Product Description
Can love, romance, and marriage really be better the second time around? That’s what four best friends are about to find out in Jean Stone’s sexy, smart, and poignantly funny new novel about saying “I do” all over again.
It’s an idea just crazy enough to work–a wedding-planning business tailored for second weddings run by four single best friends who’ve loved, who’ve lost, and who are ready to start again. A successful Boston publicist, Jo Lyons h… More >>
I was intrigued with the possibility of this book, and its series. The idea of four women in their forties starting a company to plan second weddings coupled with the location of the Berkshires of Massachusets, in my backyard, drew me to the books and author. I have NEVER been so disappointed in not only a book, but the possibility of a book. None of the characters were really even likable. You are not really given the chance to understand who they are before you are asked to care about them. The main character is described as a successful woman in her early forties who allows herself to fall back into a relationship with a man she hasn’t seen in over twenty years who abandoned her at a vulnerable point in her life. We are led to believe that this ’successful, stong’ woman would not only fully let him back into her life, but trust him to the point where in less than six months time he has bankrupted her and left her again. Then there is another man who insinuates himself into these women’s lives based on a lie so that he can reveal what ‘real’ women think as part of a column in a national men’s magazine who only compounds his lie, and the women’s vulnerability, with his actions. In addtion, we are asked to believe that he has a huge attraction to one of the women, but it is rarely played upon, or described with any detail or reality and in one jarring chapter there is a rather graphic sexual scene that is essentially on it’s own with nothing leading to it or from it. Finally, the last few chapters ‘tie’ up the loose ends in an unconvincing manner that not only doesn’t make sense in some aspects, some of it is predicated on lies told from the beginning! I am afraid that after purchasing the entire series initially, I returned the last three unread.
Rating: 1 / 5
The four women are getting together because Elaine is marrying for the second time and wants her college pals (Jo, Sarah, and Lily) as her bridesmaids. The trio detests the wedding dress that might look great on a teen bride, but horrendous on a forty-three year old mom. As they continue to discuss the woeful selections for a mature second time bride, the quartet form a wedding planner partnership Second Chances to insure that older brides obtain a first class reception.
At the same time that the four women meet, Buzz magazine editor John Benson assigns writer turned Professor Arthur Kennedy to do a column called Real Women. Arthur reluctantly agrees only because his friend John needs his help to save the magazine.
As Second Chances gets off the ground, the intelligent Jo struggles to hide her hurt and embarrassment from the deception of her lover Brian, who cost her the upper crust Boston lifestyle she had grown accustomed to living. Arthur meets Jo and is immediately attracted to her. As they fall in love, Arthur realizes hiding his column from her could prove costly since male deceit haunts Jo.
ONCE UPON A BRIDE is a delightful middle age women’s fiction story that stars a fabulous cast that insist life is still exciting in your forties. The story line contains several subplots involving the four female friends, but mostly centers on Jo, a deep and hurting protagonist with trust troubles following her father’s desertion as a child and her lover’s betrayal as an adult. Jean Stone provides a wonderful contemporary tale starring mature characters looking to regain the magic.
Harriet Klausner
Rating: 5 / 5
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I had to read to complete the trilogy. Author captured my attention and allowed a couple of hours of carefree reading for pleasure
Rating: 4 / 5