Author: Sarah Sadler
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Edition: e-book (Kindle)
Pages: 350
Publisher: Blue French Press

Rating: ★★★★

Blurb:

Former Alabama beauty queen Kayla Carter is given an ultimatum by her wealthy ex-boyfriend Jackson Winslow – either move to his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina with their seven-year-old daughter or support herself on a waitress’s salary. She relocates only to discover Jackson’s life is suddenly in shambles, and he has become a broke, undependable and depressed alcoholic.
Kayla hesitantly establishes herself in Charleston’s bustling culinary scene and becomes involved in a delicious fling with a free-spirited and visceral photographer. While she navigates the turbulent waters of Jackson’s new emotional state and fights feelings for him that she’s suppressed for years, Kayla’s personal success is overshadowed by an unexpected complication.
With a secret from the past threatening the chance of restoring her family, Kayla forces herself to break Jackson’s heart – and her own – once and for all, or risk everything by facing the shameful truth that has kept them apart.

REVIEW

Before I begin this review, let me just say I rarely read books with this much content. I found the descriptions and mentions of sex disgusting and admittedly skimmed or skipped the scenes. The rating is not at all based on that, though – it’s my honest opinion of the book’s quality, not the content.

In many ways, this was a fantastic novel that fully deserved five stars, and at times I really enjoyed it. I liked the main character and most of the supporting characters a lot … Avery was especially sweet! She was a very real, very adorable little girl!

The plot was very interesting, and I definitely didn’t get either of the big twists at the end! There wasn’t a ton of foreshadowing, but still, when it happened, it made so much sense and fit in so well that, though it blew my mind and I was reeling with the wonderfulness of it all, I felt like totally should have gotten it. How do people think up these amazing, beautiful plots?

I was disappointed with the love triangle. {*Spoilers*} I guess there just is no way to satisfy everyone with those, and although I was rooting for Jackson all the way, I found Kayla’s fling with J.B. (what? That’s my nickname for him …) just plain silly. I don’t know how you feel about it, but she was acting pretty committed (and so was he) for it to just end like that. {*End of Spoilers*}

Also, I felt that the story wrapped up a little too quickly – and perhaps a little too conveniently. A couple things – such as the stories of Kayla’s best friend and her mother – didn’t really get wrapped up at all. Perhaps these things will be resolved in a sequel, though.

I must say, I loved everything southern in this book! I want to go live there. Of course, I’d always be a Yankee. 😉

Overall, this was a great book with just a few problems that most people probably wouldn’t mind. Go pick up a copy of Southernmost now if you love a beautiful setting, interesting characters, a fast and interesting plotline with phenomenal twists, and mouth-watering descriptions of food.

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