The Party Planning Committe by Amy Matayo {Review}

The Party Planning Committee by Amy Matayo

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given. 

 

When Charlotte Pringle Frost won The Party Planning Committee three years ago, she gained name-recognition, money, and enough wealthy clients to keep her Beverly Hills party-planning business running for months. But when her father used all her winnings to pay off his gambling debts, he left her with nothing but the clothes on her back and a damaged reputation. Now she’s living in Arkansas, was just fired from her party store cashier job, and can’t figure out how it all went wrong.

Lance Dutton hasn’t been at his mental wellness retreat in Switzerland five minutes when his mom calls to tell him his little sister is engaged. Alexandria is twenty-two, and her overly tattooed fiancé fronts an underground boy band; so much for mental wellness. It isn’t enough that Lance has spent ten years of his life starring on Dealing with the Duttons—his family’s reality show; now he’s expected to come home and oversee the wedding. With multiple product lines and new endorsement deals in the works, his family can’t afford any bad press.

When Alexandria impulsively hires some random contestant she remembers from an old reality game show to plan the wedding, all Lance sees is a disaster in the making. It’s bad enough that the wedding is in four weeks and his sister wants the whole process aired live, but this Charlotte chick is cuter than he expected, and she’s messing with his head. Suddenly he’s thinking about the future, and nothing could possibly be worse than that.

Nothing, that is, until Alexandria tells them her ridiculous wedding theme.

As the only sane people around, it’s up to Lance and Charlotte to make this disastrous wedding a success, a nearly impossible feat that soon has them both wondering…

Even if the wedding doesn’t work out, could they?

 AMAZON  ***  GOODREADS 

My Review: 5 Stars

Reality TV. A girl who lost it all. A super hot, super sweet guy. The wedding of a century. An off-limits relationship with the most underlying sizzling chemistry ever. An elderly, outspoken, quirky neighbor. What's not to love about this book? Why, absolutely nothing! I loved every minute of every page and didn't want it to end.

Anyone who's followed me for awhile knows I'm not a reality TV watcher, but I love stories with that plot line. Charlotte is a fantastic character and makes the rich and famous life look unappealing. I love how she gets so much satisfaction out of the simple things in life, yet she's so hard working and creative. And Lance? Whew, where do I even start? This reality star playboy seems to shun the spotlight, yet loves the lifestyle, but he's so down-to-earth and absolutely lovable. Even the wedding couple was deeper than first glance, although Alex (the bride) came off like a fickle coin--fun and adorable on one side and a spoiled brat on the other. The romantic tension was wonderfully perfect--sigh--so perfect. 

Content: mild+ romance (swoony, kissing, some innuendo); mild language

A Marriage of Inconvenience by Amy Vastine {Blog Tour Review + Giveaway}

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Marriage of Inconvenience

(Stop the Wedding! #3)

By Amy Vastine

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 213 Pages

April 1, 2021 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’s met the perfect man…
But he’s engaged!

Wedding planner Sophia Reed never imagined she’d meet her perfect man during a bank robbery. Evan Anderson is handsome and funny and makes Sophia believe in love at first sight. There’s only one small hitch—he’s engaged to someone else, and Sophia is planning his wedding! But Evan’s wedding is purely a business arrangement…and true love might just turn this almost-perfect wedding into a beautiful catastrophe!

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

Stop the Wedding!
Book 1: A Bridesmaid to Remember
Book 2: His Brother’s Bride
Book 3: A Marriage of Inconvenience

(Affiliate links included.)

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My Review: 5 Stars

 

There's something about weddings that brings a tear to my eye and joy beyond joy to my heart, but this wedding brought more tears than joy. Evan and Sophia met in a very unconventional (and beyond scary) way, bonding over their trauma, but wedding planner Sophia quickly discovers that groom-to-be Evan is off limits.

 

While the plot was fascinating, with the combination of romance and suspense, this book is character driven. Their dilemmas brought them to life, making them relatable and likable. Sophia is a woman who is very good at what she does. Not only is she competent, but she's darling and willing to do whatever it takes to maintain propriety. Next, we have one of the most charming men around--Evan. That man is loyal to a fault, caring for his brother and unselfishly helping his best friend. Who wouldn't fall head-over-heels for him?

 

I loved the way Vastine wrestled many complicated situations into a delightfully sweet and engaging story. The intricate entanglements were not only entertaining, but they tugged on my heartstrings, making it feel hard to feel mad about some things and making me swoon and happily sigh over others. This is the perfect book for those who enjoy a wedding story with some substance to it.

 

Content: mild romance; mild terror/fear/peril

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to Amazon affiliate links.)

About the Author

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart husband, three teenagers who keep her on her toes, and their two sweet but mischievous pups.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive (US only):

- $25 Amazon gift card

- “I love you to the bookstore and back” book bag filled with several of my favorite Heartwarming books

- Blackwell Sisters cleaning cloth

- Bookmark

Three additional winners will receive an ebook of the first book in the Stop the Wedding Series, A Bridesmaid to Remember (open internationally)

Ends April 28, 2021

ENTER HERE

If It's Perfect (The Wedding Business Book 1) by Summer Dowell {Review}

If It's Perfect (The Wedding Business Book 1) by Summer Dowell

Kindle Edition, 192 pages

Published October 22nd 2020
Source: Kindle Unlimited

One thing I learned this week: DO NOT flirt while at a client’s wedding. (especially with anyone in a tux)

Success-driven Hope Fletcher has some lofty goals for her life. But is it really too much to want a thriving cake design business by age 29? Marry a perfect (emphasis on the perfect) man by age 30? Then have the kids, dog, and house in suburbia by age 34? If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Dean. Wonderful, dreamy Dean who loves kids (and will eventually grow to love dogs) steps into Hope's world. He's the exact type of man she's been looking for and she starts falling. Hard.

But will Hope's perfect image of Dean crumble when she finds out about his past?

A clean, loud-out-loud romantic comedy that's full of sarcasm and swoons!

 

  

My Review: 5 Stars

If you're looking for something as light and fun as buttercream frosting, this is the book for you! Hope is a perfectionist, with rigid goals and looking for the perfect man. The meet cute with Dean was humorous and sweet, and what follows was a deliciously delightful concoction of pure RomCom fun. 

This author has a wonderful sense of humor that flows right through to the characters and the entertaining situations they found themselves in. As Hope is a cake decorator, wedded bliss and all its trappings (bridezillas and all) decorated the pages like fondant flowers. Not only did this story leave me drooling for cake, but I was also in love with the budding romance and was ready to fight Hope for perfectly imperfect Dean.

In a true RomCom fashion, this book delivered snark, witty banter that sizzled, drama, secrets, humor, romance, and more, and I devoured it about as fast as I would a five tiered, multi-flavored wedding cake. This one was a winner in my book!

Content: mild romance 

To Have and to Hold by Betsy St. Amant, Becky Wade, and Katie Ganshert {Review}

To Have and to Hold by Betsy St. Amant, Becky Wade, and Katie Ganshert

Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Published August 30th 2016 by Zondervan (first published 2015)  

Source: I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were voluntarily given

 

 

 

Love Takes the Cake: A September Wedding Story by Betsy St. Amant

Charlotte Cantrell is always the baker; never the bride. When Will, a regular at Charlotte’s bakery, catches her attention, she can only hope that he is the reliable man this single mother has always hoped to find. The problem is that he’s regularly stopping in to buy cookies for another girl. But when Charlotte is hired to bake a host of wedding goodies for a difficult bride and finds out Will is the best man, she has the perfect opportunity to get to know him better—and find out how serious Will is about this other girl in his life.

The Perfect Arrangement: An October Wedding Story by Katie Ganshert

Amelia Woods is a small-town wallflower and the proud owner of Forget-Me-Nots, a quaint flower shop. Her love life has always been a bit lackluster—until she ends up in an embarrassing fender-bender with handsome Nate Gallagher. Meanwhile, Amelia’s younger brother, William, has proposed to his girlfriend. Amelia would be excited except she has evidence that the fiancée is not who she says she is. It seems Nate is the only one available for any advice-giving, and he’s good at it—and pretty fun to talk to, too. As Amelia works to craft the perfect flower arrangements for other people, she begins to wonder if real love is better than the dream. And if it is, will Nate still be interested when he learns who she is?

Love in the Details: A November Wedding Story by Becky Wade

When Josh returns to his hometown of Martinsburg, Texas, to help his best friend get married, he didn’t intend to run into church wedding coordinator—and ex-girlfriend—Holly. He can’t help but pine after the girl he never got over. Holly broke up with Josh years ago in an attempt to ensure his future success. But she loved him then and still loves him now. As she helps him plan his best friend’s wedding, she longs to be with Josh but doesn’t feel worthy of his big-time lifestyle when she is more comfortable in her small-town world. Will Josh and Holly be able to keep things as they are when their true feelings threaten to surface at every turn?

 

   

My Review: 4 Stars

Weddings are magical and I loved reading about these darling autumn celebrations. Each one was set in a small town and had a sweetness that was quintessential. 

My mouth was watering in LOVE TAKES THE CAKE. Charlotte bakes up the best desserts and her interest in Will was captivating--especially when a surprise discovery was uncovered. The romance was as light and fluffy sweet as whipped frosting and I especially loved the influence of the secondary characters.

THE PERFECT ARRANGEMENT had YOU'VE GOT MAIL vibes and I adored the way Nate and Amelia connected through email, using classic movie titles as their subject lines. Their meet cute was a literal bang and their connections were a bit messy and twisted, but that's what added a delightful element to their instant attraction.

Second chances at love is where it's at in LOVE IN THE DETAILS. Sometimes the timing might be off with the one who got away and a wedding and some heartfelt communication can put things back on track. I loved Holly and Josh and adored watching their past connect with their future.

Content: mild romance; mild religion

Stepping In For the Billionaire Groom (A Benton Brother Romance) by Kimberly Krey {Review}

Stepping In For the Billionaire Groom (A Benton Brother Romance) by Kimberly Krey
Published by Candle House, April 16, 2020
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

   

Kat Morgan signed up for asocial experiment called Married at First Meet in hopes to find Mr. Right. But what happens when Mr Right's twin steps into his place?

Kat can't trust her feelings. Not since she fell in love with a man who kept his true identity from her. That's why Married At First Meet, the social experiment that selects your perfect match, is right for her. Formulas are more trustworthy than feelings.

Zander Benton has saved Duke's bacon more times than he can count; that's what identical twins are for. But when Duke needs Zander to walk down the wedding aisle in his place during a live broadcast, Zander draws the line.

Until his family convinces him to do it.

The Bentons must avoid the repercussions that would follow if the famous groom left the bride--not to mention millions of viewers--without a groom. Besides, Duke will be there in time for the honeymoon, right? Wrong.

Zander and Kat are whisked away to the Maldives.
Both develop deep feelings along the way.
What will Kat do when Zander tells her that he--like the ex-boyfriend who ruined her trust--has been lying about who he really is?

My Review: 5 Stars

I'm a total sucker for a secret identity and these Benton brothers are where it's at. Duke and Zander are twins and of course, Duke finds himself in a pickle when he agrees to a new reality tv show where they match you up and you get married at first sight and he's not in town. His twin brother, Zander, comes to the rescue and what a rescue it is!

Kat and Zander have a charged first meeting before the wedding, but the chemistry between them after the wedding is off the charts. I loved the glimpses into the reality tv world, but my favorite moments were the chemistry-laden exchanges between this newly married couple. 

I'm the type who connects with the more serious kind of guy, as is Kat, and although Zander wasn't who she thought he was, she truly was matched with her perfect math. This reads like a delectable tv show and I couldn't get enough. 

Ms. Krey does a brilliant job of taking two strong characters and melding them into something sugary sweet and perfect. And now I can't wait for Duke's story. 

Content: mild+ romance (steamy clean, kissing, innuendo) 

The Reunion (Love in Chaos, Book 4) by Amy Matayo {Review}

The Reunion (Love in Chaos, Book 4) by Amy Matayo

Kindle Edition, 110 pages

Published March 21st 2020 by Amazon.com Services LLC 

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given

 

    

 

It’s been quite the year for the Hayes/Gamble family, but now things are looking up. When you’ve survived a tornado, a concert shooting, and being stranded on a deserted island, what else can possibly go wrong? After all, isn’t that the rule—three strikes, and you’re out?

That should totally be the rule.

Dillon Hayes has dreamed of her wedding day since childhood. Now, after months of planning, the chapel is booked, the invitations are sent, and the dress is ready and waiting. In only a few days’ time, Dillon will become Mrs. Liam Gamble in front of God, Tennessee, and everyone she loves.

But when a rare blizzard dumps piles of snow on Nashville and the entire southern region three days before the wedding, all that planning goes up in, well…snow. Businesses close. Flights are grounded. Roads are nearly impassible. Even the chapel now has a gaping hole in the middle of the roof and a giant mound of white powder blocking the aisle.

Dillon can feel her dreams dying one by one…and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. A year filled with one mishap after another can wear a person down. But what Dillon soon discovers is this: the death of one dream isn’t necessarily the end.

Sometimes it can lead to an even better beginning.

 

My Review: 5 Stars

Some families have all the luck...and it might not always be the good kind. This series started with Dillon's story. The one where she was stranded on an island, and now that the series is wrapping up, the blizzard of a lifetime is threatening her dream wedding. 

I have felt such a connection to these stories and I was beyond excited to have this little gem to tie everything up. My love of the beach and of music, along with two settings of where my sister's have lived, really bonded me to these characters, but more than that, the magical way that Amy Matayo spins her tales always manages to capture every strand of emotion in my being. 

I loved beginning and ending with Dillon and in light of all that's going on the world right now, I loved the hope that permeated these pages, allowing the reader to recognize that dreams (and life) can be adaptable and rewritten in possibly new and better ways.

Content: mild romance; mild moments of peril

The Billionaire's Mountain Bride by Elizabeth Bromke {Review}

The Billionaire's Mountain Bride: Married in Maplewood (Maplewood Sisters #5) by Elizabeth Bromke

Kindle Edition, 122 pages

Published July 1st 2019 

Source: I received a complimentary copy from Booksprout. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given. 

    

Fans of Debbie Macomber will enjoy this sweet take on the country mouse and the city mouse. The Billionaire's Mountain Bride is the first installment in a heartwarming spin-off series following the lives of four small-town sisters.

Maplewood innkeeper Mary Delaney always thought she'd marry a down-home local. Until she met big-city billionaire Kurt Cutler. Early love gave way to a blissful engagement. But as the wedding date nears, Mary finds out Kurt's wealthy lifestyle may not be compatible with her small-town values. She questions whether her fiancé really is “the one" or if her dream wedding is clouding her judgment.

Kurt Cutler found his soul mate in sweet Mary Delaney. But marriage means compromise. Kurt has to move his booming tech business and big-city lifestyle to Maplewood Mountain, where campfires reign king and the internet is a thing of the future.

Kurt must decide if he can assimilate into Maplewood and into Mary’s life. And Mary must decide if it's a marriage she wants...or just a wedding.

Order and find out what becomes of Maplewood's first romantic duo, Mary and Kurt.

My Review: 4 Stars

This is such a sweet series, but I don't think a reader would be lost starting with this one. Yes, the backstory to Kurt and Mary's romance makes it that much better to know, because you realize that it's not always a happily-ever-after once the book ends, but there are still issues to work through. Relationships can be difficult, especially when two people from such opposite worlds are trying to merge onto common ground. Bromke does a great job of showing these differences and allowing the reader into the lives of these characters for a time.

Love knows no bounds, no incomes, and no lifestyles, as is apparent with Kurt and Mary. I enjoyed watching them figure things out, as they finally lock down a wedding date and deal with expectations, hopes, and dreams. I grew to love Kurt and Mary and was excited to read more about their story.


Content: mild romance

The Billionaire's Mountain Bride is the Maplewood Sisters saga finale but the first installment in the spin-off series, Married in Maplewood. Readers will most appreciate reading about the Delaney sisters in chronological order. Check out these other titles today:
Christmas on Maplewood Mountain (Meet the youngest sister, Mary, just before she lays eyes on Kurt Cutler)
Maplewood in Love (Follow Mary and Kurt into their short story sequel, where love at first sight struggles to survive)
Return to Maplewood (Find out if middle-child Anna can slow down with blue-collar stud Dutch McCree)
Missing in Maplewood (Fall in love with older sister, Erica, and her husband Ben, who might be falling out of love in this dramatic suspense)
Murder in Maplewood (Oldest sister, Bo, needs a partner in crime to uncover Maplewood's darkest secret. Is Keegan Flanagan up to the task?)
The Billionaire's Mountain Bride, Married in Maplewood (Can Maplewood's favorite couple overcome their differences? Find out if a wedding in is store for sweet Mary Delaney and her handsome Prince Charming)

In Tune With Love: An April Wedding by Amy Matayo {Review}

In Tune With Love by Amy Matayo

ebook, 112 pages

Published March 31st 2015 by Zondervan 

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

 

    

 

They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.

April is willing to do anything for her sister’s wedding—until she comes face to face with a guy from her past.

April Quinn is thrilled to be her sister’s maid of honor, until the wedding coordinator quits and the responsibilities get dumped on her. It’s April’s worst nightmare—especially since her sister has more objections and opinions than a lawyer presenting a high-profile court case. When the wedding singer walks out at the last-minute, her sister hires a replacement. When April finds out who the replacement is, she’s ready to call it quits as well.
Because there’s only one person in April’s past that she never wanted to see again, and her sister just handed him a front row seat to the wedding.

Jack Vaughn finally has the career he’s always wanted. After playing in bars and singing in weddings as a struggling musician for half a decade, he’s just released his second album and sales are skyrocketing. But while visiting his parent’s Nashville home the weekend before his first headline tour, he runs into an old friend. When she asks him for a last-minute favor, he can’t bring himself to say no. Even though saying yes means he has to come face to face with April Quinn—the girl who hasn’t spoken to him in years.

And rightly so, since he stole something from her that he’ll never be able to repay.

 

My Review: 4 Stars

 

I love a short little romantic treat and this one hit the spot. April's sister is getting married and when the wedding singer quits last minute, the replacement is April's nemesis--the man who stole her lyrics.

 

There's something about a wedding that inspires little droplets of romance and April and Jack find they're not immune to it. I wish the story could've been a little longer to dig deeper into these characters and make them three dimensional like I know this author can do, but given the length, the story is complete and utterly charming.

 

April is hurt and what Jack does to make things right for her almost brought a tear to my eye, which is very difficult to do. Fun, celebrity romance!

  

Content: mild romance  

Wedding Belles: A Novel in Four Parts {Review}

Wedding Belles: A Novel in Four Parts
by Melanie Jacobson, Jenny Proctor, Becca Wilhite, and Brittany Larsen

Kindle Edition, 274 pages

Published October 16th 2018 by Four Petal Press 

Source: I received a copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

 

    

Harper is an event planner with dreams of taking over the Charleston wedding scene . . . until she meets the biggest Bridezilla of her career. She needs the job, but the only way to keep it is to hire a temperamental chef with big dreams of his own.

Janie is a classical cellist booked to play a posh Charleston wedding. She’s excited to have the lucrative gig until the groom’s brother, Emmett, shows up and asks her to help him play a song he wrote for the happy couple. The only trouble? Emmett is her unrequited high school crush.

Lily has been Dahlia's best friend, partner-in-crime, and now her maid of honor . . . until suddenly there's no wedding, and she's left to clean up Dahlia's biggest mess of all. She's been friends with Deacon, the jilted groom, for just as long, and it's up to her rescue him after Hurricane Dahlia blows through.

Sutton is a photographer running from her past. Only the pleas from her best friend to photograph her wedding could bring Sutton back to Charleston. Her plan is to get in and get out before her ex knows she and their daughter are in town. At least it’s the plan until she meets Max, who turns out to be the safe place she didn’t know she was looking for.

Can each of these couples trust their growing chemistry, or are they on the verge of new disasters?

My Review: 5 Stars 

What a fun idea! I loved having a collection of stories from favorite authors that tells different points-of-view revolving around the same event, and what better event to revolve around than a wedding in South Carolina!

We are first introduced to the wedding planner, Harper. I loved how her story meshed into the world of Korean food and Zac. Emmett, the groom's brother, has a potential second chance at romance with Janie, which leads us to the maid-of-honor, Lily, who has been friends with the groom, Deacon, for as long as she has the bride. Sutton, the photographer, is also a close friend of the bride's and this sentimental story has a lot to do with the groom's friend, Max. 

See? This book is so fabulously interconnected and each installment flows flawlessly into the next one, giving the reader a deeper glimpse inside this much anticipated event, while throwing swoon like the petals from the flower girl's basket. 

I have to admit that I was quite impressed with the way these authors gelled their voices together so well, yet gave unique perspectives to this special occasion. I smiled; I got a bit teary-eyed; I felt a little feisty; I fell in love; and I definitely swooned. I'm hoping for another collaboration in the near future!

Content: mild romance; some mild innuendo

The Wedding Catch by Susan Hatler {Review}

The Wedding Catch by Susan Hatler

Kindle Edition, 145 pages

Published August 31st 2018 by Hatco Publishing 

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

 

   

 

When Avery Summers finds out the homeless outreach program where she volunteers is about to lose their building to a big developer, she’s determined to help. Unfortunately, she also has to juggle her job at a bakery, help her friend plan her upcoming wedding, and deal with a sudden flurry of dinner invitations by the bride’s cousin, a man she’d normally jump at the chance to date. It’s too bad he reminds her of the stepfather who abandoned her and her mother, causing Avery to be homeless as a child.
 

Handsome and charming Jason Morgan doesn’t appear fazed by Avery’s rejections and becomes a regular at the bakery where she works. When he asks her out yet again, Avery responds with a proposal she’s sure he’ll turn down—she’ll go out with him if he volunteers with her at the homeless outreach program. To her surprise, he agrees and part of Avery can’t help but be pleased. Maybe he’s not like her selfish stepfather, after all.
 

Sure enough, the more time they spend together, the more Avery’s convinced that Jason is more than his luxury sports car and designer suits. He seems to genuinely care about the homeless, and even agrees to help Avery hunt for long-lost tunnels dating back to the gold rush that—if they really exist—could save the outreach program’s building. Before the tunnels can be found, however, Avery’s dealt several devastating blows, including a shocking revelation that Jason works for the very developer that wants to tear the building down. Can Avery convince Jason to put his heart before his career? And will Avery find healing in forgiveness and second chances?

 

My Review: 5 Stars

 

I love a story that proves that connections between people can truly happen on a deep level, regardless of similar social and financial situations. Avery and Jason are completely opposite in many ways, but are compatible in the ways that count. He's in town for his cousin's wedding (who just happens to be Avery's boss) and there is an instant bond that grasps them--especially for the very persistent Jason.

 

I love romance more than any other genre, but I love the story to have some deeper levels to it and this one delivers a fun, mild mystery to go along with Avery's passionate cause--helping a homeless program. This book is told from Avery's point-of-view and it's heartening to watch her discover that all of her preconceived notions may not be true.

 

In a sweet and gentle manner, this story swept me off my feet and kept me reading until I honestly couldn't keep my eyes open for one more second. True story--I woke up this morning to finish the book and only had 1.5 pages left. I was so close!

 

Content: mild romance 

The Undercover Bridesmaid by Kimberley Montpetit {Review}

The Undercover Bridesmaid by Kimberley Montpetit

Kindle Edition, 246 pages

Published July 11th 2018 by Spellbound Books 

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

   

Can love overcome the tragic past between a hired bridesmaid and an FBI Agent?

Chloe Romano is a good FBI Agent even though she fights a deep attraction to her team leader, the gorgeous Liam Esposito. Fraternizing with her boss is strictly forbidden, and their feelings for each other have to remain a secret longing.

When an FBI sting operation goes horribly wrong, Chloe's feelings for Liam become tangled with grief when she learns that he was the one that left her best friend behind to die.

After resigning from the FBI, Chloe launches a bridesmaid-for-hire business. As a personal assistant for brides suffering wedding melt-downs, Chloe loses herself in her new career--until the day Liam Esposito shows up out of the blue. Liam needs Chloe's help in stopping a diamond heist at her wealthy cousin's wedding. Old feelings resurface when Chloe is drawn to Liam's charm, strength, and intelligence.

Wedding party suspects are everywhere, but can Chloe save her cousin from the ultimate bridal melt-down when it looks like the groom is the culprit?

Most importantly, is Chloe brave enough to learn the truth and give Liam and their love a second chance?

My Review: 4 Stars

I'm always a fan of a suspense that keeps me guessing and this one did just that. Don't get me wrong--there was plenty of light-hearted romance and fun, but that element of mystery was just the right amount to really add an interesting dimension to the story.

Chloe is perfect for this new job, since she's a former FBI agent and is now a professional bridesmaid. Her cousin is getting married and Chloe's skills are needed to protect some expensive diamonds from being stolen. Chloe is capable, resilient, and strong and just the right person to calm any wedding jitters.

Liam is a big part of the reason why Chloe left the FBI and he's now on the scene again. I don't know how that girl could resist his charms, but she somehow does, although their interactions ooze a delightfully resistant chemistry.

I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of wedding plans, mystery, danger, and swoon and especially loved the culmination of it all.

Content: mild romance; mild violence

Catch Him if You Can by Jennifer Shirk {Review}

Catch Him If You Can by Jennifer Shirk

ebook, 243 pages

Publication: August 13th 2018 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Bliss)

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

   

Veterinarian Wade Roberts is done with love. But try convincing the elderly folk of Cape Harmony who are determined to play matchmaker. Now the young single women in town are bombarding him with baked goods and love notes, and being “taken” is the only way to stop the meddling grannies—which is why he needs a fake fiancée. Fast.

Arden Pearson loves planning weddings. Other people's weddings, that is. After her own engagement ended in disaster, she prefers to live vicariously through her work. But when she needs to persuade a big client that she’s capable of planning the celebrity wedding of the year, she’s willing to go as far as pretending to be engaged herself to her best friend’s older brother.

Soon their ruse has everyone in town believing they make the perfect couple—including Arden. She’s always been nothing more than a kid sister to Wade, and it might take a village to convince him otherwise...  

My Review: 5 Stars

Wade has been shattered by love before and isn't in any hurry to find love again, much to the dismay of the meddling menagerie of women in town. These women cracked me up! From Judy at the coffee shop, who only hears what she wants to hear, to the ladies bringing in "sick" pets to the clinic and leaving food on his doorstep, there are a lot of laughs brought to the reader by these ladies. Wade is the hot, but nerdy, vet in town and isn't safe from anyone's advances.

Arden, Wade's younger sister's best friend, has also been crushed by love, in a completely different way, and is content in planning the best weddings of the year with her business. I would die to see some of the weddings she plans--they sound so unique and perfect for each bride.

Obviously, a fake relationship is proposed to simplify and benefit both of their lives, but who can tell the heart how to feel? A fake relationship, with some prior sparks and chemistry, is one of my favorites and this one definitely delivered. I loved the swoon and sass with each interaction, especially as they tried to convince the town (and each other) that they were committed. Wade and Arden are strong and self confident characters, but have just a touch of marshmallow that really melt the heart. I loved the whole setting and premise and hope there's more coming in the "Accidentally in Love" series.

Content: steamy clean romance (the couple does have sex, but everything is behind closed doors); some innuendo; mild-moderate language

Cold Feet, Hot Summer by Emma St. Clair {Review}

Cold Feet, Hot Summer by Emma St. Clair

Kindle Edition, 184 pages

Published March 16th 2018 

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

   

What happens when you pair a case of cold feet with an old flame? Natalie is just weeks away from her summer wedding to her longtime love Seth, so she should be overjoyed. Instead, the stress of planning the perfect day has her feeling more anxiety than anticipation. She and Seth can't find a place to live (without his parents helping foot the bill) and Natalie and her mom have different tastes. She's just ready for the whole thing to be over.
When Natalie's brother Jimmy has a freak accident, it means a drastic cut in the wedding budget and leaving her job to stay home with him. It also brings her ex Jeremy right back into the middle of her life. The feelings she thought were gone are anything but, and Natalie finds herself wondering if she has a simple case of cold feet or if she's about to choose the wrong man.
Will she walk down the aisle or become a runaway bride? Find out in this standalone sweet romance!

My Review: 4 Stars

This is the perfect light, summer, beach read. I love a fun, clean romance and this one is full of interesting characters, hilarious situations, and wedding drama. I only wish I would have read the novella before reading this one (I read them after). Four Days at Christmas really sets this book up right and delivers the full picture.

Natalie is more stressed than happy about her upcoming wedding to Seth. Weddings are super stressful, but the excitement and anticipation of the big day usually overshadow the decisions and hard stuff. When her brother, Jimmy, has a major accident, a lot of things change in Natalie's life and I loved the outcome. I'd be interested in reading more about these characters, especially Jimmy.

Content: moderate religious content; mild romance

Jessica & James: A Love Story by Kimberley Montpetit {Review}

Jessica & James: A Love Story 
by Kimberley Montpetit
Kindle Edition, 303 pages

Published December 17th 2017

JESSICA & JAMES: A LOVE STORY is a boxed collection of two romances set in Snow Valley, Montana; Risking it all for Love and Sealed with a Kiss—the story of world-renowned ballerina Jessica Mason and James Douglas.

This boxed collection includes a Brand New Bonus Wedding Chapter! Newly revised, new material, and all new title and cover.

You will love the saga of ballerina Jessica and the sparks that fly between her and James Douglas, the new pastor in town.

Can Jessica forgive herself for that fateful night when Michael, her childhood love was killed in a car accident? She can't, until she meets James Douglas who is unlike any minister-in-training she’s ever met. James can not only dish back Jessica’s finely tuned sarcasm but understands grief all too well, turning Jessica’s world upside down. Is she ready to take another risk on love?

When April Murphy, a war widow with a young daughter, shows up in Snow Valley, James reluctantly begins to wonder if he and Jessica who is now dancing with a premiere ballet company in New Orleans almost two thousand miles away, are really meant to be. April would make the perfect pastor’s wife and he’d have an instant family and the stability he craves.

But Pastor James can’t get the spitfire Jessica out of his mind and when she returns to Snow Valley to accept an inheritance, her male ballet partner in tow, their love takes on a new edge.  

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My Review: 5 Stars

I love a story with very different characters. Jessica is sarcastic, hardened through life experience, and very dedicated. She's lost her faith and on paper, really wouldn't make a great pastor's wife, but a run-in while back in her hometown throws her into the path of new pastor, James, and the sparks ignite from the first meeting. James is very compassionate, patient, and human, but they are definitely an "opposites attract" kind of connection.

Reading these stories together, with the bonus chapter, was so much fun. I loved seeing the progress and growth in a solid reading, because it was very apparent and really captured my heart, especially as they each try to figure out what they truly want from life and their relationship. They both have histories to move past and the journey was definitely a touching one.

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again--I LOVE and adore Snow Valley and it's inhabitants. I loved visiting once again and my time there was well spent. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to a wonderful stay.

Content: mild romance (kissing); very mild language

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Love in the Details: A November Wedding by Becky Wade {Review}

Love in the Details: A November Wedding
(A Year of Weddings Novella) by Becky Wade

Kindle Edition, 132 pages

Published October 27th 2015 by Zondervan 

 

 

She left him to save his future, but they’ve never gotten over each other.

When Josh returns to his hometown of Martinsburg, Texas, to help his best friend get married, he didn’t intend to run into church wedding coordinator—and ex-girlfriend—Holly. He can’t help but pine after the girl he never got over.

Holly broke up with Josh years ago in an attempt to ensure his future success. But she loved him then and still loves him now. As she helps him plan his best friend’s wedding, she can’t help but feel horrible for the pain she caused him. And even though she longs to be with Josh, she doesn’t feel worthy of his big-time lifestyle when she is more comfortable in her small town world. Will Josh and Holly be able to keep things as they are when their true feelings threaten to surface at every turn?

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My Review: 5 Stars

There's something about a wedding that I just adore. Although it's not Holly's wedding, she's the church's volunteer wedding coordinator and a big Thanksgiving wedding brings her high school sweetheart back to town.

Josh and Holly have had years to come to terms with their breakup and neither of them have any intention of trying to get back together. The reason why Holly broke up with Josh in the first place was crazy to me, but she was a young and impressionable young lady, sacrificing herself for her love for Josh. It's so tragic when you can't really ever get completely over your first love and I was so happy that they could meet again to find peace and resolution. But instead of resolution, they find an undeniable chemistry. The emotion is tangible with this one--so much longing, a tinge of sadness, an undercurrent of hope, and those sparks of attraction, yearning to burst into a relationship once again.

I really enjoyed this sweet story--it's one of the good ones of this series!

Content: mild religious elements; mild romance

*I received a copy through Netgalley, which had no influence on my thoughts and opinions.*

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The Sassy Bride: Gone With the Bride (Magnolias and Moonshine #1) by Ciara Knight {Review}

The Sassy Bride: Gone With the Bride (Magnolias and Moonshine #1) by Ciara Knight

Kindle Edition, 96 pages

Published April 10th 2017 by Defy the Dark 

Abandoned by her parents and left to raise two sisters, Sadie Dixon has spent her life sacrificing for her family. When the eldest son of the rich Dumont family, Ashton, wins her heart and hand in marriage, he showers her with every advantage money can buy. But when their worlds collide, Sadie faces the first sacrifice she isn't sure she can make: leaving her family and lifelong dreams of owning a bakery behind for the man she loves.

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My Review: 4 Stars

I'm the oldest in my family and I can't imagine being left to raise my siblings while I was still a kid myself, but that's just what Sadie finds herself doing. She's a girl who is full of resentment for her lost dreams and lack of support, yet she works very hard to make her way in life and to be the mom her two sisters don't have. I have to admire her dedication to family and her passion for baking.

Ashton is such a great guy! Although his family is very wealthy, he's not conceited at all and he always seems to put Sadie's needs first. Man, that guy is always thinking about her and how to ease her burdens. But...it's hard to choose between the family you've known and the family of your future and he's not perfect.

Usually this type of story is about a couple meeting and falling in love, despite obstacles or doubts, but this one doesn't fit that mold, which kept it interesting for me. It made me think: would I choose family over money? Love over family? Money over love?  

Although this book is less than 100 pages, I felt the author did a really good job in developing the plot and the characters, especially the one (who shall remain nameless) that I couldn't stand. This is a great beginning to a fun series (they do not have to be read in order).   

Content: mild romance

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