Rush

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. From the publisher --- Bestselling author Lisa Patton digs deep into exciting new territory with RUSH, a story about mothers and daughters, sisterhood, tradition, and doing the right thing. When Lilith Whitmore, the well-heeled House Corp President of Alpha Delta Beta—the premiere sorority at Ole Miss—appoints recent empty-nester Wilda to the Rush Advisory Board, Wilda can hardly believe her luck. What’s more, Lilith suggests their daughters, both incoming freshman, room together! What Wilda doesn’t know is that it's all part of Lilith’s plan to ensure her own daughter receives an Alpha Delt bid—no matter what. Smart, sweet Cali Watkins is the perfect potential new sorority member…except for one thing. She’s missing a very important ingredient—pedigree. Without family money, Cali's chances of membership are already razor thin, but she's got an even bigger problem. If anyone discovers the dark family secrets she's hiding, Cali will be dropped from Rush faster than she can say, Hotty Toddy. For twenty-five years, Miss Pearl—as her “babies” like to call her—has been the housekeeper and a second mother to the Alpha Delta girls, even though it reminds her of a painful part of her past she’ll never forget. When an opportunity for promotion arises, it seems a natural fit. But Lilith Whitmore slams her Prada heel down fast, crushing Miss Pearl’s hopes for a better future. When Wilda and the girls find out, they devise a plan destined to change Alpha Delta Beta—and maybe the entire Greek system—forever. Lisa Patton’s RUSH is a sharp, nuanced look at a centuries-old tradition with a harvest of heart, humor, and honor mixed in between.

Having gone to a (horrible but dirt cheap) under-grad university that did not have a Greek system (it's not a big thing in Canada like it is in the USA) this book was strangely calling my name to see what the big deal was about as all I know of the Greek System are the movies "Animal House" and "The House Bunny"! I had problems at first keeping track of who the girls were as they all had so many secrets but that is a Southern Gothic novel for you. The book kept me engrossed from page one as my chin dragged on the floor at the mere description (and unmitigated gall) of the $20,000+ dorm room design (with a safe for valuables???) which gracefully led to much laughter over the "Jimmy Choos are shoes" section. I was sad when this book ended --- those girls are loveable and fierce and just the kind of girls you would want to have your back. Great job, Lisa Patton... please write more books!!