FOR BETTER OR WORSE

The Wedding Belles Volume 2

Lauren Layne

Pocket Books

ISBN# 9781501135156

September 2016

Contemporary Romance


As part of the wedding planners known as The Wedding Belles, Heather Fowler dreams of moving up from her position as assistant wedding planner to actual wedding planner. So when a high profile client specifically requests her work, she knows this is her chance. However, her noisy neighbor is determined to keep her from sleeping with his loud music. When she confronts him, she didn't expect him to be so aggravating or so sexy.

Josh Tanner has lived the fast life in New York City and now wants to take it slower to live the life he wants. His new life includes music, not a pesky neighbor who seems to be a workaholic intent on giving him lessons on patience. Yet there is something about Heather that gets to him. Finding her attractive is the easy part, letting her into his life is the hard part.

Heather finds that the more she gets to know Josh, the more she realizes she doesn't know everything about him. When she finds out that he used to date her high profile client, she wonders exactly who Josh really is and why he is intent on staying alone. With the client's hands-off approach of her own wedding, it's going to take everything Heather's got to make this work. What she isn't ready for is how fast she falls for Josh or how hard headed he is when it comes to keeping her away from his heart.

Heather and Josh are an opposites attract type couple who have instant chemistry and that really propels this romance. Her job as a wedding assistant/planner is the background and is used not only to give it balance, but aspects of it come into play for these two to interact. Josh left behind the rat race after a personal life changing event. Yet his character goes through even more changes as the story progressed with Heather. Fast paced with plenty of sexual tension and a supportive secondary cast, Layne has delivered a page turner filled with angst, passion and appropriate comedic relief. This was a delight to read!


Reviewed by Jennifer Jones

Rating: 4

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

The Wedding Belles Volume 1

Lauren Layne

Pocket Books

ISBN# 9781501135132

August 2016

Contemporary Romance

The first book in this series (there was a prequel but I'm not counting that one here), starts with one of the Wedding Belles wedding planners, Brooke Baldwin. Recently coming from California to New York City, she left behind her almost wedding and a con-man who she thought she knew well enough to marry. Still reeling from that, Brooke is hired by the Wedding Belles because she is one of the most talented wedding planners in the country. Her first assignment is Maya Tyler, a hotel heiress who has an overbearing brother, Seth, who is footing the bill. Instant attraction aside, Brooke cannot fathom why Seth is so arrogant and rigid, as well as determined to find out if Maya's sudden engagement means the would-be groom is up to no good. Brooke feels something for Seth as their time together becomes more intense, but is she ready to trust again this soon? And even if she does, is she willing to trust him with her heart?

Seth Tyler tries to steer clear of Brooke, but he finds himself making her schedule times with him to discuss Maya's fiancé and the (hopefully not) wedding plans. He wants to believe in the guy, but his gut instincts have never let him down yet. And his gut instincts are also telling him that Brooke wants him as much as he wants her. Yet when he finally thinks they are on the same page, she bolts. Working around schedules, appointments and trying to figure out where his best friend fits in all this, Seth is about as un-organized as he's ever been. Will his last decision cost him more than he's prepared to lose?

This was the first book but I read it last. I have to say this was my favorite of the three. Talk about heat, sizzling sex and yummy alpha male hero! Seth was definitely used to getting what he wanted and as a result, he comes across as arrogant and stiff. Enter Brooke, who doesn't take any crap from him and he doesn't know what to do with that. Maya is a sweet, somewhat naïve girl, but she comes into her own during this time. We meet the other two Belles, and while they aren't dominant in the book, it's enough to give a background for the next two. I seriously liked this one a lot!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 4.5