reviewsbyerin

Ashley Baker has a full plate. She never wants to say no to anything that comes her way. When her boss at the event planning business announces his retirement, Ashley has the chance to be considered for taking over Whimsical Weddings—if she can hustle through a last-minute booking without dropping any balls. That should be easy enough... until she sees the groom is Derek Campbell, the only man she's ever loved. The man who left her without a backward glance.

Derek Campbell is back in Walker Beach after spending a year in France. He's ready to secure the future of his family's vineyard, partially by way of joining it with the family vineyard of his French fiancee, Claire. Having businesses on both continents should only make each stronger. Though he and Claire view their upcoming marriage more as a practical comfort rather than a romance, he knows he'll never love anyone like he loved Ashley Baker. But she broke his heart, and Claire is as steady as the day is long.

When Ashley and Derek are forced to work together on the details of the wedding, both grapple with their feelings. Ashley continues to juggle everything on her schedule, but what will be dropped in the process of doing All The Things?

I like reading books about event planners because this is something I have some experience in, and I know exactly how both fun and stressful it can be. Ashley's struggle of not knowing how to say no is also relatable. One drawback for me with this story was the lack of communication between the main characters. They had been in love with each other years earlier, but both Ashley and Derek felt like the other one had rejected them. If only they had sat down for a conversation! Also, even though Derek and Claire's relationship was based on friendship and business sense, this trope isn't my favorite and made me a little uncomfortable. I did enjoy the lessons the characters learned, and I can't wait to return to Walker Beach when the final book in this series releases next month.

Note: This story was written for the general market, and I truly missed the faith aspect. It would have worked so beautifully here. Lindsay has written some of my favorite womens fiction over the past few years, including The Secrets of Paper and Ink and The Joy of Falling. Don't miss those as this new series rolls out.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.