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The Night the Lights Went Out
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The Night the Lights Went Out
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The Night the Lights Went Out
Audiobook15 hours

The Night the Lights Went Out

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street series comes a stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....
 
Recently divorced, Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. It's not her first time starting over, but her efforts at a new beginning aren't helped by an anonymous local blog that dishes about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to fail.
 
Merilee finds some measure of peace in the cottage she is renting from town matriarch Sugar Prescott. Though stubborn and irascible, Sugar sees something of herself in Merilee-something that allows her to open up about her own colorful past.
 
Sugar's stories give Merilee a different perspective on the town and its wealthy school moms in their tennis whites and shiny SUVs, and even on her new friendship with Heather Blackford. Merilee is charmed by the glamorous young mother's seemingly perfect life and finds herself drawn into Heather's world.
 
In a town like Sweet Apple, where sins and secrets are as likely to be found behind the walls of gated mansions as in the dark woods surrounding Merilee's house, appearance is everything. But just how dangerous that deception can be will shock all three women....
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 11, 2017
ISBN9780735289314
Unavailable
The Night the Lights Went Out
Author

Karen White

Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including Dreams of Falling and The Night the Lights Went Out. She has two grown children and currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two spoiled Havanese dogs.

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Reviews for The Night the Lights Went Out

Rating: 4.09345785046729 out of 5 stars
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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When her husband cheats on her with her child's teacher, they divorce and Merilee Dunlap sets out to start a new life in Sweet Apple, Georgia with her two children. They move into a rural cottage, their landlord being 93-year-old Alice 'Sugar' Prescott, a small town matriarch who lives nearby. Her ex-in-laws are paying for the children to attend private school and Merilee must learn to juggle parenting responsibilities single-handed, work, and the new social circle of rich mothers who don't have to work and devote much of their time to fundraisers and socialising. Sugar is a difficult woman, but the two develop a friendship as Merilee learns more about the woman's tragic past as the story flashes back to the 1930s. Guilt is one thing that Merilee, as a past school 'mean girl', must deal with as she realises that she was a bully and made life hell for another student during their high school years. And when a new friends husband is murdered, Merilee is accused and the death of her first husband and brother from drowning are revealed. An act of revenge? A good read, the blog posts by the anonymous local blogger were very entertaining. I always wondered what happened to school bullies when they grew up...
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    After reading the reviews for this book, Iwas sure I would love it. I just couldn’t care about the caracters in the story. There were so many cliches, grumpy elderly widow, recently divorced mother of two trying to cope with her divorce, handsome single handyman ready to help. I must of read half and decided to stop and read the end so I could find out what happens and move on to my next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am a fan of Karen White, and this book did not disappoint. There were a number of twists and valuable lessons in this story. A beautiful person is not about appearance. Well written.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love Karen white and this book was one of her best. Marilee is recently divorced and is renting a place from a lady called Sugar. I think Sugar is one of my favorite characters ever. She is smarmy and set in her ways. She totally made the book for me. She also has a past which she fights hard to keep covered. Through a few mishaps and strange discoveries, her past comes to light. Nothing like a wonderful mystery intertwined with great characters! Karen White is one of the best southern storytellers around. This book is one which oozes sweet tea and lightening bugs, with a twist on the past!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A surprising and developed story to delight the reader during the holiday season. Karen White developed many fascinating characters for this Southern yarn. Sugar wins the award as the best Southern character since Scarlett O'Hare. The many settings within Georgia and South Carolina provide wonderful examples of the richness of the South. The neighborhood blog outlines the problems and issues within the small Georgia community where everyone knows everyone's business. Merilee T Dunlap and her children seek to rebuild a life after a divorce, but secrets from Merilee's past invade their security and serenity. The story alternates between Sugar Prescott, a neighbor of over 90, and Merilee's past and present, and ends with resounding clarity.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, Karen White intertwines the lives of two strong Southern women while telling a story of secrets, survival, starting over, and friendship. The star of this book is most definitely Miss Sugar Prescott. She's a lifelong resident of Sweet Apple, Georgia, a place that may seem perfect on the surface, but what lies beneath is a different story.Now in her mid-90s, Sugar is still tough, headstrong, and sharp as a tack. Sugar rents a cottage on her property to Merilee Dunlap, a recently divorced mom with two children in tow. Merilee's life in Sweet Apple won't be what she expected, but luckily she's got Sugar on her side.This book alternates between Sugar in the past (early 1930s) and Merilee's ordeal in present day Sweet Apple. All around I just enjoyed Sugar's story and character the best. Other parts I found a bit predictable and hard to believe, but overall it was an enjoyable read - nice blend of mystery, historical fiction, Southern drama, and a dash of romance. The ending was very exciting! Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely loved this Chick lit. I received this book for free and voluntarily chose to review it. I've given it a 5* rating. First of all, it was almost like I could hear Meralee's soft southern accent as I read along this story, as she was sharing her story. She was determined and helpless at the same time and just too darn trusting. So I was pulled into her story and those around her. Since this is the first I've ever read of this author, I was pleasantly surprised as I went along for the ride. Well done.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    5 "True Friends & Secrets" Stars for the story and 4.5 Stars for the narration!The Night the Lights Went Out is a combination of two Southern mysteries and a women's fiction title all wrapped up in one. Told from three points of view, a 93 year-old small town matriarch, the main protagonist who is a recent divorcee with two children, and an anonymous town blogger, this audiobook is a must listen to gem! 15 hours went by in a flash when I listened to this intriguing title that has a little something for everyone. As I'm an avid romance book listener I think its important to note that while this title is not a traditional romance, it does have a romance undercurrent with a HFN outcome, so I also encourage romance listeners who enjoy women's fiction titles to give this book a listen.Merilee Talbot Dunlap has to start a new life after discovering that her husband had an affair with a third grade teacher from their two children's elementary school. Knowing that the kids would never survive the gossip at their old school, Merilee moves with her two children to the small, affluent town and Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. Think of Sweet Apple as a yuppie, small town where roundabouts, SUVs, and coffee shops abound. Of course the exclusive private school that Merilee enrolls her children in is no different and Merilee quickly is thrown into the rich culture even as she's adopted by the "queen" of the town, Heather Blackford. But Merilee is not as rich as the town's inhabitants and is only able to afford the expensive private school because her ex-husband's parents are paying for it, so keeping up with the Joneses is not easy for Merilee. Fortunately, and yet unexpectedly, Heather tries to ease some of this burden by subsidizing some of its social burdens as well as by including Merilee on some of the prestigious school committees and inviting her to exclusive town parties. Further helping Merilee make ends meet is the fact that she was fortunate to have found a sublet from Sugar, the 93 year-old matriarch of the town whose family at one point owned much of the land. At the same time that Merilee is developing her relationship with Heather, she is also slowly developing a parallel relationship with Sugar (to the town's great surprise because Sugar has not been particularly friendly to many people much less allowed them to sublet from her). Then there is also Sugar's best friend's grandson who starts visiting Merilee to help out with home projects and they start forming a bond, and Merilee's ex-husband, and even Heather's husband who due to the frequent get-togethers between Merilee and Heather, also begins to form a friendship with Merilee. However, not all is what it seems, and secrets and sins pervade the small town. Additionally, as the anonymous town's blogger seems to see all, and starts revealing some gossip worthy observations, Merilee is put in some rather uncomfortable positions (especially as her children also seem to be aware of the blog). Just who are her true friends and who in Sweet Apple can Merilee truly count on? The Night the Lights Went Out is narrated in a somewhat unusual and yet especially fitting fashion for a book that is told from 3 POVs. Therefore it is no surprise that we have three narrators: Carolyn Cook , Susan Larkin, and Tiffany Morgan. I must admit that as all three narrators are new to me and all narrate from a female character's perspective, I'm not really sure which narrator reads which POV. However, I can tell you that one narrator is assigned to each of the 3 POVs being shared: Merilee's, Sugar's, and the anonymous blogger's. This style works well to differentiate the POVs. Additionally as Sugar's passages are told from the past (revealing things that happened to her and her family and friends in Sweet Apple when she was a child/young adult), it also helps differentiate whether the story is being told in the present or past tense. The narrator who narrates the blogger's perspective has a perfect snarky tone as you would except someone revealing some tongue-in-cheek gossip which I thought worked perfectly in this book. Sugar's narrator in turn gives Sugar a much more pronounced Southern and elderly sound which I thought also worked well for her passages too. Merilee's narrator, as you would expect of the main protagonist, had the heaviest load of the narration burden. This narrator does a relatively good job in most aspects juggling the large cast that plays a part in Merilee's passages. Perhaps my only critical observation of this narrator, however, is that while she excelled at delivering distinguishable female characters, her male characters were all pretty similar in pitch (and not very deep, so somewhat similar to some of her female characters) making it a little more difficult to differentiate the male characters just by her voice. All in all, this is one of the best suspense/thriller and women's fiction titles I have listened to this year. I found every aspect well done: from the dual unfolding of the current mystery and the revelation of the past one to the bilateral parallel stories of how "friendships" both aided and led to the evolution of these mysteries. This is a book that will leave you both questioning who your true friends are as well as appreciating how necessary true friendships are to a life well lived.This was my first Karen White book, and wow was I impressed! I will definitely be looking to listen to more of her titles in the near future.Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My husband bought this book for me on a trip and I loved it! This is my first Karen White book and now I can't wait to read more. It was a southern version of Gossip Girl. Even thought it was pretty predictable, the characters and writing made me want to keep reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyable book. Somewhat unrealistic. Liked the mix of new and old
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Karen White is hit or miss with me, depending on how heavily she relies on southern stereotypes to carry her story. This one really impressed me. While it was still firmly rooted in the south with southern characters, they felt less like southern caricatures and more like the people I've known over the last few decades. In addition to that, the pacing was great and the mysteries (from the past and the present) kept me wanting to know more. At a certain point I pretty much knew what was coming so the ending wasn't a huge surprise, but it was still fun to see it unfold. The characters were realistic and I wouldn't mind reading about them again in the future if the author decided that their stories weren't quite finished.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "A good friend will help you bury the body, a best friend will bring their own shovel!"More stars if I could******** Karen White never disappoints with her writing and characters! This book has everything a reader could want, the South, good food, love for the elderly, the woman who deserves a break, the handsome handy man, a great blogger, a plot that thickens, and most of all, the best of the Southern sayings and what they mean!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A new town, a new home, a friend you really don't want, a blog that tells the town's gossip, and Merilee has to deal with all of this along with her divorced husband and his pregnant girlfriend.Living in Sweet Apple, Georgia, seemed like a good town to start over and for the most part it was.Merilee was renting a house on the property of the town's oldest citizen, Sugar Preston. Sugar was portrayed as anything but sweet, but actually she was.Merilee and Sugar became friends and shared stories from Sugar's childhood that made sense as to why Sugar was the way she was.Sugar and quite a few town residents had secrets, and now that Merilee arrived in town, the anonymous blog writer had more ammunition for her daily posts and Southern sayings. As Sugar knew, there were more people in this town that had better stories than Merilee had. Sugar's past was a soap opera in itself and filled with stories but no one dared to tell them except Sugar herself and many stories were told for the first time to Merilee.Totally and completely enjoyed the characters and the story line of THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. Sugar was very lovable, Merilee was sweet, and I didn't like Heather from the minute I met her. Readers of women's fiction will again be transported back to the days of Southern hospitality and then brought back to current day with women who keep secrets and have everything and like to flaunt it.Ms. White has done it again with a marvelous story filled with wonderful characters with Southern charm. If you have ever read any of Karen White's books, you will love this book just like all of her books and not want to put the book down. I have LOVED all of Ms. White's books, but this has to be my all-time favorite. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Karen White has written another successful book filled with mystery and intrigue. As you read this book remember the old adage, "If something seems too good to be true it is." Merilee Dunlap finds herself forced out of her marriage and home because her husband had an affair with her daughter's third grade Math teacher. Her in-laws feeling bad about their son's behavior pay their grandchildren's tuition to a private school. Merilee would rather be a working Mother without any involvement in the school politics.Unfortunately, Heather Blackford, head Soccer Mom decides to make Merilee her new pet project. Why? Merilee may be beautiful but why her? If a relationship either romantic or friendship develops too fast, one should be very cautious. The local blogger attempts to tell Merilee that Heather is up to no good.With a dangerous deception looking Merilee in the face, her elderly landlady, Sugar Prescott becomes her guardian angel. Sugar had a difficult life with many tragedies in her life and she related to Merilee struggles. This book explores friendship and revenge. and friendship trumps. This book should make the Top Ten Reads for the Summer of 2017.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. I absolutely loved this book. The perfect combination of Murder, She Wrote and Southern manners draws you into this story. I love the main characters and the way the author gradually builds their back story in line with the current life. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this story. Divorced, Merilee and her two children move to a new Atlanta suburb and is renting a coach house apartment from her landlord, Sugar Prescott. Sugar lives in the big house at the front of the property. Sugar is 97 and her family used to own most of the property around the county. It all having been sold off and developed over the years. So you might say that Sugar is pretty well known. Merilee is divorced because her husband decided that just having an affair with his daughter's third grade math teacher wasn't enough, he wanted more. At least that's what the town blog says. A blog that has just recently started up and keeps everyone informed as to what's going on much to the chagrin of everyone who's mentioned, including Merilee. Merilee has put the children into a private school where most of the mother's are your typical tennis moms with their outfits, expensive cars, homes, etc. and their leader is named Heather. She makes sure all the mom's sign up for all the committees, etc. She latches onto Merilee on day one and says she's her private project and because Merilee is a working mom, she's going to help her.Yes, you can tell that Heather is up to something, but your not sure exactly what she's up to. Just that it's something. Yes, I caught onto who Heather really was, but did that kill the ending for me? Not in the least. Now Sugar is one of those women who like to play it up mean and not show her nice side. However, she just can't help herself with Merilee and her kids. She tells them stories about her life, bakes them sweets, babysits and becomes like their grandma. Merilee tells her stories and they are all like a little family looking out for each other. Sugar reminds me of my granny. Of course, it doesn't start out like that. Sugar is very gruff to begin with, always correcting, never smiling and actually kind of funny in her old ways.I can't say anymore without spoilers. However, the ending - oh my. The suspense, it felt like my heart was going to come right out of my chest. This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking to read more by Karen White. This book was amazing.Thanks to Berkley Publishing for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I would like to thank First to Read, and Berkley Books for an ARC of "The Night the Lights Went Out" by Karen White, for my honest review. The genres of this book are women's fiction and mystery. I always enjoy Karen White's novels, and I think this is my favorite. I find that the author's descriptions of the characters and life in Georgia are intriguing and colorful. Merilee, a new divorcee moves with her two young children into a cottage in Georgia that is owned by Sugar Prescott. Sugar is in her nineties and is one of the towns most senior and knowledgeable residents. Sugar appears to be very cold to most neighbors, with the exception of a few. For some reason, Sugar's defenses are down and she seems to connect with Merilee and her children. Healther is another character, portrayed as wealthy, beautiful, organized with beautiful children and a handsome husband. Heather befriends Merilee and insists on sharing her life with her. All of these characters have major secrets.Some things are not what they seem. Also, there is a town blog that is written by an anonymous neighbor, who seems to know everything and everyone. I love the way Karen White writes about friendship. What is a true friend? The characters are complex, and life is complicated. We also get to see the timeline and characters in Sugars' life,which also was complicated. There is life and death. The author writes about friendship,family, betrayal,revenge,loyalty, love and hope. I would highly recommend this novel as an entertaining and gripping read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love the character Sugar! Meriliee, Dan, and Wade were also well developed characters. This story was a fun bit of gossip with mystery mixed in. I looked forward to reading it. This was my first book by Karen White, but I have been wanting to read her books for awhile. I love some of the minor storylines that interweaved in the book, and to see the characters grow. Overall I think it would be a great summer read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was certainly a very readable book--revolving around secrets, friendships, human behavior and....revenge?? Although I really liked the whole story, I'm not sure how to handle the subject of bullying and cliques by young people --- does later life take care of what happens when people are young and....is it really just the idea that they are young and foolish or is it deeper than that? Although I'm giving the story 5 stars, I hesitated because who really got away with what in the end? Where did things begin and where did they end? The blog posters writings were particularly enjoyable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Newly divorced, Merilee Dunlap moves with her two children to a rental house in Sweet Apple, Georgia. Her landlady is 93 year old, Sugar Prescott whose family at one time owned most of the town. Sugar's blunt and gruff personality doesn't stop her from sharing a few secrets from her past. Merilee has trouble adjusting to life in this wealthy suburb of Atlanta but is soon befriended by the popular wife and mother, Heather Blackford who makes it her pet project to help Merilee fit in. However, Merilee's past will come back to haunt her.This is what I call a comfy book. It's the perfect book to read at night or while on vacation. You have a good idea while reading how the book is going to end, but it is still entertaining enough that you keep reading to find out all the details. And there are even a few surprises along the way. This book has a Fried Green Tomatoes vibe to it so if you enjoyed the movie or the book that it was based on than definitely give this book a read.I received an ARC of this book and that is my honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Merilee Dunlap has decided that it’s time to start over. She is still recovering from her recent divorce (the details of which are slightly scandalous, by small town standards). She chooses nearby Sweet Apple, Georgia, as the place to relocate with her two young children, renting a cottage from the town matriarch, Mrs. Sugar Prescott. The story alternates between Merilee trying to navigate the social hierarchy at her children’s private school in present day and hearing Sugar’s stories of her turbulent past. The queen bee at the school, Heather Blackford, has chosen to take newcomer Merilee under her bejeweled and bespoke wing, teaching her the ins-and-outs of grade school high society. But as often is the case, things aren’t as sweet in Sweet Apple as they appear. Problems start occurring that will leave you to question who is on whose side. And what are residents’ true agendas, some of which run far deeper than you’d ever imagine. While I had one of the main characters pegged from the beginning, I would have never guessed how everything would conclude. It was easy to become invested in the characters and I anxiously awaited the next plot twists along the way. This was my first Karen White book and it most certainly won’t be the last.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUTKAREN WHITEMY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️PUBLISHERBerkley/Penguin AudioPUBLISHEDApril 11, 2017A fabulously sparkling southern book about new and unexpected friendships and the keeping of secrets. SUMMARYKaren White tells a story of friendships that develops between three intriguing women when Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves to Sweet Apple, Georgia, not far from Atlanta. Merilee has just divorced her husband of eleven years after discovering he not only was having an affair with, but had also gotten their daughter's third grade math teacher pregnant. Devastated, Marilee and her two children, Lily age 10, and Colin age 8, give up their house, furniture and Mercedes SUV to begin a new life.The first person Merrilee meets in Sweet Apple is the long-time widow Sugar Prescott who greets the trio at her farmhouse with a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They had sugar on sell at Kroger, she says. Sugar is the town's 93 year old matriarch, her family had at one time owned much of the property in the county, before her older brothers had chosen to sell it off. Sugar has agreed to rent Merrilee the old cottage behind her farmhouse. Having heard about Marilee's divorce from a realtor, Sugar suspected that Merilee was suddenly and unexpected on her own and in need of help. She understood that need. Sugar is quick to disapprove of Merilee serving her children pizza, and even more appalled to find out that Merilee can't cook. Sugar takes it upon herself to give Merilee cooking lessons. Merilee and Sugar form a strong bond as they share stories, and ultimately the secrets from their past. Merilee meets Heather Blackford the first day of school at Winwood Acadamy. Heather is the epitome of southern perfection: rich, blond, glowy, dressed in tennis whites, and driving a Porsche SUV with a trunk full of gift bags for all the kids on their first day of school. She is just to much. She is the class mother and heads up the school upcoming Gala. While there is no love lost between Heather and Sugar, Heather takes a shine to Merilee and just demands that she chair the fundraising auction at the gala. The gala is held at Heather's beautiful mansion on Lake Lanier. It's a huge success and everyone is dress to the nines. At the end of the evening Merilee discovers a body floating in the lake. Several days later, Merilee is brought into the police station as a suspect for the murder. "You only need one really good friend to get you through the hard stuff."Humor, southern charm and wisdom are being dispensed to the Sweet Apple, Georgia community in the form of a new blog titled "The Playing Fields: Observations of Suburban Life in Sweet Apple, Georgia..." which is tagged as "Your Neighbor." Sweet Apple folks are abuzz wondering who this anonymous blogger could possibly be and how do they know so much. REVIEWThis was my first book by the best selling author, Karen White, and l was so impressed by the depth of her character development and the breadth of the story she tells. This story was both immediately engaging and entertaining. Can't wait to read more Karen White books! Thanks to my friend, Marion Hoffman for the recommendation!The overall story alternates between Merilee and Sugar. Sugar's portion of the story occasional jumps from the 2016 to the 1930's and 1940''s for Sugar's backstory. These transitions and jumps in the book are effortless for the reader. I absolutely loved the inclusion of the "The Playing Fields" blog. The posts are creatively interspersed throughout the book and add much humor and levity. And while White keeps the the Sweet Apple community in the dark about the identity of the blogger, you will know who it is at the end, if not before!And what's not love about Sugar Prescott. She is by far my favorite character in the whole book. She reminds me so much of my grandmother, Mamie, who was born and raised in Magee, Mississippi. Everyone in town knew Mamie. She was always baking something wonderful. Mamie cooked lunch for the Lion Club every Wednesday for 30 years and she made the best fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, and sweet pickles ever! And she was not shy about telling people what she thought, just like Sugar. The Night The Light Went Out has so many intertwining stories that the book is definitely not boring. There are friends to meet, stories to uncover, secrets to share and mysteries to solve. Throw in a romance, a tornado and the lights going out and this book is just down right great! Favorite Quotes:"Life shouldn't be an unbroken road of wonderful. It's the curves in the road that build character and show us our mettle.""Life's journey doesn't mean much without friends.""Every path has its puddles, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't travel them. We just need to remember to wear our boots and bring our friends and those who love us."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Merilee Dunlop is entering into a new stage of her life. She is recently divorced and is moving with her two children to Sweet Apple, Georgia. The divorce was amicable after her husband was found cheating with their daughter’s third grade teacher. She rents a cottage house from an elderly woman named Sugar Prescott. Sugar at ninety-four is very opinionated and is the self appointed town matriarch.Merilee has enrolled her children in an elite private school to avoid the gossip around her failed marriage. The children adjust quickly to their new life while Merilee struggles with her social status. Merilee feels different because she is a divorced, working parent who doesn’t play tennis. Heather Blackford is the poster child for this stereotype and is living the life that the local women crave. She is at the top of the social ladder and others seem to worship her friendship. Heather eventually befriends Merilee and starts to dominate her life with carpools and awkward gifts. At the same time, Sugar starts to take an active interest in Merilee and her children. They forge an unlikely friendship that becomes stronger as drama and secrets unfold. This is a story about a woman transitioning into a new phase of her life. She is forced to evaluate new acquaintances and along the way discovers a lot about herself. Karen White does a great job of blending drama, mystery, southern fiction, and romance in her new novel.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Karen White’s new book The Night the Lights Went Out ranks at the top of my list of books I have read in 2017. It is a must read for those who loves Southern fiction or truly anyone who loves a great read. In this book, she creates the perfect combination of wonderful characters, a highly entertaining story line and an interesting method for unfurling the plot developments. Merilee Dunlap is recently divorced and rents a cottage in Sweet Apple, Georgia from Sugar Prescott, the sourpuss grand dame of Sweet Apple. Poor Merilee is overwhelmed with her job, her kids, and moving to a new town. As Merilee and Sugar slowly get to know each other, various secrets emerge, and events that none of them foresee begin to unfold. While I loved every aspect of the book, my favorite part was the way White chose to tell the story. The book alternates between a mixture of a clever blog written by the anonymous “Your Neighbor”, a standard present day story line, and a narration by 93-year-old Sugar Prescott of various events from her early life. This synthesis of storytelling techniques produces a unique reading experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. Frequently when various time periods are used in a novel, I will like one story line much better than the other, but here I loved every aspect of the book and couldn’t wait for each new development.White’s characters are well-crafted and very authentic. While I was partial to a variety of the characters, Sugar Prescott is a clear stand out who I have thought about so many times since I finished The Night the Lights Went Out. She is a true literary gem.I highly, highly recommend this book and cannot wait to hear everyone else rave about it as much as I have been to everyone I know. Thanks to Great Thoughts, Great Readers for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Night the Lights Went Out is the newest novel by Karen White. Merilee Talbot Dunlap has been married for eleven years to Michael, but after discovering his affair, she quickly divorces him. Michael was having an affair with her daughter, Lily’s math teacher. Merilee is moving along with her two children to Sweet Apple, Georgia where her children will be attending Windwood Academy. Merilee has little to move to since she would not accept any of the furniture nor her fancy SUV in the divorce settlement. The three of them are moving into a cute Craftsman cottage behind Summer Prescott’s farmhouse. Summer is ninety-three years old and projects a gruff demeanor. Merilee was hoping to escape the gossip in her new community, but there is an anonymous blogger that likes to spread local gossip. The Playing Fields Blog is signed by “The Neighbor”. The anonymous blogger gives a different take on the rumors and provides definitions to Southern expressions (it is not mean spirited). Merilee finds a friend in Heather Blackford, the head mom of the school. Heather takes Merilee under her wing and assists her with adjusting to her new life. For some reason, when Summer is with Merilee, she feels compelled to tell her the stories of her past. Just when things begin to look up for Merilee, she finds the body of Daniel Blackford in the lake at the benefit gala. The police soon narrow their suspect list down to Merilee and arrest her for Daniel’s murder. Merilee cannot believe she is suspected of the crime. With the help of Summer and Wade Kimball, local handyman (and love interest), Merilee sets out to find the person who set her up for this crime and Daniel’s real killer. The Night the Lights Went Out is well-written and an engaging novel. I found myself slowly drawn into the story, and I loved the various Southern expressions and their explanations. The story is told from Merilee and Summer’s point-of-views. In this novel, it worked. The book has good characters that are well developed and relatable. I am sure many woman will relate to the mom group at the school and their manipulations, motivations, gossip and attitudes. I was particularly interested in Sugar’s story. Sugar’s history shaped her life and her disposition before she met the Dunlap family. I give The Night the Lights Went Out 4 out of 5 stars. I believe many readers will figure out what is going to happen to Merilee and who is responsible (the phrase “leading a lamb to slaughter” came to mind). But I was curious to see how it would play out. I am sure that many people will also be able to identify the anonymous blogger. There are two major clues that give away the identity of the blogger (pay close attention). It was entertaining, though, when it was revealed. Merilee’s naïve routine got on my nerves after a while. I cannot see how a woman in her thirties can be that clueless. That is the one thing that I found unrealistic (and a little unappealing). I do wish that the author had provided more details about what happened to the killer at the end of the book (it felt incomplete). The Night the Lights Went Out reminds me of Fannie Flagg’s novels. The Night the Lights Went Out is an compelling novel with many layers to it. Of the Karen White novels that I have read, The Night the Lights Went Out is my favorite.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White Is a 2017 Berkley publication. Karen White reigns supreme when it comes to modern day southern fried storytelling. I love Karen White’s novels, so it’s fair to say I’m a little biased when it comes to her books, but this one is really special. Marilee and her two children are uprooted from their lives after her husband, Michael cheats on her with their child's third grade teacher. Moving to Sweet Apple, Georgia, Marilee rents a cottage from a gruff elderly woman everyone calls ‘Sugar’. As Marilee gets settled in, she meets the other mothers in town, forges friendships, and may even have a love interest. But, one of the most important relationships she cultivates is with Sugar, as the two women begin sharing a type of quid pro quo confession of their painful past and sins, while unearthing a few old mysteries and solving a crime along the way. There are books I enjoy, books that touch me or move me, books that make me laugh, or keep me on the edge of my seat. Some books combine all those elements, like this one did, but few of them hit all the notes with perfect tone and pitch and harmonizing, quite like this book did. I haven’t read a book like this one in a long time and I really, really, really needed this kind of story. While books often focus on marriages, romance, and relationships within the family, allowing friendship bonds to lurk around the surface, this book places friendship front and center, and teaches a few valuable life lessons in the process. We all have regrets, have all made mistakes, suffered painful losses, some more than others, and confession can be good for the soul. This is something Sugar discovered, albeit kicking and screaming and determined not to allow anyone to melt that carefully constructed exterior she hides behind. Marilee finds in Sugar a dependable friend, a mother figure, and an unlikely kindred spirit. Sometimes, we still, even well into adulthood, seek approval, a salve for our loneliness, and a way to seek redemption for things we wish we could take back or redo, which is something Marilee goes through in this novel, while Sugar watches from the sidelines, ready to step in if and when necessary. The characters in this book are going to stay with me for a long time. They are so well crafted, realistic and vivid I would swear they came to life. The plot is amazingly well crafted, quirky, emotional, witty and humorous, but also suspenseful and edgy. The southern setting is a Karen White trademark, and as I've said many times before, there is just something about a story told with a southern flair that pronounces everything, from the food, (cookies in this case), to the scenery, to the dialogue. Karen White has that flair down to a science, and this novel is no exception, in fact, it’s exceptional. In other words, this story has something for everyone, and can be read by anyone, and enjoyed by all, and is the type of story that is good for your soul. I loved it! So, you’ve heard me gush long enough. Go forth and pre-order this book, you won’t regret it!