Sandy Island Series by Ashley Farley ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Ashley Farley, author of southern women's fiction, started a new trilogy late last year and the final book comes out this week. The Sandy Island series features strong women facing life changes and the importance of having a community of women to support you. 

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Southern Discomfort

August 2024; AHF Publishing; 978-1956684520
audio, ebook, print (242 pages); southern fiction

Once again, Ashley Farley brings her readers a well-written novel with wonderful and believable characters and a plot that keeps readers turning pages until the end.  This book had everything I love in a book - family turmoil and forgiveness, a bit of romance and a bit of mystery plus some magic all set in a beautiful location.  This book checked all the boxes for me.

Shelby is just out of college and isn't really interested in finding a job.  Her boyfriend just broke up with her and she's heartbroken.  She loves to spend time partying with her friends so there's really no time for her to work.  Her parents get fed up with her lifestyle and decide to send her to her grandmother's house on Sandy Island.  The two women clash immediately and Shelby can't imagine staying there but the longer she's there -- the less she wants to leave.  Isabelle is the grandmother and isn't at all happy with her life.  Her husband left her instructions in his will to turn their huge home into a bread and breakfast and Isabelle is fighting his request as hard as she can.  She doesn't know anything about running a B&B and doesn't want to share her home with strangers.  As the two women embark on the plans to set up a rental property, they find out that maybe they are more alike than they thought.  Can Shelby and Isabelle work together and make the B&B successful and will the magic that Blossom brings help them both find a happier and more fulfilling life?

Buy Southern Discomfort at Amazon

Beneath the Carolina Sun

October 2024; AHF Publishing; 978-1956684551
audio, ebook, print (234 pages); southern fiction

At Magnolia Shores, the stakes are high, and secrets hold the power to transform lives.

Book two takes us back to Sandy Island and the women at the Magnolia Shores bed and breakfast.  Shelby has accepted her place as the reservation manager and is thriving in all areas except her love life.  She is estranged from her sister Grace mostly because Grace never asked her to be in her bridal party.  Grace still lives in Texas and takes being a bridezilla to new heights.  She wants the perfect high society wedding and wants her parents to provide the money to make her dreams come true.  Unfortunately, there is a problem between her parents.  Kate has been unhappy in her marriage for a long time and when she returns to the low country to help her mother after her stroke, she wonders why she ever left a place where she was so happy.  She has to make a decision whether to return to her hollow marriage or remain in SC where she is happy.  The final and maybe most important strong woman in the story is Blossom.  No one knew where she came from but they begin to believe that she is an angel sent to help the family find peace and happiness. 

Ashley Farley once again brings her readers strong women of all ages who are facing life changes and have to learn to rely on other women for help.  The characters are all very believable and seem like people that I know in real life.  This is a series that you don't want to miss.

Buy Beneath the Carolina Sun at Amazon

Southern Simmer

January 2025; AHF Publishing;  978-1956684582
ebook, print (234 pages); southern fiction

This has been a fantastic series and I think that this final book is my favorite.  The story mostly concentrates on three women and the problems that they are facing.

Bibi left her rich husband in Charleston to re-think their marriage.  She isn't happy because his daughter dislikes her and tries to occupy all of her father's time.  BiBi soon becomes part of the extended family at Sandy Island and begins to find real happiness.  Then she finds out that her husband has reported her missing and accused her of leaving with the family heirloom jewels.  What will the accusation of robbery do to her future plans?

Kate is still dealing with the end of her marriage.  She's bitter towards her ex but begins to find happiness with Silas.  Can she let go of the past and dream of the future?

Shelby is Kate's daughter.  She had finally gotten her life together and now finds out that she's pregnant.  This is happy news for her but the problem is that the baby daddy can be either Matt or Jason.  She wants to raise the baby herself and doesn't plan to do a paternity test.  How will she deal with the future?

Wrapping up the entire series is Blossom - an angel who has come to help this family through their problems and hopefully find happiness.

Southern Simmer is the third and final book in the Sandy Island series.  It wraps up all of the issues from the earlier books but I sure would like a chance to visit Sandy Island again in the future and check up on the lives of these strong women.  This is a series that you really need to read in order to keep up with the story.  Trust me - it's a fantastic series and you're going to be happy that you read it.

Buy Southern Simmer at Amazon

Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.   

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