Always a Wedding Planner, Never a Bride

If you enjoyed the movie The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, you'll get a real kick out of Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus.

Anne Hawthorne resides in Bonneterre, Louisiana, a fictionally "real" town with lots of equally "real" characters. A successful wedding planner, Anne has everything she needs--except, of course, her own groom.

Through her cousin, she meets handsome Englishman George Laurence, and feels an instant attraction. But the next day, he shows up at her office with his fiancee in tow. Let the conflict begin.

George feels the same way about Anne. (He's actually just posing as the groom for his employer, but has signed a contract of confidentiality.) His deception eats away at him. How can he remain true to his heart, his Christian beliefs and his employer at the same time? And how will Anne ever forgive him when she learns of his deceit?

Here are a few of the things I enjoyed about this book:

The Character of Anne Hawthorne - She is calm, cool, collected and organized on the outside--a rock for her brides in distress. But on the inside, she longs for a groom of her own, a godly man who won't take advantage of her like the last man in her life.

The Character of George Laurence - I love the way he talks! (What is there about a British accent that is so appealing?) Obviously, the author does a great job of bringing this Brit to life on the page.

The Conflict - It oozes from between every line. How will the characters ever extract themselves from this mess?

Tight Writing - Kaye Dacus knows how to make every word count. (Maybe if I sleep with her book under my pillow, that ability will rub off on me. Oh, if it were only that easy!)

The Strong Spiritual Thread - This story shows us two characters who are honestly seeking to follow God's direction in their lives.

The Setting - The author does a wonderful job of turning Bonneterre into a character in the book. The hometown feel gushes over you as you see Anne relate with family and friends that live in and around Bonneterre.

Sacrifice - Don't you just adore love stories where the main character makes a sacrifice in order show her man how much she loves him? I won't spoil it for you, but be prepared.

This is a wonderful romantic comedy that you don't want to miss. I feel so privileged to have read Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus. Not only is it a great story, but a great study of how to write!

Cathy Bryant
http://wordvessel.blogspot.com