September is here and so is spring! At least here in the southern hemisphere it is. Spring, wonderful spring, the season of new beginnings and weddings (and hayfever).
This month’s theme is a twist on the whole spring wedding theme…actually the opposite of weddings…probably a bride’s (or groom’s) worst nightmare…being left at the altar.
That’s right, we’re reading books about the worst thing to happen on a wedding day and how our intrepid characters get past it and go on to find their real happily-ever-after.
I personally haven’t written one of these yet…although ‘In Like Flynn’ does have a fiancée being left behind, fortunately they hadn’t actually reached the altar yet. I’ll put details about that at the end…so keep reading!
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Jilted
by Rachael Johns
After more than ten years away, Australian soap star Ellie Hughes returns to the small country town of Hope Junction, determined to remain anonymous while caring for her injured godmother, Matilda.
But word spreads fast in the tight–knit community. It isn’t long before the people of Hope are gossiping about the real reason for Ellie’s visit and why she broke the heart of golden boy Flynn Quartermaine all those years ago.
Soon Ellie and Flynn are thrown back together again, forced to deal with the unresolved emotions between them. For Ellie is not the only one with secrets. Flynn has his own demons to battle, and Matilda is hiding something from her much–loved goddaughter.
When all is uncovered, can the ill–fated lovers overcome the wounds of their past? Or is Flynn destined to be jilted again?
Jilted
by Kelly Jamieson
Hearts can be broken by words left unspoken…
Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 1
When Josh left Boston to return to Promise Harbor to look after his family, Devon was heartbroken that he chose them over her. Now Josh is getting married to Devon’s ex-best-friend Allie. Devon’s showing up for the wedding, determined to show everyone she’s over Josh, with a fabulous life and successful career in Boston. But the truth is…she was just downsized out of her job. And she’s not really over Josh. She just wants to get through this painful wedding so she can make her way to nearby Greenbush Island and meet up with the man who might be her last hope of finding a new job.
Loyal and responsible Josh just wants to make his family happy again. After his mom’s best friend died, sending her back into a scary depression, marrying long time family friend and confidant Allie seems the right thing to do. And since the woman he really wanted to marry chose her career and big city life over him, why not?
Josh can’t believe it when his fiancée’s old boyfriend storms into the church and interrupts the wedding. He’s even more stunned when Allie leaves with him. When Devon offers to go with him to Greenbush Island where he’d planned the honeymoon to try to find Allie, Josh accepts her offer. But the only thing they find are the old feelings that never died. And the temptation to risk their hearts one more time…
The First Rule of Hook-Ups
by Nina Crespo
Someone once told me that there are worst things than being left at the altar. Well, not many, in my experience. That was six months ago, though, and my life has moved on. Heck, I have a new job lined up and I’m leaving town.
But, I can’t deny that my love life kind of sucks.
That’s why I let my friends convince me to join them for Club Escapade’s Breakup Bash. And we might just be disillusioned enough to actually enjoy it. Last time we were here, it was for my bachelorette party. That night, I met one of the dancers – Raphael – and when he flirted with me, I almost forgot I was engaged. And there’s a part of me that never forgot him.
Now, it seems my friends have wandered off and I’m thinking about calling it a night. Until the music begins and I see Raphael, my secret fantasy, on stage. And this time, I’m definitely not engaged…
His Jilted Bride
by Rose Gordon
It’s her wedding day and there is no groom in sight. But why should Amelia Brice be surprised? Hiram, Lord Friar is known for having no gentleman’s honor to speak of and his jilting her on their wedding day makes it official.
Elijah Banks cannot allow his childhood friend to continue to be shamed this way. It’s been almost an hour past the time when the wedding was to start, and that bounder still hasn’t shown up. Unable to sit still a second longer, Elijah does the only thing that seems logical from where he stands: kidnap the bride and marry her himself in order to escape this scandal with one far more forgiving for a young lady’s reputation.
The only trouble is, she has a secret…but so does he; hers is big…but his is bigger.
Temporary Groom
by J.S. Scott
Lia:
I thought I had my life all worked out. My wedding had been meticulously planned. All I had to do was walk down the aisle and get married to the man I’d been engaged to for over a year.
Pretty easy and uncomplicated, right?
Unfortunately, all of my well laid plans go up in smoke when my fiance leaves me at the church alone because he found a woman who was better suited for his snobby world of wealth and privilege.
Problem is, I really have to get married. All of my hopes and dreams are dependent on me tying the knot by my twenty-eighth birthday, and the date is closing in fast.
As usual, my best friend Zeke Conner is there to pick up the pieces when I get jilted by a jerk. He helps me work through the demoralizing event so I can put it behind me and move on. But when he offers to marry me himself, I’m stunned. But it’s a bargain I can’t really refuse.
As my relationship changes with my best friend, I find myself caught in a web of sensual desire and unending passion that’s as terrifying as it is satisfying. Probably because it seems all too real.
But our arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A deal between friends so that we’d both benefit. What will happen when it all ends?
This Time Around
by Jennie Kew
Jane Melville has done some very stupid things in her life. Having an open sexual relationship with someone who turned out to be a thieving con man and left her standing at the altar—pregnant and penniless—was one of the worst. With her dreams of owning her own catering business down the drain, and the prospect of working at her family’s patisserie for the rest of her life looking more and more likely, Jane is determined to make the most of her misfortunes. After all, things could be worse. Her baby daddy might have turned out to be the con man instead of the tall, brooding lawyer, Rafael Bennett. But just because she’s willing to have a baby with the man doesn’t mean she has to like him.
Rafe Bennett’s life has been one of responsibility and heartache. A long time ago, he was forced to give up the girl of his dreams, then made to bear the brunt of her anger for his trouble. In the years since, he has shared his bed with Jane Melville more times than he can count, snatching moments of erotic bliss whenever he can, but when she chose to marry someone else, Rafe walked away for good. Or so he thought. When fate thrusts Jane back into his life—complete with baby on board—Rafe seizes the opportunity with both hands. He lost her once and never truly got her back, but he’s determined to change their fate. He knows in his heart that with a little persuasion and a whole lot of cake, everything will be different this time around!
Two of a Kind
by Sasha Cottman
*This is a pre-order with a release date 16th September*
James Radley cannot put his finger on why he does not want Leah Shepherd to marry his best friend. She is kind, sweet and a true beauty. Any man should want to marry her.
And therein lies the problem.
Like a bolt out of the blue, James finds himself headlong in love with his best friend’s fiancée. He promises himself that if he can just get through the wedding service, everything will fine.
But as his carriage draws up outside St Georges, Hanover Square on the morning of the wedding, he is greeted by the sight of the bride racing down the front steps of the church.
Leah begs him to help her escape both the wedding and London, and in an instant of madness, he readily agrees.
Leah Shepherd is certain that James does not like her, but as he is the only man willing to help, she has no choice but to trust him.
Taking refuge with him at her grandfather’s far flung estate in Cornwall, Leah eventually comes to see James in a new light.
When love blossoms between them, Leah and James begin to question everything in their lives. Decisions are made and acted upon.
But actions have consequences, as they soon discover when they return to London.
For James there are the harsh repercussions of not only abandoning his life’s calling, but also stealing his best friend’s bride, while Leah finds herself scorned by her family and friends.
James and Leah are left to wonder whether that by choosing their love over duty, they have both made a terrible mistake.
In a moment of crisis when their marriage seems forever lost, James will have to reach beyond the passion of love and find the strength to forgive his wife and give their marriage a second chance.
But will it be enough to save their marriage and their future?
A runaway bride romance.
Two of a Kind. A standalone book in the ongoing Duke of Strathmore Series.
In Like Flynn
by Emma Lea
Alcohol, getting dumped and a smart phone were not a good mix.
Peyton Sheppard thought her world was just weeks away from being perfect. The future she had always dreamed about was within her grasp – the perfect guy, the perfect wedding, the perfect house in the suburbs. That was until her fiancé ran off and married a Las Vegas showgirl.
To say she was a bit miffed was perhaps an understatement. Still, an ill-advised video uploaded to Facebook shouldn’t have meant the end of her life as she knew it.
Flynn Devereaux loved his life just the way it was, thank you very much. He was not at all impressed when his editor insisted he do a blog series on the woman whose meltdown went viral. The absolute last thing he needed – or wanted – was to try and get her to fall in love with him because of some ridiculous bet made on national television. But what was a guy to do? A challenge was a challenge and maybe he could limit the humiliation that was sure to follow both of them during the fallout of said challenge.
He didn’t believe in love or happily-ever-after and she was done with the whole husband, marriage, white picket fence thing so there was no chance of either of them falling in love…