As another Tennessee summer begins to wind to a close, there is no better way to savor the final days of the season than by relaxing at the pool or beach with a great read.  Both set in the heat of a Southern summer, these novels will draw you in and captivate you with their easy style and well-woven plots.  So sit back, pour yourself an ice-cold drink and prepare to unwind and escape the August heat with two of this summer’s best new novels!

Summer in the South: A Novel by Cathy Holton (Ballantine Books, Amazon.com $13):  Cathy Holton, a Tennessee resident herself, clearly has her finger to the pulse of life in the South as evidenced by her well-crafted characters whose stories unfold in the small town of Woodburn, TN.  As the novel opens we are introduced to Ava who is in the process of leaving behind her successful yet lonely life in Chicago to chase her dream of becoming a novelist in the quiet hometown of her college friend Will.  This book is loaded with rich descriptions and intriguing juxtapositions such as rich versus poor, North versus South and old versus young.  For those of us born below the Mason-Dixon line, Holton has included a host of regional mannerisms and colloquialisms that lend themselves quite seamlessly to the authentic feel of the novel’s people and places.  Tightly woven with mystery, introspection and a hint of romance, the plot of this novel radiates from its central theme: the lasting effects of the many choices we make in life.  Holton’s latest work shows her to be a truly graceful storyteller.  This pick is a great choice for book lovers  out there looking for an easy and entertaining summer read that will sweep them away.

Folly Beach: A Lowcountry Tale by Dorothea Benton Frank (William Morrow, Amazon.com $14.16): Uniquely structured to tell one tale from the past imbedded within another from the present, Folly Beach is storytelling at its best.  At the onset of this refreshingly complex and witty novel, Cate Cooper is met with the misfortune of losing her husband, her home and life as she knows it within the span of a few horrific days.  All of these seemingly tragic events lead to her swift relocation to her hometown of Folly Beach, South Carolina, with her beloved Aunt Daisy.  The charming beach hamlet for which the novel is named is where her new life begins to unfold before her.  Frank’s characters are so realistic and relatable that they come to feel like old friends within the first few chapters.  With her easy and familiar writing style, the author spins an exceptional tale of love, loss and the importance of looking toward the promise of tomorrow while appreciating the past. Folly Beach is a beautifully written novel that will hold readers captive until the last page has been turned.  If you are looking for a great new read that you just cannot put down, this pick is for you!