Waking Up in Dixie

by Haywood Smith

When Elizabeth Mooney escaped the shame of her "white trash" family to marry the crown prince of her small town, Howell Whittington, she never dreamed that thirty years later she'd end up trapped in a loveless marriage to the cruel banker who's foreclosing on all her friends. Then Howe has a stroke sitting up in church, and when he wakes up, he's at the mercy of all his appetites and emotions. Transformed, Howe wants to be a real husband-which scares proper, repressed Elizabeth to death-and setting out to right past wrongs, he blackmails the town's baddies into doing the right thing by threatening to foreclose on their mortgages. The ensuing hilarious rollercoaster ride wakes up not only Elizabeth and their marriage but the whole town and its hidebound institutions.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Southern, Romance, Womens Fiction, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

First published September 14, 2010

Reviews

[beachbum bookworm]

rtc

[Krissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. I liked the idea of the book. The whole terrible husband/father wakes up from coma changed and determined to make amends and fix his marriage plot caught my interest pretty quickly. But there were a few things that kept me from really enjoying the book. First I could have done without all the religious content. And though I felt bad for Elizabeth because her husband was a manslut and a worthless husband I just couldn't warm up to her. She just kept doing things throughout the book that annoyed me. Plus she was a little bit of a prude. Drove me crazy. Then there was their daughter Patricia. Gah, how I loathed her. Every time she opened her mouth to speak I wanted to punch her in the throat. She was such a spoiled rotten narcissistic brat. I hated her all the way to the end. Nothing she did at the end of the book redeemed her in my eyes. By then it was just too little too late.

Surprisingly my favorite character was Howell(the husband). Take away all the "I saw God" and "God spoke to me" mumbo jumbo and he would have been a 3 star character. Of course I'm talking about his character after he woke up from the coma.

So my final rating is 2.5 stars.

[Diane Sugars · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just one of those "Eh, it was ok" books. It did hold my attention and did not take a long time to read, but substance wise, this story just was not up there with some of the other books I have read recently. I will probably check out more of this authors books just to see what they are like. I do have to say that I did like how this story ended and if you like stories where everything is tied up with a pretty bow at the end, then you would probably enjoy this book.

[Wendyll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh... Started strong and charming but quickly got a little too cheesy. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to feel bad for the protag- can't be too difficult to find onself with a multi-billionaire footing the bill. Nice message of independance here... still... fluffy light and amusing reading.. it was kind of like an episode of Full House.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't stand books that are written as religious propaganda without disclosure. Wasted my time.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too much saving grace for me

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book was not quite what I expected, I did enjoy it. I thought it was going to be a story poking fun at living in the South because of the title since the book cover used the word 'hilarious' in its review. Even though I did not find it to be particularly humorous, it was a good read. In this story, Elizabeth portrays a society wife who is completely dominated by her husband, Howell Whittington, his mother who runs both of their lives, and her daughter who has been spoiled by Howell. Howell is a wealthy businessman who is ruthless in his bank dealings and is constantly having affairs with other women. However, everything changes when Howe has a stroke and wakes up 6 months later completely changed in what he wants out of life and his marriage. Although Elizabeth has hoped for the things he now wants, she has been hurt so badly by him and his mother that she doesn't trust him. The humorous parts of the novel have to do with how Howe goes about trying to fix things in his life and those of others around him. Where he had never used any type of profanity before the stroke, now he finds he finds himself 'cussing' a lot to the horror of Elizabeth! This is a book that makes you feel good as you read it.

[Lin Stepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful "turn around" book in which several characters make profound changes that take their lives on a new, more purposeful and positive course. I love a read like that … so I really enjoyed this book. Elizabeth had married well by wedding the wealthy Howell Whittington…. and neither Elizabeth or Howe are very admirable people as the book begins. But then Howe has a stroke in church … that begins to shake up everything and everyone. And as he recovers, he is changed … and his change begins to affect many others beyond himself. As Howe says near the end of the book: "God gave me another chance … and I mean to make the best of it … It's never too late to make things right … Don't waste the chances you still have." … The book teaches many good lessons, like these, in this good read, full of Southern charm and humor….with a touch of wise philosophy.

[Maam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would classify this as a fun poolside/beach read. Interesting story but not terribly well written. I felt like several things were repeated too much and the whole story of PJ was too vague. When Elizabeth would wrestle in her mind about him, I'd wonder, did I miss something because I felt like their relationship was never developed enough for the reader to grasp its importance to Elizabeth.

The story was predictable but I actually liked that. I wanted a light, fun, uplifting read and that's exactly what I got with this one. I enjoyed it enough I would like to try another by the same author.

[Ola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read about relationships and marriage. Elizabeth is ready to give up on her marriage when her husband Howe has a stroke and brain tumor. When he awakes from a coma months later, he is a completely different man. He's more like the man she fell in love with so many years ago except now he curses and cannot seem to tell a lie. He also realizes how hard he made life for Elizabeth. Perfect ending!

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much more to this book than what I anticipated. I thought I was getting a funny, southern chick book similar to your Mary Kay Andrews read. This book was about a family who was self destructing under in their own self-important image, but due to a medical crisis was forced to get real. A great story and an enjoyable read.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Moony escaped from a less-than-stellar (OK, wretched) family, and married the Golden Boy of her small town. The plan was that she and Howe, her husband, would escape from Whittington, and Howe would practice law. Alas, the best laid plans yadda yadda yadda. Howe's father dies, and he feels that he MUST take his father's place at the bank. But there are secrets at the bank, and Howe gradually becomes someone Elizabeth does not know, someone cold and unfeeling.

When Howe suffers a stroke secondary to a benign tumor, no one knows if, when or how he might wake up...but wake up he does, and a completely different man! This is someone that Elizabeth has never known. A man who lets his emotions show, a man who is open about his relationship with God, a man determined to make amends to many people, a man who scares his wife a bit, and his daughter and mother quite a lot. His son rather likes this new man. But can the rest of the family, and indeed, the town, learn to love this stranger?

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook and really quite enjoyed it. It was well narrated and that may be why I enjoyed it so much. There were even a few laugh-out-loud moments in the book. Elizabeth finds herself in her 30 year marriage wondering if it’s time to bow out when her tyrant of a husband, a banker, has a stroke and requires months of nursing care. As he regains consciousness, she finds that he does a complete 180 in his personality, and tries to right the wrongs in his life. The story continues to follow the path of husband and wife as they try to rebuild their relationship and it takes some unusual turns. Although I found it difficult to swallow (the complete turn around of her husband’s behavior after his stroke), the suspension of disbelief is a marvelous tool in fiction, and if one can go with that, then the author gives a great little story with a lot of happily ever after in it.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this audio book and it was nothing short of enchanting. The author and the reader combined to make a wonderful experience for me. The characters were so true and so real that I am sure I will be thinking about them and wondering how they are doing for a long time to come.

Howell Widdington is a Southern Gentleman in the worst way until his brain tumor inducing stroke. He wakes up a different man and it's fascinating to see how his world and his family evolve around the changes.

[Kristin R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light easy listening. Things start to fall apart for a southern family, with the best reputation, when Howe has a stroke. Appearances must be maintained at all times - easier said than done. The little secrets come out while Howe is recovering from his illness, he also seems to be a changed man. Long married, Elizabeth and Howe try to re-connect now that he appears to be very different post-stroke.

[Sharon Wishnow · Rating 3 out of 5]

An imaginative and fun read, maybe a little too heavy on God and Jesus for my taste, but I enjoyed the writing, the clever story line, and the feel good character arcs. Love, redemption, a little dirty laundry, and gossip to keep it all interesting and moving along to a satisfying end.

[Stephanie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally like books about Georgia. As I am born and raised in Ga . This 1 talks about different cities in the state. And I like the story line. Its an easy read. I really like this author, I loved Ladies at the lake, too.

[Tlwinky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty blah... made it through the first quarter and couldn't stick with it. Good premise but not done in the best way, in my opinion. Maybe add some humor? Or more likable characters? It just kind of plodded along.

[Debbie Kissel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because I had met the author many years ago and thought it would be a good time to finally read something of hers. It was a quick read I enjoyed the book and I feel like others would enjoy something light

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept waiting for something to really happen in this book, and it didn't until the very end. It just drug on and on. It was also supposed to be so funny, but I think I only really laughed once. I should have DNF'd it.

[Karen Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and was so sad when it ended. I absolutely adored it!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful! I could not put it down. The characters were so well-written and I cheered for each of them.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, funny, satisfying.

[Cheryl Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some kind of current day fairy tale.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! Witty, fun, but also made you think - what would you do it you had a second chance to right the wrongs in your life?

[Juliana Feriani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and light--but does raise some interesting questions....

[Pam Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what the book was missing for me. Yes it's an easy, enjoyable read, but something was missing.

[Debra S. Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. Good southern story! I really enjoyed this book.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok maybe 2.5 starts. I enjoyed the beginning but then the story began to drag. And become far fetched...

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listening to the "southern" takes me back...that she is "white trash" could happen any where there is a poorer element. Haywood Smith captures the south well.