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Marrying a Millionaire #1
Best Man for the Wedding Planner
The first rule of wedding planning…
Be prepared for anything!
Wedding planner Adele Hawthorne is prepared for wedding hitches…but not for the best man to be Dan—her ex! They’re thrown together at every turn, and Adele can’t escape their chemistry or the fact that her heartbreaking reason for leaving him all those years ago hasn’t changed. With just days before Dan leaves their winter wonderland, can he convince Adele they still have something worth fighting for?
Be prepared for anything!
Wedding planner Adele Hawthorne is prepared for wedding hitches…but not for the best man to be Dan—her ex! They’re thrown together at every turn, and Adele can’t escape their chemistry or the fact that her heartbreaking reason for leaving him all those years ago hasn’t changed. With just days before Dan leaves their winter wonderland, can he convince Adele they still have something worth fighting for?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2018
5 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Donna Alward
287 books694 followersSince 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 17, 2018
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna Alward is a 2018 Harlequin Romance publication.
A dramatic, very emotional and heartwarming second chance love story!
As a wedding planner, Adele is always prepared for the unexpected. But even she couldn’t have anticipated her client’s best man would be Dan, the love of her life, the man whose heart she broke years ago.
Dan can’t believe he is face to face with ‘Delly’ after all this time. She still deeply affects him, and try as he might, he’s never gotten over her. He never understood why she abruptly broke things off. As awkward as things are, Dan and Adele put on their best faces for the sake of the bride and groom.
However, they keep running into one another, with first one thing, then another, going south. The attraction is still strong between them, but Dan’s pain and bitterness occasionally breaks through. Why did Adele leave him? Is there a chance they can put the past behind them and have a future together, or has too much time elapsed?
The trouble with fiction is that it makes too much sense
whereas reality never makes sense
HUXLEY
Adele was only in her early twenties when she received very bad news. She felt the right thing to do, the fair thing to do, for Dan, was to set him free. However, after all this time, Dan is still single, and can’t settle down. For Adele, whose upbringing was a little tough, she is a firm believer in facing reality and despite her job of creating the perfect weddings for happily ever after futures, she doesn’t think that applies to her. Her reality is not the same and so she refuses to allow even a glimmer of hope to penetrate her heart or mind.
But maybe Dan is right. Maybe ‘reality’ is over rated.
Amen and Hallelujah!! Dan is the man! Too much ‘reality’ can make people blind to other possibilities, cause them to stop trying, to lose all faith and hope. It can become an excuse to just give up, to harden your heart, to close your mind, to settle for something less than, to admit defeat. It stymies creativity and imagination.
Adele was given a major life blow and believing herself to be noble, made a cowardly choice. Her ‘reality’ trapped her heart in a cage of fear, that nearly cost her a chance to really live a full life. No, nothing about her original circumstances changed, but she changed the reality of her circumstances, and wow!! Just wow!!
Working through conflict is tough. Adele’s choices had consequences that caused trust issues, and yes, there were high, painful hurdles to climb over, but because Dan and Adele took a chance, a leap of faith, and went out on a limb, they found their way back to each other, despite ‘reality’.
The ending to this supercharged emotional story was so very sweet and touching. It tugs on the old heart strings and I admit I may have blubbered a little.
The situation started off on a grim note, with raw, sad, and painful emotions, but I loved watching this couple work their way back to each other and finally, finally, getting that much deserved and long overdue happily ever after!!
A dramatic, very emotional and heartwarming second chance love story!
As a wedding planner, Adele is always prepared for the unexpected. But even she couldn’t have anticipated her client’s best man would be Dan, the love of her life, the man whose heart she broke years ago.
Dan can’t believe he is face to face with ‘Delly’ after all this time. She still deeply affects him, and try as he might, he’s never gotten over her. He never understood why she abruptly broke things off. As awkward as things are, Dan and Adele put on their best faces for the sake of the bride and groom.
However, they keep running into one another, with first one thing, then another, going south. The attraction is still strong between them, but Dan’s pain and bitterness occasionally breaks through. Why did Adele leave him? Is there a chance they can put the past behind them and have a future together, or has too much time elapsed?
The trouble with fiction is that it makes too much sense
whereas reality never makes sense
HUXLEY
Adele was only in her early twenties when she received very bad news. She felt the right thing to do, the fair thing to do, for Dan, was to set him free. However, after all this time, Dan is still single, and can’t settle down. For Adele, whose upbringing was a little tough, she is a firm believer in facing reality and despite her job of creating the perfect weddings for happily ever after futures, she doesn’t think that applies to her. Her reality is not the same and so she refuses to allow even a glimmer of hope to penetrate her heart or mind.
But maybe Dan is right. Maybe ‘reality’ is over rated.
Amen and Hallelujah!! Dan is the man! Too much ‘reality’ can make people blind to other possibilities, cause them to stop trying, to lose all faith and hope. It can become an excuse to just give up, to harden your heart, to close your mind, to settle for something less than, to admit defeat. It stymies creativity and imagination.
Adele was given a major life blow and believing herself to be noble, made a cowardly choice. Her ‘reality’ trapped her heart in a cage of fear, that nearly cost her a chance to really live a full life. No, nothing about her original circumstances changed, but she changed the reality of her circumstances, and wow!! Just wow!!
Working through conflict is tough. Adele’s choices had consequences that caused trust issues, and yes, there were high, painful hurdles to climb over, but because Dan and Adele took a chance, a leap of faith, and went out on a limb, they found their way back to each other, despite ‘reality’.
The ending to this supercharged emotional story was so very sweet and touching. It tugs on the old heart strings and I admit I may have blubbered a little.
The situation started off on a grim note, with raw, sad, and painful emotions, but I loved watching this couple work their way back to each other and finally, finally, getting that much deserved and long overdue happily ever after!!
January 6, 2019
Thanks to author Donna Alward, NetGalley, and Harlequin Romance for providing me with a digital ARC of BEST MAN FOR THE WEDDING PLANNER Book 1 in MARRYING A MILLIONAIRE duet, which provided the opportunity to read the book and write an unbiased review.
This second chance at love story was both heartbreaking and romantic with humour. Adele Hawthorne, Daniel Brimicombe and Harper were realistic enough to walk off the page and into my world, and the plot was believable, engaging and well developed.
I have been to Banff and the Rocky Mountains several times and enjoyed reading the familiar names of restaurants, ski resorts, and other landmarks.
Donna Alward, a favourite author, has once again written a romance novel that I could not put down. I read this in one sitting.
This 5 star romance is available on December 1, 2018!
This second chance at love story was both heartbreaking and romantic with humour. Adele Hawthorne, Daniel Brimicombe and Harper were realistic enough to walk off the page and into my world, and the plot was believable, engaging and well developed.
I have been to Banff and the Rocky Mountains several times and enjoyed reading the familiar names of restaurants, ski resorts, and other landmarks.
Donna Alward, a favourite author, has once again written a romance novel that I could not put down. I read this in one sitting.
This 5 star romance is available on December 1, 2018!
December 1, 2018
Donna Alward offers up an engaging second chance at love romance in Best Man for the Wedding Planner. Adele has had her hands full with the bride to be that is a bit of a control freak so the last thing she needs is to see Dan, the only man she’s ever loved and the one she sent packing for his own good, walk through the venue doors and realize he’s the groom’s best man. Broken trust, hurt feelings, desire, and new found love all abound in this sweet and emotional romance.
From the first moment these two lock eyes again after being apart for eight years it was evident there were still feelings towards one another and while there was definitely animosity, and mistrust, there was also heat simmering below the surface. It would have been easy to throw these back into a passionate affair, but Ms. Alward puts them through their paces and gives them time to talk, to fight, to reacquaint, to hurt, and to finally admit they want one another. While at times, I felt the book got a bit repetitive and they were beating a dead horse, I also think it reiterated how hard their break-up was on them both. It was easy to see that despite the hurt Dan still harbored that when things were not going according to plan at his best friend’s wedding he offered his help and gave it to Adele, something he wouldn’t have done if he still didn’t have some feelings for her. I wept for the reason Adele made the decisions she did 8 years prior, however I was also a bit angry with her for not trusting Dan enough to include him. But it was easy to see that these two were better together than apart, I just wish instead of spending so much time on what happened in the past, we got to spend more time with them appreciating the people they had become.
Entertaining and full of hope, I thoroughly enjoyed Best Man for the Wedding Planner.
November 25, 2018
Despite conflict that is probably my second least favorite (after Fated Mates) in Romancelandia, I inhaled this book in one sitting - that's how much of a pro Alward is in the Harlequin Romance line. Highly emotional and heartbreaking - I appreciated that the author didn't drag out the heroine's Big Secret until the very end (instead she spills the beans to the hero before the 50% mark, the reader is clued in after only a couple chapters in). This was a smart move and shifts the conflict in the second half to how, if at all, the characters are going to make their romance work.
That said, I have A LOT of baggage with infertility story lines. I appreciated that we don't get a dreaded Miracle Pregnancy Epilogue, but the whole "I can never give him his OWN children" thing sets my teeth on edge. I did appreciate that the author actually talked about things that too many authors who write these sorts of conflicts gloss over - the idea that you're still a woman even without the lady parts, the idea that family is what you make it, the idea that you don't need to push a child out of your birth canal to be a mother. But...this is me, this conflict is a MAJOR hurdle for me, and....meh. I can recognize that what the author has done here is "good," even though it's not my jam.
That said, I have A LOT of baggage with infertility story lines. I appreciated that we don't get a dreaded Miracle Pregnancy Epilogue, but the whole "I can never give him his OWN children" thing sets my teeth on edge. I did appreciate that the author actually talked about things that too many authors who write these sorts of conflicts gloss over - the idea that you're still a woman even without the lady parts, the idea that family is what you make it, the idea that you don't need to push a child out of your birth canal to be a mother. But...this is me, this conflict is a MAJOR hurdle for me, and....meh. I can recognize that what the author has done here is "good," even though it's not my jam.
December 5, 2018
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
With how many authors there are out there it's always wonderful when you find those authors that no matter what they are writing you just love their stories.
That's how I feel about Donna Alward. I remember before I started reading her seeing the covers of her books and thinking...someday. Then she started a new series (we all know how I hate reading out of order) and I jumped on reviewing it. Since then I've been enjoying her books.
I will admit that I didn't know anything about this book before I agreed to review it. See, I told you I liked her books. Going in blind it's always easy. When I started reading it and realized it was more of less a second chance romance I thought...oh no!
I'm being honest they aren't my favorite but since it happens a lot in romance I do read them.
Right from the start I fell into the story. For me it was classic Alward. Of course you need to read her more to truly understand what I mean. She writes these wonderful stories that are both complex and light-hearted at the same time.
Right off the bat I loved both Dan and Adele. Yes, they both had their issues but who doesn't. The past might not have worked for them but I liked how much they still had that attraction. Sometimes timing isn't always right.
For them in the past it wasn't. Now they are older and hopefully wiser. Things change. Adele is able to be honest with him and tell him her most hurtful secret. I want to share this with you but I hate to ruin anything. The author did a good job of not making the us and the hero wait till the end of the book. If you would have the ending would have been way to rushed. The way she did it opened up their relationship to another level.
I really enjoyed their story and was happy to be on the ride to true love with them. Bumpy as this may have been it was well worth reading it.
Follow me on:
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ARC received for a honest review
With how many authors there are out there it's always wonderful when you find those authors that no matter what they are writing you just love their stories.
That's how I feel about Donna Alward. I remember before I started reading her seeing the covers of her books and thinking...someday. Then she started a new series (we all know how I hate reading out of order) and I jumped on reviewing it. Since then I've been enjoying her books.
I will admit that I didn't know anything about this book before I agreed to review it. See, I told you I liked her books. Going in blind it's always easy. When I started reading it and realized it was more of less a second chance romance I thought...oh no!
I'm being honest they aren't my favorite but since it happens a lot in romance I do read them.
Right from the start I fell into the story. For me it was classic Alward. Of course you need to read her more to truly understand what I mean. She writes these wonderful stories that are both complex and light-hearted at the same time.
Right off the bat I loved both Dan and Adele. Yes, they both had their issues but who doesn't. The past might not have worked for them but I liked how much they still had that attraction. Sometimes timing isn't always right.
For them in the past it wasn't. Now they are older and hopefully wiser. Things change. Adele is able to be honest with him and tell him her most hurtful secret. I want to share this with you but I hate to ruin anything. The author did a good job of not making the us and the hero wait till the end of the book. If you would have the ending would have been way to rushed. The way she did it opened up their relationship to another level.
I really enjoyed their story and was happy to be on the ride to true love with them. Bumpy as this may have been it was well worth reading it.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for a honest review
December 1, 2018
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna Alward
Marrying a Millionaire #2
I really felt for both Adele and Dan as I read their story of love and loss that might have the potential for love in the future. The two broke up before college ended and the reasons that it happened were ones I could understand but really wished had been handled differently BUT one cannot undo what has been done in the past because one lives in the present. And, that said...I do understand the reason for the decisions made at the time in spite of what I wished had happened instead.
Adele is a wedding planner creating a perfect wedding when in walks the man she thought was “the one” when in college...and...he is the best man at the wedding she is in charge of. With virulent flu going around causing some glitches and a few other catastrophes averted (with and without Dan’s help) the two do eventually spend some quality time together and discuss not only the past but the potential of a future together. It is not smooth sailing for either one of them but it is very realistic and times gritty and definitely poignant. There were times I want to sit Adele down and talk to her and more than one time I wish I could undo a few of the choices she made both in the past and in the present… The fact that I felt and cared and became involved with the characters indicates the writing ability of this author and makes me realize more and more how much I look forward to reading each one of her books as they come out.
Thank you to the author and Jenna Bayley-Burke for the ARC – this is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
Marrying a Millionaire #2
I really felt for both Adele and Dan as I read their story of love and loss that might have the potential for love in the future. The two broke up before college ended and the reasons that it happened were ones I could understand but really wished had been handled differently BUT one cannot undo what has been done in the past because one lives in the present. And, that said...I do understand the reason for the decisions made at the time in spite of what I wished had happened instead.
Adele is a wedding planner creating a perfect wedding when in walks the man she thought was “the one” when in college...and...he is the best man at the wedding she is in charge of. With virulent flu going around causing some glitches and a few other catastrophes averted (with and without Dan’s help) the two do eventually spend some quality time together and discuss not only the past but the potential of a future together. It is not smooth sailing for either one of them but it is very realistic and times gritty and definitely poignant. There were times I want to sit Adele down and talk to her and more than one time I wish I could undo a few of the choices she made both in the past and in the present… The fact that I felt and cared and became involved with the characters indicates the writing ability of this author and makes me realize more and more how much I look forward to reading each one of her books as they come out.
Thank you to the author and Jenna Bayley-Burke for the ARC – this is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
December 8, 2018
Some years ago, in their early twenties, Adele Hawthorne and Dan Brimicombe were in love, and looking forward to a family together. Then Adele was diagnosed with cervical cancer. It had spread to her uterus, and she needed a hysterectomy. No children, ever.
Dan had a large, happy family, and looked forward, like his siblings, to raising his own large, happy family. Instead of telling Dan about her diagnosis, and letting him support her through her treatment and make his own decision about whether he wanted to stick with her despite the loss of any prospect of children together, she decided for him. Convinced that he couldn't be happy without children, and that he would nevertheless try to do the right thing and might persuade her, she tells him her feelings have changed, and breaks it off.
They're both heartbroken, but since they no longer have any contact, neither knows how the other feels.
Now, with thirty closing in on both of them, they meet again.
Dan stayed in Toronto and went to work for a clean energy company. He's now CFO, and the youngest executive in the C-suite. Adele moved to Banff, and started her own business, as a wedding planner.
Dan is now best man for the biggest, most spectacular wedding she has planned so far. It's a shock to both him and Adele when meet when he arrives for the pre-wedding preparations.
The next week is a wild roller coaster. for them.
Both Adele and Dan are good, decent people. And they're both being unfair. Even when Adele finally tells him what really happened, he still feels that he can't trust her, because she didn't trust him, and because she lied to him. And Adele--yes, she did lie to him. She didn't give him a chance, and she couldn't bring herself to trust him to not resent her in the future--to really decide whether or not he could accept a life without children of their own, and tell her the truth.
Now, it turns out Adele really does have reasons, unrelated to this, for having trust issues. That's not Dan's fault. And Dan isn't understanding just how traumatic the cancer diagnosis and the hysterectomy were for her. That was upsetting for any woman, but especially for a young woman planning on a family.
They've never gotten over each other. They both tell themselves they've moved on, but they haven't. They both have a lot of issues to work through, with each other and with themselves.
And Alward handles it very, very well. This is a warm, kind novel, with people you can care about--and not just our main characters.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
Dan had a large, happy family, and looked forward, like his siblings, to raising his own large, happy family. Instead of telling Dan about her diagnosis, and letting him support her through her treatment and make his own decision about whether he wanted to stick with her despite the loss of any prospect of children together, she decided for him. Convinced that he couldn't be happy without children, and that he would nevertheless try to do the right thing and might persuade her, she tells him her feelings have changed, and breaks it off.
They're both heartbroken, but since they no longer have any contact, neither knows how the other feels.
Now, with thirty closing in on both of them, they meet again.
Dan stayed in Toronto and went to work for a clean energy company. He's now CFO, and the youngest executive in the C-suite. Adele moved to Banff, and started her own business, as a wedding planner.
Dan is now best man for the biggest, most spectacular wedding she has planned so far. It's a shock to both him and Adele when meet when he arrives for the pre-wedding preparations.
The next week is a wild roller coaster. for them.
Both Adele and Dan are good, decent people. And they're both being unfair. Even when Adele finally tells him what really happened, he still feels that he can't trust her, because she didn't trust him, and because she lied to him. And Adele--yes, she did lie to him. She didn't give him a chance, and she couldn't bring herself to trust him to not resent her in the future--to really decide whether or not he could accept a life without children of their own, and tell her the truth.
Now, it turns out Adele really does have reasons, unrelated to this, for having trust issues. That's not Dan's fault. And Dan isn't understanding just how traumatic the cancer diagnosis and the hysterectomy were for her. That was upsetting for any woman, but especially for a young woman planning on a family.
They've never gotten over each other. They both tell themselves they've moved on, but they haven't. They both have a lot of issues to work through, with each other and with themselves.
And Alward handles it very, very well. This is a warm, kind novel, with people you can care about--and not just our main characters.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
October 17, 2024
IN THE MOMENT
The story is an emotional second chance romance of college sweethearts. An unforeseen medical illness with a life-altering outcome will have Adele Hawthorne walking away from Dan Brimicombe.
The story will have Adele, a wedding planner in Banff, helping the bridal couple with the rehearsal and dinner. What a shock when Dan Brimicombe enters the Fiori Cascade Hotel and is the best man for the groom. Dan and Adele must handle the situation and not cause any issues for Holly and Pete’s wedding. He is part of the wedding party and she is the wedding planner.
I liked the characters, their interactions, and their emotions. Eventually, Adele will have to be honest with Dan and why she walked away from them. Not that he can handle it any easier, because she never trusted him enough when they were a couple. With him taking a week off of work and staying in the area, they will get together, skiing, go on a dogsled ride, and share several meals. But what about the future? Will they realize that the love they had, is still there? Once they are honest with themselves, how will they go forward?
The story is an emotional second chance romance of college sweethearts. An unforeseen medical illness with a life-altering outcome will have Adele Hawthorne walking away from Dan Brimicombe.
The story will have Adele, a wedding planner in Banff, helping the bridal couple with the rehearsal and dinner. What a shock when Dan Brimicombe enters the Fiori Cascade Hotel and is the best man for the groom. Dan and Adele must handle the situation and not cause any issues for Holly and Pete’s wedding. He is part of the wedding party and she is the wedding planner.
I liked the characters, their interactions, and their emotions. Eventually, Adele will have to be honest with Dan and why she walked away from them. Not that he can handle it any easier, because she never trusted him enough when they were a couple. With him taking a week off of work and staying in the area, they will get together, skiing, go on a dogsled ride, and share several meals. But what about the future? Will they realize that the love they had, is still there? Once they are honest with themselves, how will they go forward?
November 13, 2018
In the midst of pulling off a dream wedding for a client Adele Hawthorne is is thrown for a loop when she meets their chosen best man... Dan Brimicombe, the same Dan that use to belong to her, until she walked away from him eight years ago. She thought leaving him was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, but facing him again after all these years is by far worse on her heart, especially when she realizes that there is still a lot of love in there for him!
The moment Dan's eyes landed on Adele he was taken with her all over again, but his head isn't so happy to see her again, it keeps telling him to run in the other direction. She broke his heart in two eight years ago, and since that day he has wondered what her real reason was for leaving, he knows she wasn't being completely honest when she said goodbye. He wants answers, but he also can't handle all the sparks that start flying when she comes close, so he decides to avoid her.... which happens to be easier said then done!
Best Man for the Wedding Planner is a sweet little read that will do good things for your heart! The instant I met these wonderful characters I found myself smitten, and I couldn't help but root them on. This was a refreshing change of pace for me, with it's light and fun story line, it kept me engaged and smiling! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
The moment Dan's eyes landed on Adele he was taken with her all over again, but his head isn't so happy to see her again, it keeps telling him to run in the other direction. She broke his heart in two eight years ago, and since that day he has wondered what her real reason was for leaving, he knows she wasn't being completely honest when she said goodbye. He wants answers, but he also can't handle all the sparks that start flying when she comes close, so he decides to avoid her.... which happens to be easier said then done!
Best Man for the Wedding Planner is a sweet little read that will do good things for your heart! The instant I met these wonderful characters I found myself smitten, and I couldn't help but root them on. This was a refreshing change of pace for me, with it's light and fun story line, it kept me engaged and smiling! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Read
December 1, 2018Miniseries: Marrying a Millionaire
January 7, 2025
Her secret regret has become a life sized reality. Alward has a way of turning heartbreaking moments into humorous tales of courage. Best Man for the Wedding Planner is a laugh out loud, don't forget your tissues, irresistible find. For every pond of tears, there's a rainbow waiting to be born. Alward shoots straight from the heart and helps us find that rainbow.
December 6, 2018
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
Sometimes we make decisions that feel right at that moment, but in reality will stay with us for long, long after the dust has settled. Adele made such a decision years ago. She did what she thought was best for the man she loved, but in the end her choice hurt them both to the point where neither has found that type of commitment, passion or love again with anyone else. Each may have moved on, but neither was truly done with the other. Now, almost a decade later they’ll face each other again… and maybe find not closure but a second chance to get it right for them this time.
The people we’ll meet in Best Man for the Wedding Planner will break your heart and mend it again, perhaps even better than before. I won’t even call them characters for this story has such a realistic, believable feel to it that I certainly was invested in Adele and Dan’s lives and future. I “got” why Adele made that fateful decision. I really, truly did. When you love someone you’ll put them first, and that is what she believed she was doing… but perhaps Dan should have had some say in that since he’s been left feeling betrayed, with deep hurt and anger for years. This wedding, which seems to have one thing after another go sideways could be the perfect setting to finally get answers, close the door on the past… and maybe open another door to a future with possibilities.
I became so invested in this couple’s future that I’ve already pre-ordered the next story, Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate so that I’m guaranteed to not miss a thing in this emotional, engaging saga. Since I don’t often pre-order books, that perhaps is a very strong statement of how much I enjoyed this look into a very special couple’s love story. If you enjoy a truly emotional romance with bits of humor, some serious soul searching and a love that already has gone through so much… then I’d highly recommend Best Man for the Wedding Planner for your need to read list. I was seriously captured by this couple and I believe you will be, too.
I own a Kindle edition of this title.
Sometimes we make decisions that feel right at that moment, but in reality will stay with us for long, long after the dust has settled. Adele made such a decision years ago. She did what she thought was best for the man she loved, but in the end her choice hurt them both to the point where neither has found that type of commitment, passion or love again with anyone else. Each may have moved on, but neither was truly done with the other. Now, almost a decade later they’ll face each other again… and maybe find not closure but a second chance to get it right for them this time.
The people we’ll meet in Best Man for the Wedding Planner will break your heart and mend it again, perhaps even better than before. I won’t even call them characters for this story has such a realistic, believable feel to it that I certainly was invested in Adele and Dan’s lives and future. I “got” why Adele made that fateful decision. I really, truly did. When you love someone you’ll put them first, and that is what she believed she was doing… but perhaps Dan should have had some say in that since he’s been left feeling betrayed, with deep hurt and anger for years. This wedding, which seems to have one thing after another go sideways could be the perfect setting to finally get answers, close the door on the past… and maybe open another door to a future with possibilities.
I became so invested in this couple’s future that I’ve already pre-ordered the next story, Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate so that I’m guaranteed to not miss a thing in this emotional, engaging saga. Since I don’t often pre-order books, that perhaps is a very strong statement of how much I enjoyed this look into a very special couple’s love story. If you enjoy a truly emotional romance with bits of humor, some serious soul searching and a love that already has gone through so much… then I’d highly recommend Best Man for the Wedding Planner for your need to read list. I was seriously captured by this couple and I believe you will be, too.
I own a Kindle edition of this title.
December 6, 2018
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna Alward is the 1st book in her Marrying a Millionaire duet. We meet our heroine and wedding planner, Adele Hawthorne from the start, as she is in last minute preparations for a wedding. Adele is in for a shock when the bride to be introduces her to the best man, who happens to be her ex- fiancée, whose heart she broke three years earlier, when she left him.
Dan Brimicombe, our hero, is not too happy to see the woman who walked out on him. Forced to say hello, Dan still feels the hurt and anger seeing Adele. He does treat her coldly, but Adele understands and tries to keep her distance, espescially since she never told him the truth about why she left. Adele, had a bout with cancer, and walked away from Dan to save him the agony of what her future may hold; including the inability of having children.
When problems come up the day before the wedding, Adele is beside herself, as a bad flu is going around, causing vendors/bakers/bands to drop out. Dan, who discovers he still has feelings for Adele, offers his help, seeing that she is in over her head, not to mention she is now getting sick. As she accepts his offer to help, their chemistry together is still hot, but each try to hide how they feel, but slowly a friendship begins, which leads to them both knowing that their love for each other is still very much alive. Can Dan trust Adele? Will Adele tell Dan the real reason she left?
Best Man for the Wedding Planner was a sweet, second chance romance, which Donna Alward wrote so well. This was a simple romance between two people who need to reveal their secrets and learn to trust each other. Adele and Dan did made a great couple, but earlier there looked like there would be no hope for them, but true love can always bring people together. If you enjoy sweet pure romances, nice couple, then I suggest you read Best Man for the Wedding Planner.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Dan Brimicombe, our hero, is not too happy to see the woman who walked out on him. Forced to say hello, Dan still feels the hurt and anger seeing Adele. He does treat her coldly, but Adele understands and tries to keep her distance, espescially since she never told him the truth about why she left. Adele, had a bout with cancer, and walked away from Dan to save him the agony of what her future may hold; including the inability of having children.
When problems come up the day before the wedding, Adele is beside herself, as a bad flu is going around, causing vendors/bakers/bands to drop out. Dan, who discovers he still has feelings for Adele, offers his help, seeing that she is in over her head, not to mention she is now getting sick. As she accepts his offer to help, their chemistry together is still hot, but each try to hide how they feel, but slowly a friendship begins, which leads to them both knowing that their love for each other is still very much alive. Can Dan trust Adele? Will Adele tell Dan the real reason she left?
Best Man for the Wedding Planner was a sweet, second chance romance, which Donna Alward wrote so well. This was a simple romance between two people who need to reveal their secrets and learn to trust each other. Adele and Dan did made a great couple, but earlier there looked like there would be no hope for them, but true love can always bring people together. If you enjoy sweet pure romances, nice couple, then I suggest you read Best Man for the Wedding Planner.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
November 6, 2018
Oy. I don't get bridezillas. It's just a wedding. Are they planning to drive their poor husbands that crazy?
She should have her own wedding here one day.
Awkward.
Oh dear. Poor thing. So much makes sense now.
Hey, girl. Chill out! He only wants to help. You should have an assistant, anyway.
Won't she be contagious at the wedding?
He's Superman.
I'm cold just thinking about these sculptures.
Poor woman is surrounded by the thoughts of pregnancy.
I've never had a flu shot and don't plan on it.
Aw, that really was subtly romantic.
She could have saved some eggs at least.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
I don't know anything about skiing, but I guess it's a useful skill in Canada.
And that's why I wear a watch.
Duchess potatoes. Fancy. I will have to try them.
Harper's reject pile is any aspiring artist's dream pile.
If anything, at least she doesn't have to deal with periods and cramps anymore.
Dogsledding sounds fun.
I'm glad he didn't pressure her into sleeping with him.
They both need therapy.
I blame her parents for this whole thing. Her father left her mother, who became cold and "realistic", which translated to her thinking that all life decisions must be made rationally.
Good luck, Steve.
Attagirl.
I want to attend their wedding.
Where have you been, Adele? Of course that's an option, didn't someone tell you at the hospital?
Best wedding present ever.
I received a free copy from Jenna Bayley-Burke and Donna Alward in exchange for an honest review.
She should have her own wedding here one day.
Awkward.
Oh dear. Poor thing. So much makes sense now.
Hey, girl. Chill out! He only wants to help. You should have an assistant, anyway.
Won't she be contagious at the wedding?
He's Superman.
I'm cold just thinking about these sculptures.
Poor woman is surrounded by the thoughts of pregnancy.
I've never had a flu shot and don't plan on it.
Aw, that really was subtly romantic.
She could have saved some eggs at least.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
I don't know anything about skiing, but I guess it's a useful skill in Canada.
And that's why I wear a watch.
Duchess potatoes. Fancy. I will have to try them.
Harper's reject pile is any aspiring artist's dream pile.
If anything, at least she doesn't have to deal with periods and cramps anymore.
Dogsledding sounds fun.
I'm glad he didn't pressure her into sleeping with him.
They both need therapy.
I blame her parents for this whole thing. Her father left her mother, who became cold and "realistic", which translated to her thinking that all life decisions must be made rationally.
Good luck, Steve.
Attagirl.
I want to attend their wedding.
Where have you been, Adele? Of course that's an option, didn't someone tell you at the hospital?
Best wedding present ever.
I received a free copy from Jenna Bayley-Burke and Donna Alward in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2018
Unbelievable! This can't be happening! Wedding Planner Adele Hutchinson is in the lobby of the Fiori Cascade Hotel going over final arrangements with the bride whose wedding she is overseeing. She looks over to the entrance and sees Dan Brimicombe. What a shock! The bride walks over to Dan and gives him a big hug. Lo and behold he is the Best Man. He is also Adele's ex-boyfriend. Adele broke up with him eight years ago after experiencing a major personal upset. She did it for him - for his happiness. She made the right decision, didn't she? Didn't she?
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna ALward is a second chance romance. This couple has been reunited at a wedding. They both have lots of issues and decide to avoid each other. That didn't last long though. This story is an emotional trip to the Happily Ever After of these two people who never got over their breakup eigt years ago. Donna Alward does a super job telling her readers their story. The storyline ran smoothly and held my attention throughout. I really liked both characters and was pulling for them to get together. As I read this book I was reminded of the saying, "Love conquers all." Donna'story is the epitomy of this saying. I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it highly.
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna ALward is a second chance romance. This couple has been reunited at a wedding. They both have lots of issues and decide to avoid each other. That didn't last long though. This story is an emotional trip to the Happily Ever After of these two people who never got over their breakup eigt years ago. Donna Alward does a super job telling her readers their story. The storyline ran smoothly and held my attention throughout. I really liked both characters and was pulling for them to get together. As I read this book I was reminded of the saying, "Love conquers all." Donna'story is the epitomy of this saying. I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it highly.
October 26, 2018
This story is one that will touch your hearts. The story centers around Adele Hawthorne and Dan Brimicombe. Eight years ago she broke his heart when she left him after three years together.
Now he is a CFO for a company in Toronto and she is a wedding planner near Banff.
When she is introduced to the best man of her latest wedding, they are both shocked to meet again.
This reunion stirs feelings that were dormant, anger from Dan for her rejection, and realization that their love is still alive. But Adele has secrets and Dan doesn���t trust her .
Can they be honest and find their second chance in love or will this meeting be one of closure so they can each move on with their lives?
The story is at times heartbreaking, but also heartwarming. The plot is engaging and the characters complex. Another winner from this very talented author.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Now he is a CFO for a company in Toronto and she is a wedding planner near Banff.
When she is introduced to the best man of her latest wedding, they are both shocked to meet again.
This reunion stirs feelings that were dormant, anger from Dan for her rejection, and realization that their love is still alive. But Adele has secrets and Dan doesn���t trust her .
Can they be honest and find their second chance in love or will this meeting be one of closure so they can each move on with their lives?
The story is at times heartbreaking, but also heartwarming. The plot is engaging and the characters complex. Another winner from this very talented author.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
December 2, 2018
Adele is wedding planner who is very happy with what she does until she realizes that the best man for this wedding is her former fiance that she dumped years ago when she found out something about herself that was life-changing. She decided to leave him and, never tell him why because, she truly believed that her problem was something that Dan shouldn't have to ever deal with.
When Dan realizes who is planning his best friend's wedding, he is shocked, furious then, curious as to why she left him with no reason and, why he still has feelings for this woman who ripped his heart out.He is determined to find out the real story but, Adele is just as determined that he never will.
This story is, at times, heartrending and, at times, an emotional roller coaster ride. It is also, one you will thoroughly enjoy reading
When Dan realizes who is planning his best friend's wedding, he is shocked, furious then, curious as to why she left him with no reason and, why he still has feelings for this woman who ripped his heart out.He is determined to find out the real story but, Adele is just as determined that he never will.
This story is, at times, heartrending and, at times, an emotional roller coaster ride. It is also, one you will thoroughly enjoy reading
November 16, 2018
Best Man For The Wedding Planner is a clean story – there is no on-page sex and no harsh cursing, so if those things bother you, there's nothing to worry about here.
This story is a sweet second chance love story between two people who were on the verge of being married almost a decade before until Adele broke Dan's heart. A wedding brings them back together, and the ensuing rekindling of their relationship is really quite lovely. I very much enjoyed the way that they talked and worked through their previous hurts, and the fact that Dan was able to forgive Adele for making so many choices for him.
I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a wintery, sweet and clean second chance love story.
This story is a sweet second chance love story between two people who were on the verge of being married almost a decade before until Adele broke Dan's heart. A wedding brings them back together, and the ensuing rekindling of their relationship is really quite lovely. I very much enjoyed the way that they talked and worked through their previous hurts, and the fact that Dan was able to forgive Adele for making so many choices for him.
I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a wintery, sweet and clean second chance love story.
November 18, 2018
Adele is a successful wedding planner who has moved on with her life after her cancer diagnosis as she was finishing college. When she realizes the best man for her next wedding is her ex-boyfriend she tries to carry on as usual, but Daniel’s memories stir for both of them. As Adele begins to see she made decisions she probably should not have made alone, can their relationship be fixed? I loved this story and stayed up half the night because I just couldn’t put this book down! I can’t wait for Harper’s story!
October 18, 2024
This was an emotional, heartfelt story as Adele, a wedding planner, discovered her ex-boyfriend, Dan, was the best man in the wedding she was planning. They were both shocked to see each other since it had been eight years ago that she broke up with him. I enjoyed the story as I kept wondering if they could overcome their past, their hurts, and maybe start over again. I also liked Harper who was Adele's best friend and a wedding photographer. She was always there for Adele. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
October 19, 2024
I’m always happy when Donna Alward writes a new book because I’ve enjoyed al the books of hers that I’ve reviewed so far.
Best Man for the Wedding Planner was immensely atmospheric and the pre wedding atmosphere was realistic. I liked how unique each character was. I found myself wanting to find out what was going to happen.
Best Man for the Wedding Planner is another memorable novel by Donna Alward. Thanks to Donna Alward.
4 stars
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Best Man for the Wedding Planner was immensely atmospheric and the pre wedding atmosphere was realistic. I liked how unique each character was. I found myself wanting to find out what was going to happen.
Best Man for the Wedding Planner is another memorable novel by Donna Alward. Thanks to Donna Alward.
4 stars
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 23, 2024
This is a heartwarming, heartbreaking and emotional second chance at love. The story is about Adele and Dan. She a wedding planner trying to create a flawless wedding. She was ready for anything thrown her way, expect her ex coming in the door. Adele has let her problem and insecurities build walls around her heart. Not trusting Dan to be with her despite the issues. Dan who was tossed by her should have doubts about opening his heart to again. Thank you Harper for some tough love! I enjoyed the story, obstacles and all.
November 6, 2018
Warm, romantic, second chance at love. Adele and Dan get their second opportunity after a chance encounter at a wedding. I’m not a fan of the millionaire sub-genre of romance, but it was more implied than a factor in this story, making the characters realistic and believable. I very much enjoyed this tale of getting over past hurts and moving forward to love. I look forward to the next book in the series.
November 28, 2018
Donna Alward's Best Man for the Wedding Planner is a sweet, fast paced, second-chance-at-love story. A solid four stars, it delves into the tender territories of infertility, sacrifice, and forgiveness. A touching story with just a hint of the passion and love Adele and Dan share. Alward's well-honed experience as a top writer shines through on every page.
I received an ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
October 30, 2024
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
A well-written and emotional second chance romance, Adele and Dan were in love at college and had planned their whole future together and when Adele learned some heartbreaking news she broke up with him and they lost contact. Now, years later Dan is the best man at her biggest wedding she's ever planned.
Both have issues to work through before they can get their HEA. Likable characters.
A well-written and emotional second chance romance, Adele and Dan were in love at college and had planned their whole future together and when Adele learned some heartbreaking news she broke up with him and they lost contact. Now, years later Dan is the best man at her biggest wedding she's ever planned.
Both have issues to work through before they can get their HEA. Likable characters.
November 28, 2018
Adele and Dan fell hard for each other in university but their relationship was wrecked by Adele’s doubts and buried pain. She was convinced Dan was better off without her and they both pursued other dreams. But they were left feeling as if things were unfinished between them.
Fast forward eight years, Adele helps couples organize the perfect wedding, and Dan is the best man at the biggest wedding of her career. Their unexpected reunion revives Dan’s feelings of hurt and betrayal. Adele broke his heart and his trust.
And yet, they find that their mutual feelings are still very much the same, their connection is impossible to ignore.
What follows is a smart, feel good romance with characters that capture you from the first page and that you want to see happy. Adele and Dan really are a cute couple, their second chance is an enjoyable, heartwarming and sweet read.
My honest review is based on an advanced reader copy of this book.
Fast forward eight years, Adele helps couples organize the perfect wedding, and Dan is the best man at the biggest wedding of her career. Their unexpected reunion revives Dan’s feelings of hurt and betrayal. Adele broke his heart and his trust.
And yet, they find that their mutual feelings are still very much the same, their connection is impossible to ignore.
What follows is a smart, feel good romance with characters that capture you from the first page and that you want to see happy. Adele and Dan really are a cute couple, their second chance is an enjoyable, heartwarming and sweet read.
My honest review is based on an advanced reader copy of this book.
November 26, 2018
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna Alward.
Adele Hawthorne and Dan Brimicombe are the main couple in the book. They meet again at a wedding that she planned where he is the best man. They had dated for 3 years in college and they found that they still had feels for each other, they decide to work on the relationship. I really enjoyed this book. I love the way it was written.
Adele Hawthorne and Dan Brimicombe are the main couple in the book. They meet again at a wedding that she planned where he is the best man. They had dated for 3 years in college and they found that they still had feels for each other, they decide to work on the relationship. I really enjoyed this book. I love the way it was written.
November 17, 2018
Best Man for the Wedding Planner by Donna Alward is a lovely second chance at love story with a happily ever after ending. Adele and Dan were able to work through their past hurts and heartaches to find love again. I enjoyed it very much.
January 27, 2025
A well written perfectly paced story pulling you in from the start. Adele and Dan come together after years apart. I enjoyed the plot of this story and liked all the characters because they could be my true friends in real life. And weddings bring happy people to life again.
March 30, 2020
A nice sweet story.
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