4.5!

This was such an amazing read! I expected nothing less from Melissa Brayden.

The story follows Alison, a fourth grade teacher, who ends up engaged to Brent Carmichael, the son of a business tycoon. Alison even though very underwhelmed with the idea goes along with planning the wedding, and this is where she meets Megan Kincaid. Having made a name for herself in the event planning industry it's almost no shock to Megan when she gets asked to plan the wedding. However, after meeting the shy, awkward and kind Alison, Megan finds herself shocked at the way she makes her feel.

I loved all the characters of this book. Alison was such a sunshine character who's not afraid to follow her heart despite the expense it causes for her and her family. I especially love how her attraction to a woman, while catching her off guard, wasn't a gigantic plot point. She didn't make it a big deal and go all crazy about it, which is refreshing for these types of stories.

Megan's a little stubborn in the going with the flow department compared to Alison but she absolutely matches her energy about it. Even when the possibility of her business taking a hit arrived she didn't take it out on Alison but always kept an optimistic view until the 'big' conflict arrived.

Even with his jealous stance Brent provided a good character. It is a bit of a love triangle situation but also refreshing was the way that it wasn't at all a toxic situation, at least not intentionally.

The plot was good, its pacing perfect, timing perfect, structure, grammar, chemistry and ending, all perfect.

However, what I thought this book missed was build up. We barely get a feel of Megan and Alison before they start to develop feelings for each other, I would not describe it as an insta-love type story but some more written in scenes of them before they confront that attraction would have helped that chemistry. I say written in because there was a few lines that indicated they talked several times but was not shown in chapters. More build up would have been nice because as much I felt their chemistry and as much as I wanted them to end up together there was a bit of a gap in my connection to these characters.

Interesting enough, this critique of the story actually makes me admire Brayden a bit more. Her ability to portray such a love story without even having that build up goes a long way of showing just how compelling her writing is. Even if the story gave nothing about the characters, the storyline itself would be enough.

Overall, a very entertaining story that I highly recommend as I do all of Brayden's books.

I always have high expectations when I start a novel by Melissa Brayden. In my opinion, she is currently one of the top contemporary romance authors in WLW fiction. Her newest book, Marry Me is just more evidence of her skill as a romance writer.

This is a love triangle that starts when the girl-next-door, fourth grade teacher Allison (Ally) Hale gets engaged to Brent Carmichaels, the handsome heir to one of the richest and most powerful families in Dallas. Things are great until Ally falls in love with her wedding planner, Megan Kincaid. Talk about your layers of conflict! The skies are the limit here, and the author takes full advantage.
The characters are all very human, and their actions and reactions to the events in the tale are accurate. It is easy to become connected to both Ally and Megan. The chemistry between them is evident from their first meeting.

There is quite a bit of angst in this story. Ms. Brayden really does pull hard on the heartstrings in this tale, and I loved every moment of it. You might want to keep a box of tissues handy for this one.
Ms. Brayden has created a romance rich in chemistry, angst, tenderness and love. As with every one of her novels, I highly recommend Marry Me to all romance lovers.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

When I read the blurb, my heart did a little skip for how on earth was Allison Hale, the sister who played second fiddle all her life, yet presented with the chance of a lifetime to be The bridge to connect her financially strapped family to a wealthy one ruin it all for a wedding planner?

Well, she did. She attempted but buried it, then she had to revive it yet somehow it still collapsed altogether. This is your Melissa Brayden’s cream of the angsty crop and the dips are not for the faint hearted.

Allison is an unassuming 4th grade teacher, amiable, nothing about her is grand and generally a people pleaser. Or so she thinks. Until the incoming wedding planner slash wrecker (in anyone but her eyes) upheaved her life. Megan Kinkaid, The wedding planner, sexy, beautiful and someone who made her start thinking and evolving.

Megan is an achiever, highly sought after in the business of wedding planning, has a good business head but her heart is heavily guarded by fear. She simply doesn’t do failure but her uncontainable feelings for Allison is sending her right on that course.

This was an intense and emotionally charged book (the wipes sweat off temples and forehead) kind. I went through a series of “come on, don’t do That, Yes! That’s it and I can’t believe it.” So do I recommend it? Absolute yes!

I just reviewed Marry Me by Melissa Brayden. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

One thing that I love about Melissa Brayden is that she doesn’t fall into the typical cliches found in romance stories. Her novels generally follow what I like to call “the typical romance storyline” but whenever something happens in one of her stories that seems to be going into cliche territory, we end up getting a different turn in the story. After reading the description for Marry Me, I thought this would be the book where she would fall into one (or maybe even more than one), but in typical Melissa Brayden fashion she surprised me with a very original story with wonderful characters and believable chemistry between her main characters.

I was sad when I finished this book because I wanted to spend more time with these characters. Loved it!

To Do List: Snatch this book up immediately!

Melissa Brayden executed this love triangle trope perfectly. It was sweet, steamy, and smart. Allison Hale’s relationship with Brent Carmichael was comfortable and easy, that is, until she met her wedding planner Megan Kincaid. When the two met, the chemistry was palpable but neither wanted to rock the boat. The Carmichaels were a powerful and wealthy family in the great metropolis of Dallas and Allison had never had feelings for a woman. However, as the two got to know one another better, their feelings could no longer be denied. What followed was a wonderful story of one woman learning that she could put herself first while the other learns how to trust. I loved being a part of Ally and Megan’s journey. Thanks Melissa for another fantastic read!

I'm a huge fan of Melissa Brayden and was so excited to get this ARC. I actually held up reading it to give me an incentive to clear up other books on my TBR pile. The anticipation built, and I finally opened the book. I then slowed down my reading speed to enjoy every word. I wasn't disappointed.

Allison Hale is a 4th grade teacher and after a year of dating gets engaged to Brett, a son of the Dallas Elite. Megan Kinkaid is THE wedding and event planner. She wants to land this wedding as it will continue her on the path to being the best and most exclusive planner in Dallas. When Allison and Megan meet there is an ease of talking and friendly bonding. All of a sudden Allison is having thoughts she has never thought before. There is flirting, banter, sparks and chemistry. I love they each have a go-to friend to speak to and seek advice. And both friends made me laugh.

Brayden manages to navigate through this love triangle without cheating (which I hate) and without making Brett a total wanker. I love Allison's honesty and easy going personality. Megan has drive and is sweetly smitten by Allison, especially in the first two thirds. I also appreciate the amount of sizzle generated by the two. I was a disappointed in both their choices leading into the angst drama. But this is Brayden and I always know she is always going to give me a HEA. Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

What happens when you fall for the woman who is planning your wedding to a man?
You're about to find out.
Allison Hale and her wealthy finance have enlisted the help of the highly sought after wedding planner Megan Kincaid.
Brent though is too busy to help with the planning leaving Allison and Megan to work alone. As they do their attraction is instant and hard to deny but at what cost?
Choices must be made and the hurt will cut deep for both of them.
This is a absorbing story with twists and turns you didn't see coming.

You'll enjoy this as you have any other stories you come to love by Melissa Brayden

I love F/F romance, and Melissa Brayden is one of my favorite authors since I read First Position.

Since I read so much, sometimes I have ideas I'd love to read, and funnily, a wedding planer and a bride falling in love was one of them, so when I read this blurb, I requested it super fast. I loved how friendship developed into feelings, and what it meant for Ally. However, I can't say I liked the final conflict. In general, I don't like it in any book because I strongly believe most books would work perfectly without a final break up, and this one is proof of it. It was very... exaggerated, in my opinion.

Overall, I liked this book and the plot was a dream, but the ned left me with a bittersweet taste.

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC.

There’s a consistency and reliability I expect when I pick up a Melissa Brayden book. ‘Marry Me’ delivers……for the most part.

The dialogue and story paced well. The characters were interesting. I appreciated that she didn’t take the story in an obvious direction. She didn’t make Brent a bad guy. She didn’t make this a cheating story. She inserted a super obnoxious character. I even wondered if this would be the one where there is no HEA so it kept me on my toes.

I say for the most part because I think Allison’s character can go either way depending on your mood. She’s either frustratingly complaisant or endearingly oblivious.

Overall, it’s Melissa Brayden. It’s well written. The formula is predictable but there is enough in the details and variables to keep a reader engaged.

Ally and Megan meets when Ally is planning her wedding to her fiancé Brent. Ally always put others above herself she surprise how much ease she is with Megan who is sought out wedding planner.

Ally and Megan have chemistry from the start their banter and dialogue was on point. I like how it wasn’t about cheating it’s about opening yourself up even if you get hurt to be who want to be and not follow what you’re suppose to be or who you want. I like that the characters communicate and not assume what the others are thinking. It’s has some angst that I feel we didn’t need but it added to the story.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿.

This book stood out among the ARCs this month and it put me in a cheerful mood, mostly. A story about a bride developing feelings for her wedding planner isn’t new, but the approach is refreshing and I enjoyed this immensely.

I love the main characters. I love that Ally shines in the way she lights up the room with her pleasantness and cheerfulness, untainted by money, power and fame even if she can't see her own worth. I love how Megan matches up by being equally likeable but is distinctive enough to stand on her own having carved a name for herself in an industry that has her at a disadvantage. I love how Ally comes from a place where she's not unhappy to be married to Brent but discovers that this is different from being in love and wanting more for herself. I love how free Ally is to explore her sexuality and connection with Megan at an early stage and a lot of my enjoyment was derived from their chemistry and banter. I love what they have, and for a period, the story felt absolutely perfect until the characters' flaws started showing up culminating in a conflict that left me partly miffed but still drawn to the drama.

This is a fantastic read, but come on, it’s Melissa Brayden. Who's surprised?

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Bold Strokes Book, Inc and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

The chemistry between the characters is palpable. The way it transitioned was beautiful and natural. Well done, kudos.

I will start by saying that Allison has not seemed so much a regular person, but an empathetic and generous person that others can take advantage of. It's not that she's naive or gullible, just that she always puts the needs of others before her own.

When the story begins, she looks like a woman who follows the rhythm that everyone thinks suits her, she is going to marry the golden bachelor, everyone is happy, she seems happy but not thrilled as her situation might imply. And maybe that's why she is receptive to the signals she receives when meeting Megan, otherwise it wouldn't be logical for her to suddenly rethink her future so much. I accept the story from the beginning as it is but only up to a point. I understand the reason for Ally's reactions, I find her a strong and judicious character, I can see the reasons for her doubts. But what she does at that certain point in the story doesn't make any sense.

Then the secondary characters, I'm sorry to say that I didn't like almost any of them. Lacey may be the nicest, but she's been erased for the best part of history, so she's lost points of interest, sadly.
Kelsey at first seemed like it was going to be something negative in the relationship but she has turned out to be the most judicious, although she has not been allowed to intervene in the darkest part of the story. On the other hand, Ally's family and that of her fiancé, I better not say anything, there is not much positive to comment on.

Because in short, this story has that big fat black hole in the middle that has completely ruined it for me. It is as if at that point everyone has lost their mind, all the care and sense that they were having in the complicated situation has sadly collapsed. And the ending hasn't fixed it in any way. I'm a bit disappointed to be honest.

Melissa Brayden has a new book out and as always it immediately jumps to the top of my to read list. She never lets me down when it comes to romance, great dialogue, humor, emotions and well written characters.
And ofcourse she didn't with Marry Me either...I was a little bit scared because I sincerely dislike the whole: 'I am going to marry someone else and then I find the love of my life' type of stories, but leave it to Brayden to write this theme in a way I can swallow it.
Ally and Megan are both great characters, the chemistry is there and I really liked the way all characters communicated. The big twist around the break-up and Ally's subsequent reaction was weird to me, but Brayden still managed to make it work. It was impressive to see how she wrote the 3rd party of the love triangle with respect and realistic in their responses.
Another great book that validates my decision to push it to the top of my reading pile!

I mean, of course this book was good. Brayden always knocks it out of the park. I loved the chemistry between the two mains. I feel like the timeline in the book was long in such a short span of reading but it never felt rushed. The banter between the characters was phenomenal. I think the dialogue is one of the things I really enjoy in Brayden’s books. There was a little back and forth between the mains for the usual romance book angst but it was welcomed and offered the characters a chance for self-reflection. Sometimes book angst feels like it was just thrown in there for the hell of it. But it felt needed in this book for character development. I loved it and would definitely recommend reading this one.

Melissa Brayden is one of my auto read authors and this was certainly no exception. I am not the biggest fan of the soon to be bride falling for a new person, but I think Melissa handled this topic with grace and wit and just the perfect amount of steam. This is the perfect book for reading on a porch with a big cup of coffee.

It's Melissa Brayden, we all know and love her books, she's one of the best writers in lesfic. Now, she often writes books that are more on the heavy emotional side, and romcoms as well- and I feel like this book really threads the needle between those, and I had a wonderful time reading it.

Marry Me follows Allison Hale as she is planning her wedding to high society member Brent Carmichael. Now Allyson is very much the “girl next door” type and has always lived in the shadow of her sister, and acts according to what she thinks others need more than herself. This all changes however when she hires Megan Kinkaid as her wedding planner. And suddenly she feels drawn and attracted to a person something she never has before, and this opens a whole new world of feelings for her. Megan Kinkaid, while one of the most sought-after wedding planners in Dallas, but has trouble opening herself up to romance and is afraid of being hurt. But when she is hired by Ally, that whole world opens up to her and it’s especially confusing because she obviously can’t get involved with a client right?

I want to get out of the way, that there isn’t any cheating in this book. I don't really think that's a spoiler to say. But I know a lot of people get turned off by books with infidelity, so I just want to be clear. That premise might imply or lead to infidelity sometimes, but it is handled well here. There is open communication by all parties at all times and honestly, you love to see it.

I loved Ally so much. She was adorable and loveable and I totally get why both Brent and Megan are entranced by her, but I also get why she doesn’t see herself the same way- Brayden did a really great job capturing that dichotomy in her character. And watching Megan come out of her shell over the course of the book and start to really go after what SHE wants as opposed to what people want for her was heartwarming. Now if I’m honest I didn’t love Megan AS much as Ally, but that’s not to say I didn’t like her- she was an interesting character with nuance of her own.

I also want to give a short kudos to this book for how it handled the love triangle. I’ve read a few other love triangle books this year where I felt like they spent too much time on the partner I wasn’t emotionally invested in, but I felt like this book both gave me more emotional investment in all characters, and still gave the majority of the page time to Ally and Megan

I don't really have complaints about this book. I loved it.

This book is great. It’s peak Melissa Brayden. I had a wonderful time reading it. 5/5

Reading a Melissa Brayden book is a certainty. And then I read the blurb and thought on no, this trope has been written and movies were made left right and centre. But then the narrative takes a different path to what I expected and it was so good. Brayden has this talent of making the leads not only have crazy chemistry but have a deep emotional compatibility that is so obvious when reading the book.
Ally is getting married to a rich man and her sister insists that there’s only one wedding planner that can do the job. And so she meets Megan, the go to event planner in Dallas. The book is filled with banter and it’s sweet and sexy and I wanted to go have a Dreamer with them. A great read that I recommend but then again I would say go buy all of Brayden’s books and do it asap.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The chemistry between Ally and Megan was there from the start, and I loved how Ally just accepted it and went with it. The banter and friendship between them was so sweet and adorable, and the author had done a great job translating that into sexual chemistry. However, the angst level rose considerably in the last third of the book - I like a bit of angst but I struggled with some of Ally’s actions (spoiler: like prioritising her ex fiancée over Megan after his accident, deciding to go ahead with marrying him just because Megan left her, and not being the slightest bit apologetic about that whilst she made Megan grovel to get her back). Still, this was a very well written book with interesting characters and an original plot, and I will recommend it to readers.