Honeysuckle Summer

May 15, 2010
The story continues in Woods Southern enclave, Serenity, following Home in Carolina (2010). Raylenes husband abused her dreadfully, and since leaving Charleston for Serenity more than a year ago shes been unable to set foot outside Sarahs house. When sheriffs deputy Carter brings young Tommy home after his disappearance, he and Raylene are immediately attracted to each other. Carter is doing his best to parent his much-younger sisters, but he is concerned because Carrie doesnt seem to be adjusting well to life in Serenity, and Raylene fears she may be anorexic. Meanwhile, Sarahs ex-husband, Walter, is settling nicely into his job as ad executive at the radio station, and Raylene impulsively matchmakes between him and Marys daughter Rory Sue. Woods handily wraps up her second-generation Sweet Magnolia contemporary romance miniseries with her usual flair for small-town drama, close friendships, family alliances, and compassionate approach to social and emotional issues.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)