Customer Reviews

Everything But a Bride (Thorndike Gentle Romance)

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Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

The Salo Family Wedding Curse strikes again and this time the victim is Noah Salo.

Everything is going beautifully, Nana Vancy thinks this wedding will break the curse she carelessly cast when she herself was a young bride. Grandma Salo has convinced Noah to let her make all the arrangements sure that's what will work but all her hopes are dashed. When Noah's fiancée, Julianna, breaks up with him at his stag party, it's his long time friend, Julianna's step-sister Callie, who comes to his rescue.

Callie has her own relationship troubles to deal with so when Noah suggests they take a trip together for Noah's non-Honeymoon, Callie agrees to join him. Neither expected that there long time friendship had a romance brewing under the surface all these years. Now though on the surface they are the same two good friends, underneath it all is a new awareness of each other. Noah and Callie have their own special relationship brewing, but is it disloyal to his ex to be falling for her sister?

As always, Holly Jacobs delivers a wonderfully charming and funny romance in Everything but a Bride. Who would think that a breakup just a couple days before a wedding then the hero falling for the sister of his ex-fiancée on a non-Honeymoon would be funny? When Holly works her magic, you just know it's going to be a grand time. From family members trying to help a not-as-upset-as-he-should-be Noah through the aftermath of the wedding that wasn't, to Julianna begging Callie to take care of Noah so Julianna can get away for a while, we are treated to several instances of Holly's skill at portraying true family relationships in the funniest light.

While Julianna is the girly-girl type, Callie is anything but. She is a total adventure seeker/tom boy extraordinaire, even all grown up. So seeing her reaction to a day at the spa, which would be a perfect way to spend time for Julianna, made me burst out laughing more than once. Through mud baths and massages, Callie keeps us entertained with her running commentary. Even better is seeing Noah's response when he sees Callie at the end of the day. This also provides plenty of humorous soul searching as Noah tries to talk himself out of being attracted to Callie.

Noah and Callie's blossoming relationship develops at a very realistic pace. They have always been as close as two friends could be but now that friendship has taken a new direction. Neither one has been especially lucky in love and by the end of Everything but a Bride, we know the real reason is because they can only be happy together. Some of the best scenes portraying the growth of their relationship are done when they aren't even in the same room. Half the fun is in seeing this for yourself but let me just say, creaking bed springs and thin walls play a key role.

I loved Everything but a Bride and I for one cannot wait to see how Holly will end the trilogy and finally break the Salo Wedding Curse.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, August 2008. All rights reserved.

The Hungarian grandmother's curse strikes again in Holly Jacobs' charming romance, Everything But a Bride. Vancy Bashalde Salo, as a young beautiful woman, cursed the descendants of the man who left her at the church. When she married him, she realized she'd cursed her own descendants. They would never have a big, beautiful wedding until they married for love instead of for the sake of the wedding.

In the first book in the series, Everything But a Groom, Vancy's oldest granddaughter was left at the altar. In this second book, Noah Salo doesn't even make it to the church. His fianceé, Julianna, breaks up with him at his own stag party. She knows that they really were nothing more than childhood friends, and it wasn't really a passionate love.

When Noah's down in the dumps, it's Julianna's stepsister, Callie, who shows up to cheer him up. Since they share an interest in outdoor sports, Noah suggests they take that paid for honeymoon trip as a non-honeymoon. What could happen when two best friends go away together?

Holly Jacobs writes warm, enjoyable romances, filled with family. Despite the family curse, the Salo family is a big, supportive family who love each other. And, friends and co-workers in the Salo Construction, are part of the family. Everything But a Bride moves quickly because it's hard to leave the Salo family, and, in this case, Noah and Callie. The Everything But..series is rated G. In my opinion that means a good book, good entertainment, and gentle romance

Back when she was young and in love in her native Hungary Nana Vancy said the "curse" when her beloved Bela Salo failed to show up their wedding. She knew words had power and felt guilt and happiness when he arrived to exchange I do; he had been delayed due to an accident. However it was too late to pull back her angry mutterings about big weddings, Bela and his relatives.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, Nana's grandson Noah Salo is being toasted with a stag party before he marries Juliana. However, at the gala, Juliana ends their engagement. At about the same time that Juliana informs Noah it is over, her younger stepsister Callie breaks up with her boyfriend. Commiserating together, Callie and Noah go to Hungary on what they facetiously dub a "non- honeymoon trip together. As they get to know one another, they begin to fall in love, but she has doubts that she can step in Juliana's larger shoes and besides she refuses to be a rebound.

Returning to Erie, site of her WLVH Radio Romance saga (see LAUGH LINES, NIGHT CALLS, LOVE HANDLES and PICKUP LINES), Holly Jacobs provides a warm contemporary romance starring two likable characters, a strong support cast, and the "curse". The relationship between the stars starting at the stag party through the non-honeymoon and the aftermath in Pennsylvania is well written and fun to read while the secondary players strengthen the story line. As always Holly Jacobs entertains her fans with a fine tale that has everything.

Harriet Klausner