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The Sweet Magnolias #5
Home in Carolina
There's no place like home, especially if it's Serenity, South Carolina. For Annie Sullivan, though, the homecoming is bittersweet. She'd always envisioned a life there with her childhood best friend, Tyler Townsend. But Ty's betrayal has cost her the family and the future they'd once planned.
For Ty, losing Annie was heartbreaking. Still, he can't imagine life without the three-year-old son whose mother left him for Ty to raise. Ty wants it all—Annie, his child and the future he'd dreamed about—and he's back home in Serenity to fight for it. But getting Annie to forgive and forget may be the hardest challenge he's ever faced. With the stakes so high, this is one game he can't afford to lose.
For Ty, losing Annie was heartbreaking. Still, he can't imagine life without the three-year-old son whose mother left him for Ty to raise. Ty wants it all—Annie, his child and the future he'd dreamed about—and he's back home in Serenity to fight for it. But getting Annie to forgive and forget may be the hardest challenge he's ever faced. With the stakes so high, this is one game he can't afford to lose.
375 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 30, 2010
1615 people are currently reading
8955 people want to read
About the author
Sherryl Woods
555 books4,526 followersWith two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.
"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."
The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.
A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.
In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.
When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.
"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."
The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.
A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.
In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.
When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 568 reviews
July 18, 2013
So ok. I read the book.
Previously I just slapped an AVOID on her and moved on, but a friend told me I have to read it before I judge - because Annie's and Ty’s second chance at love is worth the read! Like, really worth it!!
Yeah….not so much.
If the love of your life, aka the man that told you you were going to marry and have a HEA, had a HUGE cheating spree while away from home, I pretty much think there is no happy ever after for you. Not at the time of the cheating. Not now. Not in the future.
MOVE ON, WOMAN!
Now, those die hard fans of this author will tell me: ‘People can change! People can regret!’
Well, I am going to stand with Annie and say - nuh-uuuuh.
I do not want to be reminded about his infidelity for the rest of my life with the fact that he has a child and that he has to share custody of that child with the woman he knocked up.
But, what do I matter, you say?
Well, I don’t.
But I never felt my heroine being really 100% sure of Ty. Not even at the end. And that is just sad and in no way material for a HEA.
Plus, the heroines sudden liking of the heroe's kid? Not realistic. She pretty much despised the fact that that child was born and it was palpable in the read.
So, her yapping about being a good stepmom?
I see her changing her mind. Tomorrow.
Like she does about everything.
In other words…as much as I disliked Ty for being an unfeeling jerk and sympathized with Annie, I still felt like she was a wet noodle most of the time. Also, she went from wet noodle to a Marry Sue to a neurotic witch. I was unable to stand the sight of her by the end of the novel.
Hey, maybe then they really do deserve each other after all? Huh. Who would have thought?
All in all, this read made me depressed. But then again, these whole series make me depressed.
They are advertised as ‘realistic’ but all I see is constant misery, frumpy women and cheating.
How about some positivism, Mrs Author? Just a speck?
No?
Well….then no stars for you, and your book goes back on to my AVOID shelf.
Previously I just slapped an AVOID on her and moved on, but a friend told me I have to read it before I judge - because Annie's and Ty’s second chance at love is worth the read! Like, really worth it!!
Yeah….not so much.
If the love of your life, aka the man that told you you were going to marry and have a HEA, had a HUGE cheating spree while away from home, I pretty much think there is no happy ever after for you. Not at the time of the cheating. Not now. Not in the future.
MOVE ON, WOMAN!
Now, those die hard fans of this author will tell me: ‘People can change! People can regret!’
Well, I am going to stand with Annie and say - nuh-uuuuh.
I do not want to be reminded about his infidelity for the rest of my life with the fact that he has a child and that he has to share custody of that child with the woman he knocked up.
But, what do I matter, you say?
Well, I don’t.
But I never felt my heroine being really 100% sure of Ty. Not even at the end. And that is just sad and in no way material for a HEA.
Plus, the heroines sudden liking of the heroe's kid? Not realistic. She pretty much despised the fact that that child was born and it was palpable in the read.
So, her yapping about being a good stepmom?
I see her changing her mind. Tomorrow.
Like she does about everything.
In other words…as much as I disliked Ty for being an unfeeling jerk and sympathized with Annie, I still felt like she was a wet noodle most of the time. Also, she went from wet noodle to a Marry Sue to a neurotic witch. I was unable to stand the sight of her by the end of the novel.
Hey, maybe then they really do deserve each other after all? Huh. Who would have thought?
All in all, this read made me depressed. But then again, these whole series make me depressed.
They are advertised as ‘realistic’ but all I see is constant misery, frumpy women and cheating.
How about some positivism, Mrs Author? Just a speck?
No?
Well….then no stars for you, and your book goes back on to my AVOID shelf.
June 25, 2017
I should have listened. I should have listened!!!!
1. The hero was not only boyfriend but best friend (that's two BF's), butwhored catted around on the h ending up with a child by his baseball groupie. Condoms bud.
2. The heroine who has suffered through the trials of a father that was unfaithful to her mother is now pimped out by...everyone:
a) The waitress at the diner that gives the H heads up when she'll be there contrary to what she tells the h.
b) Her parents, especially her mom WHO SHOULD UNDERSTAND given that her husband cheated on her.
c) Her friend whose husband is suing for divorce because she's gained weight and is probably cheating on her as well. She gets a book soon, presumably where she has either, A, lost weight and found self-confidence, or, B, kept her weight but gained a man who loves curves hence she found self-confidence.
d) The H's mother whose husband, the H's father, cheated on HER.
This is a whole small town full of people who make very bad choices.
Hmm, what else.
3. The female best friend who lives in another town and whose husband is physically abusing her but can't leave because he's so good to her. She says this as her face is so covered in cuts and bruises she can't look at anyone. She has a book coming too. I'm gonna bet it's about the redemptive power of love.
4. The dumbest hero ever. His groupie/side-piece/baby mama who left their son on his hotel doorstep, waived parental rights, is paid off then cries her way into an unsupervised visit. She leaves town, excuse me, leaves the state and files for custody. He tracks them down and lets her hang out with the plot moppet a while longer. If my insignificant ex did that, there is no way in hell...
I'm done.
Two stars as it is essentially well written.
1. The hero was not only boyfriend but best friend (that's two BF's), but
2. The heroine who has suffered through the trials of a father that was unfaithful to her mother is now pimped out by...everyone:
a) The waitress at the diner that gives the H heads up when she'll be there contrary to what she tells the h.
b) Her parents, especially her mom WHO SHOULD UNDERSTAND given that her husband cheated on her.
c) Her friend whose husband is suing for divorce because she's gained weight and is probably cheating on her as well. She gets a book soon, presumably where she has either, A, lost weight and found self-confidence, or, B, kept her weight but gained a man who loves curves hence she found self-confidence.
d) The H's mother whose husband, the H's father, cheated on HER.
This is a whole small town full of people who make very bad choices.
Hmm, what else.
3. The female best friend who lives in another town and whose husband is physically abusing her but can't leave because he's so good to her. She says this as her face is so covered in cuts and bruises she can't look at anyone. She has a book coming too. I'm gonna bet it's about the redemptive power of love.
4. The dumbest hero ever. His groupie/side-piece/baby mama who left their son on his hotel doorstep, waived parental rights, is paid off then cries her way into an unsupervised visit. She leaves town, excuse me, leaves the state and files for custody. He tracks them down and lets her hang out with the plot moppet a while longer. If my insignificant ex did that, there is no way in hell...
I'm done.
Two stars as it is essentially well written.
February 26, 2015
nothing like a lying, cheating fiancé, a bunch of hometown family and friends who give him a free pass because he's a big-name baseball player, and a stupid woman who takes him (and his love child) back and doesn't even mind the disloyalty and outright deceit that her family and friends showed in spying on her, reporting her movements to him, and shoving him down her throat even when she didn't want anything to do with him... :(
August 30, 2012
It's been awhile since I read this, so some of the details are fuzzy. What I DO remember is being so excited for this book to come out - I just knew Ty and Annie's story was going to be chock full of awesomeness. Then I read it. By the last page I not only didn't want Ty and Annie together, I wanted some natural disaster to hit and wipe out the entire town; I hated nearly everyone by the end. That the town was still standing and Ty and Annie ended up together means this book was irredeemable for me.
Ty was a cheating asshole (only with groupies which made it a-ok in his mind - Annie wasn't part of "that" world, so he could screw his way across the country and not even feel guilty about it). Annie was a spineless doormat. Ty's mom (after being cheated on herself I really expected better from her) kept pushing and pushing Annie to help and forgive Ty (yeah, lets stress out the girl who nearly died from a stress-related eating disorder a few years before). Annie's dad wasn't as horrible as everyone else - maybe he could have been out of town my dream disaster hit. Everyone else, though...
Ty was a cheating asshole (only with groupies which made it a-ok in his mind - Annie wasn't part of "that" world, so he could screw his way across the country and not even feel guilty about it). Annie was a spineless doormat. Ty's mom (after being cheated on herself I really expected better from her) kept pushing and pushing Annie to help and forgive Ty (yeah, lets stress out the girl who nearly died from a stress-related eating disorder a few years before). Annie's dad wasn't as horrible as everyone else - maybe he could have been out of town my dream disaster hit. Everyone else, though...
April 30, 2021
DNF Because the existence of this book makes me so incredibly angry. I started watching Sweet Magnolias on Netflix and it was cute! It's great! I really like it and all the character dynamics!
What the hell is this book? Who are these people? This is Tyler Townsend, whose father cheated on his mother and blew up their marriage and life and totally ripped apart his world? I'm supposed to believe that that guy, who was so incredibly disgusted with his dad and unforgiving of what he'd done, did the exact same thing? And almost in a worse way, because he cheated with multiple people before having a baby? On Annie, who has been his best friend since they were literal toddlers? And that Annie, whose dad cheated on her mom which shook her so bad she developed an eating disorder... took him back? This book is disgraceful. It's absolutely awful. It totally chews up prior character development and spits it all back out. I cannot -- cannot believe that Maddie and Dana Sue, Ty and Annie's moms respectively - still try to set them back up. After Annie got cheated on. By Tyler. Multiple times. And he had a baby! And both of these women have been through those circumstances before. They know how much it hurts and how mortifying and humiliating it is, and they know how Annie feels about the whole things but F it I guess bc it's Tyler??
And Tyler is so manipulative and he knows it. He acknowledges that he came to Serenity because he knew Annie was home and he wants to get her back. He gets his physical therapy from her place of work despite having better resources available, because he wants to see her again. And he knows how much his coming home to bother her disrupts everyone's lives, and he feels bad for like, one sentence.
and how on earth is everyone in the town "on annie's side" after hearing all the gossip about what ty did, but then they actively conspire to set up meet cutes and get them back together. I hate these people. Isn't adultery a sin? And all these people are supposedly Good Christians? But I swear everyone in this town has cheated on their partner. Their kids are all going to be crazy inbred. Serenity? More like the Goler clan.
AND THEIR MEETING AT THE PARK. He has spent all this time rightfully feeling like a POS for cheating on her MULTIPLE TIMES and then he spots her at the park, at night, sitting on a bench and crying because she just had a pretty unexpected meeting with his son, and he GETS MAD AT HER? He's like Serenity is safe, sure, but you're a single woman at night! Alone! In the dark! There could be nutcases here that would assault you! And he has the gall to stomp over and yell at her about it. And this is their first meeting after three years when she broke up with him for cheating on her MULTIPLE TIMES and having a baby with one of his mistresses.
I started Sweet Magnolias on Netflix and I loved all the characters and relationship dynamics. Then I read this book. And now I hope that everyone in this godforsaken town, including Annie and especially Ty, dies in a fire. And I only got to Chapter 3.
Two things: why does this author act like men are just slaves to their base instincts but her saintly female protags are above that? It's super skeevy to me that the constant trope in this series is that of the cheating husband.
Secondly, the writing is mediocre and does nothing to serve the story. It reads like a middle grade novel.
I can only hope that the show does the intelligent thing and veers as far away from this idiot book as they can.
Edit: I finished reading the whole book and it's so much worse than I thought. This is a dumpster fire of internalized misogyny and brainless romance. Annie is a sucker and an idiot and Ty is the absolute sleaziest human being. Every single man in this book has the self discipline of a toddler. In fact, everyone in this book has a single brain cell. I'm pretty sure that's why the town is so connected; because in order to generate ONE THOUGHT, they ALL have to put their puny heads together.
What the hell is this book? Who are these people? This is Tyler Townsend, whose father cheated on his mother and blew up their marriage and life and totally ripped apart his world? I'm supposed to believe that that guy, who was so incredibly disgusted with his dad and unforgiving of what he'd done, did the exact same thing? And almost in a worse way, because he cheated with multiple people before having a baby? On Annie, who has been his best friend since they were literal toddlers? And that Annie, whose dad cheated on her mom which shook her so bad she developed an eating disorder... took him back? This book is disgraceful. It's absolutely awful. It totally chews up prior character development and spits it all back out. I cannot -- cannot believe that Maddie and Dana Sue, Ty and Annie's moms respectively - still try to set them back up. After Annie got cheated on. By Tyler. Multiple times. And he had a baby! And both of these women have been through those circumstances before. They know how much it hurts and how mortifying and humiliating it is, and they know how Annie feels about the whole things but F it I guess bc it's Tyler??
And Tyler is so manipulative and he knows it. He acknowledges that he came to Serenity because he knew Annie was home and he wants to get her back. He gets his physical therapy from her place of work despite having better resources available, because he wants to see her again. And he knows how much his coming home to bother her disrupts everyone's lives, and he feels bad for like, one sentence.
and how on earth is everyone in the town "on annie's side" after hearing all the gossip about what ty did, but then they actively conspire to set up meet cutes and get them back together. I hate these people. Isn't adultery a sin? And all these people are supposedly Good Christians? But I swear everyone in this town has cheated on their partner. Their kids are all going to be crazy inbred. Serenity? More like the Goler clan.
AND THEIR MEETING AT THE PARK. He has spent all this time rightfully feeling like a POS for cheating on her MULTIPLE TIMES and then he spots her at the park, at night, sitting on a bench and crying because she just had a pretty unexpected meeting with his son, and he GETS MAD AT HER? He's like Serenity is safe, sure, but you're a single woman at night! Alone! In the dark! There could be nutcases here that would assault you! And he has the gall to stomp over and yell at her about it. And this is their first meeting after three years when she broke up with him for cheating on her MULTIPLE TIMES and having a baby with one of his mistresses.
I started Sweet Magnolias on Netflix and I loved all the characters and relationship dynamics. Then I read this book. And now I hope that everyone in this godforsaken town, including Annie and especially Ty, dies in a fire. And I only got to Chapter 3.
Two things: why does this author act like men are just slaves to their base instincts but her saintly female protags are above that? It's super skeevy to me that the constant trope in this series is that of the cheating husband.
Secondly, the writing is mediocre and does nothing to serve the story. It reads like a middle grade novel.
I can only hope that the show does the intelligent thing and veers as far away from this idiot book as they can.
Edit: I finished reading the whole book and it's so much worse than I thought. This is a dumpster fire of internalized misogyny and brainless romance. Annie is a sucker and an idiot and Ty is the absolute sleaziest human being. Every single man in this book has the self discipline of a toddler. In fact, everyone in this book has a single brain cell. I'm pretty sure that's why the town is so connected; because in order to generate ONE THOUGHT, they ALL have to put their puny heads together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2022
O cara é um galinha e a mocinha é uma imbecil que fica sofrendo por ele.
Embora este livro tenha um final feliz, o mocinho trai repetidamente a mocinha que é supostamente "o amor de sua vida" com mulheres diferentes em cada cidade que ele viajou com seu time de baseball, ele se convenceu de que esta parte de sua vida é separada do relacionamento dele com Annie.
Ele acaba engravidando uma dessas mulheres e está criando o filho fruto desta relação. Toda cidade fica sabendo através dos jornais do que aconteceu e o filho é a prova viva destas traições.
Quando ele fere um dos ombros e precisa fazer um tratamento para reabilitação ele aproveita a ocasião e volta para sua cidade natal. Ele pretende provar para Annie que mudou e quer que ela perdoe seus erros do passado.
Eu entendo que este livro é sobre uma segunda chance, mas a traição não me caiu muito bem. Ainda mais que o pai do herói traiu a mãe dele e teve um filho com a outra mulher e a traição do pai da heroína foi o gatilho que desencadeou os transtornos alimentares dela. Mas como dizem que a fruta não cai longe do pé a história acaba se repetindo.
-------------
The guy is a womanizer and the girl is stupid for suffer because of him.
Although this book has a happy ending, the hero cheats repeatedly to our heroine that is supposedly "the love of his life" with different women in each city that he traveled with the baseball team, he became convinced that this part of his life is separate from his relationship with Annie.
He ends up impregnating one of these women and is raising the son fruit of this relationship. The whole city is told through the newspapers of the scandals that happened and the child is living proof of these betrayals.
When he hurt a shoulder and needs rehabilitation treatment he takes advantage of the occasion and back to hometown. He intends to prove to Annie that he changed and wants her to forgive his past mistakes.
I understand that this book is about a second chance, but the betrayal didn't sit very well. Even more than the hero's father cheated his mother and had a child with another woman and the cheating of the heroine's father was the trigger that set off the eating disorders her. But as they say the Apple doesn't fall far from the tree the story ends up repeating itself.
Highlights
Embora este livro tenha um final feliz, o mocinho trai repetidamente a mocinha que é supostamente "o amor de sua vida" com mulheres diferentes em cada cidade que ele viajou com seu time de baseball, ele se convenceu de que esta parte de sua vida é separada do relacionamento dele com Annie.
Ele acaba engravidando uma dessas mulheres e está criando o filho fruto desta relação. Toda cidade fica sabendo através dos jornais do que aconteceu e o filho é a prova viva destas traições.
Quando ele fere um dos ombros e precisa fazer um tratamento para reabilitação ele aproveita a ocasião e volta para sua cidade natal. Ele pretende provar para Annie que mudou e quer que ela perdoe seus erros do passado.
Eu entendo que este livro é sobre uma segunda chance, mas a traição não me caiu muito bem. Ainda mais que o pai do herói traiu a mãe dele e teve um filho com a outra mulher e a traição do pai da heroína foi o gatilho que desencadeou os transtornos alimentares dela. Mas como dizem que a fruta não cai longe do pé a história acaba se repetindo.
-------------
The guy is a womanizer and the girl is stupid for suffer because of him.
Although this book has a happy ending, the hero cheats repeatedly to our heroine that is supposedly "the love of his life" with different women in each city that he traveled with the baseball team, he became convinced that this part of his life is separate from his relationship with Annie.
He ends up impregnating one of these women and is raising the son fruit of this relationship. The whole city is told through the newspapers of the scandals that happened and the child is living proof of these betrayals.
When he hurt a shoulder and needs rehabilitation treatment he takes advantage of the occasion and back to hometown. He intends to prove to Annie that he changed and wants her to forgive his past mistakes.
I understand that this book is about a second chance, but the betrayal didn't sit very well. Even more than the hero's father cheated his mother and had a child with another woman and the cheating of the heroine's father was the trigger that set off the eating disorders her. But as they say the Apple doesn't fall far from the tree the story ends up repeating itself.
Highlights
"She kept hoping that one day she’d see his name in print and it wouldn’t hurt. So far, though, that hadn’t happened."
“I am strong, and Tyler Townsend is a pig!” she said aloud, testing it."
“I lost our friendship a long time ago,” she said mournfully. That, as much as anything else, was what had broken her heart. “I just have to face it, Dad. It’s over. Not just the relationship, but also the friendship. I’ll never be able to trust Ty again.”
"The big difference was that Ronnie had recognized his mistake after one careless, irresponsible slip. Ty not only hadn’t acknowledged it, he’d compounded it by cheating over and over until he’d finally gotten caught. He had a three-year-old son as proof of his infidelity."
"Worst of all, despite everything—the betrayal, the hurt, the humiliation—she still loved him. And that made her an even bigger idiot than he was."
"he’d not only cheated, but fathered a child with someone else."
"She’d looked up to him, trusted him, talked to him…fallen in love with him. Then he’d betrayed her. And for what? A string of casual flings that had meant nothing. He’d wanted to prove he was hot stuff."
"I betrayed you, Annie. I cheated on you. I have no defense for that, but it wasn’t ugly and you know it. You know me better than that.”
"Maddie looked saddened by her response. “Are you really so cold, Annie? When did you become so unforgiving?” “When my best friend, the man I loved, told me he was having a baby with some groupie he hardly even knew.” Before she could stop herself, she added, “You should know how that feels.”
“I hurt her.” His father still looked bewildered. “I thought that was just some teenage crush she had on you.” Leave it to his father to be so self-absorbed he’d missed the obvious. “We dated all through college. We were planning a future,” Ty told him."
"He didn’t have some one-night stand with one woman. He was having flings with women in every city with a National League team. It just so happened that Trevor’s mama got pregnant. Ty stopped worrying about me and my feelings a long time before that happened.”
“How could I cheat with all those other women?”
May 20, 2020
1 star, so i checked this book out because the sweet magnolias show apparently premiered yesterday and showed up in my netflix recommendations and i saw that tyler and annie were childhood family friends which is usually a great trope. my conclusion after reading their parts in the previous books and this trainwreck is that every man in their town is a cheater and the other characters are experts at emotionally manipulating annie into getting back together with ty.
November 26, 2012
When I realized that this book was about Ty and Annie I was really excited. I thought they were a cute couple as kids and hated learning that they broke up, and hated even more when we weren’t given a reason. Well, with this one we were given a reason, and boy was it a doozy. I realize that Ty was this big sports guy, new to pro sports, but I had a hard time believing that he would manwhore around with what happened to his mom and dad, and being that he dated Annie for so long.
I agree with Annie for dropping him like a hot potato and for staying away. I understood why during this book Annie kept pushing him away and that she kept having trust issues. For once when reading a romance book I didn’t want this HEA and am having a hard time with it.
Yes, Ty stepped up with his son, but only after he was proven the baby was his and he was forced in the role. I get the idea that he would have been happy if Didi took the boy and he never saw him again. Even with that said, I hated the things that Didi pulled in the book and that she kept being thrown in Annie’s face. I agreed that Ty needed to take care of things with his son, but along the way he showed no consideration for Annie time and time again.
I did like the things with Annie’s friends, Sarah and Raylean. I look forward to more with them.
I agree with Annie for dropping him like a hot potato and for staying away. I understood why during this book Annie kept pushing him away and that she kept having trust issues. For once when reading a romance book I didn’t want this HEA and am having a hard time with it.
Yes, Ty stepped up with his son, but only after he was proven the baby was his and he was forced in the role. I get the idea that he would have been happy if Didi took the boy and he never saw him again. Even with that said, I hated the things that Didi pulled in the book and that she kept being thrown in Annie’s face. I agreed that Ty needed to take care of things with his son, but along the way he showed no consideration for Annie time and time again.
I did like the things with Annie’s friends, Sarah and Raylean. I look forward to more with them.
August 4, 2010
I found the characters in this Sweet Magnolias whiny and annoying
May 25, 2017
Manipulative family who pushes the heroine to get back to with her cheating ex, who while repentant still has a ton of baggage and a son with the person he cheated with. Such a mess.
June 17, 2023
Riebus minusas už gramatines klaidas vertime.
March 9, 2025
Love this book!! Annie’s and Ty relationship was 💯 ❤️
Was the first book that had a full storyline haha love this series onto the next one
Was the first book that had a full storyline haha love this series onto the next one
October 25, 2024
2.5⭐️ Labai gaila, bet nepatiko man ši dalis. Pirmoji knygos pusė atrodė dar visai nieko nors ir erzino Medės kišimąsis į sūnaus santykius, bet antroji pusė pasirodė nuobodi, erzinanti - kai kurių veikėjų sprendimai nesuprantami ir piktinantys, buvo pilstymo iš tuščio į kiaurą.
November 29, 2020
What I get from this book?
Ty doesn't deserve Annie. Yes they love each other, I can understand that, but sometimes it's just not going to be enough. That notion practically vibrates everytime I flip the page, it felt like Annie still doubts Ty. And that's why no sane woman would ever take back an ex who has cheated on you, repeatedly and had a child because of it. because the reminder will always be there. If these were in real life, Annie would have probably moved on with someone better or if she did forgive Ty's cheating ass and married, they'd probably divorce each other years down the line
Anyways, I wish Annie had a backbone in this book. She's a limp noodle character and in my opinion, not a fictional heroine I would look up to. I just think she's a dumbass. For many reasons. She was supposed to look like a character who's came out strong after that bitter breakup with Ty but I didn't really feel it? In order for me to believe she's come out strong, I needed to feel it, not be told how stubborn she was (when she really wasn't like come on? one puppy dog look from Ty and suddenly she's all hearts eyes too? also for letting EVERYONE and even her family constantly tell her what to feel, to do, and then them being manipulative about why she should take back Ty's cheating ass??)
I dont even know what even possessed me to read this book let alone finish it. Well, I guess it's because of the Netflix show! I'm hoping the show wouldn't adapt this book's story. Leave show!Ty and show!Annie alone! STOP WITH THE CHEATING! IT DOESN'T MAKE A RELATIONSHIP GREAT WHEN THERE'S CHEATING ON THE MIX.
Ty doesn't deserve Annie. Yes they love each other, I can understand that, but sometimes it's just not going to be enough. That notion practically vibrates everytime I flip the page, it felt like Annie still doubts Ty. And that's why no sane woman would ever take back an ex who has cheated on you, repeatedly and had a child because of it. because the reminder will always be there. If these were in real life, Annie would have probably moved on with someone better or if she did forgive Ty's cheating ass and married, they'd probably divorce each other years down the line
Anyways, I wish Annie had a backbone in this book. She's a limp noodle character and in my opinion, not a fictional heroine I would look up to. I just think she's a dumbass. For many reasons. She was supposed to look like a character who's came out strong after that bitter breakup with Ty but I didn't really feel it? In order for me to believe she's come out strong, I needed to feel it, not be told how stubborn she was (when she really wasn't like come on? one puppy dog look from Ty and suddenly she's all hearts eyes too? also for letting EVERYONE and even her family constantly tell her what to feel, to do, and then them being manipulative about why she should take back Ty's cheating ass??)
I dont even know what even possessed me to read this book let alone finish it. Well, I guess it's because of the Netflix show! I'm hoping the show wouldn't adapt this book's story. Leave show!Ty and show!Annie alone! STOP WITH THE CHEATING! IT DOESN'T MAKE A RELATIONSHIP GREAT WHEN THERE'S CHEATING ON THE MIX.
December 2, 2020
Después de leer el primero de la serie, salté a este y uff terrible. No me gustó la historia, no soporto a los infieles ni que todo el mundo incite a la protagonista a perdonar y volver con ese tipejo.
May 13, 2010
Annie and Ty have been best friends since they were kids and then lovers as they got older. Living in the small town, Serenity, in South Carolina, where everyone knows your business has its blessings and its curses. Everyone knew that the two of them belonged together and would one day end up married.
Then Ty signed with the Atlanta Braves baseball team and got caught up with the baseball groupie scene. His exploits hit the tabloids and the whole town had a front row seat to Annie’s heartbreak at Ty’s betrayal. It was hard for Annie to decide which was worse, losing her lover or losing her lifelong best friend.
Now it is three years later and Annie is a physical therapist in her hometown and Ty has come back to recover from a sports injury and to make amends with Annie, the love that he pushed away. But like all good romances, the road to happily ever after is a bumpy one.
This road to happily ever after got a little too bumpy for my tastes. There was a whole lot of back and forth and drama that I felt was dragged on too long. Annie has some hang-ups about the past, naturally, but even when everything is going her way she can’t let the past go and gets her panties in a twist very easily. Too easily.
That being said, I still found myself liking the little town of serenity and fully engrossed in every drama filled page. I want to read the next two stories in the series to see what happens with Annie’s two girlfriends, so I know I will be traveling back to Serenity in the very near future.
Cherise Everhard, May 2010
Then Ty signed with the Atlanta Braves baseball team and got caught up with the baseball groupie scene. His exploits hit the tabloids and the whole town had a front row seat to Annie’s heartbreak at Ty’s betrayal. It was hard for Annie to decide which was worse, losing her lover or losing her lifelong best friend.
Now it is three years later and Annie is a physical therapist in her hometown and Ty has come back to recover from a sports injury and to make amends with Annie, the love that he pushed away. But like all good romances, the road to happily ever after is a bumpy one.
This road to happily ever after got a little too bumpy for my tastes. There was a whole lot of back and forth and drama that I felt was dragged on too long. Annie has some hang-ups about the past, naturally, but even when everything is going her way she can’t let the past go and gets her panties in a twist very easily. Too easily.
That being said, I still found myself liking the little town of serenity and fully engrossed in every drama filled page. I want to read the next two stories in the series to see what happens with Annie’s two girlfriends, so I know I will be traveling back to Serenity in the very near future.
Cherise Everhard, May 2010
May 16, 2018
Ty was my least favorite hero! I hope it doesn't work out for them because he is getting everything he wants and she gets nothing but to sit home waiting for him while he hangs out with groupies. No thanks.
May 30, 2020
Ty and Annie’s story has to be my favorite so far!!!
July 28, 2024
July 28, 2024
Still hate this book with a fiery passion of a thousand suns.
This was a buddy read. Unfortunately, I wanted to chuck this book across the room a million times.
Still hate this book with a fiery passion of a thousand suns.
This was a buddy read. Unfortunately, I wanted to chuck this book across the room a million times.
February 2, 2024
If you're not crying, then you must hate love stories, Hallmark movies, Christmas, and puppies.
Pulled all the heart strings, and truly all the feels.
Pulled all the heart strings, and truly all the feels.
September 22, 2017
The first four books in the series were all really enjoyable but this one was absolutely horrible! I thought the character of Annie Sullivan was whiny, weak-willed, and ridiculous in A Slice of Heaven but this book had her front & center and she grew up into an even worse woman. She's unbelievably immature, stupid, and wishy-washy. I was actively pulling against Annie and Ty ending up together even though I knew they would. Annie was supposedly an adult yet blew off work repeatedly, changed her mind about Ty for little/no reasons on a whim, and had no backbone to make a decision and go with it.
As for the Annie/Ty relationship, if they weren't exclusive at the time of Trevor's conception - at Annie's insistence - then there wasn't any cheating. She brought this entire situation on her self by being so immature and weak. Then she repeatedly berates him for his "cheating". Granted if Ty loved Annie, screwing around with groupies was classless but his right as a jerk. And since the story brings up not only Dee-dee but multiple other groupies he indulged in, the question is why would Annie want someone like this in her life. The immaturity/ridiculousness spiked when Annie, who even with a job still lives at home with mommy & daddy, brings Ty home to reconcile & have sex and Dana Sue comes in afterwards. It's really hard to take Annie as an adult with this kind if idiocy.
The other frustrating aspect of this book was in the custody dealings. Helen is supposed to be some baracuda lawyer yet provides such weak guidance to Ty and then advises him it's ok to let Dee-dee take his son out of town! Then everyone is shocked when she won't return him. It was really pathetic. Then to think that a woman who abandoned her child on a doorstep and had no contact with him for 3 years deserved to be a part of his life. And everything was wrapped up in an unrealistic, neat little bow in record time. IMO Helen failed miserably as a lawyer (and the side story with her mother was useless).
Last warning on this for other readers - if you choose the audiobook version try to stay far away from the version performed by Mary Robinette Kowal. She was horrible with the audio and voices. It was like nails on a chalkboard listening to certain characters "speak" (Maddie in particular).
As for the Annie/Ty relationship, if they weren't exclusive at the time of Trevor's conception - at Annie's insistence - then there wasn't any cheating. She brought this entire situation on her self by being so immature and weak. Then she repeatedly berates him for his "cheating". Granted if Ty loved Annie, screwing around with groupies was classless but his right as a jerk. And since the story brings up not only Dee-dee but multiple other groupies he indulged in, the question is why would Annie want someone like this in her life. The immaturity/ridiculousness spiked when Annie, who even with a job still lives at home with mommy & daddy, brings Ty home to reconcile & have sex and Dana Sue comes in afterwards. It's really hard to take Annie as an adult with this kind if idiocy.
The other frustrating aspect of this book was in the custody dealings. Helen is supposed to be some baracuda lawyer yet provides such weak guidance to Ty and then advises him it's ok to let Dee-dee take his son out of town! Then everyone is shocked when she won't return him. It was really pathetic. Then to think that a woman who abandoned her child on a doorstep and had no contact with him for 3 years deserved to be a part of his life. And everything was wrapped up in an unrealistic, neat little bow in record time. IMO Helen failed miserably as a lawyer (and the side story with her mother was useless).
Last warning on this for other readers - if you choose the audiobook version try to stay far away from the version performed by Mary Robinette Kowal. She was horrible with the audio and voices. It was like nails on a chalkboard listening to certain characters "speak" (Maddie in particular).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2020
I thought the third book in this series hit rock bottom. Then I read this one. So many problems. First of all, in minor problems, physical therapists and personal trainers are not the same thing as the author seems to think. And a Major League Baseball team would not allow a star pitcher with a huge contract rehab a serious injury in posing with a personal trainer at his mother’s spa. But that’s the least of the problems here. Once again as she does in books 2-4, Woods has no concept of consent and thinks men forcing women to kiss them is a great romantic device. She also gives her heroines no agency. They are manipulated by men who make all the decisions about relationships with them. Every last one of them tells the man they do not want a relationship then the men refuse to respect their choices and pursue them relentlessly complete with sexual advances without consent and stalking behavior (for example Ty having the restaurant owner call him when Annie is there). The heroine is surrounded by friends and sometimes relatives who tell them they must be with the man. But this volume carries the formula to a point where it become beyond objectionable. Prior to the story opening, Ty cheated on Annie. Not once, but serially. He was the athlete with a woman in every city. And he and both of their families and friends expect Annie to set that aside and go back to him without reservations. She’s painted as bad or at least difficult for saying no to that. And the book is the story of a whole town pushing her until she gives in against her own best judgement. It’s appalling and misogynistic and I’m finished with Sherryl Woods.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
One of my favorite of the series. I lobe all these characters and how their lives are interwoven. Great story, that drives the series further.
June 18, 2022
I enjoyed this installment of the series!!
June 9, 2023
this book made me love second chance tropes
April 6, 2024
I don’t even know where to begin. I should have just read the reviews and not even have bothered reading this book.
Ty is the oldest son of Maddie and Bill. Annie is the daughter of Dana Sue and Ronnie. Ty and Annie are best friends and are also in a relationship. Ty is a baseball player who ends up cheating on Annie multiple times and gets one of his many groupies pregnant. For the entire story, everyone and I mean everyone tries to get Ty and Annie back together. Like no one gave a damn about Annie’s feelings. A lot of the characters were telling Annie “But you guys used to be so close” and “Its such a shame what happened”.
Maddie was incredibly disgusting. Out of the people to understand how Annie feels, it should be her! Maddie’s first husband (Ty’s dad) cheated on her and got a woman pregnant. And Maddie left him. So now because Ty is Maddie’s son and he did the same thing his dad, Annie just needs to get over it and get back together with him? Maddie constantly kept trying to force Annie to be near her son. One of the worst moments in the book is when Maddie goes and reminds Annie that Ty was there for her when she was dealing with her eating disorder! Like who in the hell does that! Um a life threatening disorder is entirely different from cheating. She also told her that Ty could have lost his chance at playing baseball due to Ty visiting Annie in the hospital when she was hospitalized for her eating disorder. Maddie is just a terrible person. Also what is it with the men in Maddie’s family…seems like cheating must be genetic trait or something.
The whole damn town is toxic as hell. It’s like cheating is a common thing in the town and just brushed off. Not a single one of Annie’s friends should even be considered friends. In what world do friends encourage their best friends and family to get back with a serial cheater who also got a woman pregnant. Ty has custody of his kid and it’s just a reminder for Annie of Ty’s cheating. Mind you she even states this and is still encouraged to get over it and get back together with Ty. I really wish that at least one person could have just encouraged her to forgive him, but move on from him. She absolutely should not have to simply get over what happened. She should have moved on…without Ty. I was rooting for her to find someone new.
Ty is the oldest son of Maddie and Bill. Annie is the daughter of Dana Sue and Ronnie. Ty and Annie are best friends and are also in a relationship. Ty is a baseball player who ends up cheating on Annie multiple times and gets one of his many groupies pregnant. For the entire story, everyone and I mean everyone tries to get Ty and Annie back together. Like no one gave a damn about Annie’s feelings. A lot of the characters were telling Annie “But you guys used to be so close” and “Its such a shame what happened”.
Maddie was incredibly disgusting. Out of the people to understand how Annie feels, it should be her! Maddie’s first husband (Ty’s dad) cheated on her and got a woman pregnant. And Maddie left him. So now because Ty is Maddie’s son and he did the same thing his dad, Annie just needs to get over it and get back together with him? Maddie constantly kept trying to force Annie to be near her son. One of the worst moments in the book is when Maddie goes and reminds Annie that Ty was there for her when she was dealing with her eating disorder! Like who in the hell does that! Um a life threatening disorder is entirely different from cheating. She also told her that Ty could have lost his chance at playing baseball due to Ty visiting Annie in the hospital when she was hospitalized for her eating disorder. Maddie is just a terrible person. Also what is it with the men in Maddie’s family…seems like cheating must be genetic trait or something.
The whole damn town is toxic as hell. It’s like cheating is a common thing in the town and just brushed off. Not a single one of Annie’s friends should even be considered friends. In what world do friends encourage their best friends and family to get back with a serial cheater who also got a woman pregnant. Ty has custody of his kid and it’s just a reminder for Annie of Ty’s cheating. Mind you she even states this and is still encouraged to get over it and get back together with Ty. I really wish that at least one person could have just encouraged her to forgive him, but move on from him. She absolutely should not have to simply get over what happened. She should have moved on…without Ty. I was rooting for her to find someone new.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2010
A nice, homey story with plenty of heart-tugging action. In the tradition of Debbie Macomber, this book is guaranteed to give a quiet, fireside read.
Cherryl Woods has delivered a tale of love lost and regained, with all the stops in between. Her prose is certain to delight fans of sweet romance. This reader is determined to read every book she comes out with.
When one man, raising his child alone, returns to Serenity North Carolina to recuperate from his sports injuries, he is faced with the woman he left behind. Torn between his desire for her and his need to see his child has the best life possible, he fumbles through a would-be courtship with Annie.
Annie, struggling with her own demons when she is faced with the man she once loved, fights her desire for him, and faces yet another battle with her anorexia. Not sure if she can handle the daily reminder of his infidelity, she wants desperately to be a part of his life, and the mother of the small, engaging boy who is his son.
Highly Recommended
Cherryl Woods has delivered a tale of love lost and regained, with all the stops in between. Her prose is certain to delight fans of sweet romance. This reader is determined to read every book she comes out with.
When one man, raising his child alone, returns to Serenity North Carolina to recuperate from his sports injuries, he is faced with the woman he left behind. Torn between his desire for her and his need to see his child has the best life possible, he fumbles through a would-be courtship with Annie.
Annie, struggling with her own demons when she is faced with the man she once loved, fights her desire for him, and faces yet another battle with her anorexia. Not sure if she can handle the daily reminder of his infidelity, she wants desperately to be a part of his life, and the mother of the small, engaging boy who is his son.
Highly Recommended
June 1, 2016
This was Annie and Ty's story and while it was great to see the first of the 2nd generation of Sweet Magnolias, there was nothing about this book that truly grabbed me. It was an enjoyable read. The characters were warm and familiar. But while I liked Annie she came off as a little shrewish. It took her a while to really grow up. Ty cheated on her but that was not only old news but they weren't married and they were both young. At a certain point you have to get past your own hurt and anger if you want a relationship with someone or even if you just want to move on and nearly 4 years is enough time. Enjoyable but not thrilling.
April 2, 2021
I'm pretty disappointed with this one. I don't believe in struggle love where women put up with men who do them wrong. Then on top of that, everyone guilt tripping Annie like she's in the wrong for not accepting him back with open arms? Nah, homegirl is 23 there are plenty (ok not plenty bc we know men are trash) but there are other options out there. Big ugh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2020
I seriously can’t put these books down... read this one in just two days. This one is all about Ty and Annie. I really hope we see more of their story in the next few books. I think this one was one of my top favorite of the series.
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