The Southern Side of Paradise

April 15, 2019
In a satisfying completion of the Peachtree Bluff trilogy (Slightly South of Simple, 2017; The Secret to Southern Charm, 2018), Harvey returns to the small Georgia beach town in which the Murphy sisters are spending time with their mother, Ansley. While her sisters appear to be moving forward with their lives, actress Emerson can't decide between returning to the lights of Hollywood or staying in Peachtree Bluff and marrying her boyfriend, Mark. Her grandmother's recent death and her own health scare have her wondering just how to follow her heart. Ansley, too, is at a crossroads, burdened with a secret that can't remain hidden from her daughters much longer. As the youngest in the family, Emerson has a journey of self-discovery that differs from those of her sisters. Harvey excels at drawing strong, genuine relationships among Emerson and her sisters and mother, who are able to withstand both small frustrations and big secrets and still find true fondness for one another. Her Peachtree Bluff setting creates the kind of beach town full of colorful characters and big porches that make for the best kind of summer escape.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)