Book Review | Sweet Southern Memories – C.A. Harms (Magnolia Grove Series, Book Two)

Sweet Southern Memories
By: C.A. Harms

Genre: Small Town Romance
Book # in Series: 2 of 12
Tropes: Single Mother, Second Chance, Medicine, Small Town Doctor
Publisher: Indie
Publication Date: February 8th, 2024
My Rating: ✮✮✮✮ ½
My Reading Format: Arc received for an honest review

Synopsis:

Zoey

Life doesn’t always go according to plan, a lesson I learned the hard way during my divorce. My first love returns home just in time to watch me pick up the pieces, and the moment I lay eyes on him every memory rushes back.

Jayson Lincoln, the man who still makes my heart beat fast, after all these years. But he’s Doctor Lincoln now and I’m a far cry from the carefree girl he left behind.

I’m learning to navigate life as a single mother of twin girls and he’s reluctantly home to take over the family practice. We may be back in the same small town, but we’re still worlds apart.

Jayson

It’s always been her. No one could ever measure up to Zoey Harding.

And I’ll always regret walking away from her and our hometown, for the big city to chase my dreams.

The longer I’m back, the more the echoes of our past whisper what could have been. But it’s not just about us, and her daughters steal my heart and mend what’s been broken for far too long.

Zoey’s afraid to trust me, but I’m determined to heal the fractures of her heart and prove that this time I’m not going anywhere.

honey-script.light

Sweet Southern Harms by C.A. Harms is the second book in the Magnolia Grove Series. If you love second chance romance novels mixed with a little single mother drama, look no further, run to amazon and pick up this book.

Once upon a time in a small town land, lived a boy and a girl who fell hopelessly in love with one another. But then high school ended and the real world began. The boy went off to College and then medical school in hopes of one day carrying on his grandfather’s legacy as a well respected small town doctor. The boy asked the girl to come with him, but he knew better than to assume the girl would give up her small town dreams in favor of the big city lights and they both knew long distance wouldn’t work for long..

Now, after a tragedy strikes Jayson’s family, he’s back in Magnolia Grove to take over his grandfather’s medical practice and to finally claim the happily ever after. Jay is about to find out, his Zoey isn’t the same girl he said goodbye to all those years ago. Her upcoming divorce has left her jaded and internally scarred. And let’s not forget the mama bear mode she sports when it comes to her twin daughters. He’ll do everything in his power to make Zoey see that their happily ever after can still exist if she just opens her heart back up to him.

My Thoughts:

I was not expecting to love this one as much as I did! You see, I’m not a huge fan of romance novels involving doctors or medicine. I tend to grow easily bored when it comes to both of these tropes. C.A. Harms did the impossible! I was invested in this novel from start to end. I needed Zoey and her girls to find their happily ever after. I needed the doubt of Jayson’s feelings to be wiped from her memory, and I needed those two twin girls to have a daddy they could rely on! C.A. Harms DELIVERED!! I should have known better than to doubt this author when it comes to bringing an epic happily ever after.

Let’s dive into the characters.

Jayson is headstrong and resilient when it comes to getting exactly what he wants. But this man also has a sweet emotional side. Seeing Jay give his whole heart to Zoey and his girls tugged at every single one of my heartstrings. I especially loved his dedication to her twins and the love he received from them in return. This man was in it for the long haul, and there wasn’t a moment that I would have changed in concerns to him and his character.

And then we have Zoey. I loved Zoey’s need for independence and to prove to herself she can stand on her own two feet, be a single mother, and raise her daughter’s by herself. But something I learned about this town, Magnolia Grove, you’re never alone. When struggle knocks on your door, there are at least five people standing behind you preparing to help you fight your battles. I absolutely loved the fact that Zoey didn’t let Jayson in right away. She was weary of her daughters and her self forming attachments, in fear of those attachments crumble in the end. So, I completely understood where her turmoil of loving Jayson comes into effect. My heart repeatedly broke for this woman and her inability to trust.

Now, the reason why I dropped a half star rating… I loved the connection and the chemistry that were portrayed between all characters throughout this novel, so all of that was on point and not the reason. The reason(s) I’ll chalk up to spoiled reader syndrome. I wanted an epic moment between Jayson and the twins. When I say epic, I mean the most epic of father/daughter moments between the three of them. I loved the moments when they fell asleep on his shoulder while watching movies. And I loved viewing Jayson in his fatherly element, but I wanted an epic tear-filled conversation between the three of them.

Overall, I loved Sweet Southern Memories! I can’t wait to see what comes next in the Magnolia Grove Series!! If you love single mother romances and a hero who swoops in and proves to her that there are good men out there, look no further and pick up this book!!

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