What do you think?
Rate this book
FBI/US Attorney #5
It Happened One Wedding
SHE KNOWS BETTER THAN TO SAY “I DO”
After a humiliating end to her engagement, investment banker Sidney Sinclair is done with commitment-phobic men. But when her sister winds up engaged after a whirlwind courtship, she’s thrown in to close contact with exactly the kind of sexy playboy she wants to avoid—the gorgeous best man. She’s stuck with him, for better or worse, until her sister walks down the aisle, but that doesn’t mean she has to give in to his smooth advances, no matter how tempting they are…
BUT HE MAKES IT HARD TO SAY “I DON’T”
Special Agent Vaughn Roberts always gets his man on the job and his woman in bed. So Sidney’s refusal to fall for his charms only makes him more determined to win over the cool and confident redhead. Only what starts out as a battle of wills ends up as a serious play for her heart. Because the one woman who refuses to be caught may be the only one Vaughn can’t live without…
After a humiliating end to her engagement, investment banker Sidney Sinclair is done with commitment-phobic men. But when her sister winds up engaged after a whirlwind courtship, she’s thrown in to close contact with exactly the kind of sexy playboy she wants to avoid—the gorgeous best man. She’s stuck with him, for better or worse, until her sister walks down the aisle, but that doesn’t mean she has to give in to his smooth advances, no matter how tempting they are…
BUT HE MAKES IT HARD TO SAY “I DON’T”
Special Agent Vaughn Roberts always gets his man on the job and his woman in bed. So Sidney’s refusal to fall for his charms only makes him more determined to win over the cool and confident redhead. Only what starts out as a battle of wills ends up as a serious play for her heart. Because the one woman who refuses to be caught may be the only one Vaughn can’t live without…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 6, 2014
406 people are currently reading
9930 people want to read
About the author
Julie James
18 books9,637 followersNew York Times bestselling author Julie James practiced law with one of the nation's largest firms for several years until she began writing screenplays. After Hollywood producers optioned two of her scripts, she decided to leave the practice of law to write full-time. Her books have been translated into twenty-two languages and Julie’s ninth novel, THE THING ABOUT LOVE, is now available.
Julie James lives with her husband and two children in Chicago, where she is working on her next novel.
Visit Julie's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JulieJamesfan...
Follow Julie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/juljames and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliejamesa...
Julie James lives with her husband and two children in Chicago, where she is working on her next novel.
Visit Julie's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JulieJamesfan...
Follow Julie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/juljames and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliejamesa...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,452 reviews
February 10, 2019
3.5 Stars
Aww...
This was so cute.
I was a little reluctant to read it because rom coms are really not my thing. They tend to be silly and the characters annoying. I prefer grittier books.
But this one has amazing characters. The heroine is smart, snarky and strong. The hero is the perfect mix between sweet and grumpy. Their banter is hot as hell.
Even the story is fun. It had me cracking up a few times. And there is no over-the-top drama or crazy antics, thank God.
Aww...
This was so cute.
I was a little reluctant to read it because rom coms are really not my thing. They tend to be silly and the characters annoying. I prefer grittier books.
But this one has amazing characters. The heroine is smart, snarky and strong. The hero is the perfect mix between sweet and grumpy. Their banter is hot as hell.
Even the story is fun. It had me cracking up a few times. And there is no over-the-top drama or crazy antics, thank God.
December 8, 2017
Julie James hasn't written anything that I haven't at least liked, and several that are go-to re-reads every year. Practice Makes Perfect & Just the Sexiest Man Alive are my favorites, but I just enjoy the way James does romance in general, so if it has her name stamped on the front, I'm gonna read it. Anyway, the FBI/ US Attorney series is perfect for someone like me, who is just looking for an afternoon of fluffy awesomeness.
Is there anything particularly special about this?
No.
It's a standard romance plotline, but it was so cute that I really enjoyed myself anyway!
Alrighty, for the purposes of this review, the part of Vaughn will be played by Stephen Amell, because that's who I kept seeing in my head.
So who played the part of Sidney, you ask?
Who cares!? Lookit him!
Glad we cleared that up.
M'kay.
Vaughn notices Sidney while she's having a coffee date that isn't going well. Once she gives Bachelor #1 the heave-ho, he decides to step in and show her how a smooth operator talks a lady.
And why not?
He's confident, sexy, and know how to show a woman a good time. He's not some newb who doesn't know how to act or doesn't know the right things to say. Plus, chicks dig that he's an FBI agent, and...
Wait. Did she just turn him down?!
Yeah. And not only does she shoot him down, but she profiles him as a commitment phobic womanizer! Which, ok...maybe he doesn't want to settle down. Why should he?
But she didn't have to enjoy being right so much!
Oh well, it's not like he'll ever have to see her again. Pfft.
Shit! Gonna be late to meet his brother and his girlfriend...
Or at least he is until he walks into the restaurant, and meets his soon to be new sister-in-law, Sidney.
Naturally, they get thrown together because of the wedding and end up falling for each other. But not right away. Duh.
First, they have to be annoyed with each other, then fight the sexual attraction, then give in (but only as friends with benefits!), then get to know each other, then start to care about each other, then...oh, you know how it goes!
Eventually, he realizes that he doesn't want to play the field anymore because he likes the idea of waking up next to her for the rest of his life.
Yum. Seriously. Just...yum.
But! Now he's gotta convince her that he's changed! That he's ready for a real relationship, that he's marriage material, that he's not scared to commit, and that she's the only woman he wants.
Now, if I were Sidney, it wouldn't take much convincing.
Just sayin'...
Whatever. You know how it's gonna end, so why fight it, baby?!
Also reviewed for:
Is there anything particularly special about this?
No.
It's a standard romance plotline, but it was so cute that I really enjoyed myself anyway!
Alrighty, for the purposes of this review, the part of Vaughn will be played by Stephen Amell, because that's who I kept seeing in my head.
So who played the part of Sidney, you ask?
Who cares!? Lookit him!
Glad we cleared that up.
M'kay.
Vaughn notices Sidney while she's having a coffee date that isn't going well. Once she gives Bachelor #1 the heave-ho, he decides to step in and show her how a smooth operator talks a lady.
And why not?
He's confident, sexy, and know how to show a woman a good time. He's not some newb who doesn't know how to act or doesn't know the right things to say. Plus, chicks dig that he's an FBI agent, and...
Wait. Did she just turn him down?!
Yeah. And not only does she shoot him down, but she profiles him as a commitment phobic womanizer! Which, ok...maybe he doesn't want to settle down. Why should he?
But she didn't have to enjoy being right so much!
Oh well, it's not like he'll ever have to see her again. Pfft.
Shit! Gonna be late to meet his brother and his girlfriend...
Or at least he is until he walks into the restaurant, and meets his soon to be new sister-in-law, Sidney.
Naturally, they get thrown together because of the wedding and end up falling for each other. But not right away. Duh.
First, they have to be annoyed with each other, then fight the sexual attraction, then give in (but only as friends with benefits!), then get to know each other, then start to care about each other, then...oh, you know how it goes!
Eventually, he realizes that he doesn't want to play the field anymore because he likes the idea of waking up next to her for the rest of his life.
Yum. Seriously. Just...yum.
But! Now he's gotta convince her that he's changed! That he's ready for a real relationship, that he's marriage material, that he's not scared to commit, and that she's the only woman he wants.
Now, if I were Sidney, it wouldn't take much convincing.
Just sayin'...
Whatever. You know how it's gonna end, so why fight it, baby?!
Also reviewed for:
May 7, 2014
EDIT: REVIEW:
I enjoyed the book so much! I bolded 'enjoyed' because somehow the book has disppointed a little, which is why I couldn't love it.
This makes me so sad because I expected a kickass story with awesome words. I'll keep it to the point.
PROS:
I LOVED the banter between Sidney and Vaughn. The typical Julie James style of sarcasm had me laughing even at serious situations. Throughout the book, I was giggling and at times, laughing straight out loud.
Next, the characters. I loved each and every one of them. Right from Simon, to Isabelle, Vaughn's mom, Cade, Huxley and Trish. I loved the trio of Cade, Hux and Vaughn. There wasn't much Trish sightings, but I liked her as well. Vaughn's mom was like a cupcake throughout book. All sweet and adorable.
Then, the steamy scenes. Wow. Mrs. James does know how to increase the temperature of the room just with the help of words. And lets not forget about the yummy Special Agent Vaughn Roberts. Ooh la la!
And now, the CONS:
I was expecting more action sequences. When you hear about a FBI agent and a smartass heroine, then automatically you think of scenes that involve some kind of trouble that will make them realize their love for each other. But nothing stupid happened. They found out about feelings in rather a boring manner. Nothing exciting and happening.
That was a huge disappointment.
Next, there was no epilogue. Sighs. A happy epilogue was so required over here. The story ended on a happy note yes, but that epilogue. I'm a sucker for HEA epilogues. Somehow they always make feel better about what I just read. Well, that did not happen.
Well, other than that I enjoyed it quite a lot. So 4-really-enjoyable-stars.
------------------------------------------------------------
Reaction after finding this out:
Ladies and gentlemen, tha happy dance:
[image error]
I'm so excited that I can't breathe. I need air!
I WANT THIS BOOK. LIKE RIGHT FREAKING NOW.
Those shoes. That dress. This book.
I love you Julie James! With all my heart!
So when is this releasing? Wait, what? WHAAAAAT?!
I enjoyed the book so much! I bolded 'enjoyed' because somehow the book has disppointed a little, which is why I couldn't love it.
This makes me so sad because I expected a kickass story with awesome words. I'll keep it to the point.
PROS:
I LOVED the banter between Sidney and Vaughn. The typical Julie James style of sarcasm had me laughing even at serious situations. Throughout the book, I was giggling and at times, laughing straight out loud.
Next, the characters. I loved each and every one of them. Right from Simon, to Isabelle, Vaughn's mom, Cade, Huxley and Trish. I loved the trio of Cade, Hux and Vaughn. There wasn't much Trish sightings, but I liked her as well. Vaughn's mom was like a cupcake throughout book. All sweet and adorable.
Then, the steamy scenes. Wow. Mrs. James does know how to increase the temperature of the room just with the help of words. And lets not forget about the yummy Special Agent Vaughn Roberts. Ooh la la!
And now, the CONS:
I was expecting more action sequences. When you hear about a FBI agent and a smartass heroine, then automatically you think of scenes that involve some kind of trouble that will make them realize their love for each other. But nothing stupid happened. They found out about feelings in rather a boring manner. Nothing exciting and happening.
That was a huge disappointment.
Next, there was no epilogue. Sighs. A happy epilogue was so required over here. The story ended on a happy note yes, but that epilogue. I'm a sucker for HEA epilogues. Somehow they always make feel better about what I just read. Well, that did not happen.
Well, other than that I enjoyed it quite a lot. So 4-really-enjoyable-stars.
------------------------------------------------------------
Reaction after finding this out:
Ladies and gentlemen, tha happy dance:
[image error]
I'm so excited that I can't breathe. I need air!
I WANT THIS BOOK. LIKE RIGHT FREAKING NOW.
Those shoes. That dress. This book.
I love you Julie James! With all my heart!
So when is this releasing? Wait, what? WHAAAAAT?!
September 2, 2016
4.5 stars
Once again, Ms James did not disappoint. I absolutely LOVE her books. All of them. I can be guaranteed a solid 4 or 5 star read when I pick up one of her books.
Vaughn is sexy, good-looking, 34 "man about town". An FBI agent, he enjoys the single life and is in no hurry to settle down with one woman. No thank you.
Sidney is sexy, beautiful, 33 "burned in the past". An independent woman, she is ready to settle down with one man. Yes please.
I loved the first time they met and the second time. Loved the banter between them, the sarcastic comments from her. Sidney's sister is engaged to Vaughn's brother and there is a wedding to plan. Sidney will be maid of honour and Vaughn will be the best man. So, obviously, their paths are going to cross from time to time.
OK, any Irish reference and I am usually hooked, especially if the Irish is done "right" and it was… no corned beef and cabbage here, thank you very much.
I found myself smiling a lot reading this book, usually a good sign. I loved seeing Vaughn realise that maybe bachelor lifestyle is not really what life is all about. I loved seeing Sidney realise that maybe her unrealistic expectations were not really what life was about.
What else can I say. I LOVED THIS BOOK. This author is an auto-buy for me. If you have not read any of her books, please go read them. Now all I have to do is wait patiently another year or so until the next one is released.
Once again, Ms James did not disappoint. I absolutely LOVE her books. All of them. I can be guaranteed a solid 4 or 5 star read when I pick up one of her books.
He was tall and somehow managed to look ruggedly sexy, despite the rather conservative dark gray suit and blue tie he wore. Maybe it was the short cut of his thick brown hair. Or his keen hazel eyes. Or his strong chiseled jaw with that just-perfect amount of five o'clock shadow.
Vaughn is sexy, good-looking, 34 "man about town". An FBI agent, he enjoys the single life and is in no hurry to settle down with one woman. No thank you.
Sidney is sexy, beautiful, 33 "burned in the past". An independent woman, she is ready to settle down with one man. Yes please.
“Vaughn had his back to the entrance, so he turned around to look.
No.
Fucking.
Way.
It was the cantankerous Ms. Doe.
Catching sight of him in that very same moment, she stopped dead in her tracks. Vaughn was pretty
sure she muttered Oh shit under her breath.
His sentiments exactly.”
I loved the first time they met and the second time. Loved the banter between them, the sarcastic comments from her. Sidney's sister is engaged to Vaughn's brother and there is a wedding to plan. Sidney will be maid of honour and Vaughn will be the best man. So, obviously, their paths are going to cross from time to time.
...and being good Irish boys - with a healthy dose of Catholic guilt complex - Vaughn and Simon hated to disappoint their mother
They entered a gorgeous valley, with rolling green hills on both sides and drove over a bridge that crossed a winding, picturesque creek
"There's and Irish blessing that I think fits well here …"
OK, any Irish reference and I am usually hooked, especially if the Irish is done "right" and it was… no corned beef and cabbage here, thank you very much.
I found myself smiling a lot reading this book, usually a good sign. I loved seeing Vaughn realise that maybe bachelor lifestyle is not really what life is all about. I loved seeing Sidney realise that maybe her unrealistic expectations were not really what life was about.
So it occurs to me … that a man like yourself probably has a particular way” – she took his erection in her hand – “he likes his cock sucked.”
Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
What else can I say. I LOVED THIS BOOK. This author is an auto-buy for me. If you have not read any of her books, please go read them. Now all I have to do is wait patiently another year or so until the next one is released.
August 12, 2022
Reread/listened to audiobook version Aug'2022
4.5 stars - Contemporary Romance
The hero and heroine both frustrated me, but the author's writing is just so damn good!
Original rating/review
4-4 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
This was my least favorite of the series. The heroine annoyed me for much of the book, and I wish there had been more time spent on Vaughn and Sidney’s romantic progression and relationship. The ending was a little abrupt, and I would have loved an epilogue. But Julie James writes some of the best, wittiest, smartest, snarkiest banter in romance and always delivers an entertaining and high quality read. So still a great, enjoyable 4-4 ½ stars!
4.5 stars - Contemporary Romance
The hero and heroine both frustrated me, but the author's writing is just so damn good!
Original rating/review
4-4 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
This was my least favorite of the series. The heroine annoyed me for much of the book, and I wish there had been more time spent on Vaughn and Sidney’s romantic progression and relationship. The ending was a little abrupt, and I would have loved an epilogue. But Julie James writes some of the best, wittiest, smartest, snarkiest banter in romance and always delivers an entertaining and high quality read. So still a great, enjoyable 4-4 ½ stars!
April 12, 2017
4.5 Stars!!
Gosh it really has been a long time since I last read a book by Julie James. But as usual she did an amazing job at delivering yet another FANTASTIC installment of the FBI/US Attorney series. This is book 5 in the series and I was quickly reminded of all the things I love about her writing. There was humor, sweetness, a fantastic plot and sexy moments too.
I really enjoyed Sidney as a heroine. She was a sweet, confident and beautiful. But underneath that she was a bit cynical when it comes to the topic of love and meeting Mr. Right. She has been hurt in the past and is just not willing to be hurt like that again.
Vaughn was your typical bachelor. He was gorgeous and most definitely sexy. At the moment he loves being single and is in no rush to settle down. Though I loved watching the slow change in him from being all cocky to actually very sweet. Meeting Sidney puts him on a playing field that challenges him a little bit.
I won’t say much about the plot as the synopsis pretty much covers it. I will say that what I loved about this story was that there was no rush in bringing these two together. It was a lot of fun watching each of them realize the feelings they were beginning to have for the other. Sidney giving in to the fact that Vaughn might actually be her Mr. Right and Vaughn realizing he might be ready to be a one woman kind of guy. Then add in some great side characters like Sidney’s sister, Vaughn’s brother and even his mom and you get a story that had me grinning from start to finish.
While the sexy moments in this story may not be as sizzling hot as some of my usual reads, Vaughn and Sidney were great together. When they finally do come together things did get steamy and I LOVED every minute of it. ❤
“Something felt different between them as she led him to the bed. Instead of the impatient need to have her naked that he’d always felt before, tonight he took his time undressing her. He noticed little things he hadn’t before, like the scattering of freckles across the top of her shoulders, which he kissed as he slid the straps of her bra down her arms. Under the covers, his hands and mouth moved slowly over her. By now, he knew what she liked, knew all the things that had her moaning his name softly in the darkness, and when he finally eased into her, he kept his lower body still for several moments as they kissed, wanting to simply savor the feeling of being inside her. And in that moment, he was pretty sure that nothing else had ever felt quite so right.” **swoon moment for me :)**
This is a definite “highly recommended” read for me. I loved it from start to finish!!
Gosh it really has been a long time since I last read a book by Julie James. But as usual she did an amazing job at delivering yet another FANTASTIC installment of the FBI/US Attorney series. This is book 5 in the series and I was quickly reminded of all the things I love about her writing. There was humor, sweetness, a fantastic plot and sexy moments too.
I really enjoyed Sidney as a heroine. She was a sweet, confident and beautiful. But underneath that she was a bit cynical when it comes to the topic of love and meeting Mr. Right. She has been hurt in the past and is just not willing to be hurt like that again.
Vaughn was your typical bachelor. He was gorgeous and most definitely sexy. At the moment he loves being single and is in no rush to settle down. Though I loved watching the slow change in him from being all cocky to actually very sweet. Meeting Sidney puts him on a playing field that challenges him a little bit.
I won’t say much about the plot as the synopsis pretty much covers it. I will say that what I loved about this story was that there was no rush in bringing these two together. It was a lot of fun watching each of them realize the feelings they were beginning to have for the other. Sidney giving in to the fact that Vaughn might actually be her Mr. Right and Vaughn realizing he might be ready to be a one woman kind of guy. Then add in some great side characters like Sidney’s sister, Vaughn’s brother and even his mom and you get a story that had me grinning from start to finish.
While the sexy moments in this story may not be as sizzling hot as some of my usual reads, Vaughn and Sidney were great together. When they finally do come together things did get steamy and I LOVED every minute of it. ❤
“Something felt different between them as she led him to the bed. Instead of the impatient need to have her naked that he’d always felt before, tonight he took his time undressing her. He noticed little things he hadn’t before, like the scattering of freckles across the top of her shoulders, which he kissed as he slid the straps of her bra down her arms. Under the covers, his hands and mouth moved slowly over her. By now, he knew what she liked, knew all the things that had her moaning his name softly in the darkness, and when he finally eased into her, he kept his lower body still for several moments as they kissed, wanting to simply savor the feeling of being inside her. And in that moment, he was pretty sure that nothing else had ever felt quite so right.” **swoon moment for me :)**
This is a definite “highly recommended” read for me. I loved it from start to finish!!
May 7, 2014
4.5 stars!!
Julie James can do no wrong in my eyes, at least when it comes to this series. It Happened One Wedding has all the right elements of what makes a fantastic romance novel: Character-driven plot, sparkling dialogue, humor, and great supporting characters. This book restored my belief that one can write romance--and do it really well--without the drama-llama, dark secrets hogwash we see in so many books today. Just pure unadulterated storytelling and great characterizations.
Sidney is a wonderful heroine. She's prickly, snarky but still fun and her issues are relatable. One thing I really like about Julie James's heroine's are they are not damsels in distress. They are confident, career women with everyday single women issues. Loved Sidney.
Vaughn is the perfect Julie James hero. He's cocky, brash, cool, gorgeous and sweet. Yes, sweet, once he got his head out of his ass and finally admitted his feelings. He was Sydney's perfect match. His "moves" were hilarious especially since Sydney seems to be immune to them. LoL!
This book is such a fun, fun read. I loved how they took their sweet time getting down to business and then fell in love later on. The sexy times were sparse and not very graphic but for me, it works with the whole tone of the novel.
This series hasn't failed me yet, so you bet your ass I'm going to be on the lookout for the next one. Wait. Is there another one after this, Ms. James?
Julie James can do no wrong in my eyes, at least when it comes to this series. It Happened One Wedding has all the right elements of what makes a fantastic romance novel: Character-driven plot, sparkling dialogue, humor, and great supporting characters. This book restored my belief that one can write romance--and do it really well--without the drama-llama, dark secrets hogwash we see in so many books today. Just pure unadulterated storytelling and great characterizations.
Sidney is a wonderful heroine. She's prickly, snarky but still fun and her issues are relatable. One thing I really like about Julie James's heroine's are they are not damsels in distress. They are confident, career women with everyday single women issues. Loved Sidney.
Vaughn is the perfect Julie James hero. He's cocky, brash, cool, gorgeous and sweet. Yes, sweet, once he got his head out of his ass and finally admitted his feelings. He was Sydney's perfect match. His "moves" were hilarious especially since Sydney seems to be immune to them. LoL!
This book is such a fun, fun read. I loved how they took their sweet time getting down to business and then fell in love later on. The sexy times were sparse and not very graphic but for me, it works with the whole tone of the novel.
This series hasn't failed me yet, so you bet your ass I'm going to be on the lookout for the next one. Wait. Is there another one after this, Ms. James?
August 4, 2015
It Happened One Wedding felt a little different from Julie James’ previous novels. I think there was serious tone that wasn’t in the other stories, and it really clicked with me.
Sidney is back in Chicago starting a new job after leaving New York, and a ruined relationship. After discovering her fiancé was cheating on her, Sidney feels she’s wasted three years of her life. She should already be married and starting a family, something Sidney really wanted at this point in her life. At thirty-three she doesn’t want to waste time on good-time guys, and commitment-phobes. Sidney wants to find a man that wants the same things in life. It’s not that she begrudges those men, it’s their right to live life as they wish, she just wants nothing to do with them. So when Vaughn makes a pass at her, Sidney brushes off his advances seeing him, knowing exactly the type of man he is:
“For men as attractive as you, this city is one big candy store, filled with so many shiny treats, you couldn’t possibly choose just one. So instead, you run around with your obviously healthy ego, sampling as many of the goods as you can get your hands on—simply because you can.”
Not my idea of an attractive prospect, and definitely not Sidney’s. Vaughn can’t believe Sidney would reject him, even though she was spot on in her description of him, he still doesn’t like the smug way she nailed him. But seeing as they’ll never lay eyes on each other again, oh well, right? Wrong. Just so happens Sidney’s sister, Isabelle is marrying Vaughn’s brother Simon, and they are to be thrown together not only because they’ll soon be in-laws, but because they’re both in the wedding.
Just because Sidney and Vaughn realize they are not right for each other because of their very different dating goals doesn’t mean they’re not intensely attracted. Being thrown together they end up getting physical, and Sidney justifies it as having some fun with “Mr. Right Now” while waiting for “Mr. Right”.
Sidney’s past, from her breakup to her relationship with her father made me feel so bad for her. She’s not bitter, just has a sad, resigned acceptance of what happened and how things are. I think this most of all that lent the serious, somber aspect to It Happened One Wedding more than anything. As Vaughn and Sidney connect more emotionally, and become friends in addition to bedmates, some of that sadness lifts for Sidney and Vaughn starts to feel desire for more than just a good time. I was thrilled when these two started to realize that their connection was more than just sex.
I was happily surprised Vaughn never had eyes for anyone else after Sidney came into the picture. I was fully expecting some flub-up that would’ve made it hard to fully fall for him. Instead, in spite of the time it took Vaughn to honestly acknowledge his feelings, I fell for him. His actions spoke louder than his words, and his inner denials.
Sidney was my favorite character. I just wanted to wrap her up and protect her from any more hurt. I think Vaughn felt the same way. I definitely wanted to slap her loser ex-fiancé after hearing the full story! A-hole! Her father was no prize either. *insert disapproving frown* Even when her sister’s wedding planning reminds Sidney time and time of her setback, she always puts her sister’s happiness above her own. Sisterly love and loyalty always get to me!
Julie James is the queen of class when it comes to romance stories, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a hefty amount of sizzling scenes, as well. It Happened One Wedding was no exception. Any fan of Julie James or smart, classy contemporary romances will not be disappointed.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
Sidney is back in Chicago starting a new job after leaving New York, and a ruined relationship. After discovering her fiancé was cheating on her, Sidney feels she’s wasted three years of her life. She should already be married and starting a family, something Sidney really wanted at this point in her life. At thirty-three she doesn’t want to waste time on good-time guys, and commitment-phobes. Sidney wants to find a man that wants the same things in life. It’s not that she begrudges those men, it’s their right to live life as they wish, she just wants nothing to do with them. So when Vaughn makes a pass at her, Sidney brushes off his advances seeing him, knowing exactly the type of man he is:
“For men as attractive as you, this city is one big candy store, filled with so many shiny treats, you couldn’t possibly choose just one. So instead, you run around with your obviously healthy ego, sampling as many of the goods as you can get your hands on—simply because you can.”
Not my idea of an attractive prospect, and definitely not Sidney’s. Vaughn can’t believe Sidney would reject him, even though she was spot on in her description of him, he still doesn’t like the smug way she nailed him. But seeing as they’ll never lay eyes on each other again, oh well, right? Wrong. Just so happens Sidney’s sister, Isabelle is marrying Vaughn’s brother Simon, and they are to be thrown together not only because they’ll soon be in-laws, but because they’re both in the wedding.
Just because Sidney and Vaughn realize they are not right for each other because of their very different dating goals doesn’t mean they’re not intensely attracted. Being thrown together they end up getting physical, and Sidney justifies it as having some fun with “Mr. Right Now” while waiting for “Mr. Right”.
Sidney’s past, from her breakup to her relationship with her father made me feel so bad for her. She’s not bitter, just has a sad, resigned acceptance of what happened and how things are. I think this most of all that lent the serious, somber aspect to It Happened One Wedding more than anything. As Vaughn and Sidney connect more emotionally, and become friends in addition to bedmates, some of that sadness lifts for Sidney and Vaughn starts to feel desire for more than just a good time. I was thrilled when these two started to realize that their connection was more than just sex.
I was happily surprised Vaughn never had eyes for anyone else after Sidney came into the picture. I was fully expecting some flub-up that would’ve made it hard to fully fall for him. Instead, in spite of the time it took Vaughn to honestly acknowledge his feelings, I fell for him. His actions spoke louder than his words, and his inner denials.
Sidney was my favorite character. I just wanted to wrap her up and protect her from any more hurt. I think Vaughn felt the same way. I definitely wanted to slap her loser ex-fiancé after hearing the full story! A-hole! Her father was no prize either. *insert disapproving frown* Even when her sister’s wedding planning reminds Sidney time and time of her setback, she always puts her sister’s happiness above her own. Sisterly love and loyalty always get to me!
Julie James is the queen of class when it comes to romance stories, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a hefty amount of sizzling scenes, as well. It Happened One Wedding was no exception. Any fan of Julie James or smart, classy contemporary romances will not be disappointed.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
March 4, 2015
4.5 stars! This was awesome! Loved the banter between them, and you just can't go wrong with a hot FBI agent. :)
April 1, 2019
We've gotten to know Special Agent Vaughn Roberts as a side character in previous books. He's a good looking FBI agent who knows the draw he has on women and he's enjoying every bit of it. Vaughn is your typical commitment phobe man who doesn't see why he would confine himself to one woman when there are so many out there to enjoy.
Investment banker Sidney Sinclair just came off a very bad breakup when she found out her fiance was cheating on her three weeks before their wedding. His excuse was he panicked about the commitment. As you can imagine, Vaughn would be the last guy she needs in her life after that. These two are constantly thrown together since Sidney's sister is marrying Vaughn's brother.
I gotta say, this is one of those books where the last half made all the difference for me. At first, I didn't think very highly of Vaughn and his way of thinking. He didn't want to be judged for not wanting to commit and yet I felt like he judged Sidney because she did want that. Between that and the bickering back and forth, I was glad to see the dynamic change between these two.
Once Sidney and Vaughn gave into their mutual attraction, the more I really enjoyed their story. By the end I was hooked. While this may not have been my favorite way for a couple to start out, I was very much entertained throughout the book.
Investment banker Sidney Sinclair just came off a very bad breakup when she found out her fiance was cheating on her three weeks before their wedding. His excuse was he panicked about the commitment. As you can imagine, Vaughn would be the last guy she needs in her life after that. These two are constantly thrown together since Sidney's sister is marrying Vaughn's brother.
I gotta say, this is one of those books where the last half made all the difference for me. At first, I didn't think very highly of Vaughn and his way of thinking. He didn't want to be judged for not wanting to commit and yet I felt like he judged Sidney because she did want that. Between that and the bickering back and forth, I was glad to see the dynamic change between these two.
Once Sidney and Vaughn gave into their mutual attraction, the more I really enjoyed their story. By the end I was hooked. While this may not have been my favorite way for a couple to start out, I was very much entertained throughout the book.
March 7, 2025
Julie James never disappoints when it comes to fun, light, and feel-good romances. This book was exactly the kind of soothing read I needed—pure enjoyment from start to finish.
Why I Loved It:
✔️ Smart, Witty Banter – The chemistry between Sidney and Vaughn is perfection. Their back-and-forth is sharp, flirty, and so much fun to read.
✔️ Irresistible Romance – Vaughn is the ultimate charming hero, and I loved watching him fall for Sidney, especially when she made him work for it.
✔️ Great Characters – Both leads are successful, confident, and engaging. No unnecessary drama, just a well-paced romance with all the right beats.
✔️ Pure Comfort Read – Sometimes, you just need a book that makes you happy, and this one delivers. It’s lighthearted, romantic, and effortlessly entertaining.
🎶 "I Want Crazy" – Hunter Hayes
🎶 "Stuck Like Glue" – Sugarland
🎶 "Lover" – Taylor Swift
Why I Loved It:
✔️ Smart, Witty Banter – The chemistry between Sidney and Vaughn is perfection. Their back-and-forth is sharp, flirty, and so much fun to read.
✔️ Irresistible Romance – Vaughn is the ultimate charming hero, and I loved watching him fall for Sidney, especially when she made him work for it.
✔️ Great Characters – Both leads are successful, confident, and engaging. No unnecessary drama, just a well-paced romance with all the right beats.
✔️ Pure Comfort Read – Sometimes, you just need a book that makes you happy, and this one delivers. It’s lighthearted, romantic, and effortlessly entertaining.
🎶 "I Want Crazy" – Hunter Hayes
🎶 "Stuck Like Glue" – Sugarland
🎶 "Lover" – Taylor Swift
December 5, 2017
I loved this romantic comedy. The quips and banter were just top notch. A fun, romantic read.
Classic I-don’t-do-relationship bachelor meets I’m-looking-for-Mr. Right-but-I-can-have-fun-with-hot-Mr. Right Now girl...
The sexy bits were a bit too much for me, but you can skip them if they bother you and enjoy the rest of the story.
Once again I hadn’t read the blurb, which is turning out great lately. So at the restaurant scene, a few pages in, I was like O.o which was great! If you trust you like an author skip the blurbs... it’s so much more exciting to go into a book utterly unaware ;)
Classic I-don’t-do-relationship bachelor meets I’m-looking-for-Mr. Right-but-I-can-have-fun-with-hot-Mr. Right Now girl...
The sexy bits were a bit too much for me, but you can skip them if they bother you and enjoy the rest of the story.
Once again I hadn’t read the blurb, which is turning out great lately. So at the restaurant scene, a few pages in, I was like O.o which was great! If you trust you like an author skip the blurbs... it’s so much more exciting to go into a book utterly unaware ;)
May 26, 2021
4.25 stars
It Happened One Wedding is really REALLY good. Oh & I still want an epilogue 😉.
So the solid reviews from friends & other GR users piqued my interest. However, as this is my first JJ book & I definitely can be a bit of an outlier sometimes from popular opinion. So I was cautiously optimistic & now I’m glad to say I wasn’t an outlier at all this time ☺️. The story was a little bit of a slow start, but as it went, IHOW only got better & better...& better 😍. IHOW truly is a funny, sexy feel-good romance.
Dang it!
Dang it!
Dang it!
Why Ms. James?
Why is there no epilogue?!
Um, in case you missed the sarcasm...
It Happened One Wedding is really REALLY good. Oh & I still want an epilogue 😉.
So the solid reviews from friends & other GR users piqued my interest. However, as this is my first JJ book & I definitely can be a bit of an outlier sometimes from popular opinion. So I was cautiously optimistic & now I’m glad to say I wasn’t an outlier at all this time ☺️. The story was a little bit of a slow start, but as it went, IHOW only got better & better...& better 😍. IHOW truly is a funny, sexy feel-good romance.
June 5, 2017
This was just so sweet. It had romance, humor, a confident, smart heroine who kicked ass at her job, strong family and friendship theme, and some darn touching moments. And also, on point ending.
Plot
I enjoyed this book. It was rather slow-paced in the first half of the book, but it wasn’t bad. The second half was when it got really interesting. I kinda missed seeing the FBI/US Attorney cases and seeing that as a part of the main plot with the main characters (like how it was for the first several books of this series). Anyway, I still liked the focus of Sidney helping her sister, Isabelle, out for her wedding to Vaughn’s brother, Simon. It was nice seeing such a huge emphasis on strong family bonds. This led to a whole lot of humorous situations and sweet moments. My heart was touched seeing the sisters having each other’s back (as well as the brothers). Vaughn’s mom was absolutely hilarious, and I found Isabelle and Simon immensely adorable.
Characters
I thought Sidney was awesome. She was, in general, a confident and competent woman. She was also, however, insecure – especially about her love life (which made sense considering what she went through). I liked how she faced this internal conflict rather head-on and refused to let it ruin her life. Furthermore, she was pretty badass when she was working – her intellect and her charisma. Overall, I just liked her. She was honest, straightforward, and hardworking (and sometimes prickly).
Vaughn, on the other hand – I was more skeptical about. He was the cliché commitment-phobe guy, but he was also very blunt and straightforward. I liked that he loved his family, his friends, and his job. And in the second half of the book, I saw that he was a truly considerate, nice guy, especially
Romance
I loved their love-hate relationship. She would call him out on his shit and he would call her out on her shit. It was great. They were some cute bantering, and also some really cute moments. In addition, I appreciated that they got each other’s back. They went to each other for help – whether it was for advice or just for emotional support (like for her conflicting emotions about her crappy dad and like for his distressing day at work when he was undercover), and it was nice seeing them develop this friendship alongside the romance because they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
Final Thoughts
I’m giving this book 3.5 stars (maybe even a 4, but I’ll go with 3.5 for now). It had a lot of components that I loved in a book. It was more than just a romance – even though, yes, that was the main focus. It had a lot of great side characters – characters who were either family or friends of the main characters – and there were all fantastic people. I loved the camaraderie, the cute bantering, and overall, the incredible support that these characters had for each other. I liked that this book could be funny at times and sweet at another. I enjoyed it – it was slowwww in the 1st half, but it was on point on the 2nd.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scene?
What age level would be appropriate?
---------
I love this series so much (kickass heroines, YAYY), but I find myself stalling to continue because I don’t want it to end. (Me stalling for a whole year though🙈🙈)
Plot
I enjoyed this book. It was rather slow-paced in the first half of the book, but it wasn’t bad. The second half was when it got really interesting. I kinda missed seeing the FBI/US Attorney cases and seeing that as a part of the main plot with the main characters (like how it was for the first several books of this series). Anyway, I still liked the focus of Sidney helping her sister, Isabelle, out for her wedding to Vaughn’s brother, Simon. It was nice seeing such a huge emphasis on strong family bonds. This led to a whole lot of humorous situations and sweet moments. My heart was touched seeing the sisters having each other’s back (as well as the brothers). Vaughn’s mom was absolutely hilarious, and I found Isabelle and Simon immensely adorable.
Characters
I thought Sidney was awesome. She was, in general, a confident and competent woman. She was also, however, insecure – especially about her love life (which made sense considering what she went through). I liked how she faced this internal conflict rather head-on and refused to let it ruin her life. Furthermore, she was pretty badass when she was working – her intellect and her charisma. Overall, I just liked her. She was honest, straightforward, and hardworking (and sometimes prickly).
Vaughn, on the other hand – I was more skeptical about. He was the cliché commitment-phobe guy, but he was also very blunt and straightforward. I liked that he loved his family, his friends, and his job. And in the second half of the book, I saw that he was a truly considerate, nice guy, especially
Romance
I loved their love-hate relationship. She would call him out on his shit and he would call her out on her shit. It was great. They were some cute bantering, and also some really cute moments. In addition, I appreciated that they got each other’s back. They went to each other for help – whether it was for advice or just for emotional support (like for her conflicting emotions about her crappy dad and like for his distressing day at work when he was undercover), and it was nice seeing them develop this friendship alongside the romance because they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
Final Thoughts
I’m giving this book 3.5 stars (maybe even a 4, but I’ll go with 3.5 for now). It had a lot of components that I loved in a book. It was more than just a romance – even though, yes, that was the main focus. It had a lot of great side characters – characters who were either family or friends of the main characters – and there were all fantastic people. I loved the camaraderie, the cute bantering, and overall, the incredible support that these characters had for each other. I liked that this book could be funny at times and sweet at another. I enjoyed it – it was slowwww in the 1st half, but it was on point on the 2nd.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scene?
What age level would be appropriate?
---------
I love this series so much (kickass heroines, YAYY), but I find myself stalling to continue because I don’t want it to end. (Me stalling for a whole year though🙈🙈)
February 6, 2018
I think this is the first Julie James book that I have been disappointed by. As I've mentioned previously, I read chick-lit either when I don't have time, or when I'm in a slump. Well, raring as I am to read the good stuff, I have GRE in a couple of weeks, and my reading challenge ain't waiting for anyone. However, when I have to recommend chick-lit, I go with Julie James. I love her books and her writing; even this book, one that I was disappointed with, is a far cry from the other miserable excuses for chick-lit I've read. I liked Vaughn Roberts in the previous book, but somehow, he came on too strong in this one, which is something I always appreciated James for
not
doing. However, because I feel like James doesn't get the love she deserves, I shall spend this review selling her work to people, because I feel like she's one of perhaps three writers who can do chick-lit. So without further ado...
1. Heroines: Julie James can write heroines. They are women girls today should aspire to be. Wildly successful (more often than not, more successful than the heroes), extremely intelligent, highly ambitious, and generally good people. Yeah, they're also super attractive, but seeing as how it's fiction, I'm willing to let that go. They're sassy, strong, independent, and don't spend all their free time wallowing about how they need a man in their life or admiring their own beauty while also complaining about how they aren't attractive. They don't compromise their professional integrity for the opposite sex, and they don't take shit from anyone.
2. Heroes: Much like her heroines, James's heroes are very likeable. They're not gorillas waiting to pee around their "lady" and mark their territory. They don't have a problem with the heroine's success and don't try to sabotage them professionally. They respect the women in their lives, and not begrudgingly at that. They're also successful, happy in their jobs, and equally sassy and sarcastic. They accept their mistakes and don't force themselves on the ladies.
3. The chemistry and the sex: There isn't instalove as much as there is an actual connection between the main characters. Sure, they have hot sex, but they also share good conversation, turn to the other for advice, and hang out otherwise, in situations not involving sex. Like normal people. There's more discourse than intercourse, which I like. And the intercourse is pretty steamy, which I also like.
4. Families: Most characters in chick-lit books are estranged from their families. In Julie James's book, however, most characters have a very close relationship with their families. There are minor disagreements and the one odd estrangement, but no parent is portrayed as bad or evil, or as having fucked up their kid so much, the kid finds it difficult to function as a normal human being. There are surprise birthday parties for the mothers and affectionate family reunions. It's a refreshing change from the usual "my-mother-was-a-drug-addict-and-my-father-was-a-drunk-and-my-stepfather-was-abusive" drivel.
5. The backstory and the mystery: The back-story and the "mystery" bit of the book are not forsaken for romance and sex. There is equal focus on the story per se as there is on the romance and the sex, which is something rare in books of this genre.
6. The research: Julie James was a lawyer before she became a writer, and it shows. Her research is on point. I don't think I've found any factual inaccuracy in her books. Lawyers love research, and they're good at it. Trust me, I know. I'm a lawyer. I think she won me over when one of her characters emphasised on the importance of leading questions in cross-examining a witness. I have this habit of cross-checking any information or facts that I am unaware of, that I see mentioned in books. I think it started off with checking the dictionary for big words as a kid and then became a more obsessive habit. Thus far, I haven't found anything to fault in James's research or facts.
7. The law: As a lawyer, accurate portrayal of lawyers gives me mini-orgasms. Lawyers are portrayed either incorrectly in terms of how the law works, or in terms of how horrible and evil they are as people. So when I see lawyers doing their job right and being nice people, it's an obvious plus point for me.
My point is, read Julie James.
1. Heroines: Julie James can write heroines. They are women girls today should aspire to be. Wildly successful (more often than not, more successful than the heroes), extremely intelligent, highly ambitious, and generally good people. Yeah, they're also super attractive, but seeing as how it's fiction, I'm willing to let that go. They're sassy, strong, independent, and don't spend all their free time wallowing about how they need a man in their life or admiring their own beauty while also complaining about how they aren't attractive. They don't compromise their professional integrity for the opposite sex, and they don't take shit from anyone.
2. Heroes: Much like her heroines, James's heroes are very likeable. They're not gorillas waiting to pee around their "lady" and mark their territory. They don't have a problem with the heroine's success and don't try to sabotage them professionally. They respect the women in their lives, and not begrudgingly at that. They're also successful, happy in their jobs, and equally sassy and sarcastic. They accept their mistakes and don't force themselves on the ladies.
3. The chemistry and the sex: There isn't instalove as much as there is an actual connection between the main characters. Sure, they have hot sex, but they also share good conversation, turn to the other for advice, and hang out otherwise, in situations not involving sex. Like normal people. There's more discourse than intercourse, which I like. And the intercourse is pretty steamy, which I also like.
4. Families: Most characters in chick-lit books are estranged from their families. In Julie James's book, however, most characters have a very close relationship with their families. There are minor disagreements and the one odd estrangement, but no parent is portrayed as bad or evil, or as having fucked up their kid so much, the kid finds it difficult to function as a normal human being. There are surprise birthday parties for the mothers and affectionate family reunions. It's a refreshing change from the usual "my-mother-was-a-drug-addict-and-my-father-was-a-drunk-and-my-stepfather-was-abusive" drivel.
5. The backstory and the mystery: The back-story and the "mystery" bit of the book are not forsaken for romance and sex. There is equal focus on the story per se as there is on the romance and the sex, which is something rare in books of this genre.
6. The research: Julie James was a lawyer before she became a writer, and it shows. Her research is on point. I don't think I've found any factual inaccuracy in her books. Lawyers love research, and they're good at it. Trust me, I know. I'm a lawyer. I think she won me over when one of her characters emphasised on the importance of leading questions in cross-examining a witness. I have this habit of cross-checking any information or facts that I am unaware of, that I see mentioned in books. I think it started off with checking the dictionary for big words as a kid and then became a more obsessive habit. Thus far, I haven't found anything to fault in James's research or facts.
7. The law: As a lawyer, accurate portrayal of lawyers gives me mini-orgasms. Lawyers are portrayed either incorrectly in terms of how the law works, or in terms of how horrible and evil they are as people. So when I see lawyers doing their job right and being nice people, it's an obvious plus point for me.
My point is, read Julie James.
December 18, 2014
The fifth addition to Julie James' wonderful FBI/Attorney series. FBI Special Agent Vaughn Roberts is in a coffee shop when he spies an attractive woman come in and watches as her date "crashes and burns". He then attempts a pick up but Sidney Sinclair can spot a commitment-phobic man from a mile away. Later they meet again and find that their siblings are getting married and they are both in the wedding party.
Another fun, sexy, entertaining read from Julie James. I loved the humorous banter and the characters. This one didn't have much in the suspense category (which I'm a big fan of) but it didn't really hurt the story. I did think the ending was just a bit rushed but I still will recommend this highly to Contemporary Romance fans.
Another fun, sexy, entertaining read from Julie James. I loved the humorous banter and the characters. This one didn't have much in the suspense category (which I'm a big fan of) but it didn't really hurt the story. I did think the ending was just a bit rushed but I still will recommend this highly to Contemporary Romance fans.
August 5, 2014
What a great book, I loved it! This is my first by Julie James and it won't be my last! I loved so much about it...how the characters were in their thirties, how they were both successful and NOT traumatized by experiences that prevents them from moving on, how they were upfront and eased off on the potentially ruinous drama, but I especially loved how the love between Vaughn and Sidney developed.
There was no insta-anything, minus the sizzling attraction for another, and that was refreshing. Sidney was great, a really smart, successful and beautiful person who always went out of her way to help her sister. But Vaughn...the man was INCREDIBLE. When things finally came together in his mind he acted on them, he didn't waste precious time overthinking his feelings. Watching him slowly fall for Sidney not just because he was attracted to her, but because they clicked in all the important ways, was beautiful. Everyone seemed to see it but him for a while there and it was hilarious! Making up excuses for wanting to spend time with her was golden. The banter was witty and fun, the flow perfectly balanced with seriousness and comedy, just a great read.
The steam was done perfectly, it was sensual and didn't go one for pages and pages--love that. Vaughn also did so many sweet things for Sidney but finding the 'something old' was sweeter than any of those! Sidney of course cared for him but she never got weepy or bitchy, and she so could have. She deserved happiness and I'm so glad she found it with Vaughn. His speech to her when he finally realized how he felt tugged at my heart, he was truly a sexy and wonderful male lead. I'm going to continue this series since I've read out of order, but thankfully the other books preceding this one are standalones, but I did see character crossover.
Thanks for the rec Mo! A beautiful and mature story, I highly recommend it!
There was no insta-anything, minus the sizzling attraction for another, and that was refreshing. Sidney was great, a really smart, successful and beautiful person who always went out of her way to help her sister. But Vaughn...the man was INCREDIBLE. When things finally came together in his mind he acted on them, he didn't waste precious time overthinking his feelings. Watching him slowly fall for Sidney not just because he was attracted to her, but because they clicked in all the important ways, was beautiful. Everyone seemed to see it but him for a while there and it was hilarious! Making up excuses for wanting to spend time with her was golden. The banter was witty and fun, the flow perfectly balanced with seriousness and comedy, just a great read.
The steam was done perfectly, it was sensual and didn't go one for pages and pages--love that. Vaughn also did so many sweet things for Sidney but finding the 'something old' was sweeter than any of those! Sidney of course cared for him but she never got weepy or bitchy, and she so could have. She deserved happiness and I'm so glad she found it with Vaughn. His speech to her when he finally realized how he felt tugged at my heart, he was truly a sexy and wonderful male lead. I'm going to continue this series since I've read out of order, but thankfully the other books preceding this one are standalones, but I did see character crossover.
Thanks for the rec Mo! A beautiful and mature story, I highly recommend it!
May 20, 2014
What happend when a brother and a sister of two people who don't like each other in first meeting will get marrired?
This was fun since the first charpter! Vaughn and Sidney's sarcasm is enjoynable to read. I love Vaughn, he is witty, cocky, and irritaing player.*sigh* Sidney is just like typical Julie's heroine, fiesty, snarky, and witty. Her lists about the guy she or woman should date with made me laugh! reminding me a bit of Linda Howard' Mr.Perfect.
The story is about Vaughn's brother Simon and Sidney's sister Isabelle will get married, less action and elements about FBI or attouney jobs that made me a little sad. The story kind of flat to me, but I really like the characters I think.Vaughn is just irritaing bad boy that made me laugh. lol
Anyway, it's a fun read for an easy day. Hope Julie write another book of this seres!! Please!!! *puppy dogs eyes* ;'>
February 8, 2015
Not the best one in the series but this was still a sweet book with great characters which could have been a 5 star read if there had been a tad more action and I felt it really needed an epilogue.
February 8, 2017
This really was not that interesting. Too pretty people having hot sex though they initially loathed each other. I was bored from beginning to end when I was not disgusted by the character of Vaughn.
Sidney Sinclair is an investment banker. After moving back to Chicago after finding out her fiancee was cheating on her, she is trying to dip her toe back into the dating pool. After a blah date at a coffee shop, she is asked out by a total stranger who lashes out like a petty POS after she turns him down. Guess who the petty POS is? It's this book's hero, Vaughn. I really don't care for how many of the so-called meet-cute's James does in this series. She did something similar in Suddenly One Summer with somehow the heroine being in the wrong for not wanting to go out with the hero. This just grinds my gears honestly (TM Peter Griffin). Women are allowed to say no. We are allowed to say no anytime we want, and some random stranger who hits on you and who you tell no I don't want to go out with you tomorrow who then insults you, doesn't make you some terrible freaking women. Okay, my spiel of the day is done.
Since this is a chick-lit book, of course Sidney and Vaughn run into each other again, and oh look they find out that their brother (Vaughn) and sister (Sidney) are engaged to be married after knowing each other for only a short while.
Due to Sidney's sister doing her best to hide her totally obvious pregnancy, Sidney finds herself thrown more and more into meetings with Vaughn where they both keep trying to deny their growing attraction to each other.
Sidney Sinclair I found to be kind of a beige heroine. I wish that James had showcased her at her job more than she did. It seemed interesting. And in previous books I have read, I thought James did a great job of showing these strong women and how great they are at their jobs. Instead we just focused a lot more on Vaughn and his boring undercover assignment at the FBI. I wish that had been cut significantly so that we could look at Sidney's job more.
The one thing that did make me laugh though which I don't think the author meant to was that we just have Vaughn falling for Sidney. I don't know. She fell for him, and I don't get that either. They had good sex together. They didn't really seem to have deep conversations except once in a while and I was not getting the whole, hi, I am now in love with you thing.
I think the big thing that killed this for me is that Sidney actually meets a great guy. A guy who wants to date her. But you know, she realizes she is in love with Vaughn. Bah. Maybe I am letting my own bad feelings color this book. I have dated or tried to date a Vaughn. Just cut your losses and be on your way.
This series for the most part is a good way to pass away some time. It doesn't take a lot of energy to read and sometimes you just want a breezy chick-lit book.
Sidney Sinclair is an investment banker. After moving back to Chicago after finding out her fiancee was cheating on her, she is trying to dip her toe back into the dating pool. After a blah date at a coffee shop, she is asked out by a total stranger who lashes out like a petty POS after she turns him down. Guess who the petty POS is? It's this book's hero, Vaughn. I really don't care for how many of the so-called meet-cute's James does in this series. She did something similar in Suddenly One Summer with somehow the heroine being in the wrong for not wanting to go out with the hero. This just grinds my gears honestly (TM Peter Griffin). Women are allowed to say no. We are allowed to say no anytime we want, and some random stranger who hits on you and who you tell no I don't want to go out with you tomorrow who then insults you, doesn't make you some terrible freaking women. Okay, my spiel of the day is done.
Since this is a chick-lit book, of course Sidney and Vaughn run into each other again, and oh look they find out that their brother (Vaughn) and sister (Sidney) are engaged to be married after knowing each other for only a short while.
Due to Sidney's sister doing her best to hide her totally obvious pregnancy, Sidney finds herself thrown more and more into meetings with Vaughn where they both keep trying to deny their growing attraction to each other.
Sidney Sinclair I found to be kind of a beige heroine. I wish that James had showcased her at her job more than she did. It seemed interesting. And in previous books I have read, I thought James did a great job of showing these strong women and how great they are at their jobs. Instead we just focused a lot more on Vaughn and his boring undercover assignment at the FBI. I wish that had been cut significantly so that we could look at Sidney's job more.
The one thing that did make me laugh though which I don't think the author meant to was that we just have Vaughn falling for Sidney. I don't know. She fell for him, and I don't get that either. They had good sex together. They didn't really seem to have deep conversations except once in a while and I was not getting the whole, hi, I am now in love with you thing.
I think the big thing that killed this for me is that Sidney actually meets a great guy. A guy who wants to date her. But you know, she realizes she is in love with Vaughn. Bah. Maybe I am letting my own bad feelings color this book. I have dated or tried to date a Vaughn. Just cut your losses and be on your way.
This series for the most part is a good way to pass away some time. It doesn't take a lot of energy to read and sometimes you just want a breezy chick-lit book.
July 28, 2015
I take it back, this is the best of the series. I admit that I'm not entirely sure if I'm just basking in the glow of the latest Julie James book I finish or if she really is improving with every book. I choose to believe it's the latter.
As before, read the others in the series first. View this one as the treat at the end of an excellent meal. Or something. Also, as before, having read the others, you now more or less what to expect here. I'll highlight some, though, because I can't stop myself.
First off, the snark I've come to love from James is in top form in this book. Vaughn and Sidney start strong and keep up that banter through the whole thing. It's beautiful.
Second, I like Vaughn better than all the other commitment-phobes. Maybe because he wasn't so much scared as he was simply enjoying his shallow life and it took him a while to see any reason to change. Which, oddly, was tons easier for me to engage with. Which is kind of weird now I think of it, but there you go. Also, he's exactly the right kind of hot with a side of kind.
Third, Sidney was even better as the female lead with her active search for a relationship. I loved how James turned that into a theme as Sidney develops her criteria only to discover how cold-blooded that can be. Sidney's forays into guy speak (as translated by Vaughn) were great good fun, as well.
And finally, I loved how the book was simply overflowing with good, admirable men. And not solely heroes from previous books (though we do get a lot of Cade from the previous). Robert, Vaughn's brother, is fantastic and his care for Isabelle was heartwarming and extremely touching. Other side characters stood out as well; too many to go into any detail. Suffice to say it was a fun ride with lots of interesting people to share it with.
So yeah, four and a half stars, but I'm not sure it rises to the "will probably reread" that would push rounding to five. It was good, though, and I can heartily recommend the entire series—particularly with this as the capstone.
A note about Steamy: On par with the others. i.e. midish steam level for me. There were three explicit sex scenes of varying lengths (one is only about a page). This is another area where James has a discernable pattern, but I don't find it a bad thing.
As before, read the others in the series first. View this one as the treat at the end of an excellent meal. Or something. Also, as before, having read the others, you now more or less what to expect here. I'll highlight some, though, because I can't stop myself.
First off, the snark I've come to love from James is in top form in this book. Vaughn and Sidney start strong and keep up that banter through the whole thing. It's beautiful.
Second, I like Vaughn better than all the other commitment-phobes. Maybe because he wasn't so much scared as he was simply enjoying his shallow life and it took him a while to see any reason to change. Which, oddly, was tons easier for me to engage with. Which is kind of weird now I think of it, but there you go. Also, he's exactly the right kind of hot with a side of kind.
Third, Sidney was even better as the female lead with her active search for a relationship. I loved how James turned that into a theme as Sidney develops her criteria only to discover how cold-blooded that can be. Sidney's forays into guy speak (as translated by Vaughn) were great good fun, as well.
And finally, I loved how the book was simply overflowing with good, admirable men. And not solely heroes from previous books (though we do get a lot of Cade from the previous). Robert, Vaughn's brother, is fantastic and his care for Isabelle was heartwarming and extremely touching. Other side characters stood out as well; too many to go into any detail. Suffice to say it was a fun ride with lots of interesting people to share it with.
So yeah, four and a half stars, but I'm not sure it rises to the "will probably reread" that would push rounding to five. It was good, though, and I can heartily recommend the entire series—particularly with this as the capstone.
A note about Steamy: On par with the others. i.e. midish steam level for me. There were three explicit sex scenes of varying lengths (one is only about a page). This is another area where James has a discernable pattern, but I don't find it a bad thing.
September 2, 2016
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A
Her [Sidney] smile was sweet, her tone dry. “Aw, and that makes you such a good guy. Because you’re honest about being a womanizer.”
[…]He [Vaughn] leaned in closer to her. “See, this is why I don’t date women in their thirties. You’re jaded. And ornery. And you have a checklist with thirty-four goddamn things on it!” She turned toward him, her cheeks flushed pink as she, too, raised her voice. “Don’t put this on me. There’s a reason women like me need a thirty-four item checklist – to protect ourselves from all the guys like you out there.”
“What’s so terrible about a guy like me? Here’s the way I see it: if you’re looking for happily-ever-after, there are a lot better guys out there for the job. But if you want a good time, then I’m your man, baby.”
Vaughn Roberts is a man not ready to settle down. He’s not against marriage, not at all, but for him, dating and having fun with the opposite sex is all he wants. So when he tries to pick up Sidney Sinclair at a coffee house after witnessing what he determined was a first date gone wrong, he made his move…and was instantly pegged as “that” guy by Sidney within minutes of them meeting. Vaughn never gets shot down but he took it and left, only to be having dinner with Sidney later that night as they were both the guests of his brother, Simon and Sidney’s sister, Isabelle at a dinner where their siblings had a big announcement to make – they’re engaged and planning a whirlwind wedding! And Vaughn and Sidney will be the best man and maid of honor! And oh yeah, the wedding needs to happen fast because Isabelle’s pregnant and they don’t want Vaughn and Simon’s mother to have a heart attack when she finds out! So like it or not, Sidney and Vaughn get thrown together often in the coming weeks as they attend numerous wedding events, help with the wedding planning and try to keep the pregnancy under wraps from everyone until after the wedding.
With damp hair, Vaughn walked into the kitchen while pulling on his shirt. Thankfully, he at least had pants on. “Apparently, we have visitors this morning,” he said, looking slightly amused.
“We? You two are a we?” Isabelle asked.
“We are definitely not a ‘we’.” Sidney said.
“Can I have a word with you outside, brother?” Simon asked Vaughn.
Vaughn turned to Sidney. “That’s Man-Speak for ‘You’re in some seriously deep shit.’”
During all the wedding prep, Sidney and Vaughn go from that awkward first meeting to an uneasy truce and finally friendship when Sidney starts to ask Vaughn about “man-speak” and what various things she’s told by her numerous first dates really mean. After a horrible engagement and break-up after she found out her fiancé was cheating on her, Sidney is determined to not waste her time on guys with no long-term, relationship future. She wants Mr. Perfect and she has a list that each guy must get through before she considers him an actual candidate. Needless to say, Vaughn fails that list, but she decides that the chemistry between them is too much to ignore and there’s nothing wrong with having some sexy fun with a Mr. Perfect for Now – which Vaughn is all for. He has his own set of rules, the biggest being, not seeing a woman more than once a week. He starts out keeping Sidney on the ‘one time a week’ routine but that doesn’t last when he realizes that just hanging out with her, talking to her and being around her calms him like he’s never experienced before. He’s not completely sure what to do with that information, but he also knows that while they’re having some fun together, she’s still out there dating, trying to find her perfect match and while he’s fine with that initially, he doesn’t care for it so much when she finally finds a guy that meets all her list requirements. Now Vaughn has to decide if he’s ok with letting her go, or if he wants to be the guy that’s perfect for Sidney, imperfections and all.
Vaughn talking about his one, long term relationship and why it didn’t work out:
He shrugged. “We dated, we decided we wanted other things, and then we split up.”
“But ever since, you haven’t been in another serious relationship. Why is that?” She studied him, trying to figure out this puzzle. “Maybe…Cassidy broke your heart and you’ve never been able to recover, so you became this rakish man-about-town to hide your pain.”
He cocked his head in amusement. “Man-about-town? Do we still use that term?”
“We do when we’re trying to be polite and not say ‘man-whore’.”
“Tell me how you really feel, Sinclair. Don’t hold back.”
There is just something so charming and smart about a Julie James contemporary. I love the voice she gives her characters and I always end up thinking how much I’d love to be friends with the characters she’s created. Sidney and Vaughn are no exception – they snap and pop on page whether it’s early on when they’re not exactly thrilled to be in each other’s company or later on when they can’t keep their hands off each other. I loved seeing them get closer, I loved that Sidney turned to Vaughn for help in understanding the male species as she tries to figure out the crazy dating world and how all of that turns into love when neither one expected it. I also really appreciate that it doesn’t take some big, angsty moment or scene between this couple to make them reevaluate their relationship. It’s simply Sidney realizing that it’s Vaughn she imagines when she kisses another man, and Vaughn realizing that when an undercover job he’s on goes south, it’s Sidney that he sees when he’s faced with a very dangerous situation that may not end well. No huge fight between the couple, no outside forces that butt their way in and cause trouble. Just an easy, simple (but not so simple) realization on both sides that while they were both looking for the things they thought they wanted in life, everything changed when their right person showed up.
The banter and humor between Sidney and Vaughn had me laughing and smiling throughout. They’re just so likeable, as is every character that shows up on page. Since the story is centered around Simon and Isabelle’s wedding, they’re on page quite a bit and add a nice, humorous layer to the story with the hoops they have to jump through to keep her pregnancy quiet, to the various sibling scenes between Vaughn/Simon and Sidney/Isabelle sprinkled throughout the story. All the relationships that played out on page, romantic, family or friendships are so easy to fall into and delightful to read about.
Julie James never disappoints when it comes to writing smart, funny and sexy contemporary romances. In this latest installment, Sidney and Vaughn are a joy to get to know and seeing how their relationship progressed was pure entertainment.
Blog rating: A
Her [Sidney] smile was sweet, her tone dry. “Aw, and that makes you such a good guy. Because you’re honest about being a womanizer.”
[…]He [Vaughn] leaned in closer to her. “See, this is why I don’t date women in their thirties. You’re jaded. And ornery. And you have a checklist with thirty-four goddamn things on it!” She turned toward him, her cheeks flushed pink as she, too, raised her voice. “Don’t put this on me. There’s a reason women like me need a thirty-four item checklist – to protect ourselves from all the guys like you out there.”
“What’s so terrible about a guy like me? Here’s the way I see it: if you’re looking for happily-ever-after, there are a lot better guys out there for the job. But if you want a good time, then I’m your man, baby.”
Vaughn Roberts is a man not ready to settle down. He’s not against marriage, not at all, but for him, dating and having fun with the opposite sex is all he wants. So when he tries to pick up Sidney Sinclair at a coffee house after witnessing what he determined was a first date gone wrong, he made his move…and was instantly pegged as “that” guy by Sidney within minutes of them meeting. Vaughn never gets shot down but he took it and left, only to be having dinner with Sidney later that night as they were both the guests of his brother, Simon and Sidney’s sister, Isabelle at a dinner where their siblings had a big announcement to make – they’re engaged and planning a whirlwind wedding! And Vaughn and Sidney will be the best man and maid of honor! And oh yeah, the wedding needs to happen fast because Isabelle’s pregnant and they don’t want Vaughn and Simon’s mother to have a heart attack when she finds out! So like it or not, Sidney and Vaughn get thrown together often in the coming weeks as they attend numerous wedding events, help with the wedding planning and try to keep the pregnancy under wraps from everyone until after the wedding.
With damp hair, Vaughn walked into the kitchen while pulling on his shirt. Thankfully, he at least had pants on. “Apparently, we have visitors this morning,” he said, looking slightly amused.
“We? You two are a we?” Isabelle asked.
“We are definitely not a ‘we’.” Sidney said.
“Can I have a word with you outside, brother?” Simon asked Vaughn.
Vaughn turned to Sidney. “That’s Man-Speak for ‘You’re in some seriously deep shit.’”
During all the wedding prep, Sidney and Vaughn go from that awkward first meeting to an uneasy truce and finally friendship when Sidney starts to ask Vaughn about “man-speak” and what various things she’s told by her numerous first dates really mean. After a horrible engagement and break-up after she found out her fiancé was cheating on her, Sidney is determined to not waste her time on guys with no long-term, relationship future. She wants Mr. Perfect and she has a list that each guy must get through before she considers him an actual candidate. Needless to say, Vaughn fails that list, but she decides that the chemistry between them is too much to ignore and there’s nothing wrong with having some sexy fun with a Mr. Perfect for Now – which Vaughn is all for. He has his own set of rules, the biggest being, not seeing a woman more than once a week. He starts out keeping Sidney on the ‘one time a week’ routine but that doesn’t last when he realizes that just hanging out with her, talking to her and being around her calms him like he’s never experienced before. He’s not completely sure what to do with that information, but he also knows that while they’re having some fun together, she’s still out there dating, trying to find her perfect match and while he’s fine with that initially, he doesn’t care for it so much when she finally finds a guy that meets all her list requirements. Now Vaughn has to decide if he’s ok with letting her go, or if he wants to be the guy that’s perfect for Sidney, imperfections and all.
Vaughn talking about his one, long term relationship and why it didn’t work out:
He shrugged. “We dated, we decided we wanted other things, and then we split up.”
“But ever since, you haven’t been in another serious relationship. Why is that?” She studied him, trying to figure out this puzzle. “Maybe…Cassidy broke your heart and you’ve never been able to recover, so you became this rakish man-about-town to hide your pain.”
He cocked his head in amusement. “Man-about-town? Do we still use that term?”
“We do when we’re trying to be polite and not say ‘man-whore’.”
“Tell me how you really feel, Sinclair. Don’t hold back.”
There is just something so charming and smart about a Julie James contemporary. I love the voice she gives her characters and I always end up thinking how much I’d love to be friends with the characters she’s created. Sidney and Vaughn are no exception – they snap and pop on page whether it’s early on when they’re not exactly thrilled to be in each other’s company or later on when they can’t keep their hands off each other. I loved seeing them get closer, I loved that Sidney turned to Vaughn for help in understanding the male species as she tries to figure out the crazy dating world and how all of that turns into love when neither one expected it. I also really appreciate that it doesn’t take some big, angsty moment or scene between this couple to make them reevaluate their relationship. It’s simply Sidney realizing that it’s Vaughn she imagines when she kisses another man, and Vaughn realizing that when an undercover job he’s on goes south, it’s Sidney that he sees when he’s faced with a very dangerous situation that may not end well. No huge fight between the couple, no outside forces that butt their way in and cause trouble. Just an easy, simple (but not so simple) realization on both sides that while they were both looking for the things they thought they wanted in life, everything changed when their right person showed up.
The banter and humor between Sidney and Vaughn had me laughing and smiling throughout. They’re just so likeable, as is every character that shows up on page. Since the story is centered around Simon and Isabelle’s wedding, they’re on page quite a bit and add a nice, humorous layer to the story with the hoops they have to jump through to keep her pregnancy quiet, to the various sibling scenes between Vaughn/Simon and Sidney/Isabelle sprinkled throughout the story. All the relationships that played out on page, romantic, family or friendships are so easy to fall into and delightful to read about.
Julie James never disappoints when it comes to writing smart, funny and sexy contemporary romances. In this latest installment, Sidney and Vaughn are a joy to get to know and seeing how their relationship progressed was pure entertainment.
July 23, 2016
I NEED THOSE SHOES. AND THAT DRESS. AND MY OWN SPECIAL AGENT.
March 2, 2017
OH MY GOD!!,
April of 2014 can't come soon enough.Can't wait for IHOW.Love JJ's books, especially the FBI/US Attorney series.Hope she never stops writing them! Or maybe she can stop at, like, 50 books or more!!! By the way, does anyone know anything about the hero & heroine of this book? any guesses? I'm hoping for Sam Wilkins to feature in this one.But I'm guessing I will have to wait more for Sam since he was not in LOVE IRRESISTIBLY.
July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March...
and
...
...
YAY!!!!
APRIL'S HERE
I had a lot of expectations from this book. When I had heard that there is a fifth book coming out in this series, my excitement knew no bounds! I had begun a countdown. I got this book as soon as it was released. I'm an avid of Ms James. All her books have been read by me and each of those books are my favourites.Ms James has once again shown everyone why her books occupy the top positions in all her readers favourite lists. Although this book has all the aspects of a trademark of a Julie James book, it has still failed to reach the 4.5-star mark for me. And this coming from a novel of Julie James is a big disappointment for me. I rated it 4-stars only because this series is a huge huge huge favourite of mine otherwise this book woul have had a 3.5star rating. The reason for this is the heroine of this book or rather my inability to connect with her. I found the heroine to be confused. Throughout the book she sends mixed signals to the hero and remains prejudiced towards the hero. While these qualities are enjoyable when found only in the beginning of the story, they are not so entertaining when repeated throughout the whole book. Moreover the hero's feelings for the heroine's far surpasses the heroine's feelings for the hero. As for the hero, I totally loved him! He is also one of the reasons I gave 4 stars to this book. The plot was nice though I felt that the ending was a little rushed. Still it was a good read overall.
August 2, 2017
~~~ 3.5 stars~~~
When I started reading this book I was positive this would be my favorite one from the bunch.
The alpha FBI hottie, smart and strong heroine, the witty banter, from hate-friends-love trope.
I thought, how freaking awesome this series is. The best Chick-Lit series ever. I was chuckling to myself and really enjoying it. Adorable.
Of course the heroine had to ruin it.
I thought, okay fine, she'll get minus points for that. I know they weren't in a relationship, but at this point I already felt they had some sort of emotional relationship.
So, when she , I was so mad at her.
I disconnected from the story and couldn't read any further. I had to sleep on it.
Look, I can't explain why the OW/OM drama bothers me sometimes and sometimes not. It all depends on the genre, plot, my connection to the MCs and writing style.
In this case, I was dissapointed and wanted to cry. I felt betrayed on H's behalf. Ridiculous, I know!
What saved this book for me was the hero. He's the best one from this series. 5* worthy. I adored him. The heroine deserves 3*. The ending was lovely.
When I started reading this book I was positive this would be my favorite one from the bunch.
The alpha FBI hottie, smart and strong heroine, the witty banter, from hate-friends-love trope.
I thought, how freaking awesome this series is. The best Chick-Lit series ever. I was chuckling to myself and really enjoying it. Adorable.
Of course the heroine had to ruin it.
I thought, okay fine, she'll get minus points for that. I know they weren't in a relationship, but at this point I already felt they had some sort of emotional relationship.
So, when she , I was so mad at her.
I disconnected from the story and couldn't read any further. I had to sleep on it.
Look, I can't explain why the OW/OM drama bothers me sometimes and sometimes not. It all depends on the genre, plot, my connection to the MCs and writing style.
In this case, I was dissapointed and wanted to cry. I felt betrayed on H's behalf. Ridiculous, I know!
What saved this book for me was the hero. He's the best one from this series. 5* worthy. I adored him. The heroine deserves 3*. The ending was lovely.
July 29, 2018
I hadn't picked up a Julie James book in a long, long time, and don't know why. Witty banter. Smart, confident heroines, realistic romance fraught with modern problems, great details for Chicago setting. I wish this had more suspense/action, but it is framed around a wedding, so I won't complain too much. A great, fun couple.
Book source: Purchased
Book source: Purchased
May 6, 2014
Pretty sure I found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...why BECAUSE JULIE JAMES HAS A NEW NOVEL/BLURB/COVER! The countdown begins people...Its out March 25! Julie James has completely made a name for herself as a contemporary romance guru and all around romance novelist heavy hitter! Each book gets better, raunchier, deeper, and more fun! With her FBI series bad boy, Vaughn finally getting his just desserts in the love depeartment, I doubt this book could even try to dissapoint! I knew vaughn would be next...bachelors don't stay bachelors for long in romancelandia!!! :D Stay posted on her website, facebook, twitter, and goodreads for her awesome and frequent signed giveaways that she's been known to do. GET PUMPED :D
December 17, 2016
I hate to sound like a teenager but... Julie James is my queen.
Seriously, if she writes it, I'll read it. She writes THE BEST contemporary romance.
My only (small) problem with her is that her female characters might be just a tiny little bit too empowered (no, I have nothing about super empowered women, but after the fourth or fifth book where the character is CEO, partner at a main law firm, or whatever thing by age 30 I'm all like... "can't she just have a normal awesome job by age 30? pretty please?")
But, enough random talk, let's get to the book:
Short story? The meet-cute is awesome, the main characters have a great love/hate relationship at the beginning, and I loved the MC's relationship with her sister and the fact that she'd do anything for her.
Seriously, if she writes it, I'll read it. She writes THE BEST contemporary romance.
My only (small) problem with her is that her female characters might be just a tiny little bit too empowered (no, I have nothing about super empowered women, but after the fourth or fifth book where the character is CEO, partner at a main law firm, or whatever thing by age 30 I'm all like... "can't she just have a normal awesome job by age 30? pretty please?")
But, enough random talk, let's get to the book:
Short story? The meet-cute is awesome, the main characters have a great love/hate relationship at the beginning, and I loved the MC's relationship with her sister and the fact that she'd do anything for her.
January 12, 2019
The Heroine Spent Most Of The Time Dating Other People
Impossible Expectations On The Heroines Part
Playboy Commitment Phobe Meets Biological Clock Ticking Woman
January 9, 2017
It Happened One Wedding
3 Stars
Special Agent Vaughn Roberts enjoys his playboy ways and is unaccustomed to rejection. Thus, when Sidney Sinclair spurns his less than humble advances, Vaughn decides to cut his losses. That is until he and Sidney are thrown into close contact as the best man and maid of honor in their siblings' wedding. Suddenly, sparks are flying and banter is flowing, but is this enough for Sidney and Vaughn to overcome their differences?
This series has been hit and miss mainly due to the fact that the romantic suspense premise established in book #1 decreased with each subsequent book so that the series became straight contemporary by book #3. After a long break, my expectations going in to this installment changed accordingly and the reading experience was better albeit far from perfect.
While Sidney and Vaughn's enemies to lovers romance is entertaining and they certainly know how to steam up the pages, the rest of the story is lackluster at best.
The descriptions of Sidney's role as an investment banker are mind numbingly boring and the wedding subplot is also tedious. The minor suspense plot involving Vaughn's undercover work has potential, but remains unresolved at the end of the book. James really needs to decide which direction she is going in with this series because the mix of contemporary and romantic suspense makes her writing seem schizophrenic.
All in all, the romance is the strong point of the book and all the rest is filler. One more book left in the series, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it.
3 Stars
Special Agent Vaughn Roberts enjoys his playboy ways and is unaccustomed to rejection. Thus, when Sidney Sinclair spurns his less than humble advances, Vaughn decides to cut his losses. That is until he and Sidney are thrown into close contact as the best man and maid of honor in their siblings' wedding. Suddenly, sparks are flying and banter is flowing, but is this enough for Sidney and Vaughn to overcome their differences?
This series has been hit and miss mainly due to the fact that the romantic suspense premise established in book #1 decreased with each subsequent book so that the series became straight contemporary by book #3. After a long break, my expectations going in to this installment changed accordingly and the reading experience was better albeit far from perfect.
While Sidney and Vaughn's enemies to lovers romance is entertaining and they certainly know how to steam up the pages, the rest of the story is lackluster at best.
The descriptions of Sidney's role as an investment banker are mind numbingly boring and the wedding subplot is also tedious. The minor suspense plot involving Vaughn's undercover work has potential, but remains unresolved at the end of the book. James really needs to decide which direction she is going in with this series because the mix of contemporary and romantic suspense makes her writing seem schizophrenic.
All in all, the romance is the strong point of the book and all the rest is filler. One more book left in the series, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,452 reviews