Recommended Read

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

By Lisa Bixel, adult department assistant at Bremen Public Library

This humorous, beautiful story of boy meets girl is a touching dose of how God uses our gifts for His good. Chip and Joanna Gaines are living one day at a time and enjoying the journey! “Are You Ready to See Your Fixer Upper?” is heard by millions around the country every day.  By renovating homes in Waco, Texas, Chip and Joanna have become America’s sweethearts.  Magnolia Story is their first book collaboration and it gives the reader insight into who Chip and Joanna are and their life together. From their days at Baylor University, to how they met, their honeymoon adventure, their first project that could have proven very costly, to life on the farm with their four children, this story will inspire. 

Another new endeavor for Chip and Jo (as she is endearingly called by Chip), is the magazine, Magnolia Journal:  Inspiration for Life and Home. They share tips from decorating with plants, choosing subway tile options, favorite sweet tooth items created for their bakery, to decorating with whites, which they say are the essence of simplicity, but also dramatic, impactful, and versatile enough to work with the full range of styles. 

The Magnolia Story shares very humorous and heartfelt moments. If you watch the TV show, “Fixer Upper,” and have not read the book, you may be wondering if this couple is always this upbeat or have they had their share of disagreements. How does Joanna really feel about Chip’s sense of humor? How did Joanna discover her passion for decorating? What is the significance of the word Magnolia and how is it incorporated in everything they do? The reader will find the answers to these questions and so many more when reading this heartfelt story. 

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