Wednesday, June 16, 2010

LOW COUNTRY SUMMER: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
LOWCOUNTRY SUMMER

by DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Dorothea Benton Frank is a native of the South whose novels vividly capture the wild beauty, laid-back atmosphere, earthy characters, and charming eccentricities of life in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Written with compelling honesty and emotional depth, her stories have touched readers from coast to coast, and propelled her to the top ranks of bestsellerdom nationwide.

Now this remarkable writer revisits some of her most unforgettable characters in this enchanting new story sure to make you laugh and cry. Return with her to Tall Pines Plantation in this long-awaited sequel to her beloved bestseller Plantation. . .

When Caroline Wimbley Levine returned to Tall Pines Plantation, she never expected to make peace with long-buried truths about herself and her family. The Queen of Tall Pines, her late mother, was a force of nature, but now she is gone, leaving Caroline and the rest of the family uncertain of who will take her place.

In the lush South Carolina countryside, old hurts, betrayals, and dark secrets will surface, and a new generation will rise along the banks of the mighty Edisto River.

Wonderfully evocative, infused with humor and poignancy, and rich with the lyrical cadences of the South, Lowcountry Summer is vintage Dorothea Benton Frank, a deeply moving novel you'll want to savor and share.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dorothea Benton Frank is the New York Times bestselling author of Bulls Island (William Morrow, 2008), The Christmas Pearl (William Morrow 2007), The Land of Mango Sunsets (William Morrow 2007), Full of Grace (William Morrow 2006), Pawleys Island (Berkley 2005), Shem Creek (Berkley 2004), Isle of Palms (Berkley 2003), Plantation (Jove 2001), and Sullivan's Island (Jove 2000). Her last book, Return to Sullivans Island, was released by William Morrow June 30, 2009.

Ms. Frank has appeared on NBC's Today show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk, and many local network-affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues, such as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She has also been a guest speaker at the South Carolina Book Festival; Novello, North Carolina's Festival of Books; and the Book and Author annual event in Charleston, South Carolina, sponsored by the Post & Courier.

Before she began her writing career, Ms. Frank was involved extensively in the arts and education, and in raising awareness and funding for various nonprofits in New Jersey and New York. At the present time she serves on the boards of The South Carolina Historical Society and The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League.

The author, who was born and raised on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina, currently divides her time between New Jersey and South Carolina.


MY REVIEW:


Dorothea Benton Frank returns to her favorite place, South Carolina, to give a delightful story that follows her earlier TALL PINES PLANTATION. In this new book, LOWCOUNTRY SUMMER, Frank once again give us an entertaining summer read that revolves around Caroline Wimbly as the central character. She weaves her magic around the life of a family living on a South Carolina plantation. The family (like so many today) has its share of problems including a dominant sister whose brother’s alcoholic wife has custody of their four daughters, which isn‘t surprising considering the brother lives with his mistress. Frances Mae, the wife, drives while in a drunken state and crashes her car WITH their youngest child, Chloe, inside the car with her.

Frances Mae is sent off to a rehabilitation center out in California, leaving our main character, her sister Caroline, with four nieces to care for as well as her own son Eric. Caroline, meanwhile, was just trying to get her life on even keel and find a more meaningful existence hopefully back home in Tall Pines having been in New York for a while. Now along with the four nieces (who are not the perfect children by any means) she has her own son, Eric, to contend with. Eric has his own plans, however, and that is to move in with his older girlfriend (can you say cougar?) and her daughter.

The story moves into high gear when “The Mistress”, Rusty, has a tragic accident, and it seems that all the characters have problems facing them that only Frank, with her expertise, could bring into one comfortable story and have the ending be a satisfying one. Will Rusty be saved? Does Frances Mae complete her rehab and get, or even want, her husband back? What becomes of Caroline and those four children who are not little angels as readers will quickly find out about? As always, Frank writes an story full of interesting characters woven all together to result in a light but very enjoyable story just in time for summer!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO MEGAN AND GOOD PEOPLE
AT HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,
I HAVE 3 COPIES OF THIS WONDERFUL

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GIVEAWAY ENDS
6 PM, EST,
JULY 2!

GOOD LUCK