Overview

Set in modern day Oxford, Mississippi, on the Ole Miss campus, bestselling author Lisa Patton’s RUSH is a story about women—from both ends of the social ladder—discovering their voices, courage and empowerment.

When Lilith Whitmore, the well-heeled House Corp President of Alpha Delta Beta, one of the premiere sororities on campus, 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.

Cali Watkins possesses all the qualities sororities are looking for in a potential new member. She’s kind and intelligent, makes friends easily, even plans to someday run for governor. But her resume lacks a vital ingredient. Pedigree. Without family money Cali’s chances of sorority membership are already thin, but she has an even bigger problem. If anyone discovers the dark family secrets she’s hiding, she’ll be dropped from Rush in an instant.

For twenty-five years, Miss Pearl—as her “babies” like to call her—has been housekeeper and a second mother to the Alpha Delt 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 of 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.

Achingly poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny, RUSH takes a sharp nuanced look at a centuries-old tradition while exploring the complex, intimate relationships between mothers and daughters and female friends. Brimming with heart and hope for a better tomorrow, RUSH is an uplifting novel universal to us all.

Review

Rush at Ole Miss is the event of a life time for some young ladies. Cali is determined to go through Rush. She is from a small, rural town in north Mississippi so, Ole Miss is a bit of a culture shock.

Pearl is a housekeeper at the Alpha Delt house and has been for twenty- five years. All of the young ladies are her children. She gives advice, cleans up their messes and is a second mother to all of them. When the new pledge class finds out Pearl has no benefits with her job, they are determined to create a change in the old traditions.

There is good and there is bad in this novel. First off…The bad…is this the best written book I have ever read..NO! The conversations are stilted and the author states the obvious many times. That being said, I still love this book.

Now the good! The good definitely out weighs the bad. The setting is outstanding. Who does not love Oxford and Ole Miss. Yes, I am an Ole Miss grad, so of course I am going to say that. But the author really nails the location. Plus, one of the main characters in this book is Cali. Cali is from Blue Mountain, MS. Blue Mountain is in my county. It is just down the road from me. With all of this, I was on the look out for mistakes. And there are a few, but not even enough to mention. The characters fit so well together and really build a story about strength of character and love for others. There are several story lines running throughout this read, Cali and her adjustments, Pearl and her life-struggles, Lilith and her “traditions”. All of these combine to create a unique tale of overcoming obstacles and old customs.

I read some reviews about this book. I think a lot of people got it wrong. They focused on racism. That is not really what this book is about. Well it is and it isn’t. It is focusing on changing a system which should have been changed years ago and caring for others regardless of race, creed, or color! I think the author nailed it!

I received this book from the author for a honest review.

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