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Harmony Falls #1
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding
Alice Cramer is tired of being pitied for her family’s transgressions, so she resolves to break out of the gutter and into the spotlight. As long as her local congressman can forget about their checkered past and help her secure a federal grant to open Harmony Falls Little Theatre, she’ll be the brightest star in town. But when Alice stands up in church and stops the congressman’s wedding, she dives headfirst into fresh scandal.
Why is Harmony Fall’s golden boy, Justin Mitchell, speeding down the interstate sans a new wife but with the local drama queen he’s been trying his whole life to avoid? Alice Cramer may have saved him the hassle of an arranged marriage to a woman he didn’t love, but she’s also put a business transaction big enough to save an entire town in jeopardy—not to mention his reputation.
Soon Alice and Justin are dredging up and indulging in an attraction that threatens all their dreams and aspirations. But what if life together is the dream that matters most?
Why is Harmony Fall’s golden boy, Justin Mitchell, speeding down the interstate sans a new wife but with the local drama queen he’s been trying his whole life to avoid? Alice Cramer may have saved him the hassle of an arranged marriage to a woman he didn’t love, but she’s also put a business transaction big enough to save an entire town in jeopardy—not to mention his reputation.
Soon Alice and Justin are dredging up and indulging in an attraction that threatens all their dreams and aspirations. But what if life together is the dream that matters most?
- GenresContemporaryRomance
200 pages, ebook
First published July 15, 2013
3 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Elley Arden
43 books184 followersElley Arden is a born and bred Pennsylvanian who has lived as far west as Utah and as far north as Wisconsin. She drinks wine like it’s water (a slight exaggeration), prefers a night at the ballpark to a night on the town, and believes almond English toffee is the key to happiness.
Elley writes provocative, emotional, contemporary romances, where Mr. Not-My-Type ends up being Mr. Right.
Elley writes provocative, emotional, contemporary romances, where Mr. Not-My-Type ends up being Mr. Right.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 1, 2015
I absolutely loved this story. Arden combines the best of romance with the realities of life in a completely captivating and utterly unforgettable manner. The plot was unique yet approachable. This author writes in a voice that brings her stories to life. Her descriptions paint this town before your eyes, allowing you to walk alongside the characters.
The characters really brought this novel to life. Arden’s leading couple were so lifelike and endearing that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. It was their quirks and idiosyncrasies that kept me hooked. They also drove the story forward. Simply being themselves, with each other, was the ultimate, even if getting there took a little (or a lot of) effort. These two really shone and stood out amongst the other characters in the novel. Don’t get me wrong, the supporting cast was great as well, but they didn’t come close to overshadowing what may be one of my favourite quirky leading couples.
Arden definitely puts small town romance in a big city picture with this one. It was a fantastic novel and the perfect start to her amazing Harmony Falls series.
The characters really brought this novel to life. Arden’s leading couple were so lifelike and endearing that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. It was their quirks and idiosyncrasies that kept me hooked. They also drove the story forward. Simply being themselves, with each other, was the ultimate, even if getting there took a little (or a lot of) effort. These two really shone and stood out amongst the other characters in the novel. Don’t get me wrong, the supporting cast was great as well, but they didn’t come close to overshadowing what may be one of my favourite quirky leading couples.
Arden definitely puts small town romance in a big city picture with this one. It was a fantastic novel and the perfect start to her amazing Harmony Falls series.
August 5, 2013
Can the local drama queen from the wrong side of the tracks follow her dream and win the heart of the Congressman that she has loved since childhood?
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is an entertaining romance story that follows the trials and tribulations of Harmony Falls, PA drama queen Alice Cramer and local Congressman Justin Mitchell.
Alice Cramer's family has always been viewed as outcasts from the wrong side of the tracks in Harmony Falls, but she is determined to follow her dream and step into the local spotlight by opening the Harmony Falls Little Theatre. She is one step closer to opening the theater if she gets approved for the federal grant from the Arts Foundation.
Alice has been in love with local Congressman Justin Mitchell since high school when he was friends with her big brother Charlie. But her love is unrequited as Justin comes from a wealthy political family from the right side of the tracks, while her family isn't good enough and doesn't have the right connections.
Justin has always followed his father's plans for power and political dominance. He has been methodically focused on making good on his late father's wishes to win the local Congressional seat which could bring life back to the dying town through business enterprises, and by going along with the carefully planned arranged marriage with Morgan Parrish, the daughter of the Mayor of Harmony Falls. The marriage would be politically advantageous and align the two most powerful families in the state, but there is just one little problem, he is not in love with Morgan. Putting love aside, Justin is prepared to do his duty and go through with the wedding.
On Justin and Morgan's wedding day, Justin is looking anything but happy at the altar, knowing this, Alice stops the wedding when she states that Morgan has cheated on Justin with her brother Charlie. All hell breaks loose in town when Justin calls off the wedding and goes off in search of answers, creating a new scandal when he runs off with Alice. Will the repercussions of the scandal cost Alice her dream and derail Justin's political career? Or will the scandal bring them together and allow them the chance to realize what they really want in life?
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is a sassy and fun modern day Cinderella romance story. Author Elley Arden weaves an entertaining and lighthearted tale written in the third person narrative, that mixes theater and politics, and is filled with humor, drama, and romance. The reader can't help but get caught up in Alice and Justin's story as their love story unfolds. With lots of laugh-out-loud moments from Alice crashing Justin's wedding, to flashbacks to their past, mixed with the dramatic twists and turns that come out of the scandal that they created when they run off together, the reader follows Alice and Justin as their reluctant attraction develops into a romance with a HEA ending. This is a quick light read that the reader can enjoy during a sunny summer afternoon.
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is an enjoyable contemporary romantic story about two people discovering themselves, finding each other, and making a choice on what will bring them happiness in life.
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is the first book in the Harmony Falls series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Reading Addiction Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is an entertaining romance story that follows the trials and tribulations of Harmony Falls, PA drama queen Alice Cramer and local Congressman Justin Mitchell.
Alice Cramer's family has always been viewed as outcasts from the wrong side of the tracks in Harmony Falls, but she is determined to follow her dream and step into the local spotlight by opening the Harmony Falls Little Theatre. She is one step closer to opening the theater if she gets approved for the federal grant from the Arts Foundation.
Alice has been in love with local Congressman Justin Mitchell since high school when he was friends with her big brother Charlie. But her love is unrequited as Justin comes from a wealthy political family from the right side of the tracks, while her family isn't good enough and doesn't have the right connections.
Justin has always followed his father's plans for power and political dominance. He has been methodically focused on making good on his late father's wishes to win the local Congressional seat which could bring life back to the dying town through business enterprises, and by going along with the carefully planned arranged marriage with Morgan Parrish, the daughter of the Mayor of Harmony Falls. The marriage would be politically advantageous and align the two most powerful families in the state, but there is just one little problem, he is not in love with Morgan. Putting love aside, Justin is prepared to do his duty and go through with the wedding.
On Justin and Morgan's wedding day, Justin is looking anything but happy at the altar, knowing this, Alice stops the wedding when she states that Morgan has cheated on Justin with her brother Charlie. All hell breaks loose in town when Justin calls off the wedding and goes off in search of answers, creating a new scandal when he runs off with Alice. Will the repercussions of the scandal cost Alice her dream and derail Justin's political career? Or will the scandal bring them together and allow them the chance to realize what they really want in life?
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is a sassy and fun modern day Cinderella romance story. Author Elley Arden weaves an entertaining and lighthearted tale written in the third person narrative, that mixes theater and politics, and is filled with humor, drama, and romance. The reader can't help but get caught up in Alice and Justin's story as their love story unfolds. With lots of laugh-out-loud moments from Alice crashing Justin's wedding, to flashbacks to their past, mixed with the dramatic twists and turns that come out of the scandal that they created when they run off together, the reader follows Alice and Justin as their reluctant attraction develops into a romance with a HEA ending. This is a quick light read that the reader can enjoy during a sunny summer afternoon.
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is an enjoyable contemporary romantic story about two people discovering themselves, finding each other, and making a choice on what will bring them happiness in life.
Crashing the Congressman's Wedding is the first book in the Harmony Falls series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Reading Addiction Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
October 27, 2016
This book was ok, I finished it just to see what happened. The storyline kind of dragged and wasn't that interesting.
September 25, 2019
Great read.
October 28, 2013
Originally posted on The Canon!
I fell in love with Alice Cramer, "the girl with the impossible dreams," from the first page. It was impossible not to. From the first chapter, the self-admitted drama queen was charming, engaging, and a fully developed character. It took me a little longer to enjoy Justin's character as much; however, he didn't get the same introduction that Alice did. We first meet him in the church, nervously tugging at his lower lip instead of beaming as we usually expect the groom to do. Without the star power of Alice, Justin's character would have been a little flat in these first pages of the story.
When he drags a drunk Alice out of her bed and takes her out of town to avoid any repercussions from his angry, jilted bride-to-be, we get a better glimpse into the world of Justin. I constantly felt like I didn't know enough about him, but his narrative point-of-view lets us see snatches of his mindset, which helped to develop his character.
The romance itself was wonderful: lots of thrills, and just the right amount of tension to keep the reader engaged. I loved seeing the romance from both characters' eyes - it makes it feel a little more real.
Final Thoughts: Elley Arden's characters are her biggest strength in Crashing the Congressman's Wedding, especially when they come in such fantastic packages as Alice Cramer.
I fell in love with Alice Cramer, "the girl with the impossible dreams," from the first page. It was impossible not to. From the first chapter, the self-admitted drama queen was charming, engaging, and a fully developed character. It took me a little longer to enjoy Justin's character as much; however, he didn't get the same introduction that Alice did. We first meet him in the church, nervously tugging at his lower lip instead of beaming as we usually expect the groom to do. Without the star power of Alice, Justin's character would have been a little flat in these first pages of the story.
When he drags a drunk Alice out of her bed and takes her out of town to avoid any repercussions from his angry, jilted bride-to-be, we get a better glimpse into the world of Justin. I constantly felt like I didn't know enough about him, but his narrative point-of-view lets us see snatches of his mindset, which helped to develop his character.
The romance itself was wonderful: lots of thrills, and just the right amount of tension to keep the reader engaged. I loved seeing the romance from both characters' eyes - it makes it feel a little more real.
Final Thoughts: Elley Arden's characters are her biggest strength in Crashing the Congressman's Wedding, especially when they come in such fantastic packages as Alice Cramer.
July 15, 2013
When drama queen Alice Cramer, the beautiful daughter of the town drunk, stops Congressman Justin Mitchell’s wedding, she sets the falling dominos into motion and it looks as though they won’t quit until they’ve fallen on her. But Alice has loved Justin all her life and she can’t stand to see him marry a woman who’s sleeping with Alice’s feckless brother on the side.
Justin runs off with Alice and begins to realize he’s caught in a trap it’s up to him to extricate himself from, and Alice realizes her only hope of changing the town’s perception of her is to persevere in the creation of her dream, a theatre that will nurture young actors and actresses. The repercussions of crashing Justin’s wedding, however, threaten to derail everything she has built, and even her brother abandons her in his attempt to straighten out his own life. Can Alice find happiness with the town’s responsible golden boy while knowing she has derailed his career?
Elley Arden’s Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding is a joyful romp through the hard side of theater and the rough side of politics, with two people who complete each other. This uplifting tale provides readers with several hours of enjoyment and will leave you wanting more.
Justin runs off with Alice and begins to realize he’s caught in a trap it’s up to him to extricate himself from, and Alice realizes her only hope of changing the town’s perception of her is to persevere in the creation of her dream, a theatre that will nurture young actors and actresses. The repercussions of crashing Justin’s wedding, however, threaten to derail everything she has built, and even her brother abandons her in his attempt to straighten out his own life. Can Alice find happiness with the town’s responsible golden boy while knowing she has derailed his career?
Elley Arden’s Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding is a joyful romp through the hard side of theater and the rough side of politics, with two people who complete each other. This uplifting tale provides readers with several hours of enjoyment and will leave you wanting more.
July 17, 2013
Elley is a talented author and has great style. I enjoy the dual character perspectives and voices. I really enjoyed her debut, SAVE MY SOUL. That said, Justin and Alice weren't characters I felt warm and fuzzy towards individually. Alice begins the book madly in love with him...but why? He's a puppet to the political world and his father's aspirations for him. She grew up with him, and I think the love is based on the boy/man he was pre-Congressman. Why she loves him now is anyone's guess. As for Alice, this chick is a hot mess. She's got insecurities like whoa. I suppose that's what makes her very real. Justin sees her as a much stronger and capable woman than she'll, possibly ever, see herself.
Here's where the dual voices make an impression. If I only saw either character from their own eyes, I may have given this a lower rating. The fact that I got to view them through the other gave me pause. While neither would be MY ideal, I think faults and all make them quite perfectly dysfunctional for each other.
I'll be curious to see what characters in Harmony Falls will star in future stories. I'll definitely be checking back for more.
Here's where the dual voices make an impression. If I only saw either character from their own eyes, I may have given this a lower rating. The fact that I got to view them through the other gave me pause. While neither would be MY ideal, I think faults and all make them quite perfectly dysfunctional for each other.
I'll be curious to see what characters in Harmony Falls will star in future stories. I'll definitely be checking back for more.
August 19, 2013
Always the outsider in town Alice Cramer has been in love with favorite son and now congressman Justin Mitchell, when she stands up to stop his wedding to someone else it is the start of a crazy adventure for her and for Justin. Both coming to terms with the future as well as the past and what they mean to each other.
Alice is an impulsive and sometimes zany character who has her heart in the right place. Justin is the middle son who feels like he has to live up to an impossible standard in living up to his fathers dreams. With class differences in a small town the unlikely pair are drawn to each other but have fought it to keep up appearances.
The book has a bit of a Cinderella twist at the end and over all was a good read. I can see a set up for future books in at least one of the secondary characters so we will have to keep and eye out for a second book with this family.
Alice is an impulsive and sometimes zany character who has her heart in the right place. Justin is the middle son who feels like he has to live up to an impossible standard in living up to his fathers dreams. With class differences in a small town the unlikely pair are drawn to each other but have fought it to keep up appearances.
The book has a bit of a Cinderella twist at the end and over all was a good read. I can see a set up for future books in at least one of the secondary characters so we will have to keep and eye out for a second book with this family.
October 10, 2013
Oh, this was gooooooood! CtCW had me smiling, then laughing out loud from the opening pages. I cheered for Alice Cramer and her boatload of hutzpah. How is it I find myself relating so closely to her momentary outburst? Perhaps we all have those instances when our heart speaks louder and more clearly (and, OMG, out loud!) than our brains will allow if given time to process (and hide). Or maybe only Alice and I have that in common? Lucky for Alice, her comments were on point and directed to one very deserving, hunky local congressman, Justin Mitchell. Laughter, passion and determination fill these pages, as does great writing.
CtCW is well worth time and dollars spent, and rates right up there with “friends I want on my shelf, not just on my reader.” Very well done.
I purchased this book online and have given this review freely and without compensation of any kind.
CtCW is well worth time and dollars spent, and rates right up there with “friends I want on my shelf, not just on my reader.” Very well done.
I purchased this book online and have given this review freely and without compensation of any kind.
July 29, 2013
This was a sassy tale about a young woman with low expectations, loving Prince Charming, from the right side of town and finding out whether or not her dreams could come true. The handsome congressman had always done the "right thing" and lived up to the expectations of his class and supporters. When he finally realizes who holds his heart and his future, he becomes the man he was meant to be, his own man.
This was a fun story with strong characters and a good storyline and reads very quickly. I enjoyed Alice's character as I could empathize with her and her dilemma of reaching out beyond her comfort zone to be noticed, accepted and approved. Very well written and very much enjoyed.
This was a fun story with strong characters and a good storyline and reads very quickly. I enjoyed Alice's character as I could empathize with her and her dilemma of reaching out beyond her comfort zone to be noticed, accepted and approved. Very well written and very much enjoyed.
August 12, 2013
4.5 Stars
In Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding by Elley Arden, Alice Cramer has been in love with Harmony Fall’s golden boy Justin Mitchell since she was young and he used to hangout with her brother. But with her being a Cramer, she always knew that her place was nowhere close enough to his, that she would never be good enough in the eyes of the town who has pitied her family her whole life.
Justin Mitchell has always followed the rules, and in attempt to follow his father’s wishes he has gone to be a congressman and is now marrying the mayor’s niece in order to bring jobs into town and to keep his biggest political supporters happy. Read More...
In Crashing the Congressman’s Wedding by Elley Arden, Alice Cramer has been in love with Harmony Fall’s golden boy Justin Mitchell since she was young and he used to hangout with her brother. But with her being a Cramer, she always knew that her place was nowhere close enough to his, that she would never be good enough in the eyes of the town who has pitied her family her whole life.
Justin Mitchell has always followed the rules, and in attempt to follow his father’s wishes he has gone to be a congressman and is now marrying the mayor’s niece in order to bring jobs into town and to keep his biggest political supporters happy. Read More...
July 22, 2014
After reading the Kemmons Brothers Baseball series by Elley Arden, I thought I might like this one. And I did - it's funny, quirky, the characters are full of flaws and spirit. Having said that, I didn't find myself as attached to Alice and Justin as I was to the Kemmons. Not sure why as I enjoyed the book as a whole but hmmm, yes, not quite there with this couple.
I'm happy to say that there is more on the way from Harmony Falls though so I will be carrying on reading to see who is up next. I'm hoping for Charlie's story at some point.
I'm happy to say that there is more on the way from Harmony Falls though so I will be carrying on reading to see who is up next. I'm hoping for Charlie's story at some point.
June 5, 2014
Great read. Won this book from Goodreads and I'm so glad I entered into the drawing. It was a quick read with engaging characters and sweet romance. Can't wait to read more from Elley Arden in the future!
September 14, 2016
Love conquers all
Remember the Beatles song can't buy me love, having money and loving someone that doesn't can work as long as you treat everyone the same do unto others as you have them do unto you love will always find a way
Remember the Beatles song can't buy me love, having money and loving someone that doesn't can work as long as you treat everyone the same do unto others as you have them do unto you love will always find a way
abandoned-for-now
August 4, 2013A copy of the book was given to Ever After Romance Book Blog in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2014
4 1/2 stars
August 20, 2013
Review to come
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews