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Holly, Idaho #2

Once Upon a Winter Wedding

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Can opposites attract and plan the perfect winter wedding?

Free-wheeling Stevie Evans is thrilled when her best friend announces she’s getting married and promises to help, never imagining she’d play wedding planner with her bestie’s uptight brother, Brant. She and Brant clashed several years ago and she’s avoided him ever since. But this time she can’t run or hide, and the buzz of attraction is stronger than ever.

Brant Gilroy’s meticulous life plan takes an unexpected turn when he hits a career bump on the same day as his sister’s wedding announcement. She wants to get married at the family tree farm, which he’s been restoring. Brant’s determined to make her day special despite his uncertain future, although he dreads working with her best friend—a woman who’s his complete opposite. So why can’t he get her out of his head?

As Brant and Stevie work together, Brant begins to wonder if they have more in common than they suspected. But how can he convince her that opposites can sometimes make the perfect team?

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2020

5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read

About the author

Jeannie Watt

112 books143 followers
Jeannie Watt lives on a small cattle ranch and hay farm in southwest Montana. When she's not writing, she enjoys making mosaic mirrors, sewing, and pretending that the house is neat and tidy.

Jeannie loves to hear from readers. Please contact her via her website www.jeanniewatt.com.

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5 stars
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20 (43%)
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6 (13%)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Alison.
3,716 reviews146 followers
December 29, 2020
In a bizarre plot twist Kara Gilroy and her fiancé want to get married in a hurry but are posted overseas so they rope in Kara's big brother Brant and her best friend Stevie to arrange everything. As a sidebar, if you can't even spare the time to plan your own wedding then are you actually invested in the marriage?

Anyhoo, Stevie and Brant are polar opposites. Years ago Brant ripped Stevie a new one for leading Kara astray, something that hurt Stevie very badly because she was only trying to distract Kara from the pain of her parents' deaths. Forced to grow up too fast, Brant is a driven career man, even working on his annual leave. By contrast, Stevie doesn't have a full-time job, preferring to volunteer here and there.

Can these enemies stop fighting long enough to plan Kara's dream wedding?

I loved the premise, aside from the idea that neither one of a couple can be bothered to take any interest in planning their own wedding, but this just didn't have any heat or tension to pique my interest. It was pleasant enough but the steamiest it got was a brief kiss and handhold. Sadly there seemed to be more interest in setting up other books for Stevie's sisters than creating any dramatic tension.

I received a free copy of this book by the publisher Tule in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.
Profile Image for Maria.
2,521 reviews48 followers
December 4, 2020
Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
Troubled characters with admirable steadiness, strength and integrity rekindle their peculiar relationship in “Once Upon a Winter Wedding”, by Jeannie Watt (Tule Publishing), an interesting enemies turned lovers story where the falling in love process happens while both leads are involved in a wedding preparation.
This story is a lot about seeing people and things, past events and attitudes in a new light, and I loved how Brant and Stevie find new things about each other and reacquaint themselves with their old, familiar selves and discover hidden sides to their personalities and background.
Serious Brant is more attractive than relaxed Brant, considering the reasons the hero is so fond of routine, no change, even boringness, and the pain that attitude towards life reveals. I loved how Stevie challenges him in such a genuine and spontaneous way.
Stevie is a great heroine, both strong and vulnerable, with a solid and confident personality.
They’re both down-to-earth and caring people, sensible, mature and responsible, yet still so young and open to intimacy and love.
The build-up of the romantic relationship is steady and slow.
I also liked the web of friends, relatives and co-workers.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,759 reviews29 followers
December 3, 2020
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book in the Holly, Idaho series about the 3 Evans sisters. Book 2 is about Stevie. Her best friend Kara has asked Stevie to plan her wedding to take place in a month. Kara is in the military and won’t be home until right before. She also asked her brother Brant to work together with Stevie and have it at the family tree farm. Brant and Stevie had a falling out in high school and she made it her mission to avoid him at all costs. The two both love Kara and agree on a truce in order to plan and execute the perfect wedding.

Both Stevie and Brant have great ideas and they work together during all their free time. Brant took vacation from his job in the larger city nearby. He is not spontaneous and realized he may be missing out by not putting himself out there to have fun sometimes. Stevie on the other hand is the opposite. She is about living in the moment, not really planning ahead. Her mother died when she was young and since then she has acted out of fear of losing those she cares about. She won’t commit to more than a couple of dates, she is a substitute teacher and has a couple other part time jobs rather than a full time position. The two talk some about their issues and fears and Stevie offers to help Brant have more fun. She doesn’t agree with how his company treats him by having him work while he’s on vacation.

Jeannie Watt has created very likable characters, both the main ones and the minor characters. I enjoyed seeing Stevie and Brant start to get close and enjoy each other’s company. We don’t see a lot of the brother sister relationship between Brant and Kara but we are given stories from the past to show their affection for each other. We also see interactions between the 3 Evans sisters and their dad to let us see their close relationship. In addition, we see the relationship with Brant’s farm helper Milt and neighbor Harp throughout the book.

There is some angst between Stevie and Brant. Initially, they have to get over the past disagreement and be able to work together. Then they start to enjoy being together and start to develop feelings. We wonder at various times what will happen with the new relationship between Stevie and Brant. There is some suspense over what life choices each will make. This is another 5 star book I highly recommend. I am looking forward to the final book.
Profile Image for Eileen.
2,702 reviews
December 19, 2020
Stevie and Brant’s story in Once Upon a Winter Wedding by Jeannie Watts, book two in her Holly, Idaho series, was a wonderful, sizzling, enjoyable tale of two people who appear to be opposites, but maybe not as much as they think. Laid back Stevie Evans is ecstatic when her best friend tells her she’s getting married and is happy to help with the planning. She never imagined she’d be playing wedding planner with her best friend’s uptight brother, Brant. Stevie had a huge blow-up with Brant several years ago and has avoided him since; only this time she can’t run or hide. It doesn’t help that the sizzle of attraction is stronger than ever. Since the death of his parents, Brant Gilroy has led a meticulous life, moving through life carefully and not detouring from his plans. He is excited that his sister is getting married and wants the event to occur at the family tree farm, which Brant has been restoring and thinking about expanding its offerings. Brant dreads the idea of having to work with Stevie, a woman he believes is free-wheeling through life without a plan, the complete opposite of him. As they spend time together planning the ceremony and reception, Brant finds that he can’t stop thinking about Stevie, and that they have more in common than either one suspected. The attraction between these two is magnetic as is the chemistry; such that others recognize their feelings before they admit to them. Stevie has found a way to bring fun and laughter back into Brant’s life. When a work problem arises, Brant needs to determine if a job away from the tree farm, from Idaho, from Stevie, is worth the risk.

Ms. Watts wrote a wonderful story reminding us not to judge a book by its cover that is definitely not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, family support, antics that make you laugh, and charming characters giving Stevie and Brant a chance to overcome past impressions, realize that they are perfect for each, and deserve to be together. I highly recommend Once Upon a Winter Wedding to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

1,659 reviews29 followers
December 28, 2020
Once Upon a Winter Wedding by Jeannie Watt
Can opposites attract and plan the perfect winter wedding?
Free-wheeling Stevie Evans is thrilled when her best friend announces she’s getting married and promises to help, never imagining she’d play wedding planner with her bestie’s uptight brother, Brant. She and Brant clashed several years ago and she’s avoided him ever since. But this time she can’t run or hide, and the buzz of attraction is stronger than ever.
Brant Gilroy’s meticulous life plan takes an unexpected turn when he hits a career bump on the same day as his sister’s wedding announcement. She wants to get married at the family tree farm, which he’s been restoring. Brant’s determined to make her day special despite his uncertain future, although he dreads working with her best friend—a woman who’s his complete opposite. So why can’t he get her out of his head?
This is Stevie Evans and Brant Gilroy's story.
“The end of January?” Stevie Evans swallowed her tea a little too quickly then gave a small gasp as it nearly went down the wrong pipe. “Are you okay?” her best friend, Kara Gilroy, asked from the other end of the phone call. “Fine,” she replied, glad they were not on a video call, so Kara didn’t see her nearly choke at the idea of putting on a wedding in a matter of weeks. “Of course I can put together a wedding by January 30.”
She glanced at the wall calendar she used to record her substitute teaching schedule. Four weeks. She could do it.
Nothing she liked better than a skin-of-the-teeth challenge.
“This is my brother we’re talking about. If you can easily do two tasks, take on three.” “Brant is driven.”
Stevie would give him that, even though she didn’t consider it an entirely positive trait.
“It’s a genius idea to expand the tree farm.” “It was mine,” Kara said. “Don’t let him take a lick of credit.” Muffled voices sounded in the background of the call and then Kara said, “I’ve got to go, Stevie.
I recommend reading.
Once Upon a Winter Wedding by Jeannie Watt is a 4 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Jeannie Watt
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Profile Image for Marsha Keeper Bookshelf.
4,290 reviews88 followers
December 28, 2020
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

Once Upon A Winter Wedding, the second story in the Holly, Idaho series brings us a couple who will delight and confound us often in the same breath. I enjoyed Brant and Stevie’s sort of enemies to lovers romance and the chance to visit Holly once again as well.

Back in their high school days, Stevie was trying to help her friend, Kara (Brant’s sister). Her help was well-intended yet Brant blamed Stevie for things that truly were not her fault… but brothers will be brothers and those bad feelings held between them for years.

Now Kara is asking both Stevie and Brant to plan out her wedding since she is stationed overseas and cannot personally do this because she wants it held at the family tree farm. A place that Brant is desperately trying to save. Two people have to set aside their own personal feelings in order to help a friend and sister, but can they do that and not let a different set of emotions get in the way as the past fades and the present looks very good on each of them.

Brant and Stevie are such opposites and for good reasons that make sense, yet watching them slowly change their mindsets was an enjoyable experience. Once Upon A Winter Wedding is full of chuckles, a bit of angst, lively secondary characters, hints of what is to come in the series, and two people who given their history should never have worked as a couple… but love often sees with different eyes. I had fun with this couple and will be keeping an eye out for the next story in the Holly, Idaho series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
3,589 reviews41 followers
November 8, 2020
This was more of a 3.5 stars story.
This second book in the series about three sisters in Holly Idaho , belongs to Stevie Evans. She’s the sister that is considered the carefree, daredevil one, with no concerns or worries about a steady job or commitment. When in fact, that is far from the truth and only the facade she presents to the world.
She returned home a few years ago to help her Dad, and never left.
Brant Gilroy is the successful brother of her best friend Kara. The same one that during HS lashed at her because she had dragged her sister into one of her mischevious endeavors, causing a suspension and possible loss of a scholarship. But once again, the lack of communication and the reason behind Stevie’s antics was never known.
Now Kara, who is about to leave the military, is getting married and has entrusted the two of them to set up her wedding .
As Stevie and Brant work together and begin to really get to know each other, the real reason for both their behavior is revealed and feelings develop. But what happens when job opportunities come up and the possibility of a future is shattered?
Though not the best work of this talented author, it still was a sweet, touching , clean romance about family, and friendships. It’s also a story of how the loss of a family member can affect an individual the rest of their lives. Lastly, it’s a story about finding love when you least expected causing you to re-evaluate your future and your life.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
159 reviews2 followers
November 13, 2020
Kara Gilroy wants to marry her fiancé, Theo in a few short weeks at her family farm. She also wants her best friend, Stevie Evans, and her brother, Brant to organize the event. By the way, Stevie and Brant had a falling out in high school, and have avoided each other ever since. They agree to work together, because they both love Kara. They each have lists of wedding necessities, and they’re checking them twice. Everything is progressing smoothly. So smoothly that Stevie and Brant begin thinking of each other. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and their kisses begin.

Friends Milt and Harp pitch in to help, and the wedding is wonderful. Stevie is on the verge of obtaining a permanent teaching position in hometown Holly, Idaho. Brant has decided to develop his family farm into an event destination, and to continue his long-term job in nearby Boise. Things are looking up for Stevie and Brant, and their new, developing relationship. A huge opportunity/problem threatens to destroy everything, but will Stevie and Brant allow it, or will they overcome the threat?

Once Upon A Winter Wedding by Jeannie Watt is book #2 in her Holly, Idaho series. Holly is my favorite type of setting: small town, conifer trees, snow, and down-to-earth, loving citizens. The author’s words enable you to feel the heart and soul of this community, their love for each other, and the lengths they will go to help each other. I love this story, and this series. This story, hot chocolate, and a recliner would be the perfect Winter reading session.
Profile Image for Sandi Ramirez.
1,864 reviews17 followers
December 30, 2020
This is the second book in the Holly, Idaho series and it can be read as a standalone easily but why do that when you can read the first book, A Home for the Holidays, and get a much better feel for this amazing author as well as the town. Let's just right into Holly, Idaho, and Brant Gilroy. He has been working hard at the family tree farm to make it into something everyone can be proud of and when his sister wants to get married Brant knows it is the perfect time and place to put into action what he has wanted to add to the tree farm... destination weddings. The only problem is his sister is in the military and she nor her fiance will be around to help and they need to get married within a 4 week time period. So the answer is for him to work with her best friend Stevie Evans. Now, Stevie is the opposite of Brant is the night to the day. Strick and schedule follower to fly by the seat of your pants. This is not exactly what one would call a perfect matchup to make this wedding work but they will have to do. AND DO this what they ending up doing. This for me is one of those books that teaches you to look deeper than one is on the outside for you never know what you might find inside waiting for you.
Profile Image for Marcie Robinson.
357 reviews5 followers
November 18, 2020
We’re back in Holly, Idaho in “Once Upon a Winter Wedding” and this time it’s Stevie’s turn to fall in love (sister Tess found her HEA in “A Home for the Holidays”).

Stevie Evans avoids commitment, hiding her fears with a live-in-the-moment attitude. But then she finds herself attracted to Brant Gilroy, her best friend’s brother, and the guy who crushed her as a teen so much that she would cross the street to avoid him.
Brant is all about stability and, after his parents died when he was young and he took over caring for his sister, he needed security, too. Now, having to work with Stevie to plan his sister’s wedding, he’s looking to her to help him loosen up and have fun.
And fun these two have while planning a wedding and turning a Christmas tree farm into a wedding venue.

Jeannie Watt writes the best characters. Not only do we have the main characters, Stevie and Brant, but you’ll also fall for Milt and Harp.
“Once Upon a Winter Wedding” is definitely a story that will give you a wrapped-in-a-cozy-blanket kind of feeling.
4,208 reviews21 followers
December 28, 2020
Once Upon a Winter Wedding, the second book in the Holly, Idaho Series by Jeannie Watt is an enjoyable read that has complete opposites working together. They have a sister of one and the best friend of the other in common as they help with a wedding. Misconceptions and quick judgements from the past give way to Stevie and Brant seeing each other through new more mature perspective lens. Their romance is a slow build up with them first finding common ground for the wedding. Both has struggles but are caring, loyal and solid individuals.

Knowing this is a romance, you know it will have a HEA but it is fun watching the two work through the past to find a future that they never expected. Recommend for anyone who needs a feel good happily-ever-after family story.

ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Janine.
1,091 reviews27 followers
November 13, 2020
A heartfelt reunion

It’s been ten years since Stevie had a falling out with her best friend Kara’s brother, Brant. Now Kara wants Stevie and Brandt to work together to plan her wedding. After they put their disagreements from the past behind them, they find friendship again and soon find themselves falling in love.

This was a fun book to read. Stevie and Brant were great together once they were able to put the past behind them. I laughed when the people in town though they were the ones getting married as they were going to food tastings and ordering flowers. There were some emotional parts in the story as well, like when Stevie has to overcome her fears and Brandt is there to help her. Brant is at a crossroads with what he wants to do with his life and with Stevie’s help, he is able to make a decision. All around, it is a good book.
6,573 reviews27 followers
December 28, 2020
This is the second book ion this fun series all set in Holly, Idaho and it is a super fun enemy to lovers romance

Brant Gilroy never really likes his sister Kara's best friend Stevie Evans as she continually got her into trouble and involved in her reckless schemes but is that how it really was or his he looking through the tinted eyes of a brother Either way the two of them are going to have to work together as Kara is about to get married when she leaves the military so it will be up to them to organise her wedding for her. As Brant spends more time with Stevie he begins to see that his judgment of her may not have been fair as she has far more depth than he or anyone else realises. Soon the two of them are developing feelings for one another but will a job opportunity rip them apart. You will have to read to see what happens between these two
Profile Image for Shelagh.
1,811 reviews25 followers
December 28, 2020
I loved Once Upon A Christmas Wedding, book two in Jeannie Watt’s Holly, Idaho series. This story is set mostly on a tree farm where heroine Stevie Evans and Brant Gilroy, her best friend Kara’s big brother, have four weeks to organise Kara’s wedding for her while she and her fiancé Theo are overseas. There’s lots of appeal in the tree farm setting including the rustic barn and machinery shed that Stevie and Brant transform into a winter wonderland complete with twinkle lights and boughs of greenery bedecked with ribbon. I loved the way the relationship between Stevie and Brant evolved from barely tolerating each other to an easy friendship and then to love. Everything about this story felt good. It’s beautifully written, engaging and left me with a smile on my face.
Profile Image for Laura D.
1,120 reviews
January 2, 2021
Stevie has been besties with Kara forever. Years ago Kara's brother Brant ripped into her for leading his sister astray. Now years later they are thrown together to plan the perfect wedding, on short notice, for Kara and her hubby to be who are both stationed overseas. They are both dreading joining forces but the agreed to make Kara happy. Brant regrets being so harsh with Stevie and she wants to spend as little time as possible with him since he does not like her. As they spend time together truths of the past come out and they begin to see each other in a new light. It is a story about forgiveness, understanding the past and moving on with the future. Good read.
1,857 reviews20 followers
January 16, 2021
Stevie had a fight years ago with her best friends brother. And she kept going out of her way to not be around him. She still is friends with his sister. Now Kara, is going to be getting married but her and her fiance are in the service and they have to plan the wedding in a short period. Kara has enlisted her brother, Brant, to help her best friend, Stevie, to plan the wedding for her.

Kara wants to get married at the tree farm and the rest is up to Brant and Stevie to fix for her. Can they work on the wedding together since they aren't really speaking to each other. Time will tell and they don't have much of that to put together the perfect wedding.
Profile Image for Madm007.
1,158 reviews6 followers
July 22, 2024
Stevie and Brant

A fast-paced, small-town, best friend's older brother, opposites attract, surprise romance.
When feelings between Brant and Stevie change from what they were years ago, these two finally face those sparks head-on, maybe with a few curves.
The wedding they both got roped into planning was exciting, yet simplistic, wintery, beautiful, and the way every wedding should turn out (sigh).
A great clean read I fell in love with.
The secondary characters each added a tad more depth to this falling-in-love journey in meaningful ways, whether adding drama, humor, whimsy, words of wisdom, or hard truths.
899 reviews
November 17, 2020
Once year ago Brant told Stevie off and she has even crossed streets to avoid meeting up with him and the hurt of it hasn’t lessened but now she has to work with him to plan her best friends (who happens to be his sister) wedding.
This was a very relaxing read and most enjoyable, almost makes a winter wedding look great with all the ideas and pulling together to bring it all off guess who grows close?
This is book two of The Holly Idaho series and I was given an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Shari.
1,873 reviews25 followers
December 30, 2020
Enemies, opposites attraction at least that is what Stevie and Brant thought. They are busy planning a wedding for Stevie's best friend who happens to be Brant's little sister. Brant and Stevie had a falling out in high school and now agreed to put it behind them as they have one month to pull of this winter wedding. They soon find out they have have more in common than they though and share a sizzling chemistry.

This was a fun light read perfect for this busy time of the year. Loved all of the winter fun that they shared while curled up under my warm blanket on my couch. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend this read.
Profile Image for Christina Montminy.
2,171 reviews22 followers
November 20, 2020
This was a sweet feel good romance. I enjoyed the pull between Brant & Stevie. They have a history that isn��t great, his discontent with Stevie being his sisters best friend was not news. They’re brought together to plan his sister’s wedding in a very short time & beginning the start of a new relationship. Challenges created growth & understanding that is leading them especially Brant in a new direction. Thank you to Tule publishing for letting me read this book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Donnajo.
2,356 reviews
November 8, 2020
I voluntarily read a advanced readers copy of this book for honest opinion.

Once Upon a Winter Wedding by Jeannie Watt. The second book in the Holly, Idaho series. A small town, past issues, moving on and wedding plans make up this touching holiday story. I look forward to reading more in this series and by Jeannie Watt.
1,620 reviews9 followers
December 28, 2020
What a great addition to this series. This book was such a fun book to read. Brant and Stevie have a history together. Now they must work together and plan a wedding. Will they be able to get past their differences? Will they become friends again? Pick up this book and find out because it is a great read from start to finish. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

2,061 reviews11 followers
December 28, 2020
A great christmas read.
Stevie is helping organise her friend Kara's wedding. To do this, she has to work with Kara's brother Brant, who is no fun and thinks Stevie is a bad influence on his sister. As they spend more time with each other, will they realise they were both wrong?

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Paula Pugh.
2,330 reviews11 followers
November 17, 2020
Warring emotions fight for a win when Stevie and Brant are forced together to plan a wedding for their friend/sister.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
278 reviews1 follower
December 28, 2020
I really enjoyed coming back to Holly Idaho to read more and meet another Evans girl, this time Stevie .Stevie and Brant work out their differences to help his sister and her best friend Kara pull off a beautiful wedding event at tree farm .Happy Release Day Ms.Watt
Profile Image for Jacki.
1,044 reviews4 followers
December 31, 2020
Cute
I enjoyed revisiting Holly.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Holly, Idaho.
Standalone
HEA

I look forward to reading Felicity's story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
Profile Image for HiDee Ekstrom.
128 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2021
When Kara asks her brother and her best friend to work together, she had to know sparks were going to fly! Stevie is a free spirit, while Brant is more uptight. They can learn a lot from each other, and they do. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more about this family!
Profile Image for Louise Bird.
672 reviews5 followers
December 30, 2020
Wonderful Romance!
I had the pleasure of reading an arc of this amazing book.
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