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Southern Secrets #1
Call Me Softly
When it comes to family secrets, Southern gentry would rather let sleeping dogs lie.
Abigail Wetherington believes the evil that stalks her family in the streets of London is a sleeping dog come back to bite them. So with her last breath, she implores her beautiful granddaughter, Lillie, to flee to the family’s polo estate in South Carolina and seek the protection of someone Abigail has come to trust—Swain Butler. What Lillie doesn’t know is that she is putting herself in the hands of a woman who may be the biggest family secret of them all.
“Be careful,” Abigail cautions Lillie. If sleeping dogs must be roused, then call them forth softly.
Abigail Wetherington believes the evil that stalks her family in the streets of London is a sleeping dog come back to bite them. So with her last breath, she implores her beautiful granddaughter, Lillie, to flee to the family’s polo estate in South Carolina and seek the protection of someone Abigail has come to trust—Swain Butler. What Lillie doesn’t know is that she is putting herself in the hands of a woman who may be the biggest family secret of them all.
“Be careful,” Abigail cautions Lillie. If sleeping dogs must be roused, then call them forth softly.
264 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2011
9 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
D. Jackson Leigh
27 books212 followersD. Jackson Leigh grew up barefoot and happy, swimming in farm ponds and riding rude ponies in rural south Georgia. Her love of reading was nurtured early on by her grandmother, an English teacher who patiently taught her to work New York Times crossword puzzles in the daily paper, and by her mother who stretched the slim family budget to bring home grocery store copies of Trixie Belden mysteries and Bobbsey Twins adventures that Jackson would sit up all night reading.
It was her passion for writing led her quite accidentally to a career in journalism and, ultimately, North Carolina where she lives with her small pack of three terror, uh, terriers.
It was her passion for writing led her quite accidentally to a career in journalism and, ultimately, North Carolina where she lives with her small pack of three terror, uh, terriers.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 24, 2016
This was OK. I enjoyed parts of it, but I didn't think it was a good as the other books I have read by Leigh. While, I have never been a big horse person, I usually enjoy them in LesFic stories. I thought this book got a bit too dragged down with the horses. There was also a large amount of time spent on food, I understand there was chefs around, but again I thought the book got bogged down a bit. I also wasn't big on the whole attempted rapist/stalker/murder. He was busy either murdering people or torturing the poor barn cat. I just didn't think the story needed him. There was enough with the backstory of both characters that the book could of worked with. Then the extra time could of been spent beefing up the romance a bit.
There was parts I enjoyed, I guess I just wished Leigh would have taken the book in a different direction. I have enjoyed other books by Leigh, so I will keep reading her.
There was parts I enjoyed, I guess I just wished Leigh would have taken the book in a different direction. I have enjoyed other books by Leigh, so I will keep reading her.
September 10, 2021
An enjoyable drama with family secrets and horses!
It's your basic lesfic fare but there's nothing wrong with that, although it does have the cliche Casanova MC who every woman in town wants to bed and inturn never lacks for sex partners. Until that special one turns her head for something more serious.
I liked the vulnerability of both MCs and them getting to know each other, and how they are connected. I wasn't a huge fan of the stalker plot, it was obvious but convoluted.
The over reaching mystery of past secrets in the family and how it effects both women was interesting. But the romance itself was slow burn and so I felt I wanted a bit more from them as a couple, an epilogue would have been great!
It's your basic lesfic fare but there's nothing wrong with that, although it does have the cliche Casanova MC who every woman in town wants to bed and inturn never lacks for sex partners. Until that special one turns her head for something more serious.
I liked the vulnerability of both MCs and them getting to know each other, and how they are connected. I wasn't a huge fan of the stalker plot, it was obvious but convoluted.
The over reaching mystery of past secrets in the family and how it effects both women was interesting. But the romance itself was slow burn and so I felt I wanted a bit more from them as a couple, an epilogue would have been great!
December 5, 2017
I used to love reading horse books especially Dick Francis and Jilly Cooper and it's nice to be able to read them in the lesbian romance genre. Call Me Softly is an easy read with a fairly straightforward story line. Swain Butler is the trainer and polo for Abigail Wetherington, a wealthy Southern polo estate owner who is visiting her granddaughter, Lillie, in England. Lillie turns up on the estate with not only the news that her grandmother is dead but also with knowledge of a tangled web of deceit that Abigail decided not to take to the grave with her.
Swain and Lillie are each left with a letter from Abigail while waiting for the will to be read.
I liked the supporting characters, like Catherine, and that a lot of the dialogue was humorous.
The intrigue gave the story a little depth but I found that a lot of was fairly predictable. I enjoyed the horsey aspect and for that reason I will probably read more by D. Jackson Leigh.
Swain and Lillie are each left with a letter from Abigail while waiting for the will to be read.
I liked the supporting characters, like Catherine, and that a lot of the dialogue was humorous.
The intrigue gave the story a little depth but I found that a lot of was fairly predictable. I enjoyed the horsey aspect and for that reason I will probably read more by D. Jackson Leigh.
July 29, 2022
She’s a very good writer, tells an excellent story but why the brick wall endings? Everyone knows after a good workout you need to ‘cool down.’ Recommended.
May 30, 2020
The romance was cute and sweet even if it was simple. Although i think the strength of the book lay in how the writer built the setting and also wrote in the humorous parts, and the ebb and flow of the suspense.
The suspense part hinted in the book synopsis is very mellow, don't worry about getting too tense. the writer already drops a major hint about it at the start of the book, which is good in a way, you don't get too caught up in the whodunit part that you can't enjoy the romance. but the build up of the suspense is also good, because while you're not wondering who the bad guy is, you ARE wondering when and how the eventual confrontation will happen. it doesn't take too long, nothing too violent.
i don't really super enjoy reading about horses, but i liked the description of the setting, and reading about this part of american culture i'm not familiar with as a non american. i never knew that some parts of the US had a polo culture.
it seems similar to my home country, many of the old rich families here also have ties to polo playing, and a lot of other place and people descriptions seem to be describing culture similar to certain groups in my country so far away from the US, than what i normally envision to be "typical" american culture.
there was minimal melodrama in the romance, thankfully. i also liked how it was funny at times, especially the way one lead woke up the other lead character to alert her to a possible intruder in the house. i won't say how she woke her up, it'll be a spoiler, it's just so funny.
while it's technically a "pure" romance novel with like 5% suspense, technically the romance part shares half the story with a lot of world building. the descriptions of the setting and American polo culture are also just as much main characters and take up a lot of the book. so in a way it's 50% romance, 50% a story about the place, which I found quite enjoyable.
The suspense part hinted in the book synopsis is very mellow, don't worry about getting too tense. the writer already drops a major hint about it at the start of the book, which is good in a way, you don't get too caught up in the whodunit part that you can't enjoy the romance. but the build up of the suspense is also good, because while you're not wondering who the bad guy is, you ARE wondering when and how the eventual confrontation will happen. it doesn't take too long, nothing too violent.
i don't really super enjoy reading about horses, but i liked the description of the setting, and reading about this part of american culture i'm not familiar with as a non american. i never knew that some parts of the US had a polo culture.
it seems similar to my home country, many of the old rich families here also have ties to polo playing, and a lot of other place and people descriptions seem to be describing culture similar to certain groups in my country so far away from the US, than what i normally envision to be "typical" american culture.
there was minimal melodrama in the romance, thankfully. i also liked how it was funny at times, especially the way one lead woke up the other lead character to alert her to a possible intruder in the house. i won't say how she woke her up, it'll be a spoiler, it's just so funny.
while it's technically a "pure" romance novel with like 5% suspense, technically the romance part shares half the story with a lot of world building. the descriptions of the setting and American polo culture are also just as much main characters and take up a lot of the book. so in a way it's 50% romance, 50% a story about the place, which I found quite enjoyable.
July 23, 2016
Call Me Softly is a thrilling and enthralling novel of love, lies, intrigue, and Southern charm - with horses and polo added into the mix. Lillie and Swain are a sensuous pair and Call Me Softly is reminiscent of a great Rita Mae Brown novel. I found myself entrenched in Lillie's story from the very first word. I had a very hard time putting this book down (and stayed up a bit too late reading to finish it!). The strength and vulnerability of Swain is very endearing and attractive and the relationship between Lillie and Swain is hot! If they're anything like Call Me Softly, I can't wait to read more of Ms. Leigh's novels!
September 5, 2022
Es un culebrón. Muy entretenido, eso sí. Sin embargo, el final es extremadamnte predecible. Como lectura fresquita de verano no está mal, pero no esperes nada fuera de otro mundo.
January 7, 2017
very average
January 7, 2017
Enticing
I gave the a high rating because it stayed within in the bounds of romance and mystery, it is exciting and I could hardly put it down also as always I love a happy ending.
I gave the a high rating because it stayed within in the bounds of romance and mystery, it is exciting and I could hardly put it down also as always I love a happy ending.
November 13, 2014
Well I learned about Polo and some southern society. The romance and story were alright. I did love how the plot slowly unfolded and secrets and more secrets were revealed. Ms. Leigh starts you off with a secret buried for 30 years and after a few 'accidents' take three lives the story takes off.
Lillie Wetherington and Swain Butler are brought together by Abigal, her letters to each woman and her Will.
The overall story was good, the mystery man and accidents not much of a surprise to me. I did enjoy the sexual tension and building relationship between Lillie and Swain. Ended on a happy note but still wanted a bit more. Some secondary characters I loved and would love to read more about.
Lillie Wetherington and Swain Butler are brought together by Abigal, her letters to each woman and her Will.
The overall story was good, the mystery man and accidents not much of a surprise to me. I did enjoy the sexual tension and building relationship between Lillie and Swain. Ended on a happy note but still wanted a bit more. Some secondary characters I loved and would love to read more about.
June 25, 2012
This is the first of this author's books I've read, though it will not be the last. I am by no means a horse person, and knew nothing about polo before I read this book, but thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. I do know about living in the south, and appreciated the references to culture and speech that lent the characters realism. Call Me Softly is an unabashed lesbian romance; the conclusion is foregone, but the fun lies in how the characters will arrive there. Take this book to the beach!
October 19, 2011
Loved the story and especially the setting.
March 10, 2013
If you like horses and mystery this is an excellent book for you. Add in romance and it is a very entertaining story.
May 5, 2013
Loved the story, a great romance!!!!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews