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Boots and Bouquets #2
The Engagement Arrangement
What do you do when you develop feelings for your fake fiancé? Jaci Burton's next Boots and Bouquets novel is an accidentally-in-love romance sure to warm your heart.
Brenna Bellini is never going to get married again.
She's thrilled to be her friend's bridesmaid though - that is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. There's no way she'll let the fact she's single be rubbed in her face all weekend. She's going to find herself a fake fiancé.
Finn Nolan has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar, this Irish cowboy is determined to take the chance to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr Right.
So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever.
Brenna Bellini is never going to get married again.
She's thrilled to be her friend's bridesmaid though - that is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. There's no way she'll let the fact she's single be rubbed in her face all weekend. She's going to find herself a fake fiancé.
Finn Nolan has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar, this Irish cowboy is determined to take the chance to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr Right.
So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 29, 2021
About the author
Jaci Burton
143 books8,178 followersJaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 85 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, book information and contests.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
July 18, 2021
The Engagement Arrangement by Jaci Burton
Boots and Bouquets book #2. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Brenna wants a pretend engagement with Finn to get through a wedding she must attend that includes her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Pretend turns to real feelings but Brenna ain’t sure that’s what she really wants.
A fast moving romance with some humor, some sadness, some roll-your-eyes setups and a bit of steamy heat.
I fell for the hero. He’s sweet, smart and totally in love with Brenna. With an Irish accent. Sigh.
Brenna made some decisions that I didn’t understand or agree with. Fortunately for both, the closeness of her family aided in the ultimate reconciliation and hea.
I love the cover. That’s what enticed me to read this book.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of the book narrated by Holly Chandler. She did a great job with voice variations and emotions and Irish accents for Finn and Brenna’s parents. The male and female voices were slightly different but mostly it was the accent that instantly switched you from person to person. I listened at my regular speed of 1.25.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia.
3.5
Boots and Bouquets book #2. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Brenna wants a pretend engagement with Finn to get through a wedding she must attend that includes her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Pretend turns to real feelings but Brenna ain’t sure that’s what she really wants.
A fast moving romance with some humor, some sadness, some roll-your-eyes setups and a bit of steamy heat.
I fell for the hero. He’s sweet, smart and totally in love with Brenna. With an Irish accent. Sigh.
Brenna made some decisions that I didn’t understand or agree with. Fortunately for both, the closeness of her family aided in the ultimate reconciliation and hea.
I love the cover. That’s what enticed me to read this book.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of the book narrated by Holly Chandler. She did a great job with voice variations and emotions and Irish accents for Finn and Brenna’s parents. The male and female voices were slightly different but mostly it was the accent that instantly switched you from person to person. I listened at my regular speed of 1.25.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia.
3.5
July 5, 2021
2 Stars.
I’m not sure what has happened with Jaci Burtons’ writing in the last couple of years, I absolutely adored her Hope series but I have found most of her recent reads to be extremely lacklustre, formulaic and lacking any real spark between the leads. The Boots & Bouquets series started out okay, I really like the Bellini family and the locale the author has built around them, but this book was as dull and overly dramatic as all of the books in her Brotherhood by Fire series.
The lack of quotes in my review is another indicator I wasn’t that engaged because it means nothing really stood out enough for me to highlight it. I had high hopes as Brenna has been a decent secondary character in the previous books, but I just found her emotional back & forth with straight-talking Finn (who made it completely plain he was interested in her from the start), and the initial reasons for their ‘fake engagement’ to all come across in reading as really immature, and this is a woman who has been married and divorced so you would expect a little life experience and maturity from her, but she behaved more like a scorned teen a lot of the time.
I hope the author gets her spark back, she’s always been someone I have looked forward to reading in the past but either my reading taste has changed or her writing style has. We shall see I suppose.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
I’m not sure what has happened with Jaci Burtons’ writing in the last couple of years, I absolutely adored her Hope series but I have found most of her recent reads to be extremely lacklustre, formulaic and lacking any real spark between the leads. The Boots & Bouquets series started out okay, I really like the Bellini family and the locale the author has built around them, but this book was as dull and overly dramatic as all of the books in her Brotherhood by Fire series.
The lack of quotes in my review is another indicator I wasn’t that engaged because it means nothing really stood out enough for me to highlight it. I had high hopes as Brenna has been a decent secondary character in the previous books, but I just found her emotional back & forth with straight-talking Finn (who made it completely plain he was interested in her from the start), and the initial reasons for their ‘fake engagement’ to all come across in reading as really immature, and this is a woman who has been married and divorced so you would expect a little life experience and maturity from her, but she behaved more like a scorned teen a lot of the time.
I hope the author gets her spark back, she’s always been someone I have looked forward to reading in the past but either my reading taste has changed or her writing style has. We shall see I suppose.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
June 30, 2021
This was such a sweet story. Brenna is happy with her life. She loves her job at her family’s winery. When she asked by her friend to be a bridesmaid, she happily accepts. Everything is going great until there is a last minute Maid of Honor change. The replacement is married to her ex-husband and has never been nice to Brenna. To make this a little easier, she asks family friend Finn Nolan to be her fake fiancé for the wedding festivities. Finn has had a thing for Brenna for as long as he can remember. This arrangement gives him the opportunity to make sure she sees him as more than a friend. I really loved the story and characters were so fun. Brenna and Finn were amazing together. Off the charts chemistry and good old fashioned romance. Absolutely love these sisters.--
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
July 8, 2021
I keep trying Jaci’s books, hoping I’ll find one I love, but they just don’t click for me.
Brenna was hard for me to like. She’s combative and even though she means well, she’s constantly hiding behind the walls she’s built around herself. Finn is steadfast and delightful and he definitely deserved better.
Plot wise, it was okay. I will always love a fake engagement, but this one was a bit bland. I didn’t see the chemistry between them and Brenna’s constant push back and indecisiveness got really old really fast. And then the angsty break up happened at nearly the end, so the resolution felt rushed.
Overall, I’m definitely intrigued at the set up for the next book, but I don’t know if I’ll read it.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
Brenna was hard for me to like. She’s combative and even though she means well, she’s constantly hiding behind the walls she’s built around herself. Finn is steadfast and delightful and he definitely deserved better.
Plot wise, it was okay. I will always love a fake engagement, but this one was a bit bland. I didn’t see the chemistry between them and Brenna’s constant push back and indecisiveness got really old really fast. And then the angsty break up happened at nearly the end, so the resolution felt rushed.
Overall, I’m definitely intrigued at the set up for the next book, but I don’t know if I’ll read it.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
Read
May 7, 2021DNF @ 4%. I usually try to give books a little more of a chance before I decide to DNF it, but this is the second time I've tried to read this one and I still can't make myself get past the first chapter. I thought the main character was kind of creepy and found myself saying, "that escalated quickly" several times - and it was only the first chapter! I think it's safe to say that this book won't be for me.
July 9, 2021
I really hate to say that this didn't really do anything for me.
I really liked the setting and the trope. The hero and heroine had no chemistry.
I listened to the audio. Thanks of #Netgalley for the audio #TheEngagementArrangement
I really liked the setting and the trope. The hero and heroine had no chemistry.
I listened to the audio. Thanks of #Netgalley for the audio #TheEngagementArrangement
June 25, 2021
Fun book. After her short-lived and disastrous marriage, Brenna Bellini has no desire to get married again. She loves her life working at the family winery with her dad, mostly leaving the wedding side of the business to her two sisters. She's excited to be a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding until she discovers that her ex's new wife, who was also her high school best friend turned worst enemy, is the maid of honor. Which means Allison's husband will be there too. Dreading the prospect of the gloating she'll face if she shows up alone, Brenna hatches a plot. She'll ask her friend Finn to pose as her fake fiancé.
Finn is the son of Mrs. Bellini's best friend in Ireland. When his mother died, Mrs. Bellini brought him over from Ireland to live at the winery. While he always looked at Brenna's sisters Hope and Erin as his sisters, too, his feelings for Brenna were much different. When Brenna asked him to play the part of her fiancé, Finn jumped at the chance. Perhaps now he can show her that they belong together.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Finn and Brenna grow and change from friends to so much more. Because they've known each other for so long, Brenna and Finn are very comfortable with each other, and their conversations show it. What Brenna didn't expect was the strength of the attraction between them. She'd always been aware of Finn but ruthlessly suppressed it, not wanting to make life at the winery awkward. Finn likewise buried his feelings, but now he seizes the opportunity to let them loose. He also knows that Brenna is skittish about relationships, so he exerts a great deal of patience in his pursuit. I loved seeing them together as Finn uses their "engagement" to spend quality time with her. It isn't long before the chemistry between them burns out of control, but will Brenna see the emotion that forms the basis for it?
I admit to wanting to shake Brenna more than once. She knows she's falling for Finn, but she's so afraid of trusting her emotions that she pulls back whenever they start to overwhelm her. There's one instance where the pull-back coincides with a misunderstanding over his whiskey business. Brenna's reaction was petty and excessive, but fortunately, she realized it. I liked that she admitted her mistakes and apologized and that Finn has a healthy attitude toward letting go of incidents like that. When the "need" for the fake engagement ends, Brenna freaks when Finn wants to make their relationship real. I felt that Brenna earned her misery and loved her sisters' "intervention." I had to laugh when she realized that he wasn't right there for her to go back to. I loved how his friends helped him see what he needed to do. His decision to get away for a while was just what he needed, and I wasn't at all surprised at where he went. The ending was great as Brenna finally let go of the past.
I also loved the closeness of the Bellini family and friends. Though each family member has a particular role in the family business, they are always ready to jump in and help each other. I loved how Brenna's sisters provide not just support but also the occasional kick in the pants when she needs it. The friendships among the men in the story are strong enough to weather anything from busted weddings to health issues. I loved watching them insult each other over silly things then rally around when one of them needs help.
I loved seeing more of both the winery and wedding businesses. The behind-the-scenes looks are fascinating. It's always fun to see some of the shenanigans brides get up to when planning their weddings, the things that go wrong, and the lengths people go to fix them. One of my favorite winery scenes was on the harvest day as Brenna got roped into grape-stomping on television. I also liked the bits we saw of Finn's whiskey distillery. Having visited a few in Ireland, Scotland, and the US, I have some idea of how complex it is.
#netgalley
Finn is the son of Mrs. Bellini's best friend in Ireland. When his mother died, Mrs. Bellini brought him over from Ireland to live at the winery. While he always looked at Brenna's sisters Hope and Erin as his sisters, too, his feelings for Brenna were much different. When Brenna asked him to play the part of her fiancé, Finn jumped at the chance. Perhaps now he can show her that they belong together.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Finn and Brenna grow and change from friends to so much more. Because they've known each other for so long, Brenna and Finn are very comfortable with each other, and their conversations show it. What Brenna didn't expect was the strength of the attraction between them. She'd always been aware of Finn but ruthlessly suppressed it, not wanting to make life at the winery awkward. Finn likewise buried his feelings, but now he seizes the opportunity to let them loose. He also knows that Brenna is skittish about relationships, so he exerts a great deal of patience in his pursuit. I loved seeing them together as Finn uses their "engagement" to spend quality time with her. It isn't long before the chemistry between them burns out of control, but will Brenna see the emotion that forms the basis for it?
I admit to wanting to shake Brenna more than once. She knows she's falling for Finn, but she's so afraid of trusting her emotions that she pulls back whenever they start to overwhelm her. There's one instance where the pull-back coincides with a misunderstanding over his whiskey business. Brenna's reaction was petty and excessive, but fortunately, she realized it. I liked that she admitted her mistakes and apologized and that Finn has a healthy attitude toward letting go of incidents like that. When the "need" for the fake engagement ends, Brenna freaks when Finn wants to make their relationship real. I felt that Brenna earned her misery and loved her sisters' "intervention." I had to laugh when she realized that he wasn't right there for her to go back to. I loved how his friends helped him see what he needed to do. His decision to get away for a while was just what he needed, and I wasn't at all surprised at where he went. The ending was great as Brenna finally let go of the past.
I also loved the closeness of the Bellini family and friends. Though each family member has a particular role in the family business, they are always ready to jump in and help each other. I loved how Brenna's sisters provide not just support but also the occasional kick in the pants when she needs it. The friendships among the men in the story are strong enough to weather anything from busted weddings to health issues. I loved watching them insult each other over silly things then rally around when one of them needs help.
I loved seeing more of both the winery and wedding businesses. The behind-the-scenes looks are fascinating. It's always fun to see some of the shenanigans brides get up to when planning their weddings, the things that go wrong, and the lengths people go to fix them. One of my favorite winery scenes was on the harvest day as Brenna got roped into grape-stomping on television. I also liked the bits we saw of Finn's whiskey distillery. Having visited a few in Ireland, Scotland, and the US, I have some idea of how complex it is.
#netgalley
June 24, 2021
I enjoy a good friends-to-lovers/fake engagement story and after reading book one, The Best Man Plan, was curious to see how this one would play out. It was obvious Finn had it bad for Brenna. It was equally obvious that not only was Brenna completely oblivious to his feelings, she had no interest in reciprocating them...not with him or anyone else. This was not going to be an easy road to love.
I'm enjoying getting to know the Bellini family and learning the inner workings of their vineyard, winery, and event planning business. Burton brings it all to life with her vivid descriptions and details. She also brings authenticity to this close-knit family, including the loving but sometimes complicated relationships among the three Bellini sisters, each with a unique personality and place within the family and the family business. There are definitely flaws in these characters that keep things real...and keep me turning pages.
It was fun to learn more about Finn, how he came to live with the Bellini family, his vision for expanding the business, and his long-held feelings for Brenna. I liked him a lot, loved his dog, and was firmly in his corner. Brenna, on the other hand, took a long time to warm up to. There's a whole slew of emotional baggage for her to sort through and a prickly personality that's hard to crack. She has her moments but it wasn't until the final chapter of the book that she convinced me she was the right person for Finn. This was the first book in a while where I wanted to see major groveling from the heroine. ;-)
There's one more Bellini sister waiting for a happily ever after and I'm eager for her story, especially if my guess about her hero turns out to be correct.
*Advance copy received via NetGalley for fair and unbiased review
I'm enjoying getting to know the Bellini family and learning the inner workings of their vineyard, winery, and event planning business. Burton brings it all to life with her vivid descriptions and details. She also brings authenticity to this close-knit family, including the loving but sometimes complicated relationships among the three Bellini sisters, each with a unique personality and place within the family and the family business. There are definitely flaws in these characters that keep things real...and keep me turning pages.
It was fun to learn more about Finn, how he came to live with the Bellini family, his vision for expanding the business, and his long-held feelings for Brenna. I liked him a lot, loved his dog, and was firmly in his corner. Brenna, on the other hand, took a long time to warm up to. There's a whole slew of emotional baggage for her to sort through and a prickly personality that's hard to crack. She has her moments but it wasn't until the final chapter of the book that she convinced me she was the right person for Finn. This was the first book in a while where I wanted to see major groveling from the heroine. ;-)
There's one more Bellini sister waiting for a happily ever after and I'm eager for her story, especially if my guess about her hero turns out to be correct.
*Advance copy received via NetGalley for fair and unbiased review
July 2, 2021
Check out our full post for THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book of the series (a prequel novella and book one precede it). I would recommend that you read the earlier books, as they are good reads, and introduce the family vineyard and characters who feature in this story.
Finn has lived and worked at the vineyard since his mother died when he was a teen. He fell in love with Brenna almost on sight. But respectful of the family who gave him a home and a career, he has never made a move on her, even having to watch her marry someone else and then get divorced. She is now really anti-relationships and yet, he still cares just as much. Therefore, when she asks him to pretend to be engaged to cope with an upcoming wedding, he obviously accepts.
Brenna cannot cope with her ex and his new wife being at a mutual friend's wedding. She decides that Finn will be the perfect foil – but little did she understand how things would turn out. I loved watching her relax as she knew how much she could trust him. That her family all knew how much they were friends, how close they were, and yet how respectful Finn had always been. It made the outcome all the sweeter.
I really enjoyed the elements which gave us more insight into the vineyard, the distillery that Finn had been working on, and the joys of running a wedding business. It made it very clear how they all lived and worked together and the dynamics.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
July 6, 2022
I’ve been a Jaci Burton fan since I “discovered” her when she first started writing and was published with a small press. I loved her writing – her characters were, and still are, people you either feel like you know or would want to know. I was a little disappointed in the first book in this series, THE BEST MAN PLAN. It read like someone else wrote it and was just a flat read. I was a little wary starting book two, THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT, but went ahead and boy oh boy, what a great read! It was exactly what I was looking for and needing to read right now. I fell in love with Finn. He’s a solid, steady, man who knows what he wants and is willing to work for an wait for it. And the dynamics of the sisters, Honor, Brenna and Erin makes for great reading. Each is unique and adds to the fullness of the story.
June 26, 2021
The Engagement Arrangement is the second in the Boots & Bouquets series and this family is all about the weddings and the wine- what a perfect combo! I read the first in the series last year, so had been looking forward to Brenna and Finn’s story.
Read this one if you love:
💕Wine
💕Wedding planning
💕Hot, sweet, hard working Irishmen
💕Fake dating
💕Incredible steamy scenes
💕Dogs, family, and friends
I will say Brenna was a pretty unlikeable character and I spent some of the book annoyed with her… but FINN. OMG. I couldn’t get enough. I wished for an epilogue, but I think we’ll get more in the next in the series!!!
Read this one if you love:
💕Wine
💕Wedding planning
💕Hot, sweet, hard working Irishmen
💕Fake dating
💕Incredible steamy scenes
💕Dogs, family, and friends
I will say Brenna was a pretty unlikeable character and I spent some of the book annoyed with her… but FINN. OMG. I couldn’t get enough. I wished for an epilogue, but I think we’ll get more in the next in the series!!!
April 24, 2021
Brenna has been burned by love before so when that love comes back to haunt her she enlists her friend Finn to be her fake fiancé. It starts out pretty innocent but Finn has long had feeling for Brenna. He's not really wanting it to be fake. I really enjoyed this book. Unfortunately I didn't get to read book one in this series but fortunately for me it didn't hamper this book as all. Loved Finn and Brenna and her sisters. It makes you wish you were part of their family. Lot's of laughing and frustration and emotional moments in this story. Perfect weekend read.
March 15, 2021
Jaci Burton’s second book in the Boots & Bouquet series, The Engagement Arrangement, is centered around love, reconciliation, and forgiveness. I especially enjoyed that there were no long drawn out games played (other than the Allison fiasco)...when Brenna misconstrued a situation she owned up to it right away and asked for forgiveness. When forgiveness was asked of her, she gave it without hesitation...this is one of the plethora of reasons she and Finn worked. I loved how the arrangement that brought them together and how they eventually found their HEA...through love, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
I also enjoyed the drama free (except again...Allison, LOL), wry and witty humor, and the repartee and banter between friends and family...it was all cleverly crafted together to make for an enjoyable read that ended much too quickly. Though there are other authors who’ve written similar plots of a fake fiancé, this author’s characters made this story endearing, making it stand out from the others.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
I also enjoyed the drama free (except again...Allison, LOL), wry and witty humor, and the repartee and banter between friends and family...it was all cleverly crafted together to make for an enjoyable read that ended much too quickly. Though there are other authors who’ve written similar plots of a fake fiancé, this author’s characters made this story endearing, making it stand out from the others.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
August 3, 2021
THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT was a quick and enjoyable read. I like to turn to Jaci Burton’s books for this very thing. Whenever I’m in need of a little refresh, I can always count on Burton to deliver. I especially liked the hero, Finn. He was hot, charming and sexy to boot! If I were Breanna, I would definitely also be rethinking marriage.
September 15, 2021
https://openbooksociety.com/article/t...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
Finn Nolan was only 18 when his mother passed. He left Ireland and went to live with his mother’s best friend and her family, the Bellinis. And, when he got there he was struck by their beautiful albeit angry oldest daughter, Brenna. She didn’t understand why this strange guy had come to live with them and she definitely didn’t trust him.
Brenna’s sisters Honor and Erin became sisters to him, just like their parents became parents to him. However, Brenna never was like a sister to him because his crush on her wouldn’t allow it!
Out of respect for the family that took him in, Finn never made a move on the girl of his dreams. He was forced to stand by and watch her with that jerk Mitchell, who she eventually married. He also had to see her devastated with the marriage fell apart. He has seen over the years how much that relationship has changed Brenna, made her harder and even less trusting. Brenna never wants to get married again because she was hurt once and doesn’t want to go through that again.
One of Brenna’s close friends is getting married at the Bellini family’s winery. Everything was going great until the matron of honor was grounded from travel. Now she’s being replaced with Brenna’s once friend, Allison, who is now, her nemesis. And, to add insult to injury Allison is now MARRIED to her ex, Mitchell! She is going to have to deal with them for the entire four day weekend, but she doesn’t intend to do it alone! She enlists Finn’s help to pose as her fake fiancé!
Can Finn make her see what a relationship with him could be like? Or will the damage Mitchell inflicted on her become too much to overcome?
I wasn’t a big fan of the first installment of this series, The Best Man Plan, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this novel. However, I’ve read many of Burton’s books over the years and I had to give this series another shot! And, I’m glad I did. I found myself really enjoying Finn and this story as a whole.
Finn was so incredibly sweet. He wasn’t the usual cocky jerk you expect in these types of books. And, boy do I love those jerks 🙂 He proved that the good guys can be fun too. He was so sweet and attentive with Brenna and was always up for anything! He also took advantage of any opportunity to get physical with her as well. Nobody said he was a saint!
It did get annoying how quickly Brenna could overreact though. And, I was glad when Finn actually pushed back!
And, I’m not really sure where all these stray dogs are coming from … it seems to be a theme in this series.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to the next book. I have to assume it will be Honor’s and … Owen?!? Plot twist. Although it seems kind of obvious, after reading this book. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if my suspicions are true!
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
Finn Nolan was only 18 when his mother passed. He left Ireland and went to live with his mother’s best friend and her family, the Bellinis. And, when he got there he was struck by their beautiful albeit angry oldest daughter, Brenna. She didn’t understand why this strange guy had come to live with them and she definitely didn’t trust him.
Brenna’s sisters Honor and Erin became sisters to him, just like their parents became parents to him. However, Brenna never was like a sister to him because his crush on her wouldn’t allow it!
Out of respect for the family that took him in, Finn never made a move on the girl of his dreams. He was forced to stand by and watch her with that jerk Mitchell, who she eventually married. He also had to see her devastated with the marriage fell apart. He has seen over the years how much that relationship has changed Brenna, made her harder and even less trusting. Brenna never wants to get married again because she was hurt once and doesn’t want to go through that again.
One of Brenna’s close friends is getting married at the Bellini family’s winery. Everything was going great until the matron of honor was grounded from travel. Now she’s being replaced with Brenna’s once friend, Allison, who is now, her nemesis. And, to add insult to injury Allison is now MARRIED to her ex, Mitchell! She is going to have to deal with them for the entire four day weekend, but she doesn’t intend to do it alone! She enlists Finn’s help to pose as her fake fiancé!
Can Finn make her see what a relationship with him could be like? Or will the damage Mitchell inflicted on her become too much to overcome?
I wasn’t a big fan of the first installment of this series, The Best Man Plan, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this novel. However, I’ve read many of Burton’s books over the years and I had to give this series another shot! And, I’m glad I did. I found myself really enjoying Finn and this story as a whole.
Finn was so incredibly sweet. He wasn’t the usual cocky jerk you expect in these types of books. And, boy do I love those jerks 🙂 He proved that the good guys can be fun too. He was so sweet and attentive with Brenna and was always up for anything! He also took advantage of any opportunity to get physical with her as well. Nobody said he was a saint!
It did get annoying how quickly Brenna could overreact though. And, I was glad when Finn actually pushed back!
And, I’m not really sure where all these stray dogs are coming from … it seems to be a theme in this series.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to the next book. I have to assume it will be Honor’s and … Owen?!? Plot twist. Although it seems kind of obvious, after reading this book. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if my suspicions are true!
June 20, 2021
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the third book of the series (0.5, and 1 precede it). I would recommend that you read the earlier books, as they are good reads, and introduce the family vineyard and characters who feature in this story.
Finn has lived and worked at the vineyard since his mother died when he was a teen. He fell in love with Brenna almost on sight. But respectful of the family who gave him a home and a career, he has never made a move on her, even having to watch her marry someone else and then get divorced. She is now really anti-relationships and yet he still cares just as much. Therefore when she asks him to pretend to be engaged to cope with an upcoming wedding, he obviously accepts.
Brenna cannot cope with her ex and his new wife being at a mutual friend's wedding. She decides that Finn will be the perfect foil - but little did she understand how things would turn out. I loved watching her relax as she knew how much she could trust him. That her family all knew how much they were friends, how close they were, and yet how respectful Finn had always been. It made the outcome all the sweeter.
I really enjoyed the elements which gave us more insight into the vineyard, the distillery that Finn had been working on, and the joys of running a wedding business. It made it very clear how they all lived and worked together and the dynamics.
This is the third book of the series (0.5, and 1 precede it). I would recommend that you read the earlier books, as they are good reads, and introduce the family vineyard and characters who feature in this story.
Finn has lived and worked at the vineyard since his mother died when he was a teen. He fell in love with Brenna almost on sight. But respectful of the family who gave him a home and a career, he has never made a move on her, even having to watch her marry someone else and then get divorced. She is now really anti-relationships and yet he still cares just as much. Therefore when she asks him to pretend to be engaged to cope with an upcoming wedding, he obviously accepts.
Brenna cannot cope with her ex and his new wife being at a mutual friend's wedding. She decides that Finn will be the perfect foil - but little did she understand how things would turn out. I loved watching her relax as she knew how much she could trust him. That her family all knew how much they were friends, how close they were, and yet how respectful Finn had always been. It made the outcome all the sweeter.
I really enjoyed the elements which gave us more insight into the vineyard, the distillery that Finn had been working on, and the joys of running a wedding business. It made it very clear how they all lived and worked together and the dynamics.
June 28, 2021
As a fan of Jaci Burton, I was excited to read her latest book--book two in her newer Boots and Bouquets series. Burton always manages to combine small-town charm and steam masterfully. Unfortunately, it is not her best work. It honestly felt like a different author wrote it. It wasn't as good as the first in this series, and definitely didn't hold a candle to her sports romance series, "Play-by-Play" (which is a favorite of mine and what I recommend to those looking to try a Jaci Burton book. And who doesn't love a sports romance?).
This book sadly could have be written by a romance AI. The female lead ping-ponged emotions so fast it felt like I was watching a tennis match, and I had to check I didn't miss pages. Her rationale for not being with the male lead was unbelievably flimsy and became incredibly frustrating as a reader. The male lead was the true standout of the book and great #bookboyfriend material, though a bit of a sap for pining after the female lead for SUCH a long time. The best thing about this book is its vineyard location, which is always fun to read about. In the end, this book was overly predictable with too much of a roller coastering of emotions and not enough build.
I'd recommend checking out her Play-by-Play series instead, though I hope book three in this series (I assume, featuring the last sister) is an improvement.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars - 5/10
This book sadly could have be written by a romance AI. The female lead ping-ponged emotions so fast it felt like I was watching a tennis match, and I had to check I didn't miss pages. Her rationale for not being with the male lead was unbelievably flimsy and became incredibly frustrating as a reader. The male lead was the true standout of the book and great #bookboyfriend material, though a bit of a sap for pining after the female lead for SUCH a long time. The best thing about this book is its vineyard location, which is always fun to read about. In the end, this book was overly predictable with too much of a roller coastering of emotions and not enough build.
I'd recommend checking out her Play-by-Play series instead, though I hope book three in this series (I assume, featuring the last sister) is an improvement.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars - 5/10
July 21, 2021
Brenna Bellini plans never to get married again. However, when she discovers her ex-husband's new wife, who is also her high school nemesis, will be a fellow bridesmaid in an upcoming friend's wedding, Brenna decides the only thing to do is to pretend she is engaged to keep her ex-friend from looking down on her for being single. Finn Nolan has liked Brenna since he moved to her family's vineyard years ago, and he is only too happy to play the part of fake fiancé. He is certain that he can use this time to get Brenna to realize they would be perfect together.
I can see from the other reviews that I am in the minority on this book, but I just wasn't a fan. Neither of the main characters were likeable, and I'm not sure what the attraction was between them besides the physical. Brenna seemed very immature for her age. I love the fake engagement trope, but I have seen many better stories for it.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.
I can see from the other reviews that I am in the minority on this book, but I just wasn't a fan. Neither of the main characters were likeable, and I'm not sure what the attraction was between them besides the physical. Brenna seemed very immature for her age. I love the fake engagement trope, but I have seen many better stories for it.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.
August 26, 2021
The Engagement Arrangement
Boots and Bouquets, Book 2
I Picked Up This Book Because: Blurb sounded good.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Dates Read: 8/11/21 - 8/15/21
Stars: 4 Stars
The Characters:
Brenna Bellini:
Finn Nolan:
The Story:
Very cute. Very enjoyable. The Bellini family is very close knit and alway show up for one another. Finn is dedicated to the woman he loves and I’m glad he finally got her.
Narrator:
This narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. She had a challenge with several different accents and I think she did a good job.
The Random Thoughts:
Boots and Bouquets, Book 2
I Picked Up This Book Because: Blurb sounded good.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Dates Read: 8/11/21 - 8/15/21
Stars: 4 Stars
The Characters:
Brenna Bellini:
Finn Nolan:
The Story:
Very cute. Very enjoyable. The Bellini family is very close knit and alway show up for one another. Finn is dedicated to the woman he loves and I’m glad he finally got her.
Narrator:
This narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. She had a challenge with several different accents and I think she did a good job.
The Random Thoughts:
December 22, 2021
***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***
I love books set around weddings. I have no idea why. I think it's that they are such a happy time (although, why I don't love Christmas books for the same reason, I have no idea) but whatever the reason, this one was interesting to me just from the blurb.
I also love books where you see a character who was wronged in the previous book get their happily ever after, and this was Brenna's chance to get hers.
Finn is perfect for Brenna. And, I loved them together. You are already on her side after watching what happened to her before and you are emotionally connected to both of the characters.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.
I love books set around weddings. I have no idea why. I think it's that they are such a happy time (although, why I don't love Christmas books for the same reason, I have no idea) but whatever the reason, this one was interesting to me just from the blurb.
I also love books where you see a character who was wronged in the previous book get their happily ever after, and this was Brenna's chance to get hers.
Finn is perfect for Brenna. And, I loved them together. You are already on her side after watching what happened to her before and you are emotionally connected to both of the characters.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.
July 23, 2021
3.5 stars
Some books are like a gourmet meal - unforgettable.
Some are like fast food - tasty and filling but not memorable. The Engagement Arrangement is the latter.. A fun, spicy read about a fake engagement. Enjoyable but not memorable. I don't mean any disrespect to the author - sometimes we all need a little fast food in our lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
Some books are like a gourmet meal - unforgettable.
Some are like fast food - tasty and filling but not memorable. The Engagement Arrangement is the latter.. A fun, spicy read about a fake engagement. Enjoyable but not memorable. I don't mean any disrespect to the author - sometimes we all need a little fast food in our lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
July 26, 2021
This one was fairly predictable to me. You have the fake relationship for sake of wedding to impress ex's, turns real, there are issues, break up, get back together. I liked Finn, was so so on Brenna, sort of think Finn could have done better, with Brenna it was all about her, she never really thought about what Finn wanted at all.
November 26, 2021
Great fake fiancé story. Brenna asks Finn to be her fake fiancé at a wedding she will be in. Her ex husband and his snotty wife will also be in the wedding and she doesn’t want people to ask why she is still single.
June 21, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Books, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.
This was not for me. I have read some older Jaci Burton sports romances and liked them but this one had no magic or charm. The writing style didn't help: this one was all tell, no show. It felt like reading a book-length recap: He went there, and did that. Then she did this. Then they did that. Very dry. I felt no real connection to either main character. On top of that, Brenna was an extremely off-putting MC: all book long, she ran hot and cold, giving me (and Finn, her purported love interest) a major case of whiplash. She kept needing her sisters and her mom to talk actual sense into her, when it was super obvious that she was in the wrong, EVERY time. Finn had the patience of a saint and frankly, I think he deserves better. I hope they live close to Brenna's family after they get married because he'll need them around to talk her off a proverbial ledge at least once a week.
Giving a second star .
I don't think I'll be back for Honor's book, which I'm GUESSING from the context will involve .
This was not for me. I have read some older Jaci Burton sports romances and liked them but this one had no magic or charm. The writing style didn't help: this one was all tell, no show. It felt like reading a book-length recap: He went there, and did that. Then she did this. Then they did that. Very dry. I felt no real connection to either main character. On top of that, Brenna was an extremely off-putting MC: all book long, she ran hot and cold, giving me (and Finn, her purported love interest) a major case of whiplash. She kept needing her sisters and her mom to talk actual sense into her, when it was super obvious that she was in the wrong, EVERY time. Finn had the patience of a saint and frankly, I think he deserves better. I hope they live close to Brenna's family after they get married because he'll need them around to talk her off a proverbial ledge at least once a week.
Giving a second star .
I don't think I'll be back for Honor's book, which I'm GUESSING from the context will involve .
May 12, 2021
In typical Jaci Burton style, this book is awesome!
This is the 2nd book in this series, and this is about Brenna and Finn. Brenna's family owns the winery and Finn works there.
Finn has always been in love with Brenna on some level since he started working there. The winery is hosting a wedding where her ex-husband and his wife will be in the wedding. His wife was also Brenna's former friend, and takes pleasure in letting Brenna know that she thinks she is better than Brenna. Because Brenna doesn't want to have to deal with her snide comments all weekend, she enlists Finn's help to pretend that they are engaged..
It turns out that Brenna, whose self-confidence in the relationship area is not up to par yet, doesn't realize that she actually is in love with Finn. After some soul-searching when telling Finn that their relationship is over, she realizes that she does love him and wants their relationship work and sets off to find him when she realizes where he went to.
An awesome book!
This is the 2nd book in this series, and this is about Brenna and Finn. Brenna's family owns the winery and Finn works there.
Finn has always been in love with Brenna on some level since he started working there. The winery is hosting a wedding where her ex-husband and his wife will be in the wedding. His wife was also Brenna's former friend, and takes pleasure in letting Brenna know that she thinks she is better than Brenna. Because Brenna doesn't want to have to deal with her snide comments all weekend, she enlists Finn's help to pretend that they are engaged..
It turns out that Brenna, whose self-confidence in the relationship area is not up to par yet, doesn't realize that she actually is in love with Finn. After some soul-searching when telling Finn that their relationship is over, she realizes that she does love him and wants their relationship work and sets off to find him when she realizes where he went to.
An awesome book!
June 29, 2021
I enjoyed this story, more than book 1! But boy do those Bellini sisters know how to avoid talking about feelings!
Brenna Bellini is a winemaker, and works with her dad at their family vineyard. Her sisters work there too, Erin on the financial side of things, and Honor in charge of the weddings and events they hold. Brenna also lives at home with the fam, after her divorce. She doesn't plan on ever marrying again, though she has started dating, and it's not going well. She finds fault with all the men she's gone out with. She's a bridesmaid in a wedding at the vineyard soon, and her ex-husband's new wife, who is also Brenna's high school friend-turned-nemesis, will be one too. Brenna isn't looking forward to having her singledom rubbed in her face all weekend, so she decides she needs a fake fiancé. And she knows just who to ask.
Finn Nolan is an Irish boy, who moved to Oklahoma to live with the Bellinis after his mother's death when he was 18, as Mrs. Bellini was his mother's best friend. He works at the vineyard, and he's built a little house on the property that he loves. He's even branched into making his own whiskey, and he loves it, and hopes to expand it one day. The Bellinis are his family, and he loves them all as such. All but Brenna, who has never been like family to him. He has always wanted her, since they first met as teenagers. He feels like now the time might finally be right for him to pursue her, and then she springs this fake fiancé idea on him. But, you can bet he'll be using their fake relationship and forced proximity to his advantage!
Finn and Brenna had wild chemistry that Brenna just didn't know how to deal with, and as we saw in book 1, the Bellini sisters' tactic is to AVOID, AVOID, AVOID. Brenna can't figure out how she feels about Finn, so she just won't think about it. As if ostrich-ing your head in the sand ever fixed anything for anyone. Finn was a total cinnamon roll delight, and he 100% saved this story for me. He knew Brenna, and her strengths and faults, and he was willing to go slow and give her time to figure things out. Even though he's always known she was the one for him. I appreciated that he didn't let her indecision put him off. He was all in, and I LOVE a hero who is gone for the heroine from the beginning.
The Bellini family is a delight, and we got some of Erin and Jason (from book 1) planning and holding their wedding, which was fun. I love the sisters' relationship. They are always honest with each other, and I like their dynamic. They also always call each other out on their stuff, even if it's in the kindest way possible. The scenes with all 3 of them together are always enjoyable.
Brenna had a lot of stuff to work through before she could be with Finn for real. Finn was willing to let her work through it all, which was lovely. I really enjoyed them together, and once they finally got to their HEA, I believed in it too, because of the work and thought that had gone into it. I think I might see where Honor's book will be going for book 3, and I'm not sure if I'm into it, but we'll see if I turn out to be right.
Overall, this one worked for me by the end, though there were times I found Brenna's avoidance annoying. It was a solid small town romance.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my personal opinion, voluntarily given.
Reviewed by Megan from Romanced by the Book
Brenna Bellini is a winemaker, and works with her dad at their family vineyard. Her sisters work there too, Erin on the financial side of things, and Honor in charge of the weddings and events they hold. Brenna also lives at home with the fam, after her divorce. She doesn't plan on ever marrying again, though she has started dating, and it's not going well. She finds fault with all the men she's gone out with. She's a bridesmaid in a wedding at the vineyard soon, and her ex-husband's new wife, who is also Brenna's high school friend-turned-nemesis, will be one too. Brenna isn't looking forward to having her singledom rubbed in her face all weekend, so she decides she needs a fake fiancé. And she knows just who to ask.
Finn Nolan is an Irish boy, who moved to Oklahoma to live with the Bellinis after his mother's death when he was 18, as Mrs. Bellini was his mother's best friend. He works at the vineyard, and he's built a little house on the property that he loves. He's even branched into making his own whiskey, and he loves it, and hopes to expand it one day. The Bellinis are his family, and he loves them all as such. All but Brenna, who has never been like family to him. He has always wanted her, since they first met as teenagers. He feels like now the time might finally be right for him to pursue her, and then she springs this fake fiancé idea on him. But, you can bet he'll be using their fake relationship and forced proximity to his advantage!
Finn and Brenna had wild chemistry that Brenna just didn't know how to deal with, and as we saw in book 1, the Bellini sisters' tactic is to AVOID, AVOID, AVOID. Brenna can't figure out how she feels about Finn, so she just won't think about it. As if ostrich-ing your head in the sand ever fixed anything for anyone. Finn was a total cinnamon roll delight, and he 100% saved this story for me. He knew Brenna, and her strengths and faults, and he was willing to go slow and give her time to figure things out. Even though he's always known she was the one for him. I appreciated that he didn't let her indecision put him off. He was all in, and I LOVE a hero who is gone for the heroine from the beginning.
The Bellini family is a delight, and we got some of Erin and Jason (from book 1) planning and holding their wedding, which was fun. I love the sisters' relationship. They are always honest with each other, and I like their dynamic. They also always call each other out on their stuff, even if it's in the kindest way possible. The scenes with all 3 of them together are always enjoyable.
Brenna had a lot of stuff to work through before she could be with Finn for real. Finn was willing to let her work through it all, which was lovely. I really enjoyed them together, and once they finally got to their HEA, I believed in it too, because of the work and thought that had gone into it. I think I might see where Honor's book will be going for book 3, and I'm not sure if I'm into it, but we'll see if I turn out to be right.
Overall, this one worked for me by the end, though there were times I found Brenna's avoidance annoying. It was a solid small town romance.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my personal opinion, voluntarily given.
Reviewed by Megan from Romanced by the Book
June 29, 2021
The Engagement Arrangement by Jaci Burton is the 2nd book in her Boots and Bouquets series. Brenna Bellini, our heroine, loves making wine for her family’s winery, and working with her sisters on the family’s wedding planning business. When one of the weddings is a friend, she is asked to be a bridesmaid using the Bellini vineyard; she is thrilled to be part of it until she learns her ex-husband and former friend (now married her ex) are also attending. Brenna knows she will have to spend time with them, especially her ex-friend Allison would be giving her snide remarks the whole time; she decides to devise a plan.
Finn Nolan, moved from Ireland years ago (after the loss of his parents), and is considered a member of the Bellini family. Brenna approaches him to help her at the upcoming wedding of her friend; she wants him to be her fake fiancée. Finn has secretly been in love with Brenna for a long time, and has watched from afar her bad marriage, and dating others. He accepts to become her fake fiancée for the 4-day event, knowing he plans to pull out all the stops to get her attention.
What follows is a wonderful fun story that has us rooting for Finn to show Brenna that he is the one perfect for her. They made such a cute couple, and I adored them both together. Brenna though despite her beginning to have feelings for Finn, has issues from her disaster divorce, that holds her back from ever marrying again. Finn needs to escalate things to win Brenna over. The chemistry between them was sizzling, and both will act on their lust for each other, but can Brenna allow herself to get past the fake fiancée Finn to the man who has stolen her heart? Will she be able to get past her fears of being hurt again and walk away?
What I loved about this series is the three sisters, and the whole Bellini family and winery business. Jaci Burton has created a wonderful group of characters that are so much fun and enjoyable; such a wonderful couple and family. The Engagement Arrangement is a wonderful pure romance that was fun, entertaining, witty banter, and sexy. If you enjoy wonderful romances, then look no further than Jaci Burton.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Finn Nolan, moved from Ireland years ago (after the loss of his parents), and is considered a member of the Bellini family. Brenna approaches him to help her at the upcoming wedding of her friend; she wants him to be her fake fiancée. Finn has secretly been in love with Brenna for a long time, and has watched from afar her bad marriage, and dating others. He accepts to become her fake fiancée for the 4-day event, knowing he plans to pull out all the stops to get her attention.
What follows is a wonderful fun story that has us rooting for Finn to show Brenna that he is the one perfect for her. They made such a cute couple, and I adored them both together. Brenna though despite her beginning to have feelings for Finn, has issues from her disaster divorce, that holds her back from ever marrying again. Finn needs to escalate things to win Brenna over. The chemistry between them was sizzling, and both will act on their lust for each other, but can Brenna allow herself to get past the fake fiancée Finn to the man who has stolen her heart? Will she be able to get past her fears of being hurt again and walk away?
What I loved about this series is the three sisters, and the whole Bellini family and winery business. Jaci Burton has created a wonderful group of characters that are so much fun and enjoyable; such a wonderful couple and family. The Engagement Arrangement is a wonderful pure romance that was fun, entertaining, witty banter, and sexy. If you enjoy wonderful romances, then look no further than Jaci Burton.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
July 11, 2021
Audiobook Review:
“The Engagement Arrangement” is a first time read/listen by Jaci Burton, new author to this reader. Brenna Bellini after a failed first marriage has resigned herself with never marrying. She is single, successful and loves helping her family’s vineyard business. It is not until she has been asked to be a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding does she realize that her ex-husband and his troublesome new wife…an old high school problem that just won’t go away is also invited. Unable to deal with the situation, she enlists Finn Nolan as her fake fiancé for the four-day wedding duration.
Finn Nolan has been a fixture of the Bellini family since he came over from Ireland to work their vineyard. He is a handsome Irishman that has had a love from afar for Brenna for years and is delighted to get his chance to show her that he is Mr. Right in all ways.
Finn Nolan is thrilled to be offered the job as fiancé. He has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came over from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar for years, this Irish cowboy is determined to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr. Right.
This was one story that was truly enjoyable and I loved that the author incorporated family, support and friendships throughout her characters. I did like the slow build in the relationship between Finn and Brenna once she got over herself which was a bit annoying at times throughout the story. I do love steamy intimate scenes and thought the coupling between the main characters was written very tasteful.
As for the narration, I thought Holly Chandler, new narrator to this reader also did an okay job. There were some parts that felt a little flat in the story. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series as I have not had the chance to do so. I do recommend this as a read and a listen if you would like a short friends to lovers story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
“The Engagement Arrangement” is a first time read/listen by Jaci Burton, new author to this reader. Brenna Bellini after a failed first marriage has resigned herself with never marrying. She is single, successful and loves helping her family’s vineyard business. It is not until she has been asked to be a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding does she realize that her ex-husband and his troublesome new wife…an old high school problem that just won’t go away is also invited. Unable to deal with the situation, she enlists Finn Nolan as her fake fiancé for the four-day wedding duration.
Finn Nolan has been a fixture of the Bellini family since he came over from Ireland to work their vineyard. He is a handsome Irishman that has had a love from afar for Brenna for years and is delighted to get his chance to show her that he is Mr. Right in all ways.
Finn Nolan is thrilled to be offered the job as fiancé. He has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came over from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar for years, this Irish cowboy is determined to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr. Right.
This was one story that was truly enjoyable and I loved that the author incorporated family, support and friendships throughout her characters. I did like the slow build in the relationship between Finn and Brenna once she got over herself which was a bit annoying at times throughout the story. I do love steamy intimate scenes and thought the coupling between the main characters was written very tasteful.
As for the narration, I thought Holly Chandler, new narrator to this reader also did an okay job. There were some parts that felt a little flat in the story. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series as I have not had the chance to do so. I do recommend this as a read and a listen if you would like a short friends to lovers story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2021
In this steamy romance we get Brenna Bellini's story of the Bellini sisters. Brenna knew shouldn't have married Mitchell Walker. Divorced and back into the dating scene Brenna just can't seem to find a nice guy. She has no plans to ever get married again, but she'd like to have some fun. Brenna is excited about her friend Esther's upcoming wedding that she is in until she finds out that Esther's matron of honor can't come and she asked Allison Walker to be a replacement. Not only are Brenna and Allison high school nemesis, but Allison is now married to Mitch! Not wanting to spend the weekend as the "single person", Brenna hatches a plan and knows just who to get to help her.
Finn Nolan has had a crush on Brenna since he first arrived to America from Ireland after losing his parents at 18. When Finn came to live with his mom's best friend, Maureen Bellini, he was immediately taken by the fiery, redheaded Brenna and knew they were destined to be together. He also had his heart broken when she married Mitch but now that they are divorced, Finn is ready to make his move.
When Brenna approaches Finn with the crazy suggestion of pretending to be engaged for four day festivities for Esther's wedding, he jumps at the chance. Now if he can only convince Brenna that the feelings they are pretending are really real. Of course the more time these two spend together, the closer they get and the more fun they are having until Brenna finds something out then everything blows up. It will take a lot of grovelling and quite the trip, but these two will finally get together for real in a perfect ending.
I loved this steamy romance. I just adored Finn. He knew what he wanted and was just biding his time. I understood where Brenna was coming from but because of her past, she had a hard time letting go. Together these two just sizzled on the pages. I can't wait to read Honor's story.
Finn Nolan has had a crush on Brenna since he first arrived to America from Ireland after losing his parents at 18. When Finn came to live with his mom's best friend, Maureen Bellini, he was immediately taken by the fiery, redheaded Brenna and knew they were destined to be together. He also had his heart broken when she married Mitch but now that they are divorced, Finn is ready to make his move.
When Brenna approaches Finn with the crazy suggestion of pretending to be engaged for four day festivities for Esther's wedding, he jumps at the chance. Now if he can only convince Brenna that the feelings they are pretending are really real. Of course the more time these two spend together, the closer they get and the more fun they are having until Brenna finds something out then everything blows up. It will take a lot of grovelling and quite the trip, but these two will finally get together for real in a perfect ending.
I loved this steamy romance. I just adored Finn. He knew what he wanted and was just biding his time. I understood where Brenna was coming from but because of her past, she had a hard time letting go. Together these two just sizzled on the pages. I can't wait to read Honor's story.
June 29, 2021
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: http://www.romancingthereaders.com/20...
This month I've been very lucky with the ARC's I've read. I really enjoyed them. They remind me why I like reading series so much. Every book connect with the prior book in some way. You'll find that with The Engagement Arrangement. What a mouthful, right!
I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and was so glad to read this one. I really like so many of the characters. The sisters are so funny, they can pick on each other but don't let anyone else try.
Up this time is Brenna's story. I really liked her. She comes off very confident but really underneath she has so many issues. So much like the rest of us. She very much worries about her standing in the family which is only in her mind. No one thinks any different of her since she ended her marriage. But what she's willing to do just to show everyone how happy she shows you how she feels underneath it all is.
I love Finn. He is so wonderful and funny. At times I wasn't sure Brenna was good enough for him then I remember just how much he loves her. In fact, until she needs his help she pretty much didn't think about him. Not in a mean way, just in her life was busy, and then she was wrapped up in what happened.
The funny part is that these two together are so much fun. You'll love them together. When Brenna isn't thinking about them faking it she really enjoyed herself. The problem is that she's worried about things she can't control and misses the stuff she can.
If you haven't yet started this series then you really should. I promise you will really enjoy it.
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ARC received for an honest review
This month I've been very lucky with the ARC's I've read. I really enjoyed them. They remind me why I like reading series so much. Every book connect with the prior book in some way. You'll find that with The Engagement Arrangement. What a mouthful, right!
I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and was so glad to read this one. I really like so many of the characters. The sisters are so funny, they can pick on each other but don't let anyone else try.
Up this time is Brenna's story. I really liked her. She comes off very confident but really underneath she has so many issues. So much like the rest of us. She very much worries about her standing in the family which is only in her mind. No one thinks any different of her since she ended her marriage. But what she's willing to do just to show everyone how happy she shows you how she feels underneath it all is.
I love Finn. He is so wonderful and funny. At times I wasn't sure Brenna was good enough for him then I remember just how much he loves her. In fact, until she needs his help she pretty much didn't think about him. Not in a mean way, just in her life was busy, and then she was wrapped up in what happened.
The funny part is that these two together are so much fun. You'll love them together. When Brenna isn't thinking about them faking it she really enjoyed herself. The problem is that she's worried about things she can't control and misses the stuff she can.
If you haven't yet started this series then you really should. I promise you will really enjoy it.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
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