What do You think about The Sweet Potato Queens' First Big-Ass Novel: Stuff We Didn't Actually Do, But Could Have, And May Yet (2007)?
Browne's Sweet Potato Queen advice books on love, divorce, and cooking have found a wide audience in readers who appreciate the Queens' sassy southern charm. With coauthor Gillespie, Browne turns to fiction for the first time to share lives and loves of the Queens. Jill, Mary Bennett, Patsy, and Gerald are united by their outsider status in high school. When Tammy, a beautiful but insecure redhead, moves into town and is humiliated by the in-crowd, Jill and company form the Tammy Club to bolster her spirits. The five enter the homecoming parade in wild dresses and red wigs, but a misprint on their sign (it reads Yammy instead of Tammy) leads to the five rechristening themselves the Sweet Potato Queens. The groups' friendships last for decades, despite distance and differences of opinion. Mary Bennett pursues fame on the coasts, Gerald comes to terms with his sexuality, and Tammy marries. But not everything is rosy. Mary Bennett finds success as a soap actress at the expense of the love of her life, Jill finds a man who proves too good to be true, and Tammy's insecurities lead to infidelities.
—Tabby Kat
This book was not what I expected at all. It was definitely not like the rest of the Sweet Potato Queen books. That being said, it was still humorous. This book was a work of fiction. Browne uses characters we are already familiar with in her other books. This is a fictional "back story" of some of their lives. As she says in the title, it's "Stuff We Didn't Actually Do, But Could Have, and May Yet." I think we've all considered some of the antics these girls pull in this novel at some point. Jill Connor Browne has a very satirical sense of humor so if that's not your thing, you probably won't appreciate this book.
—Aimee Tourville
This was a lovely book. It was hysterically funny all the way through but had moments that were touching, sad, and thoughtful.It was so real. The author did a masterful job of capturing the complex nature of friendships yet maintaining each individuals core personality. The timeline and its pop history and southern culture were spot on. The one liner's in this book made me laugh out loud and now I have several people at work looking into this book.I plan on hunting down every book the author has written.Favorite line? Has to be, and I'm loosely quoting, and forgive the language but it IS in the book: "Oh, honey, you have to be nicer because you're not cute enough to be such a fucking bitch." *dies*I loved this book. I long for a group of friends like this.
—Julie
