by: Christi Barth
Series: Aisle Bound
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 11, 2020
Amazon | Paperback | Goodreads
In the harsh spotlight of reality television, a romance-a-holic wedding planner tries to snare the anti-Cupid.
Chicago wedding planner Ivy Rhodes lives and breathes romance. She won’t let anything burst the perfect bubble of happiness she creates for her clients. So she’s immediately on guard when a reality television crew appears to tape one of her weddings. Tall, blonde and sexy, the cameraman’s a relentless flirt, and Ivy follows his easygoing charm straight into the bedroom.
Ever since a scandal ended his career as a news videographer, Bennett Westcott is relegated to filming reality catfights and bridezillas. His latest assignment comes with the bonus of a gorgeous wedding planner. But Ivy ruins their one-night stand by turning too serious too quickly. Although a big fan of lust, Ben’s allergic to love. He rejects her and everything she holds dear, leaving her brokenhearted.
The network builds a reality show around Ivy, Planning for Love. She signs the contract before learning the man who shredded her heart into confetti will spend the next three months filming her. Suddenly Ben has to spend every day with the woman he knows he shouldn’t be with, but can’t resist. And Ivy’s stuck wondering, how do you plan for happily ever after when the guy you want doesn’t believe in it?
Ivy Rhodes is a twenty-nine-year-old wedding planner and co-owner of Chicago’s Aisle Bound, a wedding consulting company, with her best friend Daphne Lovell. Ivy is a hopeless romantic and believes in happily ever after, long-lasting love. Her parents have been happily married to each other for forty years.
Ben Westcott is a cynic who doesn’t believe in marriages lasting past the “I Do’s”. Bennett’s entire family is full of un-happy ever afters. He believes his family has been cursed by his great-great-grandmother a hundred years ago. Interestingly enough, Ben is the cameraman for a wedding reality tv show.
When I started reading Planning for Love, I actually found Christi Barth, the author, on Twitter and asked if I was supposed to be laughing as I was reading it. I was expecting a romance, but I wasn’t expecting to find myself laughing at the characters. This was one of those rare books where I actually liked ALL of the supporting characters. By the end of the book, Ben and I both realized that this statement was true, “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.”
I loved that the book started each chapter off with an advice quote like, “Life is what happens to us while we’re busy making other plans. - John Lennon” or “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing. - Goethe”. Yes, I’m a planner and a hopeless romantic as well.
Planning for Love isn’t one of those books that’s going to make you cry. But it is one of those books which will make you go, “Awwww.” Ernest Hemingway said, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” To that I can say, Ivy and Ben do realize that they love each other, and Ben is finally willing to put down roots and take a chance on love and the elusive happy ending that his family has never had. The journey that this book takes you on to get there is the magical part of romance that I love.
Did I mention that I was doing the happy dance when I found out that this was part of a series? I can’t wait for the next book, A Fine Romance.
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed.**
Rating: 4
USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
Ever since a scandal ended his career as a news videographer, Bennett Westcott is relegated to filming reality catfights and bridezillas. His latest assignment comes with the bonus of a gorgeous wedding planner. But Ivy ruins their one-night stand by turning too serious too quickly. Although a big fan of lust, Ben’s allergic to love. He rejects her and everything she holds dear, leaving her brokenhearted.
The network builds a reality show around Ivy, Planning for Love. She signs the contract before learning the man who shredded her heart into confetti will spend the next three months filming her. Suddenly Ben has to spend every day with the woman he knows he shouldn’t be with, but can’t resist. And Ivy’s stuck wondering, how do you plan for happily ever after when the guy you want doesn’t believe in it?
Ivy Rhodes is a twenty-nine-year-old wedding planner and co-owner of Chicago’s Aisle Bound, a wedding consulting company, with her best friend Daphne Lovell. Ivy is a hopeless romantic and believes in happily ever after, long-lasting love. Her parents have been happily married to each other for forty years.
Ben Westcott is a cynic who doesn’t believe in marriages lasting past the “I Do’s”. Bennett’s entire family is full of un-happy ever afters. He believes his family has been cursed by his great-great-grandmother a hundred years ago. Interestingly enough, Ben is the cameraman for a wedding reality tv show.
When I started reading Planning for Love, I actually found Christi Barth, the author, on Twitter and asked if I was supposed to be laughing as I was reading it. I was expecting a romance, but I wasn’t expecting to find myself laughing at the characters. This was one of those rare books where I actually liked ALL of the supporting characters. By the end of the book, Ben and I both realized that this statement was true, “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.”
I loved that the book started each chapter off with an advice quote like, “Life is what happens to us while we’re busy making other plans. - John Lennon” or “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing. - Goethe”. Yes, I’m a planner and a hopeless romantic as well.
Planning for Love isn’t one of those books that’s going to make you cry. But it is one of those books which will make you go, “Awwww.” Ernest Hemingway said, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” To that I can say, Ivy and Ben do realize that they love each other, and Ben is finally willing to put down roots and take a chance on love and the elusive happy ending that his family has never had. The journey that this book takes you on to get there is the magical part of romance that I love.
Did I mention that I was doing the happy dance when I found out that this was part of a series? I can’t wait for the next book, A Fine Romance.
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed.**
Rating: 4
Purchase Planning for Love from:
The Aisle Bound Series:
A Fine Romance releases June 1, 2020
Friends to Lovers releases June 22, 2020
A Matchless Romance releases July 13, 2020
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
Places to find Christi Barth:
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