Baggage Check

The Marriage Pact #3

by M.J. Pullen

Baggage Check is the third in a charming series about a group of thirty-somethings in Atlanta making surprising discoveries about friendship, love, and happily-ever-after.

At 35, Rebecca Williamson is surrounded by happy endings. Her friends Suzanne and Marci are living out their own personal fairy tales in Atlanta. But despite Rebecca's best efforts four years ago, her adorable college friend Jake Stillwell has officially slipped through her fingers and broken her heart. When Rebecca gets a frantic phone call from her mother back in Alabama, Rebecca is pulled back to the tiny town she worked so hard to leave behind and forced to face the hard truths about her family and past. A past that includes Deputy Alex Chen, who thinks of Rebecca as more than just an old friend's kid sister. Can Rebecca navigate the chaos and get her life back to normal? Will Alex prove himself to be the friend she's always needed? Or will she discover that the door to Jake is not as tightly closed as she thought?

M.J. Pullen returns in this final installment to the same captivating group of lovelorn friends, this time following the girl group's frenemy, Rebecca, as she's forced to confront her past. Raising the stakes, Pullen delivers an absorbing, romantic novel that poses the question, what if everything you were looking for was right where you started?

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Womens Fiction, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2013

About the author

M.J. Pullen (a.k.a The Distracted Writer) is the author of playful women's fiction and complex, funny contemporary romances. She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and two sons.

Get updates, bonus content and more by joining The Distracted Readers email list:
http://mjpullen.com/newsletter/

Reviews

[Ross Newberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer 1: I've been friends with MJ for going on half my life now, and was a beta reader for this book.

Disclaimer 2: I haven't actually read the first two books of the series yet, because:

Disclaimer 3: Chick lit/romance is not my bag, baby. I'm a dude who normally reads fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy.

All that being said, I found that there was so much else going on in this story besides the romantic thread that it ended up carrying me along from beginning to end without wanting to put it down. Given my genre affiliation, I consider that high praise.

You've got thorny family issues, mental health issues, you-can't-go-home-again-or-can-you dynamics, sports sainthood, an alien invasion, dealing with people you knew in high school, and one scene that made my vagina tingle. I didn't even know I had one of those. Also, one item on that list is a lie. Just checking to see if you're paying attention.

In all, though this is currently the only book of the trilogy I've read, I can see in the bits of back-story exposition artfully sprinkled through the text that this is a satisfying conclusion to the intertwined threads MJ has built for her characters, and it epilogued (it's English, I can verb a noun if I want to) in what was, for me, a very moving and emotionally uplifting way.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baggage Check by M.J. Pullen is a November 2013 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rebecca hasn't had the most charmed life. She fled her small town for city life and tried desperately to fit in with a certain social circle. Rebecca became friends with Marci and Suzanne and fell in love with the man Marci eventually married. Now if you have read the last two books you will know that before Marci and Jake married, they were having a little misunderstanding and Rebecca tried to take advantage of the opportunity to see if there was a chance with Jake. Try as she might you just can't force someone to feel something they don't. Jake loved Marci and that was that. Rebecca and Marci's relationship cooled off after that incident and it never has really recovered. Now, Rebecca is working as an airline attendant and is taking a vacation with the girls before Suzanne gets married. But, when she arrives there seems to be a lot going on, especially with Marci and Jake. But, before Rebecca can get it figured out, she gets an urgent phone call from her mother. Something is terribly wrong. Her mother claims she is being forced out of her home so Rebecca phones her father who for some reason is off on a vacation sipping cocktails and playing golf. So, Rebecca heads home for the first time in many years. What she discovers is a major shock. Her mother is unwell and has been for quite some time. As Rebecca realizes she is going to have stay and get things settled she become reaquainted with an old friend, Alex.
Meanwhile, Marci and Jake are going through a rough patch. Marci has become convinced Jake is having an affair and the first person she thinks of is Rebecca. Suzanne is in the big middle of wedding plans and is less involved in this installment.
While Rebecca comes to terms with the past, the present, and begins to look toward the future, many old wounds will begin to heal, forgiveness will take over, and a much happier , stronger and contented Rebecca will emerge with her very own happy ever after on the horizon.
I have just loved this trilogy. Starting with Marci and Jake, then Suzanne and Dylan, now Rebecca and Alex, each book tells a funny, emotional and inspirational story as each of the women featured learns important life lessons and is able to turn loose of the issues that are holding them back and keeping them from living happy contented lives. I loved how we got to see the relationship with Jake and Marci after a few years of marriage and becoming parents. They are now dealing with that stage in a marriage when so much of your life evolves around your children and the freedom you once had becomes a thing of the past. So often a story ends with the HEA and we never see a couple going through the growing pains of a real life relationship. So, this was a fun side story.
Obviously, the main story is on Rebecca. She left her hometown due to a heart wrenching tragedy. She didn't see herself ever living in a small town again after living in the city with all it's hustle and bustle. This life just wasn't for her, but her mother is seriously ill, and Rebecca must step up and take care of some things before she can return to her usual lifestyle. The issues brought to light here are not the usual ones you find in novels. A mental illness that is often depicted in the worse possible way on television and is a massive embarrassment to family members has left Rebecca a great deal of work ahead of her. During this time of crisis, Rebecca learns she has many people in her life that care about her and stop what they are doing to come give her a hand. This is also an opportunity for Rebecca and Jake to have a heart to heart conversation that will once and for all establish the type of relationhip they will have. We can't turn our feelings off and on like a light switch and some mixed signals were not all Rebecca's fault, but it was way past time for Rebecca to at least try to open her heart up to someone who would give her the kind love she deserves.
I will confess that of the three women, Rebecca wasn't my favorite because of the stunt she pulled on Marci back in book one. Sure, she can't help who she has feelings for, but she knew that the situation with Jake and Marci was unsettled, but not over. She didn't want Jake under those terms anyway, but because Marci was one of her best friends it felt wrong on so many levels. In this story Rebecca still finds her feelings for Jake just as strong as ever, and there is a moment or two of real temptation for Rebecca. Thankfully, Rebecca will find love in with the most unlikely of people. The rip in her friendship with Marci will begin to heal and Jake and Rebecca will both realize they have a wonderful friendship. Some of the most painful moments in Rebecca's life will be revisited and she will find a peace finally and the ending of the book will have you feeling a little emotional. I warmed up to Rebecca a little more once I read her story and if Marci can forgive her then I guess I can too. Overall this one is an A. I give the entire series together an A+.

[Jonel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pullen brings the real world to life again with this one. I read it in a single sitting. The story broke my heart then started putting it back together again; it made me cry and made me laugh. I love Pullen’s writing style. It’s so easy to follow and lose yourself in. Everything is laid out in stark clarity while remaining light and yet in-depth. The multilayered storyline really keeps you captivated.

I love the characters in this series. They grow and change based on what’s happening in their lives. I quite enjoyed getting to know this main character better. Although you get to know her briefly in previous novels, Pullen really delves deeper into her character with this one, allowing you to understand where she came from and why she is who she is today. She becomes quite easy to identify with and feel for.

This is definitely my favourite in the Marriage Pact series. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance with a bit more substance & can’t wait to see what comes next from this talented author.

Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be completely honest, I opened this book with the hopes that it was set at the airport and I thought it would be about mistaken luggage or mixed up bags. Turns out though that Baggage Check is about middle aged Rebecca who is now thirty-five and one of her friends Suzanne. Rebecca hasn't been home for years, not since the guy she loved and has loved all her life ended up marrying one of her friends Marci. Ever since college, Rebecca has loved Jake, and of course, he is happily married to Marci who is now a famous parenting and lifestyle blogger. Rebecca lives her life in the air as an airline flight attendant and therefore doesn't have time to date or put roots down, this is her way to forget about her past. What happens though when the wedding starts to resurface old feelings ? Especially when she receives a phone call from her mother and has to detour to her small hometown where she was known as the girl whose older brother died in a car accident. Rebecca arrives home to find her mother's home condemned, and her mother is a compulsive hoarder, and cat lady and her families life are crashing around her as her father is busy with his secretary - his new girlfriend. Back home, though it might be finally time for Rebecca's love life to start looking up as a new Sheriff has caught her attention. Is Alex Chen, the guy she needs to replace her feelings for Jake? Is this finally time for Rebecca to accept her life and move on from her dreams and settle for a reality she has never taken time out to realize is happening around her?
Find out in Book #3 of The Marriage Pact series - Baggage Check by MJ Pullen.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third entry in M.J. Pullen's "Marriage Pact" series is definitely my favorite. I say it in every review of MJ's books I write and every recommendation I give: her characters are so *real*. We've been with these characters for three books now, and in a way it always feels like coming together with old friends. The "old" characters are so intertwined with the "new" in this book that it's more of an ensemble piece at points.

However, just like you don't always like your friends, you admittedly don't always like these characters. They're flawed, but that's what, for me, makes these books so enjoyable. They fight, they make mistakes, they make decidedly unwise decisions, but they always get it figured out by the end. Rebecca in this book is certainly not an exception to that pattern; in fact, she's kind of the overachiever in the "Girl, what the heck are you thinking?" category. But then you put yourself in Rebecca's shoes, and realize you'd be just as incredibly lost as she is. In fact, Rebecca is probably the character in this series who I can identify with the most.

Don't let the bright pink cover throw you: though this definitely has the romance element, it's not strictly a romance. I'd categorize it a little more in the "coming-of-(not-quite-middle)-age" category, if that were an actual category. Rebecca learns and grows as a character, and it's a far more fulfilling and dramatic read than the "romance" category often implies. (Though don't let me lead you astray here: there are plenty of laugh-out-loud and hide-your-face-in-second-hand-embarrassment moments, too. Plus, I'll admit that I have a total crush on Alex Chen. The romantic interest here is quite realistically swoon-worthy.)

My one somewhat-dislike of the book was the inclusion of Marci's blog entries. I liked that they were giving a side of the narrative we normally wouldn't get, but it was a bit odd to just have them thrown in. I checked the original formatting of the book, and it turns out they're actually supposed to be separated from the narrative, which makes them a little less out-of-place. But on the Kindle version they just flow right into the story, and I was a bit confused as to how they were supposed to tie in (Was Rebecca reading them? Were they just supplemental elements?).

Baggage Check is a fast read, and quite a good way to spend a few hours. It's definitely going into the "re-readable" stack along with its two prequels.

(Disclosure: I received a free Advance Reader Copy of Baggage Check from the author in exchange for my honest [and apparently quite lengthy...sorry] review.).

[Olga · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished the other two in the series, both of which I enjoyed, but I found myself having a really hard time reading this one. I didn't like Rebecca at all, Alex seemed a little obsessed with her and who she was in high school. The stuff about the mother seemed fascinating and humanized her but yeah, Rebecca was pretty awful.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A very fitting title and cover.

From Atlanta to Alabama, M. J. Pullen delivers her third installment (The Marriage Pact #3) with a group of thirty-something girlfriends, BAGGAGE CHECK. From emotional baggage, complexities, wit, wisdom, and love. The game of life. How will each play the game?

As the book opens, Atlanta girlfriends, Suzanne, Marci, Beth and Kate are headed to Charleston, SC where they would all be at Kiawah Island and drinking soon. A luxurious rental house—technically supposed to be a bachelorette party for Suzanne.

Rebecca and Marci had been part of the same circle of friends for more than fifteen years, since Rebecca had escaped to Georgia her senior year in high school, but they could never seem to get comfortable being alone together. Rebecca supposed the fact that she was in love with Marci’s husband, Jake-- didn’t help.

Rebecca, age 35 a flight attendant out of Atlanta receives a phone call from her mother back in Alabama, and returns to the town and a past, she so wanted to leave behind. A town and people she wanted to forget. She had exchanged this unpleasant life for an orderly one. She was not looking forward to returning.

When she was growing up, in the rural small Southern town, a town barely able to support the weekend dance hall that only served soda and doubled as a senior activity center during the day.

Then there was (is) Sheriff Deputy, Alex Chen from the same Podunk town where they had grown up. A guy who played football with her brother, who still has feelings for her. She had no intentions of getting involved with him, or does she?

Her mom, Lorena was a hoarder and has a psychiatrist. OCD plus now she is confused and dissociative. Mental Illness. A traumatic event. Rebecca’s brother Cory died in a car accident in 1997 when he was eighteen. After Rebecca moved to Georgia for her senior year and went to college it became harder for her father to keep her mother in check.

Rebecca begins questioning her own life. For the last ten years she had been too busy lusting after a man who did not love her. Her career. She had been free on weekends and rarely made her way out I-20 West to Alabama. How would she face her own past and present?

Now Marci wants to know if her husband is cheating?

Rebecca had left all these things behind long ago. It was easier. There was something unhealthy in the way her mother clung to each piece of matter around her. As though by holding on to the everyday items, she could hold on to Cory.

She herself, had replaced the past with a senior year trying to fit in with the kids from a rich Atlanta suburb, trying to live up to other people’s potential. From the sorority at UGA, still the regional alumni VP, where she hoarded social connections, the way her mother hoarded garage sale furniture.

Rebecca loved her orderly clean life. Being the kind of person who could be a blank slate, a smile that reflected back what people wanted to see in themselves. No pets, no artwork, no low cut blouses or profanity to offend a potential suitor’s mother. She had built her life on being the girl-next-door clean, as asset to any man of wealth and reputation.

And yet, she slept alone. The men of wealth and reputation wanted blue-blooded women like Suzanne, who could wear high heels and silk scarves and manage to curse while sounding feminine. Rebecca had never been able to pull off either. Was she trying too hard to be something or someone different?

What about Alex? The boy who was there all along.

However, on the opposite side, we hear from Marci Stillwell, through her Blog (The Care and Feeding of a Suburban Husband) with a series of entries about her life. Is her picture perfect husband, lovely home in the suburbs, beautiful daughter and amazing life, what it appears to be?

Everyone is busy rushing to grow up, however, do we wish we had spent more time enjoying our time being a kid? Always striving, while losing the enjoyment of playing the game (journey).

“Life isn’t perfect. Love isn’t perfect. People are taken from us too soon, lives unravel, families crumble. Even when we stay together, we take each other for granted, and the love that should lift us up to be better people sometimes leaves us room to become selfish, righteous, or controlling instead.”

How does love survive? Win or lose, just get back out there. Sometimes you have to know the tears of loss to appreciate the joy of winning. Sometimes the people who need love the most are the ones who seem to push it away.

Being an Atlanta gal, and a Southern native, loved discovering this author. This was my first book in the series and working my way backwards to the prior books. I enjoyed the comparison of marriage, relationships, family and friendships (Life) to the game of (Sports). More than just about the "score" at the end of the game. " If you live in GA or AL, there is always sports.

"Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.” – William A. Ward

Beautifully written, with human insights, a contemporary look at the lives of modern women, their complexities, family, friendships, and the strong need of acceptance and love. Dealing with the past, in order to move forward with the future.

The Marriage Pact series begins with Marci and Jake, Suzanne and Dylan, now Rebecca and Alex--from witty, quirky, emotional and inspirational. Love and Loss. Heartwarming, important life lessons, and self-discovery.

Fans of Emilie Giffin, Sarah Pekkanen, Jane Green, and Jennifer Weiner will enjoy BAGGAGE CHECK! We are, in many ways, defined by our baggage.

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."— Vince Lombardi

JDCMustReadBooks

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't as good as her second book in the series in my opinion. I haven't read the first one but going back to my review of the second, I liked that the characters seemed real. Here Rebecca is closed off and snobby and seems to have a lot of issues that finding prince charming isn't going to fix and Alex... I don't know if I'd be as thrilled to find out a guy that had a crush on me in high school still remembered every little detail about me like my mannerisms and what I wore. He just didn't come across as an actual person. Oh well.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kathleen J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pullen writes well and her novels are emotion-packed. This is the third story about a group of female friends from Atlanta and the men they fall in love with. The second book, Regrets Only, is a favorite of mine and I have read it several times.

Baggage Check tells the story of a thirty-four year old woman who has carefully contained and orchestrated her life so there is nothing messy about it. She even washes down grocery carts and restaurant tables with wet wipes. Her family life was very messy after her brother died when she was sixteen and her mother began to exhibit some mental health problems. Her senior year in high school, Rebecca left the chaos of her grief stricken family in her small Alabama hometown and moved to an exclusive Atlanta neighborhood to live a neater life with her aunt where she could also move into the world of the wealthy and powerful.

But now her mother has had a breakdown, Rebecca herself has no love life because she is still in love with a man who married one of her friends, and her father has given up trying to live with his crazy wife and has hooked up with a ditzy but wealthy woman. When Rebecca returns home to clean out the home of her mother, who had become a hoarder, she is pursued by Alex, a deputy sheriff who had been friends with her brother. Rebecca’s life has tilted on its axis. Suddenly she spends her life dealing with messy things, including not just the disaster of a house but her troubled relationship with everyone in her life. She is attracted to Alex, but she is not ready to also face the messiness of a relationship, particularly as she believes she is still in love with her friend’s husband, is sure not ready to return to small town Alabama, and, though she won’t admit this to herself, she’s certainly not ready to end up with a small town deputy sheriff with a fourteen-year-old daughter.

Whether like this story depends on what you are looking for. As I said, the author writes well and there is a lot of emotion and interesting insights. But this book is really “women’s fiction” rather than romance: most of the book is devoted to Rebecca’s coming to terms with messy things, including her parents, the love of her life, her job, her life in Atlanta, and her friends, among whom she feels like an outsider. Through this, we watch her evolve and become re-engaged with life and people. There are interactions with Alex throughout the main body of the novel but not too many and they never come to anything. It is not until almost the end of the novel that there is any movement on the relationship between Alex and Rebecca. (There is a HEA.)

I thought I was buying a romance novel so I was a little disappointed that that was not really what this was. But, that's not the main reason I didn't care a lot for this novel. I like many women fiction novels and one might even think of Pullen's Regrets Only that way. But when I think about Regrets Only or a favorite women's fiction novel of mine, No Place Like Home, which has even more dire circumstances for the heroine, I realize I rate them highly because I really like, admire and enjoy the heroines. Not so much Rebecca. And the heroines of these other novels have some positive relationships in their lives that help to counteract all of the anger, fear, pain and angst. All of Rebecca's relationships were too screwed up to be really satisfying. So, I found there was almost nothing for much of this novel that made me feel a little frisson of pleasure or happiness. The chronic unhappiness and distress was so wearing that half way through I was ready for it to be over. Just my reaction. I can understand why others might feel differently.

[Amanda Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is the 3rd book of a trilogy, and I had not read the first two books before I tackled this one. But I didn't think it really mattered, I enjoyed this book just fine as a standalone.

This book features Rebecca, one of three adult female friends. The other two are Marci and Suzanne. I have no idea how they became friends, but I am thinking I would like to go back and read the other two books, as I found this story interesting and amusing.

Rebecca is a 35-year-old unattached flight attendant trying to figure out if she's happy with her life or not. I gather she is the least likable of these three girls, from hints the author drops about her past and the fact she tried to steal Marci's husband before they were married in a previous installment.

However, the girls are back together renting a beach house for the weekend to celebrate Suzanne's upcoming marriage to a famous and hunky country music singer. Marci, and her husband Jake who refuted Rebecca's advances in a previous story, are expecting their 2nd child and Marci is struggling with the fact that Jake is not 100% on board with this. Rebecca and Jake are still best friends, even though everyone knows what happened, they apparently forgive the discretion since it didn't pan out.

When the male significant others crash the girls weekend, Rebecca decides she's too lonely and single to stay, and she sneaks out in the middle of the night to go home to Atlanta. However, she gets a call that no daughter wants to get: her mother has been taken to the hospital and is currently in a disassociated state and she needs to get there immediately.

Turns out, Rebecca's mom is a hoarder of the worst kind and her house is about to be condemned by the county if it doesn't get cleaned out and aired out.

Family drama ensues between Rebecca, her dad, his girlfriend and her mom (although it's not really that much drama, more of a tragic history really), and Rebecca decides to put her career on hold in order to deal with her mom's house.

Of course there's a hunky guy from her past who takes note of her spending more time in town these days and he tries to woo her over. Of course she isn't interested until the point where she decides she is interested and by that time he seems to have moved on.

Although the story is a bit predictable, it's still fun and the writing is solid. Great for a beach read, and I do think I'll go back and check out the first two books in this series. I won a copy of this book via First Reads.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway

This is actually the third book in a series by MJ Pullen, however; I didn't feel lost while reading it. The characters were wonderfully developed. I could picture each character and each scene clearly.

Rebecca is the last of her "group" of friends to be single, mostly because she's still in love with one of her friend's husbands! She is called home by her Mother to deal with a "yellow note on the front door". When she gets back to Alabama, she realizes that her Mom has turned into a hoarder and the house is about to be condemned. By working her way through the intricacies of the family she left behind many years ago, she finds peace and is able to let go of other things that are causing her pain.

I highly recommend this book and will be going to find the first 2 in the series!

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this enough. Rebecca didn't have much of a personality beyond her neat and orderly nature (but in that, she was well-drawn) and Alex kind-of came across as pushy, I think because Rebecca's own reactions to him varied a lot, so it was hard to tell how welcome his advances were. She seemed attracted to him, then resolutely not interested in him, then she wanted him, so... Some of the humor fell flat, but Pullen is an efficient writer who weaves in a lot of astute, surprising detail that kept me interested. I'll check out her other books, even though this is the third in the series and technically I know how the other two end. I'm curious to see what she does with other characters.

[Shaleen Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angry at the main couple.

3.5
Had some issues with the storyline as far as the relationship was handled. I felt the male character selfish, his lack of understanding for/from the female lead of the book were self centered, in regards to his expectations of what he expected her to do to pursue a relationship with him.
To state further would be a spoiler to the storyline.
Decent story. Needed more time of the male and female together. They spent more time apart than together.

[Lydie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read the other two novels in this series, so maybe I'm missing the bigger picture. But this book does not come together for me. The romance between Rebecca and Alex has a lot of gaps in it. Does he love her or the image of her from high school? Why does she like him? I don't dislike Rebecca, though I think she was written to be an unlikable character, at least initially. However, she's not that interesting. And that's the biggest sin of this book: it's just not that interesting. I was skimming over too many parts.

[Deloneva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit that I messed up - I read the third book in this trilogy first. But I don’t know that any two earlier books, no matter how magical, could make these characters likable. I can’t see why anyone as stiff and boring and rude as Rebecca would have friends, let alone a love interest, especially after her efforts to discourage them. Her friends aren’t much better. She wasn’t invited to the wedding of her ex and her frenemy because no one trusted her not to ruin it, but they’re still supposedly all friends? Ugh, no.

[Erin Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book in the trilogy, and I was surprised how emotional I was while reading it. I cried three separate times, and also really enjoyed how these characters seemed different from their portrayals in the first and second installments. I could envision all of these people as believable, warts and all—so to speak—and it engendered a sense of realness for me. A great finish to an enjoyable series.

[Kristen Bates · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself was good but I could only check it out as an audiobook and the reader was absolutely terrible so it kind of ruined it for me. Terrible accents and awkward.

[Teresa Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book, especially the characters. The storyline was well developed. It was a nice, light-hearted read.

[Emily Geyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do I love these Hallmark movie-esq rom com novels?! Not the highest quality literature but an enjoyable read regardless

[Sophia s · Rating 4 out of 5]

kinda angsty but actually really good. the jake stuff was just awkward

[Paula]

I was a little late getting to the last installment of this trilogy, but it was solid story. Everyone got a HEA…eventually!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. It had me on an emotional roller coaster for most of the pages. I'm glad that I decide to finally read it - it did not disappoint!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Baggage Check, the final installment in M.J. Pullen's The Marriage Pact series, is a redemptive, reflective journey for Rebecca Williamson. Readers of the series will be absolutely delighted with this insightful story of healing for this (previously) less than appealing character.

Now in her mid-thirties, Rebecca has a career she loves and friends she enjoys spending time with. Reserved and emotionally distant, she lives a quiet, organized life that sometimes feels little lonely. When she must return to her small home town to deal with some serious family issues, Rebecca begins to re-evaluate some of the choices she has made over the years. She immediately reconnects with old high acquaintance Alex Chen, and while she appreciates his friendship, Rebecca does not feel like she is emotionally ready to handle a romance with the handsome deputy.

Rebecca is so closed-off and unwilling to talk about herself or her past that none of her friends really know her very well. Although they are busy with their own lives, they offer to help her as she tries to handle the situation with her parents, but she is quick to refuse their offer. Now forced to deal with everything she has tried so hard to forget, Rebecca continues to hold everyone at arms' length as she tries to understand how she ended up at this point in her life. She is definitely conflicted about Alex as they get to know one another but every time they get close, she pushes him away. Alex is an absolute sweetheart but how many times will he let Rebecca hurt him before he walks away for good?

While Rebecca is in the midst of dealing with the crisis with her family, her friend Marci's marriage has hit a bit of a rough patch. Their friendship has been tense for several years due to Rebecca's unrequited love for Marci's husband Jake. So it comes as a huge surprise to Rebecca when Marci reaches out to her for help in dealing with her suspicions about Jake. Although Rebecca is not exactly looking forward to meeting with Marci, their somewhat awkward conversation turns out to be opportunity to clear the air between them. But will this honest discussion have any effect on their strained friendship?

Baggage Check is an absolutely heartwarming addition to The Marriage Pact series. Rebecca's character is beautifully redeemed as she finally lays the ghosts of her past to rest while opening herself to the possibility of love. M.J. Pullen saved the best story for last and fans of this series will be delighted by Rebecca's transformation in this poignant, yet uplifting, novel of healing.

[Olivia Ard · Rating 5 out of 5]

After enjoying Regrets Only earlier this year I was excited to read Baggage Check, even though I wasn't thrilled to learn that Rebecca was the main character. I haven't read The Marriage Pact yet, but I know enough of its events that I already had a strong dislike for Rebecca. But Ms. Pullen's characters are deep, complicated, and complex, and I found that the change in perspective allowed me to see a side of Rebecca that I never thought existed.

One of Ms. Pullen's real strengths is her ability to engage readers with serious subject matter--mental health, infidelity, divorce, death of a child, marital problems--without overwhelming them with darkness. Despite the heavy topics broached, I would still classify this as a fairly light and uplifting read. As with Regrets Only, I appreciated that the romantic element was strong and sweet, but played second fiddle to Rebecca's personal transformation.

As a side note, it was nice to see a realistic depiction of the south. I'm a native and current resident of Alabama, and it was refreshing to read a story set in the Birmingham area that didn't depict everyone as backwoods morons. The drive times and road names were also correct, which is surprisingly something many authors don't bother to research.

All in all, I loved this book and the series! I do still need to read The Marriage Pact, but it's ready and waiting on my Kindle. M.J. Pullen is definitely on my list of favorite women's fiction authors now, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too long ago, a friend of mine started posting the books for which he had been a beta reader. From what I know, he's a big science fiction/fantasy/general fiction reader, so I was more than a little surprised to see a hot pink book cover as one of the books he'd been an early reader for. Then, I was even more surprised to see that same book on the shelf as a new arrival at my library, and thought the coincidence too much, so checked it out. I also broke one of my unspoken rules about picking up books in mid-series (I made that rule after trying to jump into The Wheel of Time® series on book three. That worked out well, she lied.)

Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Usually the "group of women friends" books make me want to chomp down on some hard core fiction to get the taste of sweetness out of my mouth, but this one actually tackled some interesting issues. I'm not sorry I didn't read the others in the series (especially as one of my least favorite characters was featured in one of them) but I did enjoy the interactions between the women, their sweethearts/husbands, and families. And I did like the value placed on friendship, support, and most of all honesty and humor.

Bottom line? Families are not perfect: both those we're born into and those we make for ourselves. But if you face challenges together, there's a lot that can be worked thorough, even if it's festered for a while. MJ Pullen created a group of characters that seem genuine, who both care for each other and grow, and maybe make a mistake or two. But it's done with a light touch and a crisp writing style that made the book a pleasure to read.

[Fluff Smut & Murder]

Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t really care for the character of Rebecca in M.J. Pullen’s first two novels of the trilogy (The Marriage Pact and Regrets Only) and after reading the final installment the jury is still out. Rebecca’s reserved, stand-offish with her supposed close friends, a snob, and in love with one of her friend’s husbands. Not a very likable combination but I grew to eventually tolerate her. Cleaning out her hoarding mother’s house seems like a good enough penance for her.
What I loved: Marci’s blog posts spaced throughout the novel were a welcome addition to the tale. I wish there were a few more of them. The tales of the little purple pleasure maker were rather comedic and had me laughing out loud.

What I didn’t love: I still don’t understand how Rebecca and Marci stay friends with Rebecca’s feelings for Jake still present through most of this edition. Granted, their friendship is primarily a surface aquaintanceship instead of something real (like most of Rebecca’s relationships are), but it still seems odd that they would interact.

What I learned: A few deep holes filled with friendship are way better than a ton of little divots.

Overall Grade: B

www.fsam15.wix.com/fluffsmutandmurder

[Jencey/ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baggage Check is the third book in the Marriage Pact series. This novel focuses on Rebecca. She is a flight attendant for an airline based out of Atlanta. I had an opportunity to meet M.J. Pullen recently, and I can’t wait to read her other novels.
Synopsis:
Rebecca receives a phone call from her frantic mother while on vacation with her friends. Her mother does not want to leave her house. Rebecca is not excited about sticking around when all her friends are married. She makes the trip back to Alabama to find out what is going on with her mother. Rebecca visits her old home where she grew up but it is full of surprises. I mean full of surprises. So much so that she creates a scene and deputy Alex stops by to check on her. Rebecca becomes responsible for taking care of her mother and fixing the house. Will she let Alex help? Or will she allow her friends from Atlanta help?
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed the story. I have to admit that I enjoyed seeing what surprise Rebecca’s old home would bring to the story. She also became a character that I wanted to root for and see find a happy ending. Alex is the perfect mate for Rebecca. He has his issues as well but brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.
I cannot wait to see what M. J. Pullen chooses to share next!

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex though Looooovvvvveeee him. He's sweet and kind and funny. He cares genuinely cares. He has made mistakes in the past and has learned from them and accepted responsibility. His crush is on Rebecca big time. Rebecca does act like a idiot though due to her stupid fantasy of Jake and her. that is the smack your forehead and saying doi moment of stupidity and when she realizes that is not what she wants it's wasted time and moments that she won't get back. If she can even get Alex back.

Rebecca is a airline stewardess who tries to be better than who she is. In the process she loses sight of herself. In order to keep up the air that her friends are she becomes someone she isn't and it isn't until Alex that she gets this epiphany. Go Alex go!!! Anywhoo even with her friends she feels out of place and alone. Ready for a change but secretly not wanting to admit it unless the change is Jake. It isn't until the reality of Jake not ever coming to be hers that her eyes open to harsh reality of everything around her.

this is a fun story about second chances and rediscovering yourself. A very real and beautiful sorry about the impacts of losing a loved one and having one lose reality. A story about love and moving on. A fun and wonderful read.

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Extremly picky about romance novels. I actually really liked this one because it had so much more going on in it than just romance. The characters were really likable and the story line was great!