Southern Charm: A Novel

Southern girl Minty Davenport has always dreamed of skyscrapers, yellow cabs, and a life like Eloise’s in New York City. So upon graduation from college, she bids adieu to Charleston and makes a beeline for the Big Apple. Almost instantly, she finds herself at an event being photographed for Women’s Wear Daily, and her career as a New York society “It Girl” is launched. But as Minty navigates the ironclad customs of New York society, a blossoming love life, and a job working for a ruthless and powerful publicist, she finds that the rules a southern belle lives by—being nice to everyone, accentuating her femininity, and minding her manners—don’t necessarily guarantee success in Manhattan. When Minty gets to the top of the social ladder, she must decide if the glamorous life she thought she wanted is really everything she hoped it would be.

Tinsley Mortimer grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and is a graduate of the Lawrenceville School and Columbia University. She has since been featured on the pages of many fashion and celebrity publications, including Vogue, WWD, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Tinsley has also served as a “Beauty Ambassador” for Christian Dior and currently designs a line of handbags for the Japanese company Samantha Thavasa and her own ready-to-wear line available only in Japan. She lives in New York City.