Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
85th out of 323 books
—
518 voters
The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc
by
Loraine Despres (Goodreads Author)
It's a steamy June afternoon in Louisiana, circa 1956, and Sissy LeBlanc is sitting on her front porch, wondering -- half seriously -- if she could kill herself with aspirins and Coca-Cola. She's been living in stifling old Gentry since the day she was born and trapped in a sham of a marriage to PeeWee LeBlanc since she was only seventeen. In short, she's fed up, restless,...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
August 6th 2002
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published October 23rd 2001)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
When I checked this book out, I wanted a taste of Southern cheekiness that only White women can offer. Anyway, I figured this would be a source for some easy entertainment, White women fainting in the heat or gossiping behind fans. Surprisingly, Sissy is much more than that. A Southern belle with a free spirit who is trapped in Gentry, Louisiana. Her past is a rocky one, but an interesting one. Her children, Chip in particular, are very interesting characters in this story. The most interesting...more
Sep 15, 2008
Therese
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommended to Therese by:
The cheapskate cruising the book table at Costco.
Shelves:
crapola
Selfish, self-absorbed people acting stupidly. These characters are not appealing and don't make me want to root for them. The action & plot aren't even as attractive as a train-wreck. The prologue gives a good idea of how it all turns out anyway, so why should I keep reading? I'm about 1/2 way through it. Might not get any farther.
Funny, I was thrown by the main character's reference to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and looked it up before mentioning it here, thinking it was an anachroni...more
Funny, I was thrown by the main character's reference to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and looked it up before mentioning it here, thinking it was an anachroni...more
Sep 15, 2011
Madeline
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011,
guilty-pleasures,
historical-fiction,
library-books,
marriage-lets-you-down,
race,
women,
novels
Sometimes books suffer from misrepresentation/mismarketing just as movies do. The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc is one of these books: it looks like a fluffy chicklit romp, from cover to title, to inside flap synopsis, to back cover excerpts from The Southern Belle's Handbook, a metatext that runs through the novel.* Actually, it's quite a dark book, albeit one with a neatly tied up happy ending.
For example, the novel explicitly engages with racism, white privilege and anti-semitism (Parker...more
For example, the novel explicitly engages with racism, white privilege and anti-semitism (Parker...more
1 like · like · see review
I love this book! If you like books with strong female characters, twists that you weren't expecting, and books that reflect to the past, I think you will love this. There is a kind of prequel (sp.?) which recently came out and I am very excited to read it (The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell).
This is one of those odd novels where I can’t quite say that I didn’t like it but I also can’t say that it was good. There was something about the story that kept me coming back for more and wanting to continue but overall, I didn’t really enjoy the book. I absolutely did not like the heroine, Sissy LeBlanc. I found her to be annoying, low class, and frustrating. I felt sorry for her children and her husband and had very little sympathy for her. I kept thinking this book felt like a corny TV mov...more
This book is full of good southern hospitality and vernacular, taking place in Gentry Louisiana, Sissy LeBlanc is tired of her life and everything in it, she wonders about her high school sweet heart and how different her life could have been if things had turned out another way. This book starts at the time when her trouble began as a young girl and then skips forward to her preset day life. The word “scandalous” is right on the money when Sissy tells us the story of her life. I can’t even begi...more
This book had its moments of being highly entertaining and vapidly self-absorbed. I blame the characters for both.
Sissy is a victim of her own mistakes. She is funny, high-spirited, defeated and tenacious. She's also not in love with her husband but with her old high school boyfriend. This doesn't ruin anything folks because this is made clear about four pages in.
Parker Davidson, who should know better than to go after married women, has been in love with Sissy since their high school days and u...more
Sissy is a victim of her own mistakes. She is funny, high-spirited, defeated and tenacious. She's also not in love with her husband but with her old high school boyfriend. This doesn't ruin anything folks because this is made clear about four pages in.
Parker Davidson, who should know better than to go after married women, has been in love with Sissy since their high school days and u...more
Jun 09, 2008
Desiree
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone looking to enjoy & escape from the heat both actual and metaphorical
From the book: "If you know anything about summer in Louisiana you know the heat, moist and heavy, presses down on the pavement until it sends up shimmering mirages, and lovers, looking for a little noontime solace, stick to one another in high-ceilinged bedrooms. But the bar was cool, especially after a couple of tall glasses of bourbon and Coke over cracked ice"
The ultimate summer read of all time for me. The only S-word left out of the title describes it most perfectly: Sizzling
From the descr...more
The ultimate summer read of all time for me. The only S-word left out of the title describes it most perfectly: Sizzling
From the descr...more
When I first read the back cover of this book, I thought that it would be about a married woman faced with temptation in the form of her former high school squeeze. It seemed like it would be a bit of fluff to while away the summer days.
Wrong, Susan. Just wrong. The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc is so much more than a book about a bored housewife looking for adventure. The reader is taken back and forth between the summer of 1956 and the fall of 1941, as well as a brief foray into 2002.
The...more
Wrong, Susan. Just wrong. The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc is so much more than a book about a bored housewife looking for adventure. The reader is taken back and forth between the summer of 1956 and the fall of 1941, as well as a brief foray into 2002.
The...more
Despres' debut novel is an interesting take on a southern, period chick-lit novel.
Most of the novel takes place in 1952 in a suburb of New Orleans. The reader feels as humid as the book's setting. This was a quick read with an interesting writing style. The "Southern Belle's Handbook" rules were mostly entertaining, but at times felt clumsy as they pertained to the action.
Occasionally the writing style seemed oddly raunchy. I could see where Despres wanted to go with her characters, but sometim...more
Most of the novel takes place in 1952 in a suburb of New Orleans. The reader feels as humid as the book's setting. This was a quick read with an interesting writing style. The "Southern Belle's Handbook" rules were mostly entertaining, but at times felt clumsy as they pertained to the action.
Occasionally the writing style seemed oddly raunchy. I could see where Despres wanted to go with her characters, but sometim...more
I really, really, really wish that I could have given this book 3.5 stars. 3 wasn't enough though, so I went with 4. This is a great book if you're looking for a quick read. At first I thought it was going to be light and fun, which it was at parts. But there were some pretty intense themes in this book. And let me just say that if you don't like graphic sex scenes in your books, this may not be the book for you. But I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who wants a little twisted chick...more
Hmmm... I enjoyed Despres' other book, The Bad Behaviour of Belle Cantrell, much more than I enjoyed this one. I was hoping for another plucky heroine who manages to change folks' lives with her determined good charm. Disappointed.
Sissy LeBlanc was more of a troublemaker, and she didn't win my heart over. I couldn't justify her actions from a moral standpoint, even though she tried to. While reading I compared it to _Belle Cantrell_ so didn't care for it so much.
Sissy LeBlanc was more of a troublemaker, and she didn't win my heart over. I couldn't justify her actions from a moral standpoint, even though she tried to. While reading I compared it to _Belle Cantrell_ so didn't care for it so much.
Somehow I've read 2 books in a row here with unhappy wife story lines, but this one is very different from How To Be Good by Nick Hornby. Anyone from the south can identify with the heat, the food, hunting, etc. The woman makes mistakes but is unapologetic about them...the oldest son is rather scary and opportunistic...a good read with some great nuggets:
One of my favorite lines "What's that they say about Cajuns? If you know one that's rich and honest, you don't know him well."
And describing th...more
One of my favorite lines "What's that they say about Cajuns? If you know one that's rich and honest, you don't know him well."
And describing th...more
I am only have way threw this book and am embarrassed to be reading such trash. I thought it would be a change from historical fiction to read a book based in more modern times rather than in the ice age. I was expecting just a simple chick lit book with some romance. I am against adultery and was shocked to see it in this book. I might finish the book just cause I already wasted my time getting half way threw it. Also to see how it turns out.
I picked this book up a few years back in Barnes & Noble b/c I thought that the title was interesting, needless to say I fell in love w/ it.
It's about a woman that runs into trouble one summer when her old high school boyfriend comes back into town & she has to decide to follow her heart to be w/ him or stay in the life that she has built for herself which is unappreciated husband & 3 kids.
If you enjoy an old love story, you will like this book.
It's about a woman that runs into trouble one summer when her old high school boyfriend comes back into town & she has to decide to follow her heart to be w/ him or stay in the life that she has built for herself which is unappreciated husband & 3 kids.
If you enjoy an old love story, you will like this book.
This book was AMAZING! I finished the book and didn't want it to stop! It made me think a lot about falling in love with someone and caring for them a lot. It also made me think about how many women put up with all the crap that men give them and makes you think about the "what ifs" in life. Like the what if I would have married my high school sweethart, what if I wouldn't have met this person...really really good book!
I was not expecting this book to be much more than a bath-tub novel. I was pleasantly surprised by Despres' knack for humorous and touching story telling.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in the novel and the skillful weaving of a southern community in the 1950's. The historical references were accurate, and the overall "feel" of the novel was well crafted and highly enjoyable.
It was quite simply a delightful read. It far exceeded my expectations of being a simple summer read and is now one of...more
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in the novel and the skillful weaving of a southern community in the 1950's. The historical references were accurate, and the overall "feel" of the novel was well crafted and highly enjoyable.
It was quite simply a delightful read. It far exceeded my expectations of being a simple summer read and is now one of...more
I didn't think I really liked this book until I realized I had devoured it in 2 days. Guess it kept my attention! I found myself eager to know what happened (even though you have a good idea from the start). I liked how the book went back and forth in time and felt myself liking / understanding Sissy much better after learning about her history. Still can't say I honestly identified with her character, but it was a nice mindless quick read.
I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't want to put it down. The characters were extremely interesting and relateable. I love a good Southern setting as well as a historical novel, especially early to mid 20th century (I love Dorothy Garlock books for this reason). Though this book will never hit the mass market the way that "The Help" did, it had many of the same qualities as "The Help." Both are about strong female characters in the South who are trying to surmount their own stugg...more
020513. This was a typical southern story. Growing up in the north you here how southern women are proper and have grounded roots. This story shows how women in the south during the 50's are not as proper as you think they are. Women in the south are just very sneaky. You also realize how revenge is the best way to go at the moment, but in the long run you end up hurting everyone in your life including yourself.
This was a really great novel set in the small southern town of Gentry Louisiana. The main character is Sissy LeBlanc who at first glance seems a very typical southern wife/mother. As you read through the book though you realize not all is what it seems and you learn many of Sissy's secrets. I liked this because it wasn't typical and it had a lot of twists and turns.
Who doesn't like a good scandal? It was kind of like a short soap opera shoved into a book. But in a good way. I liked the unexpected twists and turns. Some things you could see coming from the beginning, but some you couldn't. The author leaves you hanging while she revisits the past to bring old scandals to light and then pushes you into new scandals once back in "present day".
Eh. A southern housewife has a midlife crisis and ponders a dalliance with her old high-school sweetheart. There are some nice little twists that make for a decent read, but nothing terribly special.
One thing that struck me as unusual: can anybody think of another book where the protagonist is an adult, but the main antagonist is a child? (Other than Dennis the Menace, of course... and he's not really mean-spirited enough to be a true villain). I had trouble thinking of another unsympathetic chi...more
One thing that struck me as unusual: can anybody think of another book where the protagonist is an adult, but the main antagonist is a child? (Other than Dennis the Menace, of course... and he's not really mean-spirited enough to be a true villain). I had trouble thinking of another unsympathetic chi...more
This was my first novel. It was a Literary Guild and Double Day Book Club Selection as well as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. It became a national best seller and is now in its 24th edition. Sissy LeBlanc haunted my dreams and woke me up at night forcing me drag myself out of bed and write about her.
Although this is not something I normally read, I really enjoyed it. It kept my interest and I could picture Sissy (too vividly at times) and her surroundings through the words of this novel. I was afraid to read the ending but finally made myself do so. Thoroughly enjoyed this love~or lack of~story.
There was something that just didn't make it for me in this book. It was well written and quite humerous at times and had some good twists. The character of the oldest son was like walking on broken glass (which it was supposed to do/be. Maybe the main character was just oo weak. I'm not really sure....
It would have been a great pool book if it wasn't Feb...but it is more than that as it is set in the south in a time when women were still expected to stay home and follow the 'rules' that only applied to the fairer sex. there was scandal, a bit of smut (just a tad), and just the right amount of stick-it-to-em in defying convention.
This one just didn't do it for me. I never did get into the characters and sped-read the last third of the book just to finish it. I kept wanting it to go beyond the superficialities of a story and into the depth of race relations, pre- civil rights era, but it only barely touched on that aspect.
I read this last month and saw it more as a "beach read". But, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Those who don't like to read smut should forget it, because there is a little bit in here. OK, a little more than that. So, if that's something you're OK with, you'll enjoy this book, too.
"The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc" was okay. None of the characters were really likable. Was I supposed to feel sympathetic towards Sissy? Because I didn't really feel that way. Everything was pretty predictable. I also felt like the Clara story line was thrown in. It didn't really fit. No real big loss, as I found this at the thrift store, and it will get donated back.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Libri: May: The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres | 1 | 1 | Apr 28, 2013 10:27pm | |
| What's The Name o...: Southern woman has affair with old crush, has son with father in law. [s] | 4 | 111 | Jul 26, 2012 01:38pm |
Loraine Despres is a best-selling novelist and screenwriter. Her first novel, the rollicking Southern love story, The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc, was a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick, a Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club featured selection. It became a national best-seller and is now in its 25th printing. It begins: “When you get to be a certain age, you realize that...more
More about Loraine Despres...
Share This Book
12 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
Sep 25, 2008 10:32am