Book Review – Slightly South of Simple

If you aren’t already a fan of southern fiction, here is the book to get you hooked!

Kristy Woodson Harvey has done it again with her beautifully written latest novel, Slightly South of Simple.

As you might know from reading my blog, I am a huge fan of Kristy’s blog, Design Chic, as well as her first two novels, Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love.  Obviously, I was thrilled when she offered to send me a copy of Slightly South of Simple to review.  *All opinions expressed are my own.

Also please note that this post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking on my links, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Slightly South of Simple book on rattan tray - book review

 

My original plan for this review was to include photos from Kristy Woodson Harvey’s book launch party in New York!  I had been looking forward to an evening of sipping cocktails and celebrating one of my favorite authors.  Wouldn’t that have been great?!!

Unfortunately, we had a health scare in our family that day and I had to cancel my trip.  Luckily, everything is fine now.  Still, it has been a stressful week and a reminder that life can change in an instant.

Ironically, Slightly South of Simple had several life changing events.  Those events helped shape the characters and change their courses in life.

As always, I love a novel that can touch on some serious subjects without being too heart-wrenching.

In fact, heart-warming is actually the best word to describe this book.

Kristy has a way of making you fall in love with her characters.  If you have sisters, you will appreciate the interactions between the sisters in the book.  Seriously, some of the comments between them were just priceless.  So refreshing to read about strong women who have quirks like all of us.  I see nothing wrong with a little germ-phobia and aversion to GMO foods, but hey that’s just me!

Also, I enjoyed how the author’s love of interior design is woven into the story.  With the main character being an interior designer herself, you are able to experience the surroundings through her eyes.  Who doesn’t love hearing about the details of a table setting?…

Slightly South of Simple Book Review

To give you a full recap of the story, I have included an excerpt from the back cover…

Caroline Murphy swore she’d never set foot back in the small Southern town of Peachtree Bluff; she was a New York girl born and bred and the worst day of her life was when, in the wake of her father’s death, her mother selfishly forced her to move—during her senior year of high school, no less—back to that hick-infested rat trap where she’d spent her childhood summers. But now that her marriage to a New York high society heir has fallen apart in a very public, very embarrassing fashion, a pregnant Caroline decides to escape the gossipmongers with her nine-year-old daughter and head home to her mother, Ansley.

Ansley has always put her three daughters first, especially when she found out that her late husband, despite what he had always promised, left her with next to nothing. Now the proud owner of a charming waterfront design business and finally standing on her own two feet, Ansley welcomes Caroline and her brood back with open arms. But when her second daughter Sloane, whose military husband is overseas, and youngest daughter and successful actress Emerson join the fray, Ansley begins to feel like the piece of herself she had finally found might be slipping from her grasp. Even more discomfiting, when someone from her past reappears in Ansley’s life, the secret she’s harbored from her daughters their entire lives might finally be forced into the open.

Slightly South of Simple quote and book review

Such a charming story…and isn’t that above quote just adorable?

Basically, the whole time I was reading the book, I was imagining myself living in the fictional town of Peachtree Bluff.  Kristy has a way of making a place seem so familiar and characters so real.  Of course, I could see myself drinking wine on the porch every night at 9:00 p.m with them all…Isn’t that a cute tradition?  Maybe I need to start that at my house!

Southern Fiction on the beach - Slightly South of Simple Book Review

Slightly South of Simple

I laughed out loud, shed some tears and came away from the book looking forward to the next installment.  

Thankfully, this is the first in a series because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters yet.  I really couldn’t have picked a better book to finish on our recent vacation!

If you are looking for the perfect summer beach book, look no further!  

Although, I doubt you will be able to wait until summer to dive in…  This book would make a great Mother’s Day gift as well!  I adored this southern fiction novel!  Once you read it, I would love for you to stop back and tell me what you loved most about the book.  There’s so much to love!

*Thanks again to Kristy Woodson Harvey for providing me with a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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5 Comments

  1. Fabulous review, Sweet Shelley! My favorite part of the book was the Ansley romance. Not a lot of books are written about women of a certain age. Not that I know anything about that age group or anything. So sorry you didn't get to meet Kristy and her Mom Beth – they are so darling. So glad everything turned out ok as far as the health crisis goes. Have a great week, dear Shelley.

  2. You definitely have peaked my interest in this book. Sounds like the perfect summer read so I will definitely be adding it to my list. I am sorry you gad to miss the book party. That sounds like fun! But, even more importantly, I am glad that your family health scare worked out okay. I know all too well how that can go. Wine on the porch at 9? I wish I lived closer because that sounds like a ritual right up my alley. Have a great week, Shelley!

  3. Ironically Stacey at Poofing the Pillows just reviewed this book too. So I had to buy it. I just finished reading it last night. (I read it in less than two days, but I read fast.) I have to say that I loved it. I didn't realize that Kristy had a blog, I am so behind the curve!, I 'm headed there now. thanks!

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