A beautifully emotional story, Under the Magnolias does not shy away from the messy, scary parts of life.

While Austin is a strong, independent character, she's still believable. She makes mistakes and pushes away those who only want to help her. Austin has an idea in her head of who she is supposed to be and how she is supposed to handle her difficult situation; she strives to accomplish everything independently, no matter how impossible the task. The life she leads is daunting and overwhelming, but she keeps moving forward. Her family is lovable and exhausting, her six siblings have unique personalities and complex lives, and they all come together to form a unique and exciting cast.

Vance is hard to read at first. It's difficult to get to the bottom of his hanging around Nolia Farm. I wanted to believe the best of him, but I was preparing myself for the rich douchebag bait-and-switch. He, like Austin and her family, is a complex and interesting character with serious depth.

I loved the eclectic church community acting as one big crazy family. They each had their role to play and contributed to the narrative in unique and interesting ways. Every one of them had their own complicated histories to deal with, and I loved getting to know their stories as well.

Under the Magnolias could have been twice as long, and I still would have wanted more. The descriptive writing made me feel like I was there, especially during the sweltering southern summers. An intense, emotional read; I loved every moment.