Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (4)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (5)
- Canada (3)
- England (16)
- France (2)
- Greece (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Jacobson's Love Letter to Louisiana Will Hit Y'all Right in the Feels (With a Giveaway!)
4:52 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Reading about a place can never match experiencing a place, but after sinking into Southern Charmed by Melanie Jacobson, I feel like I've spent a week being romanced by my daughter's hometown, with all its many enchantments. Although there is plenty to love about Jacobson's newest, it's the setting that makes it stand out. A native of Baton Rouge, the author has penned a passionate and persuasive love letter to the city of her birth. And it's lovely.
The story revolves around Lila Mae Guidry, a 24-year-old high school teacher who loves her life in Baton Rouge. Although eligible LDS men of a certain age are a rare species in the city, she's prepared to remain single forever if that's what it takes to avoid yanking up her deep, deep Louisiana roots. What Lila's not prepared for is the return of Max Archer, the boy who humiliated her at her first Stake dance. At 26, her teenage tormentor is smart, successful, and full of the good graces he lacked as a kid. Not everything about him has changed, though—Max still thinks Baton Rouge is a redneck, backwater town where he would never consider settling on any kind of permanent basis. Lila can forgive him for most things, but not for that. Trouble is, she's falling for him. Hard. When push comes to shove, can she abandon the city she adores for the man she loves? Or will her Louisiana-love be the thing that tears the couple apart forever?
Although Southern Charmed is a light, breezy romance like this author's previous novels, it has more depth than the others. Take Lila, for instance—she's a typical Jacobson heroine, but the fact that she cares so much about both her underprivileged students and her mother's grief makes her infinitely more likable than her successors. Her story is fuller than theirs as well, giving it more substance. Add in the vibrant, Technicolor setting and I think it's safe to say that Jacobson has upped her game in a most satisfying way. Like its predecessors, Southern Charmed sparkles with warmth, romance, and the witty banter that Mel does so well. The ending is predictable, even cheesy, and yet I found myself sniffling and applauding at the same time. All the feels, I'm telling you, all the feels. I've always liked Melanie Jacobson, but Southern Charmed is her best yet. I adored it, y'all.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Until Summer Ends by Elana Johnson; also of other novels by Melanie Jacobson, including The List; Twitterpated; Second Chances; Not My Type; Smart Move; Always Will; and Painting Kisses)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for very mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Southern Charmed from the generous folks at Covenant in exchange for participating in the book's blog tour. Thank you!
--
Want more opinions on Southern Charmed? Follow the blog tour:
*Sept. 12th: http://mybookaday. blogspot.com/, http:// rockinbookreviews.com/, http:/ /ldswritermom.blogspot.com/
*Sept. 13th: http:// thethingsilovemost.com/, http: //www.blogginboutbooks.com/, h ttps://joyinthemoments. wordpress.com/, http:// empowermoms.net/
*Sept. 14th: http://melsshelves. blogspot.com/, http:// iamareader.com/, http:// bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, ht tp://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/
*Sept. 15th: http:// katiescleanbookcollection. blogspot.com/, http:// ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, h ttp://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://sweetlymadejustforyou. com/blog/
*Sept. 16th:http://booksaresanity. blogspot.com/, http:// gettingyourreadonaimeebrown. blogspot.com/, http:// lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout. blogspot.com/, http://www. singinglibrarianbooks.com/, ht tp://fireandicereads.com/
Enter to win your own copy of Southern Charmed as well as a $25 Amazon gift card:
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)


Reading
The Haunting of Emily Grace by Elena Taylor

Listening
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
-
-
Mailbox Monday: September 15, 20256 hours ago
-
Sunday Post/Sunday Salon13 hours ago
-
-
-
In My Audiobook Era Book Tag16 hours ago
-
-
The Shakespeare Secret by D J Nix1 day ago
-
-
Week in Review #371 day ago
-
YA Christmas Romance Books1 day ago
-
-
-
-
I'm Cutting Back2 days ago
-
-
-
#ThrowbackThursday. April/May 20153 days ago
-
A Review of The Last of What I Am4 days ago
-
-
-
With a Vengence by Riley Sager6 days ago
-
-
-
August reads and autumn plans1 week ago
-
Sorry About the Spam…2 weeks ago
-
-
-
No Roundup this month4 months ago
-
Sunday Post #5684 months ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up6 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery6 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October9 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus1 year ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ▼ 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

I'm flying in on Monday. I'm counting on you providing me books to read for two weeks!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at this one and know I must read it! Louisiana! Baton Rouge! A great review, thanks.
ReplyDelete