On Love's Gentle Shore by Liz Johnson

Fifteen years after she left Prince Edward Island, Natalie O'Ryan had no plans to return. But when her fiancé, music producer Russell Jacobs, books their wedding in her hometown and schedules a summer at Rose's Red Door Inn, she sets out to put the finishing touches on the perfect wedding. But she can't possibly prepare for a run-in with Justin Kane--the best friend she left behind all those years ago after promising to stay.

Justin's never forgotten Natalie or the music career he always dreamed of pursuing. He'd been prepared to follow her off the island until his dad died and he was left to run the family dairy farm. He's done the best he can with the life that was thrust upon him--but with Natalie back in the picture, he begins to realize just how much joy he's been missing.

After Natalie's reception venue falls through, she must scramble to find an alternative, and the only option seems to be a barn on Justin's property. As they work together to get the dilapidated building ready for the party, Natalie and Justin discover the groundwork for forgiveness--and that there may be more than an old friendship between them.

Publisher: Revell, 2017

Genre: contemporary romance

Setting: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

My Review
I'm a sucker for the angst of a good love triangle--especially if both love interests are so incredible they make it hard for me to decide which one I want to win--but in this book the winner was a no-brainer for me from the start. Both male characters were great, don't get me wrong, but Natalie and Justin have a history--memories and emotions--that connect them in a permanent way. There are many wonderful aspects to this story, such as seeing beloved characters from previous books again, the fantastic setting, the conflict between characters, and the beautiful heart-wrenching emotion spilled out on paper. Ms. Johnson did a fantastic job concluding this series. I look forward to what she'll bring readers next. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance, second chances, or the arduous and beautiful journey of returning home. 

I give this book 5 stars!

Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice Thompson

Somewhere in a sea of tulle and taffeta, satin and crepe, 

Katie Fisher needs to find a key ingredient of the perfect wedding--the groom. 

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?

Publisher: Revell, 2015

Cover Design: Studio Gearbox

Cover Photography and Photo: Julie Line/Big Event Studios

Author represented by MacGregor Literary Agency

My Review

Fun, light-hearted, witty. Thompson will take you on an unusual journey through Texas where family is #1, lost loves are found, and the Baptists and Presbyterians finally agree on something. 

Katie Fisher has been mentally planning her wedding for years. Though her boyfriend hasn't proposed yet, she's sure he will any day and enters the Texas Bride essay contest, winning a custom-made gown of her dreams. What she doesn't expect is her boyfriend to dump her for the big city. 

She arrives at the bridal shop for her consultation with the designer, prepared to forgo the gown when she meets the handsome Brady James--pro-basketball star on hiatus and the bridal shop's new manager.  As if his masculinity in a sea of white frills isn't awkward enough, Brady turns out to be the designer's son. How will Katie ever reveal her secret now?

I recommend this book to anyone who adores weddings and bridal shows, a light humorous read, or enjoys expecting the unexpected. 

I gave this book 4 stars! 

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Janice Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischevious dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all. You can find out more about Janice at www.janiceathompson.com or www.freelancewritingcourses.com.