ARC Review: Falling for the Groomsman by Diane Alberts

Falling for the Groomsman by Diane Alberts is the first book in the Wedding Dare Series that centers around Kady and Colt's wedding from Dare to Resist by Laura Kaye. This series is all based around their wedding and each novella can be read as standalones with interconnected characters. I really enjoyed seeing Kady and Colt fall in love and would suggest starting at the beginning but it wasn't necessary. Falling for the Groomsman features Kady's friend Christine and Kady's brother Tyler.

Christine is a journalist that is getting ready to move back to Maine where she is from. She makes a list of sexual goals for herself to complete while at her friend's wedding to loosen her up a bit. But when she crashes into the sexy Tyler, she realizes that her list needs some changes made. Tyler took her virginity years before while they were on a trip to Mexico with friends and then left her right after apologizing to her. Tyler is determined to win her over after his mistake years ago, but Christine has ideas of making him pay. Can Tyler and Christine get over the past and find a way to turn their undeniable connection into something more for the future, or will there be too many obstacles for them to overcome?

Tyler and Christina both had their moments for me. I liked them at times, and then others they irritated me. I felt like both of them reacted horribly at times and that they both were a bit immature about things. They wouldn't listen to each other most of the time, and jumped to conclusions while running away from each other. But I did like them together and thought that they had really great chemistry. They were really hot together, and I was rooting for them to figure things out all along. I enjoyed some of their banter though, and the way that they interacted when they weren't sniping at each other. I also thought it was cute that Tyler called her Red because he wanted something that was just his for her.

While I felt that the big conflict at the end was a little weak, I really liked how things ended altogether. Diane Alberts was able to give these characters a very real and satisfying ending, and I thought that it was perfect for the characters. I definitely recommend this story and series, and I really love this whole concept. It's so great to get to see how all these characters fit together, and I think it offers readers such a unique experience. I really enjoyed this installment by Diane Alberts, and look forward to reading more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Author Isobel Rey and Giveaway

Meet Isobel Rey, author of Substitute.

Isolbel Rey is a Cambridge graduate. After interning at a stage/film talent agency, Isolbel now works at a London advertising agency. This is her debut novel. Originally from Surrey, Isobel lives in London with her partner and a one-eared rescue cat called Thumper.

Find Isobel at:

| Goodreads | 

Feature and Giveaway: The Wedding Dare Series by Laura Kaye, Diane Alberts, Tessa Bailey, Katee Robert and Samanthe Beck

The Wedding Dare Series

1 Wedding...4 Hot Stories

ARC Review: The Wedding Secret by Jeannie Moon

Harper Poole and Kevin Rossi find a unique way to get acquainted in a wine cellar. His sister, Caroline’s wedding is in full swing upstairs. Harper works for his other sister Meg and her husband. One year later, Harper and her baby girl, Anna, have settled into an apartment close to Harper’s work. Kevin, a major league baseball player, doesn’t know about Anna and Harper intends to keep it that way. He offered no commitment and is in the tabloids with other women. Harper was raised to be independent of men. She doesn’t know Kevin is in love with her and thinks about her all the time. She decides to come clean and introduce him to Anna. He’s angry, breaks a vase, and leaves. His female relatives descend on her to meet the baby. Meg is mad because she sees Harper every day and loves Anna. Caroline doesn’t like Harper because she thinks she’s stuck up. Kevin’s mother wants to hold her granddaughter. Thanksgiving and it’s time to have the whole Rossi family together. Harper’s mom shows up at the last minute. She’s on the run from her stepson. Harper grew up dirt poor in a trailer park and even changed her name. More things Kevin didn’t know and he’s angry again. He leaves her again. Everyone calls him out and the couple make up. He goes on to be the MVP in the World Series.

I didn’t believe Harper and Kevin as a couple. She could do much better. He’s self-absorbed, even when he finds out about Anna. He views things as how they affect him. Harper is an afterthought. He never congratulates her on overcoming many obstacles to succeed in life.

Everyone is rude to Harper. She has to explain herself to Kevin and all of his family, a number of times. None of them deserve Harper or Anna in their lives. Too possessive and have to know every detail of Harper’s life. Kevin has serious anger management issues and a caveman mentality. He demands a lot from Harper without offering much in return. When he does babysit a few times, no problems with it. He doesn’t break a sweat. Their making up includes a lot of unprotected sex. For a nursing mother, that spells baby in nine months. Anna sleeps through the night, never interrupting her parents. Not realistic, everything a little too perfect.

This is the last of a series of books.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin

Cait Macleod has arrived back in Scotland in defeat. She left Chicago, her dead cheating husband, and her deader journalism career behind. Her last surviving relative is Deydie, her maternal grandmother. She’s a stubborn mean woman who doesn’t like Cait or anyone or anything. Cait arrives in Gandiegow during a storm to find her newly purchased home burned to the ground. She knocks on the neighbor’s door and finds herself face to face with the famous gorgeous actor, Graham Buchanan. He played Mr. Darcy and Colonel Brandon. Double yum! She never realized he lived there and she grew up with his son, Duncan. Both he and his mute son, Mattie, live in the small town. Graham accuses her of being a reporter and slams the door in her face. When she explains who she is and what happened, he offers her a room above the pub. She’s avoiding staying with Deydie and he doesn’t blame her. Thinking about Graham and how attracted she is to him, but doesn’t want to be, Cait gets an idea. She calls a magazine and offers an exclusive about the reclusive Graham Buchanan. She sees it as a path back to her career and tries to ignore the disregard for another’s privacy, especially someone who’s helping her. Deydie is the leader of the quilters in town. Cait can sew and is making something for Deydie for Christmas. She even comes up with a cottage industry for the town, making her refurbished house into a quilting retreat and a tourist stop. The whole town helps each other out. Duncan is a fisherman and others pitch in to babysit Mattie. Cait is drawn to the silent boy. He witnessed a boat accident years ago and hasn’t spoken since. Cait has started journals chronicling Graham’s movements around town, his charity toward others, and his stunning appearance in a kilt. She’s also falling in love with him. A true tragedy strikes the town and Cait can’t go through with the article. When the journals are accidently found, she must explain herself and apologize to everyone.

This is not a typical romance. Graham and Cait are a couple, but they hurl insults at each other constantly. The people who love each other are constantly fighting: Deydie and Cait, Cait and Graham, Graham and Duncan. There are no endearments and fewer pleasantries which makes the story real. Love isn’t tidy and neat. There are old wounds that open up and pull the hurt feelings back through the wringer. All the relationships bare some bruises, but all heal and move on.

Many of the quilts referred to in the story are classic designs and I found myself stopping to look them up on the Internet.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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