A Slice of Heaven

I’ve had this book for two months and still haven’t made it through. I enjoyed the first book in the series and was surprised by how slow and repetitive this one was. More than half the book is about a child’s anorexia and everyone including her mother turning a blind eye to it despite suspecting a problem - painful to get through. At the same time we keep hearing the main characters talk about how they need to eat healthier and work out more and lose weight over and over and over again, without any of them actually doing any of those things. Probably could have skipped this book and not missed anything in the series. Not sure if I’ll give book 3 a shot.

Dana Sue had been with her husband since high school when he has a one-night stand and she kicks him out. Her friends Maggie and Helen rally around her as she refuses to talk to him. He finally gives in to her desire for a divorce. His 14 year old daughter takes her mother's side and refuses to speak to him. He decides to leave town to give them time to cool down. They don't. Two years go by and Dana Sue has opened a successful restaurant. She is still trying to put her feelings for her ex-husband behind her when her now 16 year old daughter develops anorexia and she has to call him back to town. Ronnie has never stopped loving Dana Sue and even though he fears for his daughter's health, he is hoping to have a second chance with Dana Sue. This is a beautiful novel of second chances that also illustrates the reality of eating disorders. Sherryl Woods is a wonderfully talented writer and I love her stories. Her characters are realistic and the situations are ones that the reader can easily relate to. I highly recommend this book.

Mrs. Woods has just a way of writing that makes your soul warm up like honey in hot tea.I absolutely adore the friendship that Dana Sue, Maddie & Helen have and the way they help one another.I’m so glad that she also touches on important topics such as eating disorders and shows how people can recover given the right help and support. You never know who may reading this series that needed that.I can’t wait to dive into the next book tonight! ;)

I didn’t know about the Sweet Magnolias until I watched the Netflix series. Since then, I’ve read the first two books and a bit of the third. I’m hooked. Sweet, southern charm and a look at two serious health conditions in a Slice of Heaven are realistic. Will be reading the next one as soon as possible.

I love how the series so far (I have the first 3 books) focuses on one storyline at a time with the focus mainly on one of the "Sweet Magnolias" and those in their lives.It is not exactly like the show but still just as good! Now I need to order the next 3 sets. PS. I got so excited when I bought the first 3 that I didn't realize I had already ordered book 1 so now I am trying to find a place to sell it.

I enjoy Sherryl Woods books. Great series and easy to read. Once you start reading you can’t put the book down.

I enjoyed this book in particular. Its not often you find divorced charachters as a romance trope so it was very interesting to me. The characters are so endearing

Sherryl Wood's second volume in her "Sweet Magnolias" series, "A Slice of Heaven," is just as enjoyable and entertaining as the first volume. This storyline focuses on Dana Sue (who with her long-time friends, Maddie and Helen comprises the Sweet Magnolias), her ex-husband, Ronnie, and their sixteen-year old daughter, Annie, who developed anorexia as a response to her parents divorce. When Annie almost dies from heart complications resulting from the eating disorder, Dana Sue contacts her ex-husband who immediately returns to town determined to be there for his daughter and to restore his relationship with his ex-wife. Woods does a good job of describing the challenges of parenting a child with anorexia; she does not gloss over the hard work required on the family's behalf to address the problem and the complicating layers involved in the recovery process. Woods also deals with the issue of high blood sugar that can result in diabetes through Dana Sue's experience. In addition, the storyline includes the struggle involved as Ronnie attempts to win over his ex-wife who carries a load of resentment and anger for his one night stand that ended their marriage. Woods' work deals with real-life issues, and she does not flinch in showing the damage such problems create, not just for the parties involved, but their family and friends as well. Her characterizations are realistic and do not paint a "rose-colored picture" to cover the pain and heartbreak her characters face as they move through life and encounter problems common to her readers. That sense of realism,not always common in this literary genre, sets Woods writing above so many of her peers. I highly recommend this book, and personally look forward to volume three which I am sure deals with Helen, the third member of the Sweet Magnolias.

When I heard that netflix were making a series from the Sweet Magnolia books, I was ecstatic. having already devoured the Chesapeake Shores series and the Virgin River series I could hardly wait so when Netgalley gave me the chance to review the first two books in the series I couldn't wait to get started. I started with the second book by accident but within 5 pages I couldn't care. The relationship between Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue was a perfect example of what true friendship really is. The book handled some serious health issues very sensitively and you were rooting for Dana Sue and her daughter Annie to overcome their issues. Definitely a book I would recommend to a friend.

Dana Sue's daughter has anorexia. This was established in the first book of the series and well demonstrated when she collapsed at the end. Dana Sue has been in denial of this for over a year until Annie's life is in danger. Dana Sue blames herself for Annie's collapse and for not getting treatment for her daughter earlier. All the other characters tell her that it is not her fault. I don't agree. It is obvious from reading the first novel in the set and this one that Dana Sue should have done something about this problem and probably saved her daughter some pain. The school authorities, the medical staff who had already seen Annie, her friends and everyone else who had an inkling of the problem should have acted. It is obvious that Dana Sue has her own problems too because she is also ignoring her own health issues.Once you get over the feeling that all these people who said that they knew that there was a problem and didn't act are complicit in Annie's illness this is an OK second chance romance as Dana Sue's ex-husband Ron comes back to the family determined to fight for what he gave up too easily. They split up because of his one-night stand which he doesn't understand as it is the only time he has cheated on her - it really was his fault that they broke up and if he doesn't know why he did it I am not quite sure why Dana Sue is supposed to forget it.All the issues are resolved in an easy way - once someone says what the problem is then it is instantly solved. Everyone has an almost miraculous ability to forgive. All the problems seem to have only one cause which is a little simplistic. Health issues are cleared up magically as people are able to change their lifestyle completely without relapses (if only).I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't felt that the author reduced serious problems to simple solutions.

I enjoyed this book, well written, flowed well but.... agree with some other reviewers that dana sue not likeable. She was up & down, contradictory & had blinkers over her daughters health. I also think her saying her ex has no right to come back to live in the same town, after forcing him out originally, is a bit rich. She was so forceful in keeping him away from their daughter & didn't want to call him when daughter at deaths door. Ronnie hadnt been abusive so divorce terms excessive.

I have loved every book of yours I have read thus far. I get very drawn in to your characters and their lives but this time it's helped me to address a problem both my husband and I share unstable diabetes, both of us in denial I am also a comfort eater. Whilst knowing it's a novel it really given me the incentive to put thing right.I can never wait to read the next book in a series I am always left wanting to know where it goes from here.

Great read following the turbulent life of the Sullivan family. Woods shows great knowledge and understanding of Anorexia. Thought provoking