Lowcountry Summer: A Plantation Novel [Hardcover]

Dorothea Benton Frank (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 15, 2010 | Series: Plantation

Follow New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank back to Tall Pines Plantation in the 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. Her late mother, the Queen of Tall Pines, 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.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Here's one for the Southern gals as well as Yankees who appreciate Frank's signature mix of sass, sex, and gargantuan personalities. In this long-time-coming sequel to Plantation, opinionated and family-centric Caroline Wimbly Levine has just turned 47, but she's less concerned with advancing middle age than she is with son Eric shacking up with an older single mom. She's also dealing with a drunk and disorderly sister-in-law, Frances Mae; four nieces from hell; grieving brother Tripp; a pig-farmer boyfriend with a weak heart; and a serious crush on the local sheriff. Then there's Caroline's dead-but-not-forgotten mother, Miss Lavinia, whose presence both guides and troubles Caroline as she tries to keep her unruly family intact and out of jail. With a sizable cast of minor characters with major attitude, Frank lovingly mixes a brew of personalities who deliver nonstop clashes, mysteries, meltdowns, and commentaries; below the always funny theatrics, however, is a compelling saga of loss and acceptance. When Frank nails it, she really nails it, and she does so here. (June)
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From Booklist

Firmly ensconced back in the family home in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Caroline Wimbley Levine’ s life would be perfect were it not for the drunken escapades of her hopefully soon-to-be-ex-sister-in-law, Frances Mae. In love with another woman and exasperated by his wife’s drinking, Caroline’s brother, Trip, has repeatedly asked Frances Mae for a divorce, which only fuels her alcohol-induced antics. When an under-the-influence accident endangers the life of their youngest child, Frances Mae is sent off to rehab rather than face jail time. Her absence gives Caroline and Trip’s girlfriend, Rusty, the opportunity to turn Trip’s pack of she-wolf daughters into young ladies—a Herculean task, considering the girls think Rusty a potential stepmother worthy of the Brothers Grimm. Unfortunately, it will take a tragedy to fully bring the lessons of grace, honor, and tradition home to this next generation of Wimbley women. Reprising the characters introduced in Plantation (2001), Frank creates a richly atmospheric tale of a loving, if dysfunctional, southern family. --Carol Haggas

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (June 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061961175
• ISBN-13: 978-0061961175
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #553,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the author of thirteen novels placed in and around the Lowcountry of South Carolina and thanking God for my chance to speak. When I'm not writing, I'm reading or gardening or cooking. Love to travel, shoot the breeze with people and most of all, be with my husband, children and dog - not always necessarily in that order. PORCH LIGHTS (William Morrow) goes on sale June 12, 2012. Love to have company so come visit at www.dotfrank.com or on Facebook. And by the way, serious huge gushing thanks for everything - your kind words, posts and emails. Writing saves me, but without your support it wouldn't mean as much. (So I'm a little sentimental - big deal.) xxoo Dot

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#56 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#87 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#56 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#87 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointing June 26, 2010

By Avid Reader

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Dorothea Benton Frank rates as one of my favorite authors. I have every book of hers in hard copy and buy the new release the day it comes out. Her last 2 books are huge disappointments and Lowcountry Summer was the absolute worst. The characters are shallow and unbelievable. The characters I enjoyed in Plantation were unrecognizable in Lowcountry Summer. The entire book was page after page of whining and personalities changing from rotten to rainbows within a few chapters.

I rarely write reviews but had to share with this one. If you are a true fan of Dorothea Benton Frank, you'll buy the book regardless of this review. But it's sad to say it will be a waste of your money. Hopefully she will get back on track with the next book because I miss her wonderful imagination and style of writing.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A huge waste of time July 2, 2010

By Marilyn F. Champine

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Having read all of her previous books, I looked forward to this one. It wasn't any better than the last one which was also a huge disappointment. I read it through because of the price and hopes that it would get better. The preoccupation with self and sex was overwhelming. And she wondered why her nieces were perverted? To top things off, the only decent character in the book gets killed off. I found no rhyme or reason to anything in this book. To me, this was writing just for the sake of publication and I don't advise anyone to waste their money or time on it.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Just pass on this...trust me June 21, 2010

By Obsidian Blue VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Let's start off with my saying I did not care for Return to Sullivan's Island. I am all for revisting old characters but not when they have all gone stupid and common sense has flown. I speed read that book and promptly gave it to a friend as a beach read.

I really used to love Dorothea Benton Frank. And I loved Plantation when I first read it, read it and loved all of the characters. With Benton's sequel to Plantation she promptly in the last few chapters of the book made me dislike every character. I thought the writing was stitled and for once was not as entranced with her writing as I was before.

SPOILERS BELOW SPOILERS BELOW SPOILERS BELOW

One other reviewer I think hit the nail on the head with the fact that the book leaves a bad taste in your mouth with the "redemption" of Frances May.

Previously a thorn in the side of Caroline and her brother Tripp in Plantation. I remember hooting and laughing in Plantation when Tripp left Frances May for Caroline's son's tutor Rusty.

Rusty ends up dying tragically in this book and it just made me mad since with her death it leaves Frances May to come back and stay married to Tripp and move in with him and take care of him and her girls. Are you kidding me?

I was actually really ticked to have her redeeemed after all the horrible and crappy things she did in the last novel and this one in a word "@issed me off a lot. It felt like and yes I am stealing this word from the reviewer no "accountability" was being made for how horrible Frances May was, what a drunk she was, how she is mean, selfish, and wants Caroline's house and money. And now at the end of the novel Caroline is forced to live next door to Frances May until the end.

Her neices with the exception of all but one continue to be selfish and trashy and no one learned a thing.