Southern Comfort: Chandler's Story

by Shelley L Stringer

Southern Comfort, the first of three novels in the SOUTHERN SERIES, immerses the reader in the essence of southern Louisiana culture, history, voodoo and folklore. The supernatural story takes a back seat to the romance between the protagonist, Chandler Collins, and the handsome dark-haired Navy SEAL, Banton Gastaneau. When a car accident takes the lives of her parents, Chandler leaves the sheltered world of small-town Texas and moves to southern Louisiana. There she settles near her only remaining family - her aunt, uncle and cousins and plans to finish college at LSU. Through the purchase and renovation of an old antebellum house near campus, she meets two neighbors, ex-Navy SEALs Banton Gastaneau and John Calder, who appear to have a hidden agenda and seek much more than a casual friendship with Chandler. As Chandler works on a writing project and unlocks the secrets of the old house and local folklore, she is drawn into a world where blood-drinking Orcos, Sange-Mele half-breeds, Aldon protectors and spirits exist. As Banton's interest in Chandler moves from friend to protector to lover, the story moves from Chandler’s spirit-filled house to the college campus in Baton Rouge, the French Quarter in New Orleans, and the underground sewers of the city where Orco terrorists plot to destroy the SEAL team now protecting Chandler, endangering Chandler’s life.

430 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2014

Reviews

[Pamela Lilley]

I purchased this book as I was in desperate need of something different, I seemed to have been caught in a bit of a book slump and I was thinking a good vampire novel might get me out of my book funk. Whilst the story was good, it wasn’t the great I was after. I was after blood and gore, what I got was a wonderful (if not cringy) love story with some truly wonderful characters that I truly cherished. Banton and Chandler were a bit OTT and Banton did seem to be a little too good to be true, I mean I do love a good book boyfriends, but I need a little bit of bad boy cheeky in the mix too. The last 20% did however have a lot more excitement and I was kept on my toes with anticipation, I also liked a lot of the backdrop to the story, the history, the folklore and the paranormal happenings. Lovely writing, lovely story, just not what I was looking for at the time.

[Robbin Huff]

I really enjoyed the first 3 Southern Series. Chandler and Banton have such a whirlwind romance with drama and action. I'm ready for the next book.