Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was the first book I’ve read from this author. It was a good book, definitely a slow burn. Both main characters have pasts that they would rather keep hidden. Grace is more open than Ian. Ian is tall, dark, hot and mysterious. He is also the arrogant man that we all hate to love.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I literally just finished this book and I RAN to do this review!! Wow!! This is the first I’ve read of this author so I have nothing else to base it on, but I can tell you I’m about to start digging up everything she’s written so far. This book was so good! Grace REALLY needs to move out of her apartment she shares with her roommate and move quick. She responds to the ad from the guy across the hall looking for a roommate. In exchange for living with him rent free, he wants someone to just cook him dinner at HIS expense. That’s a pretty sweet sounding deal! After meeting with the gorgeous guy (Ian) and going over all of the rules and expectations she agrees. The chemistry is there from the beginning and it slowly grows between the two. They both have some skeletons in their closets, but the mystery of what happened just adds that much more anticipation to the book. I’m telling you this book has it all, the spice, the sweetness, sadness and pain, but really the author did it in the best way. I can’t compliment this book enough. And don’t even get me started on the huge surprise at the end! I didn’t see that coming!! I will be buying this in paperback thank you very much! All I can say is READ.IT.NOW.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
From the moment I read the description of this book I knew I had to read it. It was such an intense and intriguing blurb. The Book itself did not disappoint. I was pulled into the story and had to find out what was going on. The author creates a great story with some truly interesting characters. As the first book that I had read by this author I thought it were a strong introduction. A brilliant book and I am looking forward to discovering more.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a great book! Watching Ian and Grace grow towards each other was amazing. Perfectly paced and all the suspense with a satisfying ending! Really couldn’t put the book down! Easy to read and so well written! Can’t wait to find more from this author!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I was definitely sucked in.
Grace and Ian meet by chance. She agrees to stay with him when she’s in need of a place and in return she just has to cook for him. She doesn’t know how to take him. He’s got and cold but slowly but surely he starts checking off all of her boxes. The only problem – Ian has a secret and he is determined to keep it that way. What does the future hold for these two? Will Ian’s secret tear everything apart?
I couldn’t put this book down! It’s so well written and I really enjoyed the characters. I couldn’t get enough!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This story was amazing! It drew me in from the first chapter. I seriously couldn’t put it down. Grace and Ian’s story is a really unexpected one. But the heart knows what it wants and who are you to deny it? Especially if it is something that makes you happy.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book seriously blew me away because this is such a good book. Grace finds herself immediately drawn to Ian when she answers his offers to stay at his apartment rent free and she only has to cook dinner for him in return. He burns hot and cold with her constantly and he won’t open up and share what he’s hiding beneath the surface. Grace does her best to hold back emotionally from him because she fears he loves another woman. They just can’t seem to stay away from each other though and the secret that comes out absolutely blew me away! They both have so much hurt in the past and they just might be able to heal each other if they can only get past all the secrets and truly trust and let each other in. This is a book that you definitely are not going to want to miss and I am so looking forward to reading more books from this author.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What do you do when you need a new place to live? Take up the offer your neighbor has going of course. Grace finds herself unable to put up with her roommates lifestyle any longer. She remembered seeing a neighbors note about wanting a roommate and decides to look into things. All Ian wants is someone to cook a meal for him every evening in return for living in his second bedroom rent free. Too good to be true right? What will happen when things turn into more than either of them bargained for?
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! The way the storyline played out had me guessing, seriously. I could not put this book down. The slow buildup, the not knowing was killing me! Great job with suspense! I loved the romance between the two. It felt realistic and was swoon worthy!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a good paced story between Grace and Ian. It starts out Ian follows Grace to work everyday and then ends up offering her a better job and place. Grace reluctantly agrees and then thy become friends that grow into something more. The writing was done beautifully and it felt like I was in the story with them watching as a spectator. This author does a wonderful job portraying what secrets can do to a person when they aren’t explained and revealed. I loved reading this book and look forward to reading her other books!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I personally love nothing more than a slow burn and boy oh boy did this author deliver on a slow burn. The characters are amazing, and I absolutely loved watching the relationship build between Grace and Ian. The writing is unique and beautiful, and flows so effortlessly that you will find yourself having issues putting it down. This story is filled with a beautiful lead character, a mysterious man that might steal her heart, and enough romance and secrets to keep the reader guessing. So if you love romance definitely pick this one up today.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an incredibly intense and wonderful book! The story of Grace and Ian starts out with a devious twist. They have both been through rough romantic pasts and come together with some new challenges to work out and through before they can make this relation ship work. The chemistry is definitely there. The tension is palpable. The characters are so relatable. Grace owns a flower shop and struggles to maintain her independence and heal from past trauma. The struggle is real. Sheila just needs to grow up. Ian just wants to love Grace. The plot was so beautiful and brought tears at times. You feel all the emotions. Fabulous book. Highly recommend.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A romance full of twists and surprises
I went in blind and was totally thrown for a loop. This is a book that I don’t want to give too much away. The writing is good, characterisation great and the plot amazing. My only gripe would be the use of the word ‘soulful’ felt a little overdone but that is such a minor observation. This book takes you on a journey full of secrets, mystery, romance and challenges.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This story was a wonderful and pleasant read. I really enjoyed it. I loved how things progressed at a rate that was not too slow, and not too fast. Everything fit into together well. I loved the writing style of this beloved author as well. This author created a wonderful story that was very realistic and I really enjoyed it!
Loved the romance side of the story. I loved the growing relationship between Grace and Ian. The heart knows what it wants, especially if everything you have been looking for is right there in front of you. Ian is more than he appears. Grace suspects underneath that smile, there is something more, but what? I could not put this one down. I had to keep reading to see what surface from Ian’s side and how it would affect his relationship with Grace and how it would affect her entirely. The story was appealing in more than one way, the suspense was defiantly there. Was defiantly a must read! I freaking loved this book!
Everything about this book, was amazing. I had trouble putting it down to do routine things. It really was a sensation of a read. I highly recommend this must read as well as this must read author!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward. This is a great slow burn read. Its the story of Grace who owns a flower shop and Ian a mysterious hot guy. A hot guy that remembers her name and knows she walks to work everyday. Grace is just getting her life back on track and beginning to have a drama free life so she doesn’t need a hot guy to muddy the waters again. The more time they spend together the more sparks fly but Grace is just cautious. She feels that Ian has secrets and boy does he. This story goes by quickly and will keep you turning pages late in the night to find out what happens. Grace is a strong female who is trying to get her life back together and she is so attracted to Ian but knows that he might be trouble. What will she do? Read Checking Boxes to find out!
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would! I was a little hesitant when I first started it but all I have to say is wow! What an amazing story! You truly don’t know someone. This story takes you on a steamy ride with Ian and Grace. It will keep you turning pages to learn Ian’s secret. It is definitely not what you are expecting. This book has some secrets you won’t believe! Loved this book and really loved the story line and reading from both characters perspectives.
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Magdoline has given us as readers a unique story that is full of torment. It is one story that you need to read without having any idea about it before going in. To describe it does not do it just with the way the author has twined this complex tale. The plot is clever and different. You become intrigued with the story and the world in which you are invited to become a part of. It’s one of those stories that you want to skip ahead to find out how it all ends and let me tell you the ending is one I did not expect.
It is a surprising tale with a mysterious man, hidden dark secrets, someone you will love to hate and hate to love and one woman who doesn’t know what she is in for.
Reviewed by @jennadb
Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this romance story. This is a well written story about Ian and Grace. Their story is one of where a chance meeting turns into something neither one expected. Problem comes in when Ian has a secret that he is determined not to reveal to her but what will happen when he checks all the boxes for her? What does fate have in store for them? I enjoyed how I was pulled into the story from the beginning. They are great, strong characters that popped off the pages. They have great chemistry and made the story easy to read. This is a fast paced story that has great plot growth throughout the story. An engaging story that had me coming back for more. I enjoyed this author’s skills as well as her attention to details that made the story realistic. I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it.
Review by @bjwagner
~ ~ ~ ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His name was Ian. My name was Grace. But in a city of eight million people, who cared about names.
Surprisingly, he did. We’d bumped into each other once, but Ian remembered my name and the fact that I owned a flower shop.
And… he knew I walked to my shop every day. A bit stalkerish, I feared.
Then he offered me a place to live when I needed one. I’d cook him dinner every night for a rent-free stay.
Yep. Right. Too good to be true.
I accepted when I should have stayed away.
After getting finally on the right track to having the stable life I wanted, I didn’t need to throw a mysterious guy into the mix.
But despite my best wishes to protect myself, I was so intrigued by him. He was enigmatic, handsome, successful—a man who owned his world.
And it didn’t help that he sought after me relentlessly. So, for a while, I’d silenced my doubts.
Physically he was there, checking all the right boxes with me, but his heart held to a secret he swore I would never unveil.
Writing is a joyful journey. An escape into another world, dealing with situations I may never encounter in life. It’s a big challenge to make decisions on behalf of strangers, only for them to surprise me with their unexpected wishes. Then, the two worlds collide. I don’t know what’s real and what’s in my head.
