Carolina Girls

by Steve Brown

They were Carolina Girls, the best in the world, and they came together in the mid-Sixties on Pawleys Island, where life began to mold them into the women they would later become. Each summer they would return to Pawleys to renew their friendship. The Carolinas in the turbulent Sixties, a time as different from the antebellum South as the Sixties were different from the modern South of today.

Genres: Southern

276 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Haley Kinser · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the book, I would make the argument that white men should stop writing. What an absolute waste of paper.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very light, brainless beach read, which is what I needed. Nothing too complex, an accurate glimpse into the low-country… It was like the shows Gossip Girl and Dawson Creek had a sweet little baby book. Would I read it again? Only if I was really bored.

[talia! · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book needs to be recognized more FOR SURE. it hits close to home for me (literally) and i really enjoyed reading it. kate and bailey's friendship changed so quickly and ginny learned to grow up and be her own woman. she's definitely going to be one of the first women who works wherever she ends up. and mel is just mel. she's the mediator of the group and it didn't seem like she had anyone to rely on until they did the ritual. overall this book was amazing and i recommend it to anyone who lives in the carolinas!

2nd read: Bailey is literally my spirit animal I want to be her it was so good again ofc

[Vickie T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four girls become friends one summer in Pawley's Island in the 60s. The story is somewhat disjointed. The characters are not well developed. You really don't understand the motives of some of the characters. For example, Bailey's intense dislike of one of the girls is unexplained and a little irrational. There really isn't much of a plot to it either. It is more of a collection of vingnettes centered around the summer. The story starts out with promise but fails to deliver.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy beach read especially for those who have a connection with the low country.

[Janina K Bratina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to describe...good parts (music references), some irrelevant interludes that did not really advance the story. It was a bit disjointed in time sequencing and there was only minimal character development. I was of a similar age at the time of the story, but am from the Midwest...result...could not really identify with the characters...guess rich gals have a different mindset. Read it if you want. It is a quick read, but don't worry if you choose to skip it.

[Donna Shipe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It brought back a lot of memories for me. I am a Carolina Girl from that time and I loved all the references to the places that I love from the Low Country! I knew all these girls, I was one of them! To understand them you would really have to have been there but the author did a fairly decent job of presenting each individual girl’s personality even though the flow of the story was erratic!

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was confusing to me in the way it was written. It was hard for me to keep up with the characters. But, it was ultimately a story of friends from different walks of life that still were good friends.

[Tammy Holmes · Rating 1 out of 5]

About slavery and racism. Did not approve.

[Diann Cassens · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was hard to follow with little development of characters. It did make me want to visit Pawleys Island someday.

[Dee Gurganus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beach, girlfriends, and the sixty's what more could you want in a story. From the antics of the rich, spoiled girl to the girl who does fit the mold of a Pawley Island girl, this story has them all. Brown does such a wonderful job of blending the turbulent time in our history and women learning to stand on their own feet without just being a wife and mother. This book makes me think back to a time when life was simpler and cruising the grand strand (or for me and my friends "The Circle") was the most important thing in life.

This was my first Steve Brown book, but it definitely will not be my last.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read this book, because it was written by a man, about women's adventures. But, so far, I have enjoyed it. I DO have to keep stopping and referring to the character list in the front, to remind myself who is speaking and their relationship. I'm almost half-way through it. Well, I finished the book today. It was really hard getting through the last several chapters. I had to keep going back and checking the characters and rereading to understand. I'm still not exactly sure if I understand the meaning Of the final chapter. I suppose it shows how Kate evolved into the person she became at the end.

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really did not enjoy this book, and I thought about abandoning it about half way through. It was very difficult to follow, I didn't find the characters engaging, and the book was rife with racial and socio-economic stereotypes. I understand that this book was supposedly set in the 1960s, but even so, the way the characters treated one another was miserable. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining quick read but is not very well written. The story reads more like a TV mini-series than a real book. None of the characters are well developed and each scene is related from the outside looking in. The writer gives almost no detail on how things look or what people are wearing. Definitely does not have those imporatant components fo true chick-lit!

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading books about places I've heard of and know a little about them. This is mostly in Pawley's Island. Good "fluff" He also has a series of mysteries with one central character set in Myrtle Beach

[Mel]

I didn't add this as a "read" book with a date. after starting it, I realized I had read it previously. I don't remember how it was but decided not to waste my time re-reading because I have so many others on my list

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was hard to follow.

[Jann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Pawley's Island in the 60's, this is a really good beach read!

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beach read. I enjoyed this book.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

jumps too much. hard to keep interested in.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love those Carolina Girls!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

1960's Pawleys Island SC - every summer 4 families vacation at summer homes - girls become very good friends