A Southern Girl

A Novel

By: John Warley

Narrated by: Paul McClain, Tiffany Morgan, Ann Marie Gideon, Hallie Ricardo

Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Set against the exquisite historical backdrop of Charleston's insular South of Broad neighborhood, A Southern Girl is a tale of international adoption and of families lost then found anew through revelations, courage, and the perseverance of a love without bounds.

With two biological sons and a promising career, Coleman Carter seems set to fulfill his promise as a resourceful trial lawyer, devoted husband, and dutiful father until his wife, Elizabeth, champions their adoption of a Korean orphan. This seemingly altruistic mission estranges Coleman's conservative parents and demands that he now embrace the unknown as fully as he has always entrenched himself in the familiar.

Elizabeth, a self-proclaimed liberal with a global sense of duty, is eager for the adoption while Coleman, a scion of the Old South, is at best a reluctant participant. But the arrival of Soo Yun (later called Allie) into the Carter household and the challenging reactions of Coleman's peers and parents awakens in him a broadening sense of responsibility and dedication to his new family that opens his eyes to the subtle racism and exclusionary activities that had dominated his sheltered life. To garner Allie's entrance into Charleston society, Coleman must come to terms with his past and guide Allie toward finding her own origins as the Carters forge a new family identity and confront generations-old fears inherent in Southern traditions of purity and prestige.

Deftly told through the distinctive voices of Allie's birth mother; her orphanage nurse; her adoptive mother, Elizabeth; and finally Coleman himself, A Southern Girl brings us deeply into Allie's plights - first for her very survival and then for her sense of identity, belonging, and love in her new and not always welcoming culture. In this truly international tale, John Warley guides us through the enclaves of Southern privilege in New Hampton, Virginia, and Charleston; the poverty-stricken back alleys of Seoul, South Korea; the jungles of Vietnam; and the stone sidewalks of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, as the bonds between father and daughter become strong enough to confront the trials of their pasts and present alike.

The first release from Pat Conroy's Story River Books, A Southern Girl includes a foreword by New York Times best-selling novelist Therese Ann Fowler.

©2014 John Warley (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Loved the portion of the story that took place in Vietnam and Korea♥️

Characterization of Hannah and Allie’s birth mother. Description of the landscape of Vietnam, Korea and Charleston. Finally the author was so talented at creating his own metaphors.

Heartfelt story of a father and daughter. Loved it!

The characters in this book are so compelling… Some you love and some you despise. Great language and descriptions.

The book Pat Conroy wished he had written

The author, John Warley, was Pat Conroy's close friend from his college days at The Citadel. In Pat's posthumously published book, A Lowcountry Heart, he introduced the reader to John and his late wife, Barbara, and his first novel, The Southern Girl. When he said, "It is a novel that soars and moves with a lyrical sweep that is rare in modern fiction. I wish I had written it." I knew this was a book I had to read. I downloaded it as soon as I finished that chapter. And I am so glad I did. From the first scene, I was drawn into this story of an infant girl from South Korea adopted into a old Charleston, SC family. The writing is lyrical. The characters are real and the story is authentic. It takes twists I didn't see coming. I was totally engrossed in the story. The excellent narration perfectly captured the tone of the story.

Watch your credits…

I bought this book after listening to the sample which was dry but reading the story line was interesting and it had multiple narrations so I decided to give it a try. After all Audible has great customer service and I can always exchange it, right? WRONG! I couldn’t stand it anymore. Half way through I call it quits and proceed to return it. It pops up with a list of reason why it’s not eligible for return. One possibility being I could have excessive returns. I bet I’ve returned 5-6 books during my membership since 2013!