All The Single Ladies
by Dorothea Benton Frank
Why did you choose this book? it sounded like a good ‘friends’ story
When did you read this book? June 2015
Who should read this book? fans of Dorothea Benton Frank or ‘Southern’ lit
Source: TLC Book Tours
The perennial New York Times bestselling author returns with an emotionally resonant novel that illuminates the power of friendship in women’s lives, and is filled with her trademark wit, poignant and timely themes, sassy, flesh-and-blood characters, and the steamy Southern atmosphere and beauty of her beloved Carolina Lowcountry.
Few writers capture the complexities, pain, and joy of relationships—between friends, family members, husbands and wives, or lovers—as beloved New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank. In this charming, evocative, soul-touching novel, she once again takes us deep into the heart of the magical Lowcountry where three amazing middle-aged women are bonded by another amazing woman’s death.
Through their shared loss they forge a deep friendship, asking critical questions. Who was their friend and what did her life mean? Are they living the lives they imagined for themselves? Will they ever be able to afford to retire? How will they maximize their happiness? Security? Health? And ultimately, their own legacies?
A plan is conceived and unfurls with each turn of the tide during one sweltering summer on the Isle of Palms. Without ever fully realizing how close they were to the edge, they finally triumph amid laughter and maybe even newfound love.
My Review
If you have read other books by Dorothea Benton Frank, you already know a little about what you can expect; her wonderful descriptions of life in the Lowcountry and her sense of humor! And if that is what you expect, you won’t be disappointed.
This story is a little bit romance, a little bit mystery, and a whole lot friendship. Lisa is a middle-aged mother of an adult daughter whom she raised as a single mom when her husband abandoned the family — a daughter she is currently estranged from. Lisa works at a local assisted living facility where she has a patient, Kathy, who is dying of cancer. Kathy has two friends, Suzanne and Carrie, who bond with Lisa when they visit. They, too, are single ladies as the result of failed relationships, concerned about what the future holds for them. Suzanne and Carrie live in a beach house owned by Suzanne’s nearly 100-year-old grandma, Miss Trudie. (Miss Trudie, by the way, is the highlight of the book! Everyone needs a Miss Trudie in her life!) Pretty soon, Lisa is in the midst of a housing crisis, and is invited to join the crew at the beach house! And before you know it, they all meet single men, and romance ensues.
Meanwhile, there is a bit of a mystery on their hands. When Kathy succumbs to her cancer, Lisa, Suzanne, and Carrie are approached by Kathy’s landlady to clean out her things from the apartment so that the landlady can quickly re-rent the apartment. Though it seems like she is rushing things, they agree to take care of it. But when the landlady comes in while they are cleaning the apartment and begins placing stickers on antiques, claiming ‘Mine!’ and that she was just loaning these things to Kathy, red flags go up. How are they to know what was Kathy’s and what was not? As they clean and look for clues, they stumble upon a side of Kathy that they never knew existed.
While I don’t think the resolution of the problem was realistic — I don’t think things would have played out quite they way they did, but I don’t want to spoil things and tell you why I feel that way — the situation was resolved, the mystery solved, and we are left to assume everyone lived happily ever after.
Even though things are predictable at times, and even a bit unrealistic, this was a fun story and a quick read. If you are a Dorothea Benton Frank fan, you will definitely want to pick this one up for your summer reading pile!
About Dorothea Benton Frank
New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank was born and raised on Sullivans Island, South Carolina. She divides her time between the New York area and the Lowcountry.
Find her on the web at www.dotfrank.com where you can read and excerpt of All The Single Ladies, or like her on Facebook or Twitter.
My Rating: ★★★1/2 3-1/2 Stars
This book review is included in a tour by TLC Book Tours. I was provided a copy for review purposes and have written an honest review which appears above.
Dorothea’s Tour Stops
Tuesday, June 9th: Many Hats
Thursday, June 11th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Friday, June 12th: Kritters Ramblings
Monday, June 15th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, June 16th: bookchickdi
Wednesday, June 17th: Always With a Book
Thursday, June 18th: Dreams, Etc.
Monday, June 22nd: Time 2 Read
Tuesday, June 23rd: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, June 24th: Novel Escapes
Thursday, June 25th: Raven Haired Girl
Thursday, July 2nd: A Chick Who Reads (review)
One book I must track down (somehow!)
ReplyDeleteYour review is much better than mine. As you know, I totally agree with you about the ending and I'm torn because if it wasn't neat and tidy, I'd probably be disappointed too. Does that make sense? I just took this book for what it was -- a celebration of women and their friendship... and sometimes, that's enough.
ReplyDeleteHa! Makes perfect sense. I guess if we weren't complaining about one this, we'd be complaining about something else, hm? But who says every ending has to be realistic? I am a big fan of fairy tales, after all. This is a perfect read for when you just want to have fun!
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