Make-Believe Wedding

Make-Believe Wedding by Sarah Mayberry

Andie Bennett has been in love with Heath McGregor forever, too bad he doesn't actually see her as a woman.  To Heath she is just one of the guys.  His best friend's kid sister and the best electrician on his crew.  Not exactly dating material.  After yet another attempt to catch Heath's eye falls flat at the Valentine's Ball, she drunkenly fills out an entry for for the Great Wedding Giveaway, never intending to actually turn it in.  Unfortunately, her intentions didn't matter to the person cleaning her table after she left.

Heath McGregor is holding out for the right woman.  He knows she is out there, and would rather remain a bachelor forever, than settle for anything less than meant to be.  In the mean time, dating attractive women and hanging out with the guys seems like a great way to pass the time.  That is until the Chamber of Commerce announces that he and Andie Bennett have been made finalists in the Great Wedding Giveaway.  To save Andie from utter humiliation, Heath agrees to a fake engagement until the contest ends.  Now Heath is seeing a new side to his best friend's kid sister, and he is wondering if the right woman wasn't "out there", but "right here" all along.

What a great end to a fun concept!  While not the first series that I have reviewed from beginning to end, this is the first series that I reviewed all of the books as they were released.  It was a test in patience, but I persevered.

This was just a plain, old-fashioned, sweet book.  It was funny and thrilling, but when it boiled down to it, the idea of falling in love with your brother's best friend (or best friend's brother) is a universal concept that most women can relate to.  I'm pretty sure half of the women who read this book can think of a million times they have fantasized about marrying, dating, kissing - jumping - said guy.  Tons of paper every year is covered with "Mrs {brother's friend}", and tons of make-up is applied in hopes of catching this elusive one's eye.  Andie did nothing that every teenage girl in history class hasn't done a hundred times.  The only difference is she forgot to cover up her "doodling" and now the whole "class" is privy to her fantasy.

The characters in this story are all mostly likable.  Even Beau, who is pushy and overbearing, is endearing in his desire to protect his sister.  I loved the initial conversation between Beau and Andie.  It truly showed that they love each other, but are not above taking the mickey out when it is needed.

Overall, this was a fun read that made me smile and laugh and whole lot.  I am sad to see the series come to an end, but I look forward to seeing more from Sarah Mayberry, including a possible story between Beau and Lily.  One can only hope.

 Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 4 

Language – 4

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

Last Year's Bride

Last Year's Bride by Anne McAllister

It's a good thing Cole McCullough has wide shoulders, because he carries the weight of his family's future on them.  After his father's second heart attack he discovered that a second mortgage had been taken out on the ranch and without a great money making venture everything will be lost.  In a last ditch bid for a great idea, his sister, Sophie, suggests their ranch as a location for a reality TV show directed by...his estranged wife.

Very few people know that Nell Corbett is married.  Not her boss, not her co-workers, and especially not her in-laws.  She accepted that Cole wanted to wait to tell his family.  She even accepted that he wanted her to take the job in LA.  But she will not accept the divorce papers she received in the mail less than a year after her wedding.  Determined to talk to her errant husband she convinces her boss to considering Marietta as a possible location for his reality show.  Now she just has to talk Cole in to staying her husband.

I connected with the hero for the very fact that any person who has nursed a parent or grandparent through a long illness can understand what he is going through.  I have watched my mother struggle to help nurse her brother, then her mother, then her father, and now her mother-in-law through cancer and other various ailments for more than two decades.  There is a feeling of helplessness that comes with knowing that even if there was someone you could ask for help, it is not "their job" to help.  This feeling is expressed many times by Cole over many different things.  He is trapped by his own sense of obligation and stubborn pride.  Many authors have written stubborn heroes before, but adding the twist of an ailing parent really gives it a new, more reachable dimension.

Another "new" dimension to an oft used trope is the fact that Nell is adopted, but does not feel "obligated" to be the best she can be.  Instead, she is tired of having everyone make decisions for her.  This is actually a feeling many people can understand when coming from large families that need to coordinate many schedules.  Decisions are made for them instead of by them.  When they finally do make it out into the world by themselves they tend to either attach themselves to a controlling person out of habit, or resent controlling people and steer clear of them completely.

Of course, I can't review a book without mentioning the supporting cast of characters.  This group was simply awesome.  Sam was a typical grumpy bear with a thorn in his paw, Sophie is a typically eager teenager wanting to help with bigger and better ideas.  The "talent" was collectively fabulous and worked great as subplots.  The true star of the supporting characters was Em.  No spoilers, but I'll just say that she was A LOT more than was expected.

Overall, this was by far my favorite book of the Great Wedding Giveaway Series.  It was longer than the others, but it really didn't feel that way.

 Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Language – 4

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

The Substitute Bride

The Substitute Bride by Kathleen O'Brien

Journalist Marly Akers' upbringing was what some would call strict.  At the age of 17, her mother had found herself pregnant, abandoned, and trapped.  So, in order to make sure that that never happened to her daughter, she laid out stringent expectations, and bestowed harsh consequences for not meeting those expectations.  Now, nine years after leaving home to start the life her mother always wanted, Marly is back in Marietta...pregnant and abandoned.

Drake Everett has always been good at playing a part.  The cocky sports star.  The class clown.  The careless playboy.  Before, however, his act was always to cover up the dark truth about his dysfunctional family.  Now that the act is no longer needed, can he convince the only woman who has ever mattered that he is not playing a part?  Or will his attentions only leave her feeling trapped?

When looking at the relationship between Marly and Angelina, it is hard not to draw comparisons to "Sweet Home Alabama" (movie, not song).  Angelina loves Marly, she really does, but she doesn't want her to repeat her mistakes.  It was really hard to like Angelina, but you can't like every character, and she serves a huge purpose to Marly's growth.

Drake was a bit difficult to get on board with.  I felt that his character was treated more as a secondary character than a hero.  His character was not fleshed out as much as I would have liked, but the parts that I did see were admirable.

The supporting characters were a split, in my opinion.  Fly was awesome.  He will remind readers of every dream of a perfect grandfather they have ever had.  Robin, on the other hand, was annoying.  I tried to find her sense of humor endearing, but it just came off ill-timed and self-serving.  That may have been the point of the author, though.  There really are people out there in real life that just can't help but be this way.  There is nothing really malicious about them, so they still have genuine friends, but those friends probably groan every time they open their mouths

Overall, the mother-daughter relationship is the jewel of this book.  It is real and proves that mothers and daughters don't have to have perfect relationships to love each other.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 3

Sex – 4 

Language – 4

Storyline – 4

Overall – 4

Game of Brides

Game of Brides by Megan Crane

Emmy Mathis is over her childhood crush.  Isn't she?  Ten years after he left her naked a crying in his grandmother's barn, has completely moved on.  She graduated from college and got a job as a copywriter in an ad agency in Atlanta, so her life is moving right along.  Except it's not.  Not really.  Now, she has been forced by her hateful boss to take a leave of absence to help with her sister's wedding in Montana, and who should pick her up from the airport?

Griffin Hyatt is the epitome of being successful at something you love.  His passion for art and extreme sports segued into a highly celebrated athletic wear company.  If only his personal life was as successful as his business.  After being betrayed by the two people who mattered to him the most, he has been licking his wounds in Montana and finding himself stuck in a rut.  But after seeing Emmy for the first time in ten years, he suddenly realized that the annoying little girl trailing after him all of those years ago has become woman...and what a woman.  Is it possible that she was the one for him all along?

It was definitely a change of pace to find a character like Griffin in this series.  Up until this point I have been used to cowboys, or at the very least country boys.  While Griffin is not purely a "street-wise" city boy, he is more that than a country boy.  At first I was prepared to not like him, but he grew on me.  He was unapologetic about his actions, but he admitted that he might have been less than cavalier in his technique.

Reading Emmy's story is great because many people (men and women) feel the same way as she does.  Feeling like you need the create a controlled environment to prevent yourself from acting foolishly or getting hurt, but then you end up hating your life and can't find a way out.

The supporting characters are actually not terribly likable on their own.  It is only through the eyes of the main characters that you see them are people who are real and very much loved.  Margery is especially this way.  She may come off as a prime diva, but Emmy still loves her and would do anything for her, even risk her job.

Overall, this story definitely pulls you out of the box and makes you look at the world around you.  Not everything is as cut and dry, or final, as we think it is.  Bravo!

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Language – 3 

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5

The Reluctant Bride

The Reluctant Bride by Katherine Garbera

Defusing IEDs as a US Marine in Afghanistan, Monty Davison has seen more of the ugly side of life than any one man should.  That's why he falls hard for the pretty little florist in Vegas while attending a buddy's wedding.  She is sweet, innocent and full of life; completely untouched by the horrors of death and loss.  In a whirlwind decision he proposes to her and heads back to Afghanistan with thoughts of his life after the Marines keeping him strong.  But then, when he needs her the most, his fiancee disappears.

Florist Risa Grant's life was definitely coming up roses.  In a matter of months her fiance would be back from Afghanistan and they could start planning their future.  Then tragedy strikes and Risa begins to let fear get the better of her.  In a moment of panic she packs up everything and moves to Montana to buy her own florist shop and hide away from the world.  Except the world - or her fiancee - catches up with her and wants an explanation; something she is not quite ready to give.  Can she and Monty have their happily ever after, even if their life isn't exactly a fairy tale?

Confession time:  I didn't really like either of the main characters.  Both of them were wishy-washy and not very heroic.  I can understand the anger on his part and the fear on her part, but both of them seemed say they were (or weren't) going to do something one minute only to do the exact opposite the next.  The author did a good job portraying that there really are actual people like that in real life - I just don't find them admirable.

As far as the storyline goes, I found the idea of losing your footing over a first time tragedy very intriguing.  To be untouched by loss for so long, and then to lose your family in a single swoop is gut-wrenching.  I cannot say how I would have reacted as I grew-up understanding death and sickness, but I am pretty sure Risa's reaction is a pretty normal one.

Overall, this was not one of my favorite books by this author.  I really loved her Cowboy for Christmas, so I was disappointed that I didn't care for this one.  Still, I don't like coffee and my husband loves the stuff, so this is more of a preference thing.  Definitely give the book a try; it wasn't bad.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 3

Sex – 4 

Language – 4 

Storyline – 3

Overall – 3

The Unexpected Bride

The Unexpected Bride By Joanne Walsh

Widower Laurent Fletcher is still in love with his late wife.  Unfortunately, while he has been holding on to a ghost for two years, life has continued on without him.  Now his children and dog are completely out of control and his father is convinced that hiring a British Nanny is the family's last hope.  Yet this nanny is nothing like he expected and suddenly he finds himself guilty of a huge offense in his mind...betraying the memory of his wife.

Emma Peabody is looking for a fresh start.  Leaving behind a heartbreaking situation in London, she arrives at Copper Creek full of wonder and hope.  She immediately falls in love with her charges and her new home, but trying to break down her new boss' defenses in proving to be a challenge, especially since she finds her self falling for him.  Can she stay and do what she was hired to do without losing her heart in the process?

The premise behind this story is a common, and highly workable, subject:  widower falls for new nanny and feels guilty about it.  Hello!  Sound of Music anyone?  I don't mind a retelling of stories.  Really, this was actually a great story.  He had a hard time letting go.  She puts his life in order, but is wary of repeating her past.  The story unfolds with little to no problems for it to be delightful.

My issue with this story is actually the writing style.  There are some books that are simply harder to read than others.  I want to be captivated by the story, not distracted by the sentence structure.  I simply had a hard time working around that.

The only other thing I had a hard time with was Laurent's sporadic spirals into chauvinism.  It left a sour taste in my mouth.  Luckily those scenes are few and far between.

Overall, it was a good story.  If you aren't distracted by sentence structure then you should definitely give this book a try.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 2

Sex – 3 

Language – 4 

Storyline – 4

Overall – 3

Beauty's Kiss

Beauty's Kiss By Jane Porter

Taylor Harris loves her job as Marietta's new librarian.  While not everyone in town has been supportive, she has some great ideas.  And just when she thinks she can finally focus on her life and doing what is best for her brother, in walks distraction in the form of Marietta's Most Eligible Bachelor...Troy Sheenan.

Troy has sunk everything into the Graff Hotel renovation.  It's not only part of the town's history, it is part of his as well.  He needs it to be successful.  That means he will accept his friend Jane's idea of setting him up with her best friend as a date to the Great Wedding Giveaway 100th Anniversary Ball.  But when he finds out that Taylor doesn't want anything to do with him, he is intrigued.  He is used to being chased, not doing the chasing.  Yet that is exactly what he finds himself doing with this pretty little Book Girl.

Taylor is every "book girl" personified.  She is what we all want to be:  someone who turned her love for books into a profession.  Her life is not perfect, however.  Her brother is extremely needy and misunderstood.  Her ideas are constantly shot down by closed-minded citizens who don't welcome "outsiders".  And she has been told that she looks too young to be taken seriously.  I think every smart girl on the planet can relate to the frustration of not being taken seriously.

Troy has more ghosts than a grave yard.  And he gains another one during this book.  The poor guy is shouldering a lot by himself, despite having a large family.  Yet, he remains optimistic, charming and, overall, a genuinely nice guy.  By the end it's nice to see him get some support.  He is also a computer nerd.  REALLY!  He is a genuine, HUNKY computer nerd!

Ok, I'll put my rants first.  I would like to have learned more about Taylor's past.  It is mentioned, but never really delved into.  Also, the end seemed a bit too rushed.  While I am not a huge fan of excessive sex scenes, I would not have complained about a bit more sex in this book.

Now for the raves.  I loved the way Porter dealt with Doug, Taylor's brother.  His issues (mood disorder) are common, yet too often seen as cop-outs instead of genuine struggles.  It was so refreshing to see them dealt with compassionately, but also recognizing that not everyone will be as understanding.

Overall, this was a thoughtful story that will have you falling in love with the characters and wanting to see them succeed.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 4

Sex – 2 

Language – 5 

Storyline – 5

Overall – 4

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

Second Chance Bride

Second Chance Bride By Trish Morey

Scarlett Buck has worse luck of anyone she knows.  She is just too compulsive, and too ready to trust everyone she meets.  A high school drop out, she has blown opportunity after opportunity in an attempt to find her place in the world.  Now she is in the biggest mess of her life.  After trusting one person too many she finds herself on the other side of the world with a cursed wedding dress, no money, and a desperate need to get back to Marietta.  At this point she'll do anything.

Mitch Bannister, is in a bind too.  His best friend has asked him to be his best man.  The problem is that the bride is Mitch's ex.  He doesn't trust his ex and doesn't want to show up at the wedding hungry for a companion.  In a chaotic turn of events Mitch finds Scarlett and makes an offer she can't refuse.  Will she blow this opportunity too, or will she lose her anti-Midas touch and turn it golden.

I loved the Aussie lingo in this book!  To many times Australian authors try to remove slang from their writings so as not to alienate their American readers, but the slang in this book was well placed and actually added to the story.  There is much I don't know about Australia, so seeing the differences in the speech patterns and reading about some of the sites worth visiting in the West just whetted my appetite for a future visit.

Scarlett is an endearing character.  She has a surprising lack of confidence for someone who seems to jump headlong into everything she does.  Also, her resentment of her sister makes her even more relate-able.

Mitch is a good sport.  A typical romantic hunk with a smart, physical job and money to burn.  My only complaint in the entire book would be a total lack of back story for him.  He mentions his sister, and alludes to something sinister, but then nothing comes of it.

The supporting characters take the cake for everything else.  A villain, a buddy, a couple of supportive parental units, and a beta romance that makes you smile.

Overall, this story is a smile inducer.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 3

Sex – 3 

Language – 4 

Storyline – 5

Overall – 4

What A Bride Wants

What A Bride Wants By Kelly Hunter

Ella Grace Emerson’s father is fed up.  Ella works too hard, never travels, and nowhere near close to giving him grandkids.  So he decides to take an ad out on Ella’s behalf:  for a house husband.  Furious at his interference, Ella responds with an ad of her own:  for the perfect lover.

When Cameron Sawyer first sees Ella walk into Grey’s Saloon he definitely likes what he sees.  When he discovers that she is the subject of the ad that is making waves in town, and that she has just posted another, he sees nothing but warning signs.

Can the two of them work around Sawyer’s nomadic lifestyle and shady past, as well as Ella’s tendency to shy away from relationships?

I think many people would want to stand up and cheer for Ella’s response to her father, but I cheered for her father.  He totally knew what he was doing.  Samuel T provides a definite comedic element that is needed to lighten the heavier topics.

I enjoyed the family-centric theme to this story more than anything else.  Between Ella’s love for her father despite her frustrations with him, both Ella and her father still mourning the loss of her mother, and Sawyer’s apparent feelings of betrayal toward his own family, the family-induced emotions run the gamut here.

I was not a big fan of Ella’s friend Jo, so I hope she becomes more likeable (less annoying) in future books.  However, I am looking forward to both Mardie’s and Reese’s respective stories.

Overall this story was a great read.  Very quick, to the point where I think it could have been longer, but still very well told.

Ratings:

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

Continuity/Flow – 4

Sex – 3 

Language – 3 

Storyline – 4

Overall – 4