What We Set in Motion by Stephanie Austin Edwards ~ A Review

by Susan Roberts

Isn't that a wonderful use of descriptive language? Would you keep reading? 
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"You have to honor what your heart calls you to do, no matter what anyone else says.  No matter how painful it is."

March 2016; Novel Ideas by SAE
978-0996571920; ebook, print (384 pages)
literary, coming of age

Southern fiction is one of my favorite genres and I'm thrilled when I find a 'new to me' author in this genre. I met Stephanie Edwards at the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, SC, where she is a docent. Because she met Pat in high school, she had lots of great stories to share about him. As with all readers, our discussion soon turned to books that we both enjoyed and I found out that she had her first book on display in the shop so I bought a book and I loved it! The writing is so well done that I found it difficult to believe that this was her first novel and I hope that she continues to use her talents to bring us more fantastic books in the future.

The story begins in the 1970s when Nadine is about to graduate from college. Her goal is to go to NYC with her boyfriend (an actor) and pursue a career in dance. Her father, a rich controlling man in Beaufort, SC, forbids her to go and ties are cut between them when she moves to NY. When she arrives in New York,  she finds life much more difficult than she anticipated - it was almost impossible to find a decent apartment or a waitressing job to pay the bills while she took dance classes. Once she begins to make friends, life in the city becomes less scary but still very difficult.  This is a real coming of age novel with a brave and determined heroine. I loved Justine and her determination to succeed despite the setbacks. I laughed with her and cried with her. She is a character that I won't soon forget.

I loved this novel and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy strong characters and a wonderful storyline.

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About the Author

Stephanie, a former dancer and Broadway Costumer, is a writing teacher, novelist and consultant. After attending public school in Beaufort, SC, and college in California, she had a twenty-two-year career in New York Theater. She has worked with such talents as Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Lauren Bacall, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Hal Prince, Stephen Sondheim, and Michael Bennett.

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads,  or Twitter.

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