Following "The Worst Best Man," this story follows one of Lina's cousins, Solange. It's not like Solange was even supposed to be at that wedding but Lina needed help. Solange didn't want to see the bride in the stairwell with another man nor did she want to hear him telling the bride not to marry the groom. Yet, both things happened. She certainly didn't mean to speak up during the ceremony but... she sure did that too. And the bride went scurrying down the aisle.
The man left at the altar, Dean, is disappointed but not heartbroken. He and Ella were more or less a business arrangement so that he could finish checking off his list of life ambitions. But it's a problem when his law firm wants to woo a potential new partner whose father is a billionaire of some sort. But she has a partner and the managing partner in charge wants someone who's in a relationship. So Dean quickly mentions that he and Mia are now dating. It's fraught because there is another man picked to help show her around as well and he is Dean's major opposition for a partnership.
For her part, Mia and her closest cousins were raised by their single mothers. A conservative (and rather judge-y cousin is coming to town and Mia's mother panics and says that Mia is in a relationship. So, lots of reasons for the two of them to pretend to be together. Of course, all that time together exacerbates the feelings they already have for each other.
Parts of the story were a little too much cringe (this is a fake relationship; of course parts will be annoying). And I wish the reveal had come about a different way because it was from a character we didn't get to see very often nor did we get to see the afterward of their relationship with the couple. This was a really enjoyable read and the characters were quite well-rounded.
Three and a half stars
This book came out April 5, 2022
Follows The Worst Best Man
Borrowed as hard copy from library
Opinions are my own
