A 2-in-1 from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber, includes Love 'N' Marriage and Jury of His Peers.
Love 'N' Marriage: A young woman discovers that sometimes love’s right there in front of you in this workplace romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. As Stephanie Coulter discovers, sometimes you find it in the most ordinary places―and what could be more ordinary than the office? Stephanie, who works as an assistant at Lockwood Industries in Minneapolis, is temporarily assigned to the boss―Jonas Lockwood himself. Jonas lives up (or down!) to his reputation as a tyrant, dictator and grouch. But Stephanie’s colleagues, romance readers all, decide that he’s really the classic lonely hero. What he needs, they say, is Love ’n’ Marriage. And the woman they have in mind for him is…Stephanie.
Jury of His Peers: Two childhood rivals reconnect during jury duty—and are forced to navigate their complex feelings for one another—in this heartwarming novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Caroline Lomax is eager to exercise her civic duty and report for jury duty. However, when she sees a familiar face on her first day, she is near certain that she has come face to face with Ted Thomasson, the thorn in her side throughout high school—and the last person she’d want as a fellow juror.
Ted still seems to relish in making Caroline squirm, but he shocks Caroline when he declares that he’s always harbored feelings for her. Just as she attempts to make sense of it all, they’re both selected for the same case . . . and as things intensify in and out of the courtroom, it becomes clear that Caroline has an enormous decision to make.
Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
“Right out front, you said. Can you magine what I thought when you weren't there? I swear, Caroline, my heart can't take much more of this. What do I have to do? Handcuff you to my side?" — Ted Thomasson P.g 268
I loved this two-for-one collection! As a lifelong Harlequin reader, these stories stirred up a wonderful sense of nostalgia. The first book is light and charming, while the second adds a layer of suspense and spice. I was also happy to find these were substantial reads, not just short novellas. Although I usually prefer darker thrillers these days, there is nothing quite like the comfort of a Debbie Macomber classic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book.
I honestly really dislike giving low star reviews of ARCs, but this one deserves the 1 star.
I requested this book as the cover was cute and the author being Debbie Macomber I figured it would be a high quality book. Well, I was very mistaken about the quality of the story (or actually stories, as this book is two novellas in one). As I began reading, I saw that the original copyright date on both novellas is 1987. I’m not sure who at the publisher (Harlequin) okayed the re-release of them, but they clearly did not even try to read them beforehand (probably because of Debbie Macomber’s name). These stories did not age well. There is no way they should be released in 2026.
The first story is misogynistic with extremely dated tropes around women being secretaries, treating employees in demeaning ways, not to mention things like dictating letters, taking them down in shorthand on paper, and pulling a card out of a Rolodex. The second story has a man forcefully saying he WILL be coming up to a woman’s apartment after she stated she did not invite him up, then he grabs her arm to tell her where to walk. And none of these things are in a “sexy, dominating” way - this is Debbie Macomber, not a spicy contemporary romance author.
I honestly hope the publisher reconsiders the release of this upcoming book.
Rainy Day Meet Cute is a 2-in-1 novel featuring Love ‘N’ Marriage and Jury of His Peers, two short stories by the delightful Debbie Macomber. Frankly, I’ve never met a story of hers that I didn’t enjoy and most likely loved. To be fair to new readers of this author, these titles have been previously released in the 1980s. And as such, are a bit dated. I really wish they had been updated for this re-release, but… here we are.
I actually shook my head a bit at the memory of what was once seen as normal in both the romances released and in society’s acceptance of how women were treated in life and in fiction in that earlier time period. My opinion may get me in a bit of trouble with the very publishing houses that I request eARCs from, but if they are going to re-release older titles without any revisions that update the time period of the original story, then they shouldn’t be surprised if the ratings of those books aren’t as high as this author deserves. I enjoyed the stories in Rainy Day Meet Cute for the nostalgia of a beloved author’s work, yet again, I really wish they had been updated before this re-release.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Rainy Day Meet Cute by Debbie Macomber is a collection of two very sweet romance novels of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Both could easily be their own novels if expanded and gone a bit more in-depth, but both were very entertaining.
In the first, Love 'N' Marriage, Stephanie fills in for a rather difficult boss when his secretary takes a leave of absence. Each moment is grueling as he barks out commands with very little kindness or manners. Her coworkers think they are both candidates for a very successful romantic storyline. Fat chance since he's impossible. She wants no part of that. He's grumpy, impossible to please, and chauvinistic. Turns out she might have been all wrong about everything. And so was he.
The second novel is Jury of His Peers, where two childhood rivals run into each other for jury duty and wind up spending more time in close proximity. They bump heads because they literally have nothing in common. Ted is boring. And Caroline is irritated by everything Ted does. So why is she flustered when he comes anywhere near her?
Like I said, both short novels could have been on their own and made into full-length novels. I loved the story lines, and the trope always lands for me. I really enjoyed reading them. I am officially a fan of Debbie Macomber.
Thank you to Debbie Macomber, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC!
Rainy Day Meet Cute by Debbie Macomber contains two stories titled Love ‘N’ Marriage and Jury of His Peers. Upon commencing my reading, I observed certain anomalies and subsequently realized that the material comprised previously published stories. Love ‘N’ Marriage was originally published in August of 1987 and Jury of His Peers in July of 1986. Unfortunately, the stories have not been revised for republication. Secretaries no longer take dictation, rolodexes are outdated, and a boss cannot yell at employees just because he is in pain. I cringed when I read how a man checked out a secretary from head to toe (in an obvious manner and then made a comment). I liked how the women at work exchanged romance novels. Love ‘N’ Marriage had some cute moments, but I was surprised by the abrupt ending. Anyone who has served on a jury can relate to the characters in Jury of His Peers. The story had both endearing and awkward moments. I do not like men who grab women by the arm or who are forceful. I suggest downloading a sample so you can see if Rainy Day Meet Cute suits you. While Rainy Day meet Cute was not my cup of tea, I am looking forward to Debbie Macomber’s annual Christmas story.
Horrible. Prácticamente Stefanie se queja porque su jefe no la acosa sexualmente. El libro inicia con ella sustituyendo a la asistente de Jonas y se enoja porque él no la elogia por hacer su trabajo. Luego se queja de que no la ve como mujer, dice que nunca antes ningún hombre la había ignorado, ya que es hermosa y se molesta por eso.
Después, sus compañeras de trabajo no sé qué fuman y deciden que deben encontrarle una pareja a Jonas porque, según ellas, se ve infeliz y como Stefanie es bellísima, tiene que ser ella 🙄.
Todo el libro es ella haciendo estupideces sin importarle a quién lastima y cuando la descubren se pone colérica y le echa la culpa a Jonás. Arma todo un teatro.
Mientras leía, sentía que lo había escrito un hombre retratando cómo ve a las mujeres, pero no, lo escribió una mujer. Impactada.
Love 'n Marriage Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine Rich man/working woman
I loved Stephanie and Jonus' love story until the last 10%. Then I was so angry and disappointed. I know I have said if an author can take me from "Awww, how sweet" to "You have got to be kidding me" in 15 seconds, they are a great author. Debbie is an amazing author, but...
Jury of Peers Tropes: Forced Proximity Enemies to Lovers Miscommunication
I had a hard time with this one. I could not like Caroline. If jumping to conclusions was an Olympic event, she would win the gold. That's all I am going to say.
I love Debbie Macomber, but this just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harlequin Enterprises ULC, and Debbie Macomber for my advanced digital reader's copy of this book for my honest opinion.
This book encompasses two previous books by Debbie Macomber. The first Love n Marriage is interesting but a little juvenial in terms of writting and office politics. The first story in this book about Stephanie and Jonas and has some nice points. Jonas reaction is definitely a red flag but the book is fun read although it ends abruptly. The next book is Jury of his Peers. Is kinda good timing as I just recently served a jury notice and can relate to the jury room waiting. These must be her earlier works because they read very basic. Both were sweet love stories, well-written and filled with characters that made you want to root for them. Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity.
I was so excited to get this book as soon as it released. I usually really enjoy Debbie Macomber’s books but not this time. I’m not even sure where the title came from as there was not a meet cute as far as I was concerned. The characters were not likable. They were sadly unrelatable and the stories were beyond unrealistic. So many times I said are you kidding me? It felt like the stories were forced not a labor of love. The men were saps. I felt embarrassed for them. The way they treated the women in this book was ridiculous. The women in the first story had somewhat of a back bone however lost credibility by being so easily persuaded by everyone. The woman in the second story was portrayed so poorly and again very unrealisticly. Very disappointed given her previous books.
So close to being a DNF. I chose this book through Netgalley based on the cute title and cover, as well as being by an author whose writings I typically always love. I really am saddened to give a very low star rating to an author I typically give a high-star rating too but this book, rather a collection of two short novellas, totally deserves it. I discovered that these stories were released in the mid 80s. They sound like they were written in the '50s OR '60s. Degrading to women, misogynistic, super dated, did not age well and should not have been re-released. I really do enjoy a good Debbie Macomber book but I would recommend a hard pass on this. Two stars might be being generous 🤦
So this is actually two stories that have been previously published and now put under one title. I haven't read Debbie's books in several years, but I used to read them with my grandma so I thought it would be a fun trip down memory lane for me, and it was. The writing was a little juvenile and amateurish. You can tell they were written a while back because some of the references were kind of outdated but it didn't make it any less enjoyable. Cute, basic love stories with characters that are easy to cheer for. Nothing fancy. Each story is quick and easy to read in one sitting.
I received an ARC of Rainy Day Meet Cute thanks to the publisher through Edelweiss and leave this review voluntarily.
This was a short 2-for-1 romance where there are two short romance books. My biggest complaint is that the stories were short, which left the plots feeling rushed and the characters not really flushed out. I wish the stories were split into two books so they could breathe more. Even still, I liked both the stories and recommend Rainy Day Meet Cute for anyone looking for a quick romance.
I'm not a fan of releasing old works under a new name without updating the story to reflect current times. As other reviewers mentioned there are outdated office procedures and actions that would currently be cause for social harassment complaints. You can have an enemy to lovers trope without the actions portrayed in these novellas. Debbie Macombar is a favorite author of mine but if given the chance I'd take a pass on this one.
Although I received a free ARC from Net galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my
𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 🫶🏻 Thank you HtpHive for the #gifted e-book. #HTPHivePartner #HTPHive All opinions are my own
Honestly I am going to keep this short because this book was really not for me. The writing and premise of each story is very old fashioned and extremely patriarchal. I struggled to engage with the characters on any level. If I had not committed to reading it as an arc I would have put it down after only a few chapters. For the right person maybe these stories would be fun and I will admit that the cover is adorable but they were not my cup of tea at all.
This is terrible. Like truly terrible…but cute? Really, it’s cute because my husband spent an hour in the bookstore and picked this out for me. And because it’s called Rainy Day Meet Cute and I read it on a rainy day.
But really, the characters have no substance. The plot jumps around very quickly and is too dialogue focused. The dialogue is stilted and awkward…
It’s the kind of book that makes me think maybe I could write a book someday, because I definitely could write this 😂
So no, I don’t recommend it. But….it could’ve been worse???
I absolutely LOVE a 2-in-1 book, especially in this economy 🤣. As a massive Debbie Macomber fan, both stories included in this book were 5 stars for me. This is the perfect beach read. If you love the following tropes, you are going to need to read this book: Grumpy/sunshine He falls first Office romance Yearning Enemies to Lovers Forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of,Rainy Day Meet Cute, by Debbie Macomber, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book did not feel like a true Debbie Macomber book. Sexist men in the office. Stephanie gets to decide what Stephanie wants or who she should marry. in the first story. I did not like the second story either. Men not taking no for an answer, and ordering women around.
Rainy Day Meet Cute written by Debbie Macomber is a book that was not a typical book by her. It was still good to have a book that was two in one to read. The stories were not earth shattering just a smooth easy to read and a great way to spend a few hours. I am Debbie Macomber fan and will always read one by her. Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Macomber and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the copy of Rainy Day Meet Cute. This is my personal review.
I have read quite a few of Debbie Macomber's books, mostly the Good Yarn series. This cover caught my eye at the library. I didn't know until I saw the other reviews that this book is a reissue of two stories from the mid 80s. The first was cringey enough with the manipulative workplace romance. The second, I couldn't get past the first chapter. I don't think they've weathered the past 40 years very well.
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I binge-read this book in a day. Did I know how both stories would end? Yes. Did I love every page anyway? Also yes. Both were sweet love stories, well-written and filled with characters that made you want to root for them. Loved this book!
This book is another great piece of work by Debbie Macomber. It includes two stories: Love n Marriage and Jury of His Peers. Both were simple love stories that keep you hooked all the way through. Both were well written and have relatable characters you can’t help but fall in love with. Would definitely recommend!
Two Debbie Macomber worthy books in one!! It doesn’t get better than this. Each one was swoon worthy and I couldn’t put them down. I’m always left with a happy, satisfied feeling deep in my heart when I’m done with one of her books. These were absolutely no exception, and to pick a favorite is not possible. Heartwarming from head to toe. A must for the romance reader.
When I chosen this book to read , I didn't know the stories in it were already out. I enjoyed them both anyway. The first one was sweet and romantic. The second was also romantic, but had some suspense to it. They both had really good endings. I look forward to reading the next book that Debbie Macomber writes.
What a disappointment 😥. I was so excited for a NEW Debbie Macomber book instead is a re release of 2 book from 1987. Glad I got a advanced copy from NetGalley and I didn't spend my hard earned money.
Just Ew. I literally got the ick from this book and wish I could rate negative stars. Let me save you the trouble and don’t bother reading it. Misogynistic, awful enemies to lovers trope, and poorly written. Just no
This book contains two different stories: Love 'N' Marriagef and Jury of His Peers. Both stories are about people who think they know everything about the other person but they are wrong. The book was an easy read.
Debbie Macomber provides the reader with stories that are comfort. This book is a meeting of two stories. I enjoyed both stories. While each was a bit outdated, they were a fun read. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.
Loved the first story in this book about Stephanie and Jonas . Please follow the journey to see what happens with them a VERY GOOD READ. The second story was a GOOD READ.