The Wedding Shake-up

Wedding Meet Cute #2

by J.J. Knight

In a breathtaking island paradise, it’s easy for a handsome local and a sexy tourist to get swept away in a tart and tempting romance by a USA Today bestselling author.

A destination wedding on La Jarra Island for Tillie James’s sister has its drawbacks: hair-wrecking ocean spray and pincher crabs. And its perks: sexy, hotheaded beachfront bartender Gabe Landers, who brings out the competitive streak in fellow drinkslinger Tillie. When the rivals get together for a cocktail-making challenge, the blend is pure bliss, leaving them shaken and stirred.

The spirited blue-eyed tourist from Georgia makes Gabe’s head spin faster than his signature drink, the mermaid sunrise. But he’s determined not to obsess—out-of-towner love stories never last. Tillie agrees. They’ll just enjoy each other for now and make a clean break. No strings. No attachments. No chance. But when Tillie’s kiss goodbye comes with an invitation for Gabe to visit Atlanta, he can’t resist. As fate has it, it’s home to a heartbreaking piece of his own past.

As Tillie and Gabe face new challenges, destiny could tear them apart…or turn an intoxicating romance on the rocks into more than they ever expected.

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Rom Com, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

About the author

JJ Knight is the Kindle All-Star and USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedies and sports romance. She’s a fierce mama bear for all the humans under her care: biological, adopted, and those in need of mom hugs. Her books portray characters who learn to push through hardship to find love and belly laughs. For more information visit www.jjknight.com.

THE PICKLEVERSE OF BESTSELLING ROMANTIC COMEDIES:

- Big Pickle: Secret Boss
- Hot Pickle: Brother's Best Friend
- Spicy Pickle: Fake Engagement
- Second Chance Santa: Pickled Holiday Rom Com

- Royal Pickle: Marry a Prince in 7 Days
- Royal Rebel: Princess and Guard Secret Love
- Royal Escape: Secret Identity Princess

- Tasty Mango: Billionaire and Single Mom
- Tasty Pickle: Billionaire Opposites Attract
- Tasty Cherry: Boss and Intern

- Juicy Pickle: Stranded on an Island
- Salty Pickle: Surprise Baby
- Hold the Pickle: Unexpected Roommates

- Wicked Pickle: Bad Boy Biker Bar
- Tricky Pickle: MC Club

ROM COM DUETS:
- The Wedding Confession
- The Wedding Shake-up

- Single Dad on Top: Billionaire Surprise Dad
- Single Dad Plus One: Billionaire Secret Baby

ROM COM STANDALONE:

Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance: Sunshine-Sunshine Work Besties to Lovers

- The Accidental Harem: Yup, what it says. It's...a lot. I went nuts.

SPORTS ROMANCE SERIALS:
Grab individually or in boxed sets.

COLT AND JO
- Uncaged Love 1
- Uncaged Love 2
- Uncaged Love 3
- Uncaged Love 4
- Uncaged Love 5
- Uncaged Love 6

COLT'S FRIEND PARKER AND MADDIE
USA Today bestselling series
- Fight for Her 1
- Fight for Her 2
- Fight for Her 3
- Fight for Her 4

JO'S BROTHER HUDSON
- Reckless Attraction 1
- Reckless Attraction 2
- Reckless Attraction 3

Reviews

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the follow-up to Drew and Ensley's story (The Wedding Confession) and I do recommend reading these in order to avoid spoilers.

Tillie and Gabe have so much in common, and their chemistry is steamy and addictive. It was fun to see the connections between them align so well, until the end of her vacation hits, and the hard choices begin. The emotions surrounding their time apart is very relatable, and I found myself [surprisingly] upset. I appreciate her desire to ensure her family bonds, and well-being, based on her history. Gabe's backstory is just tragic for him, and I was very happy to see the positive resolution.

There are fantastic secondary storylines kept me engaged and flipping pages. I enjoyed the creativity and craftsmanship with these characters and story. This has parts that a very funny, but most of this read [for me] wasn't a laughfest. It was an emotional, heart-wrenching, heart-warming read that was engaging and entertaining. I recommend this read, this author, and her other works as well.

I thank Montlake publishing and Netgalley for my free ARC, and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this started out with a perfectly hilarious bit where crabs came out of the bushes and some of them came straight at the wedding party. While Tillie and Gabe started out as a bit of grumpy/sunshine/enemies, once they really started hanging out the enemies was gone, and Gabe’s grumpiness went away. The two of them had such a perfect, meant to be connection that when we got close to the end, and Tillie was going to have to go back to home and the real world, so far away from the tropical paradise island where Gabe lived, I honestly could not figure out how in the world they were going to make it work!

Along the way though, there was the fun times of the two of them working together at Gabe’s little bar in a hut. Now I’m not much of a drinker, but the drinks they were making sounded sooooooooooo good! I’m so glad I got a couple of the recipes for them in the box I got from the author for this month. Although the chocolate layered drink sounded yummy too, and I may have to do some online research for that one. Not that I have any alcohol in my house to try to make it though.

With Tillie being the youngest in her family, seeing how her sisters behaved with her and her “fling” made sense in a way. But it still was irritating, and as I am the oldest sister, I didn’t agree with her sisters, although their reactions somewhat made sense as I said, based on their family background. So Tillie’s reluctance to be able to move or stay there with Gabe made sense in that aspect. But it was also easy to understand why she didn’t want Gabe to leave his own family and world.

Gabe’s background had its own issues of course, and those fit the story perfectly, filling in the puzzle pieces that made these two the perfect couple. What happened at the end that made it possible for the two of them to see a way to be together was something I didn’t think of, and I love that the author used that for the plot. The way Tillie’s sister came to understand and know that she needed to be with Gabe was natural and realistic I thought as well.

Now I’m just looking forward to getting her sister Lila’s story in the next book!

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars) This is the second in the Wedding Meet Cute series. Ensley and Drew, from The Wedding Confession (June 2023) are having their wedding on La Jarra Island. While there Tillie James, sister of the bride, meets bartender Gabe Landers. Tillie also is a bartender at home in Georgia. As sparks fly between them they enjoy a cocktail making challenge. And when they are not making drinks they are enjoying the island setting and each other.

I like that Tillie and Gabe know going into this it is an island fling. They are confident in themselves and their passion. A big chunk of the first half of the book is them mixing drinks and the competition. It is a way for them to challenge each other, flirt and get to know each other better. Gabe prolongs their goodbye by coming to Georgia to face some personal issues. That time is only glazed over and i didn’t see it as growing the relationship. I was also disappointed in the sister story. A big part of the history of the sisters is they take care of each one another. But Tillie only does a few things while on the island with her sister Lila and niece Rosie. And they don’t seem to talk and share confidences much.

I enjoyed the story but I think I wanted something that make me melt either in the sisterhood or romance department. I do care enough to look forward to Lili’s romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute! Very Rom-Com-y, and I enjoyed the connection between the two main characters! Their meet-cute is hilarious, and their banter is light and witty. I enjoyed this one even more than the first book.

I liked where this story went with Gabe's background and how it influences his future for the better. Love his friends--they were hilarious.

Loved the epilogue! Definitely brought a tear to my eye. It's cheesy and cliché, but at the same time, it's unique in its own way, which I appreciate so much.

To me, Tillie's sisters are unfair and annoying (I was not a fan of Ensley in book 1; if Lila gets a book, I'm not sure if I'll read it.). There were also a lot of redundant story recaps (I'm poor; I grew up poor; Ensley raised us; etc) that really dragged an otherwise captivating story. Also, it felt at times that the author was doing a book report on the island or on how to bartend. Sometimes, we don't need all those details. I'm just trying to enjoy the story--not memorize 25 different cocktails and how to make them lol. It was a bit much, but it definitely didn't ruin the story.

Fun, easy read with a sweet HEA!

⭐️- 3.75/4.0
🌶- 2.25

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tillie doesn’t want anything to upset her sister’s beach wedding and that includes some crabs who decide they would like to upset the ceremony. She decides to take matters into her own hands to keep them away which isn’t met with approval by the sexy bartender.

Gabe doesn’t have much appreciate for visitors who don’t appreciate the island’s way of life but there is something about Tillie that calls to him. What starts out as a competition between two people in the same field turns into a vacation that neither can forget but will their time together end when the vacation does?

Fun and flirty I enjoyed the banter that Gabe and Tillie shared as they realized that what they shared was special and the only way to move forward was to face the past.

[WycEd Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out our full post for THE WEDDING SHAKE-UP on Wicked Reads.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is book two in the Wedding Meet Cute series, and it is filled with loads of fun, sun, a wedding, killer crabs, and a two-week vacation filled with more than two people were expecting.

Tillie James and her sisters are on La Jarra Island for Tillie's sister's wedding when the killer crabs begin to attack. Along comes a hunky local to save the crabs from the tourists.

Gabe Landers doesn't like tourists, but they keep the island alive. When he sees a wedding party about the kill the female crabs, he rushes in to save them.

There is something between Tillie and Gabe, a connection neither wants to explore for long. Neither one believes in relationships. So they decide to have an island fling. What can go wrong with that?

I loved everything about this story and think I love it more than the first one. So grab book one and catch up and then enjoy this one. You will not be disappointed. I recommend reading them in order as it will not make any sense any other way.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series and I would recommend that you read them in order for the full goodness, however, you can read this as standalone too.

Tillie is at her sister's destination wedding, but she prefers to be behind the scenes, so enjoys talking to Gabe, the resort's bartender, and takes him up on the cocktail making challenge. Their chemistry is wonderful, their banter is fabulous, and I was delighted that they decided to at least enjoy each other short term. I am sure that most of us will have been hoping that there would be a twist that ensured that they could have a long-term future.

I really enjoyed the holiday vibe, and the side stories – reading it was like taking an extra summer holiday with friends!

Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

[Riley K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a breathtaking island paradise, it’s easy for a handsome local and a sexy tourist to get swept away in a tart and tempting romance by a USA Today bestselling author.

A destination wedding on La Jarra Island for Tillie James’s sister has its drawbacks: hair-wrecking ocean spray and pincher crabs. And its perks: sexy, hotheaded beachfront bartender Gabe Landers, who brings out the competitive streak in fellow drinkslinger Tillie. When the rivals get together for a cocktail-making challenge, the blend is pure bliss, leaving them shaken and stirred.

The spirited blue-eyed tourist from Georgia makes Gabe’s head spin faster than his signature drink, the mermaid sunrise. But he’s determined not to obsess—out-of-towner love stories never last. Tillie agrees. They’ll just enjoy each other for now and make a clean break. No strings. No attachments. No chance. But when Tillie’s kiss goodbye comes with an invitation for Gabe to visit Atlanta, he can’t resist. As fate has it, it’s home to a heartbreaking piece of his own past.

As Tillie and Gabe face new challenges, destiny could tear them apart…or turn an intoxicating romance on the rocks into more than they ever expected.

Loved it from the start. Will recommend to others

[Britni Hood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m all about rom coms! I probably should have read the first book but when I requested this on NetGalley, I didn’t fully realize this was a second in a series. Either way, without reading the first book, I still enjoyed it.

The banter between tillie and gabe is cute. They kind of move fast paced BUT who doesn’t want to do that when you’re in paradise? Because if I was younger and single, YES PLEASE!

Long story short without giving spoilers, I thought it was worth the read!

[Anita Rupert · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Nate Brightman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wedding Shake-up is the 2nd book in J.J. Knight’s Wedding Meet Cute series. It picks up where the first book, The Wedding Confession left off. It opens at the destination wedding of the first book’s protagonists Ensley’s and Drew’s destination wedding on the imaginary Caribbean Island of La Jarra. Ensley’s younger sisters Lila and Tillie along with their older brother Garret are in her wedding party. Near the end of the ceremony a bunch of crabs native to La Jarra make an appearance. What the freaking out wedding guests don’t know is the crabs are just attempting to make their way to the nearby ocean to lay their eggs. Just as Garrett is about to smash the lead crab with a chair a handsome and very irate man (Gabe, this story’s male protagonist) rushes in yelling at everyone, scooping up the crabs and dropping them in the ocean. Order is restored. After the ceremony Tillie goes to the ramshackle beach bar where Gabe is serving drinks to apologize to the handsome bartender for attempting to annihilate the crabs. Sparks fly between the two relationship averse twenty-somethings. While there Tillie, who has a habit of unknowingly speaking her thoughts out loud, makes some snarky comments about Gabe’s bartending skills. Like Gabe Tillie is also a bartender back in Atlanta working in a dive bar. One thing leads to another and before the two of them know it they’re committed to a contest to determine who can make the best drinks. Before you know it Tillie is helping Gabe serve drinks and creating new appealing drink concoctions with him. Their chemistry is undeniable. But Gabe has serious mommy issues and Tillie has serious daddy issues which makes both of them allergic to anything beyond casual hook ups. Since Tillie is only on La Jarra for a couple of weeks as a tourist giving any potential relationship a built in expiration date, they agree to a fling. Of course, as with most relationships in contemporary romances that begin as casual, no strings sexual arrangements, Gabe’s and Tillie’s is destined to become more in spite of their best efforts to keep things casual and deeper feelings free. But there are real obstacles beyond their emotional baggage to threaten them having a happily ever after. Gabe’s life is on La Jarra. Tillie’s is in Atlanta where she helps support her single mom older sister Lily and her daughter Rosie. Tillie is the youngest of the four James siblings who grew up incredibly poor and without any real help from their father after their mother died when Tillie was still a baby. It was only by banding together, depending upon one another that they survived until adulthood. With first Garrett and now Ensley leaving the house it’s down to just Tillie and Lillie to take care of each other. Even though Tillie is the younger of the two she does more for Lilly than Lilly does for her. With Ensley moving out now that she’s married Drew, Lillie seeing Tillie grow attached to Gabe is terrified she’ll lose the support of her younger sister too and isn’t very receptive to her little sister’s romance. Neither is Ensley who realizes Gabe is the first guy Tillie has ever really seemed attached to and doesn’t want to see her little sister get her heart broken. Ensley feels the relationship is doomed from the start because Gabe’s and Tillie’s lives are thousands of miles apart. Ensley is also feeling guilty about abandoning her younger sisters whom she practically raised after their mother died and worries what will happen to Lillie if Tillie were to decide to remain with Gabe on La Jarra. Despite her sister’s warnings and protestations Tillie spends as much time as possible with Gabe while on the island, playing, making love, hanging out with his tight circle of friends and helping him at the bar. By the time Tillie has to go home they both have to admit that what started out as a casual vacation fling has become so much more. Can they overcome all the obstacles in front of them to live happily ever after? Well, this is a contemporary romance, so of course they will. But finding out how they do it makes for a very entertaining read.

[Despina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to JJ Knight and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding Shake-up was an enthralling read with a refreshingly exciting spin on a vacation romance between a surly local and a bouncy tourist—their words not mine ;)

From the beginning I could feel the sparks flying between Tillie and Gabe, the chemistry was other worldly. Both stubborn and fiery, and when they mix they’re one second away from combusting. I loved them. They were so very…adult in a sense and swoon-worthy at the same time. Their relationship felt honest, very go-with-the-flow, like puzzle pieces fitting together but with an hourglass hanging over their heads.

There aren’t many explicit steamy scenes in the books besides a couple, which I thought was nice and I liked that it wasn’t overdone. I loved their progression over the story, their attachment to each other, and their interactions. They were so fun and easy to be with as a reader.

Even though Tillie is new on La Jarra, I absolutely adore the familiarity aspect throughout this book. She fits in with the locals as if she was there her whole life—but not in a cliche kind of way, more of a: this girl is obviously not from here but we like & respect her kind of way because sometimes humans are cool and personable. That being said, there were a few cliche moments in the middle that were just a tad bit too on the nose for me but it wasn’t a huge deal.

The cocktail component of this book was so fun! I don’t know much about making & mixing drinks, but JJ Knight writes these scenes flawlessly. It was exciting reading about their drink competition or simply when they’re helping each other out behind the bar.

The main problem I had was her relationship with her sisters. At first, I thought it was odd that Tillie didn’t spend much time with her sisters, but then I got over it after seeing their personalities. Throughout the book it kept being mentioned that Tillie is sooo close with her sisters but I didn’t read enough about them to know that’s true. Instead, I thought their relationship was toxic & unfair. Tillie was made to feel guilty simply over liking a boy…and all the family responsibility fell on her. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but I get that family relationships are hard & complex. I almost wished Tillie would set more boundaries between herself and her sisters. I guess I didn’t see enough of the good to overcome the bad that I was reading about in terms of the sibling relationships—I might also just be a tad unforgiving.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The opening scene set the tone wonderfully and the book followed with lots of amusing & cute moments. It was an enticing island escape and I would definitely recommend to any contemporary romance lovers!!!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love rom-coms and JJ Knight is great at writing books that are fun, flirty with just the right amount of lightness and spice.

The Wedding Shake-Up is the second book in the Wedding Meet Cute series by JJ Knight- this one following Tillie James, the younger sister of the bride in this book Ensley. It is not 100% necessary to have read Ensley's book (The Wedding Confession) in order to enjoy Tillie's book but it does give you a little more insight to the dynamics of the James siblings and their history so that some pieces of the story can click more with that knowledge.

As I said, I'm a big rom-com fan and I'm a fan JJ, buuuutttt..... this book was a little "eh" for me. Don't get me wrong the story is still absolutely entertaining, Tillie and Gabe have fantastic chemistry and go at it like rabbits- but it also didn't totally all come together for me.

Tillie is a force to be reckoned with and she is ready to throw down with Gabe, the local La Jarra bartender that both rescued her family from a crab invasion during her sisters wedding then scolded them in the same breath. She's a little feisty, strong willed with a splash of almost controlled recklessness. Gabe is a bit on the grouch side- tends to stick to himself and a select few and absolutely doesn't get involved with anyone for more than a night or so. Especially with a tourist.

This story is FAST paced, these two have a fiery start that quickly morphs into a form of companionship and a vacation fling into full blown feelings in under 2 weeks and it doesn't slow down from there really. The fast pace didn't bother me too much really- I mean come on, who doesn't want to fall in love with an boy in paradise and get to imagine all the things a lifetime of struggles had seemed to far to ever touch.

For me, I didn't love how Tillie was so dead set of helping her sister Lila and her daughter- it was the entire reason she left Ensley in the first book, only to have her pretty much abandon them to have a 2 week fling while they were on vacation. Obviously she needed to spend time with Gabe for the story to progress but she only did like 2 maybe 3 activities with her sister/niece during their time on La Jarra which was a drastic change from her initial feelings of spending all this time to strengthen the bond between them now that Ensley was moving on to the next chapter in her life. Again, I still found the story to be entertaining but between the shift Tillie and just something else that I can't quite identify I wasn't invested in these two as a couple like I was with Ensley and Drew. I enjoyed the way that the story wrapped up and I'm still excited for more of this series. I can't wait for Lila and Rosie to get a HEA and maybe even Garrett (even though I feel like I still know so little about him).

[ana c. · Rating 3 out of 5]

não tava dando muito pela historia, mas ela é bem gostosinha de ler

temos um boy que nunca deixa outras mulheres entrar por traumas com uma e uma querida que ta enjoada do trabalho e sempre tentando tapar buraco na dinamica familiar e por fim se encontram numa ilha paradisiaca e se amam sem saber oq vai acontecer no final da viagem ja que um mora lá e o outro ta a passeio

eu gostei do livro pq ela foi bem levinho de ler, bem livrinho pra ler com uma soda italiana do lado, ou drinks mais elaborados se voce consome alcool, o ponto forte do livro pra mim foi o fato de que eles vao descobrindo juntos como combinar para que essa relação de certo, sem que um passe por cima do outro pq como alguem que já morou fora e que já gostou de alguem que morava fora o grande impasse é "como ficar juntos sem desistir de mim?" e isso é tao dificil pq tu fica pensando em diversas situações que podem dar errado pq é normal o ser humano ter ansiedade

enfim, não lembro dos hots pq eu tava tao focado em saber como e se eles iam ficar juntos que isso teve um peso maior pra me fazer gostar do livro



resumão simplista para eu passar a lembrar das historias + tropes

tropes: vacation fling, competição, romance de verão, ninguem como você pra mim

duas baristas, um a trabalho e um de férias, competem pelo comando do bar por uma noite. ela ganha e ele fica cada vez mais encantado por ela. a partir desse ponto, ela é a unica mulher que ele já se permitiu estar junto além de encontros sexuais. eles passam a aproveitar os dias dela na ilha juntos, ele apresenta lugares bacanas pra ela que normalmente só locais sabem. depois disso eles tentam decidir como lidar com seus sentimentos, enquanto isso ela volta pro pais dela e ele explica pq tem tanto medo de deixar ela entrar (ps, a mae biologica dele veio fugida pra ilha e deixou ele lá por conta do visto) pq na vdd tem medo dela deixar ele. enfim traumas. por fim ela vai, ele vai passar um dias lá e dai resolve os traumas pq a mulher que todos falavam que tava empacando ela de estar com ele, era na vdd a mae dele e não outra mulher como faz parecer o livro inteiro, enfim... eles decidem dar uma chance para essa paixao. ai ele volta para casa e ter um furacao, ele perde tudo inclusive o bar e passa a trabalhar num resort e ai convida ela pra trabalhar com ele, mas sem ser o boss dela.

[Maggie's Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ4.5 ★ ˎˊ˗

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I devoured it in a few hours.

I have a love-hate relationship with fast-paced novels, mainly because the couples often fall deeply in love within a very short period of time. However, with this book, even if that were the case, I didn't have an issue with it because it was so well-written. Not only are the main characters lovable but also the side characters. Tillie and Gabe knew what they were getting into and what needed to be done at the end of their two-week love affair. They communicated with each other very effectively in order to reach a desirable outcome.

Although The Wedding Shake-up can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the first book to get to know Tillie better.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I find her writing style appealing, and her stories are attention-grabbing. I will definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review. Everything in this review has been written willing fully.

Since I read a proof copy of the book any grammatical errors did not impact the rating.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Instagram @maggies.nook
tiktok @maggies_pov

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

My Rating and Spice Scale:

5⭐ The book is perfect! I love everything about it
4.5⭐ I love the book and would highly recommend it. There might still be something small that I want from the book
4⭐It was entertaining. Not perfect but it hooked me big time. I would recommend it to anyone
3.5⭐ I liked the book but I have issues with some things. I would recommend it to those who enjoys the specific genre, writing style or author
3⭐ A not so bad book. I neither disliked or liked the book. It just didn't connect with me. I would recommend with reservations
2⭐ I had a hard time finishing the book. It's not for me and wouldn't recommend it
1⭐ I don't like it at all and would not recommend

[Kaygen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened mostly to this book and probably should have read instead. The female narrator drove me crazy. Her accent glaringly the wrong ethnicity for the character, but that's not the main problem. She sounds like she's 16 AND she has a stilted cadence, pausing at strange places and reading the words rather than acting or feeling them. I've heard her read before and am not a fan. (I don't like to give negative reviews of narrators because I know it's a tough job, but I'll pin this one on whoever cast her to read for this role.)

As for the story itself, it's not nearly as strong as the first in the series. It's all over the place, so I'm not sure where to start. First, we have the instalove issue. No chemistry or build-up. Second, we have to endure inner monologues repeating the same conflicts over and over. I get it already! How many times do we have to hear all the reasons these two can't be together when we know they'll figure out a way in the end. Third, enough with the hostile selfish sister(s). I know they need to stick together, but figure something else out. Forth, I feel like characters were coming and going or just introduced for no reason (Garrett, allot of the friends on the island, the biological father Donohue...) and it just made for a sloppy novel. Add to that the back and forth between the island, Georgia and a little of Alabama and my "all over the place" criticism is spot on. Be together, don't be together, be together, try not to be together... UGH. And all the while we hear the same track playing in Tillie's head. And what I think was supposed to be comic relief was nowhere near funny. I was over it before the half-way point.

There are much stronger novels out there. I read/listened to this because I'd read the first novel and this one was on KU. Shouldn't have wasted my time.

[Sue Galuska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tillie James finds herself for two weeks in La Jarra Island for her sister Ensley's wedding to Drew, courtesy of Drew. While most of the island is pure bliss, well maybe except for the land crabs, Tillie finds herself drawn to Gabe Landers, the local bartender on the beach. Since they are both bartenders, the end up being squared off against each other in a Booze Brawl. Of course this just keeps the chemistry sizzling between these two until they finally give in and decide to have a short time fling. Tillie finds herself pulled between her feelings for Gabe that are getting stronger, and her duty to help out her sister Lila with her young daughter Rosie. After the upbringing that the James' family had, Tillie knows she has to go back to Atlanta to help out Lila. Still doesn't make their goodbye any easier. Tillie tells Gabe to come to Atlanta, GA to visit but something in his past is causing him to not want to do that. When Tillie is gone for only 2 days, Gabe rethinks his plans and ends up going to Atlanta. While everything with Tillie is just perfect, Gabe knows he needs to confront his past if he wants any chance of happiness with Tillie. After Gabe returns to La Jarra a hurricane hits the island and this causes Tillie and Lila to rethink their whole lives. Once decisions are made, Tillie finds the happy ever after she has always longed for.

I just adored this steamy, quick affair that turned into forever. Gabe and Tillie together where a hoot. I loved their banter back and forth. Both of these two had so many things in common it was easy to see how they were so drawn to one another. I loved how together they were able to confront their pasts and move on to happier times.

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grinned my way through the first chapter of this one and progressed to laughing out loud for much of the story. In between the times I was swooning, choked up, and blushing from the steamy scenes, of course. I really liked the first book in this series, but I completely adored everything about Tillie and Gabe's romance.

Tillie is the youngest of four siblings and visiting La Jarra Island for her sister Ensley's destination wedding to Drew, from Wedding Confession. It's a beautiful tropical island, complete with crabs that seem determined to interrupt the nuptials. The bartender from the beachside bar sweeps in rescuing the crabs, and muttering something about “tourists.”

Next thing we know, Tillie James and Gabe Landers are trading barbs and trash talking, and somehow find themselves in a competition where they both flex their bartending skills. But soon their competitive nature’s are mixing together making the most beautiful, um, drinks, and a two-week vacation isn’t nearly long enough.

This is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time, and make it last forever. It felt like my own island vacation and reminded me of some great times I had on my own trips in the Caribbean. And Gabe’s friends, especially Mendo, added so much color and charm that they felt like long-lost friends.

While the pace is quick and the words economical, the descriptive setting came alive as these characters took me on a roller coaster of feelings. I love everything about this, and it's my new favorite of the series. Quirky, charming, funny, and heartfelt, this is the perfect summer read. You absolutely won’t want to miss this fun, phenomenal romcom!

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two weeks in paradise as the start of forever

I loved Tillie and Gabe’s friendly rivals, vacation fling romance. This story had the perfect balance of humor, heartwarming love, real life issues, and spice. Tillie and Gabe are portrayed as real, relatable people who have flaws, but are really just trying to do their best as messy wounded humans. Tillie is a bartender in Georgia who lives with her sister and toddler niece. Family means everything to her. She is on a two week vacation on a tropical island because of her sister’s wedding. Gabe is an island native who owns a beach side bar. He has a no dating tourists rule. A follow up to Tillie and Gabe’s “crabby” meet cute results in a friendly bartender competition followed by more outings. Their chemistry and connection sizzled off the page and it pulled them together into more than a fling no matter how hard they tried to resist or deny. But to get to their HEA, Tillie and Gabe will have to take some big leaps of faith while both doing major baggage unpacking. These are my favorite kind of angsty moments - looking at the wreckage of your past and putting it behind you to walk into a happier future. This heartwarming and fun story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, and an engaging storyline. I especially loved the imagery of Tillie’s sensual responses to her external environment and the contrast of the imagery of Gabe’s internal responses. It made me feel like I was right there with them and was delicious perfection. I can’t wait to read the next sibling’s book. 4.5 stars.

[Kristen Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Montlake publishing for this advance copy of The Wedding Shake-Up by JJ Knight. This sequel is out 9/26/23.

Going into this one, I will say that while this is a stand-alone romance, I feel like it is helpful to read The Wedding Confession first for some perspective on Drew and Ensley’s story….at one point, Tillie makes a comment about how they started their relationship and it made me smile knowing that I had read that in the previous installment.

This one centers around Tillie and Gabe - Tillie is Ensley’s younger sister that meets Gabe while on vacation on a tropical island. Both bartenders, I was immediately drawn to their banter and common likes. Sure enough, Tillie decides to have a fun vacation fling, but then finds it difficult to let Gabe go. The only reason the book isn’t getting a 5-star rating for me is the side plot of Gabe going to visit his birth mother. It was written as being part of the reason he wanted to visit Atlanta after Tillie goes home, but it just felt odd and like it didn’t belong in this story. Other than that minor detail, this one was super easy to read and really enjoyable. There is a third sister in this trio, Lila, and I’d love to read if she’s going to get a story and a happily ever after, she deserves it.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. Check this one out when it comes out in September this year!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance and swanky panky cocktails on the beach🍸🌅🍹

3.5-4🌟stars
The romance between bartenders here was good and the opening chapter was chaotic and fun. I liked the bonding fun-in-the-sun activities and the dilemma brought on by American tourist Tillie and islander Gabe's separate responsibilities in different countries that put an expiration date on their relationship from the get-go. The author included a spark of realism by outlining the work permit and residence complications of moving to a foreign country. It kept the suspense going through to the climax as I wondered how they could find a solution that didn't leave anyone, especially Tillie's sister Lily and baby Rose, out in the cold.

There's a lot of content focusing on bar culture and mixing drinks, something that does not interest me. But both MCs make their living from bartending so all of the discussion of liquor and cocktail ingredients made sense.

Tillie and Gabe had challenging family backgrounds that played well in gaining my sympathy, especially for Tilly and her sisters. I liked this story's characters, the general direction of the plot and the romance. But I thought the story after the climax was drawn out unnecessarily with a holiday scene that had limited relevance.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

JJ Knight’s The Wedding Shake-up was like a warm hug from the sun. I felt joy and happiness as I read this, The descriptions were so well done without being overly wordy; I could feel the sun on my face, taste and feel the salt air and mixed drinks. This book felt like my happy place. And don’t get me started on the witty banter. The witty banter oozed with chemistry. It was brilliant.

Bartender Tillie James is on a two week vacation for her older sister’s Island wedding. She grew up poor and is soaking up every second of this vacation. Tillie meets Gabe Landers in a hilarious wedding meet cute. Gabe has lived on the island all his life and is the local bartender. Gabe initially comes off as the worst grump but as Tillie gets to know him and spends time with him she quickly learns he’s more of a cinnamon roll. As the two spend her vacation together they both determine they don’t want things to end. But how can they make it work living in two different countries? You have to read this to see how they achieve their HEA. Go ahead and pick this one up if you need an island vacation or just love two really great characters that spark off each other in the best of ways. They really bring out the best in each other.

This is book 2 in the Wedding Meet Cute series. Book 1 was about Tillie’s sister Ensley. Hopefully there’s more to come for the other siblings.

Thanks to Montlake, NetGalley & JJ Knight for the opportunity to review this.

[Sharon in SF · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun beach read since the story takes place on an island vacation following the FMC's sister's wedding. Tillie first encounters Gabe when he saves the wedding from an invasion of native crabs. He comes off gruff and angry since terrified guests were going to take drastic measures to "beat back" the invasion. When Tillie realizes Gabe is actually the beach bartender, she does a bit of smack talking at his bar as he's mixing up one of his signature drinks. Since she also works as a bartender back home in Atlanta, Georgia, one of Gabe's friends suggests a friendly competition to see who's better. Spending time shopping and prepping for the bar brawl gives them both time to realize they have a lot in common, especially with their family backstories. Once that ice is broken, they give in to the attraction with both agreeing the fling has an expiration date, i.e. when she heads home after the vacation. I enjoyed their friendly banter and relationship dynamic. There doesn't seem like a happily ever after is in their future since she's agreed to babysit her young niece during the day while her sister is at work, and he's his own boss taking care of the island bar on the beach. It's been awhile since I've read a non-billionaire story so this was an enjoyable change of trope for me!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Below are my honest thoughts on this book.

I loved this book. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the bartending angle but I loved it. Tillie and Gabe meet while she’s on vacation for her sister’s wedding. They’re both bartenders; Gabe on the island and Tillie back home in Atlanta. Following a bartending competition they enter into what they think will be a vacation island fling, but of course, becomes much more than that.

I’m obsessed with Tillie and Gabe. They were adorable and I felt their chemistry from their very first interaction. I was cheering for them right from the beginning. They’re serious couple goals.

The only issue I have with the book is the sister relationship. As someone who also has 2 sisters I have a hard time understanding how these sisters could be described as having a close relationship. Tillie is said to have such a strong bond with her sisters, however it very much feels that Tillie is guilted by her sisters often. It feels toxic the way that her sisters try to make her feel guilty for her feelings toward Gabe, when she’s a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. Honestly her sisters are kind of awful.

Overall the book was 4.5/5 stars, and I’ll definitely be coming back to this one again.

[Holly Dimitrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this story not knowing that it was part of a series. It's Book #2 of The Wedding Confessions.
I read the description and thought it sounded good and was I right. This book was a fun read. That totally sucked you in from the start.

Tillie and Gabe:
It was all supposed to be just a fun vacation, destination wedding and extra time to relax.
No one said anything about attack crabs.... Enter the grumpy local. She thought she would never see him again and then found his bar. There is some banter and some flirting then the next thing she knows she is showing off her bartender stills and a Competition is formed, this was sooo much fun to watch play out.
These two are steamy, addictive and wow their chemistry is fantastic!
You can just have a vacation fling right?!?!?
Guess you will have to read this book to find out what happens to these two, and just a heads up you wanna read this book.

Great characters and there was even some backstory to make it all even better and so much character growth.

I am so thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book's ARC. It was so good. Above is my review/opinions, which are honest and voluntary.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

i definitely liked this book a lot better than the first book. not convinced that you need to read book one before this one but it’s good to get a deeper introduction on the characters. (full disclosure, i read this book because i won it from a giveaway) i loved the main characters more than i loved the main characters from book one. gabe was a sweet local boy and tillie was a strong willed tourist. their paths crossed while she was on vacation and it was the perfect vacation fling until they both got in too deep. the story was still pretty cheesy and there were parts that just made me cringe. (less so than the first book) tillie, the main character woman, constantly did this thing where she would be speaking in her head and some how she would be saying it out loud (ahah quirky girl moment) it felt forced and weird why would the author add that. also the smexy scenes were in the water?? like the ocean water.. not sure how that works out for a lot of people but i couldn’t imagine it was fun. i feel like the author could have gone at it differently. loved the mid book twist and the ending was so sweet, it was an easy read i just got tired of reading a lot and couldn’t binge it the way i can binge other books.

[Katja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tillie is spending two weeks on a tropical island because of her sister's wedding. She bonds with a local man named Gabe over colorful cocktails and crabs. They're both bartenders and have somewhat parallel issues with their parents. Tillie's mother is dead and her father checked out, so it's been a battle for survival for her and her sisters. . Gabe never knew his father and his birth mother abandoned him. Neither of them thought they were ready for a relationship and it was initially meant to be just a holiday fling but the two weeks start to feel far too short. Can they make it work, what with the distance and Tillie's sisters guilt tripping her? One of her sisters relies on Tillie for daycare for her daughter, so Tillie can't uproot herself easily and Gabe has his bar on the island. Yet it is very hard to say goodbye.

It's a familiar trope but the book made me happy and got me into a summer holiday mood.

Steam level: Sex on the beach.
Series status: The sister who got married has her own book but you can follow along this story without reading it.

I received a netgalley copy and this is a voluntary review.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grumpy local and a flouncy tourist meet on a beautiful island for a family's destination wedding- what could go wrong?! Love, that's what! The Wedding Shake-up has this long-standing premise with, well....a shake-up! Tillie and Gabe are both bartenders so when Tillie's competitive flair is ignited by the wedding bartender's ego, it leads to a highly-charged drinkslinging competition between the two which ultimately leads to much much more! Despite a commitment to a NSA relationship, feelings deepen until Tillie invites Gabe back to her city to explore this further! This introduces a deeper sub-plot where we see beautiful character growth, engaging storylines, and a deepening relationship between these two competitive bartenders! It was such a fun read with a surprisingly emotional depth that shook me up enough that I need to take my own vacation to La Jarra now! While I did not read the first in this series, they are interconnected standalones so it can be read as its own but now I'm intrigued by Drew and Ensley's story too!

*Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book with a wonderful meet cute when Gabe and Tillie get together on the island of La Jarra, when Tillie is there to celebrate the wedding of her sister. Their initial meeting does not bring immediate sparks but when Tillie goes later to apologize to Gabe for her actions during their earlier interaction, things take a different track. From then on, they become inseparable, even though they know they only have two weeks together. Due to the early death of her mother and the reluctance of her father to be involved, Tillie feels a certain responsibility to her sisters and brother, as they do to her. This leads to many tense and potentially upsetting interactions with her family that may come across as dislike, but they would do anything for each other. This leads to conflict when it comes to her fling with Gabe.
This story is well written, has enough steamy scenes to be a true romance, without seeming unnecessary. The character development is believable and I love how natural their interaction is without being forced. The book is set up perfectly from the first chapter and is a real page turner.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you JJ Knight, NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC. 🤍

Tillie James is enjoying La Jarra Island for her sisters wedding. She has 2 weeks in paradise and why shouldn’t she have a summer vacation fling w a local bartender? What starts out as a fling quickly develops into stronger feelings between Tillie and Gabe. Tillie struggles w her feelings for Gabe and her loyalties to her family back in the states.

This was my first read from JJ Knight. I really enjoyed it! I was fond of all of the characters. I really loved Gabe’s mom, Taralyn, and her piece of the story she portrayed warmed my heart. I found myself laughing out loud throughout this book. I love rom-coms so it was right up my alley. This is written in dual POV which I also love. This is the second book in the Wedding Meet Cute series. I did not read the first book (The Wedding Confession) and I do feel as though this book can be read as a stand-alone even though the characters intertwine throughout the books. The Wedding Shake-Up pub date is 09/26/2023. 🎉

I dedicated a post on my bookstagram to this book, check it out here:
www.instagram.com/akersofpages

[Barcie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the first one in the series, but this one not so much. Didn't like the extreme instalove dynamic between Gabe and Tillie (talking marriage within a few weeks), found all the mixology details rather boring, the whole Gabe is screwed up emotionally because he was adopted as a newborn wasn't believable. The female narrator in the Audible version almost made me give up on this book. I'm guessing she was going for a Georgia accent but it just wasn't realistic and she sounded really young, and emotionless. And when the female narrator did male voices ... some of them sounded like back woods hillbillies. Tillie's older sister, Ensley, who was featured in the first book of this series, was very likeable in "The Wedding Confession," but is a dictatorial bitch in this second book. And, clearly, the author does not understand severe sunburns ... porcelain-skinned Tillie spends hours in the sun and is burnt to the point of hardly being able to move, yet 24 hours later she's good to go, no pain, no ill effects, and with a sexy golden tan all over. All of these annoying factors made this book a no go for me.