Customer Reviews

Swinging on a Star (Weddings by Bella, Book 2)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book ever since I finished "Fools Rush In." I knew it was going to be just as good, if not better, when I read "If Aunt Rosa hadn't landed that gig on the Food Network, I probably wouldn't have ended up on the national news. And if their pesky camera crew hadn't shown up at our house on one of the most important days of my life, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been hauled off to the Galveston County jail."

Now any book that starts off with the main character talking about how she landed herself in jail ~ and due to the Food Network no less ~ you know has got to be interesting, especially when you know the Rossi clan. :o)

It's rare for a sequel to stand up to the original in movies. This book stands up to the first. We see Bella move from the first blush of love with her handsome cowboy to thinking about whether their love is the kind that will last and the difference between love and attraction. More than one romance blooms in this book and though Janice does a great job at making us laugh, she also grabs our hearts and makes us care about these people. My teenage son wants to lodge a formal complaint about how many times I said "awww" while reading this book. :o)

The author manages to tickle our funny bone, stir our hearts, challenge us not to judge others based on... anything ~ and encourage us to dare to do anything put on our hearts. It's all tied up in a fabulous package of memorable characters who live long after the cover is shut. Treat yourself, you'll be glad you did.

Make sure you've eaten something first, otherwise you'll get hungry while reading all about Aunt Rosa's cooking. You'll have to get up and make yourself a snack to eat. You might get food on the pages and then where would you be? lol

[...]

Loved this book!! After receiving my Kindle on Wednesday I downloaded the first book and finished it in record time!! I couldn't wait to get the second one!! I loved it even more!! You can't help but fall more in love with all the characters!! I loved the ending!! It made me smile!

I like Janice's quirky sense of humor which comes through in her writing. I fell in love with Bella in "Fools Rush In." I like reading about her wedding business. Maybe because I made wedding cakes myself for several years. This is an easy read and I am eager to read the next in the series.

"Swinging On A Star" picks up where the first offering in the Weddings By Bella Series left off. Janice Thompson paints a beautiful, loud and rowdy picture of an Italian family living in Galveston, Texas with great authenticity and humor. The cast of characters from "Fools Rush In" are back as Bella prepares her second major wedding extravaganza. This time, it's a medieval themed affair and the best man, make that "first knight", is a super-famous Hollywood hunk that Bella must hide from the paparazzi until the big day. Toss in Rosa's anticipated debut on the Food Network, Sophia's crush on the movie star and the movie star's crush on Bella, and you've got a recipe for complete chaos.

I really enjoyed the development of the main characters, Bella's relationship with D.J., Bubba's debut at the opera, and the engaging moments over dinner at Bella's home. I also loved the addition of the unconventional Hollywood entrance into this wild and wacky world of the Rossi family. Bella's guidance of Brock (aka Vinny - aka Hollywood hunk) in spiritual matters was a lovely touch as well. But I will say that I enjoyed the first book more. It's not that I didn't enjoy this one, but let's just say that this second offering wasn't quite as spicy as the first. Still, it was delicioso!

I called the first book an "Italian version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding". This book is not quite as quirky but I loved it. The family is still fun, the new character ARE characters, but I was surprised the way the author developed all of the characters spiritually and emotionally. Great job! I'm looking forward to the next wedding...and book.

I am in love with this book and with this author! I read the first book in this series and instantly read this one next, I just can't get enough of Bella and her family. I love all the characters in this book and can not wait for the next book to come out. This book is funny and will have you laughing all the way through!!

Janice Thompson has done it again! Her book "Swinging on a Star" is wonderful! It is so funny and exciting I had a very hard time putting it down even for a minute! So much goes on in this book, many twists and turns, and the unexpected! You don't want to wait to read it! It is so much fun to read! Great job Janice! Can't wait for the next one!

The story of Bella continues as she plans her second themed wedding - a renaissance wedding. The antics caused by the groom's famous best man provide most of the momentum for this book.

Some of our favorite and colorful characters return in this sequel. At times, the pace seemed to drag a bit and I found myself wondering what the scene had to do with the story. There were a few scenes that were set up for future interactions, but they were a little weak on their own.

Of course, in Janice Thompson style, we do have a few fun, quirky, humorous scenes that make Bella very believable and real. I particularly liked the interaction she had with her sister in this book. Though the two don't always see eye to eye, we begin to understand how Sophie feels being the younger sister in Bella's shadow.

Overall, I thought the story was good enough that I decided to continue on with the third book in the series, though I did like the first book better.

The book was cute but I had not realized it was more of a Christian based book. Sweet princess type of story but if you are not Christian or enjoy having God pushed into the story, it may not be for you.

I absolutely loved Fools Rush In, so I decided to buy Swinging On a Star in hopes that it would be just as good. I was not disappointed!
Bella and her crazy Italian family are back, and better than ever. Bella has been hired to coordinate a medieval wedding for a young couple. Her already hectic life gets even crazier when the bride asks Bella to hide the best man-Hollywood hottie Brock Benson- from the paparazzi until the wedding... nearly two weeks away! Now Bella must make a young bride's dream wedding come true while trying to balance her developing relationship with DJ Neeley, and the stress caused by being near a cute movie star all day.
This light-hearted novel will make you wish you had a loving-if not slightly crazy-Italian family to turn to whenever you need reassurance... or a great Italian meal!
(POSSIBLE SPOILER) Watch out for some surprise marriage proposals!