On Tour: The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank and a Giveaway!

The Hurricane Sisters

The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank

Hardcover, 320 pages

Publication date: June 3rd 2014 by William Morrow

Filled with her trademark wit, sassy, heartwarming characters, and the steamy Southern atmosphere and beauty of her beloved Carolina Lowcountry, The Hurricane Sisters is New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank's enchanting tale of the ties and lies between generations.

Beloved New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank once again takes us deep in the heart of the magical Lowcountry--a sultry land of ancient magic, glorious sunsets, and soothing coastal breezes, where three generations of strong women wrestle with the expectations of family while struggling to understand their complicated relationships with each other.

Best friends since the first day of classes at The College of Charleston, Ashley Anne Waters and Mary Beth Smythe, now 23 years old, live in Ashley's parents' beach house rent-free. Ashley is a gallery assistant who aspires to become an artist. Mary Beth, a gifted cook from Tennessee, works for a caterer while searching for a good teaching job. Though they both know what they want out of life, their parents barely support their dreams and worry for their precarious finances.

While they don't make much money, the girls do have a million-dollar view that comes with living in that fabulous house on Sullivans Island. Sipping wine on the porch and watching a blood-red sunset, Ashley and Mary Beth hit on a brilliant and lucrative idea. With a new coat of paint, the first floor would be a perfect place for soirees for paying guests. Knowing her parents would be horrified at the idea of common strangers trampling through their home, Ashley won't tell them. Besides, Clayton and Liz Waters have enough problems of their own.

A successful investment banker, Clayton is too often found in his pied-a-terre in Manhattan--which Liz is sure he uses to have an affair. And when will Ashley and her brother, Ivy, a gay man with a very wealthy and very Asian life partner--ever grow up? Then there is Maisie, Liz's mother, the family matriarch who has just turned eighty, who never lets Liz forget that she's not her perfect dead sister, Juliet.

For these Lowcountry women, an emotional hurricane is about to blow through their lives, wreaking havoc that will test them in unexpected ways, ultimately transforming the bonds they share.

My thoughts about The Hurricane Sisters ~~

It is now official, Dorothea Benton Frank has become another one of my 'must read' authors! I think I have loved each new book of hers more than the last one. I know now when I start one that I am not going to want to do anything else until I am done with the story.

Dorothea writes such interesting characters that you can't help but love them. There are really some great ones in this book. The Waters family consists of the mom and dad, Clayton and Liz. They have a long distance marriage and let me tell you, that isn't working so well. And then there are the kids, Ashley, the daughter who wants to be an artist but who's parents just want her to get a 'real' job and Ivy, whose real name is Clayton Bernard Waters IV (love the nickname, Ivy - what a hoot!) who is gay and has an Asian partner, the horror of it all!

'All I can tell you is that every family on the planet is dysfunctional and we celebrate occasions as generously as we know how to do. We were all doing our best to appear grateful to have one another. Weren't appearance worth something?'

And last but not least, and the one character whom I think is the most interesting and fun person in the whole book, is the matriarch of the bunch, Maisie, who is just celebrating her 80th birthday. The story starts out with Clayton and Liz bailing her out of jail after she is caught walking a llama down the open road. Ha! I loved every part of her story and I want to grow up to be just like her. 

The Hurricane Sisters is an enjoyable, fun, and funny story but it also deals with a serious topic as well. Liz works with battered and abused women and she is a strong advocate for these women. Dorothea includes a lot of information about this issue, and facts about the problem, specifically in the South Carolina area. These issues are more common than most of us know and this story will serve as an eye opener for a lot of us. 

So the bottomline is - this is a wonderful story with great characters that touches on several social issues and problems but does it in such an entertaining way. It is a must read for all who enjoy reading contemporary women's fiction. 

About the author

Dorothea Benton Frank is the New York Times best selling author of ten novels.

Dottie has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local network affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library organizations and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She has also been a guest speaker at the South Carolina Book Festival, Novello, North Carolina's festival of books and the Book and Author annual event in Charleston, SC, sponsored by the Post & Courier.

Before she began her writing career, Dottie was involved extensively in the arts and education, and in raising awareness and funding for various non profits in New Jersey and New York.

Dottie, who was born and raised on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina, currently divides her time between South Carolina and New Jersey.

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