The Magnolia Sisters

City girl Avery Keller finds a sense of belonging where she least expected it in this uplifting small-town romance from Major (the Fortunes of Texas series). Leaving behind a disastrous relationship in San Francisco, Avery travels to Magnolia, N.C., to settle the estate of a father she never knew and meet her two half-sisters. Avery hoped to collect her inheritance and be on her way, but her biological father’s complicated estate thwarts this plan. Delayed in the quaint small town, Avery bonds with her sisters and warms to the close-knit community. Though memories of her painful breakup are still fresh, Avery falls for her handsome temporary landlord, divorced firefighter Grayson Atwell, and his precocious five-year-old daughter, Violet. But Gray’s glamorous, spiteful ex-wife, who brings up many of Avery’s insecurities, objects to Avery’s presence in her daughter’s life. Major’s well-developed characters are credible and winsome; Avery’s growth from a steely stranger into a caring community member is especially heartwarming and well-done. Striking the perfect balance of romance, heat, and drama, this optimistic love story is a sweet start to a promising series, perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber. (Mar.)