In That Carolina Summer, Phoebe moves back home to help her sister with their mom who has dementia. There's lots of family drama as the sisters adjust to living together again. Phoebe reunites with the "boy" who saved her life as a child and it was sweet to see them fall for one another. Liam's grandmother becomes quite a help to the family, especially Phoebe's mom and I found it quite heartbreaking to read.

Karen White's books are always a must read for me...whether it's a stand-alone novel or one of her Tradd Street stories of Melanie and Jack I love them all!

I read/listened to the audio of That Last Carolina Summer. Jorjeana Marie and Kimberly Farr were great narrators!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 22 July 2022

I enjoy each book by this author. She writes of the low country atmospheric for the reader to easily envision the setting. The characters are richly defined with the culture of the area. This is a beautiful story of family , caretaking our elders and mystery. I loved this story and how the author writes so elequently of family and welcoming neighbors as family over generations. A very sweet story.
Thank you for the ARC to Net Galley, the publishers and the author.

”You are so much stronger than you know, Phoebe. And if you don’t think you are, then imagine you’re strong for just one day. You can renegotiate with yourself tomorrow.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was BEAUTIFULLY written. The time jumps, the imagery, the mystery of Julie’s disappearance, the relationship dynamics

I never honestly figured out if the reader was supposed to actually LIKE Celeste’s character. She was such an interesting picture of the “over-involved neighbor with good intentions”. I normally prefer clear-cut thoughts, but looking back, I actually think this made for an interesting relationship dynamic

Every time I read a Karen White novel, I immediately feel like I’m hanging with my best friends. There’s an easiness to her writing that just sucks you in. In That Last Carolina Summer, Phoebe is called home to help care for her mother as she sinks into dementia. Phoebe has had problematic relationships with her mother and her sister Addie for years. Now she must help them figure out the road ahead. Phoebe is hampered by a recurring nightmare of a drowning that she has had since she was struck by lightning as a teen and which is intensifying as she becomes interested in the man who saved her life back then. How does it all fit together?
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The premise & setup of That Last Carolina Summer introduces us to Phoebe Manigault, who survived a lightning strike in her childhood. She returns home to Charleston from the West Coast and is haunted by prophetic dreams and a life always in the shadow of her beautiful sister Addie, she reluctantly comes back to care for their ailing mother and confronts shared grief, strained bonds, and family secrets. Along the way, Phoebe forms a deep connection with Celeste, whose granddaughter disappeared years earlier, uncovering a web of mystery that will change everything

I really love the atmospheric setting here. Karen White masterfully evokes the sultry, moss-draped rhythms of the Lowcountry; its humidity, marshes, and flickering thunderstorms are practically tactile on the page. The emotional resonance was strong here as the story's heart lies in its exploration of family, memory, and reconciliation. I felt a powerful emotional pull, especially around themes of trauma, caregiving, and the weight of returning home.

That Last Carolina Summer is a richly atmospheric, emotionally nuanced novel that lingers like a warm Southern breeze. It weaves together sisterhood, memory, and mystery against a vividly rendered setting, striking a chord with readers who enjoy family drama layered with a hint of the uncanny. While its pacing and character depth may not resonate with everyone, the novel's evocative tone and thematic pull make it a standout for those drawn to character-driven Southern fiction.

3.25I Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s Publishers for this ARC. I like this author but it took me a long time to read this book. I like the main character Phoebe and Celeste and Liam but I didn’t like Addie she was very irresponsible and the twist at the end was terrible. What happened was in my opinion unforgivable.

Karen White is one of my must-read authors and THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER was high on my most-anticipated list. I am happy to say it did not disappoint. There were so many layers to the story, I found myself glued to the pages and couldn’t stop myself from turning the pages quickly. Set in the Low Country of South Carolina, this book is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. This is a perfect read anytime and anywhere.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I have always enjoyed reading books about sisters, and their pasts. This is a Multi-Generational story full of juicy family drama and secrets. Karen White does a great job of pulling you in with her writing and Southern storytelling. I was hoping for a bit more suspense with the mystery so that was a bit of a let down. Still enjoyed it enough though and happy I read it.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Karen White and my initial feelings awe Wow, just amazing! The story line was captivating pulling me in right from the beginning. The Lowcountry descriptions are spot on. Although I feel like I knew how it would end the dramatic buildup was intense. I look forward to exploring this author further. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4/5 stars

Trigger Warnings: dementia, nightmares, dreams of tragedy and lightning striking a small girl

Short synopsis: When Phoebe gets a call from her sister Addie that she needs her help with their mother that isn't doing well mentally, she reluctantly leaves the Northwest to return home to South Carolina. Her return brings back unwanted memories of being the outcast daughter who only felt loved by Aunt Sassy. It also brings back her nightmares, which began when she was nine years old and struck by lightning.

Phoebe meets Celeste Finch who's son saved her life back when she was nine and got stuck by lighting. The family has a tough history but present day Liam (the son) is now a doctor and is trying to help treat Phoebe and Celeste's mother with her dementia.

This family drama book is a page turner and and filled with mystery, wonder, hope, love and figuring out how to love people the way they are. Some of the scenes with their mother were hard to read with the dementia and the way she was losing control of her mind. I really enjoyed the scenes with Addie's nine year old daughter and Liam's son and seeing the next generation of the two families.

After reading this book, I want to read more by Karen White as her books are filled with so many incredible lessons and scenes. This book is especially great to read in the summertime but would make a great fall book as well.

I overall really liked this story and seeing how Phoebe and Celeste's friendship grows as well as how Addie and Phoebe learn to work with each other as sisters.

This is a beautifully told, well written story and with a setting so vividly described you will be able to see, smell and experience the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The characters though flawed are heartbreakingly real which is why they are so relatable and their interwoven stories spark so much emotion. I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this was a major miss for me. I was not a fan of any of the characters, the romance, or the mystery (which was obvious from the very beginning). I did enjoy the bird facts at the start of each chapter though, so at least there is that? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy.

I received a free eBook of That Last Carolina Summer by Karen White from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully told, That Last Carolina Summer is a story of family drama, taking place in the Carolina lowlands.
Telling of the very real aspect of a mother losing herself to dementia and a twenty-year-old unsolved mystery.

Karen's writing style is phenomenal. With her attention to detail and immersive character building, this was unputdownable!
I look forward to reading more from her.

This book speaks to the love of birds and how they are so much like humans. I have a hawk that comes and sits on that pergola. The only reason I don’t take that rotting pergola down is because of the hawks. I love seeing them. What I didn’t understand until I read this book was why they fly into my window. All. The. Time. Four days in a row this guy crashed in my window. I just thought he was a narcissist. The quote in the video makes so much sense now. He is in attack mode. I get it.

Phoebe was struck by lightning, brought back to life by a stranger with moss green eyes. This sets of a mysterious ability to see premonitions in her dreams. She can’t tell if what she sees is past or future. One reoccurring dream causes her to leave her home and the shadow of her older sister.

She escapes from South Carolina to Oregon, only to be summoned back to take care of her mother. Addie, her older sister, asks Phoebe to come back. Home is no longer the same. She knows going back is going to cause her dreams to come back.

This story is told in dual points of views. Celeste, the grandmother of a missing girl, befriends Phoebe hoping Phoebe might have a dream or could help uncover what led to her granddaughter’s disappearance.

The story is sweet as two sisters rebuild their relationship to help their mother suffering from dementia. Both sisters have to come to terms of their new normal with the help of Celeste and Liam.

I was hooked on this emotional story. I can relate to having the support of a sibling to care for aging parents. There is a passage which stood out to me when I think about my relationship with my mom. Also one about grandparents because they love being grandparents.

I liked many aspects of this book, but found the mystery very predictable. Phoebe was my favorite, and I enjoyed the addition of Celeste, Ophelia, and Will to give the story some variety in ages. Addie was obviously hard to like, and I suspected pretty early on that she knew more about Julie's disappearance than she was letting on. I did like the themes of forgiveness and learning to love and appreciate one's family of origin. It was hard to read about Elizabeth's dementia, but I felt like it was portrayed accurately. I did find several typos or missing quotation marks. The story was a little slow at the beginning but I enjoyed the second half more.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Karen White, but it certainly won’t be my last! A family drama set in the low country of South Carolina. The story of estranged sisters brought back together by their mother’s onset of dementia. A decades old mystery unfolds and a family secret is discovered.

Thank you Netgalley for this enjoyable ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I definitely will recommend this one to my fellow book lovers.

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Karen White, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

That Last Carolina Summer was absolutely gripping! From the very beginning, I was pulled into the story and remained captivated until the final page. The suspense unraveling what happened and where the story would ultimately lead was so well done.

Karen White also writes so poignantly about the impact of dementia, not just on the person experiencing it, but on the family and caregivers as well. It added so much emotional depth to the story.

As a resident of Charleston, reading about all the places I too frequent made the story feel that much more real and immersive. It was like walking through the pages of the book.

And that ending, wow.!After a story filled with tension, resentment, and heartbreak, the conclusion was incredibly satisfying and powerful. A truly memorable read about family, memory, and forgiveness.

Highly recommend to fans of emotional, character driven fiction with a touch of Southern charm and mystery.

This family drama is based in the South Carolina low country and the weather is as hot as the tension between sisters Phoebe and Addie. Phoebe after being struck by lightning as a child dreams of events to come or that have happened. She moves to the west coast as an adult hoping the haunting dreams go away. But she's called back home as her sister is having a hard time dealing with their mother who now has dementia. This is part mystery and part self discovery. I especially liked the bird references before each chapter and noted through out the book. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read a preview copy. I highly recommend this book and for book club discussions.

Oooo what a gripping mystery filled with family drama, past mistakes and choices, complicated relationships and love. At first glance you’d make think this is a sweet summer romance of a novel, but this is sweet in a twisted and equally enjoyable way. I’d never read Karen White’s work before, but she will definitely be on my radar now! I loved how one moment you think you’ve figured out some of these mysteries and nightmares (literally), but the next you’re left questioning everything.

Phoebe’s return home opens old insecurities, secrets and pain. But I love that this story ultimately is one of second chances and love (both romantic and not). Celeste, Phoebe’s older friend, was such a beautiful foil to the darker plots, and she was just such a good friend that it makes you immediately want to head to South Carolina to give her a hug.

Mysteries aren’t my usual read, but this was so intriguing and makes your stomach flip in a fun way - I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to read this story!

Phoebe Manigault is called home to the South Carolina Low Country when her none-too-stable sister says she can’t handle their aging mother on her own. Phoebe has moved as far away as she can (Bend, Oregon) and is none too thrilled to be drawn back to a place that holds quite a few bad memories for her, including the fact that she barely survived being struck by lightning 20 years earlier, and has “enjoyed” strange premonitions ever since. What follows is a story of finding love, dealing with your demons, charting the narrows of dementia, and the Power of Place. And discovering the dark secret that underlies most of the pain of the last decades.

What could have been a simple (and pleasant) piece of women’s fiction quickly reveals itself to be a wonderfully insightful piece of literary fiction. The characters are deeply drawn with realistic confusions, longings, protections and vulnerabilities. They make mistakes, lose their way (and sometimes their cool), and general act like people, but they also push through bad habits, fears, and habitual suspicions and make their way forward — which is critical for me. The story was dramatic without going overboard into melodrama — I was gripped from page one yet never felt manipulated, never cringed from ridiculous coincidences, and could find myself relating to situations that were alien to me. The writing was so good that I even enjoyed the descriptions of the place (which I usually skip over, not being a great visualizer). She brought it to life for me by describing the place through the narrator’s eyes (and other senses and emotions). I should add that while the book dives deep into topics that can be very painful, I found it uplifting overall as intentional resolution led to closure. Lastly, lots of fascinating bits about birds — I’m no twitcher (love the word!), but I loved the bird facts peppered about and the ornithological epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter that often related bird behavior to aspects of people — all spot on.

I’m a big fan of Karen White’s Charleston-based Tradd Street series (and her newer New Orleans-based Royal Street series), but for me this book is in a class of its own.