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The Red Stiletto Book Club #1
The Magnolia Inn
A story about new friendships, a forgotten Book Club, and finding what you didn't know you needed.
Welcome to Magnolia
Maggie is thirty-six, recently divorced and embarrassingly unemployed. With a bank account nearing zero she does the only thing she can think of: make a business proposition to her gorgeous and successful estranged mother.
To Maggie’s utter surprise, her mother agrees. Any funds she can create off the sale of the dilapidated family inn on the island of Magnolia would be hers to invest.
So Maggie packs her few belongings and heads off to Rhode Island to make her dreams come true.
Clementine has been stuck in Magnolia her whole life. The moment her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s she knew she could never leave. And it was unrealistic for her to rely on her older brother, Archer, who can't seem to outrun the ghosts of his past.
So when Maggie blows into town, both Clementine and Archer find themselves intrigued by the new move-in.
When they stumble upon an old photograph of Maggie’s grandmother buried up in the attic, Maggie can’t help but be drawn to a woman she’s never met. In an attempt to feel closer to a family she never knew, a book club is revitalized.
The Red Stilettos Book Club.
What starts out as an act of desperation, soon becomes exactly what the women of Magnolia island were looking for, a sisterhood.
The Magnolia Inn will capture you from page one. It is a story chock full of friendship, laughter, and swoon-worthy romance. >
Welcome to Magnolia
Maggie is thirty-six, recently divorced and embarrassingly unemployed. With a bank account nearing zero she does the only thing she can think of: make a business proposition to her gorgeous and successful estranged mother.
To Maggie’s utter surprise, her mother agrees. Any funds she can create off the sale of the dilapidated family inn on the island of Magnolia would be hers to invest.
So Maggie packs her few belongings and heads off to Rhode Island to make her dreams come true.
Clementine has been stuck in Magnolia her whole life. The moment her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s she knew she could never leave. And it was unrealistic for her to rely on her older brother, Archer, who can't seem to outrun the ghosts of his past.
So when Maggie blows into town, both Clementine and Archer find themselves intrigued by the new move-in.
When they stumble upon an old photograph of Maggie’s grandmother buried up in the attic, Maggie can’t help but be drawn to a woman she’s never met. In an attempt to feel closer to a family she never knew, a book club is revitalized.
The Red Stilettos Book Club.
What starts out as an act of desperation, soon becomes exactly what the women of Magnolia island were looking for, a sisterhood.
The Magnolia Inn will capture you from page one. It is a story chock full of friendship, laughter, and swoon-worthy romance. >
286 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2020
4090 people are currently reading
12638 people want to read
About the author
Anne-Marie Meyer
113 books3,501 followersAnne-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.
Join her newsletter at anne-mariemeyer.com
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.
Join her newsletter at anne-mariemeyer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews
June 14, 2020
Someone needs an editor who can edit.
So many editorial errors made this difficult to read. The long passages of repetitive thought processing the characters were going through seemed like an attempt to add words to pump up the word count. It distracted from the story. And, the characters leaning against a solid surface with their legs extended was used so many times that it made my eyes rolls.
Good story, poorly written.
So many editorial errors made this difficult to read. The long passages of repetitive thought processing the characters were going through seemed like an attempt to add words to pump up the word count. It distracted from the story. And, the characters leaning against a solid surface with their legs extended was used so many times that it made my eyes rolls.
Good story, poorly written.
May 8, 2022
This was the type of book I wanted to read (heartwarming, small town, romance, just an easy quick book nothing serious), but it was too poorly written to truly get lost in. The story was pleasant enough but even for a book that's supposed to be fluff, it seemed like an unedited mess. So many of the same little scenes and descriptions repeated over and over (someone hugging their chest, someone leaning on a counter with legs extended, scraping eggs from a pan onto a plate). It felt so repetitive that it was distracting. And the characters developed such intimate relationships so quickly and unbelievably. Penny and Maggie reconciled with seemingly no effort after a lifetime of estrangement. Just not very good overall.
May 15, 2020
To be honest I was a little bit of a crying mess while reading certain parts of this story. It was emotional and touching and raw and absolutely fabulous! I loved it! I loved the characters, Maggie, Clementine and Archer. Each of them are hurting and aching and healing and trying to move forward. But they're stuck in a sense. The solutions that will help them are part of what is holding them back.
I really enjoyed how the characters were developed and the friendships they created and fostered were such an integral part of this story, as well as their healing. It was beautiful. It was hard. But overall and through all the pain and struggles, it was worth it.
This book is about so many different relationships. Friends, new and old. Family, parents and siblings, and unknown family relationships. Strangers. Marriage and divorce. I loved how these relationships were written, developed and explored. And many of them without being forceful or overly analyzed, just being a background relationship.
Now I think I might need to start me up a book club where we all wear Red Stilettos. Wouldn't that be so much fun? Ok, maybe not if any males join in...maybe some shiny red shoes for them. But oh, the red stilettos would be a blast! If you see lots of book clubs starting to add wearing Red Stilettos as a requirement you can guess where they got the idea.
There is a sweet love story within this book and I loved it. It was tender and sweet and healing. Both Maggie and Archer have had sorrow in their past marriages. They were an unlikely couple but their pain and desire for healing and moving forward helped them to see what they deserved to have in a relationship. I loved it. There were several scenes that just melted my heart with these two and had me sighing and cheering for them. Even when it seemed that the odds were completely against them. *happy sigh*
Clementine had a big part of this story but we only get little glimpses of her past love. I'm really excited that she'll be one of the two main female characters in the next book in this series. I can't wait to see how that unfolds. As well as Shari and her story being unfolded as well.
Content: Clean. Some talk of divorce, death of a child, a parent with Alzheimers and some kissing but nothing further.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
I really enjoyed how the characters were developed and the friendships they created and fostered were such an integral part of this story, as well as their healing. It was beautiful. It was hard. But overall and through all the pain and struggles, it was worth it.
This book is about so many different relationships. Friends, new and old. Family, parents and siblings, and unknown family relationships. Strangers. Marriage and divorce. I loved how these relationships were written, developed and explored. And many of them without being forceful or overly analyzed, just being a background relationship.
Now I think I might need to start me up a book club where we all wear Red Stilettos. Wouldn't that be so much fun? Ok, maybe not if any males join in...maybe some shiny red shoes for them. But oh, the red stilettos would be a blast! If you see lots of book clubs starting to add wearing Red Stilettos as a requirement you can guess where they got the idea.
There is a sweet love story within this book and I loved it. It was tender and sweet and healing. Both Maggie and Archer have had sorrow in their past marriages. They were an unlikely couple but their pain and desire for healing and moving forward helped them to see what they deserved to have in a relationship. I loved it. There were several scenes that just melted my heart with these two and had me sighing and cheering for them. Even when it seemed that the odds were completely against them. *happy sigh*
Clementine had a big part of this story but we only get little glimpses of her past love. I'm really excited that she'll be one of the two main female characters in the next book in this series. I can't wait to see how that unfolds. As well as Shari and her story being unfolded as well.
Content: Clean. Some talk of divorce, death of a child, a parent with Alzheimers and some kissing but nothing further.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
July 7, 2021
If you're 12
This book is written for your reading level and emotional IQ, otherwise take a pass. The writing is stiff, the conversations stilted, there is no character development or depth. Let me know if you find a plot. This read was an appalling waste of my time. What a huge mistake I've made in finishing the book being ever hopeful it would improve. Save yourself from the same mistake.
This book is written for your reading level and emotional IQ, otherwise take a pass. The writing is stiff, the conversations stilted, there is no character development or depth. Let me know if you find a plot. This read was an appalling waste of my time. What a huge mistake I've made in finishing the book being ever hopeful it would improve. Save yourself from the same mistake.
February 13, 2022
Our heroine gets fired from her job and goes to her mother to help her start a business. Mom agrees, but the first house she needs to renovate to sell is the Magnolia Inn. A house passed down through generations, but Mom isn't interested in living in a small town. She tells her daughter that she can take the profits from the sale of the old Inn to start her decorating business.
Then our heroine falls in love with the house and the people of the small town. Will she fix it up and sell it, or is there a Plan B?
Cute romance to begin the series.
Then our heroine falls in love with the house and the people of the small town. Will she fix it up and sell it, or is there a Plan B?
Cute romance to begin the series.
December 31, 2024
Geez. Don’t these people edit? Too many saying things “softly” and with “reverence” (?🤷🏻♀️) Not enough charm or real personality.
I get this book is meant to be just a fling and nothing too serious, but it’s hardly worth an afternoon.
I get this book is meant to be just a fling and nothing too serious, but it’s hardly worth an afternoon.
March 2, 2022
I thought this was a nice sweet romance.
It should possibly be filed under fantasy because she renovated an entire inn with the hunky contractor and did not once get into a fight with him. This has not been my experience in home improvements with my husband.
It should possibly be filed under fantasy because she renovated an entire inn with the hunky contractor and did not once get into a fight with him. This has not been my experience in home improvements with my husband.
August 4, 2020
I am surprised at all the good reviews. I think the story line has potential but the dialogue is trite and almost adolescent even though the main characters are probably 20-35 years old. Maggie had been married for ten years before the story begins. Although they are renovating an inn that has been closed up and unused for five years, the plumber is able to get the water pipes working simply by flushing the pipes - no leaks. Brown water is instantly clear! A refrigerator again unused for five years is working just fine on day 2. There are other similar issues that are just not realistic. I am not going to finish this one after reading about 60%.
April 12, 2024
I was really looking forward to reading this book but I just couldn’t get into. I don’t know if it was the story itself or that I wasn’t in the right headspace for it but I could not finish this book.
None of the characters were fully fleshed out even 75% into the book. There were multiple POV’s and they seemed really similar to each other. I never DNF, but could not force myself to finish this book. Maybe I will give another chance at a later date.
None of the characters were fully fleshed out even 75% into the book. There were multiple POV’s and they seemed really similar to each other. I never DNF, but could not force myself to finish this book. Maybe I will give another chance at a later date.
May 7, 2020
This book is about new beginnings and reconnecting. An estranged mother and daughter find themselves. A young woman finds where she's meant to be and new friendships develop. This is an amazing New author. Try it you'll love it too!
May 1, 2020
I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next book comes out.
July 7, 2021
I was lost in this first in series book - the characters were all so human and I found myself even rooting for the Inn. Well written and a great read.
June 25, 2022
Just a sweet little read!
November 26, 2023
It's hard to be called the "red stiletto book club" when you only have 1 meeting and didn't even read a book.
April 26, 2024
This was a very hallmark style book, a little predictable but still a cute read. I’d recommend
March 31, 2025
This is the small town romance I've been looking for!! Can't wait to dig into the next book!
April 7, 2020
*Spoiler Alert*
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It grabbed my interest from the beginning and held it until the end. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Maggie had recently divorced, had no job, and was running out of money. She needed to get out of New York but where should she go. As a last resort, she approached her estranged mother to ask for help to start her own business. Her mother, Penny, agreed to a deal. If Maggie would refurbish and decorate her grandmother's former home to prepare it to be sold, Penny would share the profits with Maggie. Maggie had skill as an interior designer and because it got her out of New York and provided possibilities for her future, she agreed.
Magnolia was a small town on an island and The Magnolia Inn had sat empty for many years. There was a lot of work that needed to be done to get it ready to sell. Where would Maggie even start? When she made a new friend on her first day, she felt hopeful.
Clementine had her own difficulties. She had a broken brother, Archer, and a father who had Alzheimers and she had given up her dreams to provide what her family needed. She convinced Maggie that Archer was the best choice to for a handyman. Archer needed a job to do. He needed to heal his brokenness and get out of his self-destructive rut.
The Magnolia Inn was a magical place that helped to provide healing for Maggie, Clementine, Archer and Penny. I loved the Red Stiletto Book Club idea; very empowering and I loved the blooming love story for Maggie and Archer.
This was a sweet, clean wonderful story filled with healing, friendship, romance and second chances and ended with a happy ever ending. I can't wait to learn about Clementine's story.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It grabbed my interest from the beginning and held it until the end. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Maggie had recently divorced, had no job, and was running out of money. She needed to get out of New York but where should she go. As a last resort, she approached her estranged mother to ask for help to start her own business. Her mother, Penny, agreed to a deal. If Maggie would refurbish and decorate her grandmother's former home to prepare it to be sold, Penny would share the profits with Maggie. Maggie had skill as an interior designer and because it got her out of New York and provided possibilities for her future, she agreed.
Magnolia was a small town on an island and The Magnolia Inn had sat empty for many years. There was a lot of work that needed to be done to get it ready to sell. Where would Maggie even start? When she made a new friend on her first day, she felt hopeful.
Clementine had her own difficulties. She had a broken brother, Archer, and a father who had Alzheimers and she had given up her dreams to provide what her family needed. She convinced Maggie that Archer was the best choice to for a handyman. Archer needed a job to do. He needed to heal his brokenness and get out of his self-destructive rut.
The Magnolia Inn was a magical place that helped to provide healing for Maggie, Clementine, Archer and Penny. I loved the Red Stiletto Book Club idea; very empowering and I loved the blooming love story for Maggie and Archer.
This was a sweet, clean wonderful story filled with healing, friendship, romance and second chances and ended with a happy ever ending. I can't wait to learn about Clementine's story.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
October 17, 2021
“A story of new friendships and a book club”? Sounds nice, interesting theme. But the reality was that the Book Club hardly ever got going - except the first ever meeting where everybody ate some nice stuff and never even got to talk about any books.
Totally deceptive description. What we got was a he/she attraction that was quite clear where it would end. Anything new in the set-up? No. Maybe the fact that the master carpenter, handyman, plumber, and renovator, was actually highly educated lawyer who never offered any help in what he was trained to do.
Bad editing, lots of typos, repetitive use of words. Total loss of time. I don’t understand how anybody could give this 4 or 5 stars. What do they read?
Totally deceptive description. What we got was a he/she attraction that was quite clear where it would end. Anything new in the set-up? No. Maybe the fact that the master carpenter, handyman, plumber, and renovator, was actually highly educated lawyer who never offered any help in what he was trained to do.
Bad editing, lots of typos, repetitive use of words. Total loss of time. I don’t understand how anybody could give this 4 or 5 stars. What do they read?
December 10, 2024
Hard. No.
This book had no details and the writing was extremely childish.
How to you have a romantic couple when they hardly speak? And also know nothing about each other? Didn’t she get divorced like two seconds ago?
How do you ditch your previous best friend and replace her for someone you know nothing about?
You speak about a father but yet you don’t talk to him at all? You don’t give him a call when you find out about a grandmother you know nothing about?
And WHO in their right mind invites a complete STRANGER to stay at your house?
Maybe the other books have further details but I won’t be wasting my time to find out.
This book had no details and the writing was extremely childish.
How to you have a romantic couple when they hardly speak? And also know nothing about each other? Didn’t she get divorced like two seconds ago?
How do you ditch your previous best friend and replace her for someone you know nothing about?
You speak about a father but yet you don’t talk to him at all? You don’t give him a call when you find out about a grandmother you know nothing about?
And WHO in their right mind invites a complete STRANGER to stay at your house?
Maybe the other books have further details but I won’t be wasting my time to find out.
July 9, 2020
This is a wonderful story of friendship and new beginnings with a romantic thread. But the women and their progress is the real gem here.
Told from both Clementine's and Maggie's points of view, you learn of their heartaches and failures. Also how a small town can be a place of healing and transformation.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Told from both Clementine's and Maggie's points of view, you learn of their heartaches and failures. Also how a small town can be a place of healing and transformation.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
January 19, 2021
This story is about so much more than Maggie and Archer..
I enjoy a sweet love story as much as anyone and Anne-Marie Meyer gives us that...but this is also story of growing into the person we are meant to be... a story of girlfriends bonding together... and the story of making peace with our pasts.... Looking forward to continuing the story..
I enjoy a sweet love story as much as anyone and Anne-Marie Meyer gives us that...but this is also story of growing into the person we are meant to be... a story of girlfriends bonding together... and the story of making peace with our pasts.... Looking forward to continuing the story..
June 11, 2021
I want to live there
This book makes you want to move to Magnolia and stay forever. The friends there seem to welcome you in as you begin to read and the more you read the more we!come you feel. Magnolia has a magic I think a lot of people could use. I know I sure could. I can't wait for my next trip to that magical island.
This book makes you want to move to Magnolia and stay forever. The friends there seem to welcome you in as you begin to read and the more you read the more we!come you feel. Magnolia has a magic I think a lot of people could use. I know I sure could. I can't wait for my next trip to that magical island.
June 25, 2021
This is my first book by this author. It was really good. I liked that the characters weren't in their 20's and were a bit older. The chapters alternated between two different characters instead of flowing. That is the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. I'm more of a flowing reader. The story itself is good and I enjoyed it.
September 6, 2023
Nope. Got to chapter 3, specifically the line about the siblings being "lucky their adoptive parents saved them," and I've never turned a book off so fast.
Less than 10 minutes of listening to adult adoptee voices on any social media platform would indicate that the saviorism view of adoption is Not OK.
Less than 10 minutes of listening to adult adoptee voices on any social media platform would indicate that the saviorism view of adoption is Not OK.
July 9, 2021
It was a pleasant read. Family, love, loss and The Red Stiletto Book Club. This is the first of a series so I'm sure we'll learn more about each member of the book club. I love book clubs but more than that I love to see women coming together and supporting each other. This book has that.
August 1, 2021
This is a light romance with characters who are likeable enough, if a little predictable. The setting on an island off Rhode Island sounds nice as is the small community. Not spectacular, but pleasant enough.
January 25, 2024
I feel like this 22 chapter book could have been written in less than half of that. The constant stirring of long monologues of internal thought really took away from the story. Not a lot actually happened in this book and it dragged because of it.
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November 23, 2022DNF
Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews