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The Wedding Ring #1

Love's Funny That Way

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When four high school friends promise to find husbands for one another if any of them are still single at age thirty, they have no idea how complicated the pact will make their lives twelve years later! Book 1 of the Wedding Ring matchmaker series is Love’s Funny That Way.

The Prospective Raven Muldoon, hypnotherapist by day and aspiring stand-up comic by night. She realizes her matchmaking friends have made a grave mistake—and that’s no joke.

The Prospective Brent Radley, a blind date who appears to be perfect husband material… until Raven meets his sexy-as-sin younger brother, Hunter, owner of the local comedy club. Did her pals pick the wrong brother?

The Hunter is no choirboy, but not even he would steal his brother’s girlfriend, no matter how tempted he might be. But how committed is Raven to Brent, and he to her?

177 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2000

1298 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read

About the author

Pamela Burford

44 books211 followers
Pamela Burford comes from a funny family. You may take that any way you want. She was raised in a household that valued laughter above all, so of course the first thing she looked for in a husband was a sense of humor. Is it any wonder their grown kids are into stand-up comedy and improv? Oh, and here's another fun family fact: Pamela's identical twin sister, Patricia Ryan, aka P.B. Ryan, is also a published novelist. Patricia is the Good Twin, and yeah, Pamela knows what that makes her. But hey, Evil Twins have more fun.

It should come as no surprise that everything Pamela writes is infused with her own quirky brand of humor, from her feel-good contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels to her popular Jane Delaney mystery series, featuring snarky “Death Diva” Jane, her canine sidekick Sexy Beast, and a fun love triangle. Pamela's own beloved poodle, Murray, wants you to know that any similarities between himself and neurotic, high-strung Sexy Beast are purely coincidental.

Pamela is the proud founder and past president of Long Island Romance Writers. Her books have won awards and sold millions of copies, but what excites her most is hearing from readers. So swing by her website and say hi. And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for her newsletter. Not only will you learn about new releases and other fun stuff, but you'll receive a free ebook as her special thank-you.

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5 stars
726 (37%)
4 stars
634 (32%)
3 stars
437 (22%)
2 stars
113 (5%)
1 star
48 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
Profile Image for KatyMarie.
52 reviews8 followers
March 11, 2017
This book was free with a semi interesting plot so I figured why not? However, I am thoroughly disappointed in this read.

This review is going to be filled with spoilers and my thoughts on the big issues of this book.

My first issue is with the whole idea of the Wedding Ring Pact. Am I supposed to believe that women in their mid to late 20s are honestly going to force one of their friends to continue to date someone who is cheating on them? These women are pressuring their friend, Raven, to continue a relationship with someone she barely knows even though he clearly lacks respect for her. Raven's so called "friends" know about her growing feelings for Hunter but they continue to push her towards Brent, even though she wants to end the relationship.

But let's talk about Brent too. One minute Brent is this understanding, thoughtful guy who is ready to get married and settle down with the right woman. Then literally one chapter later he is cheating on Raven with multiple girls. What the heck happened with that character development? It felt like a cheap and poorly thought out way to get Raven to choose Hunter. Don' get me wrong, i clearly preferred Hunter but I don't think a writer should damage one character's arc just to make the other love interest the clear choice. Raven could have come to the conclusion that Brent was not the man for her based on their lack of attraction and connection towards one another. There did not need to be a cheating arc involved in this plot.

This book was a mess with unrealistic characters and friendships. I don't know how any 30 year old woman would consider staying in a relationship that is toxic or harmful just because of her so called friends. I hoped that Raven would give her friends a piece of her mind and be an independent woman with her own thoughts. But instead she let her friends control her love life due to a pact they made when they were kids? Yikes.

I could not finish this book and I do not plan to pick it up again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Melody Cox.
1,502 reviews180 followers
March 11, 2017
Wow, this story was a mess! For me, it was all over the place inducing whiplash from trying to follow along. I will say up front had I know there would be a cheating, lying boyfriend involved I NEVER would have chosen to read it. I checked the blurb and random reviews, as I don't like to sit and read every one of them since many contain major spoilers without warning. I am still of the belief that when there are OM/OW and cheating there should be some kind of indication or warning label in the blurb or thereabouts.

The book was, as far as I'm concerned, unrealistic. Who in their right mind would make a pact to find husbands for their friends who are turning thirty, still unmarried and without children. Furthermore that agreement had no escape clause on the length of time they had to date said person of their friends choosing, regardless of how this person was treating their friend including cheating lying and betrayal. It only added to the fact that this heroine was weak and wouldn't end the relationship pronto after discovering he was a cheater.

I will not be continuing with this series. It just wasn't the type of book I enjoy.
Profile Image for Laronda.
963 reviews5 followers
July 7, 2023
Uhmmm

As I was reading this story, I kept wondering if I had stepped back in time. Then I found the copyright date. That explained the lack of technological advances in the story, but I'm not sure what can help the immaturity of many of the characters throughout this book. I mean staying with somebody who is cheating on you just to say you fulfilled the terms of the agreement... So what if abuse becomes an issue, is the integrity of the bet still the top priority? They clearly forget the end goal while trying to stick to the rules.
Profile Image for Vickie.
1,596 reviews4 followers
December 8, 2017
Love's Funny That Way by Pamela Burford was a cute quick read. Four women who are childhood friends, make a pact targeting the age of 30, dating a prospective husband for three months, and then possibly marriage. Raven is the first target but is this guy the right one for her? This was a quick, fluffy read which is perfect for December - a crazy time of year around our house between Hanukkah and Christmas!

Go Cards! L1C4!!

Profile Image for S.A. Krishnan.
Author 31 books235 followers
August 15, 2020
Cute romance

The four friends trying to help each other find was a fun way to start the story. The attempts of the friends to fix Raven with Brent also seems like a fairly workable plan. But then insisting on three months of dating seemed a little too much.
Naturally come comes Brent’s younger brother.
Hunter and Raven’s chemistry is amazing.
How they manage to help each other either during the fear of heights or other times was brought out so beautifully well, that it made me want to root for them to get together.
A lovely, sweet romance.
Profile Image for Nancy Brady.
Author 7 books45 followers
April 6, 2017
Four high school friends make a pact to play matchmaker IF any of them are unmarried when she turns the Big 3-0!

Well, hypnotherapist Raven (named after Poe's poem) is the first to turn thirty, and her friends have just the man picked out. Brent is perfect (a stone hunk!), that is until the first date where she meets his younger brother. From the get-go, it is pure chemistry, but neither wants to act on it in this contemporary romance. For her, it is the obligation of trying three months of dates; for Hunter, it is not to betray his brother.

Yet, faking fear of heights and battling the inability to speak in front of an audience bring this pair uncomfortably close. Will chemistry win out, or will Brent, the stone hunk, put the ring on Raven's finger?

A sweet, fun romance.

This may be a cool anti-WTT first: Hunter, a main character, has two different eye colors, one is blue, the other is brown. If there were any green-eyed characters, this reader doesn't remember it (maybe one of friends has green eyes).
433 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2016
I received a copy of Love's Funny That Way by Pamela Buford in exchange for an honest review.
Note: this review contains spoilers!
Four teenagers swear that if they haven't found true love by the time the turn 30, the other 3 will set them up. In this first book of the series, Raven is set up with Brent Radley. The only problem is that Raven is drawn to Brent's brother Hunter and Brent would rather be with Marina. Or was it Kristen? Or? See, Brent just isn't ready to settle down no matter how much he thinks he is. And Raven can't be with anyone she doesn't trust. And Hunter won't steal his brother's girl, Raven, from him, so no one gets who they want, or do they? Read this delightful story to find out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews129 followers
Want to read
March 4, 2018
💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/4/2018)!💝
632 reviews4 followers
September 12, 2019
It was a very cute book about a girl falling in love with guys brother that her ring of friends set her up with. The Ring of friends are all different but, have been friends since kindergarten. They declare that you must date him for 3 months and all kind of things happen! I just read the first chapter of the next book “I Do but, here’s the Catch !” and it looks interesting, also! I definitely recommend this book.
Profile Image for Lesley Barklay.
Author 9 books17 followers
December 10, 2023
DNF at 66%

I thought this was going to be a sweet, funny rom-com about a girl being set up on a blind date by her friends. I didn't realise I'd be reading about a woman being forced by her friends to stay in a relationship for an arbitrary period of time after she figured out said guy was cheating on her. There were multiple conversations from her friends and the actual love interest (her boyfriend's younger brother) in which it's suggested that if she just sleeps with boyfriend, maybe he wouldn't need to cheat, or that if she sticks with him, maybe she can change his behaviour (if he truly loves you, he won't cheat). One of her friends actually suggested that it wasn't really cheating because he hadn't stated outright that they were exclusive.

I'm sorry, no.

First off, it is never the woman's fault if her husband is cheating (or visa versa). Whether she does or does not choose to sleep with him is not justification for cheating. He made the choice. He acted on it. The fact that he was lying about it to cover it up shows he knows it's wrong. If he was that desperate, maybe he should have chosen a different girlfriend.

Secondly, these women are supposed to have been friends their entire lives, and they are going to force Raven to date someone she knows is cheating, when they also know she's attracted to his younger brother? I thought the point was to help her find a husband, not tie her to a jerk.

Finally, Raven staying in the relationship when she was, essentially, marking time was cruel. It doesn't justify Brent's cheating--not at all--but she was leading him on, and the whole situation could have been avoided if, after the first date, she'd broken it off. After a few weeks, she could have gone back to the bar to see his brother, and things could have gone from there. Her dating Hunter wouldn't have been a huge deal between the brothers if she'd only been on one date with Brent, but three months makes it awkward.

Aside from that, there were two scenes between Raven and Hunter that felt very icky. In both, his actions were non-consensual, and it was portrayed as okay because the FMC said she liked it afterwards. It was disgusting, completely unexpected, and gave me the ick. Add that to the fact that Hunter was Raven's patient at the time of one of these scenes, and there's a layer of unethical in there that is very troubling. There was not hint that this was going to be that type of book in the blurb, and reading those scenes instantly made me feel like this wasn't a romance. I didn't like either of the male characters, and I didn't want to read any more about them.

I can wholeheartedly say love was not funny this way. I'm not sure it could be called love at all.




This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
612 reviews6 followers
March 29, 2023
This book is a wonderful combination of fun-loving sisterhood of three best friends, sibling rivalry of two brothers, people testing themselves, romance and betrayal and the quest for (and finding) true love. Totally enjoyable from beginning to end!

The premise of the book is the pact that four young women made when they finished high school, pledging that if any of them were not married by the age of thirty, they would all help find the perfect match for her. Well, these women are all now approaching that age and the pact, called The Wedding Ring, has been activated. The oldest by a couple of months is Raven.

The main story, then, centers around Raven and what happens to her as she is pushed into what was supposed to be the ideal relationship...with the perfect future husband. Things start out hopeful, but before long turn a little sour. Raven finds she is not this man, Brent's. sole love interest. She also meets his younger brother, Hunter, and finds him very attractive...actually more genuinely than Brent. Imagine how complicated this becomes and the trials for all of them. In the end true love prevails, but along the way there are fireworks, frustrations and of course some passionate love-making. What a wonderful story!
Profile Image for WyoGal.
489 reviews
July 8, 2023
Fast read, ends at 84% point

The story is focused on the development of the relationship between the two protagonists, and everything else is pared down. This means the story is rather short. It ends around the 85% point. The epilogue is from a different POV, and features one of the friends of the Wedding Ring. It ends around the 92% point. The rest of the pages are the first chapter from the next book.

The romance is believable for the most part, and the protagonists are well suited for each other. There are some fun lines of dialog when the characters meet. When obstacles arise, the author avoids long, angsty inner dialog by skipping time and moving the plot along briskly. This is refreshing.

The problems I had with the book are when the gal pals encourage Raven to try to stick with a lousy situation, when she crosses a professional ethical boundary by making out with a therapy client, has sex in a very awkward location, and when the author skips over key moments (when Raven discovers the dollhouse and when she has the conversation with one brother about locating the other).

There is alcohol consumption, premarital sex, and the theme of cheating is woven throughout. The last sex scene is somewhat detailed but very well written.
17 reviews
February 11, 2023
The idea of this book is super cute! A group of friends makes a pack to help each other find husbands if they’re not already married by 30. Unfortunately, there are so many things wrong with this book.

First and foremost there are two separate points where Hunter pretty much forces himself on Raven. There really should have been a trigger warning for any readers who could be triggered by this. The author tries to make it come across as something hot and exciting and later Raven even talks about how she enjoyed the car sex….. lame.
Second, the language made me think that an old nonna was telling the story… Raven calls her bits her “unmentionables”.
Third, Raven knew the guy was cheating on her but stayed with him because of the pact. This was probably the most ridiculous thing I read in the book.
Last, there were actual grammatical errors in the book. Not a lot, but enough that I noticed.
Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone. It was written in 2016 but feels like something from the 90’s that your grandmother would have written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for SandyL.
3,744 reviews
December 27, 2023
Raven Muldoon and her friends signed a pact when they were 18 -- if they weren't married by age 30, the others in the group would find a potential mate and the girl who's up would have to date him for 3 months. Traven gets set up with Brent Radley - he's handsome and successful and seems like a nice guy. Then she meets his younger brother, Hunter. Her attraction is directed to Hunter, but she's committed to dating Brent for the full three months. Even when she finds out he's been cheating. Even when she's cheating on him. Um, no!!!!
1,494 reviews20 followers
June 21, 2023
Four high school friends Raven, Charli, Sunny and Amanda make a pact to be married by thirty. The first book in the Wedding Ring series is about Raven Muldoon and her adventures in finding a husband. Raven goes on a blind date with Brent Radley who is everything she is looking for in a husband until she meets his younger brother Hunter. Raven must choose between a safe marriage to Brent or go with wild Hunter. I really enjoyed this wonderful contemporary romance novel.
74 reviews1 follower
July 18, 2023
Three month dating game

Interesting the relationship between the brothers! Plus how Hunter helped Raven over her fear, even though he was lying to a Raven about his fear of heights he just wanted to spend time with Raven no matter the cost! The marriage ring pack, was a good and bad thing? Interesting idea!
Profile Image for Kristi.
332 reviews1 follower
October 12, 2024
Started out somewhat boring, but alright. I had to check the date that the book was written, as the dynamic of how genders were written felt very 1980’s. And the idea of a group of friends being more concerned about keeping to a silly pact than having dignity and self respect was a bit…um…ridiculous. 🧐🙄🤷🏻‍♀️ I was fairly over the book by then. Might have given it 2 stars otherwise.
Profile Image for Audiophile Archives .
783 reviews
January 26, 2025
light and bubbly…

I gratefully won this via Goodreads and am thankful for the publisher to allow me this opportunity to honestly review. The pact formed by 4 lifelong girlfriends begins when one turns 30. On paper and by all appearances, the chosen guy should be perfect but the double standard and the guy’s younger brother proves love is funny that way.
Profile Image for Scarlett.
30 reviews
January 30, 2025
I think this book should have focused a lot more on the strong female friendships and not the “romance”? The pact they made up was ridiculous and is 26 and 30 really a massive age gap to be stressing over???? I didn’t dislike the book, it was an easy read and i wouldn’t try and tell someone not to read it …
135 reviews
January 30, 2023
At first the whole idea of high school friends making the deal for 12 years down the road, is unbelievable. The bachelor they pick for Raven seems like a great guy on the outside, but covers can be deceiving. When Raven meets Hunter on their date feelings go in another direction.
Profile Image for Emily Prior.
769 reviews22 followers
June 15, 2023
4.5/5 stars

I really liked this story. With Raven's friend making a pac to get married at 30 and they showed her to Brent and they were good but she liked his brother Hunter too. I liked the real problems that people get with too like cheating in with relationships.
175 reviews
August 8, 2023
TMI intimate details

Well written good characters, flowed well not rushed not drug out. Premise is good but ventured into uncomfortable when things go sideways and rules dictate continuing what's not working so leads to lying on both sides.
1,712 reviews6 followers
September 29, 2023
2.5 stars
Hunter and Raven are interesting, entertaining, relatable characters. I enjoyed the characters in this story and the premise. The heroine’s group of friends is a fun aspect of this story. There are aspects of this story that I didn’t connect with or enjoy.
1,932 reviews5 followers
January 30, 2024
Loves Funny That Way

This is the story of four young women who, when they were kids made a pact that they would all get married when they turned 30. This tells the story of how the first one found her husband. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
129 reviews1 follower
November 5, 2024
To have such friends...

I do believe that love at first site can actually happen. However, I'd just like to have the friends of the Wedding Ring in my life. Lol. That being said, it's definitely a cute book, and a quick read!
222 reviews
May 3, 2025
Sometimes it's funny and sometimes it's not.

Women would probably love this. A little explicit. A good story, well told. Crazy the way it all works out. Great lead in for the next book.
176 reviews
November 24, 2023
The book lost me when the wedding ring asked her to stick to the guy even after knowing he’s a cheater. But to begin with I am not a fan of love triangles especially those with brothers.
Profile Image for Koreen.
398 reviews
May 5, 2024
Good book, happy ending well thought out. 5 Stars Reading I DO, BUT HERE’S THE CATCH next.
Profile Image for Nicole.
2,876 reviews10 followers
June 16, 2024
Sweet and funny story about a blind date match up that didn”t quite work out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews

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