Ah, I am just totally in love with Lauren Layne’s Wedding Belles series. I am a single woman and don’t really get the whole wedding industry thing but I really admire the passion and ambition these women put into their business, the Wedding Belles. This book focuses on Heather Fowler, assistant planner, who dreams of being a full-fledged planner with the Belles. Heather is close to having it all. She just got a brand new apartment in the city that she loves… for the most part. Unfortunately, her neighbor likes to play his music into the wee hours of the morning, making it difficult for her to sleep. When Heather goes to confront him, she meets Josh Tanner, and his muscled chest. Josh is annoying on every level to Heather, but oh man, is she attracted to him. But seeing a new woman come out of his apartment every few days makes it difficult to envision even a one night stand with him.
Josh Tanner is wildly attracted to Heather, even if he thinks she is a tad uptight about her job (something he no longer worries about). Josh is determined to live life to the fullest now that he is in remission from cancer. He is sure that living the life of a laid-back musician is the life for him…unfortunately, it’s not quite fulfilling him either.
As Heather and Josh become closer, as their playful animosity turns into deep attraction, Heather and Josh have to determine if they are willing to risk more than just desire.
The real pleasure in For Better or Worse is Heather’s story. She has big ambitions and is doing everything she can to see those ambitions to fruition. Though her newest client, Danica Robinson (think Kim Kardashian) is anything but pleasant to work with, Heather is doing all she can to make this a wedding to remember. On top of that, she is dealing with the complex feelings Josh is arousing in her. And it’s not easy because though the attraction between them is HOT (Lauren Layne knows how to create chemistry!), Heather is looking for love. She does not want a quick fling. But no matter how she tries to get closer to Josh, beyond physical intimacy, he immediately pulls away. Josh is determined to live in the moment and he may be letting the best thing in his life slip away.
Heather saves this book, big time. I liked Josh, he is a nice enough guy and I certainly understand why he is so scared of his future. But I became really tired of how Josh kept putting off telling Heather any part of the truth about his past. It became tiresome and put him in a weak light for me. Even his big gesture at the end, while incredibly sweet, came a tad too late for me. It didn’t ruin the story by any means but Josh just didn’t wow me by the end of the story.
Heather on the other hand is exactly the kind of woman I love reading about. She is unafraid to put her heart on the line. She has goals and plans. She has friends who care about her and Heather works hard to strengthen those relationships. Heather isn’t perfect (no character ever is) but I really getting to know Heather.
Also, the running joke of banana bread was very sweet and the twist at the end did make me smile.
If you enjoyed the first book in the Wedding Belles series, To Have and To Hold, I think you will definitely enjoy this book. It was nice to really dig into Heather’s character. And now, I am on tenterhooks for the final book in the series which happily comes out on my birthday. Happy birthday to me!
For Better or Worse is available today at your favorite book store.
ARC provided by Edelweiss for review.
Other reviews:
This is the first Lauren Layne book I’ve ever read but it definitely won’t be my last. What a great start to a new series. To Have and To Hold is the first book in Layne’s The Wedding Belles series. Brooke Baldwin has just moved to New York to start a new job as a wedding planner for the Belles. She is very glad to be out of California, where she had been a rising star in the wedding planning industry. Unfortunately, her own wedding turned into a terrible fiasco when her fiance was arrested at the altar. Brooke is desperate for a fresh start and is eager to make her mark in the New York wedding scene. Her first client is hotel heiress Maya Tyler. Unfortunately, with Maya comes her older brother, Simon Tyler, one of the wealthiest men in New York. And one of the coldest and most annoying in Brooke’s mind.
The Good Fight is the third book in Julianna Keyes’ Time Served series. It is a standalone book however even you though first meet Susan in the second book in the series. It also features an incredibly sexy book cover, am I right? Susan Jones and Oscar Hall have chemistry coming out of every pore and it all starts because of a watermelon injury. (You’ll want to read the book for the very first scenes!)
Worked Up is the third book in Tessa Bailey’s Made in Jersey series. First I just want to say how much I’ve enjoyed this series. Hook, New Jersey, reads much like any random small town across the US. It has its problems but it also has a lot of great people living there trying to make a difference. It’s a hardworking town and I think that is best showcased in Worked Up which is just… WOW.
Treat Yourself with Books 