That Last Carolina Summer: A Gripping Southern Tale of Sisterhood, Secrets, and the Haunting Power of the Past – A Lowcountry Mystery of Premonitions and Second Chances
"This multi-generational story is layered with juicy family secrets. The perfect summer read." --Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of A Novel Summer
Beloved bestselling author Karen White returns with a captivating new Southern drama about sisterhood, secrets and one woman's reckoning with the past
As a child, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Addie, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast, as far from her family as possible. Now, years later, she is summoned back to South Carolina, to help Addie care for their ailing mother.
As Phoebe's return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts, she is drawn to Celeste, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection brings comfort to Phoebe, while Celeste's adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe's past.
But the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home, the more her recurring nightmares intensify--bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable story about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances.
Beloved bestselling author Karen White returns with a captivating new Southern drama about sisterhood, secrets and one woman's reckoning with the past
As a child, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Addie, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast, as far from her family as possible. Now, years later, she is summoned back to South Carolina, to help Addie care for their ailing mother.
As Phoebe's return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts, she is drawn to Celeste, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection brings comfort to Phoebe, while Celeste's adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe's past.
But the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home, the more her recurring nightmares intensify--bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable story about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances.
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Community Reviews
Well bless my soul and hand me a glass of sweet tea—Karen White has done it again, y’all. And by “done it again,” I mean she dragged me kicking and screaming into another Southern family drama so thick with tension, humidity, and generational trauma that I now require both therapy and mosquito repellent.
Let’s start with our heroine Phoebe, who—as a child—gets STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. And instead of becoming a Marvel superhero (missed opportunity), she gets the slightly less glamorous gift of premonitions and deeply repressed trauma. Phoebe promptly nopes her way to California (honestly, same), but just when she thinks she’s escaped the haunted magnolia-scented clutches of Charleston, her beautiful golden-child sister Addie calls her back to care for their ailing mother.
Cue the family secrets, passive-aggressive conversations over tea, and enough “well, we don’t talk about that” moments to fill an entire Southern Gothic bingo card.
Phoebe—our reluctant psychic and professional family avoider—gets dragged back to Charleston to help care for her ailing mother (bless her heart), and suddenly we’re knee-deep in past trauma, unresolved grief, and dreams that might be trying to tell her something other than “get a decent night’s sleep.”
Enter Celeste, a neighbor with a missing granddaughter, a tragic past, and a penchant for emotional bonding. Also enter Liam, Celeste’s mysteriously broody adult grandson who just so happens to stir up all of Phoebe’s repressed feelings—because what’s a Southern drama without a little will-they-won’t-they romantic tension with unresolved high school vibes?
And just when you think it’s safe to go back into the swamp, Phoebe’s premonitions start cranking up to Final Destination levels of cryptic unease, and boom—secrets come crawling out of the kudzu.
Well, somewhere between the third cup of tea and the seventh “oh honey, you wouldn’t understand,” I may have wanted to shake a few characters like a dusty rug on a front porch. But hey, isn’t that part of the charm?
If you like your fiction with a side of Southern charm, deep family wounds, mysterious dreams, and enough atmospheric angst to fog up your glasses, then That Last Carolina Summer is your ticket to the dramatic vacation you didn’t know you needed. Just don’t get struck by lightning on the way out.
Let’s start with our heroine Phoebe, who—as a child—gets STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. And instead of becoming a Marvel superhero (missed opportunity), she gets the slightly less glamorous gift of premonitions and deeply repressed trauma. Phoebe promptly nopes her way to California (honestly, same), but just when she thinks she’s escaped the haunted magnolia-scented clutches of Charleston, her beautiful golden-child sister Addie calls her back to care for their ailing mother.
Cue the family secrets, passive-aggressive conversations over tea, and enough “well, we don’t talk about that” moments to fill an entire Southern Gothic bingo card.
Phoebe—our reluctant psychic and professional family avoider—gets dragged back to Charleston to help care for her ailing mother (bless her heart), and suddenly we’re knee-deep in past trauma, unresolved grief, and dreams that might be trying to tell her something other than “get a decent night’s sleep.”
Enter Celeste, a neighbor with a missing granddaughter, a tragic past, and a penchant for emotional bonding. Also enter Liam, Celeste’s mysteriously broody adult grandson who just so happens to stir up all of Phoebe’s repressed feelings—because what’s a Southern drama without a little will-they-won’t-they romantic tension with unresolved high school vibes?
And just when you think it’s safe to go back into the swamp, Phoebe’s premonitions start cranking up to Final Destination levels of cryptic unease, and boom—secrets come crawling out of the kudzu.
Well, somewhere between the third cup of tea and the seventh “oh honey, you wouldn’t understand,” I may have wanted to shake a few characters like a dusty rug on a front porch. But hey, isn’t that part of the charm?
If you like your fiction with a side of Southern charm, deep family wounds, mysterious dreams, and enough atmospheric angst to fog up your glasses, then That Last Carolina Summer is your ticket to the dramatic vacation you didn’t know you needed. Just don’t get struck by lightning on the way out.
If you love Dorthea Benton Frank, you will love "That Last Carolina Summer" by Karen White. It gives all the same Lowcountry feels. Book was for sure a 5 start read, and I can't wait to read more books by Karen White. I wish there was a book 2 to follow, because while all story lines wrapped up, I need to know what happened with Addie, and I REALLY need to know is Phoebe got married!!
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