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Crandell Sisters #1
I Do [But I Don't]
She creates perfect days.
In spite of her incorrigible curly hair, Lauren Crandell is a neat-freak and organizational guru, qualities that make her the perfect wedding planner. But when two weddings in one day go haywire, and hunky firefighter Nick Corona comes to the rescue -- twice -- Lauren realizes there are a few important details in her own life she hasn't been tending to since her divorce. Namely, her sex life.
She lives lonely nights.
Sweet and sexy Nick seems hell-bent on fanning the flames between them, and Lauren definitely feels sparks flying. But she's scrambling to plan nuptials for her most challenging client yet -- a beautiful, cunning, and certifiable Psycho Bride. With the big day rapidly approaching, a series of misunderstandings, mishaps, and mistaken identities threatens to ruin not one, but two happily ever afters. But with her career and her love life on the line, the wedding planner just might learn that you can't plan everything, least of all true love.
In spite of her incorrigible curly hair, Lauren Crandell is a neat-freak and organizational guru, qualities that make her the perfect wedding planner. But when two weddings in one day go haywire, and hunky firefighter Nick Corona comes to the rescue -- twice -- Lauren realizes there are a few important details in her own life she hasn't been tending to since her divorce. Namely, her sex life.
She lives lonely nights.
Sweet and sexy Nick seems hell-bent on fanning the flames between them, and Lauren definitely feels sparks flying. But she's scrambling to plan nuptials for her most challenging client yet -- a beautiful, cunning, and certifiable Psycho Bride. With the big day rapidly approaching, a series of misunderstandings, mishaps, and mistaken identities threatens to ruin not one, but two happily ever afters. But with her career and her love life on the line, the wedding planner just might learn that you can't plan everything, least of all true love.
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First published June 1, 2003
48 people are currently reading
9056 people want to read
About the author
Cara Lockwood
106 books369 followersI've written more than 30 books in a number of genres: chick lit, romance, suspense, paranormal and young adult. My debut novel, I Do (But I Don't) was made into a Lifetime Original movie.
I grew up in Mesquite, Texas, which for those of you who like livestock shows, is the home of the Mesquite Rodeo. Ironically, Mesquite was named after Mesquite trees, only none of them now exist in the city, which is about fifteen minutes east of Dallas. No, I don't own a pair of cowboy boots, although I do own quite an impressive collection of black shoes. My Dad is a third-generation Japanese-American, and my mom is a second-generation Texan who's mostly English.
I went to school at the University of Pennsylvania, only I'm not sure how I got in. I think these days they only accept students who can solve String Theory. Anyway, I majored in English, and because my dad said "and just what are you going to do with an English degree?" I went to work for the school newspaper. After college, I spent four years as a newspaper reporter, working for an overly excitable editor who sent me running anytime the police scanner went off. I was working insane hours for next to no pay. I was actually sent to cover a grass fire on my 25th Birthday. Let me tell you, it smelled bad. I think some mice may have lost their lives. But that was about it in terms of excitement. Happy Birthday to Me.
So, I decided after I had taken to hiding from my editor in the bathroom at the office anytime the police scanner went off, that journalism probably wasn't for me. I went to work for a marketing firm and discovered that most everyone else didn't stay until ten o'clock every night writing up their riveting story about grass fires. I also decided that I would take advantage of that free time to write some fiction. That's when I started writing "I Do (But I Don't)." A year later, I finished it, thanks to the help of my friend, Shannon, who wouldn't let me slack off and kept asking me for chapters.
And that's how I became a writer. Except that it still feels weird to say, "I'm a writer." I keep expecting to wake up tomorrow and have to go cover another grass fire.
I'm married and live with a blended broad of seven near Chicago, where I'm hard at work on my next book!
I grew up in Mesquite, Texas, which for those of you who like livestock shows, is the home of the Mesquite Rodeo. Ironically, Mesquite was named after Mesquite trees, only none of them now exist in the city, which is about fifteen minutes east of Dallas. No, I don't own a pair of cowboy boots, although I do own quite an impressive collection of black shoes. My Dad is a third-generation Japanese-American, and my mom is a second-generation Texan who's mostly English.
I went to school at the University of Pennsylvania, only I'm not sure how I got in. I think these days they only accept students who can solve String Theory. Anyway, I majored in English, and because my dad said "and just what are you going to do with an English degree?" I went to work for the school newspaper. After college, I spent four years as a newspaper reporter, working for an overly excitable editor who sent me running anytime the police scanner went off. I was working insane hours for next to no pay. I was actually sent to cover a grass fire on my 25th Birthday. Let me tell you, it smelled bad. I think some mice may have lost their lives. But that was about it in terms of excitement. Happy Birthday to Me.
So, I decided after I had taken to hiding from my editor in the bathroom at the office anytime the police scanner went off, that journalism probably wasn't for me. I went to work for a marketing firm and discovered that most everyone else didn't stay until ten o'clock every night writing up their riveting story about grass fires. I also decided that I would take advantage of that free time to write some fiction. That's when I started writing "I Do (But I Don't)." A year later, I finished it, thanks to the help of my friend, Shannon, who wouldn't let me slack off and kept asking me for chapters.
And that's how I became a writer. Except that it still feels weird to say, "I'm a writer." I keep expecting to wake up tomorrow and have to go cover another grass fire.
I'm married and live with a blended broad of seven near Chicago, where I'm hard at work on my next book!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
March 29, 2018
I think this is my first book by this author but I’m not one hundred percent sure. Either way I did find the book quite enjoyable. I laughed so much throughout this book. Especially during the last half of it. Tears were falling down my face from laughing so hard.
I really enjoyed Lauren’s character in this book too. Especially since she’s a hot commodity with the wedding industry. I loved reading about her romantic adventures even if they were some duds. Everything was funny and highly enjoyable. I can’t wait to dive into another book by her.
I really enjoyed Lauren’s character in this book too. Especially since she’s a hot commodity with the wedding industry. I loved reading about her romantic adventures even if they were some duds. Everything was funny and highly enjoyable. I can’t wait to dive into another book by her.
October 10, 2011
Such a fun read, the last 5 chapters had me laughing hysterically out loud. A slow start with a drawing introduction but picked up pace as it went on.
Any woman with an obsessive compulsion for organization (as I do) will easily bond with Lauren, the main character if the book. Reminiscent of a combination of romantic-comedy movies like "The wedding planner", "hitch", and "sweet home alabama", this book was a fun read snd only got better as the story went on.
Any woman with an obsessive compulsion for organization (as I do) will easily bond with Lauren, the main character if the book. Reminiscent of a combination of romantic-comedy movies like "The wedding planner", "hitch", and "sweet home alabama", this book was a fun read snd only got better as the story went on.
June 6, 2011
Chick-lit is hit-and-miss for me. First person POV chick-lit even more so—okay, not counting Kristan Higgins it’s mostly a miss. And this book was no exception.
I hated the heroine’s guts and given the book was written in her POV I hated the book. Some fellow reviewers say she was written that way to make us see her growth toward the end. I didn’t see it like that, and I didn’t see any significant growth. Lauren spent the entire book feeling sorry about herself, mostly to do with her hair, using parentheses when parentheses weren’t needed (I never think in parentheses and I don’t think inner monologue needs parentheses when the entire book is mostly a giant inner monologue), and feeling sorry about herself some more.
I kept waiting for someone to slap her, maim her, kill her...But it didn’t happen.
And because it was written in whiny Lauren’s POV I also didn’t get to enjoy the supporting cast of characters, mostly the hunky firefighter hero. Because they were all drowned in the whiny-Lauren-feels-sorry-for-herself crap.
Yuk.
P.S. And I have a big bone to pick with the author on the whole hospital/sprained ankle scene. I’m not in the medical profession or anything, but I do have some experience with sprained ankles, X-rays, and behavior of medical personnel in such cases. I sprained my ankle 9 times in my life, five of those times required me wearing a cast for a month, and I’ve never come across a nurse/doctor/whoever that wouldn’t first give me some sort of protection when I came to get my X-rays done. It just isn’t done.
And the nurses in my case(s) never behaved like I was faking it, because if the doctor sent me in for an X-ray I probably wasn’t faking it. Gee, my ankle was swollen like a balloon and they knew it hurt and they strove not to pain me more than was necessary.
I don’t know what Ms. Lockwood tried to accomplish with the scene, she only drove home the fact the heroine was a whiny, petulant, spoiled little child that actually loved feeling sorry for herself.
P.P. S. I watched the TV movie with Richards and Cain and that little that I remember it was much better than this (even though I cannot claim either of them can really act).
I hated the heroine’s guts and given the book was written in her POV I hated the book. Some fellow reviewers say she was written that way to make us see her growth toward the end. I didn’t see it like that, and I didn’t see any significant growth. Lauren spent the entire book feeling sorry about herself, mostly to do with her hair, using parentheses when parentheses weren’t needed (I never think in parentheses and I don’t think inner monologue needs parentheses when the entire book is mostly a giant inner monologue), and feeling sorry about herself some more.
I kept waiting for someone to slap her, maim her, kill her...But it didn’t happen.
And because it was written in whiny Lauren’s POV I also didn’t get to enjoy the supporting cast of characters, mostly the hunky firefighter hero. Because they were all drowned in the whiny-Lauren-feels-sorry-for-herself crap.
Yuk.
P.S. And I have a big bone to pick with the author on the whole hospital/sprained ankle scene. I’m not in the medical profession or anything, but I do have some experience with sprained ankles, X-rays, and behavior of medical personnel in such cases. I sprained my ankle 9 times in my life, five of those times required me wearing a cast for a month, and I’ve never come across a nurse/doctor/whoever that wouldn’t first give me some sort of protection when I came to get my X-rays done. It just isn’t done.
And the nurses in my case(s) never behaved like I was faking it, because if the doctor sent me in for an X-ray I probably wasn’t faking it. Gee, my ankle was swollen like a balloon and they knew it hurt and they strove not to pain me more than was necessary.
I don’t know what Ms. Lockwood tried to accomplish with the scene, she only drove home the fact the heroine was a whiny, petulant, spoiled little child that actually loved feeling sorry for herself.
P.P. S. I watched the TV movie with Richards and Cain and that little that I remember it was much better than this (even though I cannot claim either of them can really act).
dnf
April 9, 2019I read this one when I was a teen, but I'm bored by it now. The heroine's judgmental but not in a fun way, and I'm not a huge fan of the stereotypes used here.
October 22, 2020
Cute story with some amusing moments but it dragged on way too long. The author is also not nearly as funny as she seems to think she is, in my opinion.
March 30, 2024
Cute love story!
August 21, 2017
"Because True Love isn't about sheet music or embossed invitations or lace. It isn't about the size of your bridal party or the expensiveness of the food. True Love is what you find when you aren't expecting it.True Love is taking the risk that it won't be a happily-ever-after. True Love is joining hands with the man who loves you for who you are,and saying ," I'm not afraid to believe in you".
A love like that has legs. A love like that will survive most anything.
Even a less than perfect wedding."
This book is purely hilariousm,OMG ,I couldn't stop laughing LOL
A love like that has legs. A love like that will survive most anything.
Even a less than perfect wedding."
This book is purely hilariousm,OMG ,I couldn't stop laughing LOL
June 30, 2013
With the intellectual depth of a rubber duck, Cara Lockwood tried to entertain me in a lighthearted novel of mistaken identity and comedy... and utterly failed.
First, there's the rampant stupidity. Then there are the tedious in-head explanations of said rampant stupidity. Most of which is more painful than funny. And of course the heroine is a complete idiot that everything just *happens* to go wonderfully for, and she snags the man hotter than People Magazine's Hunk of the Year.
*Sigh*. I really wish I could say that I enjoyed any part of this book. But the boss was over-the-top b!T@hy, the mom was over-the-top proper, the sister was over-the-top loser, the bride was over-the-top slutty, the cat was over-the-top demonic, the ex was over-the-top smarmy, and the brother over-the-top smart-@$$, the best friend over-the-top commisserating.
It was bad writing, bad style/tone, bad plot, bad execution. Bad, bad, bad. I should seek a publisher. Apparently they'll print anything, these days...
First, there's the rampant stupidity. Then there are the tedious in-head explanations of said rampant stupidity. Most of which is more painful than funny. And of course the heroine is a complete idiot that everything just *happens* to go wonderfully for, and she snags the man hotter than People Magazine's Hunk of the Year.
*Sigh*. I really wish I could say that I enjoyed any part of this book. But the boss was over-the-top b!T@hy, the mom was over-the-top proper, the sister was over-the-top loser, the bride was over-the-top slutty, the cat was over-the-top demonic, the ex was over-the-top smarmy, and the brother over-the-top smart-@$$, the best friend over-the-top commisserating.
It was bad writing, bad style/tone, bad plot, bad execution. Bad, bad, bad. I should seek a publisher. Apparently they'll print anything, these days...
July 17, 2015
For whatever reason, I just really enjoyed this book. I probably should NOT have been reading it at work, however. I found it extremely funny, and trying not to laugh in a call center can be rather difficult. People tend to look at you oddly if you randomly start laughing, you see. Anyway though, maybe it's due to my upcoming wedding that made me enjoy this book, or maybe it's just my current frame of mind. Regardless, I very rarely give five star ratings to books, so that should say something. Amidst the humor, there were also some very poignant spots. I found myself wanting to reach out and give Lauren a hug, even if she was clearly in the wrong, and don't even get me started on G! This is a book I would highly recommend though, especially if you need a nice light read.
Read
May 14, 2021I wanted to like this book as I had just come off of planning my wedding. But it was only OK. I found the main character a little annoying and wanted to pull her out of the book at times and slap some sense into her. But as others have commented, that's also part of her development and the author explains why she is the way she is. Also, I kept thinking of the movie "The Wedding Planner," while reading it. Even though the two have no connection, the plot lines are similar.
July 29, 2016
This book did exactly what I needed it to... I had a last minute business trip and needed a lighthearted, quick read for the longish plane rides and what I was reading was quite depressing, so I picked up this book. Although the writing was not very good and eye rolling at times, it had its sweet and funny moments.
December 29, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! Especially when Lauren finally said what was on her mind. A fun light hearted read that most of us can relate to on multiple levels (besides the wedding planning!).
February 8, 2015
This book was a bit boring, the story was a flat line. It didn't have much suspense...
May 21, 2017
This book is just dumb. And it never gets smart. It's just ... dumb.
July 26, 2020
After my last book that was much darker than I expected, I Do (But I Don’t) was a fun and light chick lit novel that hit at a moment when I just wanted to be entertained. To me, this was the epitome of a ‘beach read’. The protagonist Lauren was fun and flirty, the story was linear and predictable, and the mishaps and miscommunications made for a light but enjoyable journey. A huge draw for me was the fun narrative style the author used that showed Lauren’s goofy thoughts and neurotic OCD nature.
This book was older, but I appreciated there were no smart phones, no social media, and the characters partook in TCBY (yes the second book I read recently to call attention to this familiar haunt). Lauren was a solid protagonist because she was young enough to want to find love but old enough to have filed for divorce. That experience made her more mature than most chick lit heroines, which I liked. It was obvious to me that Nick would be her heartthrob even though she believed he was her new client’s fiancé. Their dance around their attraction for each other was perfect.
The backbone of the story were demanding bridezillas doomed for failure. Everything seemed a little contrived and predictable, but this was enjoyable enough. I wasn’t a huge fan of the subplots here, Lauren disliking her friend’s fiancé, and Lauren arguing with her mother about why she divorced her ex-husband. Ultimately, this novel promoted self confidence, and assertiveness that was empowering to women. This was light and just a fun entertaining novel.
This book was older, but I appreciated there were no smart phones, no social media, and the characters partook in TCBY (yes the second book I read recently to call attention to this familiar haunt). Lauren was a solid protagonist because she was young enough to want to find love but old enough to have filed for divorce. That experience made her more mature than most chick lit heroines, which I liked. It was obvious to me that Nick would be her heartthrob even though she believed he was her new client’s fiancé. Their dance around their attraction for each other was perfect.
The backbone of the story were demanding bridezillas doomed for failure. Everything seemed a little contrived and predictable, but this was enjoyable enough. I wasn’t a huge fan of the subplots here, Lauren disliking her friend’s fiancé, and Lauren arguing with her mother about why she divorced her ex-husband. Ultimately, this novel promoted self confidence, and assertiveness that was empowering to women. This was light and just a fun entertaining novel.
July 3, 2017
Admittedly I'm not much of a fan of the chick-lit genre as I'm far too serious a person to really enjoy it. However, it was the movie with Dean Cain and Denise Richards that led me to reading this novel. While certainly cheesy in most aspects it does have its moments and I did find it quite enjoyable despite the fact that Lauren is not really a character who is well rounded. While yes we all have insecurities about our looks and can be wary of a person's intentions she definitely takes it to a whole new level and is also quick to judge people without giving them the benefit of the doubt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2019
I liked this book it was funny and a fast read. There was a few times I thought why didn't the wedding planner Lauren ask why the guy she thinks she planning the wedding for is hitting on her? or ask the bride to be what her husband to be name is or why not just in the file she has on the couple? Other then that we follow Lauren as she plans other weddings and fixes problems all the while she is dealing with a controlling boss. And her feelings for a hunky firefighter who may or not be getting married. Fun red.
January 24, 2020
I was on a roll reading this book and then when Lauren and Nick stopped talking I had a hard time staying interested. It was still a good story when they weren’t speaking but that was my favorite part. I enjoyed this book even though it was the same storyline... girl meets boy, girl and boy have a misunderstanding, girl and boy stop talking, boy saves girl, they get back together and fall in love and get married. It’s a cute and funny story when you want something light to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2019
I have read and reread this book a few times over the years. I absolutely love Laura and her wittiness. She works as a wedding planner from the boss from hell G. Not only does Laura have to put up with G, she also has to put up with G's cat, who despises Laura. This is a great book and one of my absolute favorites over the years.
July 1, 2019
I have picked up and started this book at least 3 times now but I just can't get into it, which is surprising to me since I usually love "chick lit." Every time, I get bored with it and move onto something else without finishing 'I Do.' I think it's time to move this off my bookshelf and give it away or donate it.
February 25, 2019
Cute story about a wedding planner that a lot of things go wrong for. There is misunderstandings, a boss that has her do most of the work, a stalker, and most things that can go wrong with a wedding. There is a lot of humor and a good story flow. Over all a cute read that makes you laugh.
June 22, 2022
very enjoyable light book. This author definitely has a flair for humor. The book was really funny. The stories told about weddings from a wedding planner were great. The back "love" story made is a great rom-com.
September 25, 2025
This has been on my To-Read list since June, 2013. Once it became available on Kindle Unlimited, I downloaded and devoured it within 48 hours. So funny! I will be watching for more books by this author.
May 5, 2018
Story of a junior wedding planner and her exploits in the business and finding true love. Some of the escapades were rather silly, but it did serve its purpose - I was looking for a laugh.
June 30, 2018
Light-hearted and fun read. Not too much of an exciting storyline but I did want to finish the book to see where the main character ended up in the end!
August 25, 2018
Loved it. :)
October 15, 2018
i must have liked it, because it was in my bookcase when I packed to move to Woburn.
January 18, 2019
Slow start, but picked up and had a strong ending.
March 19, 2019
This was a horrible read for me. She had the worst self esteem and the storyline was boring and predictable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews