My Summer of Southern Discomfort: A Novel
3/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Today is Monday. The calls do not come as before. Weeks elapse between them, and when I answer the phone there is no overlap of voices, only my mother's. She spends much of the conversation avoiding mention of the pink elephant trumpeting in the middle of the room.
The pink elephant would be my defection to Georgia. When I telephoned with the news of my imminent relocation my father asked, "Georgia, as in the Republic of Georgia by the Black Sea, or Georgia as in the Peach State?" He hoped I meant the former because that Georgia promised unique opportunities to advance the democratic cause of justice. What could Georgia, former land of the Confederacy, offer?
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 offered, 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 are a garden-obsessed neighbor, a former beauty queen–turned–defense attorney, and a handsome colleague who has a nervous tic whenever she gets near. And then there's a capital case that has her eating antacids by the truckload.
Yep, it's going to be one heckuva long, hot summer. . . .
Stephanie Gayle
Stephanie Gayle's work has appeared in the literary magazines 400 Words, The Charles River Review, Edgar Literary Journal, Ellipsis, and The Fourth River. Her story "Interior Design" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Related to My Summer of Southern Discomfort
Related ebooks
Bedrock Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Beyond Molasses Creek Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Orange Blossom Special: An Ellery Novella Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Queen Bee Goes Home Again: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Three Mrs. Parkers Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Flowers For Elvis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Edisto Heat Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Buffington Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Next Step in the Dance: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trouble the Water Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wedding Circle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMiracle Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5A Family of Strangers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murdered in Craven Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sweeter Than Tea Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCold Feet Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Louisiana Saves the Library Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Southern Secrets: A Southern Contemporary Fiction Novella Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWho Let That Killer in the House? Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Snowed In: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cameo Lake Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ghost of Birch River Cabin Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBadge of Edisto Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Million Dollar Road Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Celebration! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret Sense of Wildflower: Southern Historical Fiction (Wildflower Trilogy Book 1): Wildflower, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Keeper and Kid: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wins and Losses: Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Red and the Black: Historical Romance Classic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsQueen Bee of Mimosa Branch: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Legal For You
The List Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Next of Kin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Perfect Marriage: A Completely Gripping Psychological Suspense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Devil's Advocate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Plea: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fuck You, Your Honor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Good Killing: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A House Divided Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Partner Track: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Trial Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anatomy of a Jury: The Inside Story of How Twelve Ordinary People Decide the Fate of an Accused Murderer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ten Rules for a Call Girl: An eShort Story Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Valentine: A Read with Jenna Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Attraction: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chosen People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Injustice: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Game of Proof: The Trials of Sarah Newby, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Depraved Heart: A Scarpetta Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Guardian of Lies: A Paul Madriani Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Chosen People Novels: Chosen People and Promised Land Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Conflict of Interest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Full Irish Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pleading Guilty Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Burden of Proof Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Santa Fe Rules Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bodily Harm: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Double Indemnity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHalf Irish Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Living Room Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for My Summer of Southern Discomfort
25 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The plot of the book was okay. Nothing was ever explored really, it was like reading a very bad journal, where things are listed, but nothing delved into. I seriously didn't get the point. I gave it two stars because I finshed it, and what little character development there was, I liked.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I had to vindicate this book's honor because I saw the mediocre reviews on LibraryThing, but I really enjoyed it. I used to practice law and hated it, but this book made me want to practice criminal law. The trial at the center of the story was fascinating, and it was easy to root for the protagonist. She never made a misstep (while prosecuting the trial, anyway). There is also a bit of doomed romantic backstory and a hint of new romance, but overall the book is much "deeper" than the fluffy cover implies.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This book just seemed like it had no plot. Though it was short, it was difficult to get through because it had no direction. It is also awkwardly written and does not flow at all. The secondary characters are difficult to understand and sympathize with. One good thing is her descriptions of the South are spot on and enjoyable.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This book was pretty dull. It's sort of chick lit on a less "brainless" level since the main character is a lawyer. Really, the plot line drug on forever and the whole thing was just a little bland, with a very dull ending to match the entire book. I'd give it a "blah".