Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank
Queen Bee was my first book by this author. The story caught me quite by surprise, and I still don’t know what to think about it. Although the location, and the small town charm were wonderfully enchanting. And the bees made for an interesting plot line.
SYNOPSIS
New York Times-bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank returns to the American South in this latest novel about friendship and love that is full of heart, humor, and rich description.
A woman wounded by her past comes to Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina to find new meaning in life and to find herself. As she takes up a new hobby of beekeeping, she begins to come into her own and rebuild her life. When a new friend comes in and she finally allows for something more than just “friendship”, everyone will realize that life could use a little taste of sweetness.
In what is sure to be another classic, Dorothea Benton Frank weaves a fun tale of self-discovery, love, and friendship with her signature charming wit, indelible poignancy, and hallmark themes.
Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank
MY THOUGHTS
I must say I was not really prepared for this book. In all honesty it felt a bit all over the place, with many different storylines, and characters that could have used a bit more developing.
And the blurb is actually a bit misleading.
Holly, one of the daughters and the main character, next to her sister Leslie, is a bee keeper and has been for many years. The bee keeping part was actually quite interesting, but also sometimes felt like a school lesson.
Leslie, the other sister, finds her way back to the family, when her husband of many years decided to become a female impersonator, and wants to perform as a Drag Queen in Vegas. I didn’t see that storyline coming at all.
Their mother, not jokingly called QUEEN BEE, because she certainly treaded everyone like the QUEEN, finally comes around and out of bed thanks to some evolving drama next door. The drama involves their handsome neighbor, father of two adorable boys, whose also been Holly’s crush and a possible love interest.
But that’s not enough, Queen Bee falls in love with a genderqueer Las Vegas stage performer who is known as Suzanne. Another storyline that came out of the blue.
And then there are the bees, who have a mind of their own.
No doubt this book is full of quirky characters. And I’m a huge fan of quirky characters, but even for me there were just TOO many of them.
| last thoughts |
In the end there was just a lot going on and it was all a bit ridiculous at times. Including some of the dialogues. Nevertheless, Queen Bee is all about family, and identity. And it turned out to be an easy summer read for anyone wanting to be ENTERTAINED!
My rating:
I received a copy of this book from William Morrow for free.
My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Goodreads • Amazon • Author’s Website
Other small town novels I enjoyed: The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank
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