Book Review | Single Southern Flirt – Cary Hart (Magnolia Grove Series, Book One)

Single Southern Flirt
By: Cary Hart

Genre: Small Town Romance
Tropes: Older Brother’s Best Friend
Publisher: Indie
Publication Date: January 18th, 2024
My Rating: ✮✮✮✮
My Reading Format: Arc received for an honest review

Synopsis:

Falling for my brother’s best friend is the last thing I expect to do when I return home to
Magnolia Grove, heartbroken and ringless.

But catching my fiancée banging his Harvard grad intern made me rethink my life choices, like
ditching my education to play house.

No more pretending, and no strings. All I need now is some careless fun while I rebuild my life,
one odd job at a time.

Single, southern, flirt, Matty Lincoln is the perfect distraction. The professional football
player had big dreams, and no back up plan.

After a career ending injury lands him back in our hometown, I find myself falling fast and hard
for my old crush.

Now he’s simultaneously fixing up my house, and my heart, making me feel things I wish I
didn’t.

And our little rendezvous? Yeah, it’s about to make big waves in our small town.

honey-script.light

Single Southern Flirt by Cary Hart is the first book in the Magnolia Grove Series. This is a series where each book is written by a different author set in the same town! I loved reading series with the same premise in the past, and judging from the first book in this series, I know I’ll love it once again! Now, let’s get to this review.

Emmalee thought she had everything she wanted, but the day she realized her six year relationship and impending marriage was no longer working, was the day she ended things, packed up her bags, and moved back home to Magnolia Grove. She quickly found out how much she missed home and her family and friends… But now, comes the scary part. Learning to live again and finding dreams of her own.

Mattie had the world in his hands, being the quarterback that everyone talked about was quickly putting him on the map! Until an unfortunate accident left his throwing hand out of commission. Now, Mattie is back in Magnolia Grove, looking for a fresh start where there aren’t camera’s shoved in his face, questions being asked, and sponsorships being dropped. He wants a life out of the limelight for a few, is that too much to ask?

When Emmalee sets her sights on Mattie for the first time in years, what she thought was a childhood crush on her older brother’s best friend, comes roaring back with a vengeance. This time, she’ll take matters into her own hands… Can you say, plot twist?

My Thoughts:

Cary Hart brought the swoon, the spice, and the comedy with Single Southern Flirt. Mattie and Emmalee are freaking adorable together! I couldn’t get enough of these two and their friends,

Let’s start with Magnolia. I loved the concept that she was trying to find herself, after being in a six year relationship where it was all about the man in her life and his goals. And I loved how her friends and brother kept throwing jobs at her to try to spark her interest in something. I also loved the shy clumsy girl that came out when Mattie first walked back into the picture. This girl was too much sometimes, and I mean that in the most positive way.

And then we have Mattie. Oh Mattie, you sweet southern talking man, you! Here is a man who once had the world in the palm of his hands one minute, and in the very next someone swipes it away. It was sad to see that dream fade away. You know what they say, though, When one door closes another one opens! I loved seeing the smiles and the laughter come back with Emmalee. I loved witnessing the stress leave his shoulders and the carefree spirit come back. My heart felt their connection and chemistry!

I dropped a star because I felt like I was missing a few key scenes… and that is all I’m going to say at this moment due to spoilers. I wanted just a little bit more for me to push this one up to a full rating.

Overall, I really enjoyed Single Southern Flirt by Cary Hart. Let it be known, if you love small town romances with endless flirting, and a brother’s best friend trope, don’t hesitate to pick this one up!!

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