Have you met my friend Dotty?

Dorthea Benton Frank is one of my all-time favourite authors. Imagine my surprise when I heard she was having a book published by Avon, my favourite publisher. The Land of the Mango Sunsets is a beautifully written journey of self-discovery that more than meets the high expectations set by Ms. Frank's previous books. It has been on my to-be-read list for over a year now, and I am so glad I finally took the time to read it.

Her love of the low country and her knack for expressing the unique color of the locals shines through in this latest book. With a protagonist who you can't help but empathize with (her husband not only traded her in for a younger model, but a lingerie model at that...really, who wouldn't feel for the poor woman?). As I watched her morph from the shrewishly uptight New York Miriam to the laidback, want-to-tell-her-all-your-secrets Mellie, I felt as if I was right there with her.

I loved how Ms. Frank melds the world of New York with the world of South Carolina. I fell in love with her characters and her descriptions. Some day I would love to sit down and have a glass of wine with Ms. Frank. She seems like my kind of people. Plus, we share a love of the low country. I just hope I bring it to life in my Savages series as effortlessly and beautifully as she does.

Oh, and in case you'd like to read a sample of the book (and purchase and download it when you fall in love and have to finish it), you can find it here:

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