Dollar Daze: The Bottom Dollar Girls in Love

The Bottom Dollar Series #3

by Carrington Macduffie Karin Gillespie

Moons and Junes are the flavors of the month for the Bottom Dollar Girls, whose sudden fondness for wooing and cooing has them in a Dollar Daze. From the night of the Sweetheart Dance, love begins blooming all over Cayboo Creek. Though every rose must have its thorn, it's up to the Bottom Dollar Girls to follow their hearts.

Leading the way is Attalee, soda jerk at the Bottom Dollar Emporium, who's so hot and heavy with her beau, Dooley, that the pair seems headed for the altar via Thrill Hill. Elizabeth is pining for her newlywed days when she felt more like a wife than a mother, while widowed Mavis has been up nights nursing a case of loneliness. Not so for newspaperwoman Birdie. "I'm glad my dating days are done," she claims, and Gracie Tobias agrees that she, too, is "done with romance." They couldn't be more wrong.

When high school heartthrob Brewster Clark returns to Cayboo Creek, suddenly Mavis and Birdie are competing for the attention of a certain pair of emerald eyes. Then there's Rusty, a philosophical duct doctor who's a most unlikely gentleman to turn proper Gracie's head, until she finds that his charms work on her like the Fountain of Youth. "A match made in heaven," Attalee pronounces the couple, but has she spoken too soon?

When it comes to love stories, "happily ever after" might always be the best ending, but one that can never be taken for granted. Traveling love's rocky road keeps the Bottom Dollar Girls asking, "How can you still believe in romance?" In Dollar Daze, these best of friends through laughter and tears discover that endings sting, but the pain makes new beginnings that much sweeter.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Humor, Southern, Mystery, Romance

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Karin · Rating 2 out of 5]

NB -- nothing I Posted yesterday went to notifications. Not that this is a brilliant review, of course, but it's rather annoying.

This has the highest average rating of the three books, but it was the one I liked the least It didn't help that I read this right on the heels of the second book and it didn't feature the sisters I enjoyed so much in the previous installment, although one has a small part in this book since she's Elizabeth's good friend.

Elizabeth doesn't enjoy being home with her baby all day every day and wants a change, and then there are a few romances that go on with her elders. I didn't find all of those romance stories funny which is one of the things that detracted from my enjoyment of this book; the best romance was the one with Elizabeth's grandmother-in-law, IMO.

But, overall, it was light summer reading which is what I have been trying to get more of this year.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lives of the Dollar Store girls continues in this book Their thoughts turn to romance. More crazy antics as the girls chase there chosen fellow. Elizabeth is bored with life of a stay at home Mom. Mavis and Birdie plan their high school reunion. Mrs Tobias meets an easygoing man and begans to ennoy herself.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from HENERY PRESS through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollar Daze: The Bottom Dollar Girls in Love by Karin Gillespie
Bottom Dollar Girls #3
8h 32m narrated by Carrington MacDuffie, 280 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Featuring: Epigraphs, Aiken County South Carolina, Sexagenarians, Octogenarian, Vicenarian, It's Raining Men, I Saw Him First Trope, Mom Guilt, Drama, Classism, Wedding

Rating as a movie: PG-15

Songs for the soundtrack: "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)" by Count Basie and Frank Sinatra, "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)" by The Swingin' Medallions, "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole, She Looks Good Through The Bottom Of My Shot Glass," "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi, "Venus" by Frankie Avalon, "Blue Suede Shoes" by Elvis Presley, "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas, "Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds, "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby" by Barry White, "The Bug" by Mary Chapin Carpenter, "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" by Travis Tritt, "As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith, "We’re Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister, "Myrtle Beach Days" by Fantastic Shakers, "Taps," "You've Done The Wrong Women Wrong," "Yakety Yak" by The Coasters, "The Girl From Ipanema" by Antônio Carlos Jobim, "Take the 'A' Train" by Billy Strayhorn, "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Brother Bones and His Shadows, "Who's Sorry Now?" by Connie Francis, "It's All In The Game" by Tommy Edwards, "Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin, "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by The Everly Brothers, "I Could Have Danced All Night (My Fair Lady)" by Marni Nixon, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper, "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass, "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, "Could I Have This Dance" by Anne Murray

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👨‍🦱🏈

My thoughts: 📱I was annoyed they didn't mention Elizabeth's relation to her in-laws. Did they forget?

This was the best book of the series. I think it's great that it ended on a high note. Although it ends like there could be another book.

Recommend to others: Yes. This series was a nice distraction

Bottom Dollar Girls
1. Bet Your Bottom Dollar (2004)
2. A Dollar Short (2005)
3. Dollar Daze (2006)

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually avoid romance fiction like the plague, mostly the bodice-ripper type or the kind that has woman/girl pining weepily after the hot patootie that happened to smile at her one day. Worse yet is the love triangle or the dreaded "insta-love". However, I'm not entirely immune to the appeal of romance especially the lighthearted, humorous, dare-I-say-it-chick-lit sort found in books like Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie.

This is the third book in the Bottom Dollar series (trilogy?) which is just good old Southern fiction focused on a group of women who become friends through their connections to the Bottom Dollar Emporium, an old-fashioned general store in Cayboo Creek, South Carolina, just over the border from Augusta, Georgia. This is the precursor to today's dollar stores albeit with a whole lot more charm, the kind of store you see in small towns all across America (and can't resist dropping in).

This somewhat motley crew of women, ranging from young Elizabeth Hollingsworth struggling with being a stay-at-home mom to 80-something-year-old Attalee Gaines who is still feeling every oat she ever had are really appealing to me, maybe because their lives are so very normal. In this episode, love is in the air or, rather, the pursuit of love and Attalee, with her upcoming nuptials to 78-year-old stud Dooley Prichard, has inspired widows Mavis Loomis and Birdie Murdock to test the dating waters again. Unbeknownst to them, their friend, Mrs. Tobias. may have found her own stimulation in bad boy Rusty Williams who goes against every fiber of her upbringing.

I couldn't help but sympathize with Elizabeth's seeming inability to find happiness at home after having an energizing marketing job and I followed her path with interest but it was the romantic adventures of the other ladies that kept me engaged. There's heartache and jealousy and a great deal of smiling to be had in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with these ladies in the charming town of Cayboo Creek. I intend to go back and read the first two books and I'm just sorry that there doesn't seem to be any chance of more. On the other hand, since Henery Press has re-issued the first three, maybe...?

[Mave · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cozy fun read with lovely and real characters and lots of warm humor, there were some scenes to laugh out loud. The five female protagonists are best friends but very different from each other both in age and character. Then comes love in their lives and upsets them, above all two of them compete for the same man. The setting is perfect, a small and adorable city of South Carolina.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fluffy. But I liked it.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ I received this book free from the publisher, Henery Press through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]

( I am writing this review April 2,2015. This book is set to be released in May. Sometimes, publishers allow ARC reviews to be posted on book sites. Please know that when I write this review I am writing as if the review will go LIVE the day I post it on GoodReads, and,in fact, if that is not the case, it will be posted as soon as I am allowed .)

"‘Leap and the net will appear.’Life demands that we take risks, and if we somehow stumble, there will always be someone at the bottom to catch us.”~Mrs. Grace Tobias

This is the third visit to Cayboo Creek we have been invited to, and I for one, am happy to sit in the break room of the Bottom Dollar Emporium and hear about what all's been going on since we were last here.

Elizabeth is going stir crazy stuck at home with Glenda, whose almost one. Does she want to be a working mom? Sure pushesTimothy's buttons, but he had so little time with his parents, he wants it to be different for his child(ren) if he can ever get Elizabeth to agree.

Atalee's getting married?! For 86, the girl can kick up her heels,and Dooley's real good for her. Mavis is Mavis....but Mavis is lonely. Birdie is wrapped up in her job and doesn't connect with her as much. And then there's Mrs. Tobias, Tim's grandmother, whose new friends are a heck if a lot more fun than that stuffy crowd who dumped her after Harrison died. And then Atalee and Dooley introduce her to Rusty, and...well, I really can't tell you much more except that I really enjoy and highly recommend this book and the others in the series. And we hope to see you soon in Karen Gillespe's Cayboo Creek

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This is the second book in the Bottom Dollar Series. This series has a lot of the same cast but each book features a different set of characters from the same town. This book focuses on long-time friends, Mavis, Birdie and Gracie.

Gracie meets the so -called perfect match but is he really? Will her affection fall to another, a more local man, a man who seems all wrong yet all right for her?

Mavis and Birdie vie for the affections of the jock from high school. But has he changed his old ways enough to find love with one of them. Or is he just playing them both and holding out hope for is own dream date? I will not spoil the fun.

Another fun read.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

[HENERY PRESS PUBLISHING]

“Readers will be chuckling over crazy man-getting antics, sighing at the complexity of life, love and matrimony and maybe even shedding a tear over the heartbreak and tragedy. This novel is charismatic and replete with poignancy.” – Romantic Times

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious,,,,,,have read all 3 of Karin Gillespie's Dollar Daze books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Wish there was another to look forward to. Great for a change of pace.

[Louise Pledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO upset! I finished this installment and went to Amazon to buy the next, and there IS no next! What? How could you do this to us? For one thing, Mavis's story was to be continued. Where and when? OK, that off my chest, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this series! I just love those Bottom Dollar Girls, and while it took me 2 1/2 books to start liking Attalee, I even ended up loving her. The chapter titles, alone, are worth buying/reading the books for. Like: "Age is a high price to pay for maturity." or "Kids in the back seat cause accidents. Accidents in the back seat cause kids." How about, "I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory."? Etc, etc.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Bottom Dollar Girls In Love, Bk3, EBK-M, Kindle, @ 2006, Read 7/8/2025, Fiction, Romance. Continuation of the Bottom Dollar Girls Series, with the focus on a different group of the same characters.
Attached, the 80+ years old soda jerk at the Bottom Dollar, is head over heels with beau Dooley. New mother Elizabeth loves her 1 year old daughter, is feeling stuck in a rut, but misses her adult friends and her creative career. Widowed Mavis is battling a case of loneliness. The Bottom Dollar Girls keep busy, and support each other through the joys and heartbreak of romance with shared laughter and shared tears.
2☆'s = Okay. Some laughs, some surprises. Entertaining chick-lit!

[Neils Barringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I HATED THIS BOOK--because it was the last Karin Gillepsie book! I have now read all her books and I AM SAD SAD SAD!!!
The Bottom Dollar Girls are my friends!! I need more of them! At first I was hesitant if I would like this one because it focused on the senior ladies of the bunch, but I laughed through the whole book as they navigated new love, the crazy world of dating and being dear friends. I loved getting to follow up with Elizabeth, Timothy and baby Glenda.
The only thing missing from this book is book #4......

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute wrap up in this series where all the lives are sorted and yes, of course!, everyone lives happily ever after.

Love the quotes that begin every chapter (for example):
> I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
> If you smoke after sex, you’re doing it too fast!
> Being over the hill is much better than being under it!

If you are looking for a cute, light book of southern fiction, this one might suit....

[Carolyn Shalhoub · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. In this book, several of the characters met mates. Love was in the air (so was a scam that almost divided friends of many years). There were several occasions that brought the men and women of Cayboo Creek together. Of course, hilarity ensued before the path to romance could be traveled. I am going to read one of her stand-alone books next but I am partial to series when I like the characters.

[Karla Martinsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun fun book! Loved the short vignette style chapters that just kept the story rolling along highlighting each charming character's actions. Makes you want them all for your own friends. It points out that being 60+ can indeed be fun! Thank you Karin Gillespie for the great smiles and chuckles!

[Patricia Dorwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need Editing Hekp

I struggled through all three books of this series because I enjoyed the characters. However, page after page either had typos, formatting problems or just plain mistakes. Probably, the lack of attention to formatting was the most annoying.
One major correction, Mrs Tobias to Gracie in the last chapter. Major error. By book three we all knew who Gracie was.

[Dorothy Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really poor editing

This book was good but lacked so much as far as proofreading and correction was concerned. There were enough errors I found myself distracted from the story. Maybe kindle readers don't pay enough but when the two for Chapter two is in regular font and random breaks in sentences, etc. Make the flow funky it loses its warmth.

[Luanne Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't something I'd usually choose, but I needed a book with an alliterative title for a book challenge I'm doing. To my surprise I liked it very much. Just the right amount of heartwarming situations, some sad, some silly, some romantic, but all are about characters you'll grow to care about, just as they care about each other.

[Deborah Ogilvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous Book Series

Just finished this last book in the Bottom Dollar Girls series. Absolutely delightful reads. I am a product of small town South Carolina and I find Karin Gillespie's writing to be hilariously and poignantly authentic. I laughed, smiled, and cried while reading these books. I heartily recommend all 3 books in the Bottom Dollar Girls series.

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! This was the first I’ve read in this series and I enjoyed it tremendously. I didn’t actually read it, it was on CD and I listened to it each time I was in my car. The narrator was excellent, as she easily changed voices for the different characters.
I’ll definitely read more.

[lindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

Words cannot express how much I have enjoyed reading this series of books. Genuinely funny, clean, and just plain fun to read. I sincerely hope there will be more books on this great group of ladies.

[Ceashark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as well as the first two in the series. These southern ladies know the meaning of friendship, and everything that comes with it. Through thick and thin, laughter and mishaps, love and loss, they always come through.

[Beverly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollar Daze

I love these books and all the characters. I feel like they’re my friends. Like the reference to Myrtle Beach, I live near there, and South of the Border. I’ve been there, but sadly they tore most of it down.

[Kathy Crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a bunch if small town girls.

I wish I lived in Cayboo Creek, SC. Everyone there is friendly and there is always something fun going on. These 3 books were a hoot. Glad I read them.

[Jenny R]

The hilarious lades are back with some senior romance this time. Just the right amount of silliness, a bit of sadness and lots of madness all wrapped up in friendship. I hope this isn’t the last I’ll see of the Bottom Dollar Girls, or those chuckle warming quotes at the beginning of each chapter……When I married Mr. Right, I didn’t know his first name was Always.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun bunch of ladies! I love the Bottom Dollar Girls. They are always up to something and will keep you laughing. Just an entertaining read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, charming, witty. Enjoyed this book immensely. Next...

[Nadine Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed in the book. Lack of morals especially the dead beat husband. For me it was to sultry for my tastes.

[Krystle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty decent read