Title: Sweet Tea Tuesdays
Author: Ashley Farley
Genre/Audience: Women’s fiction, adult
Publication: 2017
Source: For review, TLC Book Tours
Sweet Tea Tuesdays is a great combination of Southern fiction, with its perfectly Southern setting and sweet tea, and women’s fiction with its friendship among three ladies who share many ups and downs together.
Lula, Georgia, and Midge are three neighbors and friends who have gathered on the porch each and every Tuesday for sweet tea and talks for the past 26 years. They have watched their children grow up, they have fallen out of and into love, and most recently, they have endured heartbreak. They have shared it all together, but recently, due to life changes, their Tuesday meetings have come to an abrupt halt when they each appear to be struggling the most. Illness, affairs, betrayals, and shocking family truths are coming to light. These hard times will put their friendships to the test, and may alter everything forever.
I enjoyed this novel quite a bit and not only because I wish so desperately to be Southern (and let’s face it, New York folk are just about as opposite as Southern as you can get). I dream of front porch sitting and sweet tea sipping, and living vicariously through books is always a fun time. While these characters all proved to be difficult and frustrating in their own ways, I definitely grew invested in each of their unique story lines. Even though they were all middle aged (and I’m not) and led very different lifestyles than I do, I was still interested in what would happen to them and what they were going through.
While at times the story itself could be a bit slow going, I still really enjoyed it. One of the appeals of Southern living to me is that life seems slower paced, so the story seemed in sync with the setting. Not to mention, it’s definitely more of a character based story than an action or plot based one, anyway. Again, that’s something I enjoy. I really like getting to know a character well and feeling like I know who they are and what makes them tick.
I was delighted to spend my time with these three women and watching them navigate many of life’s ups and downs both together and apart. If you’re interested in stories of friendship and family, I would definitely recommend this one. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work so that I can be transported South once again.
