The Last Southern Belle is one of the last batch of Loveswepts, and it’s a pretty darned good one. It’s light and cute and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but there are a few flaws that kept it from being a favorite keeper for me.

Annie Hartford (for some reason on the back of the book she’s called Annie Bridges – explain that one) is the daughter of a millionaire and is about to get married to a man she really doesn’t love. After a talk with her housekeeper/surrogate mother (have you ever noticed how the housekeeper is always like another mother to the hero or heroine? What’s wrong with having two live parents?), Annie decides that this is not really what she wants to do and runs away in her daddy’s limo.

She lands in Pinckney, Georgia and immediately has a run-in with the sheriff and Sam Bridges, the local attorney/restauarant owner/used car salesman/washeteria/wannabe-cattle owner – aka the catch of the town. Sam and Annie have a mutual dislike of each other, but we know it’s really some awesome chemistry. Annie also immediately becomes the town darling as she tries to make it on her own and find herself.

Annie’s adventures as a waitress are entertaining as are the friendships she makes. She’s an heiress with a heart of gold. She doesn’t look down on anyone and is so grateful to everyone who helps her. I wish she was a friend of mine. Sam is as good as everyone in the town thinks he is, and he quickly gets over his feelings of animosity toward Annie. Once he admits his feelings for her, he doesn’t sway. Not even when he believes she’s going to marry someone else. Instead, he kidnaps her!

Now for my problems. Don’t read any further if you don’t want to learn a few plot points. Something happens to Annie’s dad and she never gets a chance to speak to him. I know this happens in real life, but it just seemed so sad. It didn’t fit with the overall light hearted tone of the book to me. Also, Annie’s fiance whom she dumped at the altar, makes an appearance at the end and what he does is not really dealt with at all. Some people may not find these incidents to be flaws – they may find them minor points to move the plot and then to be forgotten, thus keeping attention on Annie and Sam. They were problems for me because of the lack of resolution and the sense of them being an afterthought in the story

However, they most assuredly did not mar my overall enjoyment of the the book. This is one of those books for when you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romance that’s a quick, easy read. Good choice for the end, Loveswept.