How many loves do you get in a lifetime? That’s the everlasting question that seems to follow Magnolia and BJ around.
Magnolia Parks is a London Socialite. She and her group, or “Box Set ”, are basically royalty. BJ Ballentine and Magnolia Parks are the “it” couple, except they aren’t together anymore. They had a major falling out three years ago and no one knows why.
Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings is the first book in the Magnolia Parks Universe. She introduces many important characters immediately, such as Magnolia and BJ- main characters, written from their point of views- Bridget, Henry, Jonah, Christian, Daisy, Julien, and so many more.
There is a lot of ‘lore’ in these books, so there’s many niche references, as the series goes on there are many calls backs to this book.
As the story progresses secrets and lies unfold and there’s tons of drama. This book is “toxic, rich people, drama” mostly as a joke but in all honesty that is basically what the story is.
BJ and Magnolia are obsessed with each other. This obsession used to be healthy- they used to be in a relationship and loved each other, but eventually their relationship ended, and no one knows why. Magnolia dates to keep BJ at bay. BJ sleeps with other girls to get back at her, but eventually, they always crawl back to each other.
Although no longer together, when Magnolia is seeing another boy and BJ had just recently done what he does, BJ is always over at Magnolia’s house and hey have sleepovers all of the time- sleepovers as in actual sleepovers, BJ sleeps in Magnolia’s bed for the majority of the week because they cannot be without each other.
BJ and Magnolia have known eachother since they were small. They met when BJ was 6 and Manolia was 4, and BJ likes to say that, that’s when he fell in love with her. Since they’ve always been so intertwined, they have become sort of co-dependent- as Bridge likes to say- yet everyone thinks they belong together. They sort of do.
Throughout the book they almost get back together many times. There are so many reasons why these two characters should not be together, but the reader almost wants to root for them because without each other their love is so heartbreaking.
One of my favorite things that BJ says to Magnolia is “how’s the weather, Parks?” It basically means “how are you” or “are you ok” and it’s usually asked after a big fight or after BJ deliberately hurts Magnolia. And her answers are usually something along the lines of “sunny” or “cloudy” or even “storming.”
“Magnolia Parks” is 449 pages of drama and I could not put it down, it seemed like there was some new secret or lie in every new chapter.
I also really loved the writing style, the book is written in more slang rather than traditional sentences. Since the book is based in London and has british characters, the book is written how a person would talk or think. The writing style allows the reader to immerse themselves into the characters.
However, the majority of the characters were really unlikeable- my favorite characters are Bridget and Henry, and they are more side characters than anything. Sometimes how Magnolia and BJ act/react was so frustrating that I had to put down the book for a second. Even though the characters are unlikeable, it’s a wonderful story and one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read.

I loved this book and I immediately picked up the next book Daisy Haites which has become one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. The ending of Magnolia Parks is really what solidified my love for this book, it was frustrating and heartbreaking and it left me yearning for closure. Leaving me to still question “how many loves do you get in a lifetime?”