In To Love and to Cherish, USA Today bestselling author Lauren Layne’s third steamy novel in her delightful, hotter-than-Hades new series, the Wedding Belles’ head honcho Alexis Morgan decides she’s ready to let loose. But when a certain sexy accountant volunteers himself for the job, will she risk everything she’s built in the name of lust…or possibly even love?
Alexis has spent the past eight years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premier wedding planning company. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn to her much neglected personal life. Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Definitely not part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Wedding Belles and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan is all business, all the time. But when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss, Alexis begins to suspect there’s a hot-blooded man beneath the pinstripes and glasses.
Logan has wanted Alexis since the day they met, but the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable. Now Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally obvious that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last-minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect opportunity to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan sets out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever…
I haven't read any books in this series before, but I have always heard great things about this series. So, I decided to give this series a chance when I got the opportunity to read To Love and to Cherish ! I was so happy to discover that this book was light-hearted, adorable, and fun! There were some things I had issues with in this book, but I found it enjoyable overall.
The main male character, Logan, was a dreamboat. I thought he was charming, romantic, and kind. However, I thought he was a little bit of a doormat at times when it came to Alexis. It felt like Logan let Alexis just run all over him. That aside, I still really liked Logan. If I saw him in real life, I honestly think I would start drooling. I also really liked Logan paired with Alexis. I thought they were such a cute couple (when there wasn't drama involving Alexis), and it was obvious that they had a deep connection. The author did a great job at creating passion between the two characters.
Alexis was the main issue I had with this book. I felt like Alexis was really cold and wishy-washy towards Logan. It seemed like Alexis was just dragging Logan along. I understood the inner turmoil that Alexis was experiencing, but I thought Logan deserved more confirmation from Alexis. It was easy to see the chemistry between Alexis and Logan, but Alexis would always shut it down quickly. I just wish she would have opened up more to Logan. I will say that I admired her passion for her business and how much she cared about the women who worked for her. I thought Alexis was a nice person, but I think she was just too cold to Logan.
I loved the aspect of the wedding planning business in this book. It added such a charming aspect to the story. I also really liked how the side characters played a large part in this story. It was really nice to see the friendships between Alexis and the other wedding planners. I thought the author did a great job at developing realistic friendships. It made me want to go back and read the other books ASAP!
Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable and quick read. I had some issues with this book, but all of the other positives of this book outweighed those issues. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new romance novel!
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3.5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. * |
“Hello.”
The sexy British accented startled Alexis out of her thoughts, and she glanced up, both alarmed and intrigued to find that the face that awaited her was every bit as appealing as the voice.
The man was about her age—early, maybe midtwenties—and ridiculously cute. His hair was dark and maybe just a touch too long, as though he intended to get a haircut but kept forgetting. The eyes were brown and friendly, accented by trendy black-framed glasses.
The chunky cable-knit sweater with elbow patches—for real—bordered on dorky, but then, Alexis had always had a soft spot for dorky. He had a bit of the Clark Kent thing going on, which had always been far more her type than the overrated Superman.
“Hi,” she replied quickly, realizing that she’d been staring.
His smile grew wider as he extended a hand. “Logan Harris.”
Darn. Even the name was good.
“Alexis,” she said.
“Does that come with a last name?” he teased, lowering himself to the vacant barstool beside her.
“Not to strange men,” she retorted.
“I could buy you a drink. Get rid of the ‘strange’ part.”
Alexis’s smile slipped as she remembered that romance, even flirting, wasn’t part of her plan. She’d learned the hard way that she could have one or the other—her own business or a boyfriend—not both. And even if she wanted the latter, the latter didn’t want her back.
“No thanks; I’m fine,” she said, letting the slightest amount of chill enter her voice. The ice-princess treatment, Roxanne called it.
Logan shrugged, undeterred. “All right then. May I borrow your menu?”
She nodded, and he picked it up, perusing it for several moments and paying her no attention.
It was both a relief and also a bit of an insult, if she was being entirely honest, to be given up on so easily.
Alexis tried to turn her attention back to her laptop but watched out of the corner of her eye as he finally shut the menu, waiting patiently to catch the bartender’s eye.
“Hi there,” he said, when the bartender ambled back over. “I’d like a Stella, and a maybe bite to eat?”
Alexis didn’t miss the once-over that the bartender gave Logan before the curvy redhead leaned over the bar, displaying perky boobs as she clicked her pen and pulled a notepad out of her back pocket.
“Shoot,” the bartender said flirtatiously, looking a good deal friendlier than she had when she’d spoken to Alexis.
Not that Alexis blamed her. A cute Brit could do that to a girl.
“All right then,” Logan said. “I’d like the burger, medium, with Swiss. Fish and chips, extra tartar, and . . . how’s your chicken club?”
The bartender blinked. “It’s good. But you want all that?”
“I do. Thank you.”
“Suit yourself,” she said, scribbling Logan’s order on the pad.
“Hungry?” Alexis couldn’t resist asking after the bartender moved away.
Logan gave a sheepish smile. “I’m a recovering student. I sometimes get so wrapped up in my day that I forget to eat.”
“A recovering student. What does that mean?”
He turned slightly toward her. “Someone’s showing plenty of interest in a strange man.”
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry if I was rude before. I’m just not really in the market for . . . you know.”
He gave her an easy smile. “Everyone’s in the market for a friend, Alexis.”
She opened her mouth and then shut it as she realized he was right. She could use a friend. She’d spent her entire life in Boston and knew almost nobody in New York. This guy seemed nice and nonthreatening enough—what would be the harm in a little conversation over dinner? It had been too long since she’d had somebody to share a meal with.
Logan seemed to know the moment she capitulated, because he turned more fully toward her. “A recovering student, Alexis, is a recent graduate. One who hasn’t quite absorbed that there will be no more finals, no more requisite all-nighters, and no more dorm sex.”
Alexis laughed. “Undergrad, then?”
He gave her a wry look. “How young do I look, darling? MBA from Columbia. Just finished up end of last year.”
She felt a little stab of relief that he wasn’t twenty-two.
He leaned toward her slightly. “Twenty-five next month, just in case you were wondering. As a friend.”
She tried to hide her smile and failed. “Columbia, huh? You’re a long way from home.”
“Noticed that, did ya?” He winked. “I came out here for undergrad, also Columbia. Always figured I’d go back to London and maybe someday I will, but . . .” He shrugged. “Seems I have stuff to do here first.”
“Such as?” She took a sip of her wine, dismayed to see that it was half-empty.
“Well, this will probably shock you, given my vast amount of brawn, but I’m an accountant. Or at least I will be, once I get my business up and running.”
Alexis was impressed. “Your own business?”
Most twentysomethings, even those with an entrepreneurial bent, opted to get a few years of work under their belts for someone else before branching out on their own.
He nodded. “I’m working out of my flat for now, but I’m hoping to lease some office space soon, get some legitimacy. If nothing else to get my father off my back.”
“He’s not a fan of your plan?” Alexis asked.
Logan’s shoulder lifted, and for the first time he seemed a little sad. “Both parents have had it in their head that I’d come home. Run the family business in London.”
“Which is . . . ?”
He spun his beer glass idly. “Financial consulting firm. My father’s the CEO, Mum’s the COO.”
“Wow, that’s . . .”
“Scary?” Logan supplied.
“I was going to say impressive. That they work together—without killing each other, I mean.”
“They’re in love. It’s atrocious,” he said with a wink. “What about your folks?”
Alexis laughed. “Not in love. They divorced when I was in high school. Dad’s remarried and happy now, I think. Mom not so much.”
“And you?” he said. “Are you happy, Alexis?”
She pursed her lips, surprised and yet not entirely unsettled by the personal question. “It’s been a while since anyone asked me that. Since I even thought about it, really.”
“Think it out. I’ll wait,” he said with a wink.
She didn’t have to think that long. “I’m almost happy.”
“You sound quite confident on that.”
She shrugged. “Let’s just say that I need a few things to fall into place in my professional life, but once that happens . . . yeah. I’ll be happy.”
She’d make sure of it.
(From This Day Forward)
