Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Porch Lights




I have a little confession to make…  Porch Lights was my first read by Dorothea Benton Frank.  I know, I know; I’m a little behind.  My mom recommended this one, so I thought I’d give it a try!
Porch Lights follows a mother and son back to her hometown of Sullivans Island.  After losing her husband, Jackie hopes that the heartbreak that she and her son, Charlie, share can be cured by family and the salty air. 



Let’s break it down…

Jackie
Jackie is an Army nurse, daughter, and grieving widow; but above all else, she is a mother.  She fears that her son won’t recover from the loss of his father and takes him on an extended vacation in South Carolina.  Is the Lowcountry the cure for her heartache, as well?

Charlie
At ten years old, the loss of a parent can completely consume you.  After spending so much time in a state of depression, can Charlie become the happy-go-lucky kid he once was?

Annie
Annie is determined to see her daughter and grandson happy again.  She welcomes them into her home and does everything she can to talk them into staying… even if it means bringing her estranged husband into it.  How will she juggle her feelings for her husband and her need to feel loved and appreciated?

Buster
Jackie’s father and the aforementioned estranged husband, Buster means well, but has a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.  Will he be able to return to the life he didn’t know he’d miss?

Steven
Steven, a physician, is Annie’s neighbor and secret (much younger) crush.  When he and Charlie become fast friends, can Annie and Jackie control their conflicting feelings for him?

RATINGS

Writing Style    7/10
Characters        8/10
Storyline           6/10

OVERALL   7/10

Fans of the Lowcountry will definitely want to give this one a try!  While it is a bit predictable, it does have a lot of fun information and the characters are well developed and likable.  

Get your copy here!

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2 comments:

  1. I guess I enjoyed this one much more than you did, but I think it was one of those times when I was needing this type of read, too. I find most storylines to be predictable these days, at least with this type of book. Who doesn't know that the handsome, eligible dude next door will end up with the lonely but beautiful main character? ;) However, I think Ms. Frank's style is what kept me reading. I've read a few of her books and I really enjoy her characters and the way she tells a story. I also love that she obviously does in-depth research for most everything she writes. You won't close that book without having learned a little something along the way.

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  2. My favorite part was definitely all the fun facts about the island and Poe!

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