Stephanie Austin Edwards

Southern fiction is one of my favorite genres and I'm thrilled when I find a new to me author in this genre. I met Stephanie Edwards at the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, SC, where she is a docent. Because she met Pat in high school, she had lots of great stories to share about him. As with all readers, our discussion soon turned to books that we both enjoyed and I found out that she had her first book on display in the shop so I bought a book and I loved it! The writing is so well done that I found it difficult to believe that this was her first novel and I hope that she continues to use her talents to bring us more books in the future.

The story begins in the 1970s when Nadine is about to graduate from college. Her goal is to go to NYC with her boyfriend (an actor) and pursue a career in dance. Her father, a rich controlling man in Beaufort, SC, forbids her to go and ties are cut between them when she moves to NY. In NY, she finds life much more difficult than she anticipated - it was almost impossible to find a decent apartment or a waitressing job to pay the bills while she took dance classes. This is a real coming of age novel with a brave and determined heroine. I loved Nadine and her determination to succeed despite the set backs. I laughed with her and cried with her. She is a character that I won't soon forget.

I loved this novel and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy strong characters and a wonderful story line.… (meer)

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book as thoughtful and captivating as What We Set in Motion. Edwards’ has a way of drawing you into the life of Nadine, to the point that you almost feel you are next to her for every step of her journey. And what a journey it is. I’m not a dancer, have never been to New York, and have only visited South Carolina for vacations, and I still felt each moment as though I were there. Decisions made years ago come back to haunt and have the potential of destroying everything Nadine holds dear. However, the wisdom of Aunt Amelia guides Nadine down the right path every time. For a debut novel, Edwards has surpassed all expectation; she has a way of capturing human emotions on paper like few others. I am eagerly anticipating whatever this author publishes next.… (meer)