“Stupid people rarely want to hear the truth.”
― Karen White, The Night the Lights Went Out

4.5 stars.

Sweet Apple Georgia. Merilee and Sugar. Beautiful cover art. Great Southern Fiction writing. fantastic story. What's not to like?

This was only the second book I'd read by this author. I loved the first but was afraid this would not live up to what I wanted it to be. I need not have worried. Beautiful writing, unforgettable characters, languid and lovely prose and I felt like I was sitting on a front porch in Sweet Apple drinking Tea and listening to the characters interact. I adored this book.

I liked almost all the characters but as I am sure others have mentioned Sugar is the stand out. Karen White is a great writer. She can do mood, atmosphere, unforgettable characters and a riveting story. Highly recommended. Now onto another Karen White book.... ( )

This was certainly a very readable book--revolving around secrets, friendships, human behavior and....revenge?? Although I really liked the whole story, I'm not sure how to handle the subject of bullying and cliques by young people --- does later life take care of what happens when people are young and....is it really just the idea that they are young and foolish or is it deeper than that? Although I'm giving the story 5 stars, I hesitated because who really got away with what in the end? Where did things begin and where did they end? The blog posters writings were particularly enjoyable. ( )

An enjoyable read, but I really wish the flashbacks had been cut. They added nothing to the story. ( )

DNF - Rape storyline

4.5 stars.

The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White is a captivating novel of new beginnings and friendship.

Following her divorce from her husband of eleven years, Merilee Dunlap and her two children, ten old year Lily and eight year old Colin, move into a cottage behind a farmhouse in Sweet Apple, GA. Her ninety-three year old landlady Sugar Prescott is surprisingly spry, mentally sharp and somewhat outspoken. Sugar and Merilee strike up an unlikely friendship in spite of Sugar's reluctance to become involved with the divorcee and her kids. Despite not quite fitting in with the other wealthy suburban moms at her children's private school, Merilee is soon fast friends with Heather Blackford, wife to Dr. Daniel Blackburn and mother of two. Merilee has also caught the eye of Sugar's best friend's grandson Wade Kimball but she is not quite ready to reenter the dating scene. Sugar tries to warn Merilee that Heather might have an ulterior motive for befriending her but will Merilee heed her friend's advice to not be quite so trusting?

Merilee is still reeling from her unexpected divorce and she is rather vulnerable as she starts her life over. She is a little concerned about how recent events have affected Lily and she makes every effort to keep her daughter from worrying too much about the changes to their lives. On the other hand, Colin is quite resilient and he loves exploring his new surroundings. While their move has gone fairly smoothly, Merilee is a little overwhelmed by her responsibilities as a single mom. Despite her natural reticence to discuss about her past, Merilee is surprisingly trusting as her friendship with Heather deepens. Although the beginning of her relationship with Sugar is a little rocky due to her landlady's propensity to speak her mind, they quickly find common ground as Sugar opens up to Merilee about her long ago past.

Sugar has had more than her share of heartache over her lifetime so she tries to protect herself from getting close to anyone. She has never had any trouble keeping her distance from her previous tenants, so she is a little surprised when she finds herself drawn to Merilee and her children. Sugar recognizes herself in Merilee and she is soon confiding long held secrets to her young friend. She is also a little worried about Merilee's budding friendship with Heather but her warnings fall on deaf ears. While Merilee and Sugar do not see eye to eye on some things, their friendship easily withstands the occasional friction between them. Although Sugar refuses to admit it, Merilee, Lily and Colin have become quite important to her and she worries about them as if they were blood relatives.

There is also a hint of suspense to the storyline in addition to Merliee's new found friendships. Vague references to Merilee's past hint that her recent divorce is just one of the losses she has suffered. Her relationship with her parents is quite distant and they do not offer her help or support as she rebuilds her life. Astute readers will easily pick up on what is happening right under Merilee's nose well before events take a wrong turn and she finds herself in an increasingly precarious situation. It is also somewhat easy to guess the motive for the plan that has been set in motion. This does not lessen the overall enjoyment of the novel but is incredibly frustrating seeing someone who is vulnerable fall victim to another person's twisted manipulations.

The Night the Lights Went Out is an extremely heartwarming novel with a wonderful small town atmosphere. The storyline is well-developed and quite engaging. The characters are multi-dimensional and very personable despite a few flaws. A very charming story with plenty of Southern flair that I absolutely loved and highly recommend to old and new fans of Karen White. ( )