Southern Attraction by Tracy Kauffman

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**Platinum Note: This review was provided by Charissa Nelson, a trial reviewer for our site. Please make Charissa feel welcome & I hope you enjoy her review! ~ VRS


If you are a fan of a YA love story that will have you laughing and crying, sometimes on the same page, then Tracy Kaufmann has written just the novel you need to read. Southern Attraction introduces us to Heather Brandon, a popular cheerleader at a Manhattan high school. She has everything a young girl could ever want. The best clothes, cool car, and the envy of the entire school. Her life is forever changed the day she is called into the principal’s office and hears the words that no child should have to, “Your parents have been killed by a drunk driver.” Heather is forced to move to a small town in Huckleburg, Alabama with an uncle she doesn’t know. All of her fancy clothes and her high class attitude will mean nothing to the students at her new school. She is immediately drawn to two boys. Jake, the high school football player, who comes from a low income family and doesn’t have much to offer in the ways of material things. And Shawn, the country boy whose family comes from money and who lives in the largest house in town. The author takes us on quite a journey with Heather trying to become accustomed to her new country lifestyle. Will she eventually fit in with the townspeople whom with she has nothing in common? Will she survive the continuous heartbreak and the love triangle that she finds herself in? This book kept me on my toes and I was eagerly turning the pages trying to see what would become of Heather and what obstacle she will be forced to face next. It is a fast read and left me wanting to read more. I hope Ms. Kaufmann writes a follow up to this story so I can get an update on the little town of Huckleburg, Alabama. I give this story a solid 4 Platinum rings.

Platinum gives Tracy & "Southern Attraction":
4 Platinum Rings!!

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Blurb:
Heather has everything she ever wanted; money, clothes, friends, popularity and parents that adored her. Until one terrible day, she loses it all. She is uprooted from a place she loves to a small town in Alabama with a uncle she doesn’t know. The small town of Huckleburg was nothing like Manhattan. Country rednecks owned the town and no one accepted Yankees from New York. Heather didn’t think things could get worse until a tornado comes and blast through the small town. Heather has to lose herself to rediscover what life is all about. She meets two guys that she can’t decide between who she really wants. Join Heather as she discovers that there is more to life than money and fame. Will Heather ever fit in and find true love or will she stay an outsider living in the south?
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Excerpt:

Heather Brandon had everything a girl could ever want. She was the head cheerleader and very popular. Also, she had parents that adored her. She was in her senior year of high school, and the school year was just beginning. Football season was starting soon, and Heather loved cheering for the Manhattan Tigers.
Eyes turned as Heather came driving up in her 2013 red SS Camaro with polished rims, ground effects and customized T tops. Mike Brandon spared no expense when it came to the luxuries he provided for his only daughter. She was self centered and the envy of everyone at her school. She was beautiful and fit. She had long brown hair, and she had curves in all the right places. When she spoke, everyone turned to hear what she had to say. That’s how nice it was to be Heather; a highly regarded girl which had the attention of all of her peers.
Then came the day when Heather was summoned to the principal’s office. She was sitting in class surrounded by several of her friends when the puzzling call came. Heather couldn’t imagine getting in trouble because she was loved by all her teachers. She had never been sent to the principal’s office before, and she was a little worried about what was going on. As she walked to the front office several thoughts came to her about why she was being called to the office. When she opened up the office door, she saw two police officers standing in the doorway.
“Mr. Pace, is anything wrong?” she inquired as she stuck her head in the doorway.
“Sit down Miss Brandon, I have something to tell you,” Mr. Pace replied. Heather walked between two tall cops that had their arms crossed, and they had sunglasses on their faces.
Heather sat down and asked, “Sir I haven’t been speeding or anything have I?”
“No, Miss Brandon, this is a little more troubling than that. I don’t know how to tell you this; Today your mother and father were on their way to your dad’s office when they were hit by a drunk driver,” Mr. Pace replied.
Heather was horrified by the news that she heard. She stood in silence unable to speak.
Mr. Pace struggled to finish telling Heather the news. “Miss Brandon, they didn’t make it. I’m so sorry,” he said.....


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