sisters and what their love stories will be. Squeaky clean. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are cute and Harper is looking for love. Luke is a typical fish out of water not realizing the labor involved in a flower farm. He also makes mistakes as Harper and his sister become friends. The premise is fun but part of the story doesn't make sense to me. The farm is in need of cash and Luke could have made his offer to her father who would probably have taken it. It wasn't really Harper's place to turn down the money. So the plot felt a little silly. Also their antics and behavior seem somewhat juvenile.
If is an enjoyable story and the beginning of a new series. I am interested in Harper's sisters and what their love stories will be. Squeaky clean. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2022
This was a wholesome, poignant family saga inspired by Lizzie and Darcy.
Harper manages her family's flower farm. It's all she thinks about and worries about. She's consumed by it, and loves every single step of the process- from sowing to harvesting.
When an arrogant Los Angeles billionaire proffers a blank check in an effort to convince her to let his sister use her farm for a wedding, she is disgusted. And then he shows up as her newest farm hand.
She's determined to show him that he doesn't have the chops or staying power for all of the chores. But Luke meets every challenge with grim determination. He accepts all of her curve balls and hurls them back.
He's never felt more physically battered in his life. And she's never had to try so hard to keep someone from getting under her skin. They're exactly like oil and water.
This enemies to lovers story gave me a warm glow and made me long for a quiet afternoon picnic in a field of flowers.
Plot & Setting: 4 ⭐️
Characters: 3.5 ⭐️
Steam: 🔥( One kiss)
Harper manages her family's flower farm. It's all she thinks about and worries about. She's consumed by it, and loves every single step of the process- from sowing to harvesting.
When an arrogant Los Angeles billionaire proffers a blank check in an effort to convince her to let his sister use her farm for a wedding, she is disgusted. And then he shows up as her newest farm hand.
She's determined to show him that he doesn't have the chops or staying power for all of the chores. But Luke meets every challenge with grim determination. He accepts all of her curve balls and hurls them back.
He's never felt more physically battered in his life. And she's never had to try so hard to keep someone from getting under her skin. They're exactly like oil and water.
This enemies to lovers story gave me a warm glow and made me long for a quiet afternoon picnic in a field of flowers.
Plot & Setting: 4 ⭐️
Characters: 3.5 ⭐️
Steam: 🔥( One kiss)
April 9, 2020
I love sweet small town love stories. And this one really hit the spot, it includes everything - family, friendship and best of all flowers. A wonderfully feel-good book set in a small town where Harper works alongside with her sisters on their family flower farm. When a stranger, Luke, blows into town he wants to give his little sister the perfect wedding and of course, he and Harper immediately clash.
This was a quick fun read for me. It had excellent setting and wonderfully developed characters comic characters that have a strong family bond. I love the friendship that develops between Luke's sister Annie and Harper. Annie was a sweet person with an overbearing brother, but all things ended well. I'm hoping that this develops into a series as I would love to see more interplay between the characters and some separate storylines for Harper's sisters. This book was wonderfully charming and left me with an overall feel good quality.I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was a quick fun read for me. It had excellent setting and wonderfully developed characters comic characters that have a strong family bond. I love the friendship that develops between Luke's sister Annie and Harper. Annie was a sweet person with an overbearing brother, but all things ended well. I'm hoping that this develops into a series as I would love to see more interplay between the characters and some separate storylines for Harper's sisters. This book was wonderfully charming and left me with an overall feel good quality.I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 6, 2020
What started out as a quest to secure a wedding venue turned into love found for the most unlikely pair. Harper and Luke seem like polar opposites on the outset. Harper comes off as a hardworking, prickly flower farmer who can't see past the end of her nose; Luke an entitled techie holding a silver spoon while wearing a suit. Their first impressions of each other couldn't be further than the truth. As we get to know them, we see that their layers are around them for a reason and looking at different perspectives helps to unravel those layers.
I loved this story! The characters are well-developed and the relationships Harper and Luke have with each other and their families are well-thought out. Ms. Murray gave us complex characters, but still managed to weave a tale of determination and endurance. I cannot wait to read more about the Anderson family!
I loved this story! The characters are well-developed and the relationships Harper and Luke have with each other and their families are well-thought out. Ms. Murray gave us complex characters, but still managed to weave a tale of determination and endurance. I cannot wait to read more about the Anderson family!
February 24, 2020
2.5 to 3
Well I just could not for the life of me get into this story. It just felt bogged down to me. I just didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. I think Harper had more fun with Annie then with Luke and that not saying much. Luke just seemed like a huge stick in the mud. I also didn't like the scene in the bride salon. I paraphrase here: Here try this on because it is plus size and I can see how it looks on you because you know I am so thin and you aren't... it that a snide comment about Harper or what. I just wasn't feeling it. The sisters felt off too. They just didn't seem to gel. Something is missing and I just can't put my thumb on it. The main characters always thought the worst of each other so how can they say they loved each other. If all assume is the worst from them what really do you like about them?
I know I am in the minority here everyone seems to love it, I just can't say I did. I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review. I believe my review is.
Well I just could not for the life of me get into this story. It just felt bogged down to me. I just didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. I think Harper had more fun with Annie then with Luke and that not saying much. Luke just seemed like a huge stick in the mud. I also didn't like the scene in the bride salon. I paraphrase here: Here try this on because it is plus size and I can see how it looks on you because you know I am so thin and you aren't... it that a snide comment about Harper or what. I just wasn't feeling it. The sisters felt off too. They just didn't seem to gel. Something is missing and I just can't put my thumb on it. The main characters always thought the worst of each other so how can they say they loved each other. If all assume is the worst from them what really do you like about them?
I know I am in the minority here everyone seems to love it, I just can't say I did. I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review. I believe my review is.
February 22, 2022
This is an enemies~to-lovers romantic comedy. I loved the beautiful cover and the premise but it kind of fell flat for me. I didn't feel the fireworks between Harper and Like. Their relationship felt forced, and sometimes maybe even a bit over the top or overly sweet. I'd hope to fall in love with this story but it just didn't do it for me. Tom was a living ghost, everyone kept talking about him but he never made an appearance. For someone who'd been a staple in Harper’s family, and most importantly for May (her sister), I found it odd that he just never showed up in something other than conversation. This is the first book in the series, but I'm not sure if I'll read the next one.
January 29, 2020
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray is a heartfelt romance placed in a field of beautiful flowers! Life is not always easy for the three magnolia sisters as they fill integral jobs to help keep the family business going smoothly. Harper Anderson does not take it very kindly when Luke Martin and his sister, Annie, try to force Harper into an agreement to host a wedding in the midst of the floral hillside during the busiest season. Luke will not take "No' for an answer and makes an arrangement to work at the farm as Harper's assistant. Harper has no time for this big city interloper and tries to work Luke down and force him to quit.. As emotional sparks fly Harper befriends Annie and then finds herself in a conflict with her own sister, May. The family dynamics become complicated as Harper tries to come to terms with the aggravations and charms of Luke Martin!
Publication Date: March 5, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and post an honest review of this book.
Publication Date: March 5, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and post an honest review of this book.
March 1, 2020
Ah the enemies to friends love story! Harper is a flower farmer who sees mini-mansions and other things encroaching on the land her family has worked for generations. Luke is a techie with lots of money who wants to give his sister Annie the wedding she wants. Problem is- the wedding isn't feasible from a farming standpoint and it's not worth the money Luke's offering. Luke, however, comes up with a deal for her and, over the course with working with her, finds there's more to Harper than it appears- and the same is true for her view of Luke. Readers of this genre know that the course of true love is not smooth. There are some nice characters here (I liked Annie even when I didn't). Thanks to net galley for the ARC.
March 2, 2020
This is a Netgalley ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray is the first book of her new series. I can't wait to follow the the Anderson sisters on their journey. This book really hit home for me because my sister is my best friend. I could really identify with all of the sisters in their different roles and that those roles change in a moment.
Harper and Luke are the protective siblings of the family but a little romance shakes all of that up. This book absolutely lives up to the title of "utterly perfect and heartwarming romance." I can't wait to follow these sisters and all of their antics!!
The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray is the first book of her new series. I can't wait to follow the the Anderson sisters on their journey. This book really hit home for me because my sister is my best friend. I could really identify with all of the sisters in their different roles and that those roles change in a moment.
Harper and Luke are the protective siblings of the family but a little romance shakes all of that up. This book absolutely lives up to the title of "utterly perfect and heartwarming romance." I can't wait to follow these sisters and all of their antics!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews