Wedding Survivor (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 1) [Paperback]

Julia London (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2005

National bestselling author Julia London delivers a new series about a members-only adventure service that caters to the rich and famous. In this captivating opener, one of its founders is about to embark on the thrill ride of his life--meeting a woman he can't live without.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the glittering first of a new contemporary romance series, London (Material Girl) gives us the pleasure of a celebrity tabloid without the guilt. At the request of Eli McCain, a stuntman/adventure travel coordinator, newbie wedding planner Marnie Banks tries her hand at orchestrating the vows of self-obsessed movie stars Olivia Dagwood and Vincent Vittorio. As if organizing a million dollar–plus wedding in the remote San Juan Mountains isn't hard enough, Marnie also has to decipher whether sexy, commitment-phobic Eli appreciates her spunk—or just her curvaceous, size 10 body. London's quick dialogue and swift changes of scene are smooth, and it's impossible not to anticipate—and then savor—the bridezilla's inevitable meltdown in the face of a wedding disaster. London succeeds in painting gender without using too heavy a hand: Eli uses a kitchen towel, calling it a "rag," to wipe up spilled beer, and Marnie polls all the women in her life about whether Eli's "into" her. A few clichés slip in: Eli shies from the "complicated," and Marnie insists she truly "knows" Eli. In movie-speak, the novel is xXx meets Legally Blonde: witty and sweet with plenty of sparks. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Thrillseekers Anonymous specializes in meeting the outdoor adventure needs of the rich and famous, but there was one extreme sport even they won't touch: weddings. However, Thrillseekers' latest clients, the very spoiled and wealthy movie stars Vincent Vittorio and Olivia Dagwood, want to cap off a week of adventure in Colorado with a very private wedding on an isolated mountaintop. Eli McCain is against taking the job, but his three other business partners outvote him. Now they must find a wedding planner who can meet the "unique" requirements of this event. What they get is perennially perky, newly minted wedding planner Marnie Banks, who will do anything--even work with ubersexy, ubercranky Eli--to land the job. London's deft pairing of a testosterone-rich hero with a perpetually sunny heroine not only creates some wonderfully sexy chemistry but also plenty of humorous moments. The first in a new series by London, Wedding Survivor is perfect for readers who like sexy contemporary romances liberally laced with laughter. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (October 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425206319
• ISBN-13: 978-0425206317
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,144,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including the popular Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series (including The Year of Living Scandalously), the Cedar Springs contemporary series (including One Season of Sunshine), and numerous other works. She is a four time finalist for the presitigous RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance for Best Historical Romance for Dangerous Gentleman. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Site Rating: 4 1/2. Smart, Sharp and Sexy, What More Can A Reader Ask For!, October 11, 2005

By 

Janalee Ruschhaupt (Fresno, California U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wedding Survivor (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 1) (Paperback)

What do you get when you cross a mind numbing chatterbox wedding planner and a rough and ready sexy stunt coordinator/daredevil? Well, it just might be the makings of a Wedding Survivor!

Marnie Banks gets the chance of a lifetime to get her foot in the proverbial door of being a wedding planner to the stars. It is through the coordination of the Thrillseekers Anonymous to pull off the wedding of the century for the ultra famous movies stars, Vincent Vittorio and Olivia Dagwood, without the press getting wind of the event. Since Eli McCain is one of the foundering members of this elite group of daredevils it is his job to work closely with Marnie.

At first, it seems like Eli and Marnie are only going to bump heads and fling insults at each other. As things progress, the sexual attraction grows between them, getting stronger with each encounter. It is when the wedding goes haywire; cutting them off from the main lodge when a rope bridge is damaged that true survival feelings emerge. Now, get ready for the fur to fly, but in the most sexual of meanings!

Wedding Survivor is the newest release by author Julia London. From the moment you crack open this book the characters are all over you; immediately sending the readers into fits of hysterics! Leave it to Ms. London to pen something totally entertaining in printed word. Outstanding! The characters range from dingbat to bold and everything in between. Take your pick; they all add up to hilariously engaging!

A word of advice: plan on a no-holds-barred reading marathon, because once you pick this book up, you will not be putting it down!

It has only been one year since Eli was practically left at the alter and this wedding is an event he dreads. Marnie's happy ass attitude just makes the whole affair even harder. Eli and Marnie definitely start off on the wrong foot; just like spitting kittens.

As Eli gets to know Marnie on a deeper level, he finds her positive attitude and wondrous smile infectious. Eli cannot stop admiring Marnie's curvaceous attributes. Marnie looks at Eli like a long, tall, drink of refreshing water that any girl in her right mind should partake of. Or, maybe, Eli is sex-on-a-stick, anyway you dish it up he is yummy!

It is when Eli and Marnie get trapped on the wrong side of the ravine that is this reader's favorite part! The members of the stranded wedding party keep the momentum of this book going until the very end. You will be amazed at the ingenuity and adaptability that prevails amongst this stranded group.

This is a sexy, sidesplitting adventure that you will not want to miss! This reviewer loved every page-turning minute of Wedding Survivor by author Julia London.

Reviewed by © Janalee Ruschhaupt, 2005
Courtesy of Love Romances www.loveromances.com

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun!, October 10, 2005

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wedding Survivor (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 1) (Paperback)

Olivia Dagwood and Vincent Vittorio are two of the hottest stars of the big screen. They decide to wed, but want to do it with a thrilling twist. This couple wants to go into the San Juan Mountains for canyoning, followed by an elaborate wedding with nature surrounding them and the stars above them. They hire Eli McCain of Thrillseekers Anonymous "TA" to make it happen.

Eli and his TA partners have no problem with the canyoning. They are extreme-sports enthusiasts who have tackled every high risk adventure imaginable. Kite surfing on hurricane winds is minor stuff for these stuntmen. However, when it comes to arranging wedding, they are clueless. So they set up auditions to hire a wedding coordinator.

Marnie Banks is thrilled to get the job. She has dreams of making connections in Hollywood and becoming THE wedding planner of the stars. Easier said than done, because Olivia and Vincent break up and make up almost daily. Even worse, Olivia keeps changing her mind on how she wants the wedding done. Then there is Eli. He may be the stunt coordinator and look like every woman's fantasy, but he knows next to nothing about the finer things in life. Still, whenever Marnie and Eli are together things heat up in the romance department.

Then a freak storm comes up one night. Eli, Marnie, the wedding couple, and a chef are stranded on the wrong side of a ravine. They have only meager supplies and their lives become like a "Survivor" TV episode. But all the guests on the right side of the ravine have popped open the expensive champagne and are having the party to beat all parties! Sometimes it seems as though Life peels the lemons and rolls them in mud before giving them to you. But Marnie and Eli will find another way to make lemonade.

***** This novel is a fun romp through the mountains with a side of adventure. Author Julia London has written an irresistible romance with some comic relief that will capture the imagination of all her readers. People who enjoy outdoor sports will especially enjoy this novel, where everything that could go wrong, does. Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars London peeks behind the scenes of an A-List wedding - Survivor style, July 23, 2006

By 

Monkeyville Citizen (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wedding Survivor (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 1) (Paperback)

The series follows the partners in Thrillseekers Anonymous (TA), a group of friends who do stunt work and extreme adventure trips. In Wedding Survivor the main TA member is Eli. Eli had been engaged to a Hollywood starlet who dumped him at the alter for an actor she thought could further her career more than Eli could. His romantic interest is Marnie, an out-of-work dot-com computer person with a shopping addiction. Marnie is living at home with her parents trying to make ends meet and took a wedding planning class. TA has been hired to plan an A-List extreme wedding and needs an unknown wedding planner to keep the wedding a secret affair. Eli is Marnie's primary contact with TA and constantly frustrates Marnie with his anti-wedding/anti-starlet attitude. They have instant chemistry and try to keep it on an "informal" basis. The funniest part of the book is when the A-list couple, Eli, Marnie, and a chef get abandoned in the extreme location the day of the wedding (that can't take place because the minister and the guests can't get in). Eli develops challenges for perks (a bath, a bed, etc.). The chemistry between the two main characters is good and the conflict between the two big stars is entertaining. A great summer read.