Compiled by Holly Fisher
If your idea of a perfect summer day involves a beach chair, sweet tea and a deliciously good book, you’re in luck. Some of our favorite Southern authors have new books you’ll want to toss in your beach bag because there’s nothing better than losing yourself in a good summertime story.
The Summer Guests by Mary Alice Monroe
Once again best-selling Lowcountry author Mary Alice Monroe has penned a heart-warming story filled with relatable and endearing characters.
When a sudden storm threatens the coasts of Florida and South Carolina, an eclectic group of evacuees flee for the farm of their friends Grace and Charles Phillips in North Carolina: the Phillips’s daughter Moira and her rescue dogs, famed equestrian Javier Angel de la Cruz, makeup artist Hannah McLain, horse breeder Gerda Klug and her daughter Elise. They bring with them only the few treasured possessions they can carry. Strangers to all but the Phillips, they must ride out the storm together.
Plus, fans of Monroe’s other novels will be delighted to see Cara Rutledge from “The Beach House” series appears in this book.
During this challenging time, relationships are put to the test as the evacuees are forced to confront the unresolved issues they have with themselves and with each other. But as the storm passes, they realize that what really matters wasn’t what they brought with them to the mountains: but what they’ll take with them once they leave.
The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry
Ten years ago, Lena Donohue experienced a wedding-day betrayal so painful that she fled the small town of Watersend, S.C., and reinvented herself in New York City. Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home — until she learns of her dad’s failing health.
Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family’s Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters’ rift. While Alzheimer’s slowly steals their father’s memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena’s own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
Patti Callahan Henry – who divides her time between Alabama and Bluffton, S.C. – is also the author of USA Today bestseller “Becoming Mrs. Lewis.”
Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank
Beekeeper Holly McNee Kensen quietly lives in a world of her own on Sullivan’s Island, tending her hives and working at the local island library. Holly calls her mother The Queen Bee because she’s a demanding hulk of a woman. Her mother, a devoted hypochondriac, might be unaware that she’s quite ill but that doesn’t stop her from tormenting Holly. To escape the drama, Holly’s sister Leslie married and moved away, wanting little to do with island life. Holly’s escape is to submerge herself in the lives of the two young boys next door and their widowed father, Archie.
Her world is upended when the more flamboyant Leslie returns and both sisters – polar opposites – fixate on what’s happening in their neighbor’s home. Restless Leslie is desperate for validation after her imploded marriage, and their mother ups her game in an uproarious and theatrical downward spiral.
This is Dorothea Benton Frank’s 20th novel. She divides her time between New Jersey and Sullivan’s Island.
The Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey
North Carolina author Kristy Woodson Harvey has written the third novel in her Peachtree Bluff series. In “The Southern Side of Paradise,” a secret threatens the tight-knit bond between a trio of sisters and their mother.
With the man of her dreams back in her life and all three of her daughters happy, Ansley Murphy should be content. But she can’t help but feel like it’s all a little too good to be true. Meanwhile, youngest daughter and actress Emerson, who is recently engaged and has just landed the role of a lifetime, seemingly has the world by the tail. Only, something she can’t quite put her finger on is worrying her.
When two new women arrive in Peachtree Bluff — one who has the potential to wreck Ansley’s happiness and one who could tear Emerson’s world apart — everything is put in perspective. And after secrets that were never meant to be told come to light, the powerful bond between the Murphy sisters and their mother comes crumbling down, testing their devotion to each other and forcing them to evaluate the meaning of family.
Shop Local at these Independent Booksellers
Blue Bicycle Books: 420 King St. near Marion Square. Packed with used books, first editions, books by Charleston authors, children’s books and more, this is a must-visit bookstore for any reader. bluebicyclebooks.com
Buxton Books: 2A Cumberland St. Visit this regionally focused independent bookstore for a great selection of local authors plus signings and events. buxtonbooks.com
Preservation Society of Charleston: 147 King St. History buffs will love this bookstore and shop filled with Charleston culture and charm. preservation.myshopify.com