The NerdHerd Reads: Every Bride Needs a Groom {by Janice Thompson}

Title: Every Bride Needs a Groom

Author: Janice Thompson

Series: Brides with Style, #1

Genre: Christian Romance

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Source: Publisher

Small-town girl Katie Fisher is planning her wedding. Sure, her boyfriend hasn't managed to pop the question just yet, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't enter a contest in "Texas Bride" magazine to win the dress of her dreams, right? But when her boyfriend breaks up with her and takes a job in another town--the very same day Katie wins her dream dress--her world is turned upside down. Should she claim her prize? And will the hunky former pro-basketball player who runs the swanky Dallas bridal shop--yeah, you read that right--catch on to her humiliation if she does?
Janice Thompson designs a romance sure to delight, with plenty of fish-out-of-water moments, a hilarious supporting cast, and more of the wedding biz world her readers adore.

This was the kind of sweet, romantic, Southern romance I've come to expect and love from Janice Thompson. Although I miss Bella and the gang, I can see myself coming to love this group of people just as much.

Katie is a small-town girl, who has been planning her wedding since she was a little girl. She's got everything planned out--except for the groom's proposal. She's sure that her long time boyfriend's proposal is coming. Until it doesn't. Casey instead drops a different bomb: he's moving to Oklahoma, and thinks they should take a break. The only problem? Katie has just won a contest for the custom dress of her dreams from the biggest bridal shop in the country.

The best part of Thompson's books are always the characters, and this was no different. This was filled with southern charm and sass and humor. I always love how she makes the secondary characters not feel secondary. I love Katie and Brady, but it's the supporting characters that really bring it home. Queenie, Katie's parents, the girls t the bridal shop, Katie's brothers. I love how everyone else also gets a little bit of their own story. Yes, this might be a romance, but it is focused on so much more than just Katie + Brady or Katie + Casey. (And no, there's not really a love triangle, if you hate that sort of thing.)

And of course, with all these people, comes the trademark craziness of Thompson's books as well. That is, all the different situations makes for some pretty... interesting times. Which is what made this story so fun and hilarious to read. My only issue is that trying to make Katie sound "Southern" ended up being cheesy and overbearing, but mostly in the beginning. Either Katie starts talking normally, or I just got used to it, but trying to make her sound like your typical Southern belle was very obvious. This was a pretty quick and light read, just your typical perfect romance. It wasn't too fast, or cheesy, but that kind of slow, sweet romance. I can't wait for the second installment.

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