Thank you Netgalley, and the publisher for an early copy of this book.
Set in Mississippi, Rush is the story of a sisterhood that has deeper issues than what to wear to rush events. This story describes microagressions (interesting concept I read about in this book), and the dark side of race that is still pervasive in our country. As a woman who spent two years in a sorority, I actually enjoyed reading this story. It was very interesting to read about a culture that is so far removed from what I experienced, and where I grew up. I had a visceral reaction to Annie Laurie, and Lilith, and should you choose to read this book, you will know exactly what I am talking about. I thought Rush was a good read. It did take me a while to get into it, but I solely attribute that to the beginning of a new school year, and not the quality or content of the writing.

This book was fantastic! As a former Midwest sorority girl, I saw some similarities in the process, but this book is mainly about the relationships between the members, the house staff, and the house Corp. Although old Southern rules are acknowledged, we also see what could happen if the next generation decides to stand up for what they believe. Great story, loved it!

A great look into southern greek life. I loved the characters and would love a sequel. For fans of MEAN GIRLS, LEGALLY BLOND and THE HELP

I wish that it were possible to leave more stars because this book deserves them. Lisa Patton has written a book with characters that leap off from the page directly into your heart. For those who went to college, some things will be "Ah, I remember that" moments and for those who didn't, consider yourself enrolled in Patton University.
The story is told from alternating points of view: Wilda, Miss Pearl and Cali. All are coping with various problems.
This book will certainly be in my list of favorite books this year and I can't begin to express how much I'm looking forward to Patton's next book. Clear your schedule when you start this book - it's that good!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Raised in the PNW, this book was like reading about another country. The entire sorority life has always been a bit of a mystery to me, so reading this book was a pleasant enlightenment.

Told in three viewpoints, I was drawn to Cali’s the most. In fact, I would enjoy her story in YA form.

I found it interesting that each of the three characters let, what they considered shameful secrets, imprison them and hold them back from becoming the great people they could be.

The languid Southern pace picked up in the last quarter of the book when I found myself flipping through the pages toward a satisfying resolution.

I received an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

This is one of my favorite books of 2018 because Lisa Patton has written an absolute winner of a book. It's well told and engrossing from the very beginning. It's an absolute must read and if you don't pick this up you will be missing on an amazingly beautiful book. Make plenty of time to savor this book and once you have finished it you will find that you will be thinking about it long after the last word has been read. Happy reading!

5 Spectacularly Southern Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a buddy read with one of my book Besties Mackenzie... she started before I did and said the book was reminiscent of “The Help“ and I’d have to agree.... both books have a very similar vibe and this is very high praise because “The Help” is one of my all-time favorite books.... A lot of this book focuses on the Greek system at Ole Miss.... by Greek system I mean social sororities and fraternities and buy Ole Mis I mean University of Mississippi... I myself was in a sorority when I was in college and both my older kids are currently in a Greek social organization at their universities.... I thought perhaps because of this tie in I liked the book more but my reading buddy Mackenzie Who is not Greek enjoyed it just as much as me! Because really whether you are Greek or not, southern or not, American or not, at its heart this book is about compassion, acceptance, change, family, and friendship....

This book was told from three alternating points of view... Cali A college freshman with a less than stellar pedigree but a heart of gold... Wilda A helicopter mother of a girl who is a freshman as well and Cali’s New BFF... Pearl the cleaning lady and in house “psychologist“ at the ΑΔΒ sorority house....

Pearl is very loved by all theΑΔ sisters... she is their mother away from home, and the girls probably tell her more than they would tell their actual mothers.... Pearl was a tremendously likable character, I seriously wanted a big hug from her and wish she had been part of my college experience.... this part of the story really focused on the change that is needed... and racial inequality as well as social inequality... it also was a very hopeful part of the story... I truly believe today’s youth are so much more accepting then previous generations and it gives me so much hope for our future.... The sorority girls actions in the story were a wonderful example of this....

The other part of the book was about sorority recruitment at a huge SEC school where it is pretty cutthroat.... Cali is not a legacy none of her relatives have ever been Greek... and from what I understand this is a huge deal in the south... living in California sorority/fraternity recruitment/Rush is an entirely different animal than in the south where it is the end-all and be-all of who you are during your college days... A lot of this is because the south is so steeped in tradition... this book really showed the ugly side of sorority rush and how dirty it can be... what house you get into is so important and sometimes it is more important to these girl’s mothers then it is to the girls themselves.... now some of the shenanigans and outcomes in this book I’m not sure could actually happen, but this is fiction... and the author went to the University of Alabama so she’d know better than me! how competitive sorority recruitment has become was really demonstrated well in this book.... but I absolutely loved Cali’s attitude she wasn’t concerned with getting into a “top“ house she just wanted a sisterhood to belong to... Cali was such a wonderful character sweet, smart, humble, compassionate, just the kind of girl you’d want your daughter to be friends with and you’d want your son to date... I enjoyed this part of the book it brought back memories and my daughter just went through sorority recruitment a couple years ago.... I also liked how it painted a different picture of sororities then a lot of other books, it focus more on the sisterhood and their philanthropic activities, rather than partying.... and I really think this book painted the Greek system in a positive light more than anything else...

This book really had so much heart, at its very core it was really about the bonds between females... young and old... rich and poor... sister or not... it was about growing and learning and changing and learning who you really are.... I fell in love with each and everyone of these characters and hated the book to end because I did not want to say goodbye to these characters... this book will leave you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart!

Absolutely recommend when you are in the mood for an uplifting hopeful story filled with an amazing cast of characters you won’t soon forget!

*** many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this delightful book ***

👑 thought I’d share that I am a ΖΤΑ and the mother of a ΚΚΓ and a ΒΘΠ

This was such a fabulous read. I was never a part of that sorority world but I’ve always been fascinated by it. This peek into the southern version of it was just perfect to me. At times so funny, it was also eye opening in relation to old traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the sorority world and also maybe glad I didn’t ever participate.
I recommend this one to anyone who loves a gorgeously written southern college tale. This one was delicious.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Southern fiction done right! At first I didn't think this book would work for me, because I just could not relate to sorority sisters or Rush, as I never experienced this on college. But I was so drawn in by story and characters! The writing is superb Southern!

Wow. This book is both timely and stuck in the past. Or maybe it’s timely because some people are stuck in the past. What I thought was going to be a book about sorority life was much more. There was a lot of depth in each of the characters, and I ended the book in tears. A truly beautiful book set in Mississippi, Rush will make you check yourself and your perceptions of people.

I received an advance copy, all thoughts are my own.

Rush is a celebration of sisterhood and friendship. A story of adversity and unfairness, wealthy and poor, and how the younger generation, just learning to spread their wings, solves issues and brings change to their world. Ellie and Cali, while rushing a college sorority during their first time away from home, realize that the staff at their sorority house is underpaid and uninsured and decide to make this their mission. Miss Pearl, a second mother to most of the girls in the sorority house, is disrespected and quits her job over racist remarks. The girls hurry to change things so that Miss Pearl will return and others are compensated fairly.

I'm not from the South, but even I'm aware that racism still exists in our world today. I like the way the subject was handled and the reaction of the younger generation to enact change related to it. Sometimes the writing didn't flow as easy as I felt it should and I had to reread lines to be sure I understood. It was a tough subject to tackle, and it was done carefully with laughter and tears. I felt their were two stories here - the friendship, sisterhood and the Rush of the Sorority and the issues with the staff and Miss Pearl, and that when one ended halfway in, and the other began. It might of worked better as two separate books. Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Rush by Lisa Patton gives us a look at Greek sorority life on a college campus and three girls that are attempting to become Alpha Delta Beta’s. The competition for bids between houses, girls and their mothers is at times entertaining and at others incredibly frustrating. I appreciated the inclusion of three girls from various backgrounds and how their friendships develop. I loved the developing storyline with Mama Carla, Pearl and the other staff as well as drama with the advisors. In full disclosure I was a sorority girl, albeit not a southern one, but even 20 years ago we had all races, ethnicities and sociological-economic backgrounds welcomed openly into our sisterhood. We also considered our housemother and staff to be part of our family and treated them well. Now I am reconsidering some of those things I may have overlooked. I do hope that people read this book, as I found it overall to be engaging. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Rush is a story that will invoke memories of college days. There are several storylines and I enjoyed how the author wove them together.
This is the story of the trials and tribulations of three girls as they are going through Rush week at Ole Miss, the story follows some of the moms as well and some of the employees at the sorority house.
The book leaves you with a lot to think about as each of those storylines illustrate the have and the have nots and the role privilege plays.
I enjoyed how the author developed the character and morals of each of the girls and how they struggled with things they felt were not right.
This is an excellent piece of southern fiction. I will definitely read this author again.
I received an Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from St. Martin's Press for my unbiased opinion of the book. I loved this book. What great characters Lisa Patton created Wilda, Cali, Miss Pearl, Lilith, etc... It’s a great story about sorority rush season. Tried and true ways of doing things not saying it’s right but how it was done and not politically correct. When the current years rush starts things come to light that should have never been condoned over the years. With the change in the air and spunk and tired of same old, same old comes this book which is a breath of fresh air in the literary community. This book will grab you from beginning to end. Lisa Patton has done a great job portraying the old guard of the sorority as well as the new and bringing them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You don't want to miss this book! A great end of summer read!

I received a copy on netgalley to read. I had never read anything by Lisa Patton so I did not know what to expect from her Novel Rush. I was pleasantly surprised. It reminds you a little of the Help in the fact there are two distinct social classes but that is the only similarity. You are introduced to sorority life at an old Southern school and quite a bit more. You see workers who become surrogate mothers but don’t get any of the benefits just because of their color. This is a great read. I will add Lisa Patton to my list of authors to look for.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc of Rush. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rush caught me by surprise. In my mind I had imagined it to be a book about the inner workings of a sorority in the Deep South. And yes that was a part of the story but there is so much more to it than that.

Set in current day, Rush unfolds from three distinctly different main characters perspective. Miss Pearl, the heart and soul of the sorority house and also it’s main housekeeper. Wilda, the Alpha Delta alum who is trying to figure out her own path while her freshman daughter attends her alma mater, The University of Mississippi. And lastly Cali, a brilliant young woman rising up from a difficult parental situation to achieve her dream of becoming a sorority sister.

I devoured their stories and just when I thought I knew what to expect next the author would switch the narrative from what I had anticipated. And I love and appreciate that! This turned out to be an excellent read for me -from the fascinating setting to the growth and development of the characters. I simply didn’t want to put it down to I found out how all their stories would conclude.

Rush is a powerful, moving book. There is an amazing cast of characters, all of which experience various degrees of growth. I loved reading about the rush process, as I never joined a sorority when I was in college. Honestly, I love everything about this story.

This book is important for all people to read, but especially those in the South that may hold onto some of these same beliefs. Read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Lisa Patton for the ARC to review. This book was like "The Help" only set in a sorority in 2016. I couldn't but it down, it was a page turner. It dealt with issue of race, wealth and health care. These are all things that are affecting us right now. It is hard to believe that the people in the south are still stuck in the 1950's. This was a great read and I highly recommend.

If I’m completely honest, I didn’t love the first half of this book. I felt a strong dislike for Lilith Whitmore, and I realize there had to be a villain in the story, and it was definitely her!

The second half of this book made me truly believe that good can overcome evil; that love can overcome hatred.

I liked that the story was told in several voices. I most enjoyed the narratives of Cali and Miss Pearl.

In the end, I enjoyed Rush and would read other books by this author. I would recommend it to fans of Southern Fiction and anyone who has been a part of the sorority life.

If you were a member of a Southern sorority (or wanted to be) and/or you loved the book/film The Help, then this is the book for you.

Rush, by Lisa Patton, is true-blue Southern fiction. As someone who was fully entrenched in my sorority during my school years at Georgia State University, reading this book was like going to a college reunion.

When Patton began describing the rush ("recruitment") events, it was like I went back in time. Things I thought I had forgotten came rushing back. I loved feeling sentimental about things like rush parties, bids, and the entire process.

But, what this book more enjoyable is that while it focuses on sorority life from the lens of a mother/alum acting as an advisor the year her daughter (and legacy) goes through recruitment, there is more to the story.

This not simply a novel about mother/legacy rush bonding. It is a novel that also brings the people who work hard behind the scenes to life - those who keep the house running smoothly. Readers get to know the house mother, the housekeeper, the house cooks, and the rest who are paid little to make the lives of the wealthy even better.

Set in Ole Miss, this novel brings to light racial issues still occurring to this day/ At some points, I found them cringe-worthy, which I believe was the point. It is very hard in 2018 to think these things still exist, but as someone who grew up in the South can attest, racism is alive and well. This added element brought a level of depth to a novel that would have been lacking without it.

This novel is sugary-sweet, so if you are not a fan of sap, you may want to pass on this one. But, for the rest of us, it is a perfect read that will leave you feeling hopeful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lisa Patton for providing me with a copy to read and review! This one will be released August 21, 2018.