The Violet Hour: A Lowcountry Tale

Lowcountry Tale #2

by Victoria Benton Frank

A heartwarming and empowering novel about thriving after tragedy, from the author of the “enchanting, hilarious, and insightful” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times author) My Magnolia Summer.

Violet Adams is the perfect, youngest child in a family of loud, passionate women on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. As the sweet, traditional one, she’s always been the steady hand in her family but after a sudden breakup and subsequent tragedy, she doesn’t know who she is anymore.

Aly Knox, Violet’s best friend, is a young influencer still struggling with the loss of her mother and adjusting to joining Violet in Southern living. With her best friend’s help, Violet is determined to break out of her shell—and who she thought she was—no matter what. And what better place to look for success, meaning, and possibly love than the Lowcountry of South Carolina?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Summer Reads, Southern, Audiobook

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[Mo Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
All opinions are my own.

This was, to be frank, not a good book. I noticed that this was the second in a series so I quickly borrowed the first one from the library. The first one (My Magnolia Summer) is good not great, but had enough intrigue that I was interested in reading The Violet Hour. However, I felt like there were soooo many plot holes and outright mistakes throughout the book that I could not overlook.
For example:
-Chris tells Violet that he's looking for a job, and then on the next page he says that he has a work dinner... which one is it?
-George's birthday dinner has decorations for Michigan University... it's University of Michigan, and Google will get you there
-Aly and Violet eat BBQ and then go home... Aly takes a shower and goes down to the kitchen where Violet makes her a sandwich for dinner... I'm sorry, but good Southern belles simply do not have second dinner
I also didn't understand the timeline. Does this book take place a year or a few years after the events of the first book? It couldn't seem to decide.
Please don't get me started on Joyce-George-Aly and how that ended at the mah jongg tournament.
Anyway, needless to say I would not recommend this to others and will not continue on with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC!

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you ready to smell the salt air of Charleston once again? Are you ready to taste the carbs and the wines? Are you ready to dive in to possibly the messiest juicy family saga you’ve read in quite a while? Well, welcome to THE VIOLET HOUR… a second book from Victoria Benton Frank, author of MY MAGNOLIA SUMMER…

We were introduced to Maggie in book one; and now it’s Violet’s time to shine in this completely stand-alone sequel, though Benton Frank loyalists who were left with questions at the end of MAGNOLIA will be happy to find their answers in this novel…

Violet is still grieving a personal tragedy and a separation from her partner; and trying to find herself again when the novel opens. One of her best friend’s Aly, our second main character and POV, is also recently overcome with grief and trying to find her place in this world. These two strong southern women over the course of the novel bond so deeply- the reader becomes enraptured with their complex family dynamics and turns the pages quickly as both of their relationships flame and fizzle…

Told with humor, raw emotion, a lot of seductive food scenes that will make your mouth water, and a hint or two of romance; this family saga will sweep you away to summer in Charleston and leave you wanting more from this breath of fresh air in the southern fiction genre…!!

[Mary Lourdes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. This is the second in a series. The first book was entertaining, but the writing in this one seems under par from the first. It seemed to copy Elin Hildebrand in the way it "name-dropped" brands and restaurants, which I find EXTREMELY lazy. It also had a chapter that took place in Nantucket. The timeline seemed off in relation to the first book, and many sentences were repetitive. The believability was a stretch, and the Joyce character was over the top obnoxious. If the father had half a brain, he would have wised up sooner to her. The character of Henry seemed promising, but was never fleshed out. This was a slap-dash sequel.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Escape to South Carolina's sun-soaked Lowcountry, where the healing power of friendship makes anything possible." Adriana Trigiani, Author of The View from Lake Como

This heartwarming novel transported me to Charleston and Sullivan's Island to learn more about Violet’s journey and that of her best friend Aly. Violet and Aly are both at a crossroads where they are making major decisions in their careers and personal lives. Violet is dealing with family secrets while Aly is facing a lot of family drama following the death of her famous mother, Callie.

The Violet Hour is an armchair coastal vacation where family saga meets romance in the perfect beach read. I loved the extra emotional depth focusing on loss and change, with vividly drawn characters and an atmospheric gorgeous setting of island beaches and Charleston architecture. It also immerses the reader into Southern charm, culture, and food. I adored this book and highly recommend adding it to your beach bag to hold on to summer a little longer. Ann Patchett, Elin Hilderbrand, and Patti Callahan Henry also recommend it! Now to schedule a trip to South Carolina! Victoria Benton Frank's writing has added it to my bucket list!🏖☀️💜

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Victoria Benton Frank for an advance reader's copy and finished copy in exchange for my honest review.

[RivkaBelle]

DNF @ 31%
I just can’t… it’s messy, contradicting itself all over the place in terms of events/timeline. The characters are not likable. It’s just not for me… which is sad, because I loved DBF’s writing and had high hopes for her daughter.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

[Deidra Simmons · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t normally rate books so poorly. I have been looking forward to the second book since I finished the first book. Which was like two years ago almost. This one just fell so short of the first one. The transitions between past and present and whatever else was happening was not clear. The conversation about the stillborn baby really got under my skin. I have had a stillborn baby and I did not like the way it was approached and glossed over in this book. Nothing seemed well thought out and it seemed very chunky. I just really didn’t like this one.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Violet who has been working hard to forget her boyfriend Christopher who left for Japan.

She did some things she hasn’t told him. When he says he is coming home because he misses her, she panics. Will she feel the same?

Meanwhile another shock hits her - her father isn’t dead. Her grandmother has kept correspondence from him a secret.

We also meet Aly who has lost her mother, who is trying to take up her mother’s business, and who is dealing with her father’s new girlfriend.

A bundle of decisions to be made by Aly, Violet, and many other characters.

How does everything turn out in this book for those who enjoy women’s fiction and Southern charm.

A little bogged down at first, but it turns out to be enjoyable. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Kristin Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, she has not reached the writing talent of her mother yet. I didn’t hate this book…the overall storyline was fun and cute but there were so many little things that annoyed me. First…I hate Joyce! And I know that’s how she was written to make me feel but I’m annoyed that she’s still around. She’s terrible and all of George’s kids can’t stand her. I wish that we had seen her exit for good. Second…I live in Charleston and some of the Charleston details were just off. Early in the book, she says it’s May and that azaleas were lining the pathway of the house. I know most people might not know this but the author lives in Charleston and should. Azaleas hit their peak in March and are gone by early April. Silly, I know…but it bothered me. I also found several typos…misspelled words, missed words. And I found the obsessive Charleston business name dropping to be annoying…like, how much did Hamby Catering pay the author to make them a main character in the story?! I also felt like Violet wasn’t as much of a main character as she should have been with the book titled for her. It was as much about Aly as it was about Violet. That being said…I didn’t like Violet in the first book. I was kind of disappointed to hear the second book was about her but she was much more likable in this one.

[Judi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the story, good writing. Did not like the explicit sex portion, it did not add to the story.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book.

I’ve always been drawn to novels set in the Lowcountry, and this one made me fall even harder in love with it. The lush descriptions of the setting, the food, and the atmosphere transported me right there. I felt like I was literally sitting at the table with the characters, soaking in every detail. And throwing in Nantucket? That little dose of Northeast island charm made it even better.

The cast of characters was fantastic (yes, even Joyce!). They were layered, complicated, and so real that I felt connected to each of them in different ways. The family dynamics, the themes of love, loss, and resilience, it all wove together into such a heartfelt and immersive story.

And can we talk about Violet? I would love, love, love to see a novel based solely on her travels and photography. I can just imagine her journeying to remote places, capturing breathtaking cultures and landscapes through her lens. Victoria Benton Frank, if you’re reading this… I’m ready for that book!

A stunning read that gave me all the coastal family saga feels.

[Mary Burson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased, no, excited when I was awarded this Advanced Reader Edition through a Goodreads giveaway. I have enjoyed works by the author’s mother, Dorothea Benton Frank and am reading my way through her backlist. I am happy that her daughter continues the Low Country vibe and Southern charm I have come to love, but with her own voice.

This book includes characters we loved from My Magnolia Summer, Victoria Benton Frank’s first novel, and some new ones we get to know. I enjoyed the story and the atmosphere of the settings in Charleston and Sullivan’s Island. A previous reviewer at Goodreads was critical of a few inconsistencies and I did notice them and some punctuation errors and incorrect words as well but this did not affect my enjoyment of the book. This edition is an Uncorrected Proof! I am certain that all will be well by publication day.

I give my thanks to Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to enjoy this book prior to its publication.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss for the review copy. I did not see that plot twist coming. I really enjoyed this one.

[Rhiannon Hacking · Rating 3 out of 5]

After just coming back from South Carolina, this was a nice read as I bask in the magic Sullivan’s Island gave me.
The book did a great job capturing the essence of that area.
As for the storyline, it was a fun and cute. It was nice meeting the same characters again from My Magnolia Summer along with a few new ones.
The thing about this book was that Violet Adams was the main character in this but wasn’t giving main character vibes. I didn’t exactly care for her as much as I liked Maggie Adams in the last book. I thought her story in this book would make me like her more. I guess, a little? Her character arc was underwhelming. Aly Knox, Violets best friend, who also had a part in this story, also flatlined which was annoying cause I liked Aly a bit more.
Both family dynamics were entertaining but also not fulfilling.
Giving this book a 3⭐️ because I’m very in the middle. Lots of parts that were pleasant and interesting enough to want to keep reading but many parts that I didn’t connect with.

Won’t be recommending this immediately, but if you loved My Magnolia Summer then The Violet Hour will be a great continuation of the women of the Adams family for you!

[Dottie Legatos · Rating 4 out of 5]

We return to Charleston and Sullivan’s Island in Victoria Benton Frank’s second installment of her Low Country Tales. Perfect for a summer read as the author opens your senses to beauty of this coastal region. Two friends, Violet and Aly, are coming to grips with different types of loss in their lives. Because of (or in spite of) family and friends, the healing process for both make their journey an enjoyable experience for the reader. There is some spice, but overall a good Southern women’s fiction book. I think it’s safe to say that Victoria Benton Frank has good writing genes inherited from her mother Dorothea who was a favorite author of mine. I’m hoping for another Low Country Tales soon!
Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this arc.

[Lori Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Lowcountry Tale. I read this as a stand-alone and had no problem following the storyline. I so needed a change of pace and this was a perfect escape. The author has such a descriptive way of writing that it immediately transported me to Charleston and Sullivan’s Island. She described the area so beautifully that you could picture the quaint houses, feel the ocean breeze and smell the salt air. This book is full of determined, strong women dealing with tragedy, secrets and growing pains. The book had a few spicy scenes, but they were handled well. The interactions between of Ally and Joyce had me laughing. This book is perfect for a beach or girls weekend or just an arm chair getaway!

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

[Melsene G · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. This is a fast read. Violet Adams is a wedding photographer, living with her gran, Rose. Her ex-boyfriend Chris is still in Japan on a work assignment. She is renting their Charleston house as an airbnb. Sister Maggie, formerly a chef in NYC is running the family restaurant, Magic Lantern. Aly Knox is a home designer, from Michigan, and now lives in Charleston with her father, a recent widow. Violet and Aly become friends and the story goes back and forth between them and their jobs and family issues, and from SC to Nantucket. You follow these two and see issues that are real to the author-food and losing her mom. DBF would be very proud of her daughter and the legacy lives on. Hope the series continues!

[On_a_sandbar (Carol) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, butter me up and call me biscuit 😘
Excuse me while I clutch my pearls, but I had no idea Ms Victoria Benton Frank had a spicy side! 😉
I read a compilation novella written by southern Friends and Fiction authors Kristy W Harvey, Mary K Andrews along with Ms Frank, but this was my first novel by the author.
I’m pleasantly surprised!
I was expecting southern manners, heartfelt family ties and emotional romance which were all delivered.
I was not expecting the sprinkling of zero to sixty in 2.0 minutes 🌶️
It flowed in seamlessly and perfectly, it didn’t feel forced or thrown in just for effect.

“The Violet Hour: A Lowcountry Tale follows Violet Adams, the youngest daughter in a passionate South Carolina family, as she navigates a personal tragedy and a breakup, seeking to redefine herself with the help of her best friend, Aly Knox.
The book is a sequel to My Magnolia Summer and explores themes of family, friendship, and self-discovery in the Lowcountry setting of Sullivan’s Island.”

I didn’t read the prior book and it was fine, it can easily be read as a stand alone.

Many thanks to @gallerybooks for my beautiful gifted final copy 💜💜💜

I really enjoyed the book and recommend it, especially romance readers that love family driven books and those wonderful low country southern settings!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Full post on Instagram @on_a_sandbar

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the author's last book and I enjoyed parts of this one but I found it REALLY slow moving and definitely enjoyed one of the women's story's more than the other one. The summer in the South atmospheric vibes were done to perfection and it was good on audio but it won't be a memorable read for me this summer. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and light-hearted women's fiction might enjoy this more than I did though. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW: death of a parent from MDS, infidelity

[Leslee Hale · Rating 2 out of 5]

he Violet Hour was such a raw and emotional read. This heartwarming story follows Violet Adams, the “perfect” youngest daughter in a family of strong, outspoken women on Sullivan’s Island. After a sudden breakup and personal tragedy, Violet’s world is upended, and with the help of her best friend Aly—a social media influencer navigating her own grief—she sets out to rediscover who she truly is.
I found so many moments in this book deeply relatable, from the trauma of medical experiences to the pain of complicated family dynamics and the uncertainty of figuring out your life path. It’s a beautiful reminder that healing and self-discovery often come from breaking out of who you thought you were supposed to be.

[BookstagramSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I would have read book 1 My Magnolia Summer. Though it’s not necessary at all to read it, I really enjoyed this book so much that I would have loved to hear Magnolias story first.

This book is about friendship, finding yourself, and being your true self.

This was heartfelt, fun, and such a good read. I adored the setting and all of the characters. Though there are some serious and deeper moments it was still a light and perfect summer read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just moved to SC and just finished reading My Magnolia Summer, I was thrilled my bookclub at Brown Fox coffee box picked The Violet Hour for their September pick. I loved visiting Violet, Maggie, Gran and Lily again.. the story drew me in and I enjoyed it so to the very end! Loved all the Charleston references and learned about Duke’s Mayo,which this Jersey girl knew nothing about, and my fellow bookclub members found so funny! Hope to see Victoria on one of her indie bookstore stops here in SC in the near future!

[Sherrie Howey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome back to Sullivan’s Island and the low country. As a huge fan of this author’s late mother, Dorothea Benton Frank, it brings me great joy to see her daughter writing in the same manner as her mother. Filled with friends, plenty of family dysfunction and mouth watering restaurant scenarios, this was a fun summer read.

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book. I made it to page 70, and decided it wasn’t worth the effort. Aly needs to have her own book. Who is Henry and why was he introduced? Will he make an appearance in a future book? I don’t know and don’t much care. Moving on to another TBR book in a very large pile. Good luck, dear reader. This book starts out dull and isn’t better after 70 pages.

[Christina Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good summer read. It was great to revisit this family and enjoyed the story.

[Marta Ratliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wondered if I'd see another book by Victoria Benton Frank? I'm so happy to say that The Violet Hour is it! A 5 star read, too! This book has humor,romance, and some mystery,too. I loved it!

[Eline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ extra leuk omdat ik het boek kocht waar het zich afspeelt (Charleston, SC) en het niet lang daarna las

[Dawne Mccurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this story of sisters, mothers and daughters, grandmothers and friends….and a few hot guys!!! Victoria knows how to write a story that has you laughing out loud one minute and then tearing up on the next page. The audio version is perfection and I loved the narrators!!!

[Isabella Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, love, love this! 💜 The perfect follow-up to My Magnolia Summer. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first for double the fun!

As soon as you open this book, you're transported to South Carolina. Get ready for lowcountry livin' with Violet and Aly—think mouth watering food descriptions, mahjong, Sullivan's Island, stunning architecture, and more! Bonus points for Fleetwood Mac lovin'.

In addition to the vivid imagery of SC that Victoria Benton Frank paints with her words, there's endless DRAMA that keeps you turning the page! Be prepared for laughs, tears, and everything in between.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the writing better than the first. Love the Lowcountry setting and descriptions. Easy read, mostly likable characters.