2000s YA Fish out of Water Stories

ByJen
27 Comments

Check out my list of 2000s YA Fish Out of Water Storeis inspired by Hart of Dixie.

Confession: I’ve never seen the show. I mean, I thought Rachel Bilson was still living in the O.C. But as I understand it, she plays a city girl who comes to live in a small Alabama town.

I happen to love “city slicker goes to the country” stories. Or vice versa. It’s always entertaining when a character is yanked out of his or her element and has to adapt.

Here’s my list of 2000s YA books with a city/country theme.

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald
Country Girl, City Girl by Lisa Jahn-Clough

Here are some more books with characters who get teased for their city slicker ways. Or vice versa:

Stork by Wendy Delsol
A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin

Jen has been blogging about books since 2011. In that time, she has read and reviewed over 1500 books. She loves helping readers find their perfect next read and helping books find their audience.

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27 Comments

  1. I have yet to watch Hart of Dixie but it does look pretty interesting. Rachel Bilson is a great actress, I loved her in both The OC and Jumper so one day I will check this show out. I love Sweet Home Alabama that is just such a funny movie with two hot guys and Reese Witherspoon is one of my favorite actresses. All three of those books sound really great I will definitely need to check them out.

    Reply

    1. HI Caitlin —
      I'm about to go to the post office and mail your book 🙂

      I'm doing this book donation thing (it's explained on yesterday's post) and since you made this comment, not only does your name go in for my next drawing, I'm also donating to the book drive:

      Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

      Because it reminds me a little of the book I'm sending you.

      Thanks for stopping in — have a great day 🙂

      Reply

  2. I haven't seen The Hart of Dixie. I love Rachel Bilson though. I absolutely love Sweet Home Alabama and The Proposal. I am a sucker for movies like those. I haven't read any of those books, but they sound really good.

    Reply

    1. I think I may have to check the show out 🙂

      Today's donation for Amy is:
      Hello Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

      Because no one gets naughty kids in line like the AWESOME Mrs. Piggle Wiggle…

      Reply

  3. I've never seen Hart of Dixie either …

    I have read Boys, Bears & a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots — it was cute. Where I belong is seriously on my To Read list, haha …

    Watched and loved both movies, but Sweet Home Alabama's my favorite of the two :o) Love Reese Witherspoon!!!

    Reply

    1. Seriously, Reese and Rachel should do a movie together.

      I'm doing this book donation thing — book drive fur underfunded public school libraries.

      In honor of you, I'm donating
      Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
      because I know you like historical fiction.

      Reply

  5. I friggin adore Rachel Bilson so I watched most of the first season of Hart of Dixie. It was an alright show, but it just started to turn super silly after a while and I couldn't take it anymore…

    I don't think I've ever read a book with this concept before, but I have seen and loved Sweet Home Alabama so maybe I should read a book like it!

    I really like the cover of Where I Belong. How was the book?

    Reply

    1. I agree! I found a perfect book on my shelf to donate for you, Marybelle.
      It's called Stowaway by Karen Hesse and it's historical fiction about Captain Cook's voyage in the South Pacific.

      Reply

  7. Wild Child, a 2008 film starring Emma Roberts and Alex Pettyfer. Emma plays a rich California girl who is sent to boarding school in England.

    Reply

    1. Why have I not seen this movie??? *Opening new screen and putting on my Netflix list*
      I hadn't even thought of the American Abroad fish out of water stuff. That's a whole new sub-genre!

      Donating Tangled by Carolyn Mackler for you 🙂

      Reply

    1. Yay for Texas! I lived there for part of elementary school.
      Combing my pile to find a book set in the South for you. Best I can do is
      Soul Thief by Jana Oliver, which takes place in Atlanta.

      Reply

  9. Ooh, I've heard of Hart of Dixie, but I've been told I probably wouldn't like it. I like ghosts/ scary stuff (e.g. Supernatural) or things that blog up (e.g. 24) in my series, so, yeah…
    Though i have watched the Proposal! 😛 Okay movie, kinda funny! 😛

    Reply

    1. The person I watched the Proposal with said I ruined the entire movie by predicting what was going to happen. It was cute, though.

      A spooky book for Jen R: You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay!

      Reply

    2. haha opposite of mean? are you sure? i can be meaner than nicer in person. lol… i'm much nicer when i am with my writing group… i become… a ditz…. more than usual… haha 😀 it's so much fun when they laugh at me… is that weird???

      Reply

  11. I love Where I Belong and am always hopeful for a sequel. I haven't read the other two, but will put them on my list. Loved Sweet Home Alabama! I'm looking forward to her new movie with the two CIA or FBI agents (whatever they are) who both love Reese. Have you seen the previews? It looks hilarious and I love the whole cop thing, so should be a great movie for me. There are so few chick-flicks anymore that I can enjoy with the husband or the girls that don't have a lot of yucky stuff and I'm hoping this one will be a keeper. 🙂

    Reply

  12. I like these types of stories too–although I am not sure that I put Sweet Home Alabama in the same category. It seems to me to be more about coming home after you have changed. I think one of my favorites of that style is Doc Hollywood with Michael J. Fox. 🙂

    Reply