The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell: A Novel

This is a time period I've read a great deal about, though usually in more esoteric books. Bell Cantrell is a woman living on the cusp between worlds. She's caught between her upbringing and her desires. It's hard to imagine, given our world of today, when bobbing your hair, or driving in a motorcar with a man could damage your reputation, or a time when the men you grew up knowing could hide themselves under sheets and call themselves heroes and protectors as Klansmen. Some very nice elements in this book, though it dragged for me in parts. (Or it could have been that extra glass of wine I had one evening that made me sleepy. :) )

I purchased The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell when I was in Texas in May. I thought it looked like a good summer chick-lit read. I finally got around to reading it this week and was surprised to find that it was more than just chick-lit. There was an amazing message that even in today’s world needs to be remembered.

Bad Behavior is a period piece set in Louisiana in 1920. Prohibition was at its height, women had just been given the right to vote, and the Klu Klux Klan was starting to take hold of not only the South, but also the entire country. In the middle of all this is born-before-her-time Belle Cantrell. A recent widow and new part owner of the largest farm in Gentry, Louisiana, Belle is a huge advocate of the woman suffrage show more cause and is not afraid to speak her mind on most topics; much to the dismay of the Southern Genteel folk.

While the book is fun and sassy and, at times, down right sexy, it also reminds you of how intolerance was widely accepted in our country and that speaking out against said intolerance caused people to fear for their lives to the point to where many just kept quiet. “It’s not our fight,” was just one of the responses Belle received while trying to help stop an attack on her friend. With some of the same intolerances seeping into our society today, this book struck quite a chord with me. And all while reading it, my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quote replayed in the back of my mind. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” show less

This is a time I'd say "don't judge a book by its cover" applies. The cover is cute but the content is more serious.

It's the year 1920 and Belle is a feminist. She grew up poor, got married at 16 and has just recently been widowed in her early 30's.
Her life is a made up of a series of thoughts about what she "should" do.
Her mother-in-law has spent half her life trying to teach Belle how a lady should act.

Belle wants to be good, but she wants to be happy too.

When her husband passes away, she feels responsible (she doesn't kill him, she just feels guilty about his death).
After mourning, she starts to come alive again.

She fights for the right to vote. She pursues s new relationship. She encourages her daughter to get an education and she show more even takes on prejudice and hatred in her small town. show less

The first line of this book hooked me-Belle Cantrell felt guilty about killing her husband and she hated that. Feeling guilty, that is. A lady shouldn't do something she's going to feel guilty about later, was a rule Belle kept firmly in mind.And so begins your introduction to Belle Cantrell's Southern Woman's Primmer of Propriety which Belle teacches but doesn't always follow.It is set in the 1920's with prohibition in full swing and women are fighting for their right to vote.Its about a young widow living in the south and her struggle between independence and southern propriety.
This book is very well written and will make you giggle!
This is one of my favorites and am soo sad to see i am the only one with this in my collection!Find show more this book and Enjoy it! show less

There was a lot of repetition in this book that I have to say got on my nerves a lot, but the story itself was quite enjoyable. It took me longer to read than most books because it didn't have me engrossed in the story, but I definitely had to see what happened. Its not an amazing book, though I did find it a nice read and it is fascinating to read about times of the womens suffrage movement, prohibition and the ridiculousness of the Ku Klux Klan. All in all a fun love story and I plan on reading more of Loraine Despres novels.

Good book! Love the southern, as I am one. Hate the prejudice content, but that was the times unfortunately. Very good read.

Loved this book! What a great story. I laughed, I got mad, I got really mad, and I laughed some more.