Between, Georgia

by Joshilyn Jackson

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Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Southern, Book Club, Audiobook, Contemporary, Family

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Jackson's latest, MISSING SISTER, pubs MARCH, 3, 2026. Pre-order now!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson writes both page-turning domestic suspense and Southern book club novels that revolve around timely women’s issues, raising questions about justice, motherhood, career, class, and the thorny mechanics of redemption. Her critically acclaimed work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, and Jackson is also an award-winning audiobook narrator. She lives in a gently haunted 150-year-old Victorian Rowhouse in upstate New York with her family.

A recent expat from the American South, she lives in a mildly haunted Victorian row house in upstate New York.

Reviews

[Tish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lived in the small-town South for 15 years. I may not have been born and bred there - but, hey, I've read the Southern Belle Primer; I can use "y'all" properly in a sentence; I like my tea sweet & my steak chicken fried. That said, I do get so tired of the whole "crazy folks" thing with Southern characters. Must everyone be sooo dang quirky? Really. I've met a few "characters" in my time, but the South is not populated entirely with whack-a-do weirdos. In fact, most of us are normal, well-adjusted individuals who are interesting people nonetheless. Maybe, someday, someone will write about some of us.

[Jeansue Libkind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson says in the first sentence in the book that Between is a real place but she’s never been there. I have. I drove through it regularly in the early 1980s on Route 78 going from Athens to Atlanta. I would always exclaim, “Here we are, in Between.” My teenage son would moan and began to chide me when the town sign came into view, “Don’t say it, Mom.” I saw a row of unpainted houses, their porches complete with sloping roofs and old sofas alongside one side of the highway. Apparently there are several streets behind it and a town square; I regret never turning off and investigating. This is a pretty good novel. No one will mistake it for great literature but no one will go away feeling like they wasted their time. Nonny, the main character, is the link between the Fretts and the Crabtrees whose 30-year feud keeps the entire population (90 in Between) on their toes. Nonny also drifts between her home and Athens, her two disparate lives rarely intertwining and she wavers between her husband and a new direction. Generations of Fretts and Crabtrees show up, throw up, blow up, grow up and generally create mischief. The plot moves quickly and caroms nicely. Must this happen in Between? No, it could be any small town in the world but placing it in Between, Georgia adds zing. Yep, I should have turned off the highway and taken the byways.

[Taury · Rating 2 out of 5]

Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson felt like a chore to through. A southern fiction novel set in Georgia during recent times. Too much family drama set in a small town just adds to the drama. Seems to be a conflict between the Fretts and the Crabtrees. It started over a dog attacking a child which resulted in the dog being killed. Nonny Frett seems to be stuck in the middle. This novel had strong character development but is so slow paced (almost uninteresting) it constantly lost my interest. I should have DNF but I pushed through.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Jackson. I was laughing all through out this great story. The characters were hysterical and brought great life to this work. Excellent southern fiction.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easyreading novel set in the South. Although not as good as A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty I enjoyed the characters and the story. The perfect read for a rainy day, I alternatively giggled and snivelled in the few hours this charming book took me to read. My only complaint is that I find the characters very similar to her other books, but I think this is probably my fault as I've read three of her books in a very short space of time. I'll wait a few months, but I'll definitely be reading all her books.

The Story: In the tiny Georgia hamlet of Between (population: 91), the only news is the seemingly never-ending feud between the Crabtrees and the Fretts. Caught at the crux of the quarrel is Nonny Frett, the biological daughter of impoverished teenager Hazel Crabtree. Soon after her birth, Nonny was left "on the better side of the tracks" with the relatively affluent Frett family. Now grown up and badly married, this true "betweener" must confront old family conflicts as she negotiates a new life and motherhood.

[Kim Kaso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Joshilyn Jackson's books. I have read several, my first was an ARC that I won, and I've been working my way backwards since then. This one had a particularly eccentric group of characters and some unusual social situations--apparently based on the author's mother's family from what I read in the afterward--which had the peculiarly small town flavor I remember from my childhood, with a Southern accent. I loved the characters and the relationships, the Southern Gothic aspect of the Dollhouse and Butterfly 🦋 Museum, the family feuds, and I truly loved Nonny and her adorable niece. I liked the way the plot unspooled, with kinks here and there, and no predictable end point. It felt like life...I should get a divorce, but I still have something with this guy, tomorrow is too soon, next week will be better...messy and indecisive, as we can be when life requires changes. I truly loved Mama and Genny and even Bernese...& all of the uproar around the dogs. I looked forward to reading this every night before I fell asleep. Ms. Jackson is a consummate storyteller, prepare to laugh and be emotionally touched by this quirky bunch and their domestic drama. Highly recommended.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, but overall predictable, quick read. I always enjoy Joshilyn Jackson's books, especially this one's take on the rivalries that crop up between Southern families that are only exacerbated by life in a small town. There are some humorous moments, a few twists, and likable characters. Particularly inventive is Jackson's use of a main character, Nonny, who literally finds herself "between" the Fretts and the Crabtrees (the ersatz Hatfields and McCoys of the story), as well as the character of Stacia, who raises Nonny as her own. Stacia, who suffers from Usher's Syndrome, was born deaf and progressively loses her eyesight, but that doesn't stop her from being outspoken and independent, as well as an artist and a caring mother. Liked it, but did not love it.

Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are not lonely people, no matter where our lives take us. Our families will follow. At least in this book, that is what happens.

When we meet our narrator, Nonny Jane, she is sharing her story and letting us in on her small-town life. We are meeting her family, who are very distinct and vibrant characters.

Nonny’s narrative voice is strong and sardonic.

With all the descriptions of the characters in the town, her family and all the goings on, the author invites readers to leave behind any notion of feeling isolated and/or alone.

Feel hugged here. Even if it is a big, sloppy, messy one.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy am I glad a GR friend (Thanks Sheryl) recommended this author on her profile. Between, Georgia on CD was narrated by the sutor which made the book even more enjoyable. Wonderful characters, very engaging story. I couldn't put it down. I've already reserved her other books from the library.
If you like reading Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Berg, or Lee Smith to name a few, I think you'd like reading Joshilyn Jackson too. I highly recommend Between, Georgia. I'll be starting her 1st book, Gods in Alabama tomorrow!

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped reading midway through the book when I realized I didn't really care what the characters did or what happened to them. Find it hard to believe that a dog that viciously attacks two women would not have been put down or at least taken away from the owner. Once the plot stretched the limits of believability, reading further became a waste of time.

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself laughing out loud when I read this! Every chapter was a new "chunk" of drama in Between, Georgia. I love books that are set in the South, especially Georgia since I was born, raised and still live in Georgia.

Nonny seemed to always be in a pickle and I was always rooting her on.

~~~***SPOILER***~~~

I found myself wanting to slap Nonny silly over her interactions with Jonno. And I definately wanted to choke the life out of Bernese. And I certainly couldn't help but keep my fingers crossed that she would end up with Henry, even if he was a cousin - albeit, a fourth cousin. I also felt my eyes well up over the loss of Stacia's dolls, Genny's dog attack, and the possible loss of Fisher.

This book definately kept me guessing. I never expected to be touched emotional in so many different ways. My mouth was either a gaping hole of "what the hell", an upturned smile of satisfaction, a quivering lip of despair and sorrow... and I'm pretty sure I scowled a time or two.

[Jael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know about everyone else, but if I like one book by a certain author I’m certain to go back for more. At the end of God’s in Alabama there’s a teaser to Joshilyn Jackson’s second novel Between, Georgia. Ms. Jackson got me again.

Nonny Frett came into the world amid turmoil. Her birth mother Hazel Crabtree literally gave her up to the Frett family after giving birth in their living room. Ever since she has been caught between two dueling families. The Fretts and the seemingly crazy Crabtrees control the small town of Between, Georgia.


Nonny Frett is raised by her mother Stacia, who is deaf and blind, and her aunt Genny, who is teetering on the edge of insanity. When the granddame of the Crabtree family, the crazy alcoholic Ona, finds out she has a granddaughter there is no peace between the two families. Nonny visits Ona as a young child, but the kibosh is quickly put on that. Ever since Nonny’s aunt Bernese, the head of the Frett family, and Ona trade deadly looks in town. At a moment’s notice Ona can call on her crazy relatives to terrorize the Frett family or better yet sic her dog “The Bitch” (that’s not me using colorful language that is how the dog is referred to in the book!) on Genny.

The first chance she gets, Nonny uses her college degree to get out of town. It leads to a career as a sign language interpreter. A failed marriage to the complicated Jonno follows. But if you can’t guess already the turmoil between the two families constantly draws her back home. Everything soon comes to a head for Nonny. Her impending divorce and a family crisis cause Nonny to finally decide what she wants in life.

If you haven’t noticed I tend to like books that involve some kind of family strife. I’ve got no answers on that. I can relate more to family matters than the latest sci-fi novel, which I will read some day. The subject matter of Between, Georgia might sound overly dramatic, serious, but Jackson does it with spot-on humor. She explores what it truly means have family and a sense of belonging. Check it out!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think someone recommended this book to me ages ago because it was about a woman (with a deaf-blind mom) who was an interpreter. Not that the book is only about that - no way - more layers than a wedding cake, people! But, seriously, there's not too many novels about deaf-blind people, CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults) or interpreters out there, so I gave it a try. Oh, also, my husband said it was awesome, and I like him.

Very cool (and fairly accurate) portrayal of the family dynamics when there's a deaf child in the midst. I've honestly never met twins where one is hearing and one is Deaf, but it made for a great story and a handy interpreter. Also, she really does a good job explaining Usher's Syndrome and the independence/capability of most people who are Deaf-blind. I often found myself smiling at all the tactile joke inserted for people who know what it's like to live with someone who's blind/deaf-blind.
I loved all the little details about an interpreter's life as well - all the running around, setting a 30 minute wait time for a client, having to work in/move to the bigger cities to be able to make a living while knowing the smaller communities need you just as much.

I had the book on CD, and I have to say, that's the way to do this story. The author read it herself - ok, I know sometimes that's disastrous, but she's a former actor, so she was AMAZING! Her voices matched the colourful characters to the letter, and I found myself quoting a lot of the lines later on - one of the ways I use to judge if something is going to be memorable or not.

This is one VERY messed up family and main character, but their world is just so quirky and disturbing that you can't look away, and what's worse/better, is that you'll be wanting to tune in again - long after it's over - like one of those reality shows where you have to wait to find out who the babydaddy is, even though these people are TOTAL STRANGERS!

Anyway, good book!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackson writes books that, by the descriptions and type (novels about odd dysfunctional families), I have no business trying to read.

But every time she wins me over, usually by the second line. I shouldn’t like her books, but I love each as the gem it is.

This one gripped me right away, not surprisingly. In the middle-ish, I had some minor doubts. It sagged a bit. I stopped being completely confident we were going anywhere with this mess.

Then she had me again, sweeping me toward a nail biting conclusion. By the end, I was debating with myself whether this might even be my favorite of hers, even if it might not be her “best”. It’s the one I would consider re-reading, a rare thing for me and fiction.

Listening to Jackson narrate her own work is a special treat.

[Ptreick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read "Gods in Alabama" last fall and found this book to be way too similar. Are all of Jackson's characters cut from the same cookie-cutter pattern? The overbearing female figure, the passive/agressive narrator, the too-good-to-be-true boyfriend that the narrator takes forever to discover. I just don't understand the weak Southern woman she perpetuates in her books... women who sit around not taking action (which is, in itself, taking an action)...

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I was beyond thrilled when I discovered a Joshlyn Jackson that I have not read yet. One in the style of her early work, set in the South, with all its southern charm and likeable characters. Yet this one just didn’t sit right with me.

It felt like every character was just trying just a bit too hard to be quirky, which came off as overblown.

I also found the long-standing feud between the Crabtrees and Fretts wearing thin very quickly.

I did like Nonny’s mom, both deaf and blind, she was an interesting dynamic in the midst of borderline hillbilly shenanigans.

I didn’t hate this, but think my expectations were just too high.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was both charming and profoundly moving. Between, Georgia is one of the most enjoyable books I have read lately It was sweet and engrossing, and I couldn't put it down.

The main character of this book, Nonny Frett, is the link between two conflicting families in the small town of Between, Georgia. Although a Crabtree by birth, Nonny was raised by Stacia Frett, a warm, caring woman who was born deaf and later became blind. Stacia's two sisters, sweet, neuotic Genny, and domineering, overbearing Bernese, are an intregal part of Nonny's life. When the novel opens, Nonny is only a fews days away from a divorce that she isn't certain she wants. A family crisis that involves the Crabtrees brings Nonny back home to Between, where she has to try to soothe fraying tempers before there is real trouble. While she is trying to stop the hostility between the Frett and Crabtree families, Nonny also has to make some decisions that are significant to her future. Everything comes to a head when Nonny is unable to avert violence between the two families.

I thought that this was really a great book. I loved the way the mother-daughter relationship between Stacia and Nonny was portrayed as being so caring and protective. I enjoyed the characters that were part of the Frett and Crabtee families with all of their foibles. There were some unpleasant and disturbing events in the book, but I was satisfied with the way they were handled. Nonny has my admiration for the way in which she had to grow as a person and learn to make and carry out definitive decisions. Reading this book was a pleasant and satisfying experienc.

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

just didn't ever love this book
it was decent but I wish it focused more on Stacia, her talents, her art, her abilitites
instead we got the story told from the point of view of her daughter

I thought the book was leading up to an ending with tragedy that would hammer home to Nonnie what her mother was trying to teacher her: making a decision/taking charge of your life and having something happen to create an outcome for you are not the same thing.

I think the book could have been infinitely better if the ending left the main character with a great loss that would have been prevented if she did what needed to be done and made decisions. Instead she lucked out. Tragedy averted. Cue up the Lifetime ending that gives us unlikely happiness as they drive off, literally, into the sunset.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes place IN Between Georgia. All characters live IN Between.

Its the south so, of course, there is a feud. Nonny Frett is in one of the families; she has been raised by Stacia Frett, a blind mute who, despite that, raises her completely and well. But Nonny is not a Frett by birth. She really is a Crabtree, the other feuding family.

This story is ripe for conflict and destruction. I did enjoy the book as it was full of surprises and action.

4 stars

[Bekah Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is a guilty pleasure of mine. Each year, as soon as spring creeps up and the sun starts to come out reliably, I get in the mood for a good Southern tale and Joshilyn Jackson is one of my favorite go-tos to fit this bill. Jackson's strength is in her sense of place and her always reliable cast of colorful characters. I really enjoyed this one for what it was: a funny, warm-hearted book about family and home.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deja vu, y'all. I started this book thinking I'd heard the story already-- scared teenager wears only sweatsuits to conceal a pregnancy. When the baby comes, she goes to the neighbor's house and gives birth on the floor of foyer. Seemed too familar. But I clearly didn't get past that because the rest of details-- pistols, luna moths, baby stealing and Beatrice's poetry from Much Ado About Nothing were new and strange and wonderful. And drew me into a book that made me laugh and rage and cry and then cry some more.

Between, Georgia is about Nonny, who lives in Athens, but her whole family is back in Between. Her mama, Stacia, who is deaf and blind and lives with Genny, her twin. Her mama and aunt's other sister, Berneice, lives there too, and helped to deliver Nonny into Stacia's arms on the floor of her foyer surrounded by gunshot-stunned luna moths. Nonny's grandma, Ona Crabtree, lives closeby too, matching Berneice slight for slight in a generations old feud between the Crabtrees and the Fretts. And Nonny's in the middle. Birthed and immediately abandoned by a teenage Crabtree, Stacia Frett claims Nonny and raises her as her own, creating their family with one beautiful story of mother-daughter love after another.

That is, until.... And I can't bear to say anything more about it. I want you to read it and experience it. The feud explodes, of course. And what had been a sort of one to one, Berneice versus Ona quid pro quo gets muddled when there are too many extenuating circumstances for one woman to keep track of. Especially when she needs to be in Athens, not Between, because she has got to finally get a divorce.

And now I'm going to take on the cliche. I laughed. I gasped. I rocked back and forth and mumbled, "No no no no." I cried, hard, from sadness. And then I cried, hard, with joy. Jackson's world is pretty small-- one town square and a few miles of houses. But her characters are huge, realistically drawn people. They are complex and motivated and driven to interact with one another in nonsensical ways, just as we all are.

I found Jackson's writing highly technical, but like the best of writers, you only notice it after it's past. In a book that starts out with a gun, by the time acts three and four roll around, she's introduced about twelve more. And all of them are necessary. Jackson also narrates the audio book I listened to, and her acting skills and ability to voice characters is second to none. One of the best I've ever heard. I'd get out of the car of an evening and my own weirdo semi-southern accent would take on a heavy dose of country until I could get it out of my head.

Highly recommended. A wonderful, memorable story.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book with a great lead in plot. Hooked me from the start. Love the southern background of Georgia and the author really sets the atmosphere for readers who love stories about the South. It may be good ole boy country, but Jackson also makes the family dynamics crazy realistic. The protagonist, Nonny Jane is born to 15 year old Hazel Crabtree, who makes her way to the house of Bernese Frett. Hazel has kept her pregnancy secret from her mother Ona, and all the other Crabrees, so when Bernese's sister, Stacia wants to adopt the baby, Hazel is more than willing to give the baby up. The humorous telling of Nonny's birth had me chuckling several times. The book flashes to Nonny's thirtieth year, when she's on the fence about ending her ten year marriage to good looking boy band man, Jonno. Her mother, Stacia has Usher's syndrome and has become blind as well as deaf. Stacia's twin, Genny, and sister Bernese, as well as Bernese's granddaughter, Fisher, round out the feminine side of the Frett family. Nonny's connections to her family are deep and the author does a great job of enticing the reader to become engaged in the family dramas. The dramas are many, complex, and often humorous. The Crabtrees and the Fretts have had an ongoing feud over the years, and although Nonny is at the heart of it, the reader gets the sense that the differences in the two families would have always presented obstacles to any amount of getting along. As Jackson weaves the story, however, the reader comes to realize that the two families have more in common than just Nonny. I do wish that Jackson had created a more likeable character out of Ona Crabtress, Nonny's biological grandmother, but perhaps that's just a bias of mine. Lovely read!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between is the name of the town, geographically between Athens and Atlanta, and between is an excellent descriptor of protagonist Nonny herself. She is between her two families, the one that birthed her and the one that adopted her; the world of the hearing and that of her deaf mother, between one man and another, and between who she is and who she wants to be. Jackson weaves an emotional and hilarious tale with rich characters, a compelling plot and a honeyed writing style which converge to propel this book into favorite-zone. I wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment I spent reading it.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is plenty of drama in the small town of Between, Georgia. A place where everyone knows everyone and more. The notorious two families who mirror the Hatfield & McCoys kept the story moving steadily throughout the book. Actually, right from the start. Nonney comes home to Between and finds herself engulfed in the relationships encompassing both families. There were moments of laughter,sadness and joy which kept me yearning for more. I enjoyed how Joshilyn Jackson exposed the strength and fralities of each family.

[Just - The romance reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a book full of quirky characters! Reading Between Georgia made me want to hop in my car and travel down to Georgia in search of this little town and it's cast of characters so I could slap a few of them and hug a few of them. I'd especially like to hug that moody and adorable little Fisher. There were a couple little shockers in the book, but I have to say the ending was worth it.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was such a "real" read.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. If you like a southern setting and family dysfunction you might like this.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another fun, sassy Southern tale from Joshilyn Jackson. Like her other books, it features a woman who's trying to find her place in the space between her family responsibilities in her oppressive hometown and her desire to make her own life in the outside world. Peopled with a lively cast of colorful characters, it's a warm, comical tale but one that also deals with difficulty and sorrow. BETWEEN, GEORGIA drew me in from the first page and kept me reading into the night. It's not my favorite Jackson novel, but I enjoyed it.

[Raquel Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, cute, funny, and predictable read. Small town dram/silliness between the Fretts and the Crabtrees is sometimes all you need for a quick afternoon book escape.

[Christina Rothfusz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not normally into these girly sweet stories, but for me, this author always strikes the right note.

A easy, light read.