A June Bride by Marybeth WhalenMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Netgalley ~ to review
Genre: Christian Romance
Book Description: A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.
It takes a reality TV show for Wynne to realize love isn't just a game.
Wynne Hardy never thought she'd get engaged on a reality TV show, but when she met Andy on The Rejection Connection, the two of them hit it off. Now he's asked her to marry him, much to the public's delight and fascination. They're all set to wed on live TV in a seaside ceremony at the height of the wedding season.
But just as Wynne thinks all her dreams are coming true, her ex-boyfriend walks back into her life at the worst possible time. Steve broke her heart years ago, and she's still sorting through her feelings for him. Her heart isn't as clear as her head that it's past time to move on---even though she's engaged to Andy.
At a local TV talk show appearance, Wynne meets Meredith, who won another reality TV show---Marathon Mom---proving herself nothing short of a superhero. As Wynne's beach wedding plans spin out of control, Meredith offers to help, unknowingly stepping on Wynne's secret feelings . . . and exposing some secrets Meredith has been keeping to herself. Can these two reality stars get real about their feelings? Will Wynne go through with her televised wedding and be the perfect June bride the network is looking for?
My thoughts: This installment of A Year of Weddings takes an interesting turn. It's not necessarily about having found the right guy and getting married for a happily ever after. This book deals with the selection process. It deals with seeking inspiration. The characters differentiate between real love or just settling for whomever is convenient. More than anything, this book looks at the emotions of marriage. The euphoria of getting engaged, the preparation for a wedding, and even with the pain of rejection.
The book focused on the main character, Wynne. Everything is from her perspective, there really isn't much interaction with her fiance, Andy. The reader knows about decisions she has made through flashbacks. It's through her thought process that the book unfolds. The turmoil is mostly her emotions. She is unsure if she is jumping into a situation, marriage, that she is not prepared to face. Does she love her fiancee, or are her feelings unresolved for her ex-fiancee?
The book didn't turn out quite like I expected it to. It is a clean romance that has a strong Christian theme.
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I'm not sure what to think of this one, but I like that it focuses on the deep parts of decision making on who to marry and if it's right.
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