Title: Boys South of the Mason Dixon
Author: Abbi Glines
First published May 15, 2017
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 3.94
Overview
The heat is scorching and the boys are smoking hot South of the Mason Dixon line. Abbi Glines takes you on a ride through the wild world of the Sutton boys.
They are five brothers who know how to party hard, fight harder and love their momma with all their hearts. But when the girl next door enters their lives, everything changes.
With her charm, beauty and undeniable appeal, she wins the hearts of more than one Sutton boy. Will their brotherly bond survive this test or will love triumph all?
Get ready to fall in love with the boys South of the Mason Dixon.
About the Author
Abbi Glines is an accomplished author with multiple #1 bestselling series under her belt, including Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence. She’s not much of a cook, unless you count holiday baking, and has a fascination with ghosts – often asking if a house is haunted before entering.
She indulges in afternoon tea in an attempt to feel British, but her Alabama roots can’t be denied. When asked how many books she’s written, she has to pause and count on her fingers.
When not writing, Abbi can be found reading, shopping (with a particular weakness for shoes and purses), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers’ lives for inspiration. Don’t judge – it’s all research! Abbi loves connecting with readers online, using social media as a means of procrastination.
Editoral Review
Abbi Glines’s Boys South of the Mason Dixon is a teenage romance novel that is guaranteed to make young girls’ hearts flutter. The book is set in the southern part of the United States, a region famous for its rich storytelling tradition.
Glines’s writing style is simple and easy to read, making it possible for high school students to enjoy the book without getting bogged down in overly complex language. The novel follows the lives of two teenagers, Riya and Abe, who fall in love despite their vastly different social backgrounds.
Riya is a rich girl who goes to private school, while Abe is a working-class boy who attends public school. The two are brought together by their shared passion for music, and soon find themselves drawn to each other.
Their love is threatened, however, by the prejudices and biases of their respective social circles. Riya’s friends and family look down on Abe because of his lack of wealth and social status, while Abe’s friends resent Riya for her privileged upbringing.
The conflict that arises from these differences forms the backbone of the novel’s plot, with Riya and Abe having to navigate their way through a maze of social expectations and cultural differences in order to be together. One of the notable strengths of the novel is its exploration of class and social status.
Glines does an excellent job of depicting the subtle power dynamics that exist between different classes in modern America, and how these often dictate the choices that individuals make in their personal lives. The book also does a great job of depicting the nuances of teenage relationships, with all its attendant anxieties and awkwardness.
However, there are some weaknesses to the book as well. The storyline can be somewhat predictable at times, with some of the conflicts and character arcs feeling a bit cliched.
Additionally, the focus on teenage romance may not be appealing to all readers, with some finding the book overly simplistic or lacking in substance. Overall, Boys South of the Mason Dixon is an enjoyable, if somewhat formulaic, novel that will likely appeal to teenage girls looking for a light read.
The book does an excellent job of exploring social class and its impact on personal relationships, while offering a sympathetic and engaging portrayal of teenage romance. While there are certainly areas of improvement, the book is nonetheless a commendable effort from Glines.
4 out of 5 stars.