Customer Reviews

Once Smitten, Twice Shy

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The antique wedding veil is said to have been made by young witch in Ireland. Legend says the veil has the power to grant the deepest wish of the wearer's soul. Tish Gallagher's friend's wish certainly came true. That does not prove the veil had anything to do with it, of course, but Tish has gotten desperate. Tish is the owner, and only employee, of Capture the Moment Videos. She specializes in weddings, but at the moment would gladly take any work that promises money. The designer suit she recently purchased is ruined. Her cable has been cut off for nonpayment. (There goes television and internet access.) Her car has been repossessed. Things were going down hill fast with no end in sight. They say trouble comes in threes, but Tish is proving that statement false. So making a wish on the veil is the act of a desperate woman and that describes Tish well. Her wish is to get out of debt and make her video graphing business a success. Tish is about to learn that you should always be careful what you wish for.

Tish is shocked when she receives a phone call from Elysee Benedict, the first daughter. President Nathan Benedict's daughter had been told that Tish is the best wedding videographer in the Houston, Texas, area. It looks as though Tish's wish is really going to come true! As Tish meets Elysee to discuss the video project, she learns that the groom is her ex-husband, Secret Service agent Shane Tremont. Two years apart has not dampened the sizzle between Tish and Shane, but now it is too late. Of course, Elysee knew all along that Tish and Shane had once been wed, but that fact does not phase her one bit. Tish really wants to hate Elysee, but the first daughter is so sweet, honest, and naïve that Tish cannot help but like her.

Bigger problems hit the fan when Elysee's former nana (nanny) approaches and asks for help to rescue a friend from India. The engagement party is about to become very dangerous indeed.

**** I missed book one, There Goes the Bride, but since each book seems to be a stand-alone story, I never felt as though I were lost. Those who did read it will get to see Delaney (the friend who wished on the veil in the previous title) as a secondary character this time. I found that to be a very nice little touch! However, the author's main focus stays on Tish, Shane, and Elysee. If you are a shop-a-holic or have a shoe fetish, then you will certainly empathize with Tish, who spends her last $93 on a pair of shoes. Even though I do not fall into that category, I still found myself sympathizing with her. No matter what life throws at Tish, the lady is a survivor. Shane's character is strong too. He loses the full function of his hand while saving the life of the first daughter. However, the character of Elysee is just TOO innocent to be believable. There is just no way a grown woman can be that naive, blind to the faults of others, and gullible. All-in-all, author Lori Wilde gives readers a delightful dose of magic and an exciting adventure to help pass rainy days in bliss. I loved every moment I spent reading this story and will be on the look out for the first story, as well as the next. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Tish and Shane are madly in love and in lust with each other. Within less than a year after getting married, a crisis happens which causes each of them to make stupid decisions, and they divorce. Two years later, they still long for each other but don't act on it. Shane proposes to someone he likes but does not love. His new fiancé Elysee hires Tish to make a video film of the engagement party and wedding.

This story might be ok for someone wanting nothing too brainy with a feel good ending. Tish was wonderfully artistic and creative, but she had no practicality or business sense. She was further weakened by her habit of burying her emotions under excess spending. I could accept the initial set of stupid actions causing the divorce due to a crisis. But I did not like the dumb decisions both Tish and Shane were making two years later. Therefore, I didn't have enough sympathy for them to be able to enjoy the story. However, there may be some readers who will find humor in watching impractical foolishness and don't need to sympathize with the characters. In Spoilers below, I describe a few actions that annoyed me, which might help readers decide if they would enjoy this book in a way that I did not. If one is not annoyed, the rest of the story was entertaining. On the plus side, the author wrote a wonderfully sensual sex scene for the couple's first date.

CAUTION SPOILERS.

I was annoyed at Tish's stupidity over the way she handled her client lunch at the beginning of the book. She was behind on all of her bills. Her credit cards were maxed out. Her car was to be repossessed. Yet she takes two people to lunch who see the waiter cut up her two credit cards which have been cancelled. Because of that, the potential client had to pay the bill and never hired her.

Then, immediately after that, she spent her last $94 on a pair of shoes, leaving only $3 to her name for food. I have a hard time sympathizing with such self destructive behavior.

I can't believe Shane was such a wimp that he would ask Elysee to marry him when his inner thoughts at the moment were "Tell her it was a mistake. Tell her you didn't mean to ask her to marry you just yet."

I did not like that Tish walked through the house, outside and into her car, and then drove through all kinds of secret service protection when Larkin held a gun at her side. Her life had been threatened with the fire. She should have known he would kill her anyway. She should have run for it while she was in a place full of secret service agents. Instead she stupidly went with him to her car and drove off so he could kill her in private.

Later, Elysee sneaks away from her secret service protection to go to an isolated location alone where an assassin is waiting to kill someone. She has no weapon yet intends to help the targeted victim.

Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: current day U.S. Copyright: 2008. Genre: contemporary romance and chick lit.

Tish and Shane were a extremely intense couple who went though proverbial hell and broke up, understandable. But they still love each other.
Two years later they reunite around Shane's wedding to the president's daughter.
After video taping the engagement party not so friendly things begin to happen to Tish.
Shane has to make a choice follow his heart or uphold his family pride.
I liked the main characters except for Cal.

I was very satisfied with this story. It was a fast read and nice. Shane and Tish are a very cute couple. Shane's fiance Elysee was intersesting because you'd think she would be evil hiring Tish for her wedding but she was sweet.(and maybe a little slow) I really want to read the other books in the series now.

What a poignant romantic book. I adore stories where lovers get back together and this one really hit the spot. It had lots of great suspense too. I was excited to discover it was part of a series.

Wonderful story with real characters. Their dilemma really touched my heart. I loved Tish and all her foibles and Shane was such a hero. I can't wait until book number three of the Wedding Veil Wishes.

I found myself stopping this book and finding other things to read. While on vacation I picked it back up and found that really enjoyed the story of two ex's re-examining their marriage. I found the premise that Shane was engaged and Tish was the video person and little to creepy but once all the characters came into play you understood. Give it a chance!

Check out the Wedding Veil Wishes series about legend that claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire...There Goes the Bride , Addicted to Love (Book #3) due out October 2008. If you enjoy this author she also writes for Blaze check out her medical series; Secret Seduction (Harlequin Blaze) and Lethal Exposure (Harlequin Blaze).


THE WEDDING VEIL FAIRY TALE from her website: http://www.loriwilde.com/index.html

Once upon a time in long ago Ireland, there was a beautiful young witch with a great talent for tatting lace. People came from far and wide to buy the lovely wedding veils she made. But there were others in the community who were jealous of her success and told the magistrate she was casting spells on the men of the village. The magistrate had her arrested, but then he fell in love with the young witch. To honor him, she promised never to use magic again. She made one last wedding veil, investing it with the power to grant the wearer's most heartfelt wish, and then she wore it on her own wedding day to the magistrate. It was passed down through the generations but the veil was eventually lost.

ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY
LORI WILDE


Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Wedding videographer Tish Gallagher is about to lose practically everything. Her business is going downhill fast and she's practically broke. So when she looks at the so-called lucky wedding veil in her room, she has only one wish, to get out of debt. Things start to look up after that, especially when her next potential client is the president's daughter. The only hitch? The fiancée is none other than Tish's ex-husband.

Shane Tremont has never forgotten his ex-wife Tish, especially the way she drove him crazy, both good and bad. After an in-the-line-of-duty injury from protecting the president's daughter, Shane has suddenly found himself engaged to none other than the first daughter. But the first time he sees Trish at the president's ranch, talking away with his fiancée, Shane realizes all those old feelings might still be there.

I so enjoyed this book! ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY has everything a good read should have. Two dynamic leads, sizzling chemistry between the two and a nice dose of humor keep this reader turning the pages straight through.

I have to say one of my favorite scenes in the book is shortly after Shane is introduced to Tish, who'll be the videographer for his upcoming nuptials. Unsure what to do, he follows her down to the bathroom to try and talk her out of it. But when his new fiancée comes in and says she knows all about the history between the two, well it's just too enjoyable of a scene!

ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY is the second book in Ms. Wilde's Wedding Veil Wishes series. I look forward to reading the next book in this fabulous series, due out October 2008.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
May 2008

The second book in the wedding veil wishes series is even better than the first and I loved that one as well. Can't wait for number three.

This book was a funny, if predictable, romantic comedy-just what you need to lift your spirit. I'll look for other books by her.