Here Comes the Groom (Harlequin Superromance)

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Here Comes the Groom (Going Back #29)

by Karina Bliss (Goodreads Author)

3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 · rating details · 354 ratings · 47 reviews

If Jocelyn Swann weren't so furious, she'd probably laugh. Her best friend, Dan Jansen, has launched a campaign worthy of his Special Forces training to arrange their wedding, from music and minister to flowers and food. What part of "no" does he not understand?

Their marriage "agreement" was a tipsy scrawl on the back of a coaster...three years ago It's not a question of l

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Kindle Edition, 288 pages

Published (first published December 21st 2010)

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May 12, 2011 Julie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: karina-bliss, fiction, contemporary-romance, harlequin

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I went into this book expecting a fun, lighthearted story based on the back cover blurb. That's not what I got, though. It took me so long to get through this book because it moves so slowly. Plus the subject matter includes cancer, PTSD, and dementia. It's not a fun read, and I'm the kind of romance reader who enjoys fun stories, who reads romance precisely because it's fun. Once in a while I like a more serious romance, but Here Comes the Groom didn't do it for me at all.

Jo, a newspaper publis...more I went into this book expecting a fun, lighthearted story based on the back cover blurb. That's not what I got, though. It took me so long to get through this book because it moves so slowly. Plus the subject matter includes cancer, PTSD, and dementia. It's not a fun read, and I'm the kind of romance reader who enjoys fun stories, who reads romance precisely because it's fun. Once in a while I like a more serious romance, but Here Comes the Groom didn't do it for me at all.

Jo, a newspaper publisher, and Dan, a soldier, have been best friends since childhood. After a drunken promise scribbled on a bar napkin -- if they're both still single at a certain point, they'll marry each other -- they have to follow through on that promise. Jo is reluctant, saying she was drunk and she doesn't want to ruin their friendship. Dan plans the wedding anyway. Jo tries to talk him out of it. They angst over it and their attraction to each other, separately and together. Jo takes care of her grandmother, the woman who raised her, who is now suffering from dementia. Jo and Dan kiss and talk about their feelings and have sex. The grandmother goes to live in a home. This goes on for a while.

Then, once Jo and Dan have their shit figured out and decide to get married, after Dan has dealt with his PTSD (no matter how much the author insists otherwise, it's PTSD), Jo and the best man, Ross, have Dan drugged and dropped in a forest on his wedding day. He has to make it out of this treacherous terrain in cold temperatures and get to his wedding.

Let's pause here as I did while reading the book. WHAT THE HELL. I don't get this at all. I would really like to ask the author the reason behind this decision. At first I thought I was reading a dream sequence, but nope, DAN IS IN THE FOREST. He's like a New Zealand version of a U.S. Navy SEAL or something, so he can manage. He even mentions that one time he and some other troops were dropped in the forest and forced to find their way out while being pursued for three days. But still, this was one of the weirdest turns I've ever seen a story take in any book, romance or otherwise.

The good stuff is that the book is competently written, albeit slightly repetitive. I would have liked more background on Jo and Dan's friendship. While the romance was plausible, all the time devoted to the book's other issues took away from it (in addition to the stuff mentioned above, Jo's paper is in financial trouble). A romance fails when it doesn't make me believe these two people should be together. I knew the story would end with a wedding, but I don't think either character was ready for a marriage. Sure, they've known each other forever, but holy crap did they have issues to deal with. I would have preferred an ending that showed the two of them on the path to something more serious instead of exchanging vows.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: category-romance, contemporary-romance, romance

Love the first two thirds, then it felt like the author jumped the shark. Otherwise, the book might have achieved 5 stars (on my 5 star romance scale). That said, I really hope to read more books by Ms. Bliss soon.

The first Karina Bliss book I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. One night while drunk, Jocelyn agrees on the back of a beer coaster to marry her friend Dan. Three years later after returning from a tough deployment with special forces, he tries to take her up on the offer. And he goe...more Love the first two thirds, then it felt like the author jumped the shark. Otherwise, the book might have achieved 5 stars (on my 5 star romance scale). That said, I really hope to read more books by Ms. Bliss soon.

The first Karina Bliss book I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. One night while drunk, Jocelyn agrees on the back of a beer coaster to marry her friend Dan. Three years later after returning from a tough deployment with special forces, he tries to take her up on the offer. And he goes full force to make it happen - setting up the minister, reception, etc. Jocelyn keeps trying to talk him out of it, but that just makes him work harder.

It’s clear they both want to be with each other, but both Dan and Jo have suffered through emotional traumas that are influencing their attitudes towards the impending nuptials. Jo developed breast cancer and had a mastectomy, but never told her family and friends. She feels that Dan couldn’t desire her imperfect self. She’s also taking care of her grandmother who’s developed dementia. Dan is still suffering from the trauma of losing several members of his group on a combat mission when he wasn’t there when their truck hit an explosive (or something, I can’t remember details).

Even though I’ve not faced these trauamas, the conflict felt very real and contemporary which is why I found the last 25% of the book disappointing. {SPOILER ALERT}

Jo realizes that Dan still needs to address his emotions with respect to the loss of his friends and his fealing that he should have done more or helped them or whatever . So she and his best man drug him and drop him in the middle of nowhere on his wedding day with a back pack, his wedding suit and minimal supplies. Can we say “jumped the shark” boys and girls? Everything else felt so real about this book, that this was just too over the top for me.

There were so many other aspects of the book that I liked that I could look past it and I do want to read more of her books.

A few other things I liked:
Dan’s mom wasn’t crazy about the marriage but she wasn’t nightmarish about it either. So often in romance the immediately family is at an extreme toward the bride.
Snappy dialogue
Good character development.
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Jun 09, 2012 Missy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romance

For a relatively quick read, there was a lot going on here. I do love the friends-to-lovers trope, so that hit my buttons, but I'm still surprised I grew to care so much about the characters. It was a very quick read--a couple of hours at most, but not because I was skimming. There's a line in one of the later books, talking about the plan the bride put in place the day before the wedding, where two of her friends kind of admit they have no idea why it was important that it happen like this, but...more

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Jan 19, 2012 KatiD rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-review-ish

One of my very favorite romance themes is the best friends to lovers one. Here Comes the Groom puts a delightful twist on the storyline, making it a unique entry into this well worn trope.

Jo and Dan have known each other and been best friends almost their entire lives. Jo runs a successful newspaper, and Dan is a soldier. Just before Dan is to be deployed to Afghanistan, Jo, drunk as a lord, makes a pass at him. He's shocked and angry with her for changing the playing field between them, especia...more One of my very favorite romance themes is the best friends to lovers one. Here Comes the Groom puts a delightful twist on the storyline, making it a unique entry into this well worn trope.

Jo and Dan have known each other and been best friends almost their entire lives. Jo runs a successful newspaper, and Dan is a soldier. Just before Dan is to be deployed to Afghanistan, Jo, drunk as a lord, makes a pass at him. He's shocked and angry with her for changing the playing field between them, especially just as he's leaving for war. Jo is completely humiliated by the failed pass and wishes that they'd never speak of it again.

But now Dan is back from war, and strangely, people keep congratulating Jo on her impending marriage to him. At first she thinks it's a joke, and laughs it off. But as she finds out that Dan has booked the reception location, is picking out tuxes, and has sent out the invitations, she begins to wonder what the heck is going on. When she confronts Dan about it, she is shocked to be reminded that indeed, on another night, in another drunken haze of heartbreak, they'd agreed (on a bar coaster, no less) to marry each other if they didn't find anyone else. Jo is appalled. She wasn't serious. And clearly, neither was Dan, as he rejected her advances before he left of Afghanistan. She doesn't love him as more than a friend, and frankly, has very good reasons for not marrying him. She cannot for the life of her understand why it is that he's pushing so hard. This is going to ruin everything.

This is a book of secrets and baggage. Dan is back from the horrors of war, much worse for the wear. He's experienced trauma and horror, and is determined to move on with him civilian life. This means marrying Jo, even if she doesn't love him. For her part, Jo is also a changed person since she made that pass. She has secrets too awful to tell Dan. And will absolutely not be marrying him for any reason whatsoever.

Once again Karina Bliss has created two interesting, flawed, headstrong characters in Here Comes the Groom. The book, set in New Zealand features nuanced characters who make interesting decisions. Not always good ones, but they learn and grow as they make them. There are a host of compelling secondary characters, including Jo's grandmother, and Dan's parents, themselves going through a terribly rough patch. But it is Jo and Dan who anchor the story. What I found interesting is, as I was reading, I started off really not liking Jo. I thought she was abrasive and combative. But as the reader begins to understand what she's been through, we soften towards her, and the light dawns. She has good reasons for not wanting to marry Dan, just as he has good and serious reasons for wanting to marry her. It's a fascinating tension that is beautifully portrayed by Karina Bliss. The book misses an A grade with me because there is a section with Dan in the outback that I thought was somewhat meandering and could have been tightened up. That being said, if you are looking for a strongly written book with realistic characters with very real issues, Here Comes the Groom is the book for you.

Final grade: B+(less)

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Dec 27, 2011 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dan and Jo are best friends who long ago made a marriage pact as a joke, which Dan then decides to take seriously. He starts planning the wedding against Jo's wishes and does everything possible to talk her into it. It sounds silly, I realize. But there is a lot more going on in this book then is apparent. In the interest of not spoiling the story, I'll just say that Jo and Dan have both been through and are still going through a lot of tough stuff. They are problems which I believe a lot of peo...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Mikaela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

The Book: Here comes the Groom by Karina Bliss

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Superromance, available both in print and e-book

Why was it in my TBR? I picked it up for Smart Bitch Sarah’s bookclub, but I never got around to read it.

The Review:

The blurb:

If Jocelyn Swann weren't so furious she'd probably laugh. Her best friend, Dan Jansen, has launched a campaign worthy of his Special Forces Training to arrange their wedding, from music and minister to flowers and food. What part o...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Calisto rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wtf, wanted-plot-beta

I'm not sure what to say about this book. Normally I steer clear of contemporary category romances, but this was in the tbr of a friend and had been rec'd in another blog. It is well written, has an interesting premise, and has good characters.

So why two stars? Well, to be honest, the more I think about this story, the less I like it. I'm giving two stars because I think it could have worked with some story/plot editing.

The first problem is the blurb because to me it sounds like a light, romant...more I'm not sure what to say about this book. Normally I steer clear of contemporary category romances, but this was in the tbr of a friend and had been rec'd in another blog. It is well written, has an interesting premise, and has good characters.

So why two stars? Well, to be honest, the more I think about this story, the less I like it. I'm giving two stars because I think it could have worked with some story/plot editing.

The first problem is the blurb because to me it sounds like a light, romantic comedy. It's not. In fact, it's a bloody heavy read that left me kinda exhausted at the pile on of personal problems. Where to begin? War. Survivor's guilt. Separation/divorce (twice). Dementia. Wedding planning. Cancer. Angsty teen. Possible infidelity. Oh and don't forget a possible hostile takeover or at least demise of the heroine's business (by her ex with the help of a childhood friend).

Enough already! Granted not all of the drama is between the hero and heroine but it affects them and takes time away from their romance. To be honest, I saw no reason for these two to be together other than convenience. I didn't feel a romance between them, much less love, because of all the crap that was going around them.

So what was the point of all that drama? I don't know. This story could have just focused on the war/dementia angle to showcase the pain of survivor's guilt. The rest was just distracting.

And let's not forget the heroine's 'brilliant solution' to the hero's problem. So imagine my surprise when I'm expecting a humorous 'Gilmore Girls' (dramedy) type of story and instead get a 'very special episode' of Days of Our Lives (soap opera). Now multiply that by ten when the end is hijacked by one of those ridiculous 'guy comedies' where the hero is stuck in middle of nowhere thanks to his friends and has to rush to the church by any means necessary in order to get to the wedding on time. Really. WTF?!

I get it why some readers loved this story but it just didn't work for me.

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Jan 24, 2011 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-out-do-yourself, 211-books-in-2011, january-2011, read-in-2011

This was a sweet friends-to-lovers tale. Jocelyn and Dan have been best friends forever. They agreed, during a night of drunken revelry, that if they were still unmarried at 33 they'd marry each other. Both knew it was a joke, even if they did write it down on the back of a bar placemat and sign it like a contract. Now, on the eve of Jocelyn's 33rd birthday, Dan has changed the rules of the game..he's decided he really wants to marry Jocelyn. But neither of them are the kids they were when they...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Brianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hoping ths works - this is my frist TBR Challenge entry.

Jan - Category Romance.
Not usually the genre i read (because many of my books come from the library) so when i saw many great reviews for Here Comes the Groom by Karina Bliss, I jumped all over it. And it did not disappoint. I loved it, even stayed up way too late because i could not out the book down and read it in one sitting.

Dan and Jo have been best friends for 28 years and seen each other through many different events and times of adv...more Hoping ths works - this is my frist TBR Challenge entry.

Jan - Category Romance.
Not usually the genre i read (because many of my books come from the library) so when i saw many great reviews for Here Comes the Groom by Karina Bliss, I jumped all over it. And it did not disappoint. I loved it, even stayed up way too late because i could not out the book down and read it in one sitting.

Dan and Jo have been best friends for 28 years and seen each other through many different events and times of adversity. One night, they made a drunken pledge that if Jo was not married by 33, Dan would marry her. She took it as a joke. He didnt quite as much. He comes back from over a year fighting in Afghanistsn and losing 2 men from his unit (and really his family) and is ready to make good on the promise. But many, mahy things have changed for Jo in the last year of her life, things she has not told anyone, even Dan.

This book is poignant and real. the issues Jo and Dan faced separately and together are real. They dont always react how they should or treat others in their life or each other well, but that is part of dealing with the enormity of these issues. They each grow emensely throughout the story and come to see asspects of themsleves and the other that had always been there but that had never really been seen. There were times it made me cry, but that made the journey and where they reached by the end all the more staisifyig. The conversations they have and the interactions with their friends and family are also real. there is a wild ride of emotional ups and downs and events, and you want to follow that ride with these characters.

There are also many side stories with some of the secondary characters. We do not see as much detail in those interaction, as their is not time enough in the limited number of pages of the SuperRomance, but we do see the role all these characters play in dan and jo's lives and that helps us learn about each of them in more detail. (less)

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Jan 02, 2011 adventurat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to adventurat by: Sarah

Shelves: smart-bitches-rec, 2011, fiction, romance

This is another Smart Bitches recommendation, and I've come to trust their recommendations. I was right to, for this one, too. I started reading it at bedtime last night (because the nonfic paper book I'm reading in the living room is neither bedtime reading subject matter nor small enough to hold comfortably while lying down), and finished it just after lunchtime today.

This book is not all fluff and hot sex - though it has its share of both - and I really liked that about it. The heroine, Jo, i...more This is another Smart Bitches recommendation, and I've come to trust their recommendations. I was right to, for this one, too. I started reading it at bedtime last night (because the nonfic paper book I'm reading in the living room is neither bedtime reading subject matter nor small enough to hold comfortably while lying down), and finished it just after lunchtime today.

This book is not all fluff and hot sex - though it has its share of both - and I really liked that about it. The heroine, Jo, is a real person with real problems - financial difficulties in business and a grandmother with increasing dementia, just to name two. The hero, Dan, is more than a plate of sexy muscle, too; he's a discharged soldier grappling with survivor guilt and a complete change of lifestyle, returning to the family farm in New Zealand after two of his closest army comrades are killed, and two others injured, during a manoeuvre that Dan can't quite forgive himself for not being present for.

The secondary characters are real, too, and have real world problems: the widows and children of Dan's lost comrades struggle with grief and all that comes with it; marriages that seem perfect on the surface prove to be otherwise; people fail to communicate, they hurt each other. And some of them find their solutions within these pages, and some of them don't.

Jo's grandmother, Rosemary, is an incandescent character. She has dementia, and has good days and bad days. She is repetitive, sometimes querulous, sometimes irrational, sometimes confused, but hasn't progressed to not remembering who her nearest and dearest are. Jo is wonderful with her, and the longstanding loving relationship between them is indisputably believable and quite affecting.

I had a little giggle about the alcoholic references, because they're so completely out of sync with the time setting of the book. Admittedly, New Zealand is a bit behind the rest of the world in some things (pinball machines still dominated when I was there in 1994), but I haven't seen a "sloe comfortable screw against the wall" on a bar menu in approximately forever (I think they were fashionable for about ten minutes in the mid- to late seventies), and the same goes for Asti Spumante, which I have never had in anything other than punch, and even then not since the mid-1980's.

In all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the Smart Bitches Sizzling Book Club chat about it later this month. (less)

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Jan 02, 2011 Writerlibrarian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, january-pile, read2011, romance

This is Smart Biches Sizzling Book Club January selection.

It's a quick read but not a dull read. I already had read one of Bliss romances last spring and she is still a very good storyteller, her hero and heroine are strong, grounded leads that you like and cheer for. Her secondary characters are not paper thin.

Here we have two best friends who realize they are meant to be. The journey there is the fun and heart of the novel. Daniel comes home from serving in Afghanistan after losing 2 members...more

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Dec 03, 2010 Dana S rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: harlequin-super-romance, friends-to-lovers

I didn't love this much as Karina Bliss's previous book, but it was still a very enjoyable read. Jo and Dan were such well-crafted characters and I was sucked into the book.

The blurb is misleading, not in terms of plot, but tone, it makes it sound like this book is a romantic comedy and it's not, the book deals with a lot of heavy issues. There's a good dose of humor here, but I thought What the Librarian Did actually had more humor in it.

Dan's back home after a deployment to Afghanistan and i...more I didn't love this much as Karina Bliss's previous book, but it was still a very enjoyable read. Jo and Dan were such well-crafted characters and I was sucked into the book.

The blurb is misleading, not in terms of plot, but tone, it makes it sound like this book is a romantic comedy and it's not, the book deals with a lot of heavy issues. There's a good dose of humor here, but I thought What the Librarian Did actually had more humor in it.

Dan's back home after a deployment to Afghanistan and is dealing with grief and guilt over dead teammates. Dan takes a joke engagement he had with Jo and tries to turn it into an actual engagement, so he can live big for his dead teammates. Jo is dealing with Dan's marriage plot, an ailing grandmother, health problems, and job issues. She has her own reasons for not wanting to get into a serious relationship and is annoyed that Dan is taking the joke too far.

The whole, hero planning a wedding for an unwilling bride could have been totally creepy and stalkery, but I thought it was actually charming and funny. Dan is trying to convince Jo to get married, but has no intention of forcing her to get married. And it helps that the two of them have a long standing friendship. There are no alpha-holes here.

I loved Dan and Jo. I'm a sucker for a good friends to lover plot, and this book delivered in spades. I loved that the two of them enjoyed a great platonic friendship, and that one of them wasn't pining for the other one for years. The gradual shift from platonic to not platonic was believable and I totally believe these two will go the distance.

Jo was such a strong heroine. Her relationship with her grandmother was one of the highlights in the book. She's dealt with so much in her life, and I really admired her resiliency. Dan has a solid-as-a-rock quality to him that I really liked. The two of them act like actual friends and talk out their issues, I love that there were no big misunderstanding scenes.

This was leading up to an A read, until the ending. The ending was rushed and the way Dan's character arc was resolved made no sense to me. I thought what Jo did was stupid, and I'm baffled at how her solution was supposed to help Dan. I think this book would have benefited from a longer word count and flesh out some plot/character arcs a bit more. Jo's issue seemed to be kind of pushed aside and never really resolved.

But then there was a ton of sequel bait in this book, and I'm guessing we'll be seeing more of these characters in later books.(less)

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Jan 03, 2011 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Another strong offering from Bliss, set in her native New Zealand. Years ago, 2 friends signed a contract (on a "beer mat", probably while drunk) stating that if they weren't married by a certain age, they'd marry each other. They are now that age. He's a veteran mourning the loss of his comrades in Afghanistan; she's caring for her grandmother who has dementia, and is carrying a secret that she believes should keep her from relationships. He starts planning their wedding, without her buy-in. Wi...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

3.5

There was so much going on here. I keep trying to think of where to begin, but maybe that's the problem. There just isn't anywhere because there are too many anywheres and I'm overthinking it. How's that for headache-inducing?

The story begins with Dan saving Jo from herself as she's drunkenly attempting to get laid by a complete stranger. He's about to ship out to Afghanistan and she's about to have surgery that she hasn't and isn't going to tell him about. When he scares off her prospect and...more 3.5

There was so much going on here. I keep trying to think of where to begin, but maybe that's the problem. There just isn't anywhere because there are too many anywheres and I'm overthinking it. How's that for headache-inducing?

The story begins with Dan saving Jo from herself as she's drunkenly attempting to get laid by a complete stranger. He's about to ship out to Afghanistan and she's about to have surgery that she hasn't and isn't going to tell him about. When he scares off her prospect and hauls her up to her hotel room, she makes a pass at him, which he rebuffs with a little bit of horror (and she tosses up her drinks a moment later).

Flash a year forward. Dan has returned home to New Zealand a substantially changed man. Two of his mates were brutally killed in the war, one badly wounded physically, one emotionally and he's dealing with survivor's guilt because he was off the team that day. This was probably the most well developed piece of the story and I still wish there had been more of it. The way Dan dealt with his grief, related to his dead mate's widow and son and the depth of his friendship with his injured mate were all so poignant, they painted the picture of his personality more strongly than anything he did with Jo. I couldn't fault him for wanting to come home to the one person who always supported him and to grab on and live life to its fullest. His going in knowing he loved her, just not that way seemed inconvenient but not an obstacle. It all looked pretty simple to him: he loved Jo, he wanted to marry her and have the whole "living in harmony, kids, happy ever after," so he set up his plan and went to work.

Jo's been the boss of the local paper for the past ten years since her grandfather's death and it's perilously close to falling into the red. She's also the main caregiver for her grandmother who's in the later stages of dementia. It's safe to say she's got a full plate, so when Dan comes home sending out their wedding invitations she laughs at the joke for five minutes then wants to bop him on the head when she realizes he's serious. Jo's given up on marriage, kids and the whole deal, especially with her best friend and most definitely when it looks like he's only marrying her out of a misplaced sense of urgency because of his mates' deaths. Toss in the fact that she can tell he's only "settling" for her and she doesn't want anything to do with his plans.

This would be where I would stop and think, "Okay, that's enough stuff. Get on with the story."

Nope. There's more stuff to add.

Side stories about Dan's parents, Jo's employee and her boyfriend, a potential takeover of the paper, Dan's sister, the widow and son of one of Dan's mates and a big secret of Jo's are in there too. Not all of them are huge (a couple are), but they all distract, expecially when there's a deficit in Dan and Jo's story that needed filling.

Passion. I never felt it. Did they grow to love each other in a way beyond friendship? Of course, and it was well before the end of the book so I'm not giving away any big spoiler. It may well be the limitations imposed by the Superromance line left me feeling a little let down too but I never got the impression that these two (or at least Jo) were breathless for each other. That's not to say there wasn't intimacy because there was - I just wasn't..feeling it. I don't think I ever really figured out if Jo regretted that first drunken pass at Dan or not.

There was a last bit of insane drama at the end that was so cheesy that I have to admit it was kind of good cheesy. Daytime soap opera cheesy, no offense to daytime soap operas intended. It didn't really add or detract from the story in my opinion since I thought it was an overall waste of time on Jo's part, but it was still funny.

This was a sweet love story but it lacked a level of chemistry that I thought would make it a truly romantic love story. It could have used either another hundred pages or the same number of pages minus a side story or two. The author deftly handles the traumatic aftermath of the attack on Dan's team in Afghanistan, the effects of dementia on the loved ones left to care for them and the life-altering issues surrounding Jo’s secret. I'm looking forward to reading more from her in the future.
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Mar 20, 2011 Ana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z-read-in-2011, harlequin-super-romance

I loved the book, way better than What the Librarian Did IMO.

First of all, I love the friends-to-lovers theme, and this book delivered. Jocelyn & Dan are good friends and make a great couple.

The book had some funny moments, especially in the beginning. Dan's idea of bullying Jocelyn into marrying him (in a good way, mind you) by planing the wedding is unique, and probably something that wouldn't goo so good in RL, but here it works like a charm. I loved Jocelyn's reaction when she realised...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Kaetrin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, contemporary

3.5 stars
Enjoyable story about a breast cancer survivor and an ex-SAS soldier suffering from survivor guilt and depression after he was sidelined from a mission which left two of his team dead and one other seriously wounded. Some years before, the pair made a drunken agreement to marry each other if they were both single at age 33. Guess what? I liked this quite a but but the ending felt a bit strange to me. I'm not sure the adventure of the last chapters fit with the rest of the book and I'm n...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-ensemble, awesomely-awesome-reads, banterbanterbanter, big-secret, romances-contemporary, catalyst-for-change, conversations-are-love, declaration-of-love, doubts-and-insecurities, driving-force, e-books, family-is-love, fiction, funny, friendship-into-love, gasp-worthy, happy-endings, heartwrenching, hidden-depths, hopeless-romantic, how-do-you-not-love-the-hero, love-yourself, moments-it-s-the-moments, overcoming-the-past, part-of-series, real-deal, romance, so-much-love, strong-friendships, tender-moments-that-tug-at-your-hea, the-ties-that-bind, 2011-reads, harlequin-super-romance

I was going through my library last night when I saw this book and decided to pick it up. Obviously the summary is not going to give away the plot but now that I've read the book, that summary just doesn't match for me ... it doesn't do it justice .. Because this book is not all light and fluffy. Yes, it does revolve around the marriage agreement, and it is hilarious at times, with the witty banter, the clever comebacks, with theirhis stubbornness that just endears him even more. The story thoug...more I was going through my library last night when I saw this book and decided to pick it up. Obviously the summary is not going to give away the plot but now that I've read the book, that summary just doesn't match for me ... it doesn't do it justice .. Because this book is not all light and fluffy. Yes, it does revolve around the marriage agreement, and it is hilarious at times, with the witty banter, the clever comebacks, with theirhis stubbornness that just endears him even more. The story though, it's got so much more to offer than that. I won't spoil it for anybody, but I will just say that there will be many people touched by Dan's situation and by Jo's circumstances. I even shed a tear or two at different times. I loved it didn't shy away from emotionally heavy matters such as those present in the book. I loved the characters, both the h/h were so real, flawed, struggling, trying, and you can't help but love them and root for them. They've been best friends practically their whole life, and you really do get the sense of their very strong and solid friendship. It made me have faith in their relationship that even as a reader, I wasn't so worried because I saw their unwavering devotion to each other. There was this great scene in the kitchen when Dan and Jo were talking, where he proved exactly how much he knows Jo, that I didn't even realize what was going on until she paused and I had the same epiphany. Jo, too, gifts Dan something like it when in the end, she gives him a chance to be alone to figure some things out. Then, there were supporting characters that were also awesome, and were actually very ... supportive of their plight, hehehe. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were plenty of moments to love and there were sooo many moments that made me fall in love. The ending was a little too much for me, like something I would expect from a romcom movie, but apparently Dan could do no wrong in my eyes because it just made me love him even more. This is my first of the author, but I'm definitely off to buy more of her work. :D(less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: military-service-member, ptsd, writer-journalist, friends-to-lovers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I think this is more along the lines of 2.5 stars.

I picked it up because of the blurb - the hero pushing for the marriage, with the heroine being reluctant. I enjoy stories that include that type of storyline.

While I overall liked the story, there was a lot going on. Almost too much. And it was set up as if to have one or two more books written about some of the secondary characters . . .I mean, secondary story lines were brought in/mentioned, with no type of resolution. And as this is one of th...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Becky Moe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, military-hero

I loved, loved, loved so much of this book. The last twenty percent, though? It went into total what-the-heck world. I still don't quite get why Jocelyn did what she did or how Dan was okay with it. I'm pretty sure I got an extra furrow in my brow while reading that whole part. Still, for the rest of it the characters were well written and their other actions for the most part made sense. Book two is up next; I'm working my way up to Lee's story, due out in May!

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Oct 16, 2011 Katy Beth Mckee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow this story really blew me away. I had picked it when it was a book club selection but never got around to reading it. Since it was a Sunday afternoon I decided to give it a try since the description on the back led me to expect a sort of romantic comedy of friends realizing they are really meant to be together, a la "Harry Met Sally".

The book turned out to be so much more. It was full of drama and carried a very high emotional impact that was truly unexpected from both the blurb and this pa...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Tracie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: harlequin, read-in-2012

Wow! Just wow!

This was an emotional read that tore at my heart. The issues are so current that at times it was tough to read about.

I love the friends-to-lovers trope. I also like the original take that he did the pursuing and planning the wedding, etc. This was a great story about friends who connect on all levels and 2 people who grow to love one another and need each other.

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Dec 30, 2011 Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series-romance, read-in-2011

I loved Bliss's librarian's secret book and this one was just as promising until the last few chapters. Then a bizarre detour light on realism and logic imploded what would otherwise be one of my very favorite HQs of the year. 2011 has been that kind of year, with a similar WTF ruining A Fountain Filled with Blood in the Clare/Russ books as well.

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Feb 20, 2011 Elizabeth Reeve rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

Super-short review: I don't really read contemporary romance without a speculative/paranormal-type slant, but I am so glad I tried this one out. Wonderful, complex characters with a fantastic supporting cast, and a sweet love story. And it made me laugh out loud a few times, too, which is always a plus!

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Apr 27, 2011 Autumn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemp-romance, harlequin-slim-shorty, library-rentals

what a great story that was.

Maybe is a misconception that i expect superficial plots when i read short Harlequin novels. I was pleasantly surprised to see otherwise.

in "Here comes the Groom" I felt very compelled with both characters as well as the plot.

the Plot dealt with real issues but they were dealt in a charming way. what i thought worked for the story to give it the right depth in its short length, was that the H/h were best friends with a lot of history behind them.

I really enjoyed Ka...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: category-romance, favorites

Sweet, funny, growing-from-tragedy, kind of steamy friends-to-lovers romance with a fabulous ending that kind of reminded me of old-school rom-coms and really made me want to visit New Zealand (alas, for the cost and flight time). I'm definitely planning to read more by this author.

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Feb 15, 2011 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, read-in-2011

I'm usually a huge fan of category romances, but I really enjoyed this one. Dan was great, trying to convince Jo to marry him any way he oculd think of. The end was a little too over the top, but also something I've come to expect from category books.

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Jan 17, 2011 Lynn Calvin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Friends to lovers - some serious issues well done although I guessed all of them early. Unhappy with the stalker vibe although the author redeemed it well. Still not ok with it, but will gladly read more from this author.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 Shelley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Shelley by: SBTB

Shelves: chicklitromance

This took me, like, six weeks to read. I love the author, I loved the characters, but I did not like the plot. I wanted to see how they managed to get to the end, and every time I skipped ahead, it made no sense. It did mostly when I read it linearly, but meh. Too much like Jeremy and Natalie on Sports Night and I loathed that story.

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Dec 27, 2010 Jane Litte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this book was funny, charming and super romantic. Loved the somewhat over the top ending. Thought the book could have used an additional 20,000 words to flesh out the heroine's issues.

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Feb 26, 2013 Carolina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

long, quirky, a little damaged and fun. Maybe a bit more is missing on something, i really cant tell you, but its like half a spark, when it could have gone supernova.
Cute ending

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About Karina Bliss

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was twelve but then I forgot and did a lot of other things instead. These included getting an arts degree in English and Political Studies at Auckland University (New Zealand), a postgraduate degree in periodical journalism at the University of London, travelling, having my heart broken a couple of times, meeting the right guy, building a house, having a baby - t...more

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Quotes from Here Comes the Groom

“We've had fifteen years of being grown-ups when we could have got together and we never have. Doesn't that tell you something?'
'Yeah, that timing is everything. Hit on me again now.” — 1 person liked it

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