Wednesday 29 October 2014

A September Bride

This was another fun read in the Year of Weddings novella series.
Annie Price has recently moved to Red Leaf to take up a job she loves: manager of a second hand bookshop, whose elderly owner, Lorna Kent, she had met online. Unfortunately, barely days into her new job, the police officer who pulls her over for for a fault on her car turns out to be Lorna's son Jesse, who is very suspicious of Annie.

The scene is set for romance, and Kathryn Springer does not disappoint. Neat characterisation and descriptive settings make the reader smile as attraction between Annie and Jesse deepens. Then the local historical society, with which Annie is involved, decides to reenact the wedding of a couple who were instrumental in founding Red Leaf. A relative lends the original wedding dress for the event, and Annie is the only one who can fit into it. Meanwhile, Jesse is then inveigled into taking the part of the groom...

A light bit of escapism in a sweet series: probably one of the best so far. I really enjoyed Springer's writing style and will look for more by this author.

I received this book at no charge from www.booklookbloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.

An August Bride by Debra Clopton

Review no 2. I read An August Bride in August, some light relief in the middle of hectic preparations for our own lovely August Wedding.

Right in the opening of the book Kelsey Wilcox, who has escaped a jilting fiance and her ranching background, is rescued from drowning by Brent Corbin. The sparks of attraction fly between them, but the path of love is not at all smooth.

Kelsey has made a new life for herself, surviving the disappointment of losing her cowboy fiance when he jilted her at the altar AND her father's loss of the family ranch when lack of finances made it impossible to continue.

She has vowed never to have anything to do with cowboys again, having built up her own bakery and cafe business on the beach, but Brent farms a cattle ranch nearby and she finds herself going out there to visit.

As the love story unfolds, with the help of Kelsey's aunt and her two friends who are known as the Matchmakin' Posse of Mule Hollow, we walk with Kelsey as she is faced with her own bitterness. She realises that her dislike of weddings and prejudice against cowboys stem from her own sense of betrayal but that she CAN dare to trust again.  And haven't most women felt like this at some time or another? Walking Kelsey's journey with her, as she gets to know a man who loves and respects her, encourages women with the hope of finding love again.

This was an easy-read little romance, which I read through the Booklook Bloggers program, which provides review copies free of charge.
I review for BookLook Bloggers

Tuesday 28 October 2014

A July Bride: book review

When I signed up for The Year of Weddings novella series, I hadn't quite appreciated that the year would run away with me, despite Booklook Bloggers providing me with free copies at regular monthly intervals.  I'm enjoying the series and am grateful to them for this lovely, light reading. So, here I am, at the end of October, catching up on book reviews.

A July Bride by Beth Wiseman opens with a wedding and finishes with a wedding. Same bride, different bridegrooms. It is a sweet story of Alyssa, jilted AT THE ALTAR by her high school sweetheart, Brendan. Of course, he regrets it straight away but it is too late: Alyssa, understandably, doesn't want any more to do with him.
On to the scene steps the handsome, well-off Dalton, a nice guy who also happens to be a friend of Alyssa's brother Alex.
Everyone lives, happily and not so happily, in the same small town.

Beth Wiseman weaves an interesting story. Dalton has recently broken up with his girlfriend and, while he wants to date Alyssa, is under no illusions that she will get over Brendan quickly. He's ready to be patient. Brendan, meanwhile, is doing everything he can to get Alyssa back. But she just can't trust him any more...

As Brendan and Alyssa untangle their feelings, dodge their way clumsily through misunderstandings and try to get on with their lives, Alyssa and Dalton get engaged.

There are some charming insights woven into the story. Alyssa tells Brendan: "You don't hurt the people you love," Brendan replies: "Of course you do. When the love is real and deep, you have the capacity to hurt someone more than you ever thought. People who love that deeply hurt each other, even though they don't mean to."

"You can forgive," says Alyssa's friend Sherry, "or you can let the hurt wrap around you until it sucks the life out of you."

Not just a little light reading. Wise advice for marriage, for relationships, for life. A light read: we guess the ending, but it still comes as a slight surprise. And on the way, some personal reflection, too. What's not to love about A July Bride?