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13th out of 137 books
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Stand-In Groom (Brides of Bonneterre #1)
by
Kaye Dacus (Goodreads Author)
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none">Get ready to attend the quirkiest wedding ever in this delightful romance by Kaye Dacus, a new voice in women's contemporary fiction. When wedding planner Anne Hawthorne first meets George Laurence, she thinks she's found the man of her dreams. But when she discovers he's a c...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
January 1st 2009
by Barbour Publishing Inc.
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Great debut! I really enjoyed this story once I got into it. It had unique characters and plot twists. If not for the slow start I would've given it five stars, but it was incredibly romantic and for that I applaud Kaye. The romantic elements and the push-pull that is such and important part of romance novels was very well done. The author had me turning the pages once I got sucked into the story.
I didn't feel manipulated and the conflict didn't seem contrived, which was refreshing....more
I didn't feel manipulated and the conflict didn't seem contrived, which was refreshing....more
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George Laurance is a English Personal Assistant to a wealthy man who wants to remain a secret when it comes to putting together his wedding. So he has George go with his fiance to make the wedding plans.
The first time Anne laid eyes on George she just new he was the one, then she finds out he is a client. Anne wonders why she has all the bad luck and with her growing attractiong to George she is not sure if she can go through with planning his wedding.
George hates lying ...more
The first time Anne laid eyes on George she just new he was the one, then she finds out he is a client. Anne wonders why she has all the bad luck and with her growing attractiong to George she is not sure if she can go through with planning his wedding.
George hates lying ...more
Margaret
rated it
Recommends it for:
contemporary romantics
Recommended to Margaret by:
Angie Brillhart
This is quite the romance. Some could call it predictable, but I would not necessarily say that because one could not foresee all the twists and turns that are to occur before the outcome. I only think people will predict how they want it to end and just assume they will get it right. As I have said dozens of times before, I am not much a fan of contemporary romances, but I liked this one. That said, I did not necessarily love it. But I think that is because my heart is just stronger in the real...more
Kaye’s Christian Romance novel, Stand-in Groom was a fun and thoroughly enjoyable story from start to finish. The writing is smooth and tight and moves you from scene to scene effortlessly. No part of the novels feels too slow or too quick. I have to say it’s one of the best paced romance books I’ve read in a while. You get just enough to enjoy that moment and look forward to the next.
Her two main characters, Anne and George, have wonderful personality, with strengths and insecur...more
Her two main characters, Anne and George, have wonderful personality, with strengths and insecur...more
Wedding planner Anne Hawthorne is an expert at making other people’s dreams come true, however, making her own dreams of happily ever after come true have met with nothing but heartache. Her trust bruised and battered, Anne is wary of wary of truly opening her heart to anyone except her close-knit family. When the very British George Laurence appears, for one brief moment Anne thinks God might have finally answered her prayers for a mate. When George turns out to be a client, Anne struggles to b...more
Summary:
When wedding planner Anne Hawthorne meets George Laurence, she thinks she's found the man of her dreams. But when he turns out to be a client, her "dream" quickly turns into a nightmare. Will Anne risk her heart and her career on this engaging Englishman? George came to Louisiana to plan his employer's wedding and pose as the groom. But how can he feign affection for a supposed fiance when he's so achingly attracted to the wedding planner? And what will happen when Anne ...more
When wedding planner Anne Hawthorne meets George Laurence, she thinks she's found the man of her dreams. But when he turns out to be a client, her "dream" quickly turns into a nightmare. Will Anne risk her heart and her career on this engaging Englishman? George came to Louisiana to plan his employer's wedding and pose as the groom. But how can he feign affection for a supposed fiance when he's so achingly attracted to the wedding planner? And what will happen when Anne ...more
If you enjoyed the movie The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, you'll get a real kick out of Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus.
Anne Hawthorne resides in Bonneterre, Louisiana, a fictionally "real" town with lots of equally "real" characters. A successful wedding planner, Anne has everything she needs--except, of course, her own groom.
Through her cousin, she meets handsome Englishman George Laurence, and feels an instant attraction...more
Anne Hawthorne resides in Bonneterre, Louisiana, a fictionally "real" town with lots of equally "real" characters. A successful wedding planner, Anne has everything she needs--except, of course, her own groom.
Through her cousin, she meets handsome Englishman George Laurence, and feels an instant attraction...more
Laura
rated it
This is the first book in a series about Bonneterre, LA. The book centers around wedding planner Anne Hawthorne. She is 35 and single, but praying for a husband of her own. When George Laurence enters her life, she thinks God may have introduced her to the One. George is a 41-year-old personal assistant to a star. He's been asked to keep his employers identity a secret while his wedding is planned to keep the reporters at bay. Meeting Anne has him feeling even more guilty about his decepti...more
The first in a 3 book series of Christian Romance Fiction...I LOVED this book and had a hard time putting it down. This was my first exposure to author Kaye Dacus and I cannot wait to read more of her work. The characters were so well written and the plot was truly captivating. The setting for this story is in the heart of the south (I am also a big sucker for books set in the south), a small town in Louisiana. You get a real taste of southern flair with this title.
The story revolve...more
The story revolve...more
Despite the fact that I don't like contemporary romance as much as I like historical romance, I did enjoy this book. I thought Kaye Dacus came up with a creative storyline with George pretending to be a groom to protect the identity of his famous boss. In the beginning I was anxious to see how she would have the character balance being a Christian with carrying out such a deception. She showed the right amount of struggle that George faced with this himself to make it believable when he did c...more
This book was wonderful light-hearted fun. The main character, Anne Hawthorne, is a wedding planner who meets a perspective client, George Laurence, and instantly feels like maybe her single days are over and God has answered her prayers. Even though Anne is attracted to George, she maintains a professional distance because she’s been led to believe George is the soon-to-be-married groom. As their mutual attraction grows, George struggles to find a way to tell Anne what his real roll is in the w...more
Great book for a light read. Plot was predictable, almost too predictable, except for one scene at the very end that surprised me. Good character development with many interesting minor characters. Great setting of the scene for the city. I had minor issues with George and Anne initially referring to themselves as unattractive; somehow this made it harder for me to pull for them in the beginning. However, after a while, I grew to like them. Good romance development between the two main character...more
This book was my first picked up at a Christian Bookstore. The back cover said it all. It has the romance, shock, and intrique that we all love to see in a book.
The two main characters, Anne and George, have a great connection from the beginning. The problem is, is that Anne is planning George's wedding to a girl half his age. Little does she know George is standing in for "his employer"....who she has a past with. George and Anne get to know each other during the wedding ...more
The two main characters, Anne and George, have a great connection from the beginning. The problem is, is that Anne is planning George's wedding to a girl half his age. Little does she know George is standing in for "his employer"....who she has a past with. George and Anne get to know each other during the wedding ...more
Kaye Dacus premieres her Brides of Bonneterre series with a story about Anne, a wedding planner charged with putting together the biggest wedding of the year. The good news is that there is no budget. The bad news, however, is that she finds herself attracted to the groom! George Laurence discovers he is in a similar predicament - as a stand-in for the real groom, he is forbidden to reveal his job to anyone, ESPECIALLY the wedding planner, whom he just can't seem to stay away from. George gets t...more
This was my first experience with Kaye Dacus, and I happened upon her by accident. I won a copy of the second book in this series, Menu For Romance, from a Goodreads giveaway and my OCD nature wouldn't allow myself to read it without reading the first book. Yes, the storyline is very similar to the movie The Wedding Planner, but with a few different twists. I really enjoyed all of the characters and I couldn't put the book down - I finished it in 24 hours! I am now reading Menu For Romance a...more
I really enjoyed Stand-In Groom> in spite of myself. I am NOT the romance novel type at all. While I consider myself a Christian, I have not read any Christian novels per se.
All that being said, this was an enjoyable read. It is not at all "preachy" like I was expecting. The mentions of God and faith flow in the book. Kaye Dacus is truly a fantastic writer. I could see all the characters and where they were in my head. She is descriptive but not overly so. At tim...more
All that being said, this was an enjoyable read. It is not at all "preachy" like I was expecting. The mentions of God and faith flow in the book. Kaye Dacus is truly a fantastic writer. I could see all the characters and where they were in my head. She is descriptive but not overly so. At tim...more
Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus
Barbour Publishing, 2008
302 pages
Inspirational, Romance
1st in series-Brides of Bonneterre
4.5/5 stars
Source: Received from netgalley
Summary: Anne Hawthorne meets George Laurence, tall, good-looking, Christian, and not available. So not available in fact that she is planning his wedding to another woman. But George isn't exactly what he's portraying. Can Anne and George work through it to establish the kind of relati...more
Barbour Publishing, 2008
302 pages
Inspirational, Romance
1st in series-Brides of Bonneterre
4.5/5 stars
Source: Received from netgalley
Summary: Anne Hawthorne meets George Laurence, tall, good-looking, Christian, and not available. So not available in fact that she is planning his wedding to another woman. But George isn't exactly what he's portraying. Can Anne and George work through it to establish the kind of relati...more
Romance stories are not typically my cup of tea. When I first started reading fiction a lot, they were, but I no longer go out of my way any more to read a romance. Well.....I'm glad I decided to make an exception for Stand-in Groom! This is a romance done right!
Anne's career choice alone really makes this book stand out. I had a brief desire at one point in my life to be a wedding planner, but now that I actually know what's involved, plus reading how Anne practically runs herself rag...more
Anne's career choice alone really makes this book stand out. I had a brief desire at one point in my life to be a wedding planner, but now that I actually know what's involved, plus reading how Anne practically runs herself rag...more
I'm a sucker for a good wedding planner romance, and I enjoyed the heroine in this one. Anne is smart, warm, and confident. The narrative shows her analytical and people skills at work: she reads other people well, and she responds accordingly. She's a good businesswoman and a good friend, and I really believed in the romance whenever the hero, George, recognized and admired these traits in her.
The various miscommunications and incidents of untruthfulness used as plot devices to crea...more
The various miscommunications and incidents of untruthfulness used as plot devices to crea...more
Professional wedding planner Anne Hawthorne has built her business by being the best. She fills her days making her clients’ dreams come true and waiting for the day when she’ll be the one standing at the altar. Her first interaction with elegant Englishman George Laurence has her wondering if he’s the man God has for her, a man she could really trust. But then George shows up in her office—as one of her grooms. How can she keep her feelings under control while orchestrating the most elaborate w...more
This Christian romance is a well-written, thoroughly enjoyable read. The pacing was excellent and kept me wanting to know what came next. I liked how the two main characters truly strove to live out their high ideals in less than ideal circumstances. While neither main character was perfect, they were very clearly perfect for each other.
Both main characters are Christians and their faith plays a lot more vital role in their lives than is typical in many Christian romance books. Overa...more
Both main characters are Christians and their faith plays a lot more vital role in their lives than is typical in many Christian romance books. Overa...more
Anne is planning a wedding for George, thinking he was the groom. Then she finds out he is just standing in for someone else. Can she remain professional while falling in love with George?
Cute story, fun and clean romance. Great for a teen. Moral without being pushy. I have the next 2 in the series, and look forward to reading them.
Cute story, fun and clean romance. Great for a teen. Moral without being pushy. I have the next 2 in the series, and look forward to reading them.
Catherine Richmond
added it
The hectic pace of Anne's business as a wedding planner never lets up as she falls in love with one of the grooms. Bonneterre, Louisiana is so realistic - soak up the sunshine, grab some crawfish, and celebrate with Anne's delightful family.
If I could give this book three and a half stars I would, it was a fast paced read and enjoyable.
Anne Hathaway is a wedding planner,but because of a broken heart has yet to get married herself. When she meets the man who makes her heart beat faster she is disappointed to find out he is engaged and she is to plan the wedding.What a cute story.
Anne Hathaway is a wedding planner,but because of a broken heart has yet to get married herself. When she meets the man who makes her heart beat faster she is disappointed to find out he is engaged and she is to plan the wedding.What a cute story.
I made it through a little over 100 pages of this book before I had to stop reading. It was completely cheesy and I couldn't get into the main character. I just really didn't like her at all. While the other characters seemed to be more well-developed and likeable, I don't know if I would pick up another book of Kaye Dacus again.
I liked this even though it was set in the South. (Um, I have a thing about books set in the South.) Pleasant, engaging characters and a fun situation. Plus, who doesn’t like reading about weddings?
I loved this book. This book takes place in Louisiana. This made me really happy because I love the south and the culture there. I loved this book because it made you feel like you were there. When they talked about the food the described it so it was like you could taste it in your mouth. When there was a conflict between some of the characters you could feel the tension between them. This book was like a rollercoaster ride disaster. One moment everything is going great and the characters are g...more
Another fun read by Kaye Dacus. I really like her writing style for a fun, fast read. As I told Nathan, it is a clean chick flick in a book. What girl wouldn't like that?
An extremely, over the top cheesy Christian Fiction story. A big disappointment! The only good thing I have to say is it was clean.
One of my new favorite authors! I loved this book! Very well-written. can't wait until the sequel comes out in June or July.
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Kaye Dacus is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. Pursuing her passion for writing, she earned a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She is a former Vice President and long-time member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and is also a founding member of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennes...more
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