Netflix's 'Sweet Magnolias': Read the books that inspired the romance drama before Season 3 drops
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Book-to-screen adaptations are becoming a staple for streaming platforms as they help come up with new shows that contain a reliable plot to work with for multiple seasons. The same can more or less be said about Netflix's romantic drama 'Sweet Magnolias'.
It's based on a romance book series written by Sherryl Woods, spanning over 11 books, the last of which came out in 2014. With Season 3 just around the corner, it might be a good idea for viewers to go back and rewatch the previous seasons as a refresher. What could work even better is to indulge in the 'Sweet Magnolias' book series, which is slightly different from the series. But it would certainly be a fascinating experience for the fans of the show who can't wait to know what fate holds for the characters. Here are some of the books from the series that you can read to prepare yourself before the release of Season 3.
Books covered by 'Sweet Magnolias' Season 1
The first season of 'Sweet Magnolias' was divided into 10 episodes that spanned over 10 hours. This might not seem like a lot, but Season 1 covered the first three novels from the book series: 'Stealing Home', 'A Slice of Heaven', and 'Feels Like Family'. The three books respectively focus on the lives and romantic adventures of the main characters, Maddie Townsend, Dana Sue Sullivan, and Helen Decatur.
The first book starts with the complicated love life of Maddi,e who is going through a separation from her husband, Bill, while pursuing her other love interest Cal. Something similar transpires in the second book for Dana Su,e who is torn over a returning former love interest and business partner, Ronnie. But their relationship progresses really differently from the show, so if you are looking for an alternative ending, the book might be more interesting for you. Moreover, the third book has a lot more of Helen and Erik Whitley compared to the show and develops their relationship to a much more mature stage than just subtle hints that viewers got during Season 1. Notably, some bits of the fifth book 'Home in Carolina' is seen in the first season,n which follows the dramatic teen romance of Maddie's son Tyler "Ty" with Annie, Dana's daughter.
Books covered by 'Sweet Magnolias' Season 2
You might be surprised, at the same time, disappointed to know that the second season completely departs from the book series written by Woods. The show ended up adding its own original characters and plotlines, as well as decided to exclude some of the major incidents from the books. The showrunner and writer Sheryl J Anderson said, "While we deeply appreciate, admire,e and respect Ms. Woods and the books, we did move away from them a bit in Season 2 through a combination of characters we added to the show and incidents that we added," in an interview with TV Line. Regardless of that, if you wish to continue with what the books offer, you can continue reading the rest of the titles, which include, 'Welcome to Serenity', 'Sweet Tea at Sunrise', 'Honeysuckle Summer', 'Midnight Promises', 'Catching Fireflies', 'Where Azaleas Bloom' and last but not least 'Swan Point'.
'Sweet Magnolias' Season 3 will be available to stream on Netflix from July 20.
