MY SUMMER OF SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

Author: Stephanie Gayle ISBN: 0061236292 7/2007 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: WILLIAM MORROW

Mary Kay Andrews meets Anne Tyler in this irresistible debut novel that introduces one of the quirkiest, most adorable, and most memorable heroines ever to head south in search of adventure Convicting arsonists and thieves in Macon, Georgia, was never Harvard Law grad Natalie Goldberg's dream. The pay is abysmal, the work is exhausting, and the humidity is hell for a woman with curly hair. But when a steamy romance with her high-powered New York boss went bad, Natalie jumped at the first job she saw, packed her bags, and headed south. Natalie's leftist Yankee background brands her a conspicuous outsider in this insular community. Her father, a famous civil rights lawyer, refuses to accept her career change—or talk to her. Her best friend begs her to come back home, and Natalie keeps thinking she sees her former lover everywhere. But Natalie's not completely alone. There's a garden-obsessed neighbor, a former beauty queen-turned-defense attorney, and a handsome colleague with a nervous tic whenever she gets near. And then there's that capital case that has her eating antacids by the truckload. Yep, it's going to be one heckuva long, hot summer ...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

MY SUMMER OF SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT is the debut novel of author Stephanie Gayle. All I can think is that if this is Ms. Gayle's first book, I can't wait to read more from her! The story is so well told that I was drawn in from the opening page and was completely present in every scene on every page thereafter. There were no instances where I wasn't immersed in the story.

Natalie, the heroine, is an intelligent woman who finds herself, as a result of a series of bad romantic choices, working for a law firm in the deep south. For a northern woman more comfortable in expensive department stores than the Piggly Wiggly, this is a huge lifestyle change.

Change, and dealing with all it brings, is the underlying theme of this book. It's about learning to adapt to new circumstances, modifying outlooks when necessary and finding joy in unexpected places—and with unexpected people. Natalie's journey is one that was a wonder to watch, and this book is so well written that I felt as if I was with her every step of the way.

MY SUMMER OF SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT by Stephanie Gayle is a book that, once read, won't be forgotten. It points out that even when things look bleak, love and laughter aren't necessarily out of reach.

Kay James