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Sweet Vidalia
She made herself see Robert with the kids, telling stories of crafty, talking rabbits and determined turtles, his face bright with meanings, with silliness. Made herself see the two of them laughing together in bed, they had done that. That was true. Through the years, they'd had happiness and closeness. They had.As Eliza sits at her husband's funeral, still stunned by the suddenness of his death, she discovers a lie that turns her life upside down. But Eliza has a core of resourceful steel that does not let her down and an innate emotional generosity that she struggles to cling to when faced with an almost overwhelming sense of bitterness.What emerges is a profoundly compelling portrait of a woman worn down by life to a gem stone quality of endurance and beauty. Love, loss and family secrets can overwhelm us at any point in our lives, but Eliza refuses to give in...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 3, 2024
61 people are currently reading
5775 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Sandlin
16 books88 followersLisa Sandlin was born in the Gulf Coast oil town of Beaumont, Texas, and lived there before and after a transfer sent her family to Naples, Italy, for three years. She graduated from Rice University in Houston and then lived many years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Once she had earned an M.F.A. in Writing at Vermont College, Sandlin packed a small car and headed for Nebraska in January. She taught at Wayne State College 1997-2009, with semester leaves to teach at The University of Texas and Kadir Has University in Istanbul, Turkey, and at University of Nebraska Omaha 2009-2018. Her books are "The Famous Thing About Death" (Cinco Puntos Press, 1991); "Message to the Nurse of Dreams" (Cinco Puntos Press, 1997), winner of the Violet Crown Award from the Austin Writers League and the Jesse H. Jones Award from the Texas Institute of Letters; "In the River Province" (Southern Methodist University Press, 2004), a finalist for the Jones award; "You Who Make the Sky Bend," (Pinyon Publishing), a collaboration with New Mexican retablo artist Catherine Ferguson, NM Book Award. Lately she has written two noir mysteries from Cinco Puntos Press: "The Do-Right" (2015), winner of the Shamus Award and the Hammett Prize, and "The Bird Boys" (2019). She is a professor emeritus of the Writer's Workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
August 19, 2024
I narrated Sweet Vidalia for its upcoming release. I love to narrate character-driven novels. To say it was a joy to narrate doesn't even begin to cover all the feelings that were called up when reading her book and giving voice to the characters. The protagonist is the strongest woman I've read. What a gem!
May 7, 2024
"Sweet Vidalia" is about a middle-aged woman who is ousted from her life by a heartbreaking deceit. The reader joins her journey as she takes business classes, forges friendships, and learns to trust her self and abilities in a hotel full of young people. The setting of 1960s Texas is compelling as are the people she meets and where she ends up. Highly recommended for the writing and story.
#SweetVidalia #LisaSandlin
#SweetVidalia #LisaSandlin
September 19, 2024
Eliza Kratke is a woman whose life will never be the same. She is going to have to rebuild that life from the ground up - and she will do so, no matter what it takes.
The first part of Sweet Vidalia was both shocking and heartbreaking, yet I didn't feel drawn in. I couldn't shake the feeling that Sweet Vidalia just wasn't my kind of book. Part of my struggle was due to sentences like: " She heard the articulation of this desire as clearly as if it had come from her mouth, which it had not. It had traveled upward from her spine, through her other bones, through and around organs, through blood, through skin, and then that desire had voiced itself in the vicinity of her neck, halfway between her heart and her ear. A voice without a voice! And she heard it. Clearer than a school bell, than a siren. Closer. Inside her, outside her but intimately near. She wanted her own, whatever that meant."
However, I kept reading, and about a quarter of the way into the book, I started enjoying it more. I loved the wisdom and kindness Eliza treated people with, whether they deserved it, or not!
Trigger Warning:
Eliza's sweet, elderly dog dies in the book. It's handled tastefully and with SO MUCH love and compassion. He, sadly, had just reached the end of his time on earth.
Many thanks to both #LittleBrownandCompany and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Sweet Vidalia. It has an expected publication date of December 03, 2024.
The first part of Sweet Vidalia was both shocking and heartbreaking, yet I didn't feel drawn in. I couldn't shake the feeling that Sweet Vidalia just wasn't my kind of book. Part of my struggle was due to sentences like: " She heard the articulation of this desire as clearly as if it had come from her mouth, which it had not. It had traveled upward from her spine, through her other bones, through and around organs, through blood, through skin, and then that desire had voiced itself in the vicinity of her neck, halfway between her heart and her ear. A voice without a voice! And she heard it. Clearer than a school bell, than a siren. Closer. Inside her, outside her but intimately near. She wanted her own, whatever that meant."
However, I kept reading, and about a quarter of the way into the book, I started enjoying it more. I loved the wisdom and kindness Eliza treated people with, whether they deserved it, or not!
Trigger Warning:
Eliza's sweet, elderly dog dies in the book. It's handled tastefully and with SO MUCH love and compassion. He, sadly, had just reached the end of his time on earth.
Many thanks to both #LittleBrownandCompany and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Sweet Vidalia. It has an expected publication date of December 03, 2024.
December 29, 2024
This was just middle of the road for me. A good story but rather bland and unemotional considering the topic of the book. I never felt a connection to the main character at all and the emotional struggles of Eliza seemed dispassionate. I did admire Eliza's perseverance and ingenuity.
January 13, 2025
When Eliza’s husband of thirty years dies suddenly (in the wild first chapter)revealing a secret double life, Eliza is forced to rebuild her shattered existence from the ground up. In 1964, that’s not easy to do. After a time of heavy grief, Eliza sets her mind on making a life for herself. Her story is told through Sandlin’s beautiful writing and through a cast of ragtag characters Eliza meets along the way. Louise, Terry, Mrs. Jordan, Morton…each one will steal your heart in one way or another. I started at four stars but the more I pondered this story, I had to change my rating to five stars.
February 4, 2025
Meh...
December 16, 2025
This is one of those books that surprises you on every level. I didn't know what to expect when it was recommended to me, but WOW! The book opens in February of 1964. The main character, Eliza, is what we used to call at mid-century a typical housewife and mother. In an instant, her world changes. The strength of this book is how Eliza takes us on the journey of her choices and decisions and the people and places she meets and goes to along the way.
What I love about this book is its realism. No one's life is perfect, and sometimes people are dealt with situations that test them. What is fascinating is how they deal with them, specifically, the actions they take, what choices they make....and why. Lisa Sandlin is a master storyteller at this at every step of Eliza's journey.
Maybe it's my age, but Eliza is from my grandparents' generation, so I'm a little biased when I say that people who were young adults in the Great Depression had to think out of the box on a daily basis. That would serve them well later in life when anything and everything was thrown at them.
On a side note, anyone who grew up in 50's and 60's will appreciate the little details of day to day living, whether it's cars, clothes or kitchenware. I look forward to Ms. Sandlin's next book. I'm surprised this book didn't get more attention in 2024.
What I love about this book is its realism. No one's life is perfect, and sometimes people are dealt with situations that test them. What is fascinating is how they deal with them, specifically, the actions they take, what choices they make....and why. Lisa Sandlin is a master storyteller at this at every step of Eliza's journey.
Maybe it's my age, but Eliza is from my grandparents' generation, so I'm a little biased when I say that people who were young adults in the Great Depression had to think out of the box on a daily basis. That would serve them well later in life when anything and everything was thrown at them.
On a side note, anyone who grew up in 50's and 60's will appreciate the little details of day to day living, whether it's cars, clothes or kitchenware. I look forward to Ms. Sandlin's next book. I'm surprised this book didn't get more attention in 2024.
January 10, 2025
This was not what I expected it to be at all. I'm not really sure what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. From the beginning I was sucked right in and couldn't stop for fear of missing out on what happened next. As the story grew, I began to love Eliza and admired her strength and tenacity for overcoming her misfortune. Not only was Eliza easy to love, but also the other occupants of Sweet Vidalia Inn. My only dislike of the story was how Eliza was portrayed. I kept thinking the was a elderly woman in her 80s with all her health issues and arthritic hands only to remember she was just 57. I know everyone doesn't age the same but I think her issues were just a bit dramatic for her being middle aged. The narration was such a treat and a perfect match for this story, making it that much more enjoyable. Both the author and narrator were new to me and I am looking forward to experiencing more from both.
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Little, Brown & Company for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy!
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Little, Brown & Company for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy!
January 20, 2025
Sweet Vidalia—PG/PG13
Violence: threatened
Language: about 35 including deity
Sex: no
I love origin stories of powerful women, and Eliza’s story is a great one. I cried in sympathy so many times, but it was Eliza’s empathy that was really moving. Her setbacks grew her into the woman she was destined to be. I’m a big fan of this new-to-me author.
Violence: threatened
Language: about 35 including deity
Sex: no
I love origin stories of powerful women, and Eliza’s story is a great one. I cried in sympathy so many times, but it was Eliza’s empathy that was really moving. Her setbacks grew her into the woman she was destined to be. I’m a big fan of this new-to-me author.
February 7, 2025
I was immediately drawn to Sweet Vidalia after reading the synopsis. The premise was intriguing—a woman, Eliza, discovers after her husband’s death that he had secretly married another woman. Her entire world crumbles, and I expected a deeply emotional and gripping story.
However, I struggled to connect with Eliza. While I felt terrible for her situation, I had so many unanswered questions. Where were her children throughout all of this? She had multiple kids, yet none seemed to be consistently present for her. Why didn’t they take turns visiting? Their absence made Eliza’s grief feel strangely isolated in a way that didn’t fully make sense to me.
The pacing also felt slow. I kept waiting to learn more about the other woman, but her story wasn’t explored in detail until the very end. The author portrayed her as young, fragile, and seemingly incapable of caring for herself, beyond the fact that her son was deaf. I expected a more nuanced and developed perspective on her earlier in the book.
While the last quarter of the novel picked up, the overall experience was disappointing. The slow pace, lack of emotional connection, and underdeveloped characters left the story feeling dull and anticlimactic.
However, I struggled to connect with Eliza. While I felt terrible for her situation, I had so many unanswered questions. Where were her children throughout all of this? She had multiple kids, yet none seemed to be consistently present for her. Why didn’t they take turns visiting? Their absence made Eliza’s grief feel strangely isolated in a way that didn’t fully make sense to me.
The pacing also felt slow. I kept waiting to learn more about the other woman, but her story wasn’t explored in detail until the very end. The author portrayed her as young, fragile, and seemingly incapable of caring for herself, beyond the fact that her son was deaf. I expected a more nuanced and developed perspective on her earlier in the book.
While the last quarter of the novel picked up, the overall experience was disappointing. The slow pace, lack of emotional connection, and underdeveloped characters left the story feeling dull and anticlimactic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2025
Sweet vidalia.
Eliza's story.
A marriage she thought was strong, but turns out she had a deceitful husband.
Eliza a middle aged woman, soon to be on her own, and life is so challenging. It's 1964. Things were totally different back then.
But eliza is a strong woman, and she has so many obstacles to overcome. She will make her way in the world..
Her one true companion Percy 🐾 her dog.
This simply was a wonderful story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Eliza's story.
A marriage she thought was strong, but turns out she had a deceitful husband.
Eliza a middle aged woman, soon to be on her own, and life is so challenging. It's 1964. Things were totally different back then.
But eliza is a strong woman, and she has so many obstacles to overcome. She will make her way in the world..
Her one true companion Percy 🐾 her dog.
This simply was a wonderful story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others.
May 14, 2025
NetGalley review copy
Sweet Vidalia is the story of Eliza, a woman in her late fifties who discovers her husband’s greatest betrayal after he dies suddenly. Her plans for her later years are upended as she suddenly finds herself moving into a motel, the Sweet Vidalia, and taking business classes. This change of direction gives her the opportunity to make new friends, and have experiences she never would have dreamt of in her previous life.
This was a compelling story; set in 1960s Texas, it very much felt of its time, with a widow’s choices being extremely limited in the wake of her husband’s death and betrayal. We follow Eliza as she discovers a previously undiscovered resiliency in the face of extreme adversity, and as she makes friends with a bunch of misfits who she would never have expected to cross paths with.
Lisa Sandlin writes with an ease that made reading Sweet Vidalia a pleasure, and transported me right into this specific time and place so exactly that I had a bit of a book hangover once I’d finished it!
Sweet Vidalia is the story of Eliza, a woman in her late fifties who discovers her husband’s greatest betrayal after he dies suddenly. Her plans for her later years are upended as she suddenly finds herself moving into a motel, the Sweet Vidalia, and taking business classes. This change of direction gives her the opportunity to make new friends, and have experiences she never would have dreamt of in her previous life.
This was a compelling story; set in 1960s Texas, it very much felt of its time, with a widow’s choices being extremely limited in the wake of her husband’s death and betrayal. We follow Eliza as she discovers a previously undiscovered resiliency in the face of extreme adversity, and as she makes friends with a bunch of misfits who she would never have expected to cross paths with.
Lisa Sandlin writes with an ease that made reading Sweet Vidalia a pleasure, and transported me right into this specific time and place so exactly that I had a bit of a book hangover once I’d finished it!
June 9, 2025
I really liked the protagonist of Sweet Vidalia, Eliza. When her husband dies suddenly, she learns that he has been leading a double life. He had another wife and family. Lisa Sandlin heaps troubles onto Eliza. Eliza discovers that she has no money and must sell her home. Her husband had taken out another mortgage on it, so she has to work through that. Although some of the writing was awkward, I admired Eliza's steadfast determination to resolve her problems.
June 22, 2025
This is one of those books that embraces you with gentleness and warmth. It is a tonic between books that have heavy content or require close reading, or just when you want to feel a small sense of joy about the world. The relationships that Eliza builds and her strength and her determination to make things work is uplifting.
June 11, 2024
I would like to start by thanking Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced copy of Sweet Vidalia written by Lisa Sandlin. All opinions are my own.
Sweet Vidalia takes place in Texas, 1964. This is a book about love, deception, contradictions, loneliness, and rising above difficult times.
Eliza is a woman in her mid-fifties who has a comfortable life, until life as she knew it never truly existed the way she lived it. She and her children uncover secrets they couldn’t believe existed. Eliza was a strong woman who was determined to recreate her life on her own. She meets various people throughout her journey of self-healing. Eliza was a kind person to those she met, one who gave great advice and shared valuable wisdom.
This book was a bit slow paced at times, but I did enjoy the story overall. Eliza had me hoping she would overcome her hurdles. I appreciated her drive to push forward and the courage she had to do what she needed to do for herself, by herself. The ending was rather a surprise.
This book is out for publication on December 3, 2024.
Sweet Vidalia takes place in Texas, 1964. This is a book about love, deception, contradictions, loneliness, and rising above difficult times.
Eliza is a woman in her mid-fifties who has a comfortable life, until life as she knew it never truly existed the way she lived it. She and her children uncover secrets they couldn’t believe existed. Eliza was a strong woman who was determined to recreate her life on her own. She meets various people throughout her journey of self-healing. Eliza was a kind person to those she met, one who gave great advice and shared valuable wisdom.
This book was a bit slow paced at times, but I did enjoy the story overall. Eliza had me hoping she would overcome her hurdles. I appreciated her drive to push forward and the courage she had to do what she needed to do for herself, by herself. The ending was rather a surprise.
This book is out for publication on December 3, 2024.
October 15, 2024
Sweet Vidalia, by Lisa Sandlin (UK Release December 3, 2024), takes us to Texas, in 1964. When her husband, Robert, dies, Eliza has to confront the devastating fall-out of his duplicity. Blow after blow lands in the days following his death, shattering her, and devastating her children. She’s left with nothing, not even grief.
Rather than stew in the pity and gossip of her old community, Eliza spins her neighbours a yarn and relocates to somewhat less grand accommodation. She’s woman in her fifties, stoic and resourceful, a product of the depression and the war years, adrift in the 1960s just as they are starting to swing. There’s a new freedom rising, but it’s for the young and the carefree.
Her new neighbours are not the kind of people she’s used to mixing with, they are younger and – to her – strange, all stumbling towards their future as best they can.
As she tackles her problems pragmatically, Eliza become aware of her strength, her capacity for endurance. This isn’t what she imagined for herself, but if she can make it from day to day then that might be enough to prove to herself that she is not yet defeated.
This is a lovely, warm, and hopeful book, beautifully written with economy and a rare eye for human frailties. It’s a celebration of the resilience and power of women. Eliza is a fabulous character, she’s so still and noble, taking her small pleasures where she can, reaching that little bit further every day as she comes to recognise her abilities and her ambitions. Emerging from the role of housewife she finds a new vividity to her days, coloured more than a little by uncertainty and fear, but coloured nevertheless. Sustained by her new friendships she discovers her wings.
I kept Eliza close though my reading of the book - we shared that initial horror and grief at her loss of Robert and the subsequent stunned anger – and I watched in pleasure as she built herself up to a place of peace and reflection.
Thanks to @netgalley and @littlebrown for this review copy which I requested
Rather than stew in the pity and gossip of her old community, Eliza spins her neighbours a yarn and relocates to somewhat less grand accommodation. She’s woman in her fifties, stoic and resourceful, a product of the depression and the war years, adrift in the 1960s just as they are starting to swing. There’s a new freedom rising, but it’s for the young and the carefree.
Her new neighbours are not the kind of people she’s used to mixing with, they are younger and – to her – strange, all stumbling towards their future as best they can.
As she tackles her problems pragmatically, Eliza become aware of her strength, her capacity for endurance. This isn’t what she imagined for herself, but if she can make it from day to day then that might be enough to prove to herself that she is not yet defeated.
This is a lovely, warm, and hopeful book, beautifully written with economy and a rare eye for human frailties. It’s a celebration of the resilience and power of women. Eliza is a fabulous character, she’s so still and noble, taking her small pleasures where she can, reaching that little bit further every day as she comes to recognise her abilities and her ambitions. Emerging from the role of housewife she finds a new vividity to her days, coloured more than a little by uncertainty and fear, but coloured nevertheless. Sustained by her new friendships she discovers her wings.
I kept Eliza close though my reading of the book - we shared that initial horror and grief at her loss of Robert and the subsequent stunned anger – and I watched in pleasure as she built herself up to a place of peace and reflection.
Thanks to @netgalley and @littlebrown for this review copy which I requested
December 31, 2024
Gave up on page 183. So boring
November 17, 2025
On the day that Eliza Kratke's husband dies, her life as she understands it is blown sky high.
How Eliza learns to adjust, to manage, to move on, is a story worth reading, and Eliza is a person worth knowing.
How Eliza learns to adjust, to manage, to move on, is a story worth reading, and Eliza is a person worth knowing.
May 3, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Sweet Vidalia is historical fiction about a widow in the 1960s, Eliza. In the beginning scenes, Eliza loses her husband, Robert, and is shocked to learn that he had another wife and was a bigger mist. Never having been on her own. And her children grown and moved away, She begins to find herself and to make her own way in life. She has a wonderful dog, and they move into a motel called the Vidalia. She meets many offbeat characters, and there are more than meets the eye. She saves her money and gets herself out of a hole that she did not dig herself into. She reminds me of my grandmother, the women of that time who didn’t think to complain, rolled up their sleeves and got things done. Anger isn’t useful for them, but hard work acceptance is. I found myself rooting for her.
November 17, 2024
Audiobook.
Eliza is rushing her husband to hospital with a suspected heart attack and is stopped by the police for going too fast. In the confusion that follows, Robert dies. This is the start of Eliza’s problems. She finds out he hasn’t been doing extra shifts at work but has another wife and has been living a double life.
Eliza has her two grown up children, their home and dog. But suddenly her world is turned upside down, Robert took out a mortgage on the house to buy a house for his new wife, Eliza doesn’t want to inflict herself of her children, so she moves into Sweet Vidalia - a motel. She sells many of her possessions and starts to rebuild her life, including going back to studying and learning bookkeeping.
Quite a sad story, but shows hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.
Well read, easy to listen to.
Eliza is rushing her husband to hospital with a suspected heart attack and is stopped by the police for going too fast. In the confusion that follows, Robert dies. This is the start of Eliza’s problems. She finds out he hasn’t been doing extra shifts at work but has another wife and has been living a double life.
Eliza has her two grown up children, their home and dog. But suddenly her world is turned upside down, Robert took out a mortgage on the house to buy a house for his new wife, Eliza doesn’t want to inflict herself of her children, so she moves into Sweet Vidalia - a motel. She sells many of her possessions and starts to rebuild her life, including going back to studying and learning bookkeeping.
Quite a sad story, but shows hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.
Well read, easy to listen to.
May 13, 2024
“Sweet Vidalia” by Lisa Sandlin is a story about a woman in her 50s who experiences unimaginable grief and hardships. She loses her husband suddenly and then finds he was married to second wife and leaves her penniless. The book speaks to her struggle finding her way back and the difficult journey it took for her to get there. Ultimately her inner strength and character help her to persevere. For me the story was hard to read and a bit unrealistic. I do think it was beautifully written and for some there will be lessons learned about forgiveness.
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 25, 2024
dnf
I was excited to read this book when I read the description. I thought it would be super interesting to read about what could be real life events. Unfortunately, I got 24% in and just could not read much further. The were so many things that were repeated just in different ways, and some parts that I don’t think should have even been in the book but that is my opinion. I did dnf the book and I was not looking forward to it. I wanted to like this book and get to know more about Eliza Kratke, but I couldn’t take it anymore.
I was excited to read this book when I read the description. I thought it would be super interesting to read about what could be real life events. Unfortunately, I got 24% in and just could not read much further. The were so many things that were repeated just in different ways, and some parts that I don’t think should have even been in the book but that is my opinion. I did dnf the book and I was not looking forward to it. I wanted to like this book and get to know more about Eliza Kratke, but I couldn’t take it anymore.
December 14, 2024
What a great book. The first few pages are rapid-fire -- I couldn't put it down. Then the pace shifted to an intimate portrait of a woman. When I say "intimate portrait," I mean that the author imagined herself into the very skin of her lead character. It's an engrossing read. Normally I read books in small doses but I finished this one in two days. I had that feeling of "oh, no, I don't want this book to end," coupled with the contradictory feeling of "I want to know everything about this woman and her story." When it was over, I felt a loss.
January 30, 2025
It's terrifying to consider how a person can lose everything in an instant. Not only that but the people closest to us might be hiding terrible secrets. No one should live in paranoia, but it's sobering to contemplate how resilient you might be if the worst were to happen. “Sweet Vidalia” begins with an arresting moment of crisis for Eliza, a middle-aged woman in 1960s Texas. She's been married for three decades and has two adult children. Her world isn't only turned upside down but inside out as she suddenly finds herself on the brink of destitution and must start over again at this unusual stage of life. Eliza seeks to get a business education and job while moving into a motel called Sweet Vidalia with her old dog. There she encounters a number of curious individuals and forms new connections. The grinding indignity and humility of her situation is tempered by a tonally-light and humour-leaning narrative. However, this book doesn't shy away from the emotional shock or physical challenges of Eliza's situation. There's a serious impediment preventing her from accessing the few assets she still possesses, she suffers from arthritis in her hands and her children don't have enough resources to support her. Nevertheless, she discovers opportunities in the most unexpected places.
The wide range of characters that Eliza meets are interesting, but the novel comes to feel a little too cluttered with all their stories. Many of them have their own idiosyncrasies which are touched upon such as a man who feels closer to dogs than people, a strong-willed artistically-gifted classmate and a gay man who struggles to find employment in clerical roles usually taken by women. However, many of their lives never come to feel entirely filled out. But Eliza herself is a sensitive and empathetic character whose complexity beautifully deepens over the course of the story as she discovers an inner strength and talents that she never previously knew she possessed. At one point she reflects “Nobody now on earth, including my children, knows who I am. Not a wife, a mother whose kids are grown, with no neighborhood friend, no job to tell me what I am. Just a kind of in-between person who lives in a temporary place with people who live near her temporarily.” This sudden sense of anonymity may crush some people. But it's heartening how in this desperate situation Eliza learns to envision a new sense of self that's free from the expectations of those she's lived amongst for her entire life and establish her autonomy. I also found it touching how she recalls her own parents' economic struggles when she was young and feels a new connection with them because of her own plight. These factors mean that the novel comes to feel hopeful even amidst such a dire situation caused by a terrible betrayal.
Lisa Sandlin's writing has understandably been compared to that of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Strout. Like these wonderful authors, her fiction is a pleasure to read with its naturally flowing prose which are layered with great depths of emotion.
Read more of my reviews on my book blog LonesomeReader or check out the videos on my BookTube channel or consider joining my Bookclub
The wide range of characters that Eliza meets are interesting, but the novel comes to feel a little too cluttered with all their stories. Many of them have their own idiosyncrasies which are touched upon such as a man who feels closer to dogs than people, a strong-willed artistically-gifted classmate and a gay man who struggles to find employment in clerical roles usually taken by women. However, many of their lives never come to feel entirely filled out. But Eliza herself is a sensitive and empathetic character whose complexity beautifully deepens over the course of the story as she discovers an inner strength and talents that she never previously knew she possessed. At one point she reflects “Nobody now on earth, including my children, knows who I am. Not a wife, a mother whose kids are grown, with no neighborhood friend, no job to tell me what I am. Just a kind of in-between person who lives in a temporary place with people who live near her temporarily.” This sudden sense of anonymity may crush some people. But it's heartening how in this desperate situation Eliza learns to envision a new sense of self that's free from the expectations of those she's lived amongst for her entire life and establish her autonomy. I also found it touching how she recalls her own parents' economic struggles when she was young and feels a new connection with them because of her own plight. These factors mean that the novel comes to feel hopeful even amidst such a dire situation caused by a terrible betrayal.
Lisa Sandlin's writing has understandably been compared to that of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Strout. Like these wonderful authors, her fiction is a pleasure to read with its naturally flowing prose which are layered with great depths of emotion.
Read more of my reviews on my book blog LonesomeReader or check out the videos on my BookTube channel or consider joining my Bookclub
March 19, 2025
Sometimes, readers come across a simple, quiet little book that is more than it seems. Such is the case with "Sweet Vidalia," by Lisa Sandlin. In some ways, I was reminded of books by Anne Taylor, which also fit that description. There were some flaws with "Sweet Vidalia," not seen in Anne Tyler's works, but there are definite similarities.
Eliza, in middle age, is suddenly widowed when her husband, Robert, takes ill while standing outside their home, just as she is arriving there. He does not seem able to speak, but she understands he needs to be at a hospital immediately, so the couple head there in a harrowing drive, with Eliza ignoring traffic lights and stop signs. Robert's heart has failed, and he has died. Painful? Yes, but in Eliza's case, completely life altering. Eliza, like many women of her era, spent her life uniformed abut finances. She was the homemaker, the carer of their children (now grown themselves), and not college educated. She grew up in a different time, before it was the norm for women to be well educated, and to have careers while raising their children. She had not handled the checkbook, nor did she have much say in buying a car. She did not know the things her husband was doing. It was the early 1960s when Eliza found herself widowed, about to lose her home, her car, her furniture, and everything else. Apparently, and as a total surprise to Eliza, her husband had taken a 2nd mortgage on their home, along with a 2nd wife.
Eliza grew so much over the course of the next year. She was quietly plucky, and did what was necessary to avoid moving in with her grown children, who really were not in favor of that, either. She rented a room at The Sweet Vidalia Motel and enrolled in a local business college where she could take the necessary classes to be a secretary or administrative assistant. She was the oldest person in her class, at around fifty, but she did befriend a young student, Louise, who had a crooked spine, and was quite odd. That relationship led to some trouble over time, trouble which Eliza faced pretty darn bravely for a woman who was not very worldly.
At the motel, Eliza took in laundry to make some extra money while in school, ate sparingly, and got to know other residents at the motel, most of whom were interesting and kind, including a man who was more comfortable with animals than he was with people. He kept an eye out to protect Eliza, and even babysat her little old dog who was the recipient of Eliza's love and nurturing.
Here is where the book let me down: I wanted much more about the other wife. Her identity, and the reasons for her placing a lien on Eliza's house, were not revealed until nearly the end of the novel. I wanted to understand what led Rob to commit this vile infidelity and to actually marry another woman while married to Eliza! That would have made for good reading. It was handled as a sidebar, basically, which is why this is not a 5 star novel for me.
I rooted for Eliza, and grew to love some of the characters who seemed so nefarious at the start, but who ended up being a source of comfort and support for her. 4 stars, rounding up from 3.5. The ending pleased me most of all.
Eliza, in middle age, is suddenly widowed when her husband, Robert, takes ill while standing outside their home, just as she is arriving there. He does not seem able to speak, but she understands he needs to be at a hospital immediately, so the couple head there in a harrowing drive, with Eliza ignoring traffic lights and stop signs. Robert's heart has failed, and he has died. Painful? Yes, but in Eliza's case, completely life altering. Eliza, like many women of her era, spent her life uniformed abut finances. She was the homemaker, the carer of their children (now grown themselves), and not college educated. She grew up in a different time, before it was the norm for women to be well educated, and to have careers while raising their children. She had not handled the checkbook, nor did she have much say in buying a car. She did not know the things her husband was doing. It was the early 1960s when Eliza found herself widowed, about to lose her home, her car, her furniture, and everything else. Apparently, and as a total surprise to Eliza, her husband had taken a 2nd mortgage on their home, along with a 2nd wife.
Eliza grew so much over the course of the next year. She was quietly plucky, and did what was necessary to avoid moving in with her grown children, who really were not in favor of that, either. She rented a room at The Sweet Vidalia Motel and enrolled in a local business college where she could take the necessary classes to be a secretary or administrative assistant. She was the oldest person in her class, at around fifty, but she did befriend a young student, Louise, who had a crooked spine, and was quite odd. That relationship led to some trouble over time, trouble which Eliza faced pretty darn bravely for a woman who was not very worldly.
At the motel, Eliza took in laundry to make some extra money while in school, ate sparingly, and got to know other residents at the motel, most of whom were interesting and kind, including a man who was more comfortable with animals than he was with people. He kept an eye out to protect Eliza, and even babysat her little old dog who was the recipient of Eliza's love and nurturing.
Here is where the book let me down: I wanted much more about the other wife. Her identity, and the reasons for her placing a lien on Eliza's house, were not revealed until nearly the end of the novel. I wanted to understand what led Rob to commit this vile infidelity and to actually marry another woman while married to Eliza! That would have made for good reading. It was handled as a sidebar, basically, which is why this is not a 5 star novel for me.
I rooted for Eliza, and grew to love some of the characters who seemed so nefarious at the start, but who ended up being a source of comfort and support for her. 4 stars, rounding up from 3.5. The ending pleased me most of all.
July 31, 2025
📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚
Sweet Vidalia By Lisa Sandlin
Publication Date: December 3, 2024
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much to Little, Brown and Company, as well as NetGalley for this gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
📚MY REVIEW:
Sweet Vidalia is a wonderful read set in 1964 Texas, about a woman whose entire world is unexpectedly shaken to the core - but who shows that she has the moxie to bravely live an ordinary life in an extraordinary way.
I originally grabbed this book because it's set in the mid-1960s, and I'm a big fan of all things mid-century modern. I didn't really know what to expect, and I found this to be a captivating character-driven story.
The book starts off with a bang, as 57-year-old Eliza races her dying husband to the local hospital, just two miles away, but her erratic and urgent driving catches the attention of a police officer. Because Eliza has always been a rule follower, she pulls over - and her husband ultimately dies. But his death isn't the biggest surprise she'll receive, as it turns out her husband was hiding some pretty big secrets from her. Eliza's entire world is turned upside down, but her intelligence and her can-do attitude show her - and the reader - that Eliza Kratke is more than just an old housewife...and she doesn't intend to let life pass her by.
I absolutely adored Eliza. She was written with such resilience, wit, matter-of-factness, and perseverance, it was impossible not to cheer on her every move. I loved her adventures, her spunk, the way she just did what had to be done - and found moments of laughter and joy in the everyday life she experienced after the unfathomable betrayals of her late husband, Robert. I loved Eliza's friendships with Terry and Morton, and the other people she meets through her stay at the Sweet Vidalia Inn and her enrollment in a local business school.
This book detailed so many emotions, but it did so through its relatable descriptions of life's everyday moments. There were moments of grief and despair, moments of pure joy, moments of shock, hope, pride, self-assuredness, excitement -- everything that makes life what it is in every moment. And experiencing these moments through the lens of Eliza, who didn't seem to consider herself a modern-thinking woman, was just so joyful.
If you're a fan of character-driven fiction, 1960s settings, stories about ordinary people making the best of what they have, or books about older women redefining life on their own terms, I think you'll really enjoy this read. And it's out now!
#SweetVidalia #LisaSandlin #LittleBrownAndCompany #ARC #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #fiction #audiobook #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict
Sweet Vidalia By Lisa Sandlin
Publication Date: December 3, 2024
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much to Little, Brown and Company, as well as NetGalley for this gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
📚MY REVIEW:
Sweet Vidalia is a wonderful read set in 1964 Texas, about a woman whose entire world is unexpectedly shaken to the core - but who shows that she has the moxie to bravely live an ordinary life in an extraordinary way.
I originally grabbed this book because it's set in the mid-1960s, and I'm a big fan of all things mid-century modern. I didn't really know what to expect, and I found this to be a captivating character-driven story.
The book starts off with a bang, as 57-year-old Eliza races her dying husband to the local hospital, just two miles away, but her erratic and urgent driving catches the attention of a police officer. Because Eliza has always been a rule follower, she pulls over - and her husband ultimately dies. But his death isn't the biggest surprise she'll receive, as it turns out her husband was hiding some pretty big secrets from her. Eliza's entire world is turned upside down, but her intelligence and her can-do attitude show her - and the reader - that Eliza Kratke is more than just an old housewife...and she doesn't intend to let life pass her by.
I absolutely adored Eliza. She was written with such resilience, wit, matter-of-factness, and perseverance, it was impossible not to cheer on her every move. I loved her adventures, her spunk, the way she just did what had to be done - and found moments of laughter and joy in the everyday life she experienced after the unfathomable betrayals of her late husband, Robert. I loved Eliza's friendships with Terry and Morton, and the other people she meets through her stay at the Sweet Vidalia Inn and her enrollment in a local business school.
This book detailed so many emotions, but it did so through its relatable descriptions of life's everyday moments. There were moments of grief and despair, moments of pure joy, moments of shock, hope, pride, self-assuredness, excitement -- everything that makes life what it is in every moment. And experiencing these moments through the lens of Eliza, who didn't seem to consider herself a modern-thinking woman, was just so joyful.
If you're a fan of character-driven fiction, 1960s settings, stories about ordinary people making the best of what they have, or books about older women redefining life on their own terms, I think you'll really enjoy this read. And it's out now!
#SweetVidalia #LisaSandlin #LittleBrownAndCompany #ARC #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #fiction #audiobook #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict
January 11, 2025
When Eliza's husband dies unexpectedly, she discovers that he's been keeping several big secrets that completely destroy her life and everything she thought she knew. Denied the opportunity to grieve, Eliza sets about trying to rebuild her life. It's a painful, disjointed process.
This was compared to Anne Tyler, so I absolutely had to try it. At first I was really drawn into the story and I liked Eliza from page 1. She was very real and I felt with her as her husband's betrayals unfolded. I continued to enjoy her character throughout the whole book and was always rooting for her.
What let the book down for me was the pacing and the abundance of "quirky" characters. I wanted more of Eliza's life with her husband, more trying to make sense of what he did, perhaps even a flashback perspective from his point of view. Even though he didn't necessarily deserve understanding (I don't condone anything he did by any means) it would have been interesting. I liked that we got Eliza moving on, but I'd have liked a bit more introspection.
I'd have also liked less characters and more time spent with them. For example, Eliza befriends many young people, most of them unusual, but we don't get long with them. I'd have liked to hear more about Mary but she only gets one scene. Perhaps the point is that Eliza is learning to be independent, but I found it a bit bleak and lonely. The novel moves a bit jerkily from one encounter to another and so wasn't as coherent as I like.
I did enjoy parts of the book and read most of it in one sitting, but overall I was a bit disappointed and left wanting more. It's a nice story of triumphing over adversity and I recommend it if you like the quirky characters trope. I am glad I read it but I wish it had gone in a different direction. 3.25 stars.
I'd like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
This was compared to Anne Tyler, so I absolutely had to try it. At first I was really drawn into the story and I liked Eliza from page 1. She was very real and I felt with her as her husband's betrayals unfolded. I continued to enjoy her character throughout the whole book and was always rooting for her.
What let the book down for me was the pacing and the abundance of "quirky" characters. I wanted more of Eliza's life with her husband, more trying to make sense of what he did, perhaps even a flashback perspective from his point of view. Even though he didn't necessarily deserve understanding (I don't condone anything he did by any means) it would have been interesting. I liked that we got Eliza moving on, but I'd have liked a bit more introspection.
I'd have also liked less characters and more time spent with them. For example, Eliza befriends many young people, most of them unusual, but we don't get long with them. I'd have liked to hear more about Mary but she only gets one scene. Perhaps the point is that Eliza is learning to be independent, but I found it a bit bleak and lonely. The novel moves a bit jerkily from one encounter to another and so wasn't as coherent as I like.
I did enjoy parts of the book and read most of it in one sitting, but overall I was a bit disappointed and left wanting more. It's a nice story of triumphing over adversity and I recommend it if you like the quirky characters trope. I am glad I read it but I wish it had gone in a different direction. 3.25 stars.
I'd like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
November 19, 2024
I read a free advance digital review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
In a Texas town in 1964, 57-year old Eliza Kratke gets a series of unpleasant surprises when her husband of 30 years dies suddenly. Robert had taken out a mortgage on their paid-off ranch house for one thing. Remember, back in 1964, a woman couldn’t have their own credit or get a mortgage, but a man could, and could take out a mortgage on the family home without the wife knowing a thing about it. Eliza’s next surprises are that Robert had another family and that his second, bigamous wife has managed to put a lien on the house so that Eliza can’t sell it. Her cherry-on-top surprise is that Social Security surviving spouse benefits won’t start paying out until she reaches age 60. Eliza hasn’t held a job for decades. Now what?
Amazingly, it’s an encounter with a repo man that jars Eliza out of her shocked stupor. She sells everything she can and moved to a tiny efficiency apartment in the Sweet Vidalia Residence Inn. It’s on the wrong side of the tracks, but its residents are mostly students. Of course, they think she’s ancient, as do the other students at the business school where she decides to go to get qualifications for a job, but she slowly manages to make some unusual friendships with people at the Inn and from school. More importantly, she learns to take care of herself, identify what she’s good at, and take advantage of those skills to make a new life. Not at all the kind of life she’d imagined, but you have to grow up sometime, and she’s done it in her late 50s.
This is a book I forgave for a sometimes meandering plot, with some threads that didn’t get resolved, because of its humor, warmth, and insight.
In a Texas town in 1964, 57-year old Eliza Kratke gets a series of unpleasant surprises when her husband of 30 years dies suddenly. Robert had taken out a mortgage on their paid-off ranch house for one thing. Remember, back in 1964, a woman couldn’t have their own credit or get a mortgage, but a man could, and could take out a mortgage on the family home without the wife knowing a thing about it. Eliza’s next surprises are that Robert had another family and that his second, bigamous wife has managed to put a lien on the house so that Eliza can’t sell it. Her cherry-on-top surprise is that Social Security surviving spouse benefits won’t start paying out until she reaches age 60. Eliza hasn’t held a job for decades. Now what?
Amazingly, it’s an encounter with a repo man that jars Eliza out of her shocked stupor. She sells everything she can and moved to a tiny efficiency apartment in the Sweet Vidalia Residence Inn. It’s on the wrong side of the tracks, but its residents are mostly students. Of course, they think she’s ancient, as do the other students at the business school where she decides to go to get qualifications for a job, but she slowly manages to make some unusual friendships with people at the Inn and from school. More importantly, she learns to take care of herself, identify what she’s good at, and take advantage of those skills to make a new life. Not at all the kind of life she’d imagined, but you have to grow up sometime, and she’s done it in her late 50s.
This is a book I forgave for a sometimes meandering plot, with some threads that didn’t get resolved, because of its humor, warmth, and insight.
November 24, 2024
What a surprise!!
Sweet Vidalia is a sweet story about a sweet woman facing times of trouble, falling apart, breaking down, and then re-making herself into a wonderful Beacon Of Hope and Light to all those around her and all those lives she touched!
Not at all what I was expecting, and yet, such a beautiful and well put together story!!
***** RELEASE DATE IS 12/3/24!! *****
Eliza is living the perfect life. She has a wonderful husband, and terrific kids too! And then one day, her ENTIRE LIFE changes. And…there’s nothing she can do about it.
Just when she thinks things cannot possibly get any worse, a man comes to repossess her car. And…she finally breaks…AND…wakes up.
This is NOT her. She is NOT going to fall apart. She WILL get through this.
And so, we follow her on her journey to re-make herself…and build herself up…from the very bottom.
We are in 1960’s Texas, and Eliza re-evaluates her life and what she is capable of…and surprises herself with what she can actually do. And, what a delight it is!
I’m stopping here, but if you are up for a feel-good, pick-yourself-up, confidence-building story…well, look no further! This. Is. It!!!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
#SweetVidalia by #LisaSandlin and narrated beautifully by #JanetMetzger.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HachetteAudio and #LittleBrownAndCompany for an ARC of the audiobook which is DUE TO BE RELEASED in about a week, on 12/3/24!! Please LOOK 👀 FOR IT THEN!!
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
Sweet Vidalia is a sweet story about a sweet woman facing times of trouble, falling apart, breaking down, and then re-making herself into a wonderful Beacon Of Hope and Light to all those around her and all those lives she touched!
Not at all what I was expecting, and yet, such a beautiful and well put together story!!
***** RELEASE DATE IS 12/3/24!! *****
Eliza is living the perfect life. She has a wonderful husband, and terrific kids too! And then one day, her ENTIRE LIFE changes. And…there’s nothing she can do about it.
Just when she thinks things cannot possibly get any worse, a man comes to repossess her car. And…she finally breaks…AND…wakes up.
This is NOT her. She is NOT going to fall apart. She WILL get through this.
And so, we follow her on her journey to re-make herself…and build herself up…from the very bottom.
We are in 1960’s Texas, and Eliza re-evaluates her life and what she is capable of…and surprises herself with what she can actually do. And, what a delight it is!
I’m stopping here, but if you are up for a feel-good, pick-yourself-up, confidence-building story…well, look no further! This. Is. It!!!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
#SweetVidalia by #LisaSandlin and narrated beautifully by #JanetMetzger.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HachetteAudio and #LittleBrownAndCompany for an ARC of the audiobook which is DUE TO BE RELEASED in about a week, on 12/3/24!! Please LOOK 👀 FOR IT THEN!!
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
May 2, 2024
Reading Sweet Vidalia was such a life-affirming experience. After Eliza Kratke's world is turned upside down by the knowledge of a husband who betrayed her, she begins a long journey to find the life she wants. Eliza's experiences with poverty, loneliness, and struggle send a strong message about what women could achieve even in the sixties, a time when women had few resources to rely upon.
I strongly reacted to how little this character had going for her. Eliza is in her late fifties and has no education beyond high school. She raised two children on a meager household income and then found herself destitute. Eliza's pride kept her going, and so did her sharp mind and strong character. Eliza made friends, did things for herself, and found profound experiences and growth. I was rooting for her on every page. This is a novel for women of all ages. I remember the time and the struggle. I admired Lisa Sandlin's ability to capture life for a character like Eliza.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on December 3, 2024.
I strongly reacted to how little this character had going for her. Eliza is in her late fifties and has no education beyond high school. She raised two children on a meager household income and then found herself destitute. Eliza's pride kept her going, and so did her sharp mind and strong character. Eliza made friends, did things for herself, and found profound experiences and growth. I was rooting for her on every page. This is a novel for women of all ages. I remember the time and the struggle. I admired Lisa Sandlin's ability to capture life for a character like Eliza.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on December 3, 2024.
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