Sweet Southern Hearts
by Susan Schild
Releasing January 10, 2017
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When it comes to marriage, third time’s the charm for Linny Taylor. She’s thrilled to be on her honeymoon with Jack Avery, Willow Hill’s handsome veterinarian. But just like the hair-raising white-water rafting trip Jack persuades her to take, newlywed life has plenty of dips and bumps.
Jack’s twelve-year-old son is resisting all Linny’s efforts to be the perfect stepmother, while her own mother, Dottie, begs her to tag along on the first week of a free-wheeling RV adventure. Who knew women “of a certain age” could drum up so much trouble? No sooner is Linny sighing with relief at being back home than she’s helping her frazzled sister with a new baby…and dealing with an unexpected legacy from her late ex. Life is fuller—and richer—than she ever imagined, but if there’s one thing Linny’s learned by now, it’s that there’s always room for another sweet surprise…
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
Buy Pizza and Get Gas at Gino’s Gas and Go! She grimaced. The best pizza in Willow Hill, which just happened to be located in a gas station, needed to change their motto.
… in general teenaged boys are like jackals. They’ll turn on you with bared teeth, tell you they hate your guts, and then they’ll ask you to fix them a grilled cheese sandwich.
‘That was the most perfect day.’ Looking dreamy, she clasped her hands together… Linny nodded, remembering Jerry’s nephew drinking too much beer and driving an ATV into the porta-potty the minister’s wife was using, and Jerry’s uncle from Possum Trot, North Carolina, eating his first shrimp ever and going into anaphylactic shock. But she just smiled at her sister.
‘I only got the necessities,’ Mama said looking self-righteous as she pulled out toilet tissue, marshmallows, two half gallons of ice cream, caramel popcorn, a bag of pork rinds, and a big box of Luzianne tea.
Those men claim they love sleeping under the stars on their air mattresses, but in the morning both of them walk crooked and smell like Bengay.
My Review:
The talented scribe known as Susan Schild has delighted me once again with the latest addition to her highly entertaining Willow Hills series. Sweet Southern Hearts was exactly that, and I adored it. The endearing and highly relatable character of Linny quickly found herself sucked into a whirlwind of chaotic activity with no transition time to ease into her new roles of wife and stepmother. Non-stop challenges continually vexed her attempts at Zen such as the friction provided by her husband’s demanding ex-wife, her surly teenaged stepson pushing her limits, her fledgling new business contracts, and a senior citizen cross-country “freewheeling RV experience” with her mother and two other widows. Linny was beyond overwhelmed as she frantically juggled these many obligations into her already hectic calendar when an even bigger surprise landed on her doorstep. I was holding my breath for sweet Linny for fear that either this new wrinkle or her spineless wuss of a husband would cause her to finally crash and burn. The storyline was lively and relevant and well-paced. Ms. Schild’s writing, as always, was engaging and full of levity, humorous descriptions, and comical observations, insights, and inner musings. Linny has an active imagination that I find highly amusing. I also enjoy her colorful friends with the same level of enchantment and am already looking forward to future trips to Willow Hill.
Empress DJ
About the Author
Susan Schild writes heartwarming and funny contemporary Southern fiction. Her stories feature adventuresome women, good men, blended families, sweet dogs, friends and family who see you through, and happily-ever-afters at any age.
Susan is a wife and stepmother. She enjoys weekend getaways with friends, reading fiction, and rummaging through thrift stores for finds like four dollar cashmere sweaters. A dog lover, Susan has a special fondness for Lab mix rescue dogs. She and her family live in North Carolina where she is finishing up the third novel in the Willow Hill Series, Sweet Southern Hearts, which will be released January 10, 2017.
Susan graduated from James Madison University in Virginia, and holds a master’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used her professional background as a psychotherapist and management trainer to add authenticity to her characters.
Susan is represented by Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary Agency.
You can find Susan:
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