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    Bulls Island
    Bulls Island
    Bulls Island
    Audiobook11 hours

    Bulls Island

    Written by Dorothea Benton Frank

    Narrated by Julia Gibson and Joey Collins

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Dottie Frank’s books are sexy and hilarious. She has staked out the lowcountry of South Carolina as her personal literary property.”
    —Pat Conroy, author of The Prince of Tides

    Bulls Island is a supremely satisfying tale of honor, chance, and star-crossed love, infused with Southern wit, grace, and charm, from the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Dorothea Benton Frank. The much beloved author of Plantation, Return to Sullivan’s Island, Land of Mango Sunsets, and a host of other winning novels of the North Carolina lowcountry, Frank stands tall alongside Anne Rivers Siddons, Sue Monk Kidd, Rebecca Wells and the other masters of contemporary southern women’s fiction. Devoted Dottie Frank fans and newcomers alike will adore this sun-drenched story of the uncomfortable homecoming of a former Bulls Islander who plans to transform the unspoiled paradise for profit…and her inevitable reencounter with the scion of a wealthy family whom she once was scheduled to marry until cruel innuendo destroyed their engagement.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateApr 8, 2008
    ISBN9780061582875
    Bulls Island
    Author

    Dorothea Benton Frank

    New York Times bestseller Dorothea Benton Frank was born and raised on Sullivans Island, South Carolina. Until her passing in 2019, Dorothea and her husband split their time between New Jersey and South Carolina. A contemporary voice of the South, Dorothea Benton Frank was beloved by fans and friends alike since her debut novel Sullivans Island. Readers from coast to coast fell for the quick wit and the signature humor that permeated her many bestselling novels.

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    Reviews for Bulls Island

    3.5/5

    212 ratings41 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Listened to the audio version of Bulls Island and the performers did an excellent job (especially Joey Collins). Fit in perfectly with the southern slow drawl of Charleston and the Low Country.
      I liked the rivalry of the two families-- (Langleys – money) and the Barrett family. Of course as it would be JD Langley and Betts McGee fall in love and after an accident ends their engagement – Betts leaves Charleston and never desiring to return to head to NY. Now she works for a top investment bank and her boss wants her to take on this real estate investment project on Bulls Island. Forced to return home, she has to deal with all sorts of issues – JD’s mom was such a Bitch…all in all funny with great characters – quite engaging.. (if you are from the south you can appreciate)..

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Frank sets this up as your typical southern melodrama, with unrequieted love, family tensions and professional drama. That is where the predicatability in this novel ends. Frank does not take the standard formula approach to her work. The obstacles that the reader expects in a work like this never come to pass. Each obstacle is a twist on what is expected. While at times this was a little jarring, once the novel ends, it is very satisfying that Frank took the road less travelled with her plot and characters. It was refreshing and engaging and proved to be an enjoyable and satisfying read.
    • 3/5
      G.R.I.T.S.(Girls Raised in The South) – there is something about them, particularly in books. The have the most marvelous adventures, get touched (only touched) by tragedy and still manage to look like the ‘perfect lady’ or attempt to, feel terribly guilty if they don’t and fall in love. This is a G.R.I.T.S. book. The heroine, and she can only be called a heroine, returns to her roots to ‘defile the environment’ – at least according to the protest signs. (Adventure). On going conflict on this project results in death (Tragedy #1), reveals a previously unknown secret (pseudo historic Tragedy) and the final recognition of what’s right with the world. In other words – a G.R.I.T.S. murder mystery masquerading as a romance.
    • 4/5
      The area she writes about is in Charleston, SC, and the surrounding islands. This book covers the topis of wildlife preservation, illegal paths big companies take to skirt around environmental policies to get what they want and a love story to tie it all together.
    • 3/5
      Despite the numerous grammatical and spelling errors, I enjoyed this book. Reading about warm southern islands in the midst of a record-breaking winter is always good. My biggest complaint was that the resolution between Betts and her family was a little too easy. I felt like there should have been more work involved in mending these relationships. Of course, a happy ending is always appreciated - just a little more realism on the way there.
    • 4/5
      Bulls Island is the second novel I've read by Dorothea Benton Frank, and in my opinion, it is a great improvement upon her earlier works. Since earlier reviewers have nicely summarized the book, I won’t go into that, but Frank’s novels have a tendency to be syrupy sweet, sometimes to a fault (see The Land of Mango Sunsets – enjoyable, but altogether too cheesy), but she tempers this nicely in Bulls Island. It still has that sweet, almost dreamlike quality, but the book seems grounded in reality, at least to a certain extent. The characters are likeable enough, with the exception of Vinny (who we aren’t really supposed to like, so it works out), and it’s nice to see them interact with one another. Sometimes the people within the novel don’t actually act like real people, especially when presented with difficult circumstances (they seem to be too calm and rational – they act like people should act, rather than how they do act), but it’s ok; it’s as though the book is supposed to be an improved version of reality. Overall, Bulls Island is a very enjoyable read and a solid addition to the world of women’s fiction. I recommend you take it on your next beach vacation!
    • 3/5
      Although I continue to enjoy Frank's books, I am beginning to find a certain sameness to the story lines. The descriptions of the area are always a plus to me, but it always seems like the main character (always a woman) starts out in New York and ends up in Charleston. Still, for pure enjoyment, this is not a bad read!
    • 5/5
      I've never read a book by Dorothea Benton Frank and I think Bulls Island was a good introduction to her writing style and southern locations. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. The main characters, Betts and J.D., were likeable and real. The author went back and forth between present and past easily and filled in all the gaps about what happened nearly 20 years ago and all the heartbreak it caused. I was anxious to find out what was going to happen and found myself wishing I could read it all in one sitting, rather than go to sleep or to work. The book was about family, love, and forgiveness. I also felt like the location of Charleston and Bulls Island played an important role. It was the place Betts had to return to, her home, in order to be healed and move on with her life. The very last bit of the book, the epilogue, did feel like it was rushed but it wrapped up the story well.
    • 3/5
      Betts McGee's life took a radical turn when she fled her home after her mother's death. Nineteen years later, her work brings her back to Charleston to confront her past - the family that disowned her, the man she still loved, and his mother, who detested her. It's not easy returning home with your own secrets, including a son no one knows about.As always, Frank writes a story that keeps the reader turning pages. Her passion for the Lowcountry shines through on every page. She does an excellent job with description. However, at times, her characters are a little over the top. It's a southern story that is too melodramatic at times. Betts herself is overwhelmed by the drama of her life, and, at times, the reader is as well. It's a fun story, but all of the characters are a little too dramatic, which makes them unrealistic. It's a fun book, despite its flaws.
    • 2/5
      I'd never read anything by Ms. Frank, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the plot synopsis seemed promising. Bulls Island is the story of a woman who returns home to Charleston after nearly two decades of being away to face old ghosts. I wanted to like this book, but I just didn't care for it. My biggest issue was pacing. For a 330 page novel, I expected to get into the story relatively quickly. However, it took 136 pages for Betts (the main character) to actually get to Charleston. Because so much of the novel was spent lingering over her worries about what wuold happen when she returned home, it left little time for any plot development once she got there. The remainder of the book felt very rushed. The abrupt style just didn't suit me.
    • 3/5
      Betts is a high power player in Manhattan, but her heart was left in S.C. with JD when a family feud led to Betts's mother's death. Unbeknownst to him, she bore his son 18 years ago, and now she has to return for work on a development deal. The motivations in this book are unconvincing and the outcome predictable. A fun read, but not Frank's finest.
    • 4/5
      Betts McGee, an executive with ARC in New York, is assigned to the company's latest venture in Charleston. For nearly 20 years, Betts has managed to keep her Charleston past a secret. Her son Adrian believes she was from Atlanta and has no family. The company's latest venture is a partnership with the company run by J.D. Langley, Adrian's ex-boyfriend, to develop Bulls Island. There is opposition to the project by environmentalists. Betts must come to term with her past.I enjoyed the book although it took me a little longer than usual to really "get into it." There was plenty of suspense to keep you wandering what would happen next. Many people have commented that advance copies were full of errors. Most of the errors are gone from the first edition although I did catch a few proofreading lapses.
    • 3/5
      Good light read. Has a few twists and turns. Happy ending of course.
    • 5/5
      I discovered Dorothea Frank on a family trip to Georgia on St. Simons Island. I had run out of things to read and went into a local bookshop and the bookseller recommended a local author who turned out to be Dorothea Frank. Since reading Sullivan’s Island, I have looked forward to each of the novels by Ms. Frank and was very excited to receive Bulls Island through the Early Reviewer program. Bulls Island is the story of Betts McGee and JD Langley who were high school sweethearts broken up by a set of tragic events on the night of their engagement. Approximately 20 years later, Betts and JD are thrown back together when their companies invest in a home building project on Bulls Island. The ensuing story details the interactions between the two families as well as the companies involved in the project. I was thoroughly enthralled with the story of Betts and JD and read late into the night many times as I couldn’t wait to read what would happen next. Frank incorporates the “Southern” details into her novels seamlessly and I often felt like I was right in the middle of Bulls Island.
    • 1/5
      One of the worst books I've read. No plot, unlikeable characters, and riddled with cliches and errors.
    • 3/5
      I found this story too contrived. I’ve always liked Frank’s books with their warm Southern charm, but this one left me feeling cool. It just didn't seem to flow as her others have. There were too many dysfunctional people populating the story and gaps in the history of how Betts went from being JD's girlfriend to successful business woman as a single mom.
    • 2/5
      I got this as a freebie for my Kindle and read it during a long plane ride. Easy to pick up. Easy to put down. Required no concentration. Easy fluffy beach - or in my case - plane ride.
    • 3/5
      This story centers on Betts and JD, who were young sweethearts separated by a tragic accident. They are thrown together again after 19 years, to build a housing development/resort on Bulls Island.I really enjoy Frank's books. All are set in the Low Country of S. Carolina, and they are populated with such eccentric characters, who are still so "real" you want to set down and get to know them.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book fabulous intrigue want more please 5 star
    • 3/5
      Betts McGee fled her childhood home of Charleston, SC, after the sudden death of her mother, which drove a wedge between her and her fiance, J.D. Betts moved to New York City, became a successful financier and raised her son, Adrian. For almost 20 years, Betts never spoke to her father, sister or estranged fiance. That is, until her company sent her back to Charleston on assignment - and she must deal with her ghosts from the past, including J.D., who still has feelings for Betts.This is my first novel by Dorothea Benton Frank, and I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the plot in Bulls Island. On the surface, it sounded like fun "poolside reading" - but the plot did not move quickly enough to keep this reader interested in the story. It was nearly half way into the novel before Betts actually arrives in Charleston. First, the reader must deal with her son's departure to college and Betts's fling with another man before the reader gets what she's been waiting for: the boy-meets-girl tension that dangled from this story for nearly 150 pages. When we finally get there, the book rushes through the storyline. The whole plot was choppy and disjointed to me.While the plot was not up to par, I did find Frank's writing style easy and fun to read. Her depictions of Southern landscapes rival Nicholas Sparks or Sue Monk Kidd. I felt the humidity, smelled the river and watched the grass brown right with the characters. As a fan of books set in the South, I found these parts of the book to be the best.Would I read another book by Dorothea Benton Frank? Only after doing some more research on what other readers have thought about her stories and examining what the plots have to offer. I am guessing that fans of her writing might enjoy Bulls Island. For others, I think you can safely pass on this tale.
    • 5/5
      An easy readable book, good story with great characters, some you love and some you hate. DBF writes with such wit, I really enjoyed it. Oh and I didn't think the end was predictable!
    • 5/5
      This modern-day southern story is a quick paced, engaging read - more than once I thought it would be perfect for reading on the beach. This will be a great beach the 2008 beach season for sure. The story has twists and turns, various perspectives and vivid locations -- all which add up to a good read. Many current events and issues are encorporated in the book, making it fit into today's world. If I were to improve it, I would say at times some things felt slightly rushed while other things were over developed.
    • 3/5
      From the start, I was pulled into Frank’s story of Betts and her past history with the Langley family. This was a fast read, not wanting to put the book down until I found out if Betts and JD end up together and JD’s reaction to having a child he did not know existed for the past 18 years. Unfortunately, the book ended too abruptly. Not in the sense that I wanted to spend more time with these characters, but it literally felt too rushed in the end. To say the least, I was disappointed by the ending and what felt like a quick wrap up of what I thought was going to be a central issue of the story—everyone’s reaction to Betts lying to so many people about so many things in her life, and the resulting feelings of these people---from her dad and sister, to JD and his family, and most importantly, Adrian.
    • 5/5
      I'm not a 'professional reviewer', I'm just a very avid reader, so please keep this in mind when you read this review.A very brief summary of this book - The main characters of this book are "Betts" McGee and J D Langley who, when we meet them 19 years ago are very young and very much in love. Through a tragic event on the day they become engaged, they seperate, Betts leaves North Carolina and breaks off from her family and JD. Moving forward 19 years and the true story starts.This book is filled with a variety of emotional upheavals - I laughed through many chapters and cried through the same number, but the one thing you can't get around is everyone in this novel carries some kind of secret. Secrets and lies - this is the glue that seems to hold these two families together for bettter or worse. Ms. Franks writes with a vividness and Southern style that makes you want to be sitting on your front porch sippin' at a Mint Julep while you watch the 'gators slowly swim by in the murky river. JD and Betts are thrown together again after 19 years when Betts, now a high-powered New Yorker, whose job it is to evaluate and restructure distressed properties for her company, finds herself forced to work on a project back home in North Carolina with Langley Developement , AND J D Langley on the Bulls Island project. Secrets and lies, and Betts seems to be hiding the bigggest secret and telling the largest lies. I was more than half-way through this book, before Ms Frank started to make me worry that the secrets will remain untold and the lies would remain un-apologized for...more chapters went by and I started to gnaw at my finger-nails thinking she could never pull this off. Just when i thought I couldn't stand another moment of suspence it happened...Betts secret is out. I read the last chapters with much skepticism thinking that the ending was just too pat, too easy...too false. But thank God for the epilogue. It sealed the deal in making this a perfect beach -read and for making me go to the bookstore to pick up all Ms. Franks books to add to my collection.On a side note - In the first quarter of the book, Betts does have a bit of a fling with someone so totally out of her comfort zone, that I had to wonder why Ms. Franks bothered. But, the pieces seem to fall together in the last chapters and I see why she had Betts do something so out of character!I also wanted to let you know that I was so impressed and amused and happy with this book, that I immediately went out and bought 3 more by this author.
    • 2/5
      Awww this is so unfortunate because I adore this author but 'The Girl with a clock for a heart' was a slightly disappointing, utterly predictable and lackluster read :( The characters lacked any depth and development and it was quite frustrating that our narraror George had a hard on for every female character introduced into the plot *massive eyeroll* However, it was interesting to see Peter Swanson's writing origins and how much he has grown as an author. I highly recommend reading 'The Kind Worth Killing' I promise that Swanson redeems himself.
    • 3/5
      I read Peter Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing and loved it. Since then, none of his novels have lived up to that one for me. This one, The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, seems almost like it was written by someone else entirely. It was written prior to The Kind Worth Killing, so perhaps his writing improved with that novel???In this book, George Foss, works for a magazine and has an on/off friends with benefits relationship with Irene Dimas. One night, when they are out, George sees someone that looks like his old college flame, but he can't be sure initially. Later that night, he goes up to the old flame at the bar and decides it is her, Liana Decter. However, in college, he knew her as Audrey Beck. Liana has always been in George's heart, and he has never quite gotten over her. Liana asks George to do her a favor. George knows that he shouldn't, considering that Liana is suspected in 2 murders. But, of course, he does. In doing Liana the favor, George puts his life in danger, and unknowingly, also endangers the lives of Irene, and several others. The favor is to deliver money that Liana had stolen back to its owner, Gerry MacLean. This return of the money sets into motion a new series of events and George becomes the target of a criminal investigation. All throughout the novel, George flashes back to college and his relationship with Audrey Beck/Liana Decter, as well as his actions after hearing news about her. Unwittingly, this action creates new complications. George is put into many dangerous situations because of Liana, and knows he should avoid her, but she has a pull over him. George finally sees the light, and sets out to discover the truth. #TheGirlWithAClockForAHeart #PeterSwanson
    • 2/5
      The Girl with a Clock for a Heart

      I'm sure fans of psychological thrillers will really like this one. I've discovered I prefer the latter, so for me, I was not very happy to finish this one. I will say the plot was a good one, for being so convoluted, and the characters were well drawn out. Overall, though, it felt too drawn out, as characters were described right down to the clothes they wore. Also, the story was told to me, instead of giving clues for me to figure out.

      That said, I would recommend The Girl with a Clock for a Heart to anyone who enjoys thrillers with a bit of action, romance, and atmosphere. This debut novel does all these things adequately, but, given the high praise it has received from writers like Dennis Lehane, as well as being described as having "shades of Hitchcock," I was a little disappointed by what to me was simply a passable thriller. I think that perhaps the praise used in promotion of this novel led me to have high expectations which unfortunately, were not fulfilled.
      The story takes place in Boston and Florida, and I enjoyed the author's descriptions of the steamy summertime, of dark old pubs, and of abandoned, creepy, houses buzzing with flies. At times, the descriptions reminded me of a movie (which I think this book could be very successfully adapted into). As well as the strong sense of place, the author also creates a well-paced story. The switches back and forth from the past to the present were a bit disconcerting, but I hung in there.... Swing back and forth between being somewhat bored, to being kind of confused but willing to keep going. In fact, the whole book was bored, bored, wait, what...? Oh, never mind - bored...bored....bored.... Wth.....??
      However, although The Girl with a Clock for a Heart was an interesting read, or actually a "listen", by a passable but slightly boring narrator who I will not embarrass by naming, unfortunately, for me, it was nothing more than that. I was especially disappointed by the character of Liana, who was billed as being a deeply mysterious, complex, intelligent femme fatal, but who didn't seem to me much more than a troubled and exceedingly self-centered, selfish woman. She wasn't especially brilliant or conniving. She just slept with all the men she wanted to dupe. So the relationship between George and Liana wasn't psychologically compelling for me. Secondly, after seeing the novel described as "electrifying," "twisty," and "nonstop," I found myself waiting in frustration for a big reveal that never materialized. And third, some of the scenes, while sometimes enjoyable, reminded me so much of the supposed "blockbuster thrillers" out every summer, that I felt like what made the book work was more that the author was relying on tried and true genre tropes, rather than on new ideas.
      So in the end, while there was nothing really wrong with The Girl with the Clock for a Heart, for me, it didn't live up to the hype surrounding it. The plot was nothing exceptional, and the characters were not especially unique or complex. It was pleasant to read, but definitely not thrilling. I nearly gave up a couple times, but didn't. I'm not sure why, now. And the ending...? Pffft! Bullcrap. 2 stars.
    • 3/5
      A reasonable thriller with plenty of twists, but ultimately it falls a little flat. The prose is competent but a little stiff, and the characters are a bit two-dimensional. To cap it off, it ends rather abruptly.
    • 3/5
      I read this book as a group read and did enjoy it. It is a mystery suspense story with some rather unlikable characters. George is a rather pathetic man who does not like his life. He lusts after an old girlfriend who he just happens to run into at his local bar. His friend with benefits, Irene, is with him and is sent home. Liana tells George she is in trouble and he gets sucked in to help her. Liana is not a nice person and is using George. He gets into all kinds of trouble. We also read about the past where George and Liana met. I warn you the ending was not very enjoyable.
    • 3/5
      Peter Swanson's The Girl With A Clock For A Heart threw me for a loop. I'll admit that I went into this book completely blind. This was a total case of succumbing to cover love when I was offered this for review. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's got a bit of Hitchcock feel to it, and it's a nice easy read.

      George Foss is just an everyday kind of man. He's reached a point in his life where things have stalled. A mid-life crisis if you will. Which is why when a girl from his past, a girl he thought was gone for good, steps back into his life? He takes a chance. I liked George. He didn't always make the best decisions, his fascination with this girl wasn't always easy to understand, but underneath it all he was a good enough guy.

      The thing about The Girl With A Clock For A Heart is that the whole plot hinges on the girl from George's past. If you can't believe in their connection, you can't really understand why he makes the decisions he does. I found this part to be a little weak. We see flashbacks to George's history with the girl, from a short time during his college career. Can you really build that strong of a relationship with someone in that short of a time? Enough that you'd agree to put yourself in danger for them when they show up out the blue, years later? I just don't know.

      If you let all that go though, and just travel with the flow of the book, it's not a bad read. The mystery George finds himself wrapped up in is beautifully designed. I didn't see most of it coming. Even the ending, which wasn't entirely unexpected, was a surprise. I'm a little upset about the fact that it was so open-ended, but then again that's just me. I like resolution. The Girl With A Clock For A Heart gets three stars from this bookworm.