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Summer in the South
Cathy Holton, author of the popular Beach Trip , returns with an intriguing and mysterious tale of dark deeds and family secrets in a small Southern town.
After a personal tragedy, Chicago writer Ava Dabrowski quits her job to spend the summer in Woodburn, Tennessee, at the invitation of her old college friend Will Fraser and his two great-aunts, Josephine and Fanny Woodburn. Her charming hosts offer Ava a chance to relax at their idyllic ancestral estate, Woodburn Hall, while working on her first novel.
But Woodburn is anything but Ancient feuds lurk just beneath its placid surface, and modern-day rivalries emerge as Ava finds herself caught between the competing attentions of Will and his black-sheep cousin Jake. Fascinated by the family’s impressive history—their imposing house filled with treasures, and their mingling with literary lions Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Faulkner—Ava stumbles onto rumors about the darker side of the Woodburns’ legacy. Putting aside her planned novel, she turns her creative attentions to the eccentric and tragic clan, a family with more skeletons (and ghosts) in their closets than anyone could possibly imagine. As Ava struggles to write the true story of the Woodburns, she finds herself tangled in the tragic history of a mysterious Southern family whose secrets mirror her own.
After a personal tragedy, Chicago writer Ava Dabrowski quits her job to spend the summer in Woodburn, Tennessee, at the invitation of her old college friend Will Fraser and his two great-aunts, Josephine and Fanny Woodburn. Her charming hosts offer Ava a chance to relax at their idyllic ancestral estate, Woodburn Hall, while working on her first novel.
But Woodburn is anything but Ancient feuds lurk just beneath its placid surface, and modern-day rivalries emerge as Ava finds herself caught between the competing attentions of Will and his black-sheep cousin Jake. Fascinated by the family’s impressive history—their imposing house filled with treasures, and their mingling with literary lions Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Faulkner—Ava stumbles onto rumors about the darker side of the Woodburns’ legacy. Putting aside her planned novel, she turns her creative attentions to the eccentric and tragic clan, a family with more skeletons (and ghosts) in their closets than anyone could possibly imagine. As Ava struggles to write the true story of the Woodburns, she finds herself tangled in the tragic history of a mysterious Southern family whose secrets mirror her own.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Cathy Holton
8 books174 followersCathy Holton continues to entertain readers with her stories of strong, intelligent women trying to survive in an often hostile world. The Boston Globe says “Holton has a lively, fluid style that shifts easily among the viewpoints’ of several characters and goes down as easily as sweet tea,” while Entertainment Weekly calls her prose “Sharp, witty, and warm.”
Although grateful for the critical praise, it is the enthusiastic response of readers who tell her they “laughed, cried, and let dinner burn” while reading one of her novels that inspires her most.
Sadly, Cathy passed away in 2013 after a long battle with cancer. She will be terribly missed by her friends and family. Fortunately for her readers, Cathy left behind a treasure trove of finished and narly finished manuscripts. We can think of no better tribute to Cathy than to publish these works. To that end, her family and publisher are working hard to get these books ready. The first of these legacy Novels: The Rico Boys is now available on Amazon Kindle, with a paperback to follow. Other titles are forthcoming.
Become a Fan of Cathy Holton on Facebook for free excerpts, giveaways, “character” interviews and more. Follow her at www.cathyholton.com and on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
June 24, 2019
Summer A Thon: Read a book set in summer
Have you thought you'd already read a book only to discover that you hadn't. That's what happened with Summer in the South. I could have sworn I had already read this book years ago but when I started reading it, nothing was familiar. I kept reading and hoping that something would click but..
Nope!
Nothing
This wasn't a reread. I had never read this before.
I'm conflicted about this one. I enjoyed Summer in the South and found it to a super fast read but....there was also something off putting about it. I can't quite put my finger on what it is but something irritated me about this book.
Ava's life is falling apart. She has quit her job, ended a dead end relationship with her boss and her mom died. So when an old friend from college Will invites her to spend the summer at his family home in Tennessee, she jumps at the chance. Finally she will have time to write the novel she's been carrying around in her head. Once in she settles in at the family home Woodburn she discovers her friend Will's family has some pretty dark secrets.
Overall I liked it enough but something stopped me from loving it and I can't describe what it was.
No rec
Have you thought you'd already read a book only to discover that you hadn't. That's what happened with Summer in the South. I could have sworn I had already read this book years ago but when I started reading it, nothing was familiar. I kept reading and hoping that something would click but..
Nope!
Nothing
This wasn't a reread. I had never read this before.
I'm conflicted about this one. I enjoyed Summer in the South and found it to a super fast read but....there was also something off putting about it. I can't quite put my finger on what it is but something irritated me about this book.
Ava's life is falling apart. She has quit her job, ended a dead end relationship with her boss and her mom died. So when an old friend from college Will invites her to spend the summer at his family home in Tennessee, she jumps at the chance. Finally she will have time to write the novel she's been carrying around in her head. Once in she settles in at the family home Woodburn she discovers her friend Will's family has some pretty dark secrets.
Overall I liked it enough but something stopped me from loving it and I can't describe what it was.
No rec
August 6, 2011
Rarely does a book make me this frustrated and angry.
Cathy Holton's new novel is about a "Yankee" who agrees to a college acquaintance's invitation to spend a summer, rent and expense free, living with his upper-class Southern great aunts in Tennessee. The main character, Ava, has lived a gypsy life with her former-hippie mother, and finds herself fascinated by the traditions and culture of the South. She also has always dreamed of becoming an author, and thinks of the trip as an opportunity to start that novel she has always meant to write. But like so many wannna be authors, when she sits down in her cozy guest room to actually start the work, she finds herself completely at a blank.
So what does she do? She decides to become fixated on the family history of the sweet older ladies who are showing her such courtesy and kindness. She finds out that one of the aunts had a first husband no one ever wants to talk about, and starts probing and digging around to find out what happened, even when she is specifically told by multiple people to MYOB and stop her questions. She befriends the backstabbing town gossip, who is all too happy to tell her tales. She tries to waylay the advances of the college acquaintance (a handsome fellow who apparently always had feelings for her) by repeating to him that they are just friends, while simultaneously making out with him, kissing, and even throwing fetes with him for his society friends. Even when told by several people that the assumption in the town is that they are "intended", she continues this hot and cold act with the poor guy. Of course she does...she still wants free room and board, and access to the attic, journals, and family memorabilia so she can continue to write her "fictional" tell-all exposing the women extending her their hospitality.
I could go on and on about how absolutely deplorable I found the character of Ava to be. Books with dislikeable protagonists work if the author makes it clear you aren't supposed to like them. But what killed me with this novel is that we're given no such sign. Apparently I was supposed to be cheering for Ava as she tried to destroy the lives of sweet southern ladies. Supposedly I was supposed to hope she would fall into the arms of Will's (her college friend) estranged rebel of a cousin.
Worst of all are the chapters in the book interspersed that tell the true story of what actually happened to lead to the mysterious death of the first husband. We find out that the story Ava has "discovered" and researched has led her to the entirely wrong conclusion, both about what sort of person the man was, and how he died. We also see just how traumatic an experience the entire relationship was for the entire family, and just how emotionally scarring it would be for the Aunts to have the tale dredged up again with the publication of Ava's piece of crap (and completely inaccurate) novel. We understand just why the family asked her to back off, and our sympathies are even further in their corner.
I work at a library where the bulk of our patrons are older men and women, or "oldsters" as we fondly call them. Through my line of work, I have heard the most wonderful stories, met the most amazing people, some of whom are three times my age. And with the respect for their stories and their lives comes a despair at how society ignores and rejects the wisdom they have to tell. The more selfish and disrespectful the younger generation becomes, the more I worry that the respect for our elders is fading faster and faster. This book only served to cement that idea, in the horrendous encouragement to cheer on a protagonist who is only "following her dream" and completely ruining the lives of many amazing older people in the process.
The story ends with Ava debating whether to publish her magnificent epic immediately, or wait until the Aunts die. Wow. What a winner.
Cathy Holton's new novel is about a "Yankee" who agrees to a college acquaintance's invitation to spend a summer, rent and expense free, living with his upper-class Southern great aunts in Tennessee. The main character, Ava, has lived a gypsy life with her former-hippie mother, and finds herself fascinated by the traditions and culture of the South. She also has always dreamed of becoming an author, and thinks of the trip as an opportunity to start that novel she has always meant to write. But like so many wannna be authors, when she sits down in her cozy guest room to actually start the work, she finds herself completely at a blank.
So what does she do? She decides to become fixated on the family history of the sweet older ladies who are showing her such courtesy and kindness. She finds out that one of the aunts had a first husband no one ever wants to talk about, and starts probing and digging around to find out what happened, even when she is specifically told by multiple people to MYOB and stop her questions. She befriends the backstabbing town gossip, who is all too happy to tell her tales. She tries to waylay the advances of the college acquaintance (a handsome fellow who apparently always had feelings for her) by repeating to him that they are just friends, while simultaneously making out with him, kissing, and even throwing fetes with him for his society friends. Even when told by several people that the assumption in the town is that they are "intended", she continues this hot and cold act with the poor guy. Of course she does...she still wants free room and board, and access to the attic, journals, and family memorabilia so she can continue to write her "fictional" tell-all exposing the women extending her their hospitality.
I could go on and on about how absolutely deplorable I found the character of Ava to be. Books with dislikeable protagonists work if the author makes it clear you aren't supposed to like them. But what killed me with this novel is that we're given no such sign. Apparently I was supposed to be cheering for Ava as she tried to destroy the lives of sweet southern ladies. Supposedly I was supposed to hope she would fall into the arms of Will's (her college friend) estranged rebel of a cousin.
Worst of all are the chapters in the book interspersed that tell the true story of what actually happened to lead to the mysterious death of the first husband. We find out that the story Ava has "discovered" and researched has led her to the entirely wrong conclusion, both about what sort of person the man was, and how he died. We also see just how traumatic an experience the entire relationship was for the entire family, and just how emotionally scarring it would be for the Aunts to have the tale dredged up again with the publication of Ava's piece of crap (and completely inaccurate) novel. We understand just why the family asked her to back off, and our sympathies are even further in their corner.
I work at a library where the bulk of our patrons are older men and women, or "oldsters" as we fondly call them. Through my line of work, I have heard the most wonderful stories, met the most amazing people, some of whom are three times my age. And with the respect for their stories and their lives comes a despair at how society ignores and rejects the wisdom they have to tell. The more selfish and disrespectful the younger generation becomes, the more I worry that the respect for our elders is fading faster and faster. This book only served to cement that idea, in the horrendous encouragement to cheer on a protagonist who is only "following her dream" and completely ruining the lives of many amazing older people in the process.
The story ends with Ava debating whether to publish her magnificent epic immediately, or wait until the Aunts die. Wow. What a winner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2011
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. What a fascinating book! The story begins in Tennessee, in the 1930's. It centers on a particularly wealthy, WASP family, who has lived in the area for many generations. This family is the picture of the old South: perfect manners, unwavering hospitality, and proud pedigree. Of course there's always the flip side to these old Southern aristocrats: illegitimate children, underhanded business dealings, and secrets about members referred to as 'black sheep'.
Fast-forward to the late 1990's. An aspiring young writer from the North, is a guest at this old Southern family home. The main story is of her getting to know the town's residents and their backgrounds,, while trying to adapt to this more relaxed, quirky lifestyle. There is also the writer's story, her own heritage being a mystery to her. The container, holding her mother's ashes, is perched on the mantle in her bedroom, unable to supply answers to her questions. And in her late nights of writing, she tries to solve an accidental death?, suicide?, murder? that occurred in 1931, here, in this town.
All the stories overlap, intertwined with great skill. The writing is thoughtful and unhurried. I had several opinions at various times in the story, as to where her investigation of the death, nearly seventy years earlier, would lead her. And, I was wrong on all counts. The ending was a complete surprise to me. I wanted to stay with this family for a few more decades, to see if the changing world would ever completely catch up with them. This is one of those books that I simply did not want to finish. I wanted it to continue past the final page. With any luck, Cathy Holton will provide a sequel, this time focusing more strongly in the direction of the Northerner's ancestry, while still keeping her a part of this Southern family's lives.
Fast-forward to the late 1990's. An aspiring young writer from the North, is a guest at this old Southern family home. The main story is of her getting to know the town's residents and their backgrounds,, while trying to adapt to this more relaxed, quirky lifestyle. There is also the writer's story, her own heritage being a mystery to her. The container, holding her mother's ashes, is perched on the mantle in her bedroom, unable to supply answers to her questions. And in her late nights of writing, she tries to solve an accidental death?, suicide?, murder? that occurred in 1931, here, in this town.
All the stories overlap, intertwined with great skill. The writing is thoughtful and unhurried. I had several opinions at various times in the story, as to where her investigation of the death, nearly seventy years earlier, would lead her. And, I was wrong on all counts. The ending was a complete surprise to me. I wanted to stay with this family for a few more decades, to see if the changing world would ever completely catch up with them. This is one of those books that I simply did not want to finish. I wanted it to continue past the final page. With any luck, Cathy Holton will provide a sequel, this time focusing more strongly in the direction of the Northerner's ancestry, while still keeping her a part of this Southern family's lives.
July 16, 2011
The more I read, the more I disliked the main character of Ava. I ended up skimming the book just so I didn't have to spend any more time with her.
June 25, 2011
I was sent a copy of this book, even though I didn't enter a giveaway contest. I was not familiar with the author, but I'm always open to new reading experiences.
Let me say first that Holton has talent as a writer. She describes characters and settings well and has an eye for detail. The atmosphere she creates in describing the small Southern town and the Woodburn estate is authentic and interesting. The premise of the novel is simple enough: Ava, who lives in Chicago, is invited by an old college friend, Will, to spend the summer at his two aunts' estate in Woodburn, Tennessee, while writing her first novel.
Unfortunately, nothing much happens for well over 100 pages. There are too many Toddy Times and parties where there is no advancement in the plot. The problem with the story is that it's too diffuse: is it about Ava's writing her novel, is it about a possible love affair with Will or his cousin Jake, is it a ghost story, is Ava searching for the identity of her father, is it about Ava's episodes of sleep paralysis and dreams, or is it about the skeletons in the Woodburns' closet? I found myself skimming the latter chapters of the book in order to gain some resolution, but the denouement was only partially satisfying.
After experiencing writer's block for a substantial portion of the narrative, Ava does finally begin writing her novel. Unfortunately, this novel-within-the-novel does not make for compelling reading, though based on the skeletons previously mentioned in this review. Another oddity I encountered in the writing was the point of view. Ostensibly, Ava is the third person narrator telling the story. Strangely, a minor character is given some chapters where her point of view is expressed, and I found this jarring.
Let me say first that Holton has talent as a writer. She describes characters and settings well and has an eye for detail. The atmosphere she creates in describing the small Southern town and the Woodburn estate is authentic and interesting. The premise of the novel is simple enough: Ava, who lives in Chicago, is invited by an old college friend, Will, to spend the summer at his two aunts' estate in Woodburn, Tennessee, while writing her first novel.
Unfortunately, nothing much happens for well over 100 pages. There are too many Toddy Times and parties where there is no advancement in the plot. The problem with the story is that it's too diffuse: is it about Ava's writing her novel, is it about a possible love affair with Will or his cousin Jake, is it a ghost story, is Ava searching for the identity of her father, is it about Ava's episodes of sleep paralysis and dreams, or is it about the skeletons in the Woodburns' closet? I found myself skimming the latter chapters of the book in order to gain some resolution, but the denouement was only partially satisfying.
After experiencing writer's block for a substantial portion of the narrative, Ava does finally begin writing her novel. Unfortunately, this novel-within-the-novel does not make for compelling reading, though based on the skeletons previously mentioned in this review. Another oddity I encountered in the writing was the point of view. Ostensibly, Ava is the third person narrator telling the story. Strangely, a minor character is given some chapters where her point of view is expressed, and I found this jarring.
August 4, 2012
"Summer in the South" was awesome...I didn't want to put this book down. I even kept trying to sneak and read it at work, it was so good. Ava Dabrowski is so over her life and horrible love life so when Will Fraser, an old college friend of hers, extends to her the opportunity to come down south for the summer and work on her novel, she jumps at the chance. After all, how often do you get to live in a "writer's like colony" for FREE! But, when she gets to Woodburn, she soon discovers that everything that glitters ain't gold. There are secrets in this small town...secrets that the Woodburn family wants to keep buried, but Ava finds herself always wanting to search and find and bring them up. And, when she does, she discovers history is not always what it seems to be and sometimes secrets that have been dead, buried and layed to rest should stay just that!
I give it 5 stars.
I give it 5 stars.
May 28, 2012
I am not sure why this book has so many high ratings. To me, it dragged on. The main male character, Will, was brooding and unlikeable. The female character isn't all that special either. It was just blah.
June 13, 2011
Summer in the South: A Novel by Cathy Holton is a simmering summer read filled with romance and intrigue about long-buried pasts. Following the death of her mother, Ava joins a college friend, Will, at his ancestral home in Tennessee where he lives with two elderly aunts. In addition to coming to terms with her tumultuous relationship with her mother, Ava is looking for some time away to work on a novel. She did not, however, expect to find such rich content for her novel right in the home in which she spends the summer.
Will is part of an upstanding, well-to-do Southern family but although they maintain traditions like evening cocktails (Toddy Time) and host parties which require engraved invitations, there are secrets hidden in their past. This hint of scandal casts a shadow over the family but in typical Southern tradition no one discusses the less than perfect past. Although polite, everyone seems emotionally shut down while they try to keep everything under wraps.
Ava, however, does not bow to these traditions and is gradually unearthing parts of the family's past. As she learns more about the family's past, it inspires her to write and her novel begins to take shape. With Will's obvious romantic interest in her and the kindness offered by the aunts, Ava knows writing this novel will be viewed as a betrayal because it exposes what the family has worked so hard to keep buried. She can't, however, stem her need to get to the bottom of a mystery in the family's past.
This novel offers a peek into life in the South as it might have been 50 years ago. Although it takes place in the present, everyone lives as you might expect them to in the 1950's - no one seems to have a job and they retire to bed during the heat of midday. Toddy Time anchors their days and they certainly stand on ceremony. By moving at the slow pace of days gone by, the novel makes for a lovely summer respite and I found myself languishing in the charm of the South. It is interesting to watch the Northerner, Ava, adjust as she is dropped into this world of tradition, formality and a slower pace. The author tosses in some romantic tension between Will and Ava and the competing interests of another man in town to round out this summer read. For a quick trip back to the charm of South during the time of plantations and debuts, pick of Summer in the South: A Novel by Cathy Holton!
Will is part of an upstanding, well-to-do Southern family but although they maintain traditions like evening cocktails (Toddy Time) and host parties which require engraved invitations, there are secrets hidden in their past. This hint of scandal casts a shadow over the family but in typical Southern tradition no one discusses the less than perfect past. Although polite, everyone seems emotionally shut down while they try to keep everything under wraps.
Ava, however, does not bow to these traditions and is gradually unearthing parts of the family's past. As she learns more about the family's past, it inspires her to write and her novel begins to take shape. With Will's obvious romantic interest in her and the kindness offered by the aunts, Ava knows writing this novel will be viewed as a betrayal because it exposes what the family has worked so hard to keep buried. She can't, however, stem her need to get to the bottom of a mystery in the family's past.
This novel offers a peek into life in the South as it might have been 50 years ago. Although it takes place in the present, everyone lives as you might expect them to in the 1950's - no one seems to have a job and they retire to bed during the heat of midday. Toddy Time anchors their days and they certainly stand on ceremony. By moving at the slow pace of days gone by, the novel makes for a lovely summer respite and I found myself languishing in the charm of the South. It is interesting to watch the Northerner, Ava, adjust as she is dropped into this world of tradition, formality and a slower pace. The author tosses in some romantic tension between Will and Ava and the competing interests of another man in town to round out this summer read. For a quick trip back to the charm of South during the time of plantations and debuts, pick of Summer in the South: A Novel by Cathy Holton!
December 27, 2012
Being a fan of southern fiction, I had to give this one a try. I had a stack of books in my TBR pile, but this one caught and held my attention from the first page. The author does a great job of capturing the uniqueness of a southern small town (waving at everyone you see, revealing one's life story in line at the grocer). However, I never could find myself rooting for Ava. She seemed nosy, blunt and cold to me. Actually, I think this is the way southerners tend to view many non-southerners. It just isn't the way we do things. Therefore, I think the author does a great job in capturing the way non-southerners are viewed by others here (often unknowingly).
The mystery itself is vaguely interesting, but I kept wondering why, exactly, Ava really cared? In her relentless pursuit of finding the true killer of Charles Woodburn she questions other family members continuously. She also writes their family secrets down and intends to publish them. (Can you see why I find her so unlikeable?) I kept asking myself (over and over) why Ava even cared? These people were essentially strangers to her.
Another thing I found distracting was this quote: "They'd spend the summer driving around town picking up girls in a 1967 Corvette they'd bought at an auction. Jake was the worst. You didn't dare get into the back with him unless you wanted to come out with bruises and whisker burns all over your face and other places too embarrassing to mention." Think about it. A 1967 Corvette has no back seat.
So was all the hanky panky taking place- in the trunk? A minor detail, indeed, but very distracting.
I'm not saying I didn't like the book. It was a pretty good mystery and I was surprised at the outcome. However, I am not used to books where the main character is actually unlikable. Again, this is an excellent portrayal of how non-southerners appear to southerners. The author actually did an excellent job with this. It was a quick read, and not a bad one. At least it made me think.....
The mystery itself is vaguely interesting, but I kept wondering why, exactly, Ava really cared? In her relentless pursuit of finding the true killer of Charles Woodburn she questions other family members continuously. She also writes their family secrets down and intends to publish them. (Can you see why I find her so unlikeable?) I kept asking myself (over and over) why Ava even cared? These people were essentially strangers to her.
Another thing I found distracting was this quote: "They'd spend the summer driving around town picking up girls in a 1967 Corvette they'd bought at an auction. Jake was the worst. You didn't dare get into the back with him unless you wanted to come out with bruises and whisker burns all over your face and other places too embarrassing to mention." Think about it. A 1967 Corvette has no back seat.
So was all the hanky panky taking place- in the trunk? A minor detail, indeed, but very distracting.
I'm not saying I didn't like the book. It was a pretty good mystery and I was surprised at the outcome. However, I am not used to books where the main character is actually unlikable. Again, this is an excellent portrayal of how non-southerners appear to southerners. The author actually did an excellent job with this. It was a quick read, and not a bad one. At least it made me think.....
March 19, 2012
This is one of the worst books I ever read. The main character Ava is nothing but "whine whine whine". The writing is full of cliches and is in need of editing: repetition of words and phrases alert! The story meanders and Ava goes from strong woman to whiner to just plain chick lit stereotype.
Spoilers:
So were the apparitions Ava saw really a ghost or just part of her sleep disorder? Or was Josephine slowly poisoning her and the hallucinations part of that?
Was Will going to kill her at the end? Did Will toss her room or was in a ghost?
Who the hell was her father? Who the hell was her mother? How did the woman she called mom ever get her?
Who will she end up with: Jake? Will? None?
Will she go back to Chicago? Does Will kill her?
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS???
I don't mind when an author leaves some things to the readers imagination but it feels like author Holton just got bored and gave up writing the story. And let me tell you something, I was bored reading and ready to give up around page 150. I persevered thinking I would get some answers and to find I was left with nothing really infuriated me as a reader.
Worst book ever, ever, ever.
Spoilers:
So were the apparitions Ava saw really a ghost or just part of her sleep disorder? Or was Josephine slowly poisoning her and the hallucinations part of that?
Was Will going to kill her at the end? Did Will toss her room or was in a ghost?
Who the hell was her father? Who the hell was her mother? How did the woman she called mom ever get her?
Who will she end up with: Jake? Will? None?
Will she go back to Chicago? Does Will kill her?
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS???
I don't mind when an author leaves some things to the readers imagination but it feels like author Holton just got bored and gave up writing the story. And let me tell you something, I was bored reading and ready to give up around page 150. I persevered thinking I would get some answers and to find I was left with nothing really infuriated me as a reader.
Worst book ever, ever, ever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2011
** I won this book through Goodreads First Reads**
This book was a great representation of the pride and honor that the older generation in the south take in their family heritage. As I read I could imagine the characters sitting on the veranda enjoying totty time. I could picture the streets lined with trees. I could see the weeping willows swaying in the breeze... I truly enjoyed the mystery that was intertwined within this novel. Without giving too much away I can honestly say that I was kept guessing who Ava would end up with... I couldn't tell if she would go for Will who would offer her the stability she had always longed for or if she would go for Jake who would fulfill that craving that so many of us have for excitement! I also imagined at one point that she would choose to forgo either option and live as friends with Fraiser... only by finishing the book will readers find out which option she chose, if she chose any of those!!
Great book... well written... hopefully many of the errors will be corrected in the actual publication!
This book was a great representation of the pride and honor that the older generation in the south take in their family heritage. As I read I could imagine the characters sitting on the veranda enjoying totty time. I could picture the streets lined with trees. I could see the weeping willows swaying in the breeze... I truly enjoyed the mystery that was intertwined within this novel. Without giving too much away I can honestly say that I was kept guessing who Ava would end up with... I couldn't tell if she would go for Will who would offer her the stability she had always longed for or if she would go for Jake who would fulfill that craving that so many of us have for excitement! I also imagined at one point that she would choose to forgo either option and live as friends with Fraiser... only by finishing the book will readers find out which option she chose, if she chose any of those!!
Great book... well written... hopefully many of the errors will be corrected in the actual publication!
July 15, 2011
Slow and sultry as a southern summer, this book is full of Southern Gothic. Ava flees her bizarre past to try to write as a houseguest, not really expecting to be intrigued by the equally bizarre and mysterious past of her hosts.
The first half of the book was difficult for me to get interested in. Despite enjoying Holton's previous books, part of me was voting for giving up. Once the scene was laboriously set, however, elements fall into place. I really did enjoy the last half of the book. (And will definitely look for Holton's next book. Love the atmosphere she creates.)
The first half of the book was difficult for me to get interested in. Despite enjoying Holton's previous books, part of me was voting for giving up. Once the scene was laboriously set, however, elements fall into place. I really did enjoy the last half of the book. (And will definitely look for Holton's next book. Love the atmosphere she creates.)
September 4, 2020
At first I was loving this book because it was so much a quintessential southern novel with the sweet tea, the old historical home and it is well written . However as the novel progressed the main character became very unlikable to me and that started to ruin it. There were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up and the character’s lack of respect for people who showed her kindness put a huge damper on what started off as a great story.
June 14, 2011
An awesome book! One of the best books I have read. Loved all the elements of this story, an old, wealthy southern family with secrets,betrayal,the main character Ava who is trying to uncover the truth. All the good stuff that makes up an excellent book. I was hooked and I couldnt put it down.
You wont be disappointed.
You wont be disappointed.
February 1, 2024
I really wanted to like this book…but Ava the main character is a horrible human.
May 30, 2018
I enjoyed listening to this book and really liked the unexpectant twist at the end. I have not read this author before, but will definitely be looking into her other books.
July 28, 2012
Ava has professional success at a Chicago advertising firm, but not much personally. Now college friend,Will Fraser invites her to come south for the summer and work on her dream novel while living with his aunts in an historic southern mansion. As she learns more about Will's family, she sees a mystery that is weaving its way into her novel, a mystery the family doesn't want solved or revealed. Will she find the answers?
I started reading this thinking it would be a light chick lit kind of book - and it mostly was, but the author weaved in some fascinating elements along the way. The book actually starts off in the 1930s with the body of a young man found in the river, and then comes back to Ava and her story, her journey to the south in search of herself, and the reconcile her past and her previously deceased father who is apparently alive. Soon she stumbles onto the story of Charlie Woodburn and realizes that the two aunts who have graciously allowed her the shelter of her home are somehow entwined in the mystery of what happened to Charlie. The author goes back to the 30s and see events through the eyes of the characters as she puts the pieces together for the reader and Ava continues to stumble onto more information. There is also a romance brewing between Ava and Will, but what happens when Charlie's grandson Jake - all mysterious and darkly handsome - enters the scene.
There are lots of layers in this novel, not all of them cleanly resolved and not all of them necessary. But ultimately, the reader is interested enough in the mystery to wade through the details to the conclusion. A neat little story full of history, romance and discovery.
I started reading this thinking it would be a light chick lit kind of book - and it mostly was, but the author weaved in some fascinating elements along the way. The book actually starts off in the 1930s with the body of a young man found in the river, and then comes back to Ava and her story, her journey to the south in search of herself, and the reconcile her past and her previously deceased father who is apparently alive. Soon she stumbles onto the story of Charlie Woodburn and realizes that the two aunts who have graciously allowed her the shelter of her home are somehow entwined in the mystery of what happened to Charlie. The author goes back to the 30s and see events through the eyes of the characters as she puts the pieces together for the reader and Ava continues to stumble onto more information. There is also a romance brewing between Ava and Will, but what happens when Charlie's grandson Jake - all mysterious and darkly handsome - enters the scene.
There are lots of layers in this novel, not all of them cleanly resolved and not all of them necessary. But ultimately, the reader is interested enough in the mystery to wade through the details to the conclusion. A neat little story full of history, romance and discovery.
June 15, 2011
Summer in the South tells the story about Ava. Everything in Ava's life seems to be going wrong all at the same time so when Will, an old friend from college, throws her a lifeline by inviting her to stay with his great-aunts in their house in the southern city of Woodburn. She goes there in hopes of finally working on and completely a novel. Once there she stumbles upon a family secret which no one will talk about. An idea sparks in her mind and a novel takes form as she tells the story of what happened in the Woodburn family past as she perceives it. As Ava explores the past of the town's founding family, she begins to come to terms with her own past. She also has to deal with Will and his growing feelings for her and her possible feelings for his cousin and black sheep of the family Jake.
I really enjoyed this. Ava has a lot going for her and is so real. I loved to watch her grow throughout the novel. It was a nice look into Southern society and all the intricacies it holds. The novel was well written. I only wish I had more flashback chapters. They were so sparse that they almost seemed thrown in as an afterthought. I enjoyed them but wished there were more of them. This was a very good book and one I would recommend.
I really enjoyed this. Ava has a lot going for her and is so real. I loved to watch her grow throughout the novel. It was a nice look into Southern society and all the intricacies it holds. The novel was well written. I only wish I had more flashback chapters. They were so sparse that they almost seemed thrown in as an afterthought. I enjoyed them but wished there were more of them. This was a very good book and one I would recommend.
August 2, 2011
A first time read for this author, I enjoyed the story set in the South. I always love stories in this setting for some reason. This one is set in a small town near Nashville called Woodburn. I personally think it is really Franklin, TN where my husband and I have visited on a trip to see my grandson in Nashville. Franklin is a small town with so much history especially Civil War. From the author's descriptions of the town, it could very well be Franklin.
The main character, Ava, finds herself traveling to Woodburn at the invitation of a college friend to write her first novel after the death of her mother and the end of a relationship. She becomes absorbed into the Southern family of this young man with all the aunts and cousins. There is an abundance of secrets and tradition as she becomes more and more curious about a mysterious death in the family back in the 1930's and begins to write the story as she imagines it to be. How much is truth and how much is her own
This one reads well and keeps you moving from chapter to chapter as more family secrets are revealed. I like the way the author goes back and forth from the past to the present in the voice of the different characters.
The main character, Ava, finds herself traveling to Woodburn at the invitation of a college friend to write her first novel after the death of her mother and the end of a relationship. She becomes absorbed into the Southern family of this young man with all the aunts and cousins. There is an abundance of secrets and tradition as she becomes more and more curious about a mysterious death in the family back in the 1930's and begins to write the story as she imagines it to be. How much is truth and how much is her own
This one reads well and keeps you moving from chapter to chapter as more family secrets are revealed. I like the way the author goes back and forth from the past to the present in the voice of the different characters.
March 19, 2015
I wish this book could've made up its mind what it wanted to be...a romance, a ghost story, or a mystery whodunit. I don't think the author was sure either so the story went all over the place in so many different directions that there was no way to successfully answer all the many questions posed:
***Spoiler Alert****
1) Why was Will so invested in this woman coming to his home town when their college friendship had turned to distant acquaintance at best?
2) Once it became clear to Will that Ava did not fit into his family's world (not to mention had little reverence for his family's legacy), why did he continue the doomed courtship?
3) What in the world was the point of Ava uncovering her true ancestry (toward the end of the book no less) when it seemed to contribute nothing to the story and just served as yet another rabbit trail?
Those are just a few (lets not even go into the ghost stuff) of the unanswered questions. I was left with a lot of "what? why?" at the end of the story. I hate when that happens after having invested my time in a book.
***Spoiler Alert****
1) Why was Will so invested in this woman coming to his home town when their college friendship had turned to distant acquaintance at best?
2) Once it became clear to Will that Ava did not fit into his family's world (not to mention had little reverence for his family's legacy), why did he continue the doomed courtship?
3) What in the world was the point of Ava uncovering her true ancestry (toward the end of the book no less) when it seemed to contribute nothing to the story and just served as yet another rabbit trail?
Those are just a few (lets not even go into the ghost stuff) of the unanswered questions. I was left with a lot of "what? why?" at the end of the story. I hate when that happens after having invested my time in a book.
August 4, 2011
I read the book while I was on vacation in Florida and I finished the book rather quickly lounging by the pool. I enjoyed the way the history of the Woodburns was incorporated in the story and it helped me follow the storyline better. There was a little romance, mystery, humor, intrigue and a little paranormal all rolled up in a great novel. All the characters were developed fully and they interacted well together. I got a kick out of the two great Aunts Josephine and Fanny and the way they interacted with Ava especially during Toddy Time (cocktail hour). Ava had writers block in the beginning of the book and as the story went on the mystery behind the family helped spark Ava's writing. I recommend the book and is it a great summer read.
June 8, 2011
The title really sets the stage for the basic premise of this story. Ava leaves behind a failed relationship and stale job at the invite of an old college friend to stay with his aunts for the summer to work on the novel she has always wanted to write. She hasn't seen Will Fraser for years, and remembers teasing him about the small southern town he hailed from while in college. Aunts Fanny and Josephine greet Ava with true southern hospitality while Uncle Maitland mans the bar at Toddy Time everyday before dinner. Will and his family have all manner of dark secrets which the hot summer and mason jars of cool sweet tea set off perfectly. Great read to kick off summer.
October 26, 2011
Holton presents many of the Southern clichés in this story: the language, the sweet tea, the class distinction, the eccentric characters, and the lifestyle. Many times these props are too time worn and not innovative. The story centers on a young woman from Chicago spending the summer in Tennessee to write a novel. The language and fluency of the novel flow easily and compel the reader. I feel that Holton does not tie up all the threads of the story. Many stories are started and then left hanging.
March 29, 2015
This started off as being a typical Southern fluff book but as the story progressed, it had me intrigued and quite riveted. Ava is a Chicago gal who is disgruntled by a love affair gone wrong. A college friend, Will, invites her to fictional Woodburn, TN, where time has stood still for generations. Ava is determined to write her first novel but has trouble getting her writing started...staying in the Woodburn family home, she learns many secrets, and thus, the story begins. A murder, a love affair, family rifts all hold his story together.
July 18, 2011
** A copy of this book was won from the author through a book blog **
I was drawn to this novel by both the premise and the fact that the author claims to have been inspired to write it after visiting an old cemetery. I have long loved visiting old cemeteries and often thought them rich in untold stories. I was not disappointed in this book, and found it a fast and engaging novel--which would account for reading it in about a day and a half.
I was drawn to this novel by both the premise and the fact that the author claims to have been inspired to write it after visiting an old cemetery. I have long loved visiting old cemeteries and often thought them rich in untold stories. I was not disappointed in this book, and found it a fast and engaging novel--which would account for reading it in about a day and a half.
July 7, 2011
this book had great potential, but lacked a completed development of the characters. Will was weak and pouty. Ava was selfish and ungrateful. The plot kept switching back and forth, so it was impossible to decide what this book really was about. And then Ms. Holton at the end never resolved anything and that is a minus in my book. I could relate to some of the Southern-isms having lived there myself as a yankee. But I was overall disappointed.
June 23, 2013
Summer in the South By Cathy Holton The author takes the reader to the nicer part of the South. The beauty of the area is so well described, that you want to be there. The characters in the story are older and all live together in a huge mansion; almost a museum. Some things are not said and yet there is a knowing. An outsider enters the picture to write a novel, which she accomplishes. The family is a loyal group. There's romance implied,but no committment.
February 24, 2013
Not one to quit even if it's terrible, I forced myself through this book. The characters suck, are terribly developed, and inconsistent. I knew I should have put this book down after the author referred to something as "jaunty." When I finished I saw that the author attended Michigan State University for Creative Writing and that made me even more sad :(
April 25, 2014
I love a great Southern novel; unfortunately this was NOT one! Maybe if Cathy Holton could have made up her mind about what she was writing- historical fiction, gothic romance, mystery, general fiction. In her attempt to be all of them, she achieved none of them. Setting was well done, characters boring and too shallow to enjoy any of them. Bummer.
April 30, 2017
Summer in the South
A pensive novel containing two stories that are interwoven
The author goes to the south for the summer as a guest of her childhood friend to pursue her (up to then) nonexistent writing career. The story follows her summer, the mystery of the old southern family where she is staying and how she fictionalizes the potential story into a novel.
A pensive novel containing two stories that are interwoven
The author goes to the south for the summer as a guest of her childhood friend to pursue her (up to then) nonexistent writing career. The story follows her summer, the mystery of the old southern family where she is staying and how she fictionalizes the potential story into a novel.
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