JDCMustReadBooks

By Dorothea Benton Frank

ISBN-13: 9780425193945

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Publication date: 1/6/2004

Series :Lowcountry Series #1

Edition description: Reprint

Pages: 464

Format: Paperback

My Rating:  4 Stars 

As a fan of Dorothea Benton Frank, SC Lowcountry and queen of the south, I have read a few of her newer releases and missed some of the oldies but goodies, so playing catch up.

I love the reprints and new e-books, with the new high resolution attractive front covers, which are nice to display on your reading list instead of the old outdated covers. (Nice job with Sullivan’s Island-Lowcountry Tales #1 and Plantation – Lowcountry Tales #2), as read them back to back.

A native of the Carolinas and having worked in Charleston, SC years ago, always nice to catch up with the fun female strong protagonists and delightful southern humor. 

Susan Hayes, a middle-aged librarian from the Charleston area, faces death, divorce, mid-life crisis, daughter’s terrible teen drama, plus many other dramas, as the novel moves back and forth between the early 60’s and present. 

When Susan discovers her husband, Tom is cheating, she flees with Beth (daughter) to Maggie’s house (her older sister) on Sullivan’s Island. Of course, who would not love the ocean air and low country hospitality and food, to start a new life with support of her family?

There are many family dysfunctions including child and spousal abuse, race related bigotry, alcoholism, cancer, adultery, religion, hurricanes, ghosts and murder, as they go back to their childhood memories. As in many of Frank’s books, there is always a favorite loveable and wise housekeeper (Livvie) which you will hear more of in later books, who helps them along the way with life lessons. 

Highly recommend this series and look forward to The Hurricane Sisters, her latest book coming June 2014.

Loved the many quotes: “The first indication of menopause is a broken thermostat. It's either that or your weight. In any case, if you don't do something, you could be dead by August. God, middle age is an unending insult.” ― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island