Review: Maggie's Song by Karey White
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2014
So I'm like a day late and a dollar short in getting to this anthology full of Valentine's day goodness. I don't really buy into the hype surrounding commercialized holidays so I let this one sit for a little bit. Just to give it some time to marinate so I wasn't tainted by my lack of enthusiasm about a forced display of hearts and ridiculous cards. I hate that I waited so long because out of the six novellas that are included in this series, the one I read was absolutely wonderful.I've read two other books by this author and have loved both unique stories and the characters they introduced. Maggie's Song was just as amazing as the other books I've read and with a sweetheart storyline there was no way  could dislike it even a little bit. Maggie and Lucas have been friends since they were kids. After he moved to the states from Australia he formed a bond with her and her cousin Dan that has carried over into their post college tour guide business in Arizona. She's always had a crush on him but it wasn't until the end of their high school run that those feelings turned into something deeper. Throughout the years life has taken them on different paths with Maggie silently watching his life move forward while she's been stuck in a rut. After finishing up his degree he's back full time to run tours with her and Dan and she may get her chance to be brave and make a move.Novellas are great for people who love a good story but don't have a lot of time to sit and read a whole book. I've read several that have been so good and had me falling in love with the characters but sometimes I find myself getting greedy when they are over. I will have gotten so invested in the characters lives that I'm not ready to fully say goodbye. Maggie's Song was no exception because not only do I love a good childhood sweetheart story but there was just something special about Maggie and Lucas that made me crave more long after I finished. While out on a tour together one of the guests picks on on Maggie's secret affection and plays matchmaker. A couple of the frisky college girls along for the trip don't make things easy on her either. I really loved Maggie's character and got a feel for her in such a short time. She's been in love with her best friend for years and she's starting to feel like it may be time to move on with her life. I started to feel a desperate sort of anxiety for her to make a move thinking she wouldn't until this meddlesome guest stuck her nose in. (Whew!) Talk about a sigh of relief.Lucas's character was a bit of a mystery to me even though I got the full effect of his charm through Maggie's eyes. He was sweet, chivalrous and at times he could be dense in how he sees Maggie. I got to know a little bit about his past with her as Maggie recalled certain details of their friendship and discovered he has always been just a well rounded guy. Lucas was the kind of guy that had potential to be an amazing and deep character to experience in a full length novel. I wanted to get inside his head and experience every little nuance from his first meeting with Maggie to the years in between. It was obvious he cared about her a great deal and even though I didn't get to see enough of his character development being such a short story I fell for him regardless. I adored how he included Maggie in everything and viewed her as a part of his life.This may have been a Valentine's box set, and I can totally see the merit of the cupid scenario only going by the one I read but it seems they can be enjoyed whenever you need a good love story. I haven't read any of the others but I absolutely plan to ASAP. White never lets me down when I need a tender sweet romance. I'm a moody reader so when I get burnt out on all the alpha males and over-sexed characters that flood the market I know I can pick up one of her stories and just enjoy the ride for what it's worth. I'm a big fan of her writing style and always seem to connect with her characters whatever the situation may be. The scenery and settings came alive in this story and gave me a beautiful picture of everything the characters saw and experienced. If you're looking to switch up your routine and need a good short story to make you fall in love again, then Maggie's Song will get you started on what I'm sure will be a wonderfully romantic experience with this series of stories.