Her
Best Man
Left
at the Altar Series
Book
One
Jana
Richards
Genre:
Humorous contemporary romance
ISBN:
978-1-60174-019-9
ASIN:
B004I6E4ZY
Number
of pages: 166
Word
Count: 55,000
Cover
Artist: Judith B. Glad
Book
Description:
Sarah
Stevens experiences a bride's worst nightmare; being dumped at the
altar. When she goes on the Caribbean cruise meant to be her
honeymoon in order to lick her wounds, she discovers her ex-fiancé
has sent his brother, Will Marshall, the former best man, on the
cruise as well. Everyone on board thinks they're newlyweds, and Sarah
is too embarrassed to set them straight. How is she supposed to share
a tiny cabin with a man she barely knows? Even worse, how is she
supposed to pretend that she and Will are on their honeymoon? Sarah
discovers the best man for her really is the best man.
Excerpt;
“You
have a beautiful engagement ring,” Josie commented.
Sarah
felt her positive resolve slip a little. She stared at the
ring, uncertain why she still wore it. Did she miss Brad that
much, or was it the idea of being married she missed?
“Thank
you,” she said simply, hoping Josie would drop the subject.
Apparently, that was too much to hope for.
“Why
is it you and Will don’t wear wedding bands?”
“Josie,
that’s really none of our business,” Ted rebuked gently. He
took his bride’s hand and planted a tender kiss on each of her
fingers. “We talked about this, sweetie. Boundaries,
remember?”
Ted’s
love for Josie shone in his eyes, despite her lack of tact. He
knew all her foibles, weaknesses and plain old stupidities and he
still loved her. Sarah wondered why someone couldn’t love her
like that. She stared at her engagement ring and thought of the
day Brad had given it to her. She’d been so happy and so
hopeful of a wonderful future. But now all her plans and dreams
were gone, her hopes of having a family of her own dashed. How
could he have done that to her?
The
sob seemed to come from the pit of her stomach, working its way up
her body until it just burst uncontrollably out of her mouth.
She covered her mouth with her hand, shocked by the emotion as well
as by the tears flooding out of her eyes. To her surprise she
found herself being drawn into Will’s embrace. She sniffled
against his shirt, embarrassing herself further by getting his
shoulder wet.
“It’s
okay, Sarah,” he whispered. In a louder voice she heard him
speak to the rest of the group who had stopped in mid-chew to stare
at her.
“Sarah’s
had a very difficult couple of weeks,” he began. This
was it,
she thought. This was where she got outed as a fake bride.
She sucked in a breath. If he told the truth would he go to
jail? Would she?
“We
don’t have any rings because a few days before the wedding the
jewelry store where we purchased our rings burned to the ground.
Our rings were lost and Sarah was devastated. As you can see,
she’s still emotional about it.”
Sarah
sniffed against Will’s shoulder. What?
“Oh
Sarah, how awful for you!” Josie said.
“But
that’s not everything,” Will continued, his voice taking on a
serious note. Sarah stopped sniveling to listen to what he’d
say next. “The wedding dress she’d ordered was lost in
transit. She had to wear a dress off the rack.”
Josie
took in a sharp breath. “No!”
“But
the last straw came when a pipe broke at the hall where our reception
was going to be held and the place was flooded. We had to
cancel.”
Again,
more ohhs and ahhs sounded around the table. Where did he come
up with these crazy stories?
Beatrice
chuckled. “I’ve heard some wedding disaster stories, but yours
take the cake. Don’t worry, Sarah. Someday you’ll look back and
laugh, I promise.”
Gladys
raised her glass. “Here’s to Sarah
and
Will. May their marriage be luckier than their wedding.”
“Hear,
Hear.”
Everyone
raised his or her glass in a toast. As Sarah wiped her eyes, Will
made a toast of his own. “To Sarah. Nothing but blue skies from now
on.” He took a drink from his glass, his blue eyes full of
compassion, with a hint of humor twinkling under the surface.
Sarah
picked up her wineglass. How had he done that? She knew Will’s
stories were more about saving his butt than protecting her from
humiliation, but still, she’d rather be thought of as the girl
whose wedding blew up then the girl who got dumped at the altar. For
that she was grateful.
And
how had he made her feel so safe and comforted in his arms? She
shivered a little, remembering the gentle touch of his hand sliding
up and down her back. For that she was less grateful. She was
confused enough already about her feelings.
Sarah
reluctantly tipped her glass to Will. “To blue skies.”
There
Goes the Groom
Left
at the Altar Series
Book
Two
Jana
Richards
Genre:
Humorous romantic comedy
ISBN:
978-1-60174-159-2
ASIN:
B00CUQR7RG
Number
of pages: 157
Word
Count: 52,500
Cover
Artist: Judith B. Glad
Book
Description:
Eight
years ago Tony left Olivia at the altar. He was sure she didn't
really want to marry him. Now he's back, and they're forced to work
together.
Coming
home isn't easy for Tony, because his father wanted him to work at a
trade instead of going off to college. Their relationship is still
unsteady. Even before Tony's return, Olivia began questioning the
depth of her love for her fiancé, a man she chose because he was
safe and reliable. Yet the last thing she wants is a loveless,
faithless marriage like the one her parents suffered through.
When
Tony, who never stopped loving her, insists her fiancé is the wrong
man for her, Olivia sets out to prove him wrong. But the sexual
chemistry between them is still strong, and so are her feelings for
him. Even so, how can she break her engagement, hurt her fiancé as
she was once hurt? And how can she trust Tony not to abandon her as
he did before?
If
anyone does the jilting this time, she will.
Excerpt;
Excerpt;
She was going to faint. Or throw up. Or trip over her dress. Perhaps all three, possibly at the same time.
Olivia Taylor’s legs trembled as she walked up the aisle of the church on her father’s arm, a smile frozen on her face. Was she out of her mind? She was barely twenty years old. What did she know about marriage?
Olivia amended that thought. In the past few weeks she’d learned more about marriage than she cared to know. She stole a glance at her father, so tall and distinguished, his smile confident and relaxed, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Olivia shuddered, her limbs shaking with anger. How could he act as if nothing had happened? How could he pretend nothing had changed?
Everything had changed.
Tony stood at the altar looking handsome in his rented tux. Her heart lightened. Her beautiful, wonderful fiancé. She loved Tony DiPietro with all her heart. He was smart, funny, kind, and his touch sent her hormones into overdrive. Tony was everything a potential husband should be.
Always
a Bridesmaid
Left
at the Altar series
Book
Three
Jana
Richards
Genre:
Humorous contemporary romance
ISBN:
ASIN:
Number
of pages: 201
Word
Count: 61,000
Cover
Artist: Judith B. Glad
Unical
Press ARe Amazon BN
Kobo
Untreed Reads Itunes
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Chapters
Book
Description:
Dani
Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family
of swans. She's the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the
woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and
guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.
When
Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him
through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more
Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his
former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They
play their roles a little too well, and make believe turns into
reality. But their relationship comes crashing down around them when
Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the
truth means Dani will betray a friend, something she will never do.
But keeping her secrets means she may be destined to remain a
bridesmaid forever.
Excerpt;
Her heart cried for him. Zach was a good
guy. He didn't deserve the humiliation Chantal had heaped on him. She
wanted to tell him how badly she felt for him, wanted to let him know
that she would gladly listen if he felt like talking. But their
relationship had always been superficial, one that didn't include
intimate heart to heart conversations. Offering sympathy would only
embarrass him more.
So she'd do what she did best. She'd make
him laugh.
"I realize you've had a bad day, but
hey, look at me. I got squeezed into a dress that makes me look like
an overstuffed Barbie doll. My shoes are killing me, and then to top
it all off, the dress from Hell splits across my ass so the whole
world can see my underwear."
One corner of Zach's mouth quirked in a
brief grin. "Yeah, you've got it all over me. I've only been
cheated on and humiliated on my wedding day. For the record, the
whole world didn't see your underwear, just me."
She did her best to keep a straight face.
"I happen to take my semi-nakedness seriously, even if there's
only one person to witness it."
He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that
did funny things to her insides. But despite his laughter, his blue
eyes were full of pain. Dani wished there was something more she
could do for him.
"Thanks for the loan of the jacket,"
she said. "Can I hang on to it for a while?"
"Of course. Thank you for providing
a diversion."
"Always glad to provide comic
relief." She sneered at the neon pink satin spilling out from
beneath the tuxedo jacket, while lifting the fabric and dropping it
in disgust. "It wasn't a much of a stretch, seeing how I was
already dressed like a pink clown."
Zach's lips twitched. "It's
certainly an interesting color."
"Please. This pink is bright enough
to be visible from space."
He laughed out loud, and she was struck
by the warmth of his smile. Once upon a time, she'd had a secret
little crush on him. He was way out her league and had been devoted
to Chantal, but what red-blooded woman wouldn't lust after a man as
handsome as Zach just a little bit, in the privacy of her bedroom?
"The best thing about this dress is
that someone else paid for it." Dani was saving her money for
something special and nothing was going to stand in her way. "Chantal
said she wanted the bridesmaid dresses to make a statement. In my
case, the statement was, 'Get a different dress.'"
Hearing his fiancée's name instantly
wiped the smile from his face. "She shouldn't have made you wear
a dress you felt so uncomfortable in. Don't be so hard on yourself,
Daphne."
Her heart fell. "Actually, it's
Daniella, Daniella DiPietro. Everyone calls me Dani." She knew
this was probably the longest conversation they'd had in their
acquaintance, but it still hurt that he didn't remember her name.
He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Of course I know your name. I don't know what's the matter with
me. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You've had a hell of a
day. Not as bad as mine of course, but still lousy. It's not a big
deal."
"It's a big deal to me. I'm really
sorry."
Dani brushed aside his apology with a
wave of her hand, trying not to let her disappointment show. She
wasn't the kind of woman men remembered. Men remembered women like
Chantal, beautiful, tall, slim blondes, with cute little turned up
noses. Not short, dark, pudgy women with prominent Italian beaks.
"I should go. Your mother and Camp
are waiting for me in the limo. Would you like a ride home with us?"
Zach shook his head. "Thanks, but I
think I want to be alone for a while longer. Please tell my mom I'm
fine."
"I will," she said. "Can I
ask you to do one more favor for me? I promised your mother I'd bring
her purse to her, and we both know what'll happen if try to crawl
under there again." She pointed to the little beaded bag on the
floor beneath the pew.
"Of course." He bent to
retrieve it, giving her a close-up and personal view of his gorgeous,
tight butt. She swallowed and looked away.
Zach straightened and handed her the bag.
"There you go."
"Thank you. How do I get the jacket
back to you?"
"Just drop it off at the rental
place." He told her the address.
"Okay, I'll do that. Well, I have to
go home now and burn this dress. Goodbye Zach."
"Goodbye, Daniella."
It surprised her that he called by her
full given name. She blinked and looked into his face. The desolation
she saw felt like a punch in the gut. He'd obviously loved Chantal
and she'd hurt him deeply. Without thinking, she laid her hand on his
arm.
"It's going to be all right."
He placed his hand over hers. Closing his
eyes for a brief moment, he took a deep breath. I know. I just…"
Wanting nothing more than to comfort, she
wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. He held her tightly,
pulling her against him and burying his face in her neck. Dani
inhaled the intoxicating scent of spicy aftershave laced with
underlying notes of warm, clean male. How could Chantal treat a
wonderful man like Zach this way?
She gently pulled away, keeping him at
arm's length. "You're going to get past this, Zach."
"It doesn't feel like it right now."
"I know, but someday, when you're
old and grey, you'll be sitting on the front porch with your
wonderful wife of fifty years, and you'll say 'Thank Heaven Chantal
cheated on me or I never would have met you.'"
He made a sound somewhere between a laugh
and a sob. "Fifty years, eh?"
"Trust me."
Some lucky girl would snap Zach up in a
minute, and if she was smart, she'd shower him with the love and
consideration he deserved.
Some lucky girl, but not me.
Reluctantly, she took a step back. He
squeezed her fingers before letting her go. With her heart pounding
in her chest, and regret nipping at her heels, she hurried from the
church.
Before she did something stupid, like
kiss the jilted groom.
About
the Author :
When
Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two
things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to
paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew
she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met
a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance,
romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in
lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun,
she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of
the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things”
was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.
In
her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a
mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She
enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not
necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg with
their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several unnamed goldfish. She loves
to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at
www.janarichards.com
My Review;
I am in love with this series and the author. I loved reading about people that were jilted at the altar get back up again. Each of the characters had their own issues and have a different way of dealing with them. If you read one you will want to read the rest in this series. I give this series a 4/5. I was given this book for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.
I am in love with this series and the author. I loved reading about people that were jilted at the altar get back up again. Each of the characters had their own issues and have a different way of dealing with them. If you read one you will want to read the rest in this series. I give this series a 4/5. I was given this book for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.
Thanks so much for the review and for having me on your blog today. I'm so pleased you enjoyed the series!
ReplyDeleteI have read There Goes the Groom and really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading Her Best Man and Always A Bridesmaid!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much angieia! That's really nice to hear.
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