Let’s get one thing straight. I hate to read. Like really, I hate to read – ANYTHING. Kind of an odd thing for someone who likes to write to say, but it is the truth.

I always feel like I am wasting time when I read. If I could attach my book to the vacuum handle or prop in on the sink I probably would like it a lot more. Multi-tasking is my middle name.

But…this summer, I have vowed to take it slower. I am taking a hiatus from social media (the scrolling and the commenting and the comparing anyway).

My plan is to totally devour all of Dorothea Benton Frank’s books on the beach, on the porch or just anywhere I can find a quiet corner in the next 3 months. Since I won’t be Facegabbing, Instachatting or Snapbooking, I should have plenty of time on my hands 😊!

Now on to the book.

I know I am going a little out of order, but this first book I ran across was Next Year, Same Beach.

Not sure if it was Adam and Eliza, or Adam and Eve, or Eve and Carol, or Carl and Eliza or maybe Ted, Clarabeth or Cookie that intrigued me most, but they captivated my attention for the better part of 3 days.

I think the familiarity of the locations that Dorothea mentions in her book – Isle of Palms, Hwy 17, Charleston County, Sullivan’s Island, Summerville – they all make me feel like I could have been a character in her book. Maybe I was walking on the beach, or a renter in one of the beach houses or a secretary at Ted’s office.

The story is so real. So relatable.

Don’t get me wrong. I can’t relate to just jumping on a plane at the spur of the moment and flying off to Greece when I get mad at my husband, but who knows…maybe one day I might be.

Moral of the story, if you haven’t read it, you need to.

You can order it here if you don’t already have it.

What else are you reading this summer?