A Piggly Wiggly Wedding by Robert Dalby

I just completed "A Piggly Wiggly Wedding" by Robert Dalby.  I had used this book as a Tuesday Teaser a while back.  I used to read books like this when I was younger and enjoyed lighter reading and it has been a while since I had enjoyed something of this nature.  It took me longer to read it than it should have but I don't seem to stay with my reading like I used to. 

At any rate, it is  a light- hearted book about Gaylie Girl Lyons and Hale Dunbar Jr. -- a middle age+ couple who had been a couple as teenagers, had gone their separate ways, had separate lives and came together again after the death of Gaylie Girl's husband.   The book takes place in the little town of Second Creek, Mississippi.  It begins as Gaylie Girl arrives and takes up residence just prior to her wedding to Mayor Dunbar.  She is introduced to the Nitwitts -- the ladies group of the town and is embraced with open arms and becomes an active  member of the group.  Sound dull?  Think of "Golden Girls" doubled.  Gaylie Girl has a wonderful future ahead with a wonderful man, she is going to be the First Lady of Second Creek and she is going to be renovating a vintage home -- but her euphoria is squashed by her two children from her previous marriage who are not at all excited about the prospect of a step-father in a town called Second Creek.  After all, their mother had been the wife of a very wealthy, prominent businessman in Santa Fe -- how could she be happy and....what about their inheritance.  In the end it all works out but the children create the conflict in the story.  As in many "small town" books, the residents of the town make up the colorful characterization and I think my favorite was Whittsie.  You will have to read for yourself to see why.  It is so interesting to see how the residents of a small community work to bring culture and sophistication to their lives and these characters do just that in a big way.  There is nothing "hickish" about these folks, just charm all around.

I would recommend this book for light reading.  It is pleasant, the conflict is not all that conflicting and it is humorous.  The descriptions are such that you can completely see this little town and put faces to the residents -- we have all had neighbors, friends or relatives just like these people -- universal characters.  It was a bit superficial, could have been deeper in areas but overall, a good read.