By Invitation Only by Dorothea Benton Frank ~ A Review #MondayBlogs

by Susan Roberts

Dorothea Benton Frank has been publishing books since 1999 and I am happy to say that I've read every one of them. Her books are Southern Fiction at its best and are the first indication every year that summer is just around the corner. This book is a bit different for her because the South Carolina beach is not a 'character' in the book but it still has her signature style and is a fantastic read that will have you laughing out loud during parts of it.
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

May 2018; William Morrow; 978-0062390820
audio, ebook, print (400 pages)
women's fiction

Fred and Shelby both live in Chicago and are getting married. This story is about their very different mothers and is told in alternating chapters mostly by each mother. Fred's mother, Diane, is a peach farmer in SC. She isn't rich in money but she has friends and family and a farm that she loves. Shelby's mother, Susan, is an over the top rich snob who lives in Chicago. Her main concern is her husband's money and trying to impress other people. You can imagine how it goes when they meet for the first time at the engagement party held in SC - lots of friends and a barbecue dinner are joined by chickens and moonshine. This is the beginning of the friction between the two mothers and it continues to escalate much to the Fred and Shelby's dismay. I found Susan and all of her pretentiousness to be very funny at times and thought that Diane was a great mom and role model for the kids.

This is a great light summertime read about the importance of family - both family by birth and those that we add to our families through love and marriage.

Buy By Invitation Only at Amazon

From the Author:  

I am the author of eighteen novels placed in and around the Lowcountry of South Carolina and thanking God for my chance to speak. When I'm not writing, I'm reading or gardening or cooking. Love to travel, shoot the breeze with people and most of all, be with my husband and children - not always necessarily in that order. My most recent, By Invitation Only (William Morrow) goes on sale May 15, 2018. Love to have company so come visit at www.dotfrank.com or on Facebook. And by the way, serious huge gushing thanks for everything - your kind words, posts, and emails. Writing saves me, but without your support, it wouldn't mean as much. Dot xoxo

Connect with the author: www.dotfrank.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Also available at: HarperCollins | Barnes & Noble

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads,  or Twitter. 

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