Judy Christie

Dear Readers,

Magnolia Market by Judy Christie is the second in the Trumpet and Vine series.  Sweet Olive is book number 1.  You don’t have to read them in order, but really I recommend it as some of the background development will make more sense if you do. 

It never ceases to amaze me when I finish a book like this.  It is a story that isn’t making me turn the pages as fast as I can read them, and yet it feels like coming home after a long time away.   I love the characters and Judy’s writing style.  She has a way of telling a story that feels so very comfortable.

Avery finds out her mother-in-law has sold the boutique that Avery planned on buying from her on the anniversary of Avery’s husband’s death.  Avery always knew her mother-in-law didn’t think much of her, but for her to sink that low… 

Finding herself homeless, without money and seemingly without anyone that cares, Avery is not sure where to turn.  She finds friends and support in the strangest of places, the local market that she is helping run while one of the owners recovers from a heart attack.

Take some time away from the grey clouds of winter in the north and visit the sleepy town of Samford in Louisiana and enjoy the warmth.

Happy Reading,

Judy Christie

Dear Readers,

 

Sweet Olive by Judy Christie is the sweet story of Camille Gardner.  She is trying to work her way into the corporate offices of her uncle's oil company.   She has been his "landman" for years and she wants to set down roots, big roots somewhere and work at an art gallery. 

 

Uncle Scott promises this is the last time she will need to go out and sign land owners to the leases of their mineral rights.  After that he tells Camille she will be able to come work in Houston and never have to travel again.  The problem is, the last job is in Sweet Olive, Louisiana, the place where she had spent the worse month of her life. 

 

Camille plans on getting in, getting the signatures she needs and getting out.  Of course she is not planning on falling in love with the community of Sweet Olive and a wonderful, quirky artist who lives there. 

 

This is very much a story of slowing down, breathing once and while and following your dreams.  There is a bit of the 'evil' corporate giant in the storyline, but it is not aimed at everyone.  Of course when you are talking mineral rights and drilling you have to have a bad guy.  What better bad guy than a huge gas company that is looking to endanger the local water and to get the mineral rights as cheaply as possible.

 

I had to stop this book twice because of deadlines I had on a couple other books, but I kept going back to it, because it was the kind of story that made me want to finish it.  I loved the story line, but it was mostly the wonderful characters that Judy created that made me want to move to Sweet Olive and take up art of some sort or another.

 

Happy Reading