What readers are saying about "Ditch Weed"
"The beauty of Rhett DeVane’s characters is that they have a genuine sweet nature about them—not sickly sweet, but the kind that settles into your solar plexus and causes you to want to be part of their community. There are deep lessons here, but couched in the realities the characters face. Created in the beauty of DeVane’s prose, this is a wonderful story about the families we fashion once we escape from the horrors of abusive blood kin."
Susan M. Malone, fiction author, professional editor
*****
" Rhett DeVane has once again crafted a heartwarming, unflinching novel set in the Deep South; a story rich with colorful characters who embody what happens when life brings out the worst and the best in us. Brimming with her characteristic Southern style, laugh-out-loud humor, and grace, DeVane’s tale centers around two women—one old and one young—who are thrown together in an unlikely, but life-affirming relationship. The mystery of Danae’s story will keep you turning the pages late into the night, the pain of the story will make you weep, and the bonds formed by Mevlyn and Danae’s chosen family will leave your heart wide open. I highly recommend this novel!"
Lynne Bryant, fiction author
*****
"Rhett DeVane is a truly fine writer, who creates books where the many conflicts are warmly coated with insight, compassion, and the right dash of wry humor—and sprinkles of Southern wisdom in the form of pithy sayings. DeVane is a gem, really, and so it is no surprise that she displays her talents and wit once more in her most recent novel, “Ditch Weed” (Twisted Roads 2024). “Ditch Weed” is a heartfelt story, ultimately uplifting, about transcendence and friendships. It is all the more engaging because the friendships at its core are unusual. And while these friendships form the emotional core of the novel, don’t think that means things don’t happen because there’s action a plenty in the rich plot."
Claire Hamner Matturro, fiction author, reviewer for Well Read Magazine
*****
"This book was an addictive and quick read for me.
Ditch Weed is a tale where men with nothing to offer the world rob others of their potential. Danae's life is dominated by poverty, alcoholism, and abuse, a home where no one gets out alive.
Danae's journey is one of resilience and transformation. Her mother saw Danae as a ditch weed, and through telling this story, Danae arrived at an enlightened understanding of this nickname. Despite a life dominated by poverty, alcoholism, and abuse, she emerges with grace and humor. Her character is so endearing that the reader can't help but cheer for her. And when Mevlyn takes her in, the novel is illuminated by the goodness of this motherly figure.
I love the deep, rich, and intricate plot of Ditch Weed. I love that the characters create a "cobbled-together family" despite their mutually haunted pasts and the harsh realities of their gritty circumstances. I love that they've created a bright and hopeful future. "
Gale Massey, fiction author
*****
"Rhett DeVane clearly has a real sense of community, and it’s out of her small southern town setting that the story develops. However, despite the vivid deep-south atmosphere, and a narrative that is at times laugh-out-loud funny, DeVane doesn’t allow her story to descend into stereotype. Instead, she populates it with a cast of diverse, idiosyncratic characters, and then allows to us watch them emerge and grow.
Through careful plotting and character evolution, this jumble of humanity comes together to form a caring, messy, endearing, and mostly functional, family of choice. Ditch Weed is a heartwarming, life-affirming story to be savored."
Pat Spears, fiction author
*****
" Rhett DeVane’s latest novel, Ditch Weed (Twisted Road 2024), sparkles with her trademark humor and Southernisms.
If you are a fan of Southern fiction, don’t miss this charming story. It’s as refreshing as a tall glass of sweet tea on a brutal August afternoon."
Donna Meredith, fiction/nonfiction author
*****
"Amazing wit and character development. I have never lived in the area where this story takes place, but I wish I had. This is my first read of Devane’s writing but it will not be the last. Very entertaining Southern fiction that has been a highlight of my summer reads."
J. Kight