Review
At first glance, Southern Fried, by Rob Rosen, is a curious mix of romance, mystery and suspense. Set in the heartland of the American South, our hero and narrator, Trip Jackson, finds himself surrounded by deceit and blackmail when he returns home for the funeral of his wealthy grandmother. With help from stable-boy-turned-love-interest Zeb, Trip sets out to unfold the secrets his family have left behind.
Reading the book was a lot of fun, brought about through a chatty yet direct tone of voice. Being camp, sweet and light-hearted, it is perhaps a shame that the book is being released in the autumn – since it would be an appropriate read while relaxing on the beach. With a cast primarily composed of beautiful men, coupled with a great deal of sexual content, Rosen develops the story as a romance, but with enough additional intrigue to retain the readers’ interest for those looking for more substance.
The relationship between Trip and Zeb provides the main catalyst, however it was sometimes difficult to develop an emotional interest in their love affair. This could be explained by the overall length of the novel (244 pages), as supporting a cast of background characters in a relatively short word count makes it difficult to give much attention to the twists and turns of the heroes’ romance. Potential barriers to their relationship – for example revelations about the personal life of Trip’s new boyfriend – are quickly glossed over, rather than building the drama.
On the other hand, individually, many of the characters are original and endearing. In particular Pearl, whose presence throughout the story is as soothingly maternal as her home cooking. She is frequently and fondly recounted by Trip, and her character gives a more rounded feel to the Southern backdrop. The theme of family and heritage is vividly expressed by the liberal scattering of peanuts, peaches and fried tomatoes, whether used as comfort food or a weapon in espionage.
Numerous twists and surprises leads to an ultimately fulfilling conclusion. However, the ending does perhaps cram too much action into a short space, which slightly dampens the suspense. Another issue is that all of the plot elements come together too conveniently, which some readers could find disappointing. However, to do so may be to miss the point; Trip’s motley crew of old friends and new get the ending they deserve – as do the bad guys. It is similar to the end of a pantomime, where the reader no longer cares if it’s realistic or not.
In parts, the action borders upon farce – although this is actually part of its charm. The characters move from one outlandish scrape to the next, with a lashings of humour and adventure, and not forgetting the sex, which is sprinkled liberally throughout the book. In conclusion, Southern Fried is sassy and uplifting, providing a worthwhile break for a rainy day.
Available as an ebook and in print from mid-September. See the author’s website for details.
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