Without a hitch A novel

As an undergraduate, Lottie Jones had two goals: become an attorney and marry her boyfriend, Brody--and then Brody dumped her just before graduation. Seven years later, Lottie is a junior staff member at "The Firm," Dallas' go-to planners for lavish weddings. As one of the newest staff members, Lottie is stuck with grunt work, like wrangling drunk groomsmen, but her organizational skills and ambition set her apart. When she's offered an opportunity to assist on the celebrity wedding of the decade, Lottie seizes the chance--only to find out that the groom is Brody. She'll have to let go of old wounds in order to take advantage of this career-defining moment. Huddleston and Paul's debut is a charming balance of dishy detail about high-end weddings and coming-of-age workplace comedy, featuring a plucky and appealing heroine whose misadventures will delight readers. While there are some romantic elements, it's not a romantic comedy--the focus is on Lottie's personal and professional growth rather than a happily-ever-after. Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot will enjoy this sassy Southern take on chick lit.

Huddleston and Paul's delightful debut offers a dishy behind-the-scenes tale of Southern wedding planning. Lottie Jones, who is single, started planning her own wedding as a college student before having any proposals, and seven years later, she's planning other people's elaborate weddings at Cedric Montclair Celebrations, a glitzy venue in Dallas. A skydiving groom? No problem. Replicate Las Vegas in a Texas Ritz-Carlton? Totally doable. Then Lottie's college boyfriend Brody Stevens, now an NFL star, and A-list Hollywood actress Harriet Devore become Cedric's newest clients, and Lottie is charged with planning a wedding with the groom she once thought would be hers. As Lottie works--and juggles two prospective boyfriends, sports agent Matt and wedding photographer Griffin, as well as a possible job promotion--she learns she doesn't need a man to have fulfillment. Wonderfully over-the-top characters add verve, like the self-made Cedric who changed his name from Clyde as part of an effort to put his humble origins behind him, and the authors reveal the real reason Southern women don't sweat through their clothes (panty liners in the armpits). This raucous and well-plotted romp will charm any reader with their eye on a pair of Louboutins fit for walking down the aisle. (Dec.)