cover image Wedding Belles

Wedding Belles

Haywood Smith, . . St. Martin's, $24.95 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-312-32973-0

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. (Sept.)