Divorcing Dwayne: A Novel (Paperback)

by J. L. Miles (Author) "Me and Dwayne met at a pig-pull..." (more)
Key Phrases: petey sakes, Ray Anne, Nanny Lou, Divorcing Dwayne (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Divorcing Dwayne is the first volume in a three-book series featuring Francine Harper and her no-good husband, Dwayne. As the series is set in rural Georgia, the author calls the category "Grits-Lit."

As Divorcing Dwayne opens, Francine is in jail, facing felony assault charges for shooting at Dwayne and his stripper-lover, Carla, from the Peel 'n Squeal, a restaurant and local hangout. She had caught them together -- in the very bed her daddy had carved and given to them at their wedding -- and let go with both barrels. She hit the bed but missed Dwayne and Carla. In spite of her humiliation, in the course of the story Francine discovers strengths, divorces Dwayne, and regains her dignity via her trials (and court trial) and many errors along the way. Aided by her best friend, Ray Anne Pickles, Francine manages to run afoul of the law on several occasions, but in the end, she is vindicated.

Book Two: Dear Dwayne. Francine is not doing so well after the divorce. Her therapist suggests it will be helpful to her recovery if she pretends to write letters to Dwayne and gets everything off her chest. However, it's not her chest that has her worried -- it's her belly. She's pregnant.

If that is not bad enough, while divorcing Dwayne she had a fling with a Hollywood cad (as portrayed in Divorcing Dwayne) and also had a close encounter of the intimate kind with Dwayne himself during that same period. And wouldn't you know? She's expecting twins. Who's the father? Or should it be fathers? But not to worry. Francine's now dating the mayor, a Danny DeVito-type character who Francine says is good husband material, "Even if he does only come up to my naval."

Book Three: Dating Dwayne. Things don't work out for Francine and the mayor. On their wedding night, in all the excitement he has a heart attack. (Think Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin.) Soon Francine takes solace in Dwayne's company. Good grief! Well, not good, but lots of grief. Ray Anne, her best friend since first grade says, "Francine, have you got a boulder in your, or what?" Will the struggling new widow of toddler twins come to her senses, or will she end up -- once again -- married to Dwayne?

About the Author
J. L. Miles is a native of Racine, Wisconsin, and the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Roseflower Creek and Cold Rock River. She lives in Lilburn, Georgia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581826508
• ISBN-13: 978-1581826500
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #119,456 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters, great dialog, I had a hard time putting it down, March 24, 2008

By	Charles Ashbacher "([e-mail])" (Marion, Iowa United States([e-mail])) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

It is a good thing that I was on spring break when I started this book, for if it had been during the term, I would have had to scramble to give the students enough to do. Once I opened it, I was hooked. Miles creates a set of characters set in the south and generates some of the best dialog I have ever read.
Francine Harper is married to Dwayne and when she catches him in her bed with a silicon-enhanced stripper, she takes a gun and wildly shoots at them. Fortunately she misses and she is arrested, which starts the actions of the title. Francine then tries to maintain her life through a great deal of trial as she learns to become a confident, capable woman.
Getting there is quite a story, involving her strange friends, her even stranger family; a topless barber shop, Dwayne's repeated antics, the mafia, FBI agents; Francine's cellmates, various people in the legal system and her role in a Hollywood movie that makes her famous and rich. My favorite character in the book is not Francine, but her grandmother Nanny Lou. As the story opens, she is accusing her dead husband of running away with another filly. Towards the end of the book she discovers that she has cancer in one breast and decides to have both breasts removed. She calls the surgeon's office and asks if they will do a two-for-one special. Then, when she is in the hospital she brags to everyone how she is going to get a new set of boobs and goes around flashing people. When told that they will take some of the fat from her abdomen to rebuild the breasts, she insists that some also be removed from her hips. She saw some hot jeans on the home shopping network and wants to fit in them. Great character!
If you want to have a great laugh, read this rollicking, hectic story about some very eccentric and entertaining people. Be forewarned, it is very hard to put down.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious Read. , March 25, 2008

By	Karin Gillespie (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. There's a laugh on every page (and often three or four) and the characters are priceless, yet very real.

The plot is so engaging you better prepare yourself for a long reading session. I can't say enough about this clever, and engaging novel about a relationship gone wrong. Anyone who has gone through a divorce can relate. It's the type of book that will be passed from girlfriend to girlfriend.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reader from Indiana, March 26, 2008

By	Shannon Greika "A reader in Indiana" (Bargersville) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Divorcing Dwayne is hilarious, heartwarming and wise. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! My husband wasn't happy ~ he had to wait for his dinner. If you want a good book with great characters and a good plot, pick up a copy. Ms. Miles knows how to keep you turning the pages. I truly recommend it.