Publication date: August 5, 2014 by Berkley Trade
Source: Publisher via Pump Up your Book for an honest review
Description:
June, 1947. Charleston is poised to celebrate the biggest wedding in high-society history, the joining of two of the oldest families in the city. Except the bride is nowhere to be found…
Unlike the rest of the debs she grew up with, Vada Hadley doesn’t see marrying Justin McLeod as a blessing—she sees it as a life sentence. So when she finds herself one day away from a wedding she doesn’t want, she’s left with no choice but to run away from the future her parents have so carefully planned for her.
In Round O, South Carolina, Vada finds independence in the unexpected friendships she forms at the boarding house where she stays, and a quiet yet fulfilling courtship with the local diner owner, Frank Darling. For the first time in her life, she finally feels like she’s where she’s meant to be. But when her dear friend Darby hunts her down, needing help, Vada will have to confront the life she gave up—and decide where her heart truly belongs.
My Take:
Palmetto Moon by Kim Boykin is a sweet, charming, Southern tale about Vada Hadley, a wealthy southern girl who just can't see herself married to the man her parents have picked for her. And honestly, Justin is really just a rich jerk, so I can't blame Vada for refusing to marry him. Perhaps the method she chose was ill advised, but it leads her to an opportunity for personal growth and love.
Vada is sweet, if naive, and I enjoyed reading her story. But there were several other really interesting and sympathetic characters that I liked just as much as Vada. The pretty young widow with the young boys, Claire Greeley, was one of my favorite characters. She is a kind person and and a loyal friend to Vada. I was so happy to see where her story line went. Another character I loved was Reggie - I won't give anything away here, but this story line made me very happy indeed.
Vada finds a new man who suits her much better than Justin, but I am not sure that many, if any, marriages in 1947, would actually be quite what she wants - but I applaud her for trying. Vada's new love interest, Frank, tries very hard to be the man she wants him to be and he truly loves her. Of course, with parents like Vada's, things won't go as smoothly as we might like. Will the new love Vada finds last? You will have to read the book to find out.
I found Palmetto Moon to be a quick, fun read. There is romance, friendship, lots of Southern charm and Southern food. I enjoyed reading the book and can happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good romance, Southern literature, and historical fiction of a more current era. There are also some delicious looking recipes in the back of the book.
About the Author
Kim Boykin was raised in her South Carolina home with two girly sisters and great parents. She had a happy, boring childhood, which sucks if you’re a writer because you have to create your own crazy. PLUS after you’re published and you’re being interviewed, it’s very appealing when the author actually lived in Crazy Town or somewhere in the general vicinity.
Almost everything she learned about writing, she learned from her grandpa, an oral storyteller, who was a master teacher of pacing and sensory detail. He held court under an old mimosa tree on the family farm, and people used to come from all around to hear him tell stories about growing up in rural Georgia and share his unique take on the world.
As a stay-at-home mom, Kim started writing, grabbing snip-its of time in the car rider line or on the bleachers at swim practice. After her kids left the nest, she started submitting her work, sold her first novel at 53, and has been writing like crazy ever since.
Thanks to the lessons she learned under that mimosa tree, her books are well reviewed and, according to RT Book Reviews, feel like they’re being told across a kitchen table. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair from Berkley, Steal Me, Cowboy and Sweet Home Carolina from Tule, and Palmetto Moon, also from Berkley 8/5/14. While her heart is always in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte and has a heart for hairstylist, librarians, and book junkies like herself.
For More Information
Thank you for your absolutely wonderful review, Landi!
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