Inheriting the Magnolia Inn, a Victorian home nestled in the East Texas pines, is a fantasy come true for Jolene Broussard. After living with the guilt of failing to rescue her self-destructive mother, Jolene knows her aunt and uncle’s B&B is the perfect jump start for a new life and a comforting place to call home. There’s just one hitch: stubborn and moody carpenter Tucker Malone. He’s got a half interest in the Magnolia Inn, and he’s planting his dusty cowboy boots squarely in the middle of her dream.
Ever since his wife’s death, Tucker’s own guilt and demons have left him as guarded as Jolene. The last thing he expects is for his new partner to stir something inside him he thought was gone forever. And as wary as Jolene is, she may have found a kindred spirit -- someone she can help, and someone she can hold on to.
Restoring the Magnolia Inn is the first step toward restoring their hearts. Will they be able to let go of the past and trust each other to do it together?
Good slow-building romance between two hurting people who can't seem to let go of their painful pasts. Jolene was raised by a mother who was an alcoholic and a drug addict, making Jolene the "adult" in the family. After Jolene grew up and moved out, her mom died of an overdose, leaving Jolene feeling guilty for deserting her. Then Jolene's boyfriend also turned out to be an alcoholic who cleaned out her bank accounts. She needed a chance for a fresh start.
Jolene's Aunt Sugar has given her a half-interest in the Magnolia Inn, the bed and breakfast that Sugar and her husband run together. He has given his half to his nephew Reuben, who Jolene detests (with good reason). Reuben has no interest in doing anything with his half and immediately sells it to Tucker. Jolene has some great ideas for the inn, but no capital to carry them out.
Tucker is the local handyman. He used to be a cop until his wife died in a car accident. Unable to handle his grief, Tucker turned to alcohol and eventually lost his job. Now he works as a handyman during the week and drinks his way through the weekends to dull the pain of her loss. When he heard about the inn, he thought it would be a good opportunity for him. He has the cash to invest and the skills to do the renovations.
Jolene wasn't too sure about having Tucker as a partner. She was all too familiar with living with a drunk, and she didn't want to do it again. I liked the way that she and Tucker sat down and laid out their expectations so that there would be no misunderstandings. I enjoyed the development of their relationship. They started as partners, working together to renovate the inn. I loved the easy exchange of ideas, and their willingness to compromise when necessary. As they worked together, their partnership became friendship. There were some terrific scenes of their more lighthearted moments, as well as some emotional scenes as they shared the more painful parts of their pasts. All that time together also gave a simmering attraction time to grow. But both were wary of risking their hearts again. Jolene feared getting involved with another alcoholic and did her best to keep Tucker at arm's length. But she also has a good influence on him after he heard her story. Tucker was buried in guilt over his wife's death, which made getting past it that much harder. He also fought his growing feelings for Jolene because they made him feel disloyal to his wife. It was very interesting to see the mental conversations he had with Melanie as she tried to get him to let her go. There were some heartbreaking moments as Tucker worked his way through that grief. The slow buildup of the feelings between Jolene and Tucker was believable and right for them. I loved seeing them realize that their pasts don't have to define their futures and that they can build that future together.
The secondary characters are a huge part of the story. First, there are Aunt Sugar and Uncle Jasper, who were ready to retire and live their dream of traveling. It was fun to follow their travels and see the effects it had on them. I loved Sugar's phone calls back to Jolene and "the girls." Her ability to sense when Jolene needed her was great, and I enjoyed the kernels of wisdom she dropped along the way. I wasn't at all surprised by her feelings as the trip went on. The surprise she had for everyone at the end was terrific. Her three friends, Dottie, Flossie, and Lucy, were a riot. Each of them was very different, but their friendship was bone deep. It was fun to see them rag on Lucy about her actions after romantic breakups. I loved how they supported Jolene with the inn and kept a wary eye on Tucker until they were sure he was okay to be around her. Their Sunday lunches were a hoot and added a bit of lightness when emotions got a little heavy.
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