In Polite Company: A Novel

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This terrific debut lifts the veil on the charming old city of Charleston and a prominent Lowcountry family to deliver an entertaining story about becoming yourself without totally rejecting your past. Plus: debutante balls! I love this novel. Lauren Weisberger, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and When Life Gives You Lululemons

A captivating debut novel that looks inside the private lives of Charleston aristocracy, where a former debutante learns thatsometimesgood behavior leads to bad decisions.

Tourists think they see the real Charleston, but Simons Smythe knows theres more to her hometown than sweet tea and Southern hospitality. Behind the walled gardens, inside the fabled historic homes, live Charlestons elite. Simons was born into this powerful aristocracy that has quietly ruled the city for centuries.

Simonss family has a banner year ahead; Her older sister will give birth to her second child, and her younger sister will make her debuta series of cocktail parties and balls to introduce her to society. And in one year, Simons plans to marry Trip. She hopes thats enough time to fall back in love.

Simons produces the news at a local TV station, a job that increasingly tests her loyalty to her family and friends. On her days off, Simons surfs the waves of Folly Beach, crabs the salty rivers of Edisto Island, and follows her wayward heart to King Street bars. The one touchstone in this confusing time is her elegant and secretive grandmother, Laudie, whorepeatedly and mysteriouslyurges Simons to be brave.

In this sparkling novel, Simons unlocks riddles from the past, flirts with a new future, and discovers that some rules are made to be broken.

Reviews

Here is the captivating story of a contemporary young woman navigating the expectations of family, the traditions of Charlestons elite, and the fierce pull of her own heart... This is a beautiful debut novel. Sue Monk Kidd, #1New York Timesbestselling author This terrific debut lifts the veil on the charming old city of Charleston and a prominent Lowcountry family to deliver an entertaining story about becoming yourself without totally rejecting your past. Plus: debutante balls! I love this novel. Lauren Weisberger, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and When Life Gives You Lululemons "Peek behind the veil of Charlestons cobbled streets, Southern charm and pedigreed society. In Polite Companyoffers a nuanced look at birth and death, privilege and discrimination at odds between generations. Gervais Hagerty is an author to watch! Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author "ReadingIn Polite Companyis like visiting a college friend from Charlestonthe onewho brings you to all the glamorous, old-fashioned events you might not otherwise get invited to...Gervais Hagertys keen insights on the quagmires of the modern South set it apart from other summer reads. I loved this book." Katie Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Embassy Wife andGirls in Trucks Gervais Hagertys compelling debut novel allows us a fascinating glimpse into an elite Southern society trying to hold onto age-old traditions and values in a rapidly changing world... Thisis the kind of highly readable, richly populated, and beautifully written book you will be eager to recommend to others! Cassandra King Conroy, award-winning author of Tell Me a Story: My Life with Pat Conroy

Author Bio

Gervais Hagerty Del Porto grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Vanderbilt University. After a stint at a nonprofit in California, she returned to the east coast, where she worked as a news reporter and producer for both radio and television broadcasts. In 2013, she earned her M.B.A. from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, and soon after became a professor, teaching Leadership Communications to undergraduate cadets. As the director of Patricia McArver Public Speaking Lab, she coached students, faculty, and staff to become effective speakers. She also advised the college's public speaking club. Gervais left her post at The Citadel to write and to build her consulting business, Charleston Public Speaking. She is a board member of The Charleston Council for International Visitors and also serves on Charleston's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. She lives in Charleston with her husband and daughters.