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Beany Malone #13
Something Borrowed Something Blue
Nonna, the designing designer step-grandmother, offers Beany the wedding of a lifetime. Unaware of Nonna's ulterior motives, Beany relishes the planning of a grand wedding. When the elaborate arrangements cause a rift between Beany and Carl, there becomes some question as to whether or not there will be a wedding. Johnny further exacerbates the problem with his own brand of romantic impulsiveness. How can a society wedding and a community center in the stockyard district be intertwined?
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
9 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Lenora Mattingly Weber
43 books56 followersLenora Mattingly, though born in Missouri, lived most of her life in Denver, Colorado. In 1916 she married Albert Herman Weber and was the mother of six children.
Weber's first book, Wind on the Prairie, was published in 1929. From 1930 through 1962 she wrote short stories for magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, and Good Housekeeping. Her last book was published posthumously in 1972.
Lenora Mattingly Weber’s favorite topics included the Denver area, horses, and teenage girls. In 1943 the first Beany Malone book, Meet the Malones, was published. Beany Malone became Weber's most well-known creation, featured in 14 books and appearing as a minor character in the Katie Rose Belford and Stacy Belford series.
Weber's first book, Wind on the Prairie, was published in 1929. From 1930 through 1962 she wrote short stories for magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, and Good Housekeeping. Her last book was published posthumously in 1972.
Lenora Mattingly Weber’s favorite topics included the Denver area, horses, and teenage girls. In 1943 the first Beany Malone book, Meet the Malones, was published. Beany Malone became Weber's most well-known creation, featured in 14 books and appearing as a minor character in the Katie Rose Belford and Stacy Belford series.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 12, 2007
This is my story: I was waiting for my mom in a Foley's Department Store one afternoon. I had done my shopping and was bored, so I sat in the furniture department while she finished. The voracious reader I am, I picked up this book (hardback, original print, discarded from a library in New York) which was displayed on the breakfast tray artfully arranged on the display bed and sat on the display couch to bubblegum my mind away until Mom came back. (Note: I was 27 years old, not 13 as you may have assumed.) I was thoroughly smitten by the cozy 1950's era family and the trials young Beany was facing. The book intrigued me so much that I searched the internet for the books and bought every single book in the series (hardback, original print as much as possible).
Maybe it's just me, but reading these books is like watching Bing Crosby. It's sweet and kitschy, but not overly saccharine and preachy. Yes, Beany always learns her lesson (and cooks and sews and cleans), but I always sighed a smile a the end.
Maybe it's just me, but reading these books is like watching Bing Crosby. It's sweet and kitschy, but not overly saccharine and preachy. Yes, Beany always learns her lesson (and cooks and sews and cleans), but I always sighed a smile a the end.
November 22, 2008
This series is doing me so much good--it's like a hot bath and a cup of cocoa, says the angel on my shoulder. And then the devil on my other shoulder has just resigned himself to sitting quietly and chewing his tail while I read these. Which is good enough, coming from him.
This is the one where Beany gets all uppity and pissed off coz she feels like she has to be the problem-solver all the time and never gets to be the darling, which is a delusion I suffer as well. So she tries to have things go her way, only to discover that a shitstorm of stupid problems attends said attempted way. And she's all tragic about it for a minute until she realizes that her way is not to be the darling, necessarily--or to be the darling, but not a Front Page Darling, not a Glass Box Darling--and she gracefully finds joy in her place in life and brings warmth and sunshine into everyone else's life while doing so, as USUAL, which, as I say, is GREAT, and I just completely effing LOVE these sweet little people.
This is the one where Beany gets all uppity and pissed off coz she feels like she has to be the problem-solver all the time and never gets to be the darling, which is a delusion I suffer as well. So she tries to have things go her way, only to discover that a shitstorm of stupid problems attends said attempted way. And she's all tragic about it for a minute until she realizes that her way is not to be the darling, necessarily--or to be the darling, but not a Front Page Darling, not a Glass Box Darling--and she gracefully finds joy in her place in life and brings warmth and sunshine into everyone else's life while doing so, as USUAL, which, as I say, is GREAT, and I just completely effing LOVE these sweet little people.
April 2, 2015
YA literature has changed so much over the years. This book has no vampires, no dystopian societies where people kill each other, no angst and gloomy depression, not even any relevant social meaning. It's just sweet, with a happy ending. And sometimes that's all you need.
February 19, 2018
I felt I was at Beany and Carlton's wedding yet again, and how
beautiful it was. The books were written long ago but the joy,
love, and sorrow they contain are relevant today. A true trip
down memory lane for me, and I would love to have all my
friends on Goodreads get to know Beany and love her as I do!
beautiful it was. The books were written long ago but the joy,
love, and sorrow they contain are relevant today. A true trip
down memory lane for me, and I would love to have all my
friends on Goodreads get to know Beany and love her as I do!
March 19, 2021
This book was definitely a palate-cleanser. Giving it four stars doesn't mean it was a really good book. I gave it four stars because it of what it meant to read it.
Lenora Mattingly Weber wrote 14 Beany Malone books, in the 40s, 50s and early 60s, tracking the wholesome lives of the Malone family. My school library (grades K-6) had most of the books, and I read every one that they had. Along with Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden and good ol' Nancy Drew, I was a reading tornado back then--and Beany was my favorite.
For starters, she was a teenager (and I wasn't). She could drive. She had bad boyfriends and good boyfriends and arguments with friends. She went to school with good kids and bad kids. Her family had happy times and sad times. I thought that possibly--aside from the big Catholic family--my life might turn out like hers. It didn't, of course. But I absorbed the scolding lessons that Weber embedded in her books--about going too far, and never skipping church, and being frugal. When I found that the books were available on Kindle, I re-read a couple of them.
But I had not read this one. The publication date is 1963, when I was in Junior High. I don't know if the book wasn't in the Jr-Sr High School library, or if I thought I was too old and sophisticated or had just moved on--but I know I never read this. This book was the end of the line for Beany, as--at age 20--she marries the boy next door, worried because some of her friends were already married and had children.
So, while it was fun to read it on its own terms, reading books like these now are kind of like excavating the mores and rules of life in the 50s and 60s. When girls were spunky but good, and waiting until marriage was always the right thing to do.
Lenora Mattingly Weber wrote 14 Beany Malone books, in the 40s, 50s and early 60s, tracking the wholesome lives of the Malone family. My school library (grades K-6) had most of the books, and I read every one that they had. Along with Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden and good ol' Nancy Drew, I was a reading tornado back then--and Beany was my favorite.
For starters, she was a teenager (and I wasn't). She could drive. She had bad boyfriends and good boyfriends and arguments with friends. She went to school with good kids and bad kids. Her family had happy times and sad times. I thought that possibly--aside from the big Catholic family--my life might turn out like hers. It didn't, of course. But I absorbed the scolding lessons that Weber embedded in her books--about going too far, and never skipping church, and being frugal. When I found that the books were available on Kindle, I re-read a couple of them.
But I had not read this one. The publication date is 1963, when I was in Junior High. I don't know if the book wasn't in the Jr-Sr High School library, or if I thought I was too old and sophisticated or had just moved on--but I know I never read this. This book was the end of the line for Beany, as--at age 20--she marries the boy next door, worried because some of her friends were already married and had children.
So, while it was fun to read it on its own terms, reading books like these now are kind of like excavating the mores and rules of life in the 50s and 60s. When girls were spunky but good, and waiting until marriage was always the right thing to do.
March 2, 2011
A book in the Beany Malone series that I love. Carl is about to graduate from college and at last Beany can get married. Beany has always felt like she was in the background among her more colorful brother and sisters so she thinks that at last she has the right to be the center of something- her wedding. However, the roof needs replaced and the never wealthy Malones can't afford a wedding. In waltzes Beany's step-grandmother who has a wedding planning business. Even though Beany's father says that Nonna never did a thing in her life unless it benefited her, Beany is ecstatic when Nonna says that she will pay for Beany's wedding. However, this comes with a big price. Nonna changes all the original plans and Beany and Carl's poor and somewhat shabby friends can't afford to participate- nor does Nonna want them. This comes between Beany and Carl in a big way. Of course, all is eventually resolved. This is another well-written book in a terrific 1960s young adult series. Second time reading for me.
November 7, 2011
I love series that follow a protagonist through for years and years, especially as they grow and change! The thing is, Beany seems pretty much like her adolescent self here. It doesn't really feel like she has matured a lot, and that makes me think that she's probably not ready for marriage. I find it odd that Beany and Carlton are getting married in less than two months and still haven’t planned their wedding. The Mary Fred + Ander plot was a bit predictable, but I still liked it. I see nothing wrong with Beany wanting a nice wedding. Carl seems like kind of a jerk about that whole thing. I also just wish someone would just listen to Beany! The wedding as it was turned out pretty nicely, though. I found Johnny’s proposal to Miggs sudden and unromantic. Johnny in general kind of annoyed me in this book. I really don’t like Carl much in this; he’s not right for Beany. I think I like the earlier books in the series a little better. I'd give this about 2.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2010
Not my favorite in this series. For the sake of the plot all the maturity Beany has acquired over the course of many many books completely vanishes, so that we can have a narrative arc about Beany learning that superficial things are not what's really important. Something she's learned at least twice, I think.
February 15, 2018
Why shouldn’t Beany have a nice but not overly lavish wedding? I like that Beany is (usually) frugal and finances are often a concern in LMW’s books but the plot of this one never made a lot of sense to me.
August 19, 2013
Oh dear, misunderstandings come between Beany and her beau... who would have thunk it? ;) That predictability aside, it was a sweet book with lovely moments leading up to Carl's graduation from uni and the planned wedding. Liked the bits with Mary Fred --- and Johnny and Miggs!
August 28, 2007
This may be the most purely satisfying book in the Beany Malone series.
December 18, 2022
I love series that follow their protagonists for years and years, and this is another charming entry in the Malone series. It has a happy ending, despite the unnecessary drama that happens before then, and wraps up loose ends from the previous books well.
(Once again, my review contains minor spoilers.)
Beany hasn't matured as much as she should have after all that we've seen her go through. She makes her usual foolish decisions and stirs up unnecessary drama, and even though the book's set-up makes it convincing why she would fall for Nonna's offer to plan the wedding, it causes a lot of unnecessary heartburn. You'd think that Beany would know that if she didn't trust this woman to design her bedroom when she was young, then she shouldn't trust her to plan a wedding. The only reason why this is believable is because of the financial strain the Malones are facing and the degree to which everyone is overlooking Beany and ignoring her concerns about the wedding.
The story is full of vivid, interesting details, and it's a fascinating glimpse into the past, back when fancy weddings were Society Weddings and not everyone was expected to throw a lavish event. The book draws out the challenging implications of trying to have a fancy wedding, including the problems that this creates for people with tight budgets who are part of your event. I can only imagine how horrified the author would be to know that now, some couples don't just expect men to wear a tux and ladies to have a fancy dress, but try to tell people what colors to wear so that their photos can look great on social media. Basically, this whole fancy wedding plan seemed as absurd to the Malones as that does now.
Of course, just like in every other book, Beany learns to be content with what she has, feel a sense of pride in her family identity, and stop trying to be like everyone else. Ultimately, I had to settle for her learning this lesson yet again for the book to have a plot. Fortunately, there are a variety of other subplots as well.
Also, just like I hoped, Anders returned. He and Mary Fred had such excellent chemistry that I hoped he'd reappear at the end, and this is just one of many full-circle elements that happens to bring the series to a satisfying close. However, Mary Fred makes some very impulsive and out-of-character decisions related to this, and I had trouble suspending my disbelief about some of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't as good as some of the others, but it has lots of great elements and brings the series to a satisfying close. There is still one more book in this series, but the author published it seven years later, and it has a very different feel. It's clear that this book was intended to be the final one, and the full-circle elements and satisfying ending feel just right.
(Once again, my review contains minor spoilers.)
Beany hasn't matured as much as she should have after all that we've seen her go through. She makes her usual foolish decisions and stirs up unnecessary drama, and even though the book's set-up makes it convincing why she would fall for Nonna's offer to plan the wedding, it causes a lot of unnecessary heartburn. You'd think that Beany would know that if she didn't trust this woman to design her bedroom when she was young, then she shouldn't trust her to plan a wedding. The only reason why this is believable is because of the financial strain the Malones are facing and the degree to which everyone is overlooking Beany and ignoring her concerns about the wedding.
The story is full of vivid, interesting details, and it's a fascinating glimpse into the past, back when fancy weddings were Society Weddings and not everyone was expected to throw a lavish event. The book draws out the challenging implications of trying to have a fancy wedding, including the problems that this creates for people with tight budgets who are part of your event. I can only imagine how horrified the author would be to know that now, some couples don't just expect men to wear a tux and ladies to have a fancy dress, but try to tell people what colors to wear so that their photos can look great on social media. Basically, this whole fancy wedding plan seemed as absurd to the Malones as that does now.
Of course, just like in every other book, Beany learns to be content with what she has, feel a sense of pride in her family identity, and stop trying to be like everyone else. Ultimately, I had to settle for her learning this lesson yet again for the book to have a plot. Fortunately, there are a variety of other subplots as well.
Also, just like I hoped, Anders returned. He and Mary Fred had such excellent chemistry that I hoped he'd reappear at the end, and this is just one of many full-circle elements that happens to bring the series to a satisfying close. However, Mary Fred makes some very impulsive and out-of-character decisions related to this, and I had trouble suspending my disbelief about some of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't as good as some of the others, but it has lots of great elements and brings the series to a satisfying close. There is still one more book in this series, but the author published it seven years later, and it has a very different feel. It's clear that this book was intended to be the final one, and the full-circle elements and satisfying ending feel just right.
December 3, 2017
Maybe it's just that the standard American wedding more commonly became more formal sometime around the 1980s, but it didn't quite make sense to me as to why so many people (her family, friends, and fiance) expected Beany to have a super basic, informal do. Nothing Nonna suggested for Beany seemed outrageous to me, and described pretty much all of my friends' and family weddings I've been to in the last 30 years (with the possible exception of some of the receptions were held in church halls, but were still catered events attended by all the guests, not just some). It also pretty closely resembles what I've heard my mom and aunt's weddings (all married between 1965 and 1970) were like. Guess it's possible that things were different in LMW's circle, or maybe she just needed a plot for the book. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
P.S. I didn't even know you could *have* a wedding without invitations!!! Much less finalize the date, buy your dress, and plan for the food all about ten days out.
P.S. I didn't even know you could *have* a wedding without invitations!!! Much less finalize the date, buy your dress, and plan for the food all about ten days out.
August 15, 2022
As far as I'm concerned, this is the last Beany book. The real last one was a big disappointment. Here we have Beany finally getting married, sorting through her priorities for the wedding plans. I have to say, although the author made everything hunky-dory for her wedding, I still felt she got cheated a little by having to sacrifice so many of her dreams. I know, I know, she got what she wanted most, to be Carl's wife, but everyone and everything conspired against her. I do love Johnny's happily-ever-after, so perfect for him.
December 19, 2020
Wonderful book
The thing about the Beany Malone books is that they are intended for teenagers and have happy endings but they do not shy away from the harsh realities of life. There are accidents and death and unfairness and inequality. But the goodness of the characters shines though. I have loved these books for decades and will never stop reading them over and over.
The thing about the Beany Malone books is that they are intended for teenagers and have happy endings but they do not shy away from the harsh realities of life. There are accidents and death and unfairness and inequality. But the goodness of the characters shines though. I have loved these books for decades and will never stop reading them over and over.
January 3, 2023
While I read, I wondered if this was the book Lenora Mattingly Weber originally planned to end the series, because it was a bit of reunion: Ander returned (yay!!), Norbett is mentioned, Andy appears, Elizabeth comes from California.
I really enjoyed this book and it had a lovely ending. The wedding was lovely, but I was very excited for the rekindling of the romance for Ander and Mary Fred.
I really enjoyed this book and it had a lovely ending. The wedding was lovely, but I was very excited for the rekindling of the romance for Ander and Mary Fred.
January 25, 2025
loved the little tidbits of wisdom..
Enclosed in this novel as Beany grew and matured, she struggled with communication and learned that keeping secrets doesn’t pay off. There is more than fancy weddings to make someone happy.
Enclosed in this novel as Beany grew and matured, she struggled with communication and learned that keeping secrets doesn’t pay off. There is more than fancy weddings to make someone happy.
January 7, 2018
What a beautiful, lovely series. I loved it so much!
January 28, 2024
Nonna is back in the picture and almost ruins Beany and Carl's wedding. In the end, Beany wakes up to find she is happier being true to the values she has always lived.
August 22, 2009
A light read, an enjoyable romance book
Review "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin
A definite "Sex in the city" book about young professionals trying to build
careers and find true love in the Big Apple. Scenes stretgh from NYC to the
Hamptons to London and back.
As I started reading this chick book, I thought I am too old and have turned into
disapproving prude. Too much sleeping around. Then I thought how in my twenties I was aware of the huge
double standard that existied in USA and wonder when if ever the hypocristy women faced would change. Well it has somewhat but
I am still stuck with 1950's moral stance. I also thought Rachel White was very naive regarding her relationship with
her best friend Darcy. Darcy constantly putting her down, grabbing the attention in any
conversation, using not only Rachel but her friends too, leaning on them to help in her self-made crisises.
But then I thought- gee Sue you were as naive: I was well into my late 30's early
40's before I began to see such patterns in my own relationships with friends and family. So finally I relaxed
and enjoyed the story and what a good story it is- Rachel
did a lot of soul searching the morning after her 30th birthday party where
she drank too much and she and Darcy's fiance Dexter fall in bed together.
Darcy's wedding is set for September, yet Rachel and Dexter can't stop seeing
each other over the summer. Rachel is falling hard for Dexter and with help
of old friends( one who invites her to London to give her the space and
awareness she needs to give an ultimatim to Dexter and stand by it.
All ends well, Rachel and Dexter declare their love, and it is discover that Darcy
was cheating on Dexter with another friend from their circle. Fun to read with
a sequel coming up.
Review "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin
A definite "Sex in the city" book about young professionals trying to build
careers and find true love in the Big Apple. Scenes stretgh from NYC to the
Hamptons to London and back.
As I started reading this chick book, I thought I am too old and have turned into
disapproving prude. Too much sleeping around. Then I thought how in my twenties I was aware of the huge
double standard that existied in USA and wonder when if ever the hypocristy women faced would change. Well it has somewhat but
I am still stuck with 1950's moral stance. I also thought Rachel White was very naive regarding her relationship with
her best friend Darcy. Darcy constantly putting her down, grabbing the attention in any
conversation, using not only Rachel but her friends too, leaning on them to help in her self-made crisises.
But then I thought- gee Sue you were as naive: I was well into my late 30's early
40's before I began to see such patterns in my own relationships with friends and family. So finally I relaxed
and enjoyed the story and what a good story it is- Rachel
did a lot of soul searching the morning after her 30th birthday party where
she drank too much and she and Darcy's fiance Dexter fall in bed together.
Darcy's wedding is set for September, yet Rachel and Dexter can't stop seeing
each other over the summer. Rachel is falling hard for Dexter and with help
of old friends( one who invites her to London to give her the space and
awareness she needs to give an ultimatim to Dexter and stand by it.
All ends well, Rachel and Dexter declare their love, and it is discover that Darcy
was cheating on Dexter with another friend from their circle. Fun to read with
a sequel coming up.
December 2, 2025
This book wraps up the Beany Malone series nicely (though there is one more book, it’s set four years later and is different in tone than the other books). Beany is getting married and longs to be the center of attention for just one day. When she gets her wish fulfilled for a grand wedding, everything starts to spiral out of control. In the meantime, Mary Fred is going through an identity crisis of her own.
Quick pace, great plotting, realistic writing, and a life lesson or two…it’s all there. And (spoiler alert),
Quick pace, great plotting, realistic writing, and a life lesson or two…it’s all there. And (spoiler alert),
January 8, 2015
I'm disappointed in the further books of Beany Malone! There isn't a book it seems, where she can't have a peaceful time-she continaully gets into scrapes, or on everyone's bad side! And it felt like the author was just trying to tie up lose ends, close to the end of the series... Johnny's SUDDEN marriage for instance, and Ander's just now returning.. I didn't even finish this one, because it was too disappointing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2007
Not as good as Something Blue, but nice to follow the charters
November 22, 2011
I read all these Beany books a long long time ago and remember loving them.
May 6, 2016
Read again in 2009.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews