Magnolia by Kristi Cook was a nice little surprise. As most people who know what I like to read know, I don’t typically lean toward the contemporary genre but there was so much about this book that made me want to pick it up.

As the story gets underway, we find out that Jem and Ryder live in a small Mississippi town and their families have been close friends forever. Their mothers have also been planning their lives out forever. I loved that this wasn’t your typical friends to more story. As a matter of fact, to add a twist, the two main characters actually kind of disliked each other. Plus, knowing their mothers were pushing them to be together, there was no way Ryder and Jemma were going to be more than just friendly…or so they think.

Jemma was a great character. She excels at everything she tries – including shooting guns, cheerleading, and now, she wants to go to film school. She just has to get the courage to tell her parents what she wants. At the same time that she is asking her parents to let her consider going to NYU, she finds out her sister, Nan, is sick (brain tumor) and has to have brain surgery. This all sets the stage for the next part of the story which is where we a better idea of who Ryder is.

Now…Ryder appears to be perfect. I mean, let’s start with how Jem describes him early on…

He’s the star quarterback of our Division 1A state-championship football team. Top student in our class, and he doesn’t even have to work at it. He plays the piano like some kind of freaking prodigy, and I would be surprised if he composed sonatas or something in his spare time.
Oh, and did I mention that he’s gorgeous? Of course he is. Six foot four, two hundred ten pounds of swoon-worthy good looks. Spiky dark hair, chocolate brown eyes, and full-on dimples.

Really…what more is there to say??? Nothing really. Other than he continues to try to be friendly with Jemma but she continues to push him away and he can’t really figure out why. Despite that, he is always polite and seems to do the right thing.

I loved how Cook wrote this small Southern town and the people who lived there. The families who have known each other since the Civil War and the traditions they follow, and how everyone knows everyone else’s business…it was all perfectly done in my opinion.

I also loved all of these characters. Trust me, there were times I wanted to shake Jemma and just tell her to talk to Ryder…don’t assume he will figure it out. I also wanted her to realize she was smart and strong. One of the things I loved was how much Ryder and Nan opened her eyes to the idea that she should do what makes her happy. I also thought the relationship build between these two characters was believable.

If you’re looking for a great contemporary, definitely check this one out. It was definitely what I was looking for. Something light and lovely with great characters and a fantastic story.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for the review copy.