Friendship

won this from goodreads giveaway. this is one of my goodreads/firstreads. it was autographed by the author.
was a good book to read ( )

2.5**

Annie and Starr met when they were seven years old and became best friends despite their obvious class differences. But one day Starr and her father simply disappeared and Annie was heartbroken. Over 20 years later, Annie happens to see Starr in the local department store – broke and obviously pregnant. Responding to the bond between them despite the years of absence, Annie agrees to drive Starr to New Orleans. That road trip is the trigger Annie needs to confront her past and decide her future.

The chapters alternate between present day and 1963-1964, explaining the basis of their friendship as their present-day actions trigger Annie’s memories. I was immediately caught up in the story. The two women provide a definite contrast. Annie is the daughter of a physician, an Ole Miss sorority deb, and married to a law partner in one of Jackson Mississippi’s most prestigious firms. Starr is the daughter of an itinerant preacher who usually moves right after the congregation notices funds are missing from the collection plate, her accent is definitely “trailer trash,” she’s the known mistress of a very married attorney, and is obviously pregnant and broke. But Starr has a confidence that Annie has never developed. She tells it like it is and isn’t afraid to confront her tormentors. Annie secretly believes she doesn’t belong. She feels cowed and out of place in the country-club set, so she hides behind her appearance, dieting down to a size zero and always wearing the “right” clothes.

So what’s not to like? The ending is abrupt and far too neatly tied up. I was getting really interested in Annie and Starr and their friendship, but Starr suddenly disappears and Annie makes some decisions that seem really uncharacteristic of her. Her mother seems also to do a 180 degree turn around. I found the final chapter particularly unbelievable. So the end result was that I was left feeling unsatisfied. I do think that Conner shows promise and I’d be willing to try another book by her … but not anytime soon.
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LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this riveting, witty, and moving debut novel! If you are a fan of authors, Susan Rebecca White, Fannie Flagg, Mary Kay Andrews, Kathryn Stockett, Joshilyn Jackson, Claire Cook, or Nicholas Sparks, you will adore Amy Conner’s warm hearted, funny, insightful, and brilliantly crafted writing style of Southern women. She is in a class all her own---definitely knows the Bible belt South, with “right on dialects”, accents, politics, cruel judgments, and pretentious quirky ways.

I was traveling when I started THE RIGHT THING, and could not wait for time alone, to dive back into this engaging and heartwarming story of two small BFFs from both sides of the track (poor and rich). I escaped to the park for on a beautiful spring day, overlooking a duck pond and enjoyed a glider all to myself for hours until the last page, capturing every word – smiling throughout while cheering on these loveable women, hoping for a happy ending for these two gals. What a ride since seven years old and Barbie dolls with funky clothes. The book definitely exceeded my expectations! I especially loved Annie’s mother - my favorite character. . ah you will love her- what a dynamic mother-daughter moment.

Set in Jackson, MS set in 1963, Annie Banks (grew up in a wealthy home with a doctor father, a snooty mean grandmother, an eccentric great aunt, and her only salvation – a compassionate mom, with a real heart, a humble beginning, and a cool housekeeper). When Annie meets her BFF at seven years old – Starr Dukes (daughter of a not so honest poor philandering preacher, left without a mother), she has found her best friend for life.

The Queen for a Day, the Barbie doll clothes and the fun banter of comments were absolutely hilarious, and the dog – wow, what an imagination and storyteller!

Annie and Starr become inseparable with a strong friendship, until the pressure from family tear them apart, and then one day Starr (this gal is full of one liners), is gone from her shabby rental house, as her preacher dad picks up to move to another town (guess he has stolen more money again from the offering plate or slept with one of the married church members).

Annie is forced to follow the path of the well to do southern women – wearing the right clothes, driving the BMW, minks, jewelry, shoes, entertaining, marrying an ambitious lawyer, a size zero and no eating real food, filling her days with shopping, charity work, dreaming with endless failing EPTs and pretending to fit in to be the responsible women and live up to the life carved out for her.

The story goes back and forth from present day, high school, college, to present day in Jackson, as years later after Annie is married to her high school sweetheart and successful lawyer, in an unsatisfying marriage and no hopes of ever getting pregnant and having a family of her own.

One day, Annie (mid thirties) boutique shopping for a cocktail dress, preparing for yet another evening out with her husband’s law friends, where she has to pretend to fit in to this lifestyle and dinner with Judge Shapley (the big name in town), when a voice from her past walks in the boutique (none other than Starr), now pregnant and being dumped by Bobby Shapley (Judge’s son- wealthy and married to Julie – the girls nightmare from elementary school).

So down on her luck, being kicked out of her condo, and no charge accounts, or car, Starr turns to her long lost friend Annie to drive her to New Orleans on the day before Thanksgiving, to get her money (from her friend a bet she won betting on horses, and holding for her). Of course, Annie is caught between helping her friend and risking her marriage, as no one befriends an outcast and other woman of the Shapleys.

The outlandish scheme Annie puts together for this road trip escape to New Orleans was the funniest ever, you will laugh out loud! However, at the time, Annie was unaware exactly what this trip would bring, as fate steps in and how it would transform her life. From pot brownies, race horses, a dog on an elevator they take hostage, and guy turned to a woman, stranded, to chance meetings, and a special man - one wild road trip and a big surprise ending to seal both girl’s destiny!

As Annie discovers what life is like to be true to oneself, instead of living a life through someone else’s eyes, she finds her happiness. As these two girls from both sides of the track, find they are more alike than they imagined. A story of friendship, a bond standing the test of time, love, and responsibility and one which will warm your heart filled with mischief and humor to the end (hoping for a sequel as would love to see more of these characters)! I am so in this age bracket, so could relate to these times.

From romantic New Orleans to the political southern Jackson, MS, Amy Conner’s THE RIGHT THING, is truly a winner out of the gate, moving and witty -- will keep you turning to discover the fate of these two special friends. I highly recommend to anyone loving southern women’s fiction, and so look forward to following this talented author! http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/post/853532/-therightthing

A special thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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A delightful and charming southern read that manages to mix humor with poignancy which I found thoroughly captivating. Annie comes from a Southern family in Jackson, Mississippi, a family that wants to hold on to its prestige. Star and her family, whose father is a drunken preacher with a questionable past. The girls are seven when they meet and they become fast friends.

Annie spends her life trying to fit into the society she was born into, often with amusing results. The author wonderfully portrays the intensity of first friendships and the heartbreak that follows when the friend suddenly disappears. The struggle of growing up ad trying to fit in, and the lesson of learning that happiness only comes when one is true to themselves.

Thoroughly enjoyed this light read, full of manners and mishaps. Annie and Star are wonderful characters who I will remember. ( )