My book club approached this book looking for a quick, light read, and it did not disappoint. Catherine Grace’s lilting southern accent was ever-present in the narration, and we felt right at home with her in Ringgold. The story was sweet, if a bit predictable, and it went down easily. Gilmore’s vivid descriptions made us feel like we, too, were suffering in the sweltering heat, longing to escape small town life, but looking forward to that weekly trip to the Dairy Queen for a few minutes of quiet time with a Dilly Bar.

I think that desire to grow up and get away is something we all felt as teenagers, regardless of where we lived, and Gilmore brings it to life quite skillfully. On the day she is to leave, Catherine Grace still can’t quite believe that her dream is actually coming true, and that conflict between excitement and fear of the unknown rang true for many of us.

Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog. ( )

Catherine Grace Cline wants to get the heck outta Dodge... or better said, the heck outta Ringgold, Georgia. There is just something about this town that just makes her restless - maybe it’s that it’s too quiet, or too small, or that it has a very small population - where everyone is your neighbor and they all know every little thing about your life. She and her sister spend every Saturday eating Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen and plotting their big escape.

Catherine Grace lives with her father, the town’s Baptist Minister, as well as her younger sister. It’s been tough living without her momma, who accidentally drowned when she was young. And although she still misses her mother and has always been haunted by her passing, she has luckily found a mother figure in her mother’s best friend, Gloria Jean.

Gloria Jean is an inspiration to Catherine Grace. For no one in town looks, dresses or acts like Gloria Jean - with her pretty nails, always done-up hair and fancy clothes. So when the chance arrives for Catherine Grace to move out of town and live in the big city, Atlanta - working in a department store and leading the life she has always dreamed about, she has no qualms with saying good-bye to her family, friends and boyfriend.

But when tragedy strikes and Catherine Grace has to make her way back home - not just is she surprised when she realizes that nothing she believed was as she thought, but she will also question whether leaving her hometown was the best thing for her, or was she where she belonged from the start.

Catherine Grace's voice is so unique and innocent that you become immediately immersed in her life and that of the citizens of Ringgold from the first sentence. As you read, you almost feel as if you are reading with a Southern drawl... it was really very endearing. Her voice is that of anyone who grew up in a small town - with hopes of seeing the great big world. Although the decision to leave everything and everyone you've known your whole life is a tough one, it is one that must be made.

This was a very lovely story - with some fantastic characters and plenty of twists that will keep you interested and in the end leave you wanting more. This is a coming-of-age story that not only leaves you feeling hopeful but also with a big grin on your face. I loved it and can definitely recommend it. ( )

Reviewed by JodiG. for TeensReadToo.com

It's the 1970's, and Catherine Grace Cline is stuck in the one place she knows she doesn't belong - her hometown of Ringgold, Georgia. It's a town that just doesn't fit her. It's too small and too quiet. She spends every Saturday eating Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen and plotting her escape.

Catherine Grace is the daughter of a third-generation Baptist minister. Her father leads his flock through the joys and sorrows of their lives, the same way he has led his family through their own troubled times. Catherine Grace is also the daughter of Lena Mae Pierce, and has been haunted by the death of her mother. How could her mother have drowned in the creek and left Catherine Grace and her sister? Why would God let that happen?

The only exciting person Catherine Grace knows is Gloria Jean, who lives next door. Gloria Jean has her hair, nails, and make-up done like no other woman in town. She dresses well and has the sophisticated air of a woman who's been married five times, and isn't ashamed to admit it.

Catherine Grace soon finds that she has the chance to change her world. The chance she has dreamed of. She says goodbye to her family, friends, and her boyfriend and moves to Atlanta, where she lives the life she knew she was destined for.

But it isn't long before tragedy strikes and Catherine returns home again to find that nothing is as she thought. A series of revelations leads Catherine Grace to wonder if Ringgold was the place where she really belonged all along, or is she throwing away her dreams like so many other people in her life have done?

LOOKING FOR SALVATION AT THE DAIRY QUEEN is a very endearing story. Susan Gregg Gilmore writes in a way that immediately brings Catherine Grace to life and gives her a clear, unique voice. The story is surprising and suspenseful; it keeps you turning the pages until you get to the satisfying end. ( )

Catherine Cline knows from an early age that she doesn't want to stay in Ringgold, GA. She sets her sights over the mountains that surround Ringgold and every week at the DQ, dilly bar in hand, she dreams of turning 18 and leaving. This book was filled with warmth, humor and human foibles. It's characters were nicely developed, the ususal Southern style suspects in place. Fans of Southern fiction like Fannie Flagg etc should really enjoy Catherine's coming of age story. ( )

The author came to Lindy Oakes (her cousin) and talked to Meg Day's book club. The book is a story of Katherine Grace and her sister, Martha Ann, live with their widowed, minister father. KG wants to leave Ringgold, Ga. and does, to live for a while in Atlanta. Her father's death calls her home to many surprising relivations. ( )