Author: Sally Clements
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Seven years ago, Matthew Logan ran out on his wedding to June Leigh.
Life is good for fledgling dress-designer April Leigh. She couldn't be happier that her sister has found a new love, and is excited about her very first commission, June’s wedding dress.
When April discovers June has invited runaway groom Matthew Logan to the wedding, she has to intervene. Matthew’s presence will ruin everything – her father hates him, and just the sight of him in the church might give her mother a heart attack.
Matthew Logan has no intention of going to June’s wedding, but when intriguing April arrives on his doorstep, he can’t resist getting to know her better. When a disaster forces them together neither can deny the passion that combusts into a red-hot affair.
Discovering the truth about the past shifts April’s feelings from lust to love, but bitter experience has taught Matthew to guard his heart.
When it looks as though Matthew will lose her forever, will he fight or flee?
*This novel is New Adult, and due to some mature scenes, may only be suitable for those age 17+. Use your own discretion*
This is not the type of novel I usually read. But the premise intrigued me enough to request it. It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be, although still not entirely too memorable or exciting. But then, we all know how I feel about romance.
April is a designer, although she works at a coffee shop to pay the bills. Her sister, June, has commissioned her to design her wedding dress as she gets ready to marry "the love of her life". April is happy that June has found love again, after her first fiance Matthew left her at the altar (not literally). Then, June tells April that she has invited Matthew to the wedding. Do we even need to start with all the things that could go wrong/are wrong with that? So there's only one thing for April to do: go over and tell Matthew not to come. Except, things don't go exactly as planned for either of them.
June. Ugh. Could there be a more bratty, self-absorbed girl? I realize we weren't supposed to like her, but boy, did she get. on. my. nerves. First, she wants her sister to make her wedding dress, free of charge, and use the most expensive materials. Then, she wants to invite Matthew to the wedding, for attention. And when we find out the truth behind why Matthew left her in the first place... OH. EM. GEE. I mean, I know I shouldn't get worked up about such a shallow, petty character, but I just hate people like that, you know?
April herself isn't such a bad character. She's a bit dumb, like with June taking advantage of her, and a bit immature. But she just loves her sister, and is trying to make it into the fashion industry while living on meager earnings from the coffee shop. Until she sees Matthew again, and feels instant attraction (then again, she did have a crush on him when she was fifteen).
Then "tragedy" strikes. Okay, the whole "oh you don't have an apartment anymore? Come live with me in my house" is just weird, and a slight bit creepy, and...weird. I realize they're not really strangers, as Matthew was June's fiance, and April had a crush on him, and I think Matthew even admitted he had the hots for her before too. But still.
Their relationship progressed way too fast for me to feel like it was realistic. I realize that this is what's considered "romantic" to other women, but I just don't get it. Neither do I care for umm...more mature scenes in the books I read. Nothing against them, and I'm not a prude, but like I've mentioned before, I don't care much for romance. (Although that does kind of stem from a whole different lust vs. love issue that we are definitely not going to get into here.) (And for clarification, when I say I don't like romance, I mean strictly romance books. I like romance in my other books, but I just don't do well when that is the entire premise of the book.)
Matthew was not really as swoony as I would have liked. He was kind of a mediocre character. He was also kind of...creepy. Like when he made her move into his house. Or showed up at her work and wouldn't leave until she talked to him.
All in all, this was an okay book. Even for someone who doesn't like this genre, it held my attention until the end, so I consider that a huge feat. Romance lovers will definitely want to pick this up.
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