Always the Designer, Never the Bride: An Emma Rae Creation [Kindle Edition]

Sandra D. Bricker (Author)

Book Description

It’s taken Audrey Regan years to establish herself as a wedding dress designer, and to date
she’s been roped into creating dresses for nine of her girlfriends. Request #10 follows her vow
to “Just say no!” and comes from her very best friend. She can hardly turn Carly down!         


Audrey arrives in Atlanta early to perform all of her maid-of-honor
duties along with final fittings for a one-of-a-kind dress. But Carly’s wedding is nothing short
of an event, complete with Prince Charming, and the festivities make Audrey question whether
there’s a prince of her own anywhere in her future.  

Enter the
groom’s brother and best man. Shaggy-haired, tattooed bad boy J.R. Hunt couldn’t be any more
different from Prince Charming if he rode in on a Harley Davidson.  Oh, wait. He actually did
ride in on a Harley!

"Sandra D. Bricker is the Babe Ruth of
romantic comedy with one home run after another! Third in the hilarious series, I didn't want
Always the Designer, Never the Bride to end.  I'm anxiously waiting for the
next book in this series. Novel Rocket and I give Always the Designer, Never the
Bride our highest recommendation. It's a 5-star read!" - Ane Mulligan, Sr. Editor
Novel Rocket

"Sandie Bricker's latest romance is as beautifully woven as a
haute couture gown. Always the Designer, Never the Bride offers readers a fun
and engaging storyline, along with some sparkling embellishments, including an array of bridal
design tidbits, guaranteed to have you reaching for your needle and thread. Highly recommended!"
- Janice Thompson, author of the Weddings by Bella series
<br
/> "Always the Designer Never the Bride shows yet another angle of the
journey from 'I think I love you' to 'I do' and all the side adventures that keep her readers
begging, 'Tell me another story!'"   Cynthia Ruchti, radio personality and novelist, author of
the Carol Award finalist They Almost Always Come Home
<br
/>

"Sandra Bricker has done it again! Like every book in this series,
Always the Designer, Never the Bride made me laugh, made me sigh, made me
root for the heroine, and made me cry. When I reached the last page, I didn't know whether to
whimper because I had to leave Audrey and J.R. behind...or exhale that sigh of satisfaction
bornof reading a truly wonderful story. No way I'm loaning this one out, because
what if it isn't returned!" - Loree Lough, best-selling author of more than
80 award-winning books, including reader favorite From Ashes to
Honor

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles and, while writing in every spare moment, worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. Since then she has moved to Wesley Chapel, Florida, and has written three novels for middle-grade readers and several romance novels, including unWANTED: Husband, Change of Heart, Sins of the Past, Wish I Weren't Here, Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas and The Big 5-0h! Visit Sandra at SandraDBricker.com or SandraDBricker.blogspot.com.

Product Details

• File Size: 525 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1426732236
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (April 1, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007FGSYTG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,172 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not memorable April 8, 2012

By Iola

Format:Kindle Edition

Two years and three months ago, Audrey Regan left Atlanta for New York, hoping to make a name for herself as a wedding dress designer, but Audrey is in desperate need of a career break to keep her dream alive. She is now on her way back to Atlanta, to the Tanglewood Inn, where she will be acting as chief bridesmaid for her childhood best friend, Carly, whose dress she also designed. With Audrey is Kat, her assistant, and she meets all the characters from Sandra Bricker's two previous Wedding novels, including J.R., the handsome Harley-riding brother of Carly's new husband. But J.R. has a wanderlust that means he never stays long in any one place, which does not make him the ideal candidate for a relationship no matter what sparks there are between him and Audrey.

I have to admit that I got a bit confused with all the characters and their relationships once Audrey arrived in Atlanta, but once I got all the characters straight in my mind, I found Always the Designer to be an enjoyable novel, funny and heart-warming with likeable characters, with a sweet romance and without the bittersweet aspect of Always the Wedding Planner. I particularly liked Russell, the Australian movie star, who provided comic relief on the side. While this was a good read, it was not particularly memorable, but those who read and enjoyed the first two books in the series will no doubt want to read this to find out how the characters are progressing. The final book in the series is due to be published later in 2012.

Thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Tickle-Giggle Worthy Read! March 27, 2012

By Writer_for_Christ VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

There is something about the "Emma Rae" collection of fiction novels that makes me smile, giggle and upon the close of that last page, give just a tiny sigh delight and comfort...like enjoying a yummy plate of your favorite desert. Decadent, with just the right amount of fluff and sweet.

Oh there isn't much to worry about, but having an old fashioned good time with this latest installment in the Emma Rae collection. Audrey is such a loveable, quirky character and one that you just can't help but cheer for. A totally loveable ensemble of characters, including a little girl in pink cowgirl books put a smile on my face and joy in the moment spent reading their story.

I would definitely advise the reader to pick up the previous two novels in this collection. Just as much a hoot (though the first remains my fav), you will be better able to track the large ensemble cast. There were times I thought the cast a bit too large, but as the book continued, I separated them better.

More than one yummy kiss, some tasty entrees, gorgeous wedding gowns and just a quirky, light read, it's a chick lit/romantic comedy I'd definitely point readers toward.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Could have been so much better April 20, 2012

By Jasprit

Format:Kindle Edition

I went into this book with the assumption that it would be a bit like the film 27 dresses. The title kind of gave me that impression and because I really loved that film you could say I sort of got over excited. But as per usual the title was kind of deceiving.

Audrey Regan has been into designing wedding dresses ever since she was a little girl, when she was just nine years old, her friends were busy playing with Barbie dolls, Audrey was creating "haute couture" for her dolls, so it's not surprising that Audrey grew up and became a wedding dress designer. However everything's not as easy as Audrey thought it would be, she took the chance and moved to New York, aiming for the big clientele, but it's been tough, brides are typically going for the recognised designers and Audrey is just managing to scrape by. However with her best friend Carly's wedding looming Audrey has to put everything on hold and fly out to Atlanta in the middle of her big chance of winning over socialite Kim Renfroe. But things go from bad to worse as Audrey's big chance slips through her fingers and she knows her hopes and dreams of becoming a well established designer are fading away. While she's in Atlanta however she meets her best friends fiancé's brother J.R. who's a whole different kettle of fish, for one he hasn't stopped gawking at her, but he also seems a lot different to the other guys she's known.

The thing about this book was that everyone was so nice all the time, it's like something bad would happen to someone but then everyone would gather around and cheer them up with a sleepover or something else pointless. I felt the bad things weren't even that bad but because Audrey had all her "girlfriends" around her who she had known for all of two minutes everything would be hunky dory!

The secondary characters from Sherrilyn to Emma I didn't really get the point of; their constant chirpy moods, knowing friends of friends who could work miracles, basically it's frustrated me how everything always fell into place for everyone. Is it so wrong of me to want some drama or mayhem?

J.R. didn't really do it for me either, I know he was meant to come across as a dapper hot guy who rides a Harley, but the only image that remained in my head was J.R. from Dallas, certain names are a no go with me, once I get a certain image in my head about a person it's kind of hard to get rid of.

Some of the writing was also full of info-dumping, paragraphs and paragraphs about the amount of detail Audrey had to put into measuring mannequins, cutting and measuring fabrics then details about lunch, it was at times pointless. A couple of conversations also went down the same pointless track;

"Please be careful on the road J.R. I will
and wear your helmet.
I always do
oh, that's right. It's me who doesn't she realised
with a giggle. Well zip your jacket and all that.
Will do, and you do the same"

"Dual head stainless steel head gas grill, Andy
continued without notice, with forty- five
thousand BTU, full rotisserie and eleven hundred
square inches of cooking surface. It's the
champion of excellence and precision in grilling
my friend"

I wished I had liked Always the Designer Never the Bride more, but it had too many always happy characters and perfect endings for my liking.

More About the Author

"I'm going to be a writer when I grow up!" Sandra D. Bricker declared these words to her father on a Sunday afternoon in Slidell, Louisiana. She was 5 years old, and was referring to being able to string her cursive letters together to write her full name for the first time, but the declaration proved somewhat prophetic.

By the time she reached high school and her first article was published in The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sandie knew writing was what she wanted to do. For more than a decade, Sandie lived in Los Angeles and, while writing in every spare moment, she studied screenwriting and worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved cross-country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

"I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!" she declares. "Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to re-focus on writing novels in an effort to pursue my dream of a writing career."

That career weaves a web that draws in every age of reader. Sandie's interest in telling a story knows no boundaries. Three novels for middle readers carved out the beginning of the journey; then Avalon Books followed up with two hardbound romance novels in 2001: unWANTED: Husband (romantic comedy) and Change of Heart (romantic suspense). The response was tremendous, and Sandie was asked to pen a sequel to Change of Heart ... and so Sins of the Past was released in December 2003. Next up was another romantic comedy; Wish I Weren't Here was released in February 2005.

"I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost," she says. "So the last couple of years has been a bit of a dream-come-true. Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line in October 2008 with Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas, a romantic comedy for the inspirational market. So the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

More hilarity continued to follow from this award-winning author.

Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida (Fall 2009) and Love Finds You in Carmel, California (Fall 2010) for Summerside Press, and The Big 5-OH! (Spring 2010) and Always the Baker, Never the Bride (Fall 2010) for Abingdon Press.

Future books will include sequels, The Big 4-OH! and The Big 3-OH! for Abingdon Press.

After spending nearly 15 years dealing with her celebrity clients' fans, Sandie finds it amusing that she is suddenly the one getting fan mail! "When people were actually buying my books at a recent signing, I found myself wanting to go around and invite them all to dinner or offer to bake them cookies. Hey! In fact ... maybe I'll do that very soon."