Once Upon a Gulf Coast Summer [Paperback]

Susan Oliver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2004

Susan Oliver says, "It takes very little for a mother and daughter to turn on each other. So much lies below the surface—hurts held for decades in clinched fists, extravagant expectations never met, and ties that bind."

Once Upon a Gulf Coast Summer is about the complex relationship between Josephine Green and her grown daughter, Katy. Issues bear down from Josephine’s troubled and rigid childhood and the enigmatic mother who was preoccupied with her own secret disappointments.

Jo and Katy continue to war with each other, especially after Jo is diagnosed with lung cancer. Jo struggles to communicate her faith with her daughter and receives help from her housekeeper, Adele, who is a devout lady of faith.

Jo and Katy work to find their redemption, both together and individually, even as flood waters threaten their home one Gulf Coast summer.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Oliver's Once upon a Gulf Coast Summer is about the death of Josephine Green, attended by her daughter, Kay. Other family members drop in and out, and the advice of Josephine's housekeeper, Adele, is a comfort for all, but in essence this is a tale expressly aimed at women, about a difficult mother and daughter relationship played out over years, told in reflective, sometimes lyrical prose. Those seeking lots of plot twists should look elsewhere. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 361 pages
• Publisher: B&H Fiction (January 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805427775
• ISBN-13: 978-0805427776
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,017,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling!, January 23, 2004

By 

Shirley Swenson (Austin, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once Upon a Gulf Coast Summer (Paperback)

I was thoroughly engrossed in this book. The characters are very real, and their problems recognizable, though the characters themselves are not your ordinary people. Family relationships are always delicate, needing a lot of tlc. I wanted to shake some of them at times to make them see truth. They were so wrapped up in themselves that they missed many opportunities for happiness. There were lots of surprises in these lives. I would like to read a sequel to see how what progress was made after some eye opening events. I recommend this book heartily.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully complex characters!, February 19, 2004

By 

A Book Lover (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once Upon a Gulf Coast Summer (Paperback)

An involving tale about the challenges of modern family relationships and the powers of redemption. Oliver has created complex characters that seem so real, at times you almost forget you're reading fiction. The mother, Josephine, is particularly memorable as she struggles through life's bittersweet moments, honestly and often painfully, sharing her secrets and disappointments. I found the ending both believable and satisfying. I'll be keeping an eye out for future books by this new author!

5.0 out of 5 stars Once pon a Gulf Coast Summer, September 7, 2010

By 

Richard Stone - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Once Upon a Gulf Coast Summer (Paperback)

Very well written. Good sense of humor by the author. The author has a sensitivity to the way things are in real life. Good read.