Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Once Upon a Wedding - JoAnn Ross (HQN - Oct 2018)

Series: Honeymoon Harbor (Book 1.5)

Weddings are an occasion for joy, but Desiree Marchand is a bundle of nerves. She doesn’t have time for complications ahead of her friend’s wedding—especially not her ex-boyfriend. She doesn’t know what Bastien Broussard is doing in Honeymoon Harbor, but she wants nothing to do with him. Unfortunately, the wedding is down a singer—and whether Desiree likes it or not, rock star Bastien is the perfect man for the job.

After years traveling the world, the only place Bastien wants to be is by Desiree’s side. He’s ready to fight for her, even if he has to serenade himself past her defenses—but can he finally prove to her that their love is worth the risk?

Sweet second chance novella with a bit of steam. It's short and fast but does an excellent job of giving Desiree and Bastien's history together before delving into their reunion. Desiree is the owner of Honeymoon Harbor's bakery. She's a bit stressed as she makes the final preparations for her friends' wedding cake. The last thing she expects or needs is the sudden appearance of her ex-boyfriend. Her efforts to chase him off are thwarted when the hired musician cancels at the last minute and Bastien offers to fill in - if Desiree will sing with him.

Desiree and Bastien have a history together. Back when Bastien first started his band he talked Desiree into being their lead singer. Five years of touring and loving later, Desiree was tired of the constant travel. She left Bastien and the band to follow her dream of becoming a pastry chef, but never forgot him or the love they shared. Bastien went on to become famous for his rock-blues music before he was called home to help his grandmother with her restaurant. Now he's ready to put down roots with the only woman he ever loved.

Bastien knows what he wants and will do whatever he can to get it. It was fun to see him breeze in with utter confidence in his ability to win the day. However, Desiree isn't so sure that she can trust his rolling stone to stay put. I enjoyed hearing all about Bastien's plans for his restaurant and how he sees him and Desiree working together. He's upfront about how his feelings for her never went away as is Desiree. There is no false drama between them, just an acknowledgment of the fire and love they still share. The ending was great, and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

I also enjoyed the beginning of the story with the description of Kaylee and Mai's wedding. The story of how they met was heartwarming as was their obvious love for each other. I loved the vivid pictures of the wedding itself with its Hawaiian touches.
 

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