Wedding Bell Blues (The Piper Cove Chronicles #1) [Paperback]

Linda Windsor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007

Not even a big budget can help Alex make her sister's wedding the event of the year. The usually calm and collected Alex is rattled when the man who walked out on her sixteen years ago to pursue a rock-and-roll career returns to be the best man. In desperation, she calls on her three best friends to help pull off the shindig, and keep her away from the devastatingly handsome Josh. Tomboy Ellen, shy Jan, and vivacious Sue Ann join forces to keep Alex on track. But fate won't be stopped in this small seaside town. Alex finds it as impossible to avoid Josh as it is to deny that he's a changed man. Is it too late for their love? Only faith, family, and best friends will tell.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Billed as inspirational women's fiction, the first offering in Avon's inspirational line is pure, chaste romantic diversion. Alexandra Alex Butler was jilted years ago when her hunky husband, Josh Turner, left soon after their marriage to become a rock star. When Josh returns to Piper Cove on the Atlantic Ocean as best man in Alex's sister's wedding, the professional decorator and divorcée finds to her dismay that her passion for him still simmers under her businesslike exterior. Alex's three bosom buddies provide interest throughout, especially the mechanically minded Ellen Brittingham, one of the most promising characters in the novel. A few unfortunate sentences are over the top, even for this genre: She was as indelibly etched under his skin as his tattoos and the sight of Alex... was enough to send the wooden totem pole at the Ocean City inlet jumping in the water before it self-ignited. Some plot elements are insensitive enough as to be unbelievable, such as Alex's father giving away Alex's beloved first home to her sister as a wedding gift, and then asking Alex to decorate it. But Windsor, an RWA Beacon Award–winning author and Christy Award finalist, is a competent writer, and the Piper Cove Chronicles should hold their own in inspirational romance. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Windsor’s first installment in the Piper Cove Chronicles has Alexandra and Josh confronting past hurts and hidden emotions. Windsor adds the perfect ingredients of love, humor and friendship. This will be a series not to miss.” (Romantic Times BOOKclub )

“Windsor is an excellent writer and Wedding Bell Blues is a heartwarming tale.” (Kristin Billerbeck, author of What a Girl Wants )

“Linda Windsor is no doubt among the top inspirational authors of our day.” (Karen Kingsbury )

“Linda Windsor never fails to deliver an insightful, wonderfully funny story!” (Lori Copeland )

“Delightful characters … a heartwarming story that will appeal to fans of romance fiction.” (Christian Retailing )

“A sweet, faith-infused romance seasoned with small-town, seaside flavor.” (Library Journal )

“Pure, chaste romantic diversion....” (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Avon Inspire; 1ST edition (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061171379
• ISBN-13: 978-0061171376
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Windsor is the author of twenty-nine contemporary and historical novels. Her first sixteen were secular historical romance for Zebra/Kensington Publishing, NY as Linda Windsor and Linda Covington. In 1999, she switched to the inspirational market, once she was assured that Christian characters were not only flawed, but did indeed have hormones. Her late husband used to tease that there was a little of Linda in each of her heroines. Windsor contends he must have been referring to her sense of humor, resourcefulness and stubborness. NOT the figure.

Her inspirational historicals have placed in the secular historical category of some RWA contests and Affaire De Coeur polls. Both her inpirational historicals and romantic comedies, dashed with suspense, have won a few National Reader's Choice Awards, Aspen Golds, Barclay Golds, and numerous other RWA contests as well as the CBA Christy Award for the Irish Celtic RIONA, #2 of the Fires of Gleannmara series.

Windsor resides in a "painfully" restored (as in never do that again!) historic home on the Eastern Shore of MD. She still enjoys singing and playing music (keyboard and guitar) after a ten year stint in an 80's professional band. Today she plays the organ in her church and frequently does special music with guitar at church and for various charities.

Then there are home improvements. She can paper, paint, refinish furniture, and renovate, but... Let's suffice it to say, this Red Hat Lady and AARP member doesn't enjoy them as much as she used to.

Windsor is currently contracted for a three book historical trilogy titled Brides of Alba. HEALER, book one, will hit the shelves this June.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hoping To Help, October 9, 2007

By 

Miralee Ferrell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wedding Bell Blues (The Piper Cove Chronicles #1) (Paperback)

It took me awhile to get into this book, for some of the same reasons as mentioned by others, the seeming "non-Christian" actions/vocubulary of some of the characters.

I decided I needed to give it another chance and am SO glad I did. About half way through, I met Linda Windsor and had a chance to chat with her. I expressed my concerns and she blushingly explained. Linda used to write non-Christian romances and has switched over to Christian fiction. She was embarrassed to admit that there were some slip-ups in her novel that she and her editor didn't catch, that shouldn't have been there. It's tough doing a cross-over novel, when you've been used to writing secular fiction. If the book goes into reprint in the future she assured me those items will be changed.

Now..for my opinion. I loved the story line. It was fresh and the two main characters fleshed out enough to feel you knew them. I enjoyed the fact that they were far from perfect and depicted some of the struggles that do go on in our personal lives. The secondary plot that centered around the heroine's father added to the depth of the story line and the last half of the book in particular grabbed my attention and kept me moving forward. If you can turn a blind eye to some of the small boo-boo's that Linda overlooked, you'll enjoy the story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wedding Bell Blues, September 6, 2007

By 

Cara Putman (Lafayette, IN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Wedding Bell Blues (The Piper Cove Chronicles #1) (Paperback)

The first installment of The Piper Cove Chronicles from Linda Windsor shines with good writing and fun deeply layered characters.

This is the first book of Linda Windsor's that I've read, but it won't be the last. She writes with a sensitivity that allowed me, as a reader, to fully engage with the characters and see both Alex and Josh's perspectives. And there are huge hurdles in this romance. Much more than the fact that he left her with only a note 16 years ago.

While the old sparks and attraction are still there, Alex isn't willing to jump into his arms and repeat the mistakes of the past. And the characterization fully supports her reactions.

The setting is the fun Maryland Eastern Shore which Linda writes well. I could practically see the community and the real ones that surround it. There is also a full cast of supporting characters who add to the book's warmth and layering. And I have a feeling her girlfriends will find themselves in leading roles in future books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing book from a good author, September 26, 2007

By 

T. Davis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wedding Bell Blues (The Piper Cove Chronicles #1) (Paperback)

I like to read inspirational books because I don't have to worry about how clean they are, especially the language. I felt like this book pushed the envelope a bit. It had at least one actual swear word and a few abbreviations. There were a couple other things that made me uncomfortable like it was a little more sensual then was necessary. I won't be reading the rest of the series.