The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank

 

Ok all you wonderful ladies who stayed home and took care of a husband and your kids....you will love this book.  It is simply delightful, just like the author whom I had the pleasure of meeting.

Leslie Carter was a stay-at-home wife/mother who pinched pennies all her life and was starting to wonder why she did.  She was tired of being unappreciated and taken for granted especially when she accidentally found a bank statement her husband, Wesley, never allowed her to see that had a balance of 22 million dollars.  Yes....22 million....she couldn't believe it.

Leslie decided she needed a vacation from Wesley to cool off.  First from the accident she had in Edinburgh which Wesley was so indifferent about and now all this secret money.  She knew the best place to go was her brother's in Charleston, their childhood city.  Leslie found more than she expected once she arrived.

You will love Leslie for how genuine she is, how believable she is, and how brave she is to finally do something to make herself happy.  And....you definitely will dislike Wesley as well as their two children because of their selfishness and disregard for anyone but themselves.

The book has great descriptions both of the characters and the landscapes of the Lowcountry.  It is a sweet, homey read and will make you think about your family and your relationships in a new light or simply  make you happy or unhappy about where you are in your own life.  It will have you doing some introspection as well as having a good laugh.  The ending is awesome.

I truly enjoyed this book. This is the second book of Ms. Benton Frank's that I have read, and I am very happy with both of them. The content makes me want to read all of her books.

I received this book without compensation and free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank

Leave the light on for me.  

PORCH LIGHTS was a book about caring, family, healing, and a book that will steal your heart in more ways than one.

Jackie, recently widowed with a ten-year-old son, decides to go back home for the rest of the summer to help Charlie heal from the loss of his father.  Many surprises await Jackie as well as many decisions. One of the surprises is her mother.  They never did have an easy relationship, but her mother seems to have changed.

The characters were a nice mix of fun, intensity, loneliness, being loveable, and unique.  The setting was very well described as well as the emotions of each character.  You will cry, laugh, and even be envious of the family connection. 

You will want to be part of the Britt family and live with them on Sullivan's Island. You will definitely want to share the delicious meals made by Annie, but you won't want to be Jackie who has a major life decision to make.

I have never read a book by Ms. Frank.  She has an easy style and drew me in.  This book was a pleasant read.  4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.