The Front Porch Club by Michelle Major – a Review

The Front Porch Club by Michelle Major – a Review

 

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Description:
They have nothing in common—except a need to start over…

The drawback to having a picture-perfect life is that there’s nowhere to go but down—and Annalise Haverford is falling fast. Once, she was the self-proclaimed queen bee of Magnolia, North Carolina. Now her husband has been arrested for fraud, and she’s become an outcast in the shallow circles she used to rule. There’s only one affordable rental in town, and it’s owned by the woman Annalise got fired from a lucrative job.

Much as single mother Shauna Myer would like to refuse Annalise, who treated her like dirt on the bottom of her red-soled shoe, she needs that rent money. But when Shauna’s first love arrives in town, unraveling secrets she’d hoped to keep, Annalise becomes her unlikely defender. Meghan Banks, an elementary school art teacher whose quiet existence suddenly descends into chaos, is thrown an unexpected lifeline by Annalise, too.

As spring ripens into a sultry summer, the three spur each other on to share their fears and dreams, face new challenges, and seize second chances. Because no matter how turbulent life may be, it’s much easier to navigate those choppy waters when you’re buoyed by true friendship…­ 

 

Review:

The Front Porch Club by Michelle Major is the 5th book in her wonderful Carolina Girls series. I have become a big fan of Michelle Major, having enjoyed her Magnolia Sisters, and now her Carolina Girls series. The Front Porch Club continues to take place in Magnolia, North Carolina; continuing the trend with a wonderful sweet story, with three fantastic ladies who formed a marvelous friendship. The three ladies were very different and unlikely to be friends, but over time their bond grew very strong. Let us meet our wonderful three ladies.

Annalise Haverford, spent years at the top of Magnolia’s society, but when her husband landed in jail due to fraud, with many people losing their money, Annalise is now an outcast in the circles she was a large part of.  She is divorced with two children, and is financially in bad shape.  She rents an affordable apartment from a woman who she treated badly.  Annalise manages to get a job as a housekeeper, and she begins to see how badly she treated those in lower class. 

Shauna Myer is a single mother of 5-year-old twins, who have never met their father. Shauna, who owns the building, agrees to rent to Annalise, whom she did not like, but she needed the rent payments.  Being a sweet person, she goes out of her way to treat Annalise nicely, introducing her two sons to Annalise’s daughter and son. Shauna also begins to see Annalise trying to change the way she was, and in a short time, the start of a friendship begins.

Meghan Banks, is other new tenant, who is an elementary school art teacher, having recently been told that she will lose her job at the end of the school year, due to budget cuts.  At first Meghan, steers clear of the other two ladies, but in a short time, she will join Annalise and Shauna in helping each other pick up the pieces of their lives. 

Annalise comes up with an idea to do a Fundraiser, to not only help get more funds for Meghan to keep her job, but also add more funds to the school.  I really loved the friendship that the trio built over time, overcoming many issues along the way, but always there for each other; as the bond of sisterhood formed.  I enjoyed seeing the ladies find their possible love interest.   Annalise, while working as a housekeeper finds her love in Jack, who manages the farm, owned by a famous singer, who now lives there.  Shauna is shocked that Flynn who abandoned her more than 5 years ago, returns and realizes her two sons are his; he is determined to win her back. Meghan finds herself falling hard for the singer, Walker, but with his career on hold, is their any hope for her to win him over?

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming romantic story with all three unlikely friends that slowly become a sisterhood, with each of them helping each other to find second chances and upcoming challenges.   I enjoyed returning to Magnolia and meeting a new group of friends, and secondary characters.   The Front Porch Club was written so very well by Michelle Major, with three great friends, hot men, and so many wonderful secondary characters.  The Front Porch Club was a very entertaining read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Wildflower Season by Michelle Major – a Review

Wildflower Season by Michelle Major – a Review

 

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Description:
She always followed the path of least resistance…until it leads her to a small town where she can follow her dreams.

When Emma Cantrell’s marriage imploded, she learned a fast and painful lesson about trusting her heart. Then, on a visit to Magnolia, North Carolina, to see her brother, an elegant, if dilapidated, mansion for sale presents the opportunity to start over. Risking everything on her dream of opening the Wildflower Inn, Emma buys the house…just as the storm of the century hits, severely damaging the structure. But a chance meeting with Holly, a bride-to-be in desperate need of a new venue, gives her hope…and the name of a contractor who’ll work fast and cheap, allowing Emma to repair the inn in time to host the wedding and save her investment.

A furniture builder who hasn’t picked up a tool in the five years since his wife died, Cameron Mitchell has no intention of agreeing to help this beautiful—and, he’d guess, entitled—woman insisting that he fix her inn. Until he learns that Emma was sent by Holly, the little sister of his late wife. Grudgingly, Cameron agrees to do the work, with one condition: that he be left completely alone. But the more time they spend together, the more Emma touches a part of his heart he was sure died long ago, forcing him to try making peace with his past.

 

 

Review:

Wildflower Season by Michelle Major is the first book in her new Carolina Girls series.  I loved Major’s last series, The Magnolia Sisters, and was thrilled to learn about this new series that will continue to take place in Magnolia, North Carolina.

We meet Emma Cantrell, who is Ryan’s sister (previous book hero); she has purchased the mansion that our previous Magnolia Sister’s deceased father owned. Emma has moved to Magnolia, to start a new life, away humiliating divorce and from her domineering wealthy mother, and plans to renovate the dilapidated mansion and make it into an Inn.  She has limited funds, since her mother has threatened to disown her, if she does not return to the family business. 

To help with the renovation, Emma meets Cameron Mitchell, a former contractor/carpenter, who is in seclusion and a loner, still grieving on the death of his wife 5 years ago.  Cameron, though a very good carpenter/builder, has no plans to help Emma, but when he learns his sister-in-law, Holly is getting married, and is desperate for help, he will agree to work with Emma. 

The Wildflower Inn is the name Emma gives her Inn, and slowly with working (saving expenses) with Cam, things start falling into place; and she decides she needs help to bring in others, to help make the inn successful and promote the wedding of the century.  We meet along the way, Angi, who loves to cooks, but is stagnant working for her mother in a pizza place;  Mariella, who is a former wedding dress designer, will agree to partner with Emma and Angi, to run the Inn. 

Slowly, Emma and Cameron begin to have feelings toward each other, and a slow burn romance begins; but Cameron blames himself for his wife’s death, even though it was not his fault, but he is determined not to hurt Emma.  They were great together, and Emma did wonders for Cameron’s confidence, as well as moving on from her own issues of the past.  Will Emma and Cameron find a way to stay together?

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story with both Emma and Cameron dealing with their past   issues. Michelle Major also created a wonderful group of secondary characters, as well as giving us a glimpse at the ladies we loved from the previous series. Wildflower Season was written so very well by Michelle Major, with a great couple, and so many wonderful characters, many of the townsfolks, and the cute animals. I suggest your start this series, and if you have not read The Magnolia Sisters, you should start that one too, though this new series reads very well on its own.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publicist

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