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Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:Set in the steamy, stormy landscape of South Carolina, this New York Times bestseller from the author of Queen Bee is the unforgettable story of one womanâ??s courageous journey toward truthâ?¦Born and raised on idyllic Sullivanâ??s Island, Susan Hayes navigated through her turbulent childhood with humor, spunk, and characteristic Southern sass. But years later, she is a conflicted woman with an unfaithful husband, a sometimes resentful teenage daughter, and a heart that aches with painful, poignant memories. And as Susan faces her uncertain future, she realizes that she must go back to her past. To the beachfront house where her sister welcomes her with open arms. To the only place she can truly cal… (more)
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Return to Sullivans Island returns us to the Hayes family who we first meet in the book “Sullivans Island“. While Return to Sullivans Island is a “stand alone” book, I do recommend very highly that you try to read this book first, it’s
But now, Beth is all grown up and her Mother is finally getting her chance to explore, write and teach in France as was her life long dream… Beth is now 23 and a college graduate who has been coerced into house sitting the families pride and joy, the homestead of their youth, Island Gamble.
When we meet this new adult Beth, we find that she is extremely unhappy about doing her duty for the next year and she sure lets everyone know how unhappy she is. This new grown up Beth is snarky, rude, a bit ego-centric and selfish and someone I would most likely want to slap the snark off of if I met her in person. In other words, most likely a typical and rather immature young adult with a myriad of issues!
While we do see is that the plot is character driven and we do see Beth growing, it’s a painful experience for both Beth and the reader of this book. I had hoped that Beth’s issues would be resolved in Ms Benton’s typical slow southern style but there were just too many issues to deal with in one book. I struggled to see where Ms Benton was going with the plot and for the life of me I still don’t see this as resolved, I never truly felt that Beth grew and learned from her mistakes. Yes she did learn a lot about her family and learned to love Island Gamble and to trust that family and friends are good things to have and the not so surprising late-book developments hold this story together. Ms Benton has a history if holding readers at the edge of their seats just wondering until last minute just how the heck is everything going to come together
This was a most unusual book for Ms Benton since she typically writes books for the more mature adult and she writes about mature adults. Usually splitting her books into “then and now” chapters. This almost dipped into the realm of Chick-Lit for me, and I was very surprised by it.
All in all I’d say that this was a very good summer read, well worth taking up space in your permanent library. So grab yourself a sweet tea, pull a rocking chair up to the railing, grab a tomato sandwich and watch the sunset on Sullivans Island, and visit with a new generation.
I've been asking myself why. First and foremost, there are no interesting characters. The 'heroine' is bland: poorly developed, not especially sympathetic, all
I try to rate books on a 'five to one' scale:
5 is outstanding.
4 is good enough to re-read.
3 means that I finished it and enjoyed it.
2 is thank goodness that's over.
1 is omg, I spent $ on that?
I don't mean to sound like a grouch but we're talking hardbound prices here, so look before you buy. Perhaps you'll find more to like than I did. But do take a good long look.
I decided to still read Return to Sullivan's Island and try to keep an open mind. Beth, the teenage daughter from Sullivan's Island, now a college graduate, returns to her family home to house-sit for a year while her mother is teaching in Paris. Beth is less mature as an adult, than she was as a 14 year old in the first novel. She makes bad decision after bad decision and the characters are too black and white. I felt the author was trying too hard to make me care about the characters, but I just could not. The dialogue did not ring true to me. I made it 3/4 of the way through the book and then just could not take it anymore. I am sure though that it has a happy ending, with everything tied up neatly.
I know Dot Frank has a loyal following, but I discovered that even they are not happy with this book. It sounds that while this book was not for me, it also is not for her fans.
Last year my husband and I visited Charleston, South Carolina, Frank's home and the setting for her Sullivan Island books. We loved our time there and I vowed to read some good fiction set there in time for our return visit.
Return to Sullivans Island returns to the story begun in Sullivans Island. Beth Hayes is now a college graduate and reluctantly returning to the family home on Sullivans Island to be the caretaker while her mother Susan lives her dream of spending a year in Paris teaching.
We meet (or catch-up) with the members of the Hayes and Hamilton family and coming from a large extended family myself, I so enjoyed this. Susan has several siblings- sister Maggie, the true matriarch (and stylist/decorator) of the family, brothers Henry (the financial guardian) and Timmy, and youngest twin sisters Sophie and Allison, who became famous fitness gurus. They all bring their families back to Sullivans Island for a bon voyage party for Susan.
After the party, Beth realizes she had to find a job. She signs on to hostess at a popular restaurant, and as someone who ran two restaurants with my husband years ago, I related to the sections of the story set there. The organized chaos, the adrenaline rush of feeding all those people, it brought a smile of recognition to my face. (Not to mention I got some great names of restaurants and dishes I want to try on our next visit.)
Beth also got a job at the local newspaper as a features writer. In her pursuit of her first story, she meets the handsome and charismatic Max Mitchell, a real estate developer who wants to built a large retail property on the island. She falls hard for Max, and can't believe that he is interested in her.
Although I was shocked at how fast Beth fell for Max, I remembered that Beth is just 23 years old, and reflected on how things were at that stage of life. Frank accurately captures those feelings of falling head-over-heels, and losing all perspective.
The family home is not only on the beach, it is also haunted. The ghost of Livvie, the woman who cared for the young Hamilton children, frequently comments and warns the family of things she feels they should know. And Livvie doesn't seem to like Max too well. What does she know that Beth doesn't?
There were some great lines in the novel, including a description of the studious Beth as "the first one chosen as a lab partner and the last one invited on the conga line." I also liked a line from Beth at the end of the book who said that "Your family shapes you when you're really young and then holds you together when trouble comes along." If you are lucky, you feel the same way.
Beth makes a bad decision on whom she trusts, but redeems herself when a family member is in trouble and she comes to her aid. Luckily she has good friends in Cecily (Livvie's granddaughter) and Woody, whom she turns to for help and advice.
I loved the setting of Return to Sullivans Island, and at times felt like I could hear the pounding surf and feel the warmth of the sand under my feet as I was reading. You don't have to have read Sullivans Island to feel like you know what's going on, but I am definitely going to read it because I adore this family so much.
Mostly told from a 23 year olds point of view which is hard if you aren’t 23, therefore not ver authentic, and the main character is bitchy, opinionated, highly judgmental, and though book smart she isn’t very life smart.
Most of the story was silly and totally far
Good location and descriptions.