"Magnolia Blossoms" by Rhonda R. Dennis came as a recommendation from bestselling author L.B. Simmons on her Facebook page and since it was a mere $.99 (I so love it when books are on sale!), I went ahead and made the Amazon purchase using my never been used debit card. Go me! ^.^ This book is a steal at that price but it's only meant to be that way for a week and by the time I post this review, the week be almost done. Still, the new price ($4.99) will be well worth it because "Magnolia Blossoms" has to be one of the funniest and most original stories I've had the pleasure of reading in quite awhile. ♥
Thirty two-year-old Magnolia Picasso Berrybush (yes, that really is her name) could have probably given the lead character of Betty in the hit series Yo soy Betty, la fea (aka Ugly Betty and i ♥ Betty La Fea) a run for her money. She knows she doesn't have much going on physically. She has buck teeth, is stick thin, doesn't shave her armpits and legs, and dresses in turtleneck sweaters, ankle-length argyle skirts, and boots on an everyday basis. People often don't even notice her and she's realized that she may not achieve fame so she may as well go for the next best thing--infamy.
Of course, planning to become a serial killer isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, especially since Magnolia happens to have an aversion to blood. She comes up with a few other plans but poor Magnolia seems to be a walking disaster waiting to happen and her accidents are never simple trips or falls. Every single time she's had an accident, medic Jace Taylor just happens to be the one ready to patch her up or cart her off to the hospital. He's good looking and a nice guy but Magnolia believes she's way out of his league and makes do with fantasizing about him instead.
Things begin to change for our haphazard heroine when, after her very first accident, she undergoes facial reconstruction due to the injuries she received and she puts on a few needed pounds that end up in all the right places. She wants guys to notice her and she believes she can get some coaching from a prostitute and that's when she meets Honey LeReaux, who, as it turns out, decides to take Magnolia under her wing and helps her see the possibilities that are right before her, if only she would take the time to take care of herself and accentuate the positives.
This was a hilarious book that had me laughing out loud at times. The stuff Magnolia gets herself into are sometimes so incredulous that you can almost imagine everything going on in your head and it feels like you're watching a slapstick version of a romantic comedy. ^.^ Her transformation seems to have been signaled when Jace and the new people she comes across begin to call her "Maggie" or "Mags". She's like the proverbial ugly duckling that becomes a swan but her decades-long insecurities hinder her evolution at times. When the beauty on the outside finally matches the beauty on the inside, her journey remains one filled with self-discoveries that are often eye-opening and sometimes heartbreaking.
I loved that "Magnolia Blossoms" truly was, first and foremost, about Magnolia "Maggie" Berrybush. Yes, she falls in love and the love story was both sweet and poignant but the heart of the book is about her personal journey and how, like any flower, it takes time for it to grow and blossom, not wanting to be rushed, everything happening in its own time. I am seriously recommending that you read this wonderfully written book as soon as you can, especially while it's on sale. It goes on my Best Reads for 2014 AND my Favorite Reads for 2014 and it gets a much deserved five-plus stars. ♥♥♥
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