Shem Creek

Lowcountry Tales #4

by Dorothea Benton Frank

The author of Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, and Plantation continues her evocative saga of life in the steamy, coastal lowcountry of South Carolina. 250,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Southern, Beach Reads, Family, Womens Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Dorothea Benton Frank was a New York Times best-selling American novelist of Southern fiction. She worked in the apparel industry from 1972 until 1985 and then organized fundraisers as a volunteer, before becoming a novelist.

She is best known as the author of twenty novels placed in and around the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starts off well. Linda Breland, single mom of two teen daughters, is tired of her life in NJ. She heads down to SC to her sister's to see if she can start over. We see her problems with her ex, her job, the men she dates, and her kids. Then we get her to SC where she lives with her supportive sister who is glad to have her around. She finds a job with a good group of people. Then all of a sudden the problems pretty much stop. The teen daughter who was getting trouble at every turn, stops. It's just too miraculous, just like the quick romance at the end. We go from slow, well-crafted story to finishing it up in a NY minute. Shouldn't the slow pace have been at the end in SC? Like her life wouldn't have been good if she hadn't found a man? She couldn't have enjoyed her good fortune? I wouldn't have minded leaving it on an up note, but it just seemed too rushed at the end.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh...

Sigh...

Yawn...

Yup.

[Holly]

The first book I read on vacation was Dorothea Benton Frank's Shem Creek. All of her books are based in South Carolina, which is one reason I'm such a fan. What was really cool was that we actually drove over Shem Creek while I was reading this book in the car - COOL. Anyway, like her others, I really enjoyed this book. Most of her stories have a similar premise - a woman (usually divorced) returns home to the South with at least one teenaged daughter. However, the stories above and beyond that are all very different and enjoyable. They usually make you laugh and cry. She has a great sense of humor. And there is usually a good romantic storyline as well.

[Michele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate to give a fellow South Carolinian one star, but I really didn't like this book. I grew up in Mt. Pleasant, where the story take place and it was really neat to see real places from my hometown in print, but I thought the writing was mediocre, the story was sappy and there wasn't really a good ending. It was like she got close to the end and the publishers said,"Ok, we need your manuscript right now!" and she just ended it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'll give Ms Frank a rest for awhile. The last couple books I've read seem to be pretty similar in plotting and a little formulaic. I like the low country venue, but "woman somehow gets to big city, gets married, has kids, husband cheats (epically), woman flees back to low country where she deals with rotten history, makes new and reacquaints with old friends, finds the man of her dreams and lives happily ever after has been done, ad nauseam.

[kenzie :3 · Rating 1 out of 5]

i bought this book from my local library for $1 and now i know why it was priced as such.

firstly, the book moved super slow until the end when she’s assaulted, her daughter is injured, the restaurant burns down, and she gets engaged all within ~2 weeks. i think that people who seek out low country tales may like this book but as a young adult reader, this was not my cup of tea whatsoever. the writing is not horrible but i wish there was more development within the characters instead of everyone changing very suddenly. for example, gracie was this brat who wanted everything to go her way and then she just… stops? she randomly starts complying with her mom and aunt in the middle of the book. all in all, i would not pick this book back up or any other low country tale by this author.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mother with custody of her daughters leave NJ for her home in SC. She needs a fresh start since her divorce. Her sister is there in Mt Pleasant. Linda gets an interesting job in a popular local restruant. As she works there she is observed by all and is well liked, especially by the owner. To her surprise he asked her to marry him. The story brings out love, friendship, second chances and family. Great story

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book via audio. It was a pleasant read but the direction and conclusion were so obvious.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from cover to cover! Beautiful setting with interesting characters!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with South Carolina and the characters of this story. Linda Breland, mother of 2 teenage daughters has decided that life in New Jersey is for the birds. She needs to go back to her roots and so she packs her daughters and her car and leaves her house and her job to head to Charleston, to Mount Pleasant and the shores of Shem Creek.

Linda is brash, bold, and a bit irreverent. She is also fiercely loyal, a loving mother, a devoted sister and a downright valuable employee. Just give her a chance and she will have you falling in love with her.

This is one of the rare books that put a tear in my eye. That never happens to me anymore. This story was mostly believable, had the ending I expected, but it took a few twists and turned that were unexpected. The minor characters, Louise, Duane and Mimi were likable and believable too. I do believe I have found a new favorite author.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because it’s set in one of my favorite places, but I really didn’t care for it. The beginning and ending were fine, but the rest was pretty bad. The writing was mediocre, and the characters were poorly developed. The most annoying part though, was that all the main characters scoffed at the idea of conserving and protecting the environment despite the fact that one of the focuses of the book is the uniqueness and beauty of the South Carolina lowcountry. 🤔 The author even chose to make one of the “villains” in the story an environmentalist. 🙄

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This by far is my favorite book by D. Frank. I loved Linda, her sister Mimi and her girls Gracie and Lindsay. They were all a hoot. Brad and his gang made the story so wonderful to read. I could read this book again and again. Linda shows what a real single parent is like and how easy it can be to start over. Just a lovely read all around.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird writing. Not much plot. Woman and her daughters move to South Carolina.

[Elizabeth Oporto · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was pretty mediocre, even taking into account my low expectations/needing an easy read for a long car ride.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just an easy, sappy summer read.

[Mhkilbride · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable; likable characters; predictable plot! Love the location (Shem Creek!).

[Sheryl Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's just amazing how many different scenarios authors think up. Another fun low country read.

[Teri Hawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had it's points of a good read, but overall, just blah. Caught myself not knowing which character was the narrator as they switched often

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with family angst, another low country story unfolds. You can taste the seafood as Linda gets a job managing a local restaurant. A single mother with two teenage daughters, their recent move from New Jersey stirs the adventures.

[Robin Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book today, the first day of my retirement time I have not had anything else to do, so I read. I enjoyed this book, as I do all of Dorothea Benton Frank's books. They leave me with hope and gladness for family and friends who become family. They are predictable and sometimes you just need that.

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful and cute story by one of my favorite authors. I love how the beauty and atmosphere of the Low Country (SC) jumps of the page. “Shem Creek” was certainly a bit lighter than any other books I’ve read so far by Dorothea Benton Frank, but nonetheless it was very entertaining and the book was over too soon! It’s amazing how Benton Frank captures the rhythm of this uniquely beautiful area around Charleston.
Another plus here is the great ensemble cast – the people working at the seafood restaurant “Jackson Hole”. These totally awesome personalities become friends and unmissable to the main character: Linda Breland, a single mother who, tired of living hand-to-mouth in New Jersey, decides to move herself and her two teenage daughters to her distant hometown of Mount Pleasant, S.C., where her sister, Mimi, still lives. She quickly finds work at this seafood restaurant. I actually have eaten at such a place and I could easily imagine the ambiance.
A truly pleasant read!
One little remark though: I have never read a book with so many exclamation points! (smile).

[Toriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second time I read this book. I couldn’t remember any of the plot from my first read a few years ago, other than that there was a restaurant on the water and beautiful descriptions of South Carolina. I wanted something uplifting and lightweight and completely harmless to escape a stressful few weeks. This faded hardback that had sat on my shelf unnoticed for years, drew me back to it as I remembered that’s exactly what I had felt the first time I’d read it. The story is sweetly predictable, with a sense of rushing to tie up loose strings implausibly at the end, but the Southern voices and descriptions of family love and the light and water of Shem Creek is pure feel-good escapism. You won’t tax yourself reading this novel, but then sometimes you don’t want or need to. It’s the equivalent of a Lifetime TV Movie, saccharine in places, formulaic certainly, but still warm and inviting, like one of Mimi’s perfectly baked pound cakes.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit disappointed in this offering - predictable mother/daughter/sister story set in South Carolina Lowcountry.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pretty much read this book in one big gulp. Oh, all right...TWO big gulps. I couldn't seem to put it down. It reminded me very much of Maeve Binchy's books, and of Anne Rivers Siddons, as well. Not in content so much, but in my emotional response to the books. I pick up one of those two authors' books, and just...sink into another place, a vastly quiet and calm place, although some of the scenes are anything but calm. I find them gently compelling, and now Frank is in their ranks.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. Linda did the right thing getting her daughters out of New Jersey after her divorce. It took her awhile to realize what everyone else knew, that she and Brad had fallen in love. It took a confrontation with Amy and a fire at the restaurant and Gracie in the hospital to hit the nail on the head. Love DBF books...

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story that made me laugh and cry! But the sad tears were replaced many timrs over with happy tears. Another must read by Ms. Frank.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in this series. This author definitely doesn't disappoint. The characters were definitely relatable and there was enough going on in the story to not make it boring.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehh

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book, easy and light reading canned a bit, but sweet. Find it interesting that there are recipes in the back. Think I may to try the biscuit recipe and the pound cake.

[Vickie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Banal. Waste of time unless you enjoy fluff.