When Jolene Broussard's beloved Aunt Sugar and Uncle Jasper decide
to travel the country in an RV, she's beyond thrilled to take over running
the Magnolia Inn, their quaint B&B in an old Victorian house in need of
much repair. When her stingy cousin sells his share in the inn to
downtrodden-yet-handsome cowboy Tucker Malone, Jolene has no
idea what she's in for...
Still grieving the sudden death of his wife three years earlier, Tucker's
been living in a mobile home with just his cat, Sassy, for company. He
keeps busy as a handyman, and the Magnolia Inn gives him a long term
project. He never expects to find Jolene so attractive, or as someone
he actually wants to spend time with on a regular basis. But his drinking
brings up painful memories from Jolene's past, and she's not sure it's
something she can get over.
With some helpful nudges from Sugar from afar, as well as Sugar's
three best friends still in town: Flossie, Dottie, and Lucy, Jolene and
Tucker begin to let their walls down and find ways to connect as they
work on updating and restoring their B&B. With the inn's renovations
near completion, will these two business partners figure out how to be
together?
Chock full of Carolyn Brown's signature country charm, THE MAGNOLIA INN is a sweet and
heartwarming story of two people trying to make the most of their lives,
even when they have no idea what exactly is at stake. For Jolene, her
less than ideal childhood because of an addict mother leaves her
clamoring for love, and she knows she doesn't want to have to "fix"
someone. Tucker thought his wife was his one true love, so when he
starts to notice Jolene in a particular way, he feels as though he's
betraying them both. This novel is more of a slow burn as Jolene and
Tucker grapple with their inner demons. Both have to come to terms
with more than just starting a new relationship, and once they find
peace within themselves, will they find love in each other? Pick up THE MAGNOLIA INN to find out!
New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown brings together two wounded hearts in a Texas romance of second chances and twice-in-a-lifetime true love.
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?
Excerpt
Jolene had taken stock of what was left in the pantry, and there was plenty to last a couple of weeks. By then she’d have money from the bar to pay the utility bills. She paced the floor, wondering if the guy who’d offered would really buy Reuben’s half of the inn. She went from the foyer, up the wide staircase, checked each bedroom and finally sat down on the top step. The person who was interested in the place might not finalize a deal on only half. If he backed out, she decided that she was going to open for business, no matter what. She’d take a month to get the place in shape, do the spring cleaning like Aunt Sugar did every year, and take reservations starting the first of February. If she lived on a shoe string, maybe she could save enough to could hire someone to remodel one room at a time that way. Now that she had a plan, even if it wasn’t a good one, she was eager to get started, but seven o’clock at night wasn’t the time to start washing woodwork. She grabbed a quilt from the back of the sofa and carried it outside. Wrapping it around her body like a long shawl, she sat down on the porch swing and set it to moving with her foot. Within seconds she was second guessing herself about selling her half, and then a picture of Aunt Sugar’s smile flashed through her mind. Even if she could have more money than she’d ever had at one time and could be on her way to a new life, maybe down near Lafayette where she still had a beaucoup of cousins—it wasn’t going to happen. She’d made up her mind and she was going to stay focused on moving forward with the plan. A big, white fluffy cat hopped up on the swing with her and laid a paw on her leg. It was friendly enough that Jolene wondered if it belonged there, and Aunt Sugar had just forgotten to mention it in her excitement to leave the day before. “Well, what’s your name, pretty thing?” Jolene asked. “Sassy is her name,” a deep voice said right behind her. Startled, Jolene whipped around so fast that she almost fell off the swing. “Who are you, and what are you doin’ here?” Now is that any way to act toward a potential customer? Aunt Sugar’s voice popped into her head. He might stay a week, and you’d make enough money to pay the electric bill. “Right friendly, ain’t you?” Sarcasm dripped from the man’s tone. “I’m sorry. You scared me. Is this your cat? How did you get here?” “Drove my truck right up the lane and parked my trailer out in that little clearing by the bayou.” His deep drawl left no doubt that he was definitely from Texas. He easily topped six feet in his well-worn cowboy boots. His hair was dark, and the porch light lit up his piercing blue eyes. “We don’t have a trailer park.” How had he gotten past the house without her hearing the truck? “Nope, don’t reckon you do.” He sat down on the porch step, and the cat hopped off the swing and went to curl up in his lap. “Then what are you doing here?” she asked again. “Would you like to rent a room?” “Nope, don’t reckon I do, but I wouldn’t mind a tour of the house,” he said. “Why would I do that?” Her fear radar shot up several notches. “Because, honey, I’m Tucker Malone, and I own half of this place now.”
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