Review: Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin

Title: Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin
Magnolia Brides Series Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Second in the Magnolia Brides series of charming, heartfelt Southern contemporary romance

Can love revive a wilting heart?

Cricket O’Malley can’t wait to plant roots back home in Georgia, where she’s returned to restore an abandoned flower shop to its former glory. The only blemish? Her neighbor’s house is even more neglected than her old flower shop, and its occupant seems as surly as he is darkly handsome.

Devastated body and soul after a tough case went south, New York City detective Sam DeLuca thought he’d have no trouble finding solitude in the quiet Georgia town of Misty Bottoms, but his bubbly neighbor seems determined to shine happiness into Sam’s life. Sam is equally determined to close himself off, but his heart says otherwise…

Review:

Every Bride Has Her Day is a leisurely paced, heartwarming romance. This second installment Lynnette Austin’s warm and inviting Magnolia Brides series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the entire series.

Needing a place to recover both physically and mentally from an undercover case that went horribly wrong, NYC detective Sam DeLuca heads to Misty Bottoms, GA, where he once spent several memorable summers with his late great-aunt Gertie.  After two years, Sam decides it is time to take care of his neglected inheritance so he immerses himself in fixing up the sadly neglected house he inherited from Gertie.  Besieged by nightmares from his last case, he is easily distracted by his beautiful, sassy neighbor Cricket O’Malley, but knowing he is only passing through town, the two try to ignore the sparks that fly between them.  Despite the roots he seems to putting down, Sam still intends to return to the life he left behind but will those plans change once he and Cricket give in to their sizzling hot desire?

With his confidence shaken and unable to trust his judgment, Sam is hoping getting away from New York will help him put his last case behind him once and for all.  He is unprepared for the guilt he experiences when confronted with the neglected house awaiting him but he is grateful for the distraction the renovations provide him.  He is also surprised by how much he much he looks forward to spending time with Cricket but he fights his growing attraction due to the betrayal he experienced in his last relationship.  Enjoying the slower pace of life, Sam is gradually drawn into small town life as he strikes up new friendships, adopts a stray dog and offers a helping hand to a troubled teen.

Cricket is also a newcomer to town but unlike Sam, she is staying in Misty Bottoms permanently.  On the verge of opening her florist shop, she is incredibly busy but she still finds time to help her grumpy (and super sexy) new  neighbor acclimate to small town life. Knowing Sam is only in town temporarily, she pushes aside her growing attraction to him and they spend several enjoyable evenings together.  Once Sam begins to confide his troubles to her, Cricket has trouble maintaining an emotional distance from him.

The relationship between Cricket and Sam is a little antagonistic at first, but they soon settle into an easy friendship.  Between their quiet evenings together and fun outings, they spend a great deal of time in each other’s company.  Sam’s reticence to talk about why he is town initially causes some tension between them, but he is uncharacteristically talkative when he is with Cricket.  Underscoring all of their interactions is a simmering attraction that becomes impossible to ignore but will this change in their relationship convince Sam to alter his plans to leave Foggy Bottoms?

With a quirky cast of appealing characters and a charming setting, Every Bride Has Her Day is a sweet romance that is blissfully free from excessive angst or drama. Lynnette Austin brings Foggy Bottoms vibrantly to life and fans of small town love stories are sure to be captivated by both the town and its residents.  Tantalizing glimpses of  Cricket’s cousin and his ex  will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment in the Magnolia Brides series.

1 Comment

Filed under Contemporary, Every Bride Has Her Day, Magnolia Brides Series, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca

One Response to Review: Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin

  1. Timitra

    Thanks for the review Kathy