Almost A Bride

Almost A Bride By Sarah Mayberry

Tara Buck never wants to be her mother...ever.  Her mother is vulnerable, weak, and dramatic.  But most of all, her mother loved her father so much that she completely shut down when he left.  Tara never wants to lose it that way, so she decides to play it safe.  She lives her life by the rules, keeps herself in a safe little bubble, and plans her life with her stable, history teacher fiance.  That is, until her partner gives her some news that has her safe world crashing around her ears.

Reid Dalton is a gypsy at heart.  Raised in Marietta, Montana, Reid left the Bozeman PD six years ago to pursue a life of adventure abroad.  However, when a family emergency calls him home, he returns to the force and is paired with the very attractive, and very off-limits Officer Buck.  Now, after Reid witnesses a scene that destroys Tara's world, he begins reassessing everything; where he wants to be, what he wants to do, and who he wants to do it with.

Tara is one of those characters that you just can't pity.  She won't allow it.  She is as far from a wilting violet as it is possible to be.  Her reaction to Reid's news is pretty on par with how many women wish they could respond to information like that.  Her actions after that make for pure fun and the most relate-able story of this series so far.

Reid is an enigma.  He is a world traveler without precisely being a playboy.  He is anchored to his home, but doesn't necessarily wish to stay there.  His character in this story is actually far more defined by his actions than your typical literary hero...that and his awesome, meddlesome, but loving mother.

I said that this was the most relate-able story, and that really comes across in Mayberry's ability to draw you in to situations and make your heart race as if they were actually happening to you.  This happens more than once in the book and makes this book worthy of the highest of praises.  The language and sex might turn some off, but those who don't mind such distractions will thoroughly enjoy this tale.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 4 

Language – 4 

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5