Customer Reviews

Home in Carolina (Sweet Magnolias Series)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had read a few of SW books before and remember them as pleasantly entertaining. However I regretted picking up this book; reading the synopsis I was hoping for a feel good, love conquers all, happy ending book.

*** CONTAINS SPOILER*** Although this book has a happy ending, the main male character Ty repeatedly cheated on "the love of his life" Annie, with different women in each town he travelled to on his tour; his reasons being he convinced himself that part of his life is separated from them (Annie and himself); he even fathered a boy with one of the women.

Now that his injuries might be career ending, he figures he could get Annie back while doing rehab back in their hometown. Everyone in their small town, especially their families, expect Annie to forget and forgive, and take Ty back, because they love each other? Beside, Annie's father cheated on her mom, and she took him back; now they're a happy family. Ty's dad also cheated on his mom and she forgave him.

I understand that this books is about second chances, but too much cheating all around for me.

I'm a huge Sherryl Woods fan. I've read everything she's written, so it pains me to give the latest book in the Sweet Magnolia series only three stars. I was so waiting for Ty and Annie's story and came away from it feeling unsatisfied. Maybe it's because I felt there were too many questions unanswered. I appreciate the fact this book was about making mistakes, learning to trust again, and following your heart but I just feel there were too many loose ends. I also felt that instead of this being Ty and Annie's story, there were too many other people involved. All of the other stories has supporting characters but to me Ty and Annie just kind of got lost in the parade of other people in this book. I was happy to revisit the characters from books past and see how they were doing but instead of being in the background they were all front and center and it took so much away from what was going on between Annie and Ty. Will this stop me from buying Sherryl's next book, absolutely not but this won't be one that I read over and over again like I have with many of her other novels.

Annie Sullivan and Tyler Townsend have loved each other since high school and expected to be together forever. But when Tyler became a big time major league baseball player, the temptations of being on the road with all the available women proved to be too much and he betrayed Annie in the worst way. Now raising his son by himself, years have passed and he's home to recover from an injury. And while he's home he's determined to prove to Annie that he's a changed man and that they are meant to be. But Annie can't get over the hurt Tyler inflicted on her. Can they find they're way back to each other, especially when the mother of Tyler's son suddenly reappears?

I love Sherryl Woods, truly love her books and I had been waiting for Annie and Tyler for what seems forever. So when I saw Home in Carolina I had to have it. HAD TO! That being said I can't help but feel disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Annie and Tyler's story; it could be the build up because I was left wanting MORE. I never really felt satisfied at any point in the story and maybe that was because I never really felt like Tyler recovered from his fall from grace. Either way, Home in Carolina was enjoyable reading but not the story I was expecting for Annie and Tyler.

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

There are so many problems with this story and not enough space to relay them.
There were too many stories going on here. Would have liked to just visit with Ty and Annie and not everyone else so much in this story. While it was nice to see from them it would have been better if they were just background. Ty's whole cheating - couldn't believe him. He comes back and wants to get back with her and he really doesn't even have a good excuse for the cheating. He should manned up and ended the relationship with Annie first before he needed to sow his oats and whatever his other excuse was, after all his father cheated on his mother so he KNEW! Maggie - where does she get off with her whole selfishness and wanting Annie to just get over it already and hook back up with Ty so that he will stay in town. Annie being this fabulous P.T. really at 23!!! The other story with Dee Dee. . . really what legal leg did she have to stand on? She abandoned her baby!!! Don't see how any judge would give her temporary physical custody of a child that she hadn't seen in 3 years!! Oh I could go on and on and on . . . . .

I have read nearly all of Sheryl Woods' books and loved them, except for this one. I think the author tried to focus on too many characters other than Annie and Ty and there was little romance involved between the pair. I was bored with the book and the romance fell flat.

Annie Sullivan and Tyler Townsend had been best friends and then boyfriend and girlfriend for years. Everyone thought they'd be together forever, but when Tyler became a professional baseball player he cheated on Annie, breaking her heart. Annie moved home to Serenity, South Carolina to pick up the pieces. Now Tyler is back in Serenity to recover from an injury and is determined to win back Annie. But she must learn to trust Tyler again - and deal with the fact that he has a three-year-old son.

"Home in Carolina" is the first book I've read in Sheryl Woods' Steel Magnolias series but it won't be the last. While it was part of a series I was pulled right into the novel and characters and never felt lost (although I enjoyed this book so much I now want to read the other books). Annie and Tyler's story is a good one featuring well developed characters that you'll care for. Annie's insecurities (including a past bout with anorexia), are very real - Tyler truly broke her heart and she's afraid to trust him again. Tyler is also a sympathetic character as he struggles to overcome his past mistakes and begins to realize those mistakes will affect him for the rest of his life. His concerns about his son are very real, especially when the child's mother comes back into his life. The stories involving other characters are also well done - notably Helen's story and she tries to rebuild her career, while also dealing with a young child and aging mother. Serenity, South Carolina seems like a great place to live. Everyone cars for and looks after each other - as long as you don't mind everyone knowing your business. If I have any complaints about the novel it is the way some of the male characters are written - far too many are abusive or have cheated on their wife/girlfriend.

Fans of Debbie Macomber will enjoy "Home in Carolina".

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

After hearing about Annie and Ty for a while in other books, I was really excited to read more of the story of what was happening between them. And on that point -- this chapter of the Sweet Magnolias did its job, for sure. If you haven't read the earlier books, Woods does a good job of setting the stage and "filling you in" on all the backstory you may have missed, though for those who may be following along with every book of the series, the rehashing does get a little old. There are entire pages you can just skip altogether while they explain Annie's history, for instance.

My only real problem with the book (as it was a quick, enjoyable read, like visiting old friends) is that it seemed a little unfocused. There were a lot of sub-dramas going on with the other Magnolias, and while that kind of plot development is great if you're reading the whole series, it would be a little confusing if you just dove into this book right away. I came away feeling like I'd hung out with some girlfriends, for sure, but also felt that maybe the Ty/Annie story was pretty straightforward, and probably didn't need a whole book of its own....thus, the sub-plots and other-character-dramas.

That said, I'd still recommend this whole series as a great, girly beachfront read for summer. If you start from the beginning, you'll quickly fall in love with all the Magnolias.

Great story, gread read, enjoyed it very much. Have either read all of her books or they are on order.

This was my first book by Sherryl Woods and I could't put it down. I loved that it was set in the south and involved baseball. I thought it was very well written. Definitely a good first impression of this autor.