Stealing Home (The Sweet Magnolias Book 1) Kindle Edition

Watched seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix, thought I’d give the book a shot. Well, again, this is another one of those rare occurrences where I will admit that the Netflix version was better. Book 1 was an OK read. I did enjoy it, but I’m not sure it’s worth moving onto book 2 (I downloaded a sample), I hear there’s lots of repetition based on reviews. Waiting for season 3 on Netflix!

Easy read , good dialogue,friendship and real emotions. Likable character’s and likely what happens in real life. If this is first book in series ready to start next one

Very good.We'll written

This book has a great storyline, plenty of conflict (including real life messy stuff) and romance thrown in as well. Family, friends, love, dreams; this book has it all and will pull you right along for a fun and heartwarming ride. Well written and realistic characters make this book come alive. If you've watched the Netflix series based on these books, you will enjoy the books as well. Not as much chaos and events in this book as the 1st season has but it has a lot more depth and conversations.

I started the series after watching both seasons of the Netflix adaptation. I must say I like the books so much more BUT they feel a little slow. They are predictable and plateau pretty early. Or maybe that’s just because I knew, more or less, what was going to happen. Is it a fun read? Yes. I really enjoyed it. Would I recommend it? Yes. If you’re looking for a fun and casual read, this is a great series to consider.

I was worried after watching the TV version of this, the book wouldn't be so good. Boy was I wrong. This book is so good!! I would recommend to all. Audible brings the characters to life and makes it even better. I don't tell what is in the books I read. But I can say, this book will not disappoint. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Great book. I watched the movie first..I think that was a mistake..but the book added more detail that the movie didn’t add.

This is a wonderful love story about Cal, the high school teacher and baseball coach and Maddie, the mother of the star pitcher on the baseball team. Living in a small town their romance is the subject of a lot of gossip, usually untrue, especially from the women who want Cal’s attention. “Stealing Home” had my interest from the first page until the end. I highly recommend you read this book if you like romance.

This was a lovely sweet read, one that lulled me into a relaxed state, perfect on a night I couldn’t sleep.Maddie finds her world dramatically and unexpecting changing, after 20 years of marriage she finds out that her husband has been cheating on her with the nurse he works with, and that he has decided to leave her for the significantly younger pregnant mistress. This leaves Maddie to deal with the emotional turmoil of her 3 kids and town gossip. Luckily Maddie has some fab friends who are with her every step of the way, a cool mum who has her back, loyal kids, and a strength that means she will do more than simply survive.I loved how Maddie’s boys were so loyal to her, and were not blind to their father’s failings, from personal experience as a child in such a situation I know how hard it can be on the mum/the parent with the kids. My heart also ached a little for the confusion and pain the kids felt, especially the youngest of the 3 - Maddie’s 6-year-old daughter, the author did quite well in depicting the emotional mess that can occur in such a situation.The mistress/girlfriend/finance was so dense in this, I found myself cursing and blinking at her behaviour. Seriously she was so obtuse at times.Former baseball player and school coach Cal (who also happens to be 10 years younger than Maddie, take that idiot ex-husband) was just what Maddie deserved. He’s loyal, hot, caring, honest, and recognises the fabulousness that Maddie is. Maddie has a fierceness that she puts to good use when the town starts to butt in and the claws come out as jealousy rears its ugly head.The ex-husband in this was a cheating douchebag, but he was also blinkered and showed a lack of awareness/care when it came to what Maddie would want/desire. For example, once the women he cheated on leaves him because she senses he regrets them and doesn’t love her as he should (eye roll), he decides to go and tell Maddie (during her birthday party – a birthday he forgot about) that he wants to give them another go, and that she should do what’s best for the family – in his mind that means getting back together with him. Thank goodness she doesn’t even need to think about it before she says NO – much to my delight. I won’t lie I did smile with glee, thinking hah take that you idiot.This is a slow burn small-town romance, where the heroine has a backbone of steel, is an awesome mum and once she decides not to put up with bullshit in the form of her ex and town gossip, she rocks at embracing her future and all it holds.

When I saw that Netflix were dramatising the sweet magnolia books and Netgalley asked me to review the first two books in the series I was delighted.Stupidly I read book two first so a bit of the surprises had already been discovered however this was a great enjoyable book and had I read it in order it would have been even better.Maddie, Daba Sue and Helen are the Sweet Magnolias of Aerenity. The girls are there for each other through thick and thin and in this book its focusing on the unrest for Maddie a mother of 3 and married to a Dr who has just announced he is leaving her after 20 years of marriage for his nurse.During the fallout the Magnolias decide she needs a project and managing the Corner House Spa bring Maddies confidence back up after all she's been through. But is a new love coming over the horizon and is she brave enough to go for it..The characters are great and I cant wait till book 3.. I loved this book and have recommended it to friends.

This is an enjoyable enough romance between Maddie, who is recently divorced, and Cal, her son's baseball coach. Small town talk and interference cause problems as do the age difference between them, and Maddie's ex-husband and children. Maddie has to work out what she wants and fight to retain it.I mostly enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and thought that the children were not too precocious. I thought that Maddie's breakup with her husband and the aftermath was well done and realistic.The problem which I had was with the small town mentality and gossip. The author likes small towns and thinks that their way of life is attractive but it doesn't come over that way in this book. Local opposition to the match between Maddie and Cal is so great that apparently there is even reference to it in the local paper. In a cringe-making scene which I sincerely hope is not based on employment law practices in America Cal has to justify what he does in his spare time before his employers, the local townspeople and the pupils he teaches. I cannot understand why Cal and Maddy didn't just move somewhere else and I fail to believe that small town life is as attractive as all the characters seem to think based on this episode.

Great book to read, such a feel good read and enjoyed reading about the people in the story. Happy endings I like. Have not read any of Sherry Woods books before and having enjoyed this one will definitely take a look at her other works. Would recommend to others who enjoy a storyline with good ending. Enjoy

I read the book after seeing the Netflix series which, whilst not great and rather cheesy, was a good way to pass some time. The book, however, is appalling. The characters aren’t developed, dialogue is stilted, the author is OBSESSED with women’s weight. The plot drags and then, in one go, moves forward at an absurd pace. Probably the worst book I have ever read.