I'm a fan of Karen White & enjoy her style of writing.
Good story and I give it 4.75 stars. Why the odd amount? The book left me wanting less and more at the same time. We have two families intertwined after a lightening struck a little girl. Now grown, Phoebe returns home to help with her mother who has developed Alzheimers. A woman who cared about looks and behavior is losing herself quickly and Phoebe's sister has watched it happen up close. The elder daughter who never took responsibility is dependent on her mother and reached out to her sister for help. Phoebe developed dream premonitions after she was struck by lightning. She had left home to get away from her family and happily away from the dreaming. She returned for the summer and walks back into her childhood home to a mother she doesn't recognize, a sister she longs to be close to and taking on the role of an auntie and caregiver to all in the house. Enter Celeste & her family. Phoebe finds her presence comforting & familiar, but not sure how the families are connected. All of this and a general theme of birds that connects the past and present and gives quick educational bites at the beginning of each chapter. It also allows us to see how Phoebe progressed through the story.

So much to unravel with Phoebe's family. History. Secrets. Celeste's family connections & her mystery that needs solved. Something could have been left out and the story would still have impact. And yet, I wanted more from Celeste. And more of story beyond the ending we got. I will call it a mostly satisfying ending. Because the "more" part is more of a personal preference. And excellent read that kept me up late to see how it would all come together. A wonderful summer read.

Thank you #netgalley & #parkrow publishing for the eArc of this book.

This book had wonderful characters and storyline.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
They are realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

The Last Carolina Summer is about a woman named Phoebe returning to her hometown to help her hot mess express sister care for their quickly deteriorating mother (dementia).

Phoebe was struck by lightning as a child, and since then she's had some weird dreams, premonitions if you will. This was the only part of the book that didn't make complete sense to me. It didn't seem as if it was meant to be magic realism, sci-fi, or even faith based visions (although I questioned a couple of times if this was a faith based fiction). Anyway, when she was struck by lightening, a boy saved her life.

What unfolds is a story of trauma, loss, love, unlikely friendship, hope, familial bonds, perseverance, and strength. We meet the neighbors who weave themselves into the lives of Phoebe's family without their understanding of past connections. Then we watch Phoebe try and hold her family together - and if you've ever had to care for a deteriorating elder family member, or have an extremely irresponsible sibling, you can imagine how difficult it is. This book mirrored true.

I really did enjoy the bird comparisons to humans and how interesting that must be in a marsh environment. Overall, I enjoyed the family drama in this book. It was engaging even if the topic was hard.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER – Karen White
Park Row
ISBN: 978-0778310693
July 22, 2025
Contemporary Fiction

South Carolina – Present Day

When she was a child, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her home. This left her feeling like an outcast as her family and others mocked her for her ability to predict the future. One particularly gruesome dream never left her, though it diminished after she moved to Oregon. In the dream, someone is drowning as the car sinks into the water. One day her sister, Addie, contacts Phoebe, begging her to come home as their mother is suffering from dementia and Addie is at her wits’ end. Despite her misgivings, Phoebe returns to South Carolina, where she finds her mother in a bad way and her sister in a state of denial as she refuses to take action to help their mother. Addie has a young daughter, Ophelia, who is also basically ignored by her. While Phoebe only hoped to be here for a couple of weeks, she is roped into spending the summer. She soon meets an older woman who walks her dog and helps take care of her great-grandson, Will. Celeste had lost her granddaughter, Julie, years ago, with her whereabouts unknown. Her other grandchild, Liam, is Will’s father. Liam happens to also be the doctor assigned to Phoebe’s mother’s care. Phoebe recognizes Liam as the young man who rescued her after she was hit by lightning. A coincidence…or fate?

THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER is a complicated yet compelling tale that will pull the reader in as they grow to care for Phoebe and her family’s plight. Her relationship with her mother and sister has always been fraught. Addie was the beautiful and talented one, while Phoebe was seen as studious and strange, especially with her premonitions. Of course, the return to South Carolina unleashes the bad dream she thought she could finally put behind her. More and more of the nightmare is becoming not only more visible, but more frightening. Meanwhile, Phoebe’s mother is at times lucid, but other times she is out of it and agitated. Her daughters battle each other. Addie doesn’t want to do anything to help their mother because that would be admitting that she would lose the anchor in her life. Phoebe just wants to make sure her mother is taken care of so she can return to Oregon.

Liam and Celeste turn out to be helpful to the family. There are many situations in THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER where it’s a good thing the sisters have the help. Their mother seems to be trying to make amends for something…but what? Addie appears to be on the path of destruction. She drinks too much and leaves her daughter alone at night with a dementia patient as her caregiver. Phoebe can’t let Ophelia suffer. It’s a struggle to try and right the family ship. Meanwhile, the nightmares are becoming stronger and more real. In this tale, the answers might end up crashing down on all of them. The author does an excellent job of placing little red herrings until the full story is revealed.

While there is a little romance between Phoebe and Liam in THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER, the focus of the tale is the family drama that swirls around them. It turns out that once you pick this up, you won’t want to put it down. See what I mean by grabbing a copy of this gripping tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Last Carolina Summer was my first book by Karen White. The preface of going back home and facing the past intrigued me. The relationship between Phoebe, Addie, and their mom was difficult to read at times (trigger warning: aging parent/Alzheimer's) Celeste was wonderful - she may have been my favorite character - could she be the one who holds the key to unlocking the past? Could the connection between Liam and Phoebe be more than just a lightning strike?

I really enjoyed the descriptive writing and detailed storytelling. Family bonds, family secrets, small town charm, and second chances.
I originally gave this book 3.5 stars because of the slow pacing in some spots, but rounded up to 4 because of the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley, Karen White, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

4.25/5 stars

This is my first book by the author, and I’m very happy to say that I really enjoyed it! I loved the South Carolina lowcountry setting, it’s become a real favorite of mine. 

Phoebe Manigault returns to her childhood home to help her sister Addie care for their ailing mother. She becomes friends with an elderly woman, Celeste, whose granddaughter Julie mysteriously disappeared decades earlier. She is also drawn to Celeste’s grandson, Liam, who brings back memories from her past. 

Highlights | 
•Complicated sister/family relationships 
•Mild family drama
•Secrets
•Dementia
•Coming home
•Mysterious dreams
•Interesting facts about birds

I really enjoyed the beautiful descriptions in this book. It was at times gentle and tender, and full of tension and high emotions in others. The ending builds to a particularly dramatic climax. I’d recommend this one!

[Thanks to the publisher, Park Row and NetGalley, for the advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

3.75 stars

"Beloved New York Times bestselling author Karen White returns with a brand-new contemporary stand-alone novel about sisterhood, secrets, and one woman’s reckoning with the past."

When Phoebe Manigault gets a call from her sister Addie that she needs her help with their mother, she reluctantly leaves the Pacific Northwest to return home to the stunning Lowcountry of 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.

Early in her visit, she meets Celeste Finch, whose son Liam saved her life when she was struck by lightning. Their families have a history that links them for decades. She also discovers that the situation with her mother is much worse than she thought. Her sister Addie seems unable to cope with basic daily responsibilities, including the supervision of her nine-year-old daughter Ophelia.

This is a beautiful family drama and mystery with atmospheric writing that transported me to the Lowcountry. There are many thought-provoking parallels to birds, which are seamlessly threaded throughout the novel and added depth as well as the lush natural world of the region. The realities of dementia and caring for aging parents is handled with sensitivity. Themes of sisterhood, guilt, loss, and second chances make this a worthwhile read and especially great to read in the summertime.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing (HTP) - Park Row Books, and Karen White for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I love a good southern charm read. This had family secrets and family struggles that had me from the very first page. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc.

THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER is a coming home tale that includes long concealed family secrets and a parent experiencing dementia. Author Karen White has developed interesting characters that really come alive as the plot progresses. While the secrets are not difficult to guess ahead of time, the book weaves multiple tales that are poignant and heartwarming. This is a very good book that I really enjoyed. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I loved this. I finished it in one sitting, and bonus points for finishing it in a storm. It was emotional, and the characters are typical Karen White: fully fleshed out and real.

I’d love a follow up to see how/where everyone and everything ends up in a few years!

That Last Carolina Summer is an atmospheric return to the Lowcountry, filled with evocative descriptions of marshlands, salty breezes, and Southern summer heat. The setting is without a doubt the book’s strongest asset—I could practically hear the birds and feel the humidity rising from the pages.

The story follows Phoebe, coming home to care for her ailing mother alongside her sister, reopening old family wounds in the process. Her gift of premonition adds an intriguing layer, especially when an old mystery involving a missing girl resurfaces. These threads promised a lot of tension and depth, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite land for me.

I guessed the twist fairly early on, which made the middle section feel drawn out. While the themes of forgiveness and family healing are heartfelt, the resolution felt too neat, especially given the emotional weight of Phoebe’s strained relationships. Some characters read as a bit forced, as if they were designed to fit familiar Southern drama archetypes rather than evolve naturally.

Still, fans of Karen White or anyone looking for a breezy summer read with a strong sense of place will likely enjoy this one. For me, it was a pleasant but predictable read that left me wishing for a bit more depth and surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Phoebe must return to South Carolina one summer in order to take care of her ailing mother who is suffering from Alzheimer's. This is complicated by her sister's behavior and events from the past that are slowly coming to light.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the characters and how their stories interconnected. Phoebe's relationship with her sister and mother are so complicated and how she deals with each is both frustrating and heartwarming. This has a little of everything - mystery, paranormal, romance, but it all works so well in how the story unfolds and I thought this all came together brilliantly and loved this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the ARC for this book!

I thought this was a really good book! It’s full of family drama and untold secrets. I thought the little snippets about different birds at the beginning of each chapter was interesting too. It’s an emotional journey that will keep you turning the pages. I couldn’t put it down! Loved it!

I first read Karen White when I found her Tradd Street series and have enjoyed her writing. This book might be my favorite yet! Any book that keeps me reading way past bedtime, as well as making me laugh and cry is a winner for me.
As always, this book takes place in the South Carolina low country. Phoebe is returning home to SC, after moving to Oregon to teach school. She is returning after receiving a phone call from her sister, who has been living with their mother , Elizabeth. When Phoebe arrives home, she discovers her mother is suffering with dementia and it is impacting everyone in her world. A thread that weaves through the whole book is that Phoebe was struck by lightning as a child. Because of that she has recurring dreams and nightmares that has impacted Phoebe’s life. Such a beautiful story of family, loss, secrets, hope and resiliency.
You won’t be able to put this book down!
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this digital advanced copy. This review is my own.

Karen White has such a gift of using southern charm and imagery to create worlds you don’t want to leave. You can put yourself easily in her books and you feel like the characters are your family, neighbors and friends.
This story is about relationships between mother/daughter, sisters, and the complications that can muddle up the confidence of who we believe we are.. I highly recommend this book.

That Last Carolina Summer
I loved the premise of this story - the lightning strike, the promotions, the setting…but I found the sisters very difficult to tolerate for so many reasons. I skipped pages wanting this book to be over just so I knew what happened.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
That Last Carolina Summer is yet another beautifully written, emotionally rich story from Karen White—and once again, she did not disappoint. A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC.

From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the lush, humid world of the Carolina coast—a setting that comes alive in White’s signature way. The story unfolds like a slow-burning Lifetime movie (in the very best way): deeply personal, quietly intense, and full of characters you want to hug, shake, or both.

At its core, this book is about finding one’s way—through grief, through complicated family history, and through the unspoken expectations that often weigh heaviest between generations. The protagonist’s journey is raw and real, full of moments where the past and present collide in both painful and healing ways. I especially loved how the story touched on old secrets that never really disappear, and how family dynamics can either tether us or free us—sometimes both at once.

The writing is immersive and emotionally charged, with dialogue and details that feel lived-in and true. Karen White has a gift for creating stories that are atmospheric and deeply relatable without ever feeling melodramatic.

The only reason I’m giving this 4.5 instead of a full 5 is because a few pacing lulls slowed me down briefly—but honestly, I didn’t want the story to end. This is Southern fiction at its finest: layered, emotional, and ultimately hopeful.

Highly recommend for fans of meaningful family drama, second chances, and the bittersweet beauty of summers that change everything.

This book is quintessential Karen White- full of heart, strong characters, southern charm ,family drama, paranormal elements and a gripping mystery. Oh, plus a sweet romance. I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of The Last Carolina Summer.

A moving read with solid storytelling that helps you to start putting the pieces together. Phoebe’s point of view was more engaging for the most part although it was interesting to see things from Celeste’s point of view as well. It just felt that Celeste’s POV wasn’t quite as developed as Phoebe’s.

I did want more interaction between the two sisters, Phoebe and Addie, and it might have been a more intriguing story if Addie’s POV was highlighted rather than Celeste’s.

It’s relatively easy to figure out what happened in the past that is now a recurring nightmare for Phoebe, but it takes a while for her to finally “see” the full picture. When that does happen, everything seems to wrap up nicely without a lot of work from either of the families affected. Of course, this all happens in the last couple of chapters, so there wasn’t a lot of time to truly work through everything. And I would have liked more information about what happened the night Julie went missing.

An emotional journey through the the past and present with old secrets. Phoebe was struck by lightening as a nine year old and her life changed because she began having premonitions. As an adult moved across the country but now she's back because her mom is ill and her sister Addie is just not the best. She tells her story but then so does Celeste the grandmother of the boy who saved Phoebe's life whose granddaughter went missing. She hopes that Phoebe can tell her what happened. This moves between the two and back and forth in time. Phoebe discovers more about herself, helps her little niece Ophelia, and, of course, does the best she can for Celeste. No spoilers from me. White is a good storyteller and she brings good atmospherics. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.