Dancing Naked in Dixie

Dancing Naked in Dixie is a light fun read that will pull you in and leave you cheering for the good guys. It isn't a romance title but there is a lot of love included. A budding romance, a lost romance, and love for the heart and soul of a town. It isn't just chick lit either. Julia is a career girl with a plum job that allows her to travel the world but her heart is cut up so badly that she lives her life in a blur to avoid the pain. You will laugh, shed a tear, and be pleased with the ending. A satisfying read that will make you a fan of Lauren Clark.

Loved it! Can't get enough of this book. Hoping for a sequel!

A highly enjoyable read with lots of humor, romance and small town Southern charm.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reminds me of Mark Childress (Crazy in Alabama) and other southern writers. It was enjoyable, light and not quite predictable. If you are looking for a well written, fun, reading escape, this is a great way to spend your time!

Having been through eufaula many times, toured the shorter mansion, I loved the book just for the great descriptions. The story line was great as well.

Dancing Naked in Dixie is the second novel by Lauren Clark. This one certainly comes out in style. Synopsis: Julia Sullivan is a travel columnist for the magazine Getaways. Her job includes a lot of travel. She is constantly leaving New York for one assignment after another. This leaves her boyfriend Andrew constantly trying to find time with Julia. She also does not have much of a relationship with her father David Sullivan who also happens to be her new boss. Julia is asked to come to his office and he presents her with a different assignment to go to Eufaula, Alabama and write about the annual pilgrimage. What will she decide? Will she go? What adventures await Julia in Alabama? My Thoughts: Lauren’s second novel is definitely worth the wait. I had a slow start with this one. I did enjoy the cultural differences between north and south. I just didn’t immediately love Julia. This quickly changed as I read more about her adventures and the problems she ran into in Alabama. I also enjoyed the mystery that occurred with phase three and found myself unable to put the novel down because I wanted to know how it ended. I one aspect of Lauren’s writing I like greatly is the focus on the story. There are no intimate scenes within either of her novels. I don’t feel this is needed to tell a great story. I realize that some publishers look at that aspect as being important to sell the story, but this is not always true. I hope that she continues to write stories such as this!

The saying "Anything bad that can happen, will." That should so be the motto of Julia Sullivan's life. You feel so sorry for her and find her so endearing, yet you are so thankful that you yourself are NOT her! She is the defination of anal! Sometimes there are people in this world who should take a step away from their scheduled life and Julia is so that person! So being sent to South is a blessing in disguise for her! I myself am from Texas and even I was impressed by the plethora of Southern phrases! I guess I am not country enough living in the "city" (dallas). I just really enjoyed Julia's transformation in this. It's really just a great feel good story that teaches you to appreciate the little things in life.

This was a great book, the kind you don't want to put down but are sorry when you have finished it.

Very interesting and entertaining. Very good book. finished it very quickly

Lauren Clark is a former TV anchor and journalist bringing her second novel, Dancing Naked in Dixie, to readers. This contemporary women’s fiction (dare I say chick lit?) is a cute novel in which her heroine undergoes every imaginable problem just to meet her own problems. Julia is a magazine travel writer living in fast-paced New York City. She is accustomed to traveling the globe when her editor suddenly sends her to the whopping town of Eufala, Alabama. Yep, you heard it here folks. Paris and Rome have fallen to the Deep South. Oh wait! Did I tell you who her editor is? I think you should find out on your own (yes, I’m laughing slightly wickedly). Upon her arrival, the problems begin. Who would think travel to a southern town would be so problematic? Well, Julia found out. She gets to experience a unique B&B, sweet tea (if you don’t drink it, you really don’t understand the requirement for the South). She meets a few colorful characters during her trip, and finds out about herself as well. Dancing Naked in Dixie is a read that you won’t want to miss. Enjoyment, light-hearted humor, and a little self-discovery on the way leads to a great read. I give this a 5 of 5, and add a “Please write more” plea to Lauren Clark DISCLAIMER: I purchased this book with my own funds.

Dancing Naked in Dixie is a really fun read. I was laughing out loud in the first chapter! Being born and raised in Alabama this book brought so many people, places and things to me that seemed familiar, made me feel right at home. Having also lived in New York I could totally relate to how Julia felt about all those “strange” southern things. I was truly impressed with Ms. Clark’s ability to weave lots of southern charm into this book. In the end Julia realizes the hustle bustle of the big city and always being on the go is not all there is to life. After I read Stay Tuned I became a fan of Ms. Clark’s books but this one is even better. I love this book, my favorite book so far this year. Ms. Clark is great with character building and her ability to build a scene is superb. Grab a big glass of sweet tea and plop down in the porch swing and enjoy this great story! This book was provided to me by the author for review.

I wanted to be on the tour for this book, because it sounded really cute and I live in the south. Now, I live in FL and some wouldn't considered FL Dixie, because of all the northern transplants (like me), but here I sit in a southern state. Anyway, I love stories about the south. I love southern charm and a hot guy with a southern drawl just makes my knees week. I picture Josh Lucas in Sweet Home Alabama. Purrrr..... On to Julia. I liked Julia, but can't say I really identified with her personally. She's a fly by the seat of your pants kind of gal and I'm more of a planner. I do go with the flow too, but I start out with a plan. Julia...is not that way. I did envy her job though. I mean, how fun would it be to travel around the world and write about all the neat places you visit? I would love that. What a dream job! Sorry, I digress. Julia has some issues with her father, who becomes her boss. He sends her on her way down to Alabama. For some northerners, southern culture can be a shock at first. This was the case for Julia. She was used to the fast paced New York lifestyle and NOT used to everyone being in your business. When she arrives in Alabama, she meets Shug, who is the guy that will show her around and give her info on the town. Now, Shug is a sweetheart of a guy. He's handsome, nice, good to his mama, loyal, and charming. There is definitely instant attraction happening between the two, but Julia and Shug are both involved with other people at this point. They do eventually get together, but I really felt that the story was more about solving the mystery of the town and Julia finding her own way. I won't reveal too much about the story, because I do feel like this story was more plot driven. I will say that it was no coincidence that Julia ended up in Eufaula. As in a lot of southern towns, there is tradition, mystery, and family loyalty. As Julia begins to unravel some of these secrets, the town explodes. Literally. As a result, Julia gets more than she ever imagined in a story and it boosts her career to a whole new level. Overall, I really liked the story. It was a nice change of pace. I tend to read books heavier in romance and I prefer more of a character driven story, but I really did enjoy this one. The only reason I didn't rate it higher was because I wanted a little more romance between Shug and Julia. One word to sum up this story: sweet. So, if you're looking for a sweet story, this is a perfect book for you.

Julia has just gotten home from Italy for a job assignment, hasn't seen her boyfriend yet, and has to go meet the new editor AND meet her deadline. After nearly breaking her toe on a stack of books, she rushes to her meeting and gets a shock of a lifetime. Who she finds behind the doors of the editor's office not only sends her reeling...but sends her packing...to Eufaula, Alabama that is! What she finds there in the quaint little town changes Julia forever; the people, the homes, and the lifestyle. Yep, this is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of New York. But who she finds there is even more spectacular. And he changes her more than anything else, and it scares Julia. Will spending time in Eufaula become a dream come true or will it turn into a nightmare that sends her running back to New York? Dancing Naked in Dixie was a cute read that ended before I knew it. I got so immersed in the story I didn't even realize I was coming up on the ending. And I will admit that at first I got a little scared the author was going to go into a 'Lets Bash the Southern Rednecks' rant; making fun of everything us Southerners do. But it was nothing like that at all. It's actually kinda funny. But come on...who doesn't love sweet tea? Characters were really well written and I loved how they all grew on me. Especially Julia ...'bless her heart'...the girl is one big accident waiting to happen. What could go wrong on that trip did go wrong. The romance was sweet...but not overly abundant. In fact, it's not until the end that you really get any. Yeah a few sparks here and there, but the author saves the best for last. I did love the suspense of the storyline; letting me play detective right along with Julia, seeking out all the players to the mystery. Man it’s crazy how much I am drifting towards Chick Lit lately…and this one was just icing on the cake! So thank you Lauren for asking me to review your book and participate on your tour. I love your writing style and look forward to more of your work in the future.

My Review: This is not my normal type of read...you know I normally read a book where the romance is the focus of the story. There is romance in this book, but it's easily a secondary story line. What is the main story line is quite simply put...Julia. Julia's mother died two years ago. Since that point in time, she has buried herself in work. As a travel writer, she is on the road constantly and it's been really easy for her to practice avoidance in her life. There's something that she doesn't want to deal with? No problem, she's leaving for Bangkok tomorrow so she doesn't have to. But after two years of living like this, it's all starting to catch up with her and when her new boss comes in and demands better, she's forced to change her ways. Luckily her newest assignment (although she so doesn't think it's lucky at the time) is to head down south to Alabama where everyone is forced to take life at a much slower pace. For someone who is used to traveling the globe and constantly entering into strange situations, Julia is incredibly awkward when she gets to this southern town. She's unorganized and clumsy...and completely out of her element as she is immediately thrown into the town politics and family drama. What she doesn't realize is that there is even more of both those things than she is even seeing on the surface and it's about to blow her entire world out of whack. I liked Julia, although there were moments when I found it hard to believe that she is this world traveler with amazing writing credentials that she is supposed to be. She is such a "duck out of water" throughout so much of this book. I really felt for her...whatever can go wrong, definitely does, and this is just not acceptable when her world is already on the verge of falling apart. I also really liked the town of Eufalia...it really is almost a character all on it's own. The author created gorgeous pictures of it through this story and it was entrancing. I also really LOVED David's character and NEVER would have guessed that after reading the beginning of this book. I was definitely ready to hate him till the very end, but I had a complete turn-around with his character. I should probably mention Shug, but I have a hard time with him since he continued to stick with Mary Katherine. I wanted him to stand up for himself more than he did through most the story. He's a truly nice guy...I just wanted more from him. Overall this was a fun read. I definitely laughed out loud several times throughout the story. I loved watching Julia's transition as she comes to love this little town and starts to question the life she's been living in NYC (and the world). It's a book about slowing down and appreciating what you have, even when you don't realize you have it. A really great lesson!

I really like this book. It was introspective, alive with family secrets, sad, funny and an unexpected romance. Well done!

So good! Funny, sweet, and clean. A great read for anyone who loves the Deep South. It's clear that Lauren Clark knows Alabama!

Reviewed by Ashleigh Book provided by the author for review Review originally posted at Romancing the Book Eufaula…..Ala-freaking-bama. You have got to be kidding me…right?!?! Those were the first thoughts of Julia Sullivan’s first day back state side about her newest assignment. Not only has her entire world revolved around constantly moving to the most exotic places on the globe, she is damn good at her job. If only she could get organized and get a piece in on deadline. Her first steps back in Getaways magazine headquarters and she just knew that her goose was cooked. Meeting the mystery boss first thing in the morning wasn’t the best idea, but things were only going to go downhill from there. Julia has made her life’s work about everywhere but home, flitting from one destination to the next without a thought, but a rude wake-up call by her new boss, David, will change everything for her in an instant. Make this story great or you can have your walking papers. The worst images were all Julia could think of until she landed – complete city girl in the Deep South – but the surprises won’t end for Julia. Will this little town be the undoing of this confirmed New Yorker or will Julia get the wake up of a lifetime that will change her life forever? Shug Jordan just wanted to keep his town historic and grow old where he grew up. Bringing in a big city reporter to shine the light on his little jewel of a city seemed like a good idea until Julia blew into town, disaster in her wake. Not one minute passed that Shug wasn’t saving her from yet another problem. If only he could figure out why this Yankee kept his thoughts churning and his body humming. She is nothing like the women he usually goes for but maybe that is the change up he needs. When a plan to destroy some of beautiful Eufaula comes to Shug’s attention can he foil the horrible plan and still get the girl in the end? Or will he have to lose one to have the other? Sometimes you just need a little southern hospitality and good down home cooking to bring everything into perspective. Favorite Quote: “Past and present meet seamlessly in the heart of Eufaula, Alabama, home to breathtaking natural beauty and magnificent architecture. A living tribute to our nation’s proud history, Eufaula is a treasure to experience with the senses; one that must be preserved for generations to come” – Shug Jordan

First I have to say, that there is an amazingly delicious recipe at the end of this book that alone is well worth grabbing a copy of this book:) I have always been fascinated by the South, (I'm in the Northeast), so I was pretty anxious to read this book. Even if I am not really a romance novel fan, I do enjoy reading about other places, and learning new things, especially places that intrigue me. The story does flow very nicely, and the author has a very pleasant way of introducing all of the characters, and scenes. Very descriptive, and definitely feels like you are there in many scenes! (One of my favorite parts of reading books is for the escape, so this was very appreciated!!) It certainly wasn't a story I have read before, nothing close, and unfortunately, this is the first I have read by Lauren Clark. I will be checking out more of her work in the near future! I would like to see a second part to this story. (HINT:) The characters are charming, well, most of them, I am not to thrilled about Shug's woman, but I don't believe we are supposed to be! I was very impressed with how the story twists and all of the excitement that I didn't expect to have in a romance story. (I have no idea why, but romance stories always seem to bore me, and the romantic movies) But this was a lot different then any I have ever seen or read. The author also really keeps your attention in this book, with something always going on, and she is outstanding at making every small detail, so interesting. I did like Julia, as a character, and all of the drama and issues she was going through since the start of the book, and how her career was on the line, she seemed just like a very normal career woman. However, she had lots of her own problems to deal with, most recently, her job. She is a travel writer, and is so used to traveling to gorgeous, faraway places, until her creativity and writing started to decline and her new boss decided to not print her last article. He sent her to Alabama, which she thought was ridiculous, and tried to refuse to go, until she realized it would be her job that is taken from her next. So, she agrees, reluctantly, (saying she would rather dance naked.. hence the title), and from that point the story really takes off. I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys romance novels, drama, this is a good choice for taking along on vacation, an airplane ride, a hot summer day, spent in the shade. Any chic literature fans will certainly love how Julia, grows and heals and becomes the young woman at the end of the book! ** I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review **

I really enjoyed this book. City girl goes down south with a bit of mystery and romance. Perfect beach read book! You won'tbe sorry you picked this one.