A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills [Kindle Edition]

Kim O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

David and Millie both have big problems. A widowed dentist with an almost-teen son, he’s being stalked by an amorous patient. Millie’s mom keeps sending her on blind dates, even though the café owner has trust issues. So when a lost filling lands Millie in David’s office, the two of them find a solution—a faux relationship. No one gets hurt and no one gets nagged. It’s a great plan—until they really start to care. Now what will they do?

Editorial Reviews

Review

After realizing that A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills is the classic story of a "faux relationship" that turns real, I knew that I had to give the novel a try.  No matter how formulaic the plot, I usually love these type of storylines. While I anticipated that the main characters Millie and David would fall in love as they "un-dated" each other,  I was pleasantly surprised by the depth that O'Brien wove into her novel.  Millie  harbors secrets from her past and struggles to trust others in relationships; and while David is a successful dentist, he does not know how to approach the problems that seem to be enveloping his eleven-year-old son.  O'Brien did a wonderful job of addressing the concerns and challenges that many young teens and their parents face today; and I especially enjoyed the often comical input from David's housekeeper.  Even more delightful was Millie's meddlesome, but fun-loving, mother and the encouragement that Millie often received from her "aunts".  As a reader, I was drawn into Millie's and David's small-town lives in the the Black Hills of South Dakota as they encounter the ups and downs of everyday life, while trying to build a "faux" relationship. 

(M. Banton Ramblings of Two Readers 20110713)

Kim O'Brien gives us a delightful story that deals with letting others direct your life and shatter your dreams. It's a story about starting over and rebuilding a new life. Wisdom and inspiration is shared by many of the characters about having faith and trust in God. The story's ending is quite a surprise. Will Millie's dream be fulfilled after all? I laughed and cried through the book and really enjoyed the story. You should too!

  (Viki Ferrell Fresh Fiction 20110824)

Ms. O’Brien isn’t an author I’m familiar with, but I certainly hope more stories crafted by her find their way to my bookshelf in the future. Her touch was light as far as scriptures and prayers (which this reader appreciates) but it inspires and makes you think. It reaffirms the fact that you are not alone in your struggles with your faith.

This particular offering will charm and warm the reader’s heart. Happy reading,

(Connie Once Upon a Romance 20120121)

Book Description

David and Millie make a pact to pretend to be a couple: no one gets hurt. It’s a great plan—the faux relationship stops Millie’s mom from matchmaking and keeps an amorous former patient away from David—until they really start to care. Now what will they do?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 793 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (September 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LOR15M
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,863 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A good novel despite itself September 2, 2011

By Iola

Format:Paperback

A good romance novel is a delicate balance between the predictable happy-ever-after, with a few surprises thrown in to keep us guessing, and enough humour to keep it moving without making me cringe. This novel had all three.

Millie is a 31-year-old waitress who works in her mothers' diner in Deer Park, South Dakota. She wants to leave town, go to LA and get in a commercial, a reality show, a daytime soap, so that one day her father (who left when she was a child) will see her and regret leaving. She has dated most of the men in town, but has a deep-seated belief that they will leave just like her father did, so she always breaks up with them first. Unfortunately, her mother had just arranged a blind date for her with the new dentist in town...

David grew up in Deer Park, and has recently returned from California to take over his fathers' dental practice. He has an 11-year-old son, Bart, and their housekeeper/nanny, Aris. His wife, Lisa, also a dentist, died five years ago, leaving David to rely on God and his church family. But now his mother - who is also hi dental practice receptionist - is trying to get him together with Cynthia. David is not interested, partly because Cynthia is practically stalking him.

When a caramel toffee and a loose filling bring David and Millie together, they agree to 'faux date', to get their mothers' away from them, and hopefully to get Cynthia to back off. But there are unintended consequences as Millie gets to know David better and discovers she actually likes him and his son. Yet her insecurities won't let her actually believe or trust David, despite their growing attraction...

It all sounds great, so why did I only give it 3 stars? Because it had a few things which I found really annoying. Firstly, the title. There is no wedding until the epilogue, so this title acts like a great big spoiler. Secondly, Millie is 31 and has never left her home town, despite claiming she wants to be a famous actress or reality show participant or something. Grow up, girl. If you want to act, join the local drama society, take drama lessons, get an agent, do something more than apply to go on reality shows. Thirdly, David was one year ahead of Millie in school, implying that he is 32. Yet he has an 11-year-old son, supposedly born when he and wife Lisa were setting up their dental practice in California, so they hired a nanny/housekeeper to look after their baby. Seriously? He left high school at 18, is married with a baby at 21, and has somehow managed to graduate from dental college and has enough money to hire a full-time nanny? And finally, the final chapter and the epilogue. I don't want to add a spoiler, but in my opinion the final chapter and epilogue were just too perfect, to the point where it actually took away from where the story had finished. Which is why I only gave it 3 stars - it was 4 at the end of chapter 37 and might even have got to 5 if David had been a bit older.

Overall, this was a fun read, and by half-way through I was really wanting Millie and David to get over the fake dating idea and go for it, although the other part of me could see that David's faith meant that was never really going to let that happen unless Millie was a Christian too.

This book was provided by NetGalley for review.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read April 11, 2013

By Teresa Fox

Format:Kindle Edition

I enjoyed this book it is the first one I have read from this writer. I will definitely look for some more of her books. I like light Christian romance that has a good message.

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun cast of characters June 20, 2012

By Coramdeo540

Format:Paperback

A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills
Kim O'Brien

It Was a Relationship of Convenience. . .Until It Became a Romance Millie Hogan and David Denvers both have big problems in small town Deer Park, South Dakota. Millie--a waitress with designs on Hollywood--has a mother who keeps setting her up on disastrous blind dates, even though Millie's never met a man she could trust. David--a widowed dentist with an almost-teenaged son and opinionated parents--is being stalked by an amorous former patient. So when a lost filling lands Millie in David's office, the two of them cook up a plan--a fake relationship. No one gets hurt, and no one gets nagged. It's a great plan--until they really start to care. Now what will they do? Turns out, it probably doesn't matter: when Millie learns a shocking family secret she wonders if she's really wife material. Maybe it's best to stick with the plan and head for Hollywood. And since David's folks think Millie's all wrong for him, well. . .he realizes he may have to let her go. Isn't that what you do when you love someone?
This was a fun story that was predictable at times although it had some unexpected events. The characters were like people you would meet anywhere. They spiritual aspects were slow to start and the increased as the story continues. Although relationships that are unevenly yoked do not always go this way. It was nice to see that conversion and spiritual growth of the female lead. Millie's mother was fun and probable the best character in the story. The changing age difference was a little difficult to follow, due to the less than believable timeline built into the story at the start.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.