BY INVITATION ONLY by Dorothea Benton Frank
There are some books you actually settle into upon reading the first page. Such a book is Dorothea Benton Frank’s BY INVITATION ONLY. You at once know the characters are going to be mostly good and warm people, and the plot is going to be southern and completely fascinating. What you may not know is you are going to laugh yourself silly at Ms. Frank’s ability to turn a sarcastic phrase or flip a hilarious quip. But there is both humor and heart in Frank’s wonderfully readable novel and the mix of the two is absolutely perfect.
At the center of the story are two mother’; one is the mother of the soon to be groom and the other is the mother of the soon to be bride. Diane is the mother of Fred and Susan is the mother of Shelby, the newly engaged couple. Diane lives on a farm in the low country of South Carolina and Susan lives in a luxury apartment in Chicago. Diane is a divorcee’ while Susan’s husband is handsome and wealthy. You can see from the start there are going to be some problems combining these two families.
Things get off to a rousing start when Susan and her husband Alejandro head to Sullivan’s Island, SC for the engagement party. Diane not only lives on a farm, she operates a farm, with the help of her parents and her brother Floyd. Most of the family income comes from selling farm produce at a stand at the edge of their property.
Susan does not work, other than delving into charitable projects. Her husband is a wealthy businessman and she keeps his life neat and well run. She throws herself into selecting the best food that can be ordered or hiring the best chef to prepare their meals. In other words the two worlds of these two women could not be more dissimilar
Having each woman be a fish out of water at one time or another makes up the appeal of Frank’s novel. Still she never makes fun of the characters but paints them with a full flavored brush that makes each of them appealing in her own way. You immediately like Diane but it doesn’t take long for readers to warm up to Susan also. Especially when brother Floyd catches her attention. Susan is a faithful wife but she does enjoy the power of flirtation.
BY INVITATION ONLY is a book full of “bests” for Frank. It has the best comedic scenes she has ever written; it has the best characters she has ever developed; and it has the best plot she has ever laid down. I mean it. I have loved virtually everything Dorothea Benton Frank has ever written but this is her most complete story and her most endearing one.
There are a lot of great female writers in the South. They each have special skill sets and different appeal to readers. Dorothea Benton Frank is the best at providing heart, humor and happiness in her books and BY INVITATION ONLY has all that and more. You don’t have to have an “invitation” to read this delightful book but you can RSVP by letting Ms. Frank know how much you loved it.
BY INVITATION ONLY is published by William Morrow. It contains 400 pages and sells for $27.99.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
