Waking Up in Dixie Audiobook By Haywood Smith cover art

Waking Up in Dixie

A Novel

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Waking Up in Dixie

By: Haywood Smith
Narrated by: Laural Merlington
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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 30 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 while 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.

©2010 Haywood Smith (P)2010 Tantor Fiction Southern United States Women's Fiction World Literature Marriage Witty

Critic reviews

"Smith shakes up the midlife marriage renewal subgenre with the emotionally complex tale of Elizabeth Whittington." ( Publishers Weekly)
Relatable Characters • Humorous Writing • Engaging Storytelling • Honest Descriptions • Fast-paced Plot
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I love this book. It treats its story with turns of mirth and amusement. I re-listen often. During the shutdown it’s tough to find upbeat material. This does the trick. Haywood Smith always makes me feel like I get to go on an adventure.

A truly fun listen

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This is one of the best authors on the planet! She writes about characters everyone can relate to, and she weaves her story well. I highly recommend this book --- the narrator brings life to each character and helps the reader relate to everyone's perspective. Once you start listening, you will not want the book to end!

Great story!

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Awesome book. Love the author and the narrator. Highly recommend giving it a try. Why not??

Love it

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Funny, nostalgic, excellent message, and SOUTHERN!!! What can beat that? This is my first Haywood Smith novel, but you can be sure I'll be looking for more . . . I love the honest way she just "puts it out there" . . . she's spot on with her descriptions of high school cliques, rich southern society, and the shame of growing up "on the other side of the tracks". I know quite a few "stiff, high society" folks that I'd like to slip this audio book to . . . it'd do them a world of good to have a bump on the head and wake up like Howell did :)

Found Another Southern Jewel!!!

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Haywood Smith writes books that are just begging to be narrated. I am so glad she is on Audible.

Delightfully Dixie

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Enjoy all of her books. The beauty of this book, however, is that I feel a more serious topic is covered and I really felt connected to the main female character. Actually, I was a little more connected than I'd like to be. I felt that this book was very close to my life, so maybe that was a factor in me rating it as I did. Even if you don't identify totally with her, the book itself is still a good read.

Good story

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I know southerners talk with the thick brogue, and it was like being right in the middle of a real family! Good book!

A Southern Story

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would if they were looking for something really fluffy. This book also had a Christian slant I did not expect, but didn't mind. It might affect who I would chose to recommend the book to however.

What did you like best about this story?

It kept a reasonably fast pace most of the book, and never pretend to be more than it was: wish fulfillment fluff. Smith can also be quite a funny writer at times.

Have you listened to any of Laural Merlington’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm unfamiliar with her other performances, but would be happy to listen to more of her work in the future.

Any additional comments?

I rounded down from five starts for an enormously cheesy ending, as well as some repetition and dragging in the plot. Overall though it's still quite fun and well written. I'm not the target audience—the story is 100% wish fulfillment fantasy for the unhappily married and middle aged set—but the book had enough humor that I still felt it a credit well spent.

Enjoyable Light Read, Pure Fantasy Fluffiness

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gosh, i really liked this book. i had a do-nothing-day on my hands and i listened all day.
my one complaint on audio is patricia's voice...she sounded more like a 5 yr old than a college kid.

second chances

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Would you consider the audio edition of Waking Up in Dixie to be better than the print version?

Yes - Laurel Merlington makes the main character come to life. The other characters are great too! Excellent performance!!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Waking Up in Dixie?

Mama getting an earful from her son! Emily Post would have turned red.

Which scene was your favorite?

Mama getting an earful from her son! Emily Post would have turned red.

If you could rename Waking Up in Dixie, what would you call it?

Until Death Do Us Part...Maybe

A Great Haywood Smith Book

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