Reviewed by Cheryl

TITLE: Say Yes To A Mess

SERIES: Dreamspun Desires

AUTHOR: Elle Brownlee

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 177 Pages

RELEASE DATE: November 17, 2020

BLURB:

Can a fake engagement become a real marriage?

Wiley Grey is stuck in a rut. He loves his picturesque hometown, helping in his best friend’s bakery, and the house his grandmother left him. But something’s missing.

Holt Leydon never intended to become a reality TV show host. When his flamboyant brother, Kit, needed a handyman on the set of I Do!, Holt fell into the role, using his expertise to make Kit’s wildest wedding designs come true. Now he’s ready to move on. Kit has agreed on one condition: they rescue Kit’s would-be ratings bonanza “coming home” episode by making Holt the groom.

The problem is Holt needs someone to marry, and fast. Something compels him to ask childhood friend Wiley—and Wiley agrees to the pretense

Kit gets his dramatic last episode, Holt gets off the show, and Wiley gets some artificial excitement and a “honeymoon” on the show’s dime. It’s perfect—until the grooms start wishing their pretend engagement was more reality and less TV….

REVIEW:

This is one of the nicest books I’ve read in a long while. My usual go to is angst and drama, but recently I’ve gone soft and have been reading some fluffier material. I wouldn’t call this book fluffy per se, just fluffy for me. It’s certainly a feel good story with a very satisfying ending.

Wiley and Holt are a cute couple and while I went into it believing I would like Kit best, I really didn’t. The book turned out much gentler and sweeter than I had expected and I loved it.

One of the biggest appeals, to me, was the wealth of little details, personal touches that made the background, and the story, richer. For example, Ophalia in general, and Wiley’s home are described through Wiley’s newly awakened love for his home town, and Holt’s reminiscences about the his past involvement with Wiley and his grandmother. We are also given a well rounded picture of the venues and the production set up. I feel I would know Carla’s bakery if I walked into it. There were beautiful little authentic touches, like the villagers sprucing the place up for the visiting film company.

As well as well rounded setting, there were also some lovely character sketches of background characters, even those whose part in the story and page coverage is minute in comparison. I particularly liked Pete, whose hands were even bigger than Holt’s, and Mis Sarah, the dance teacher.

All in all, this was a very sweet and satisfying read, and if the trope was slightly tired, it gave it a quick kick and showered it with glitter and rose gold highlights. A perfect coffee time book that can be put down and picked up, and despite what drama there was, always makes you feel warm and comfortable.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Dreamspinner Press (Dreamspun Desires)

Amazon