by: Ginny Baird
Series: Blue Hill Brides
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Entangled Publishing ~ Amara
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There’s no faking love...
Saying “I do” has never been this much fun in this charming new romance from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird.
Hope Webb can’t believe her twin sister, Jackie, is begging her to swap places and play fiancée at Jackie’s pre-wedding festivities. Sure, it’s only a business-deal sort of marriage, but Hope is a carb-loving teacher who enjoys curling up with a good book. Jackie is a workaholic whose idea of a good time is a brisk five-mile run at the crack of dawn. The two sisters couldn’t be more opposite.
Now Hope is stuck in the middle of a warm, tight-knit family she can’t help but adore and a groom who turns out to be entirely wonderful...for her.
Hotel magnate Brent Albright knows something is off about his fiancée, but he doesn’t care. Gone is the driven woman with similar career goals, and in her place is someone warm and funny who not only charms his family but him as well. She’s doing everything she can to avoid him, but that’s probably just nerves. Two people about to wed couldn’t know each other less.
Now Brent is determined to woo his fiancée, for real this time, because the more he gets to know her, the more his sweet fiancée turns out to be entirely wonderful...for him.
And that’s when things start to get really complicated…
“No, Jackie, just no. You can forget about it!” She lowered her voice, remembering she was outdoors and that Iris was within earshot. “I am not playing you. Okay? Not during your own wedding week.”
Iris looked up from trimming her begonia hedge. “Everything all right, child?”
“Oh, yeah! Fine! It’s just my sister. Nervous bride.” She waved Iris’s concern aside and hissed quietly into the mouthpiece, “Are you out of your ever-lovin’ mind?”
“No. I’m thinking plenty clearly. Thanks.”
Hope tightened her grip on her phone, unable to believe what her twenty-eight-year-old twin was suggesting. Jackie had to have majorly lost it to suggest a plan like that. Hope had to find a way to talk her down from this ledge.
“I’m sure if you explain things to Brent,” she said, “he’ll understand.”
“It’s not Brent I’m worried about,” Jackie rasped quietly. “It’s his grandmother.” She dropped her voice a notch further. She was probably in a public place. “I didn’t tell you this before because it’s embarrassing, but I don’t think the woman likes me.”
“You’ve met her?” Jackie hadn’t mentioned this. “When?”
“She and her husband live in Boston. Brent and I had lunch with them, and well...she gave me the eye.”
“Which eye?”
“The eye. You know, where it looks like someone’s peering straight through you? She kind of squinted at me, appraising-like, and asked how long I’d been in love with her grandson.”
Hope gasped. “What did you say?”
“Forever. What else could I say? Brent took my hand and told his grandparents we’re a great match. I mean, we’ve talked it out and have plenty of good reasons for being together, so we are. His grandfather toasted us with his congratulations then, but Granny just dabbed her lips with her napkin and mumbled something about rushed nuptials and haste making waste.”
“Well, that was unnecessary,” Hope snapped, affronted on her sister’s behalf. Even if the engagement had been short, Brent’s grandmother could have at least been gracious about it.
“I know. The family’s already doubting me, and nobody’s giving me a fair chance. Here’s the thing— Brent’s grandma is like the queen in that family. So, if she doesn’t like me, then maybe the others won’t, either.”
“I’m sure they’ll all love you once they get to know you,” Hope said. Jackie was so outgoing and fun. Meanwhile, Hope was on the quieter side—except for when she was commanding high-energy students. She was a rock star at getting preteens to behave in the classroom, which was one reason she loved her job. The other was summer vacations— when she wasn’t being coerced into teaching summer school.
“If I arrive late to my own wedding week, Grandmother Margaret’s going to pounce,” Jackie persisted. “She already hinted that she thought I was unreliable and might not make it.” She adopted a high falsetto, imitating the older woman. “With your very busy schedule, are you sure you can squeeze in one more wedding?”
Iris looked up from trimming her begonia hedge. “Everything all right, child?”
“Oh, yeah! Fine! It’s just my sister. Nervous bride.” She waved Iris’s concern aside and hissed quietly into the mouthpiece, “Are you out of your ever-lovin’ mind?”
“No. I’m thinking plenty clearly. Thanks.”
Hope tightened her grip on her phone, unable to believe what her twenty-eight-year-old twin was suggesting. Jackie had to have majorly lost it to suggest a plan like that. Hope had to find a way to talk her down from this ledge.
“I’m sure if you explain things to Brent,” she said, “he’ll understand.”
“It’s not Brent I’m worried about,” Jackie rasped quietly. “It’s his grandmother.” She dropped her voice a notch further. She was probably in a public place. “I didn’t tell you this before because it’s embarrassing, but I don’t think the woman likes me.”
“You’ve met her?” Jackie hadn’t mentioned this. “When?”
“She and her husband live in Boston. Brent and I had lunch with them, and well...she gave me the eye.”
“Which eye?”
“The eye. You know, where it looks like someone’s peering straight through you? She kind of squinted at me, appraising-like, and asked how long I’d been in love with her grandson.”
Hope gasped. “What did you say?”
“Forever. What else could I say? Brent took my hand and told his grandparents we’re a great match. I mean, we’ve talked it out and have plenty of good reasons for being together, so we are. His grandfather toasted us with his congratulations then, but Granny just dabbed her lips with her napkin and mumbled something about rushed nuptials and haste making waste.”
“Well, that was unnecessary,” Hope snapped, affronted on her sister’s behalf. Even if the engagement had been short, Brent’s grandmother could have at least been gracious about it.
“I know. The family’s already doubting me, and nobody’s giving me a fair chance. Here’s the thing— Brent’s grandma is like the queen in that family. So, if she doesn’t like me, then maybe the others won’t, either.”
“I’m sure they’ll all love you once they get to know you,” Hope said. Jackie was so outgoing and fun. Meanwhile, Hope was on the quieter side—except for when she was commanding high-energy students. She was a rock star at getting preteens to behave in the classroom, which was one reason she loved her job. The other was summer vacations— when she wasn’t being coerced into teaching summer school.
“If I arrive late to my own wedding week, Grandmother Margaret’s going to pounce,” Jackie persisted. “She already hinted that she thought I was unreliable and might not make it.” She adopted a high falsetto, imitating the older woman. “With your very busy schedule, are you sure you can squeeze in one more wedding?”
Purchase The Duplicate Bride from:
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The Matchmaker Bride releases July 27, 2021
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