💍💒🛑💔 "A Marriage of Inconvenience" (Stop The Wedding #3) (2021) 💔🛑💒💍 - Book Tour & Review
She's met the perfect man
But he's engaged!
Wedding planner Sophia Reed never imagined she'd meet her perfect man during a bank robbery. Evan Anderson is handsome and funny and makes Sophia believe in love at first sight. There's only one small hitch he's engaged to someone else, and Sophia is planning his wedding! But Evan's wedding is purely a business arrangement and true love might just turn this almost-perfect wedding into a beautiful catastrophe!
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
Stop the Wedding!
Book 1: A Bridesmaid to Remember
Book 2: His Brother's Bride
Book 3: A Marriage of Inconvenience
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
Ends April 28, 2021
Thank you in advance to the author, Amy Vastine, for providing a complimentary review copy through Prism Book Tours. A positive review was not requested or required, and all words are my own.
While I read the last two books in The Blackwell Sisters Montana series, I was not able to read the author’s book Montana Wishes, however I do own it and will certainly be reading it … eventually. That makes this book my first introduction to the author. And, talk about being WOWED!
Let’s face it, most romance novels are about getting people together to get married, right? This one is intent on stopping a wedding, so the cover is whimsical if not hysterical to me. Obviously a story there right off and I wanted to dive right in.
While this is book #3 in the #StopTheWedding series, I didn’t feel like I lost any ground or like I didn’t know what was going on by not reading the first two (which I don’t have). This definitely works as a standalone read and I wouldn’t have known it was part of a series.
As a potential trigger warning, there will be the sound of a gunshot mentioned in the book though no one will be injured or hurt. This is a clean romance and a sweet one so obviously there is no serious violence at all.
Now, let’s talk about the characters – wedding planner Sophia and sweet groom-to-be Evan. These two meet in an unlikely, unromantic, yet sweet and precious way – victims in a bank robbery, which I have to admit was one of my favorite introductions to a romance novel.
It is Evan who helps Sophia remain calm yet he doesn’t know she’s going to be planning his wedding of … inconvenience. In fact, he doesn’t even tell her he is engaged. What luck, right? Perfect guy, but he’s taken. That’s how it works in real life it seems!
Then there is the bride-to-be, Jamie, who wants absolutely nothing to do with the wedding – everything is a chore, and yes, it’s obvious as to why this wedding is taking place. That made the plot very interesting in itself.
Despite what Evan is doing and going through – I couldn’t help but love this guy right off. There wasn’t a moment I didn’t like him! I felt Sophia’s conflict with him and I wanted to grab her and say “just wait!!”. Jamie I had mixed feelings on – liked her, despised her, really liked her.
Vastine did a wonderful job creating the sweet, tense, and adorable friendship between Evan and Sophia. And, it truly plays out like a Hallmark movie.
After the robbery, Sophia is worried and Evan is there for her. A quick side note here – I wonder how anyone drives home or to work in a situation where their wallet is taken in a robbery. Just an interesting question that came up.
Anyway …
Once Sophia finds out that she’s planning his wedding to a Wharton banking executive (yes of the same bank that gets robbed), things go from weird to awkward and fast.
As a result of the robbery, Sophia in fear of what one of the robbers said, decided to stay at YaYa’s house (yaya – Greek grandmother).
It is clear that Jamie, while friends with Evan, treats him as just another employee. He’s obviously entering the marriage for a good reason, and a sweet one – to take care of his “special” brother.
And, it is clear the robbery isn’t an isolated incident. That’s a way to add some mystery to a romance.
Sophia is a bit stunned as Jamie treats the wedding as if it is a chore – she wants 0% to do with it.
I kind of felt bad for how Jamie was using Evan knowing his own motives for entering the marriage. I didn’t like Fallon’s assessment of him either.
But, it was when another character from the Wharton family was introduced I knew there was something up with him. I just didn’t trust Patrick. Right off, I didn’t like him or trust him. I had serious bad vibes about him.
It was heart-breaking to see that Sophia and Evan were each other’s idea of perfect. I didn’t grab the tissues, but I wanted to.
After yet another robbery (how many now), I was REALLY suspicious of Patrick. Something just grabbed me wrong. Throw in a break-in from someone from the robbery that included Sophia and Evan – I definitely had some concerns. And, then I was beginning not to trust Jamie either.
I had to laugh about Evan’s issues with colors – as a writer, they’re important, as an everyday person? They’re not so important. I mean peach, apricot, melon – what is up with that? I think some people who have had to color-coordinate weddings might get a giggle from that aspect.
I did take an issue with Jamie’s uncle and his attitude towards Evan’s brother. But, it didn’t surprise me, and certainly opens the door for awareness without being overt.
After Sophia has a family crisis, I almost really began to like Jamie. She really stepped up and even threw Evan in to help. And, Evan almost jeopardizes his friendship with Sophia halfway through.
I admired Sophia taking responsibility for an issue and going straight to Jamie regardless of the consequences. There are some hot-cold-luke warm moments with Jamie, but overall – she surprised me as well.
It was interesting how well Vastine tied up the entire robbery, wedding, and family drama. I pretty much had a feeling it was going to go the way it did, though playing it so close to the end was a bit unnerving.
I loved how Jamie not only took action in one scene, but how she stepped up with honesty despite the consequences. Her uncle calling her and Evan numbskulls was honestly a laugh out loud until you cry moment.
This was an exciting, page-turning, sweet, sad, frustrating, fun, jaw-dropping,
addictive little read with a few shenanigans thrown in.
Past chapter 15 I could NOT PUT IT DOWN! It also helps that the chapters are relatively short given the line. Heartwarming is notorious for EXTRA long chapters which, despite being large print, can be a bit tedious. I did end up reading past my bedtime to finish it once I was on chapter 17.
I really had a hard time putting this down and had I not been reading another book or working on my Camp NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I definitely would’ve had this read in less time, perhaps 1-2 days. So, don’t let how long it took me to read it scare you off.
Fans of the author; and those who’ve read the previous books won’t want to miss this one! I definitely can’t wait to read another book in this series!
PS –> I honestly prefer online banking, but I really miss the drive-thru banks. And, I LOVED the Lake Norman reference since I know the area because of the NASCAR drivers.
RATING:
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
Thank you for sharing your awesome review and the book and author details, this sounds like a wonderful read
ReplyDelete