Blake's friend Vivi finds herself in quite the pickle when she has a secret interlude and affair going on with Blake's brother in law Lewis. He appears to die in the middle of their fun.

Blake & Harry (Lewis's estranged brother) are attorney's in practice together as well as married. Blake is rethinking their marriage as Harry is running for office and this sassy belle does not want to be second fiddle to his political realm. She wants to be her own woman and has found their marriage to become more one sided and she is expected to play the perfect wife.

Now Blake and Harry have to find out of Lewis (the estranged brother)is alive or dead and see if they can help Vivi out of murder charges. All with the help of Sonny (cop and ex beau of Blake, whom Blake has feelings for still. Are the feelings really there or are they circumstantial.

All the while dealing with Blake's Mother Kitty and her grandmother Meridee who has some secrets of her own.

This book was based in Tuscaloosa Alabama and had that old southern charm to it hence the sassy bells and we find out the differences between hissy fits and conniption fits. A great story over all I felt like I would know it if I ever visited Tuscaloosa, with some very funny moments and it keeps you reading till the very last page to find out what exactly happens. Is Lewis Alive or Dead?? Must read to find out and all the other twists and turns in between. ( )

Blake's best friend, Vivi, has been caught in the middle of a scandal. Vivi's discreet affair with Lewis, Blake's brother-in-law, is made public when he winds up dead--smack dab in the middle of one of their rendezvous. Now it's up to lawyer Blake and her lawyer husband to get Vivi out of this pickle (which no good Southern belle should ever find herself in). But with the right amount of sass, the right friends, and a strand of pearls, a true Southern belle can overcome anything; even that pesky high-school flame that happens to be the lead detective on the case.

There's something special about The Sassy Belles by Beth Albright. The characters, family, and setting she creates is vivid and real, and puts you there in the story from page one. I've never been to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but I'm sure that if I were to get off a plane there today, It'd feel like I've been there all my life. And that's exactly what Albright was striving for, I'm sure.

The sense of humor that's special to the south (I had no idea pearl necklaces were for fashion AND choking) comes through loud and clear and made me laugh out loud several times. Albright takes special care with each of her characters to make sure they're independent of each other, real, and vivid. After reading her debut novel, I wanted best friends like Blake O'Hara and Vivi McFadden. And who wouldn't want a fiery grandmother like Mother? The Sassy Belles is a fun, quick, summer read filled with sass, humor, mystery, and romance. Not once was it dull or did it drag; the pace kept the book moving nicely.

Albright's storytelling is strong, and her weaving of mystery and twists is masterful. There's a sense of belonging, family, and home between the covers that I can't wait to get more of in her next book, Wedding Belles. ( )

4 STARS

The Sassy Belles does remind me a little about soap operas. They are strong women characters who all have good points and bad faults. Some characters grow up and some grow up too much. In some ways I figured out where the book was going to go but I had to keep reading to find out how it was going to go.

Some scenes just make me smile just by picturing it in my mind humming It's raining men. Other scenes I wanted to shout don't do that. Some scenes were perfect reminders of different southern ladies.

I really like the friendship between Vivi and Blake. They are strong friends because they see each others faults and still like each other and are their for each other. Also forgive each other.

Their are a few love scenes and way to much knowledge of one scene for the cops. Vivi calls Blake and since she is not answering the phone tries Blake's husband Harry. She is upset and tells him she thinks she has killed Lewis during sex.
So instead of calling 911 they both want to talk to Blake.

By the time the police get to the motel their is no body just a sex toy that they left in the room.

It keeps you wanting to read and find out what is going to happen next. I will read the next book in the series and see how the characters are holding up with all the new changes.

I was given this ebook to read and asked in return to give honest review of it by Netgalley.
05/28/2013 PUB Harlequin Mira ISBN: 9780778315285 ( )