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Lowcountry Summer: A Plantation Novel | 
| Author: Dorothea Benton Frank
Publisher: Harper Collins, Inc.
Category: EBooks
This item is no longer available
Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 763
Format: Kindle Book
Language: English (Published)
Media: Kindle Edition
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
ASIN: B003M69P9Q
Publication Date: June 3, 2010
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 Story Feels a bit rushed.... (Spoiler Alert) September 5, 2010
This is the first book that I have read by DBF, and I decided not to read any of the other reviews prior to reading, but now that I have finished it, I understand what the other reviewers are saying, and now must go back and read some of her earlier titles. One of the other reviewers commented that while Lowcountry Summer is a sequel to "Plantation" it really stands alone, and I have to agree. I don't feel like going back to read "Plantation" would give me any further insights into the characters of Caroline Wimbley Levine, her brother Trip, or his four spoiled daughters and their wacky, alcoholic (gold-digging) mother Frances Mae.
My observations are that DBF was rather hurried in writing this book to get to print. The relationships between Caroline and her beaus - Bobby Mack and Matthew (the Sheriff) seem shallow and too easily solved - Bobby Mack has a heart attack in Caroline's bed, which summarily ends that, and Matthew and Caroline seem to pick up all too quickly after that, eventually heading down the aisle. The characters are all too predictable, right down to the four spoiled nieces, and with the exception of the oldest Amelia, I had no interest in learning about the other three, based on the way DBF portrayed them. The only character who seems to have any depth at all - Rusty get's killed off, and after losing the so-called "love of his life" trip rushed back to Frances Mae, after shipping her off to rehab and the start of the book. It all seems to nicely wrapped up with a bow on top to be believable...Also, Caroline's son Eric, who goes away to school in Columbia, hooks up with an older woman, with a baby no less (much to her chagrin) and the relationship ends much to easily when the baby's father returns. Let's not overlook the random, disturbing appearance of Caroline's exh-husband Richard, just at the time the family is mourning the loss of Rusty. He really is a jerk, but after professing his love for Caroline and being rejected, he practically heads off into the sunset, never to be heard of again....some family!
There are a lot of elements of this story that have the makings for a great novel, I just feel that DBF didn't take the time to fully develop these better parts of the book.
 Loved it! September 5, 2010
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the first book I've read by this author and I loved it! The wit and humor displayed by the characters pulls you right in. The character development is very well executed and the plot holds your interest throughout.
I Totally Disagree with the Poor Reviews September 1, 2010
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I too have read every one of DBF's novels. Of course, Sullivan's Island was my absolute favorite, closely followed by Plantation. I loved getting back into the lives of Caroline and Trip and especially Millie. I found the other books by Franks to be uninteresting and felt that Fanks was churning out novels to meet her contract requirements. She has finally begun to return to the old Franks with her current novel. I read it on vacation and finished it in 2 days. I enjoyed it so much, I started re-reading it immediately. I don't understand the poor reviews this book has received. Read this - you will NOT be disappointed!
We Can Live Through Family Conflict August 29, 2010
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank is all about family. This particular family is facing every type of problem you can imagine. When it rains, it pours is what I thought about while reading this novel.Caroline and Millie Smoaks try to keep everything and everyone under control. I loved Millie Smoaks she is full of much needed wisdom. Millie is always in control no matter how many pecan waffles she is cooking. Caroline shows her gratitude for Millie's presence by running to her with every new catastrophe that hits Caroline's household or her brother, Eric's, household.
From this book I learned that it is possible to live through life's catastrophes. Life can turn me upside down and all around. It does not have to break me like Humpty Dumpty. It doesn't kill Caroline. She might ride off on the golf cart, cry, yell, babble about everything that is happening, but she does live through it. If it doesn't kill you, it will only make you stronger is worth repeating. I loved the book you will too.
Between 3 and 4 stars .... August 24, 2010
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
A bit of background: I absolutely have loved early DBF books ("Sullivan's Island", "Plantation", and "The Land of Mango Sunsets"). When I read the most recent book, "Return to Sullivan's Island", I really thought it was one of the worst books I had read in a long time. I rated it 2-stars and only didn't go down to one since I had previously loved her work and pretty much hated to totally slam it. When this book came out, I picked it up, put it down, picked it up again, etc. since I was so hesitant to begin reading it. I was apprehensive about what I would find and dreading the thought I had lost one of my favorite authors. I made the decision if this one was as bad as the last one, I wouldn't waste my time and finish it.
I'm really all over the place with this particular review since there is so much history and I am really trying to form my opinion without bring too much of that forward. "Lowcountry Summer" is narrated by Caroline Wimbley Levine, woman running the Tall Pines plantation in South Carolina. She had been divorced for ten years and returned, with her son Eric, to the southern home where she grew up. Other characters populating the story are her brother, Trip, Trip's estranged wife and his four, out-of-control daughters. Millie, the plantation cook/housekeeper/confidante also has a huge role throughout. While this billed as a sequel to "Plantation", it really stands alone so there is no need to read that one first unless you would like to. Lots of family drama is front and center with some mysticism and intrigue mixed in to stir the pot.
Overall, this book is vastly better than the previous one. Fans of DBF will find that more of her snappy dialogue, humor and drama are included. That being said, this one still isn't as good as those earlier books and while the book is a significant step in the right direction (and I finished it with plans to read the next one), it still isn't as good as other efforts of hers. The tail-end was a bit "off" for me, though I don't want to spoil it my revealing what happens and a bit abrupt. While the Lowcountry is referred to often, Ms. Frank didn't draw the sense of place quite as well as before and it was more of a background setting rather than a central character in the story.
Glad I gave it a chance and hoping for even better in the future - better but not the best.
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