My Darling Bride by Ilsa Madden-Mills

When she steals a car, Emmaline Darling is just trying to get away from an abusive boyfriend and a man who is coming on too strong. She left the keys on the tire in good faith not realizing someone else might steal the car. So, when Graham Harlan shows up and demands that she marry him in order to even the scales, Emmaline is aghast. It doesn't help that Graham has bought the bookstore where she works. 

Graham is just trying to help his brother. Though he's a famous football star, he doesn't have the money to help his brother open a gym. But he can get a chunk of money when he marries. A near death experience on the football field has made him more aware of his own mortality. A vision he saw while he was dead makes him wonder if Emmaline was pre-ordained.

I liked this book though the story felt a bit forced in places and Graham was not the best. I'm really hoping for a story with Graham's teammate and Emmaline's sister. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out December 5, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Montlake and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

I generally like Quinn books but there always hits some point where I wonder why I'm finishing a book. For me, it was about 60% through this book and Fallon was still with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend who isn't the hero. The overall book was fine and I really enjoyed Quinn's representation of living with a family member who suffers from Alzheimers but... ugh. I wish there had been more time seeing Fallon and Sawyer navigating their relationship. 

Just about a year ago, Fallon went on a blind date with Sawyer, just after his last girlfriend had left him for his best friend. Now, he's in small-town Canoodle, California and doesn't remember her at all. That's fine, she's too busy taking care of her grandfather and trying to put their family cabins back into repair.

Sawyer is a screenwriter. He writes something that sounds like a Hallmark romance. But he hasn't felt very romantic since his girlfriend and best friend fell in love on the last movie set. And then his studio strong armed him into pretending to be okay with it. At their wedding, he snaps and runs away, ending up in Canoodle.  

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 11, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Montlake and NetGalley

Opinions are my own