Audience
Mature teenagers!
Genre
Riches to Rags, Adventure, Romance, Coming of Age, New Adult
Pages
447
Recommended For and Similar Reads
The Southern Belles is a loud, edgy, dramatic story that makes your heart race and your fist pump in the air! You’ll adore this book if you have read, watched, and enjoyed the television show "The Windsors," American Royals, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, "Schitt's Creek," "The Politician," "The Real Housewives," or A Tale of Two Cities! Look at what a field of subjects that covers: humour, classics, teenage, soaps, and more! The Southern Belles is a drama for readers of all sorts who are looking for a bit of scandal in their sibling rivalry and economic issues...
Summary by Author
Heiresses, Evelyn, Georgia and Olivia Belle, nicknamed the Southern Belles by the tabloid press, have everything they’ve ever wanted. Then, suddenly, on Evelyn’s 30th birthday, their father dies in a tragic road traffic accident, leaving a massive hole in his business’ finances. With the world’s media, and the National Crime Agency looking on, their family home, cars and all other assets are sold at auction, leaving the sisters penniless, homeless and jobless.
Shunned by their celebrity friends, the Belle sisters must learn to fend for themselves for the first time in their lives. Evelyn, the eldest, knows how dire their situation is, and asks their father’s solicitor, who has kindly paid for their first two months’ rent on a rat-infested bedsit in Brighton, to look into their Father’s case, while they hunt for jobs to make ends meet, which inadvertently leads to them meeting new guys, falling in love, and learning along the way that the world doesn’t owe them a favour, and that money doesn’t buy you happiness.
Our Statements
The Southern Belles was a witty, upbeat, scandalous drama! It answers the question of 'What would happen if the Kardashians lost all of their money?' All of the elements - plot, setting, characters, writing style, and themes - were eye-popping and resonating to our readers. We loved all of the characters for their individuality and faults, the plot for its authenticity, and the ending for its climax! The story isn’t overrun with themes and lessons to learn but you definitely take something away from reading it. We couldn’t set the book down because it was astonishing! We each strongly recommend The Southern Belles as your term break read!
Our Favourite Quote
“Collectively referred to by the tabloid press as ‘the Southern Belles,’ Evelyn Belle, the eldest of the three sisters, preferred to believe it was because they were the living embodiment of the Southern Belles of old, rather than because their surname was Belle, and that they lived in Brighton, the seaside city in the South of England.”
Review
Opinions: The Southern Belles by Katie Simpkins was a scandalous, upbeat, never-ending tale! It isn't just any riches to rags story, it's the epitome of the sort! The modern Belle sisters, Georgia, Evelyn, and Olivia, just lost their father and riches and now have to fend for themselves in the real world. I appreciate how realistic the story is without making it too financial-based for teen readers! At the same time, readers do learn a lot about getting jobs, making friendships, living up to the standards set for you by others, and stepping outside the box through the girl's struggles and successes. We also get insight on their love lives, sisterly fights, and other entertaining events! Something else about the book that I adore is that it is completely insightful and unique. Rather than viewing the struggles through the eyes of an all-loyal maid like most books, you're seeing it through the sisters themselves! It's down-to-Earth and consistent because of this. Overall, The Southern Belles was a fun, resonating, and scandalous read. I strongly suggest you add this onto your TBR list!
My Favourite Thing: As an avid reader and writer, I've discovered many "rules" and seen many variations of said rules. For example, Chekhov's Gun (the idea that if it's not important to the plot, don't mention it at all). Some authors take this seriously, some do not, some change their style depending on character, etc. A rule I've always been taught and have seen followed by all other writers is to be selective about dialogue. Simpkins did not follow this rule at all, but to my surprise, it worked! Each of the characters were brought to life by their voice, inflection, and tone! This change of style was a delightful surprise and made the book much more engaging and relatable. I am overly impressed in Simpkin's ability to tell the story through the characters more than the setting/world like most authors do. This feature popped out to me immediately and stuck with me through the entire book, and for this, I truly adore The Southern Belles!
Other Notes:
- I adore the sisterly love. Even through rough times, they stick together! This teaches readers the true meaning of siblingship.
- This is EXACTLY what would happen if the Kardashians lost all of their money!
- This book talks about paths and endpoints. Even with such drastic differences between Flick and the Belles' situations, they still end up moneyless and jobless. Different stories have similar journeys.
- The girls treat life differently once they're not weighted down by their father's expectations. Sometimes, what works for some people doesn't work for others!
Author Information
Katie Simpkins is the pseudonym for 42-year-old dental technician Duncan Brockwell, from a town near Brighton, called Burgess Hill. Duncan works at Elite Dental Studios in his hometown during the day, and writes in his spare time. He is the author of The Southern Belles, his debut novel. Since writing The Belles, he has completed a further four novels, the first sequel to The Belles, The Varndean Vixens, two crime dramas, Blood Bunker and Blood Lust, a horror novel, Hellingly, set in an abandoned mental asylum, and is currently writing his first action / adventure called Trailblazer, set in the American Midwest in 1976, about an aging country singer who is being pursued by the mob, the FBI and a nutty sheriff, while on tour with his band and getting to know his estranged daughter, Nancy. He is also attempting to write a comedy TV series script for The Southern Belles for a producer at Voyage Media.
Interview with Author
When did you realize you wanted to be an author?
I started writing at university, when I was twenty-two. I’ve wanted to write for as long as I can remember, but it was bit of a pipedream back then. It was akin to saying I want to be a footballer, or actor. I wrote my first proper novel at university, however it was awful. I didn’t start writing seriously until mid-August 2018, and since then, I’ve written six first drafts of novels.
I don’t seem to suffer from it, touch wood. Because I’m a planner - with a bit of pantser mixed in - I know what has to happen in my novels and when, so I don’t seem to get stuck.
What is your favourite part of the writing process?
Sitting there with a blank screen, thinking of the best way to start a scene. The best part is after I start writing, reading it back and having created something.
Have you written a book or story you’re particularly proud of?
The book I’m most proud of, is probably The Southern Belles, because I took myself out of my comfort zone of crime and horror, my two favourite genres. Writing romance was a tough learning curve for me, yet an enjoyable one.
Do you write for yourself or for your readers?
I think writers write for themselves; or at least they have to start out like that, until they have readers. I think, when I have readers, and I have a few books out, my outlook will change, and I’ll be more conscious of what my readers want. I’m very active on social media, so my readers can contact me through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Is there a story you’ve always wanted to write but never have?
I’ve written two-thirds of an action/adventure novel called Trailblazer, set in the Mid-West America in 1976 about an aging country singer trying to pay off a mob boss while on tour with his band. At the same time, he’s trying to get to know his estranged daughter, Nancy, while evading the FBI and a nutty sheriff. The problem is, it’s not suitable for my publisher, so I don’t want to waste my time writing something that won’t ever see the light of day.
What was your favourite book when you were a kid?
That’s easy: The Godfather. Mario Puzo is my hero. I’ve read all his books!
What advice would you give to a writer that’s just starting?
The only advice I can give is to write. Sounds silly, but I’ve heard so many people say, ‘I’d love to write a book’. They never do, because it’s hard work. It takes a long time to write a novel of 100,000 words. The Southern Belles took me 3 months to write the first draft, and a further six weeks to edit, while working full time at the dental laboratory. Life gets in the way. So, if you want to write a book, sit down and write.
What does success mean to you? When do you become an 'author' rather than a 'writer'?
Success to me will be when I earn more from my books than I do as a dental technician. And a writer becomes an author after their first book is published, be it traditionally, independently, or through self-publishing. Just my opinion.
Giveaway
Trivia
Setting: The Southern Belles is set in Brighton, England. That's actually a real place! Brighton is in the East Sussex county and sits on the channel coast. The Southern Belles includes many real Brighton landmarks, including the beaches, Brighton Shelter Hall, Theatre Royal, Beachside Day Centre, Fortune of War, and many more! The text-to-world connection makes the story much more enjoyable and relatable for readers!
Characters: The narrator of the story is Nana, a grandmother reading her sick grandchild a book called 'The Southern Belles.' Later in the story, we learn that Nana and Grace are related to the sisters and they're reading about their recent ancestors. This brings an element of mystery and surprise to the book. Now, the real question is, what is Katie Simpkins' relation to the Belles?
So You Think You're a Fan?
Have you already read and loved The Southern Belles? Prove you're a fan by taking this quiz! You'd be surprised by how many specifics and details you forget once you've finished reading. Do you think you can get 100% of the questions about characters, events, and settings correct?
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Links
Twitter: @FusionPress1
Amazon US: Amazon US Purchase Link
Amazon UK: Amazon UK Purchase Link
Publication Date: 24 July, 2019
Publisher: Fusion Press
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