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A review by thathappyreader
My Magnolia Summer: A Novel by Victoria Benton Frank
4.0
My Magnolia Summer is a story of personal growth and family secrets that sees a woman return to her childhood home in the South Carolina Lowcountry. This is the debut novel by the author who is the daughter of the late Dorothea Benton Frank.
Maggie is a cook in a high-end New York City restaurant when she receives a call from her sister Violet back in their hometown in South Carolina. Their mother and grandmother have been involved in a crash and their beloved grandmother is in a coma. Without delay, Maggie and her BFF Jim head back home.
Maggie finds that her recovering alcoholic mother Lily has not been seriously hurt but that her Gran remains in a coma. Gran had gone to pick Lily up from a bar after she’d gone “off the wagon” following the breakup with her fiance. Maggie knows Gran’s restaurant The Magic Lantern will be short-handed in her absence but has no idea about the changes that had been made in her absence.
The characters are well-developed and the backstories are interesting. The family dynamic between these three generations of women is believable. While romance is featured in the story it is not the focus. I appreciate the level of personal growth experienced by several of the more central characters.
I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Dorothy Dillingham Blue. Her performance felt authentic and I enjoyed her South Carolina accent. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook to those who appreciate this format.
This is an engaging debut novel. I was happy to hear the author share that there will be a sequel to this novel to answer outstanding questions relating to the characters. I recommend this book to those readers who appreciate family stories.
Maggie is a cook in a high-end New York City restaurant when she receives a call from her sister Violet back in their hometown in South Carolina. Their mother and grandmother have been involved in a crash and their beloved grandmother is in a coma. Without delay, Maggie and her BFF Jim head back home.
Maggie finds that her recovering alcoholic mother Lily has not been seriously hurt but that her Gran remains in a coma. Gran had gone to pick Lily up from a bar after she’d gone “off the wagon” following the breakup with her fiance. Maggie knows Gran’s restaurant The Magic Lantern will be short-handed in her absence but has no idea about the changes that had been made in her absence.
The characters are well-developed and the backstories are interesting. The family dynamic between these three generations of women is believable. While romance is featured in the story it is not the focus. I appreciate the level of personal growth experienced by several of the more central characters.
I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Dorothy Dillingham Blue. Her performance felt authentic and I enjoyed her South Carolina accent. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook to those who appreciate this format.
This is an engaging debut novel. I was happy to hear the author share that there will be a sequel to this novel to answer outstanding questions relating to the characters. I recommend this book to those readers who appreciate family stories.