Stealing Magnolias : Love is Always in Bloom in Magnolia Bluff + Giveaway

When Wren Frazier heads south to honor her grandmother’s final wish, she finds five unexpected challenges, one grumpy (but handsome) neighbor, and maybe—herself.

Although an artist, Wren packed away her brushes and paints and sought a practical career as an interior designer in Chicago. She’s always put herself last, happy to please everyone around her. But with a team of dedicated co-workers and a small town of quirky characters supporting her, she’s forced to give herself a little attention. As her artistic heart starts to awaken, Wren finds herself rediscovering the joy of creation and living authentically.

But while she’s exploring the enchanting Georgia Low Country, creating beautiful paintings, and taking a chance on love, she uncovers a secret that shakes the foundation of her newfound happiness. With the revelation threatening to ruin the delicate balance Wren has only begun to realize, will she give up her fairytale and return to her reality?

Book 1 in the Magnolia Bluff series. Love is always blooming at Magnolia Bluff

My Review:

Eeeeeppp!!!! I’ve just discovered a new favourite author and this is her debut novel!!!!! I am beyond excited and full on ecstatic because I loved every second of my listening experience. Yes, another audio book for me! Narrator Julie Rogers is the perfect voice for Wren and the way she captures a certain gentleman’s swoony drawl is divine! Happy sigh. I devoured this audiobook and am tempted to start it all over again. Definitely a book I will re-read (re-listen) in the future.

And colour me surprised because there’s actually a love triangle involved in this rom/com with a whole lot of heart! That I loved every second of this story despite the dreaded LT is a testament to the author’s storytelling prowess. It helps that it’s clear practically from the start just who Wren’s happily ever is going to be with…if she doesn’t mess things up! So, low level angst on that score, just enough to make a sensitive reader squirm. 🙂

Love the Georgia setting! This story is infused with Southern charm despite the questionable introduction to our brooding reclusive hero. He’s harbouring a pretty big secret and has reasons for being cautious but Wren’s pretty impossible to resist so…prepare for slow burn friends to more until the fireworks explode off the page!

I enjoyed Wren’s interior design occupation and all the Designing Women references were fun too. But I was especially drawn to her long buried artist side that gets resurrected during her time in Georgia. And that’s thanks to her Grandma’s quirky inheritance game.

Loved, loved, loved those challenges and the way they helped Wren find herself again after spending years trying to be the person everyone else expected her to be. Her family is a little…over the top and opinionated and I wanted to throttle her mother more than once! Wren’s work trip to Georgia is also a freedom journey of sorts, as she finally come to peace with who she is and how she can still serve God with her unique talents, even if that looks different from her family’s traditional ways.

What a stellar debut novel! A captivating romance brimming with emotion, humour and faith.tfirst in a series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Stealing Magnolias,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 13 2025

Sidenote: this is the paperback cover. I much prefer the audio book one, this doesn’t reflect the mood of the story at all but…if you win the paperback, this is what you will received.

24 thoughts on “Stealing Magnolias : Love is Always in Bloom in Magnolia Bluff + Giveaway”

    1. Thanks so much for the recommendation! I rushed over to audible when I found out it was available in audio and bought it straight away. Amazing! I’m still giddy at this new literary discovery! I checked her website and she has a Love Inspired book coming out in December. Thanks again, Marian (though that love triangle gave ma a bit of a scare at the beginning. bwahahahaa!)

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      1. Marian also recommended this one to me & I bought the ebook! I’ll probably read it after I finish The Women of Oak Ridge, which is another wowza story! Not a fan of the cover of Stealing Magnolias, tho. They could’ve done so much with it to make it more appealing to the eye!

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  3. Count me in hook, line and sinker! So many aspects that pull completely in. Love finding new authors. It’s even better when I find them at the very beginning of their writing journey. Setting in the south is a big YES for this southern gal. The characters sound amazing, fun and frustrating making it exciting to see how they play out. Dealing with family expectations and finding out who you are despite it – YES! And last, but surely not least, a review from Kav stating she’s excited at the prospect of reading (ok hearing) this book again – and soon, just tops it off as a must read. Now on my TBR list and anxious for the chance to read it.

    Thank you so much for the introduction to a new to me author, your review and for the amazing chance to win a copy.

    Resent that email. Hope you get it this time. 🙂

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  4. Isn’t if fun to get in at the very beginning of an author’s career? Much easier to keep current with their books that way! I definitely want to read everything Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes, that’s for sure! Ohhh, I’d love to see what she does with a Christmas story! Good luck, Kay!

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  6. This sounds like a lot of fun! I enjoy Southern Fiction. And maybe a love triangle, like you, I try to avoid them. I put my wishbin for this one!
    paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom

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  7. Thank you for the enthusiastic introduction to this author! The Georgia setting sounds very interesting. I agree, those two covers are widely different in appeal.

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  12. First of all your review blew me away. I haven’t seen you this excited about a book in a while.

    I’m looking forward to reading this special Southern debt novel. Thanks again for introducing me to a wonderful story and author.

    nora finding hope yahoo

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