Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc Book

It's a steamy June afternoon in Gentry, Louisiana, circa 1956, and Sissy LeBlanc is sitting on her front porch, musing—half seriously—if she could kill herself with aspirins and Coca-Cola. Her 15-year marriage to PeeWee LeBlanc has certainly been a mistake, she doesn't much like her three kids, and that father-in-law of hers is just too much of a rogue to even think about. What Sissy can't stop thinking about, however, is the fact that her high school sweetheart is back in town...and he hasn't even called.

But see him she will, and what ensues is more than Sissy ever bargained for when she finally decides to do something to make herself happy for a change. Luckily for Sissy, she's got her Southern Belle's Handbook to rely on—all that wisdom and all those rules drummed into her by her mamma and grandma, but most of which she makes up as she goes along. A scandalous summer? It's only just begun!

Library Journal

While most readers may not immediately recognize the author's name, many will be familiar with her TV work. She's written for Dynasty, The Waltons, Love Boat, and Knots Landing and is probably best known for the "Who Shot J.R.?" episode of Dallas. Her television background serves her well in this debut novel. Her timing is excellent and the plot twists are both delightful and surprising. Sissy LeBlanc lives by a code she calls "The Southern Belle's Handbook." When a pithy idea pops into her head, she instinctively knows how that code applies to her life. Sissy understands her role as granddaughter of a suffragette, daughter of a newspaper editor, wife of PeeWee, and mother of three, but lately she's been feeling restless. When her high school sweetheart comes back to Gentry, LA, after a 14-year absence, Sissy decides that it is time to make some changes in her life if they cause a little scandal, so be it. Readers may be reminded of the movies Fried Green Tomatoes and Something To Talk About. Despres's heroine has spunk, her villains get their comeuppance, and her ending is psychologically satisfying. Recommended for public libraries with large collections of women's fiction. Pam Kingsbury, Florence, AL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.