Author: Lauren ClarkTitle: Dancing Naked In Dixie
Publisher: Monterey Press
Publish Date: May 15, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Goddess Fish Promotions and the author
Book Blurb: Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired. With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage. Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?
Review: When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it much. I really wasn't sure how I felt about Julia. She didn't really click with me much at the beginning. However that changed when she arrived in Georgia and she turned into a sort of Calamity Jane!
Broken car windshield, fire ants, bee stings and turned ankles!
Nothing good seems to happen to her in Eufaula, except maybe Shug, who comes with a quirky family and a very possessive girlfriend, Mary Katherine, who you will love to hate. I really love how quickly the city girl Yankee takes to the small southern town.
There's a lot of charm in Eufaula. I wish a little more time could have been spent on that, rather than the dilemma of Phase III which involved ridding the town of some historic houses. It left me wondering what she would be writing about sometimes.
What I did love was how she jumped in to try to help Shug and his family trying to preserve the buildings. I also loved how she was a walking disaster. It took awhile, but midway through the book, Julia felt real and I liked her and wanted good things for her.
The nice thing was, there was only one villain in the story and it wasn't her boyfriend. I like how Lauren handled every aspect of that relationship.
If you like books with a southern setting that have a little bit of romance and humor, this is a good choice. I look forward to reading more of Lauren's in the future.
Rating: 4 flowers
