Goodreads Blurb:
"Wedding photography is Maggie's passion. The art of capturing a moment forever in time is magical to her, and she's worked hard to become the best of the best. Week after week, she works with couples as they plan their happily ever afters, but she hasn't been so lucky in love.
Behind the camera, it's easy to hide from the pain and rejection of her past. The life she has made for herself is safe and predictable, until the owner of a rival photography studio sets up shop in her small town and comes to her with an unexpected proposal. Suddenly, everything she has worked so hard to build is threatened and her simple, controlled life is thrown into chaos.
As she travels the state of Michigan photographing weddings, she struggles to keep her business afloat and the wall around her heart intact. But along the way, she learns more about loyalty and love than she ever imagined."
Review:
Thank you to the author, Krista Noorman, for gifting me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! It's been so much fun to be a part of the launch team for such a wonderful book!
It’s been such a long time since I’ve read this kind of book. I did read a series once all about weddings and I remember loving reading about the whole process and the wonder and just prettiness involved. This book reminded me of that feeling. Don’t be fooled though. This isn’t all fun and games and there are some darker emotions that come into play although it’s mostly a… I’d say a Snicker’s Bar kind of book. You have to break through that creamy chocolate coating (the main character’s past) and find the caramel filling. There are some nuts in there as there is with any life but the caramel quickly eases over that taste. I’m sorry, this isn’t a food blog… I’ll get back on topic!
It’s been such a long time since I’ve read this kind of book. I did read a series once all about weddings and I remember loving reading about the whole process and the wonder and just prettiness involved. This book reminded me of that feeling. Don’t be fooled though. This isn’t all fun and games and there are some darker emotions that come into play although it’s mostly a… I’d say a Snicker’s Bar kind of book. You have to break through that creamy chocolate coating (the main character’s past) and find the caramel filling. There are some nuts in there as there is with any life but the caramel quickly eases over that taste. I’m sorry, this isn’t a food blog… I’ll get back on topic!
So. I think what I liked best about this book is it’s utter reality. Even though a lot of books are labeled ‘realistic fiction’ a lot of them aren’t actually realistic and are dramatized up and don’t take into account every day things. Say, finances. This book was true to Maggie’s life and her struggles.
The ending is so beautiful! Everything wrapped up without really wrapping up if you know what I mean. Like it left enough question for you to reach out into the future and imagine what happens. It is, after all, based on real life and the world keeps on spinning after the end of a story.
I really liked Maggie and Simon’s relationship. It just felt connected to reality and a lot of the time it was hilarious to read their dialogue (along with Maggie’s best friend Sarah of course!). Speaking of Maggie’s best friend… she was seriously one of my favorite characters. In one of the scenes they’re tweeting updates to each other and it’s absolutely hilarious!
I loved the plot as well. It’s brilliantly executed and kept me turning pages well into the night! I just got so hooked on Maggie and Simon’s relationship and how everything would work out with their competing photography business’s.
The Final Verdict:
From head to toe, Goodbye, Magnolia, is a true gem in my book. I was hooked from the first page and the characters and plot were grounded to reality. The ending is beautiful and left a warm, fuzzy feeling behind so I could dream of rainbows and puppys! After reading a bunch of rather dark books, this is exactly what I needed!
5 stars
Meet the Author: Krista Noorman
Krista Noorman is the author of the young adult novel, The Truth About Drew , and the contemporary romance, Goodbye, Magnolia . Most of her life has been spent scribbling away in journals, honing her writing skills, while documenting her every day life. But it wasn't until she took part in National Novel Writing Month that she found her true calling and turned her pen (or rather her computer keyboard) to fiction.
Krista studied music education at Cornerstone University. After college, she turned to her love of photography and spent nearly a decade running her own wedding photography business. She is constantly inspired by books and movies, enjoys beautiful instagram feeds, and loves a great cup of coffee. Krista makes her home in a small town in western Michigan with her husband, Jacob, and their two children. She writes about life, family, faith and whatever else comes to mind at bykrista.com .
Krista studied music education at Cornerstone University. After college, she turned to her love of photography and spent nearly a decade running her own wedding photography business. She is constantly inspired by books and movies, enjoys beautiful instagram feeds, and loves a great cup of coffee. Krista makes her home in a small town in western Michigan with her husband, Jacob, and their two children. She writes about life, family, faith and whatever else comes to mind at bykrista.com .
Contact:
Interview:
1. How would you describe Goodbye, Magnolia in true Twitter fashion: 140 characters or less?
#GoodbyeMagnolia is a beautiful story of heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, love, and wedding photography. And a whole lotta coffee.
2. What was your main inspiration for writing Goodbye, Magnolia?
I was a wedding photographer at the time I wrote the book. It was the fall of 2008 and I had just photographed four weddings in a row, one every weekend in October, so I was deep in the wedding mindset. I wanted my main character to be a wedding photographer, who was surrounded by couples in love, but had been through a bad heartbreak and hadn't found her own "happily ever after". I thought that would make a fun premise for a book. And to have her butt heads with a rival photographer was so much fun to write.
3. How long did it take to write Goodbye, Magnolia?
The first draft of the book was written for NaNoWriMo 2008 during the 30 days that November, but it took me more than six years to finally finish it and decide to publish.
4. Was publishing Goodbye, Magnolia easier with the experience of publishing your other book, The Truth About Drew?
Absolutely. Putting The Truth About Drew out there was the scariest thing I ever did, so having that experience behind me, I knew I was ready to get Magnolia out there, too. I knew what to expect, the steps that had to happen to make it happen, and I was really excited about it.
5. What is your least favorite thing about being a writer in general?
Editing the book line by line took a lot out of me this time around. It's very tedious. But I know it's a necessary step to making a book the best it can be.
6. Goodbye, Magnolia centers around the main character's photography business. Do you like photography as well? If so where/what are your favorite things to photograph?
As I mentioned, I was a professional photographer at one time, so I do love photography. I've been taking pictures since I was like ten years old and developed a love of photography from my grandma and my mom. I love a beautiful wedding, but my favorite thing to photograph is our everyday life - little details, places we go, things we do, even the kids' messy room. These are the things that show how we live and will help us remember daily life as the years go by.
7. If you could do anything you wanted for a whole day, what would you do?
Hmmm … this is a tough one. I'm picturing a Hawaiian beach, a good book, and a cold drink. That sounds pretty heavenly right now.
Giveaway
I don't recall seeing this before. Your review has me sold and I am adding it to read after it releases. I will let you know. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you love it as much as I did!
Delete