Wedding Belles

June 2, 2008
The Atlanta chapter of the Red Hat Club—Georgia, Teeny, Diane, Linda and Pru—meets again, sharing tea and sympathy in Smith's wry sequel to The Red Hat Club Rides Again
. A frantic Georgia takes center stage as she deals with the disturbing news that her 27-year-old daughter, Callie, is engaged to 60-year-old Wade “Wild Man” Bowman. Wade, a successful florist, is also a recovering alcoholic and a divorced father with adult children and a “warehouse” full of baggage. Georgia tries to halt the nuptials, but her interference leads to unfortunate repercussions. Pru, meanwhile, becomes an instant grandmother when one of her son's ex-flings turns up, gravely ill, with a sweet little girl; and Linda endures an annoying visit from her widowed cousin. Smith's fizzy exploration of enduring friendship and family signals more changes ahead for Georgia, her family and the red hat matrons. Fans of the series will enjoy and look forward to the next.

August 15, 2008
Smith here finishes her "Red Hat Club" trilogy ("The Red Hat Club"; "The Red Hat Club Rides Again"), reuniting narrator Georgia Baker with her four best friends, women who meet monthly at Atlanta's Swan Coach House Restaurant to celebrate life. They support one another, cheer for one another, and help each other through the good and bad. This time, Georgia is the one who needs help; her brilliant 28-year-old daughter has announced her intentions of becoming the third wife of her father's best friend from college, "Wild Man" Wade. Georgia, a true drama queen, has a detective investigate her future son-in-law's past. What could go wrong during all the parties, snooping, and a wedding with a groom older than his mother-in-law? Smith's latest, filled with humor, a few tears, and some prayers, will delight her fans. The warm, satisfying story will also find new readers, who can easily catch up with Georgia and her friends. This enjoyable book is recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 5/15/08.]Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2008
A bad case of wedding-bell blues has colored Georgias Red Hat world when her daughter Callie announces her engagement to Wadeaka Wild ManBowman, a divorced man old enough to be her father. The fact that he actually is her fathers best friend is only one of the complications unnerving Georgia, who all too clearly remembers the alcohol-infused, womanizing college days that earned Wade his nickname and reputation. As visions of Wades youthful indiscretions dance nonstop through Georgias head, she enlists the help of fellow Red Hat friends Teeny, Diane, Linda, and Pru to help her find a way to stop the wedding. However, when Callie finds out the lengths to which Georgia is willing to go, she decides that its her mother who must be stopped instead. As Callies wedding nears, Georgia must learn how to make peace with her friends past for the sake of her daughters future. Another heartwarming and hilarious installment in Smiths beloved Red Hat series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)