The Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes: A Novel

Kudzu Debutantes #2

by Cathy Holton, Marguerite Gavin (Narrator)

A formal gathering of bright young women on the verge of entering adulthood, the society pages, and prospective high-tax-bracket marriages. Think a Civil War reenactment with crisp, clean white dresses.

An impromptu gathering of not-so-young women on the verge of losing their cool. Think a cotillion with hair-pulling.

It s been more than a year since the Kudzu Debutantes exacted sweet, merciless revenge on their cheating husbands, but the repercussions are still palpable throughout Ithaca, Nita is anxiously preparing herself for marriage to Jimmy Lee, a man thirteen years her junior; Lavonne, despite having dropped her husband and eighty pounds and launched her own business, longs for love; and while Eadie remains married to Trevor, she feels more neglected than ever.

So the occasion of Nita s second wedding seems like just the ticket to cheer up the disconsolate Debs. But they ve made a formidable enemy in Virginia Broadwell, first lady of Ithaca and the bride s ex-mother-in-law. Hell-bent on vengeance and determined to restore old-school social mores, Virginia hatches a plan so devious it makes her pedicured toes curl in anticipation.

Soon enough, the women are knocked for a loop but you can keep a Kudzu Debutante down for only so long. The one thing stronger than Virginia s wrath is the bond between the three friends, who soon learn that one of Virginia s Jimmy Choos contains an irresistible Achilles heel. With spirit, wit, and down-home gumption, the take-no-prisoners trio decides it s time to ditch their cotillion manners as they rally to save Nita s marriage, Lavone s business, Eadie s sanity . . . and the honor of Kudzu Debs the world over.

Packed with authentic Southern flavor and characters as colorful as an azalea in full bloom, The Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes serves up stinging one-liners and earthy wisdom in equal measure.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Southern, Humor, Womens Fiction, Womens, Friendship

Audio Cassette

First published August 14, 2007

About the author

Cathy Holton continues to entertain readers with her stories of strong, intelligent women trying to survive in an often hostile world. The Boston Globe says “Holton has a lively, fluid style that shifts easily among the viewpoints’ of several characters and goes down as easily as sweet tea,” while Entertainment Weekly calls her prose “Sharp, witty, and warm.”

Although grateful for the critical praise, it is the enthusiastic response of readers who tell her they “laughed, cried, and let dinner burn” while reading one of her novels that inspires her most.

Sadly, Cathy passed away in 2013 after a long battle with cancer. She will be terribly missed by her friends and family. Fortunately for her readers, Cathy left behind a treasure trove of finished and narly finished manuscripts. We can think of no better tribute to Cathy than to publish these works. To that end, her family and publisher are working hard to get these books ready. The first of these legacy Novels: The Rico Boys is now available on Amazon Kindle, with a paperback to follow. Other titles are forthcoming.

Become a Fan of Cathy Holton on Facebook for free excerpts, giveaways, “character” interviews and more. Follow her at www.cathyholton.com and on Twitter.

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a "chick flick" in a book, to be enjoyed primarily by women of a certain age who have experience growing up in the south, living in the south, or being related to anyone from the south. Some really hilarious scenes with great characters. Fun to read.

[Mary-Ann Muffoletto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read but characters were cliched and predictable.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun reading about the lives of these characters again. Not sure they really had secret lives, but it was an easy read and enjoyable.

[Kathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. Loved Virginia, but found the others a bit annoying. Expected more.

[Julie Kiester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good sequel....

A nice escape into southern lifestyle I know nothing of. Looking forward to the movie version. Story and characters are a perfect escape.

[MBenzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok...just to let you know right off, if you're interested in reading this book, you MUST read 'Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes' first. There are many references and comments that could seem dead-end if you haven't read the first book.

That said...what a FABULOUS sequel! I loved it just as much as the first. Virginia Redmon is out to seek revenge on her ex-daughter-in-law Nita for ruining her son's life (deservedly) and causing him to lose his law practice, which happened to be Virginia's main source of income. Virginia is the type of character you just LOVE to hate. While you're always rooting for Nita to stick-it-to-her, you can't help but look forward to whatever evil plan Virginia will come up with next.

Now, while there were some things that may have seemed a bit far-fetched (like the whole adoption thing, it was quite a stretch for me to believe how Nita figured everything out) the ending was very satisfying. I just love Nita, Lavonne, and Eadie, and I can't wait for Ms. Holton's next novel. Hopefully, it'll center around these three fun, martini-loving women again!

[Amy Caloritis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trope-y and meandering. The POV/narrator seems to change every couple sentences. Predictable, but some sweet, and funny, moments, especially amongst the core friend group.

I feel like this is written for a non-Southern audience looking to poke fun at the backwards/backwoods culture, and overall that feels problematic to me

[Dina Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I occasionally listen to audible books and this is a great one to listen to! The narrator does a fabulous job and the story itself is just so funny at times. I felt like I was right in the middle of Ithica, Ga. Read the Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes first then this. You will thank me later.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked this one better than the first one. Hilarious at times! Just a fun read!

[Erin Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy, do these girls drink a lot! They don't drink by the glass but by the pitcher! This book was a fun escape. I love southern lit and this had some great one liners from some great characters.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5***

[Margie W. Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slower start than the 1st book but once it gets rolling, hang on!

A good sequel. Definitely read the first book for clarity. Fun and interesting look at the " ties that bind"...

[Tammy L Hively]

Hilarious

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the first book, not truly great literature, but a really fun romp. I loved both books. Revenge indeed can be sweet.

[Shervon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was flippin' HILARIOUS. I laughed so much while reading this book. I didn't want the book to end.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started a good book. I plan to read earlier books in the series.

[Deb Tarka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Great characters

[Gale Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audio - it was a sappy southern novel. It was good for a laugh and if you live or have lived in the south you will recognize the characters.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

to long, boring at times, good ending.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still feisty, fun and determined!! Laughs, sighs, drama, excitement all the way!

[Peggy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could be friends with these girls!!! This story takes you on how women recover from anything. Many twist and turns and you will cheer when the villain gets her just due.

[E.H. Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I’d even finished the original Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes novel by Cathy Holton, I bought the sequel. I loved the first book so much, and I also loved Holton’s Beach Trip, so I figured it was a good bet I’d like this book sight unseen. I love her writing style. She creates such three-dimensional characters, you can see them as vividly as if they were played out in a Hollywood movie, and you remember them fondly as if they’re old friends.

​It's no great surprise she felt called to write more about Lavonne, Nita, and Eadie, since they were such great, compelling characters. They could have their own television series and continue for decades, in my opinion. The book itself, however, wasn’t exactly necessary. The end of the first novel doesn’t leave much up in the air. The girls have had their revenge, and the reader can imagine each securing their happy ending. The plot of The Secret Lives feels like Holton created trouble where none was needed. Lavonne was so strong and independent; would she really feel lonely for a boyfriend? And with Virginia such a classically Southern villain, would we really need to learn her backstory to explain why she turned out the way she did? The answers, of course, are not really. But if you love the characters, you’ll want to read more about them no matter what they’re doing. I enjoyed this book very much, especially the second half when the complications accelerated. At this point, I’ll read anything Cathy Holton writes. There’s nothing like her party scenes, full of chaos and hilarity, down to the last detail.

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[Toto66 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So glad I read the second book. This one was even better and so funny. This author uses southern sayings liberally and they make me laugh out loud. And the banter between Nita, Eadie and Lavonne was so much wittier in this book. Maybe because I know them better now or maybe they know each other better because the author has looked deeper into their characters, whatever - I really enjoyed the whole story. Torn as to whether I would want a sequel to the sequel? How much drama can three people endure????

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny! It’s been more than a year since the Kudzu Debutantes exacted sweet, merciless revenge on their cheating husbands, but the repercussions are still palpable throughout Ithaca, Georgia: Nita is anxiously preparing herself for marriage to Jimmy Lee, a man thirteen years her junior; Lavonne, despite having dropped her husband–and eighty pounds–and launched her own business, longs for love; and while Eadie remains married to Trevor, she feels more neglected than ever.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would definitely be best if the first in the series would be read first. I enjoyed this book very much, I think, no- I know I am pleased to see mean people get their comeuppance!
These characters have potential for another book to go continue their lives! I hope Cathy Holton considers this possibility!

[Lizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

FABULOUS! As in the first book, the plot leads to a hilarious, laugh out loud, conclusion (really, I had tears running down my face I laughed so hard!), and it all ends on a high note. Damn. I'm really going to miss these characters. Y'all excuse me now. I have to go fix me a pitcher or Bloody Marys. That won't be funny unless you read the book.....

[Janet Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a happy book with authentic Southern sayings and lots of fun.

This is such a happy book with authentic Southern charm. I loved the characters! I selected the book because of the cute title but read the book in 2 days because of the delicious plots. It is a must if you are looking for a "feel good" book. I will suggest it to my book club.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the wittiest and most fun books I've read. It's full of sarcasm, conniving southern belles, loyal friendships and tough and sweet romance. All in all, a recipe for an incredibly enjoyable novel. I highly recommend this one! I loved it!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun, if you like the south, poking fun of the south, books about women finding their way at different stages of life. some good secrets that don't reveal themselves until the end. also has some hilarious conversations and events.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! About mid-way through I found out it's actually the second book of the series, the first being Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, which I've ordered and can't wait to start reading! This book made me proud to be woman raised in the South!