The 1920s -- a time when liquor was taboo, women were clamoring for a voice and floating white sheets and burning crosses plagued the South.

For me, it was always the most interesting era to learn about in high school.

The drama and reshaping of our country and ideals combined with the glamour of Old Hollywood certainly had more appeal than dead presidents.

So when I saw the book The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell on the 3 for 2 rack at Border's, I thought, "Why not?"

Set in the early 1920s in Lousiana, Belle Cantrell by Loraine Despres tells the tale of a beautiful, determined young woman named Belle who's trying to cope with the guilt of "killing" her husband.

She believes that her irrepressible behavior and streak of independence drove him to the bar, where he was ultimately stabbed.

Belle is sick of hearing the word "no" and is determined to break free of the shackles she believes the country, her family and her guilt have placed on her.

She becomes a voice for women's rights and deals with the response of Southern bigots, who attempt to ruin her reputation and reform her from her wild ways.

A prequel to the book The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc, this novel mixes a pleasurable read and serious issues in America's past into a delightful story. Despres creates a very real character in Belle.

While there is a romance in the story, the book is not fueled by it. This creates a story that reads deeper than just another "summer beach" novel.

In the book, Belle falls in love with a Jewish man from Chicago in a time when the Ku Klux Klan is attempting to "purify" the country.

The romance puts both Belle and her lover in danger.

The story is very real, not sugar-coated for fiction's sake. The ending, without giving too much away, is very intense and I appreciated her direct approach and writing style.

If you are looking for a book that is both fun and interesting at the same time, give The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrelle a try. You might even learn a little history. Grade B+

-- Reviewed by Megan Rundle