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Girl Band #3
Rockaway Bride
A Rock Star Kidnaps a Runaway Bride…
Kidnapping the bride seemed like a good idea at the time.
Her fiancé stole my fortune, so I stole his woman.
Tit for tat. Or tat for tit. However you want to look at it.
The one thing I didn’t expect?
Willow Honeycutt, preschool teacher, boy band super fan, is completely crazy.
And somehow she’s turned the tables on me.
Now, she’s holding me hostage, and she won’t let me go until we hit every item on her sparkly new, completely insane bucket list.
And that last item?
That last item might cost me more than any fortune.
It very well might cost me my heart.
Rockaway Bride is a romping fun romance between a down-on-his-luck rock star and a boy band-loving preschool teacher, complete with a road trip, handcuffs, and fun with nuns. This romantic comedy stands alone with no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a rockin' awesome happily ever after.
Kidnapping the bride seemed like a good idea at the time.
Her fiancé stole my fortune, so I stole his woman.
Tit for tat. Or tat for tit. However you want to look at it.
The one thing I didn’t expect?
Willow Honeycutt, preschool teacher, boy band super fan, is completely crazy.
And somehow she’s turned the tables on me.
Now, she’s holding me hostage, and she won’t let me go until we hit every item on her sparkly new, completely insane bucket list.
And that last item?
That last item might cost me more than any fortune.
It very well might cost me my heart.
Rockaway Bride is a romping fun romance between a down-on-his-luck rock star and a boy band-loving preschool teacher, complete with a road trip, handcuffs, and fun with nuns. This romantic comedy stands alone with no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a rockin' awesome happily ever after.
326 pages, ebook
First published June 29, 2018
3842 people are currently reading
2577 people want to read
About the author
Pippa Grant
66 books10.7k followersPippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.
Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.
When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.
When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
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June 26, 2018
Rockaway Bride is by Pippa Grant. This is my third book by Pippa and I have to say that she is fast becoming an obsession of mine. This book was amazing. It is hilarious but filled with so much heart. You will most definitely laugh out loud…a LOT! Maybe even snort laugh! But you will also sigh, swoon, perhaps even gasp. What you will most definitely do is fall in love with these characters.
If you’ve read any of the other books, then you’ve already met Willow Honeycutt who is part of the all girl band that plays locally for juice bars and such. In the previous books, she was the quiet one, the good girl. Her day job is a preschool teacher. She was engaged to be married to Martin and always seemed fairly stressed with planning the wedding. Her mother married the King of Stolland, a small Nordic country. So the wedding was being held at the palace in Stolland.
Our story starts out the night before the wedding and Willow is having second thoughts. Does she really love Martin? Can she truly tie herself to this man forever more? Willow isn’t much of a drinker and in Stolland, they drink mead which does crazy things to her so maybe that was her first mistake.
Dax Gallagher is lead singer for the band Half Cocked Heroes. He is known for his gravelly voice, his tight hard body, his tattoos, and for his drinking, women and wild ways. It’s the wild ways that might have gotten him in trouble or perhaps hexed. Their band has been plagued with bad luck as of late. Are they on their way to being a has been? Ticket sales have been down. The guitarist injured his finger! And their drummer is missing. AND, Willow’s fiancé stole all of Dax’s money. Everything he’d been saving up for when he needed it. Not only his but his drummer’s as well. It’s all gone. So Dax is in Stolland. Maybe he didn’t originally intend to kidnap Martin’s fiancé, but with the help of some whiskey, he is now in the bottom of a fishing boat hand cuffed to her. He’ll demand that Martin return his money to get his fiancé back. Only this plan isn’t going as he intended either!
And so the adventure begins. Willow has written a bucket list of all the things she wants to do but has never had the courage, or didn’t do because she didn’t want to worry her mother. She writes one for Dax as well. She knows that Dax won’t hurt her. And that he hasn’t really kidnapped her at all but has stayed with her to protect her. That really, she has kidnapped him.
“I don’t want to spend one more second being afraid to live.”
“Dax is oddly likable even when he hates me. I don’t want to know what I’d think if there was any chance he might actually secretly like me.”
There is definitely crazy chemistry between these two. Dax fights it for as long as he can. Every person and every animal they encounter along the way seems to fall in love with Willow. Could the same thing be happening to him?
“The moment my lips crash against hers, everything shifts into place. For the first time in months, I’m grounded. Solid. Where I’m supposed to be. Doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Their adventure takes them all over Europe. They encounter sheep, kidnapping Belgian stilt fighters, nuns, and so much more. And through it all, Dax watches Willow come alive, and he falls deeper every day.
“In this moment, I finally have something I’ve been missing for days. Weeks. Months, probably. I have belief. Belief that everything is going to be just fine.”
I loved this book so much. You can definitely read it as a stand alone. But if you want to meet the other members of Willow’s band, then definitely pick up some of the other books. I have read Mister McHottie and Stud in the Stacks and loved them both like crazy. You don’t have to read them, though. You will still fall in love with Willow and Dax without them. This is one of those books that just make my world a little bit brighter. I can’t wait to read more from this author. I hope you’ll love it too!
If you’ve read any of the other books, then you’ve already met Willow Honeycutt who is part of the all girl band that plays locally for juice bars and such. In the previous books, she was the quiet one, the good girl. Her day job is a preschool teacher. She was engaged to be married to Martin and always seemed fairly stressed with planning the wedding. Her mother married the King of Stolland, a small Nordic country. So the wedding was being held at the palace in Stolland.
Our story starts out the night before the wedding and Willow is having second thoughts. Does she really love Martin? Can she truly tie herself to this man forever more? Willow isn’t much of a drinker and in Stolland, they drink mead which does crazy things to her so maybe that was her first mistake.
Dax Gallagher is lead singer for the band Half Cocked Heroes. He is known for his gravelly voice, his tight hard body, his tattoos, and for his drinking, women and wild ways. It’s the wild ways that might have gotten him in trouble or perhaps hexed. Their band has been plagued with bad luck as of late. Are they on their way to being a has been? Ticket sales have been down. The guitarist injured his finger! And their drummer is missing. AND, Willow’s fiancé stole all of Dax’s money. Everything he’d been saving up for when he needed it. Not only his but his drummer’s as well. It’s all gone. So Dax is in Stolland. Maybe he didn’t originally intend to kidnap Martin’s fiancé, but with the help of some whiskey, he is now in the bottom of a fishing boat hand cuffed to her. He’ll demand that Martin return his money to get his fiancé back. Only this plan isn’t going as he intended either!
And so the adventure begins. Willow has written a bucket list of all the things she wants to do but has never had the courage, or didn’t do because she didn’t want to worry her mother. She writes one for Dax as well. She knows that Dax won’t hurt her. And that he hasn’t really kidnapped her at all but has stayed with her to protect her. That really, she has kidnapped him.
“I don’t want to spend one more second being afraid to live.”
“Dax is oddly likable even when he hates me. I don’t want to know what I’d think if there was any chance he might actually secretly like me.”
There is definitely crazy chemistry between these two. Dax fights it for as long as he can. Every person and every animal they encounter along the way seems to fall in love with Willow. Could the same thing be happening to him?
“The moment my lips crash against hers, everything shifts into place. For the first time in months, I’m grounded. Solid. Where I’m supposed to be. Doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Their adventure takes them all over Europe. They encounter sheep, kidnapping Belgian stilt fighters, nuns, and so much more. And through it all, Dax watches Willow come alive, and he falls deeper every day.
“In this moment, I finally have something I’ve been missing for days. Weeks. Months, probably. I have belief. Belief that everything is going to be just fine.”
I loved this book so much. You can definitely read it as a stand alone. But if you want to meet the other members of Willow’s band, then definitely pick up some of the other books. I have read Mister McHottie and Stud in the Stacks and loved them both like crazy. You don’t have to read them, though. You will still fall in love with Willow and Dax without them. This is one of those books that just make my world a little bit brighter. I can’t wait to read more from this author. I hope you’ll love it too!
December 23, 2021
Yes there is a Dildo Fight!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔📙
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌏
Character development: ☺️🤬🥵😘🥰
The heroine: Willow Honeycutt - Her mother married the king of a small nordic country called Stolland and Willow is about to get married and is drinking mead (the national beverage) with her three muscled viking stepbrothers. She learned at her mother’s wedding that her and mead don’t get along well and she is now three sheets to the wind while her beloved step brothers talk her into doing a runner on her fiancé Martin.
The Hero(s): Dax Gallagher - lead singer for the band Half Cocked Heroes. Dax has a deep smokey voice and is your standard hard partying rockstar. He is in Stolland to confront Martin who stole all his money.
The Story: Dax ends up kidnapping the bride before the wedding, hoping to hold her hostage in order to get his money returned to him. His band has been having bad luck as of late and it isn’t only Dax’s missing money.
It is funny how much Willow starts to enjoy her kidnapping and how much she is annoying Dax. She isn’t at all annoyed at the fact that she missed her wedding. I really liked both of these characters so much. Dax is in the midst of everything in his life going wrong, but is still a sexy beast. Willow is the kind of person that takes everything as a new adventure even the strangest situations. She is one of the most likable heroines I have read about in a long time.
The storyline is quite good. Willow and Dax end up going on a whirlwind tour of Europe, much of which one or both of them are in handcuffs. They don’t have passports and travel with and accept lodging from people they meet along the way, including a bunch of nuns at one point where the main topic of conversation is farts. It had me giggling so hard I could barely get a breathe in. I really did love this one, it couldn’t have bee more original.
Savanah Peachwood and Jason Clarke did a terrific job as usual. Jason Clarke was so great as he deadpanned all the nicknames he gives the nuns (like Sister Mary Knits-a-lot, Sister Mary Biceps, Sister Mary Soduku). I would never guess a Rockstar could have so much fun with a pre-school teacher and a van full of nuns.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔📙
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌏
Character development: ☺️🤬🥵😘🥰
The heroine: Willow Honeycutt - Her mother married the king of a small nordic country called Stolland and Willow is about to get married and is drinking mead (the national beverage) with her three muscled viking stepbrothers. She learned at her mother’s wedding that her and mead don’t get along well and she is now three sheets to the wind while her beloved step brothers talk her into doing a runner on her fiancé Martin.
The Hero(s): Dax Gallagher - lead singer for the band Half Cocked Heroes. Dax has a deep smokey voice and is your standard hard partying rockstar. He is in Stolland to confront Martin who stole all his money.
The Story: Dax ends up kidnapping the bride before the wedding, hoping to hold her hostage in order to get his money returned to him. His band has been having bad luck as of late and it isn’t only Dax’s missing money.
It is funny how much Willow starts to enjoy her kidnapping and how much she is annoying Dax. She isn’t at all annoyed at the fact that she missed her wedding. I really liked both of these characters so much. Dax is in the midst of everything in his life going wrong, but is still a sexy beast. Willow is the kind of person that takes everything as a new adventure even the strangest situations. She is one of the most likable heroines I have read about in a long time.
The storyline is quite good. Willow and Dax end up going on a whirlwind tour of Europe, much of which one or both of them are in handcuffs. They don’t have passports and travel with and accept lodging from people they meet along the way, including a bunch of nuns at one point where the main topic of conversation is farts. It had me giggling so hard I could barely get a breathe in. I really did love this one, it couldn’t have bee more original.
Savanah Peachwood and Jason Clarke did a terrific job as usual. Jason Clarke was so great as he deadpanned all the nicknames he gives the nuns (like Sister Mary Knits-a-lot, Sister Mary Biceps, Sister Mary Soduku). I would never guess a Rockstar could have so much fun with a pre-school teacher and a van full of nuns.
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dnf
April 1, 2019Does romance novel means that the lead characters have to be freakishly immature?
These two are adults! ADULTS! H had three divorces and h was in a 7 year relationship! So surely they’re past their mid 20’s? Surely they are NOT 12 years old? I swear Lizzie McGuire seems like an almost mature adult show in comparison to this book!
These two are adults! ADULTS! H had three divorces and h was in a 7 year relationship! So surely they’re past their mid 20’s? Surely they are NOT 12 years old? I swear Lizzie McGuire seems like an almost mature adult show in comparison to this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had an absolute blast with this book. I had never read anything written by Pippa Grant before picking up this book but I decided to give it a chance. I tend to enjoy rockstar romances so I think that guy holding a guitar on the cover helped me make the decision to read this book. I had such a good time with this book from the very start and was completely entertained until the very end.
This book was incredibly funny. I wasn't laughing out loud but I was in a constant state of amusement. So much so that I just shared some of the more humorous parts with my husband every evening while I was listening to this book. Any book that has me talking about it hours later is one that stands out in some way. I also really liked the fact that this book was able to combine a couple of popular tropes. This is a runaway bride story AND a kidnapping romance.
Dax and Willow were both great characters. Willow is an actual princess who decides on the eve of her wedding that she just can't go through with it after all. Dax is a rock star who has just lost his fortune to a dishonest investment advisor who just happens to be Willow's fiance. As Willow is running away from her wedding, Dax kidnaps her in hopes of getting his money back. I loved these two together from the very beginning. They had fantastic chemistry with each other and I loved their banter. They had so much fun together and I wanted them to have more of that in their life.
Savannah Peachwood and Jason Clarke did a fabulous job with the narration of this book. I think that they were really able to bring the humor in the story to the next level. They both were able to bring the characters to life and added a lot of emotion to the story. I thought that both narrators had very pleasant voices and I enjoyed listening to them for hours at a time.
I would recommend this book to fans of romantic comedies. I thought that this was a very well done story that had the perfect balance of romance, humor, and great characters. I will definitely be checking out more of Pippa Grant's work very soon.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author via Caffeinated Services.
Initial Thoughts
I had an absolute blast with this book! It was just so much fun. It was funny. Not in a laugh out loud way but in a constant state of amusement sort of way. I loved Dax and Willow and thought that they worked really well together. The narration was fantastic and added to my enjoyment of the story. I would definitely read more from Pippa Grant in the future!
I had an absolute blast with this book. I had never read anything written by Pippa Grant before picking up this book but I decided to give it a chance. I tend to enjoy rockstar romances so I think that guy holding a guitar on the cover helped me make the decision to read this book. I had such a good time with this book from the very start and was completely entertained until the very end.
This book was incredibly funny. I wasn't laughing out loud but I was in a constant state of amusement. So much so that I just shared some of the more humorous parts with my husband every evening while I was listening to this book. Any book that has me talking about it hours later is one that stands out in some way. I also really liked the fact that this book was able to combine a couple of popular tropes. This is a runaway bride story AND a kidnapping romance.
Dax and Willow were both great characters. Willow is an actual princess who decides on the eve of her wedding that she just can't go through with it after all. Dax is a rock star who has just lost his fortune to a dishonest investment advisor who just happens to be Willow's fiance. As Willow is running away from her wedding, Dax kidnaps her in hopes of getting his money back. I loved these two together from the very beginning. They had fantastic chemistry with each other and I loved their banter. They had so much fun together and I wanted them to have more of that in their life.
Savannah Peachwood and Jason Clarke did a fabulous job with the narration of this book. I think that they were really able to bring the humor in the story to the next level. They both were able to bring the characters to life and added a lot of emotion to the story. I thought that both narrators had very pleasant voices and I enjoyed listening to them for hours at a time.
I would recommend this book to fans of romantic comedies. I thought that this was a very well done story that had the perfect balance of romance, humor, and great characters. I will definitely be checking out more of Pippa Grant's work very soon.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author via Caffeinated Services.
Initial Thoughts
I had an absolute blast with this book! It was just so much fun. It was funny. Not in a laugh out loud way but in a constant state of amusement sort of way. I loved Dax and Willow and thought that they worked really well together. The narration was fantastic and added to my enjoyment of the story. I would definitely read more from Pippa Grant in the future!
February 28, 2021
Hilarious rom-com, not to be missed…
Oh, Willow and Dax! You made me laugh so hard, over and over again. Your chemistry was amazing and paved the way for a romantic romp that just kept giving…
Humour was the cornerstone to this top notch read. Alcohol and good decisions really don’t mix but I can’t argue with the wonderfully over the top results. Handcuffs, life goals and boom, they took themselves on the road. Their trip to individual discovery reminded me of a certain hitman movie but with more rib-splitting guffaws, even more nuns, probably the same amount of cows and easily less guns (aka none)…
Willow was sweet, with a perfect balance of innocence and worldly experience. Her bandmates made sure she was never totally sheltered but she knew now was her time. Time to achieve all those bucket list items she never knew she had… Let alone wrote down… Or did… Dax was the life-weary hero, with everything around him imploding he had his eye on the prize that would bring (almost) everything back to rights. His new found princess was going to test his resolve, his sanity and his bad boy image…
With a pair of handcuffs the focal point, I just basked in the funny situations and the wonderful supporting characters that made the story shine even more. Easily one of my favourite stories by this author, I will be re-reading this often when I need reminding that anything is possible if you are brave enough… ~Diane, 5 stars
Oh, Willow and Dax! You made me laugh so hard, over and over again. Your chemistry was amazing and paved the way for a romantic romp that just kept giving…
Humour was the cornerstone to this top notch read. Alcohol and good decisions really don’t mix but I can’t argue with the wonderfully over the top results. Handcuffs, life goals and boom, they took themselves on the road. Their trip to individual discovery reminded me of a certain hitman movie but with more rib-splitting guffaws, even more nuns, probably the same amount of cows and easily less guns (aka none)…
Willow was sweet, with a perfect balance of innocence and worldly experience. Her bandmates made sure she was never totally sheltered but she knew now was her time. Time to achieve all those bucket list items she never knew she had… Let alone wrote down… Or did… Dax was the life-weary hero, with everything around him imploding he had his eye on the prize that would bring (almost) everything back to rights. His new found princess was going to test his resolve, his sanity and his bad boy image…
With a pair of handcuffs the focal point, I just basked in the funny situations and the wonderful supporting characters that made the story shine even more. Easily one of my favourite stories by this author, I will be re-reading this often when I need reminding that anything is possible if you are brave enough… ~Diane, 5 stars
September 3, 2021
This is third in a series that's pretty tightly bound. Also, Grant wrote the first three Copper Valley Thrusters between the second and this one and lots of characters from that series show up here (with spouses/significant others). I definitely recommend reading the other Girl Band books first. And it'd probably be best to read the first three Thrusters novels, too. Particularly if you want to read them without spoilers.
Willow has been the most tightly-wound of the girls in their band so far. She's super straight-laced and we've known that her "relationship" with the dweeb wasn't going to pan out and this story would show how/why. And it turns out that what we get is a chance to see Willow break out of her laces and crazypants Willow was a whole lot of awesome fun.
And poor Dax! His plan is more than a little stupid, but we can see that it's a product of desperation more than it is actual stupidity (or malice) and seeing him get wound up by Willow was nearly as much fun as seeing her break free of her worries and constraints. Together, they're a romp and a half with more than a little help from an author who isn't afraid to throw coincidences into the mix to liven things up. And normally that kind of authorial intrusion would bother me, but the results were so fun that I just didn't care. Being taken in by a bus full of nuns? Why not?!? The world has busses with nuns in them, I'm almost positive. So it's not completely unreasonable.
And in true Pippa Grant fashion, the hijinks work to highlight the real heart behind both main characters—the pain each carries and the relief they find in each other. Which is the part where this earns five stars for letting the fun get to a serious place where two people connect deeply and learn to value and trust one another. Seriously, I loved how this turned out and my biggest fear is that this is where the series peaks (because I'm not much of a fan of Eloise, frankly, and I worry she'll turn out shallow or, worse, be revealed as a giant spaz).
A note about Steamy: There are a half dozen or so explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. It helps a little that sex is just one dimension of their connection through challenge and sense of adventure. So they fit both story and character arcs, I think.
Willow has been the most tightly-wound of the girls in their band so far. She's super straight-laced and we've known that her "relationship" with the dweeb wasn't going to pan out and this story would show how/why. And it turns out that what we get is a chance to see Willow break out of her laces and crazypants Willow was a whole lot of awesome fun.
And poor Dax! His plan is more than a little stupid, but we can see that it's a product of desperation more than it is actual stupidity (or malice) and seeing him get wound up by Willow was nearly as much fun as seeing her break free of her worries and constraints. Together, they're a romp and a half with more than a little help from an author who isn't afraid to throw coincidences into the mix to liven things up. And normally that kind of authorial intrusion would bother me, but the results were so fun that I just didn't care. Being taken in by a bus full of nuns? Why not?!? The world has busses with nuns in them, I'm almost positive. So it's not completely unreasonable.
And in true Pippa Grant fashion, the hijinks work to highlight the real heart behind both main characters—the pain each carries and the relief they find in each other. Which is the part where this earns five stars for letting the fun get to a serious place where two people connect deeply and learn to value and trust one another. Seriously, I loved how this turned out and my biggest fear is that this is where the series peaks (because I'm not much of a fan of Eloise, frankly, and I worry she'll turn out shallow or, worse, be revealed as a giant spaz).
A note about Steamy: There are a half dozen or so explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. It helps a little that sex is just one dimension of their connection through challenge and sense of adventure. So they fit both story and character arcs, I think.
November 2, 2018
Reread 11/1/18 :) Can't wait for Eloise's book, which is coming out soon!
5 stars!
By now it's no secret that I love pretty much anything Pippa Grant puts out, and this was no different.
Still revolving around the same crew of lovable characters from her previous books, Rockaway Bride focuses on Willow - the boy-band covering all-girl band singer - and Dax, down on his luck rock star with a mean grudge against Willow's fiancee, Martin.
His plan to get revenge? Kidnap the (literal) princess until he gets what he wants from Martin. What he doesn't plan on, however, is for her to run from the castle the night before her wedding. Or for her to knock him on his ass, surprising him at every turn of their crazy adventure together. And it really is an adventure. Starting in Stolland, then Scotland, Belgium and France... this book was like a road trip for my eyes.
The humor. The angst. The self-discovery and the romance. Another favorite from Grant, and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.
5 stars!
By now it's no secret that I love pretty much anything Pippa Grant puts out, and this was no different.
Still revolving around the same crew of lovable characters from her previous books, Rockaway Bride focuses on Willow - the boy-band covering all-girl band singer - and Dax, down on his luck rock star with a mean grudge against Willow's fiancee, Martin.
His plan to get revenge? Kidnap the (literal) princess until he gets what he wants from Martin. What he doesn't plan on, however, is for her to run from the castle the night before her wedding. Or for her to knock him on his ass, surprising him at every turn of their crazy adventure together. And it really is an adventure. Starting in Stolland, then Scotland, Belgium and France... this book was like a road trip for my eyes.
The humor. The angst. The self-discovery and the romance. Another favorite from Grant, and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.
August 1, 2018
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this one, it was funny and so sweet. Loved both MCs, the hero was the sweetest jerk, he has so much to endure by himself, but that didn't stop him from falling in love with the reckless, carefree Willow. I can understand Dax's fascination, she was so lovely. He actually loved her more than she did him, and I couldn't be happier. Definitely trying more books by this author.
I enjoyed this one, it was funny and so sweet. Loved both MCs, the hero was the sweetest jerk, he has so much to endure by himself, but that didn't stop him from falling in love with the reckless, carefree Willow. I can understand Dax's fascination, she was so lovely. He actually loved her more than she did him, and I couldn't be happier. Definitely trying more books by this author.
April 2, 2019
"Do you always talk this much?"
"No." Maybe? I don't actually know.
But I do know I'm beginning to suspect there's way more to his story than just that his money's missing. Because while Dax is rough around the edges, with all the tattoos and the divorces and the hot, heavy songs about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, he's also been way more protective than he should be.
With the donkey. With Chrissy and Ricky to make sure they didn't pull anything. With keeping me from falling out of the boat. With being ridiculously picky about where I got my tattoo.
This is not normal behavior for a man who's only in my life because his plan was to use me as ransom. I think. First kidnapping and all. For both of us.
~
I stifle a giggle. Twelve nuns, a rock star, and a runaway bride break down in the middle of nowhere is the start of a joke.
Except it's also our reality right now.
Dax is clearing his throat like he's also stifling some snickers.
I've probably said this before, but Pippa Grant has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors. So much so, in fact, that I will most likely go back through and buy all of these books, since I've read them all on KU, once I'm ready to re-read them. And I'm positive I'll be re-reading them, all of them. Every single book of hers I've read has been a hit and this one is no exception. You got one down-on-his-luck rock star, and a gal who does a runner the night before her wedding. A hilariously epic road trip ensues, and the next thing they both know, it's love. Really though, it's cute and it's funny, and I'm entirely too lazy to go into the plot so I'm just going to throw in a bunch of my favorite quotes and scenes. I won't lie, there is quite a few…I had a hard time whittling it down. And you know, obviously, spoilers.
Princess Happy Pants is currently singing to the sheep.
Singing.
To the sheep.
In a voice that could make angels weep, because holy fuck. Despite everything, I'm getting a professional boner over here.
Of course she can sing.
Because that's just fucking perfect.
"Come on, Dax," she says. "You know this one."
"I'm not singing about Mary and her fucking lambs."
"Do you need more toast? It's getting soggy, so we should eat it soon. Before it gets any soggier. This is terrible toast to waste. It's almost as good as the bread in Stölland."
"You're fucking insane."
She's also covered in some kind of oilskin cape that her new best friend insisted she take to the ferry, huddled comfortably with her knees to her chest, cradling that bottle of whisky she won't share, whereas I'm cold, wet, and still handcuffed with my hands behind me, so I couldn't drink the fucking whisky even if she would open it, and she's been feeding me toast like I'm an infant. Also, one of the sheep broke wind in my face two minutes ago.
~
Sister Mary Biceps hustles us into the van. The door slams, and we all topple all over each other while Sister Mary Leadfoot peels away from the church.
I end up with my face smushed into Willow's ass.
Which is not at all a bad place to be.
She gasps, wiggles, and if she bends forward just a bit more, I could get my nose right up-
A hand grabs me and hauls me over one seat and into the next, where I suddenly have a face full of nun crotch.
Sister Mary Freckles shrieks. I roll and flail about and finally get up, only to be pitched back onto her, my chest colliding with her knees, when Sister Mary Leadfoot takes a curve too fast.
"Slow down, Sister Hazel," Sister Mary Basketweaver chides. "You're going to get us all arrested."
"The Lord forgives the penitent," Sister Mary Freckles reminds everyone.
"Well, damn," Sister Mary Knits-a-lot says. "We didn't get to stay for mass."
"Next time you're coming with us," Sister Mary Biceps informs me.
"Are you sure the church won't catch on fire if he does?" Willow asks.
The nuns titter.
And for the first time in days, I find myself laughing.
This entire trip is fucking nuts.
And it's fucking fantastic.
Wherever Danger is, I hope he's having half as much fun as I am.
Fucking Willow.
She's a witch in her own right. Except her kind of witchcraft is slowly cleansing my soul.
Reminding me of the simple joys in life.
And the glory of making new friends.
~
"You've been texting your friend about my love spuds?"
"Love spuds?" I'm picturing him with potatoes between his legs-red potatoes, with sprouting eyes, and I almost choke on a hysterical laugh.
"Since we clearly can't say testicles, Princess Preschool Teacher."
"You're ruining all of my good memories of you naked."
Those eyelids open, and he gives me a lazy, hooded once-over, which is impressive, since there's a van bench seat in the way of most of my body. The space in the van is shrinking, thanks to the sticky humidity combined with heat magnified by the windows.
And also possibly caused by the sensation that his hazel eyes are seeing through my clothes and remembering what I looked like half-naked this morning too.
"We could make more memories," he says.
"I thought you didn't sleep with women you kidnap."
"You took me hostage and threw me in a van with a dozen sisters of the immaculate road trip this morning. We're even."
"It was for your own good."
"Was it now?" He doesn't seem put out. If anything, that lazy smile says he's having fun. And I heard paper crinkling earlier.
I'm pretty sure he's been studying that bucket list I gave him.
"You clearly needed emotional support. I gave you twelve trained emotional and spiritual guides. Plus I had a feeling you needed Belgian chocolate."
His lips are twitching as though he's ready to call my bluff. "I think you want to draw all over my body with Belgian chocolate, and then lick it off."
Hello, hot flash in the nipples.
~
There are long pink and purple things scattered all over the ground, leading up to a ripped box. That must've been what-
Oh. Oh!
I squelch a giggle.
We ran over a box of dildos.
We ran over a box of dildos.
Dax drops his hands and takes a knee next to his dad. He's snickering. The two of them point at the damage on the bus, two generations of Gallagher men tackling a problem together while they laugh about running over a box of dildos.
He glances up and catches me watching. "Know anything about changing tires?"
I shake my head.
His lips twitch harder. "Know anything about phallic litter?"
His dad shoves him, and he topples sideways onto three dildos. He rolls, grabs one, and holds it up to the light. "So this is what they settle for in France?"
It sparkles like there's glitter inside the silicone. Mr. Gallagher snags it from him and tosses it toward a crushed box. He glances at Dax, his eyes take on a small twinkle, and he shakes his head despite the small grin forming at the edge of his lips. "Didn't I teach you not to wag your dildos at the ladies?"
"You did your best, old man."
They're adorable.
~
"Do you know the one thing I never asked Martin?"
"If he's a douchecanoe who liked to fuck people over?"
Her brow quirks. "No, but I'll be certain to tell my stepsons you've passed the creative cussing test."
"That's a relief."
Now she's holding back a smile. Her ears twitch like Willow's do when she's doing the same thing.
"I never asked him when he first knew he loved her."
In the farmer's yard in Belgium, when she toppled over laughing after she got me with that zinger, agreeing that I was a terrible person.
I feel my eyes go wide.
Because fuck.
I'm in love with Willow Honeycutt.
I'm not here as her friend.
I'm here as her lover.
I'm here as a man head over heels in love with a woman who's hiding from who she could be.
Her mother smiles softly. "You know."
"She's not happy." This is why I'm here. "Not like she could be."
"And you want to make her happy?"
"I-"
Do I?
Of course I do.
But more important- "I want her to be happy. I want everyone to want her to be happy. And that means she needs you to tell her it's okay to go jump out of a fucking airplane if she wants to jump out of a fucking airplane."
~
Wrapping my arms around him is easier than breathing.
More necessary than breathing.
"Thank you for showing me the world," I whisper.
"Thank you for being my world."
I smile against his chest and stroke a lazy hand over his smooth, hot back. I'm getting sleepy.
"I do love you," I say through a yawn. "It's not just the sex talking."
He tightens his grip around me. "Wouldn't care if it was."
"Yes, you would."
"Whatever it takes to keep you coming back for more."
"Well, I want more for you than for someone to love you just for the sex."
"And that's exactly why I love you, princess."
"No." Maybe? I don't actually know.
But I do know I'm beginning to suspect there's way more to his story than just that his money's missing. Because while Dax is rough around the edges, with all the tattoos and the divorces and the hot, heavy songs about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, he's also been way more protective than he should be.
With the donkey. With Chrissy and Ricky to make sure they didn't pull anything. With keeping me from falling out of the boat. With being ridiculously picky about where I got my tattoo.
This is not normal behavior for a man who's only in my life because his plan was to use me as ransom. I think. First kidnapping and all. For both of us.
~
I stifle a giggle. Twelve nuns, a rock star, and a runaway bride break down in the middle of nowhere is the start of a joke.
Except it's also our reality right now.
Dax is clearing his throat like he's also stifling some snickers.
I've probably said this before, but Pippa Grant has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors. So much so, in fact, that I will most likely go back through and buy all of these books, since I've read them all on KU, once I'm ready to re-read them. And I'm positive I'll be re-reading them, all of them. Every single book of hers I've read has been a hit and this one is no exception. You got one down-on-his-luck rock star, and a gal who does a runner the night before her wedding. A hilariously epic road trip ensues, and the next thing they both know, it's love. Really though, it's cute and it's funny, and I'm entirely too lazy to go into the plot so I'm just going to throw in a bunch of my favorite quotes and scenes. I won't lie, there is quite a few…I had a hard time whittling it down. And you know, obviously, spoilers.
Princess Happy Pants is currently singing to the sheep.
Singing.
To the sheep.
In a voice that could make angels weep, because holy fuck. Despite everything, I'm getting a professional boner over here.
Of course she can sing.
Because that's just fucking perfect.
"Come on, Dax," she says. "You know this one."
"I'm not singing about Mary and her fucking lambs."
"Do you need more toast? It's getting soggy, so we should eat it soon. Before it gets any soggier. This is terrible toast to waste. It's almost as good as the bread in Stölland."
"You're fucking insane."
She's also covered in some kind of oilskin cape that her new best friend insisted she take to the ferry, huddled comfortably with her knees to her chest, cradling that bottle of whisky she won't share, whereas I'm cold, wet, and still handcuffed with my hands behind me, so I couldn't drink the fucking whisky even if she would open it, and she's been feeding me toast like I'm an infant. Also, one of the sheep broke wind in my face two minutes ago.
~
Sister Mary Biceps hustles us into the van. The door slams, and we all topple all over each other while Sister Mary Leadfoot peels away from the church.
I end up with my face smushed into Willow's ass.
Which is not at all a bad place to be.
She gasps, wiggles, and if she bends forward just a bit more, I could get my nose right up-
A hand grabs me and hauls me over one seat and into the next, where I suddenly have a face full of nun crotch.
Sister Mary Freckles shrieks. I roll and flail about and finally get up, only to be pitched back onto her, my chest colliding with her knees, when Sister Mary Leadfoot takes a curve too fast.
"Slow down, Sister Hazel," Sister Mary Basketweaver chides. "You're going to get us all arrested."
"The Lord forgives the penitent," Sister Mary Freckles reminds everyone.
"Well, damn," Sister Mary Knits-a-lot says. "We didn't get to stay for mass."
"Next time you're coming with us," Sister Mary Biceps informs me.
"Are you sure the church won't catch on fire if he does?" Willow asks.
The nuns titter.
And for the first time in days, I find myself laughing.
This entire trip is fucking nuts.
And it's fucking fantastic.
Wherever Danger is, I hope he's having half as much fun as I am.
Fucking Willow.
She's a witch in her own right. Except her kind of witchcraft is slowly cleansing my soul.
Reminding me of the simple joys in life.
And the glory of making new friends.
~
"You've been texting your friend about my love spuds?"
"Love spuds?" I'm picturing him with potatoes between his legs-red potatoes, with sprouting eyes, and I almost choke on a hysterical laugh.
"Since we clearly can't say testicles, Princess Preschool Teacher."
"You're ruining all of my good memories of you naked."
Those eyelids open, and he gives me a lazy, hooded once-over, which is impressive, since there's a van bench seat in the way of most of my body. The space in the van is shrinking, thanks to the sticky humidity combined with heat magnified by the windows.
And also possibly caused by the sensation that his hazel eyes are seeing through my clothes and remembering what I looked like half-naked this morning too.
"We could make more memories," he says.
"I thought you didn't sleep with women you kidnap."
"You took me hostage and threw me in a van with a dozen sisters of the immaculate road trip this morning. We're even."
"It was for your own good."
"Was it now?" He doesn't seem put out. If anything, that lazy smile says he's having fun. And I heard paper crinkling earlier.
I'm pretty sure he's been studying that bucket list I gave him.
"You clearly needed emotional support. I gave you twelve trained emotional and spiritual guides. Plus I had a feeling you needed Belgian chocolate."
His lips are twitching as though he's ready to call my bluff. "I think you want to draw all over my body with Belgian chocolate, and then lick it off."
Hello, hot flash in the nipples.
~
There are long pink and purple things scattered all over the ground, leading up to a ripped box. That must've been what-
Oh. Oh!
I squelch a giggle.
We ran over a box of dildos.
We ran over a box of dildos.
Dax drops his hands and takes a knee next to his dad. He's snickering. The two of them point at the damage on the bus, two generations of Gallagher men tackling a problem together while they laugh about running over a box of dildos.
He glances up and catches me watching. "Know anything about changing tires?"
I shake my head.
His lips twitch harder. "Know anything about phallic litter?"
His dad shoves him, and he topples sideways onto three dildos. He rolls, grabs one, and holds it up to the light. "So this is what they settle for in France?"
It sparkles like there's glitter inside the silicone. Mr. Gallagher snags it from him and tosses it toward a crushed box. He glances at Dax, his eyes take on a small twinkle, and he shakes his head despite the small grin forming at the edge of his lips. "Didn't I teach you not to wag your dildos at the ladies?"
"You did your best, old man."
They're adorable.
~
"Do you know the one thing I never asked Martin?"
"If he's a douchecanoe who liked to fuck people over?"
Her brow quirks. "No, but I'll be certain to tell my stepsons you've passed the creative cussing test."
"That's a relief."
Now she's holding back a smile. Her ears twitch like Willow's do when she's doing the same thing.
"I never asked him when he first knew he loved her."
In the farmer's yard in Belgium, when she toppled over laughing after she got me with that zinger, agreeing that I was a terrible person.
I feel my eyes go wide.
Because fuck.
I'm in love with Willow Honeycutt.
I'm not here as her friend.
I'm here as her lover.
I'm here as a man head over heels in love with a woman who's hiding from who she could be.
Her mother smiles softly. "You know."
"She's not happy." This is why I'm here. "Not like she could be."
"And you want to make her happy?"
"I-"
Do I?
Of course I do.
But more important- "I want her to be happy. I want everyone to want her to be happy. And that means she needs you to tell her it's okay to go jump out of a fucking airplane if she wants to jump out of a fucking airplane."
~
Wrapping my arms around him is easier than breathing.
More necessary than breathing.
"Thank you for showing me the world," I whisper.
"Thank you for being my world."
I smile against his chest and stroke a lazy hand over his smooth, hot back. I'm getting sleepy.
"I do love you," I say through a yawn. "It's not just the sex talking."
He tightens his grip around me. "Wouldn't care if it was."
"Yes, you would."
"Whatever it takes to keep you coming back for more."
"Well, I want more for you than for someone to love you just for the sex."
"And that's exactly why I love you, princess."
September 6, 2021
This was adorable, it was funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed it the whole way through.
A kidnapping gone wrong…or did it go right?
Grumpy, down-on-his-luck rocker Dax Gallagher is out for revenge. He wants his money back from a thief…so he steals the fiancé of said thief. Great plan. Until things get flipped, and SHE is now the one in control.
One thing I love in a good RomCom, is a grumpy, growly & scowly hero. And that’s exactly what Dax is. Add in the tattoos and I was a goner. Willow was the perfect heroine for him. She’s all bubbly and happy and quirky and completely opposite and definitely not what Dax usually goes for. But she is absolutely refreshing and exactly what he needs. I loved these two together!!
Lots of shenanigans involving a van full of nuns, some Stilt Warriors, and a vicious, head-butting donkey. This story was utterly delightful and it had some hella sexy parts. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were fantastic!
This was my first Pippa Grant book (what the what?! Pure ridiculousness!) and I cannot wait to read more - I’m hooked!
A kidnapping gone wrong…or did it go right?
Grumpy, down-on-his-luck rocker Dax Gallagher is out for revenge. He wants his money back from a thief…so he steals the fiancé of said thief. Great plan. Until things get flipped, and SHE is now the one in control.
One thing I love in a good RomCom, is a grumpy, growly & scowly hero. And that’s exactly what Dax is. Add in the tattoos and I was a goner. Willow was the perfect heroine for him. She’s all bubbly and happy and quirky and completely opposite and definitely not what Dax usually goes for. But she is absolutely refreshing and exactly what he needs. I loved these two together!!
Lots of shenanigans involving a van full of nuns, some Stilt Warriors, and a vicious, head-butting donkey. This story was utterly delightful and it had some hella sexy parts. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were fantastic!
This was my first Pippa Grant book (what the what?! Pure ridiculousness!) and I cannot wait to read more - I’m hooked!
July 16, 2018
It's a cute runaway bride screwball adventure comedy romance and exactly what I've come to expect from this series. Full or quickish review to come, haven't decided yet.
August 30, 2022
My first Pippa Grant book and I realize I'm not a rom-com type of romance reader. I'd be curious to try another book by her that isn't marketed as a rom-com.
ROCKAWAY BRIDE
● Willow & Dax
● preschool teacher / lead singer in Half-Cocked Heroes
● meet cute: Dax kidnaps Willow and holds her for ransom
● Dax is holding Willow ransom because her fiance stole his money
● Willow’s mom married a Nordic king
● Willow has 3 Viking step-brothers
● handcuffed together
● Europe
● nuns
ROCKAWAY BRIDE
● Willow & Dax
● preschool teacher / lead singer in Half-Cocked Heroes
● meet cute: Dax kidnaps Willow and holds her for ransom
● Dax is holding Willow ransom because her fiance stole his money
● Willow’s mom married a Nordic king
● Willow has 3 Viking step-brothers
● handcuffed together
● Europe
● nuns
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Jason Clarke & Savannah Peachwood
Length: 8H 07M
June 29, 2018
Dear lord, my stomach muscles still hurt from all the laughing while reading Rockaway Bride! From the first pages when Willow is hanging out with her step-brothers through the very last page, I absolutely loved every minute spent reading Willow and Dax’s romance.
There’s love, lust, lightness, snark, wit, fun and forgiveness throughout their story. I love how they fell in love. Loved that they brought out the best (okay, and sometimes the worst) in each other.
Their adventure to love is smart, sexy, swoony fun. And involved nuns. A whole lotta nuns. And the nuns may have stolen the show on several occasions, but what’s a Sister Mary or two to do?
Rockaway Bride is a prefect adventure to take for a beach read this weekend! Or now. Now is good too! Get one-clicking! ~ Missy, 5 stars
There’s love, lust, lightness, snark, wit, fun and forgiveness throughout their story. I love how they fell in love. Loved that they brought out the best (okay, and sometimes the worst) in each other.
Their adventure to love is smart, sexy, swoony fun. And involved nuns. A whole lotta nuns. And the nuns may have stolen the show on several occasions, but what’s a Sister Mary or two to do?
Rockaway Bride is a prefect adventure to take for a beach read this weekend! Or now. Now is good too! Get one-clicking! ~ Missy, 5 stars
November 5, 2018
Slightly on the fence when it comes to this book and what I should give it as a rating.
So, I was excited by this book and the idea of curling up for a bit and just laughing and laughing, sadly that didn't happen. The first chapter drew me in and had my interest and throughout the book there were moments where I found myself smiling and moments of some amusement. But it wasn't to the level I was expecting/hoping. I wasn't absorbed, time did not become something I was unaware of.
My most enjoyable parts of this book were scenes that involved Willow and/or Dax engaging with secondary characters (family/friends). Willow as a character is likeable but I felt there were times that the dialogue she had as a non-swearing preschool teacher wasn't as funny as it wanted to be.
What's pushed this from a 2.5-star rating to a tentative low 3-star rating are the following points:
1) I enjoyed the first chapter and then again when Dax and Willow met up with his friends and dad, things picked up after that for me.
2) a number of the secondary characters drew me in and kept my interest.
3) There were moments where I really liked Dax and Willow.
4) I like this author's writing style in this book, and a number of secondary characters found in it have me interested in trying another book.
Acquired via KU.
So, I was excited by this book and the idea of curling up for a bit and just laughing and laughing, sadly that didn't happen. The first chapter drew me in and had my interest and throughout the book there were moments where I found myself smiling and moments of some amusement. But it wasn't to the level I was expecting/hoping. I wasn't absorbed, time did not become something I was unaware of.
My most enjoyable parts of this book were scenes that involved Willow and/or Dax engaging with secondary characters (family/friends). Willow as a character is likeable but I felt there were times that the dialogue she had as a non-swearing preschool teacher wasn't as funny as it wanted to be.
What's pushed this from a 2.5-star rating to a tentative low 3-star rating are the following points:
1) I enjoyed the first chapter and then again when Dax and Willow met up with his friends and dad, things picked up after that for me.
2) a number of the secondary characters drew me in and kept my interest.
3) There were moments where I really liked Dax and Willow.
4) I like this author's writing style in this book, and a number of secondary characters found in it have me interested in trying another book.
Acquired via KU.
July 11, 2018
What a fun, sexy, hilarious breath of fresh air to read! Oh and HOT!
December 30, 2019
After being with Martin for seven years, Willow admits to herself that she doesn’t want to get married to him, and on the night before her wedding she gets wasted with her stepbrothers. They encourage her to run away. The next morning... Dax Gallagher, lead singer of Half-Cocked Heroes, is dealing with a huge hangover when he realizes he has kidnapped the fiancé of Martin, the man who stole all his money and ruined his life. Willow, free for the first time in forever, takes this opportunity to do some traveling, bring Dax along for the ride.
Rockaway Bride is a crazy story set in Pippa Grant’s Girl Band world (with ties to the Royals series). We’ve met Willow in Sia and Parker’s books, and now it’s her turn to find herself and true love. I absolutely adore Willow’s sweet and wild personality. She’s a preschool teacher and uses cute cuss-replacement words. She’s always done what is safe, so seeing her break out of her shell and live her life was thrilling. And it captures Dax’s heart. He’s guarded because he thinks she wants to use him just like everyone else, but the more time they spend together, the more he realizes she’s the read deal. They have crazy, laugh-out-loud adventures and their romance is hot. The best is near the end when Dax realizes his love for Willow means he wants her to be happy no matter what, and tries to get her mom to help with that. He’s a rockstar dream - rough on the outside, and a sensitive family guy on the inside.
Narration: I really enjoyed the performances of Savannah Peachwood and Jason Clarke, who is becoming one of my favorite male narrators. The story is shared in the alternating, first person POVs of Willow and Dax, and both narrators are equally suited to their roles. Mr. Clarke has a gravely, deep voice (that I love!), giving Chase a very sexy vibe. His female voices (most notably Willow) are softer and distinguishable. Ms. Peachwood breathes joy into Willow’s voice, but can also perform the worry and stress. Her Dax is slightly deeper and male sounding but not overly deep and gravely. She also does indeterminate accents for her stepbrothers and other characters that work well. The pair make a great team, enhancing the story. Their tempos are equal and their performances complement one another.
After enjoying Rockaway Bride, I’ve come to realize that Pippa Grant is a new go-to author for me, sharing wonderful, silly romantic comedies with characters I have come to love.
My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: A-
Rockaway Bride is a crazy story set in Pippa Grant’s Girl Band world (with ties to the Royals series). We’ve met Willow in Sia and Parker’s books, and now it’s her turn to find herself and true love. I absolutely adore Willow’s sweet and wild personality. She’s a preschool teacher and uses cute cuss-replacement words. She’s always done what is safe, so seeing her break out of her shell and live her life was thrilling. And it captures Dax’s heart. He’s guarded because he thinks she wants to use him just like everyone else, but the more time they spend together, the more he realizes she’s the read deal. They have crazy, laugh-out-loud adventures and their romance is hot. The best is near the end when Dax realizes his love for Willow means he wants her to be happy no matter what, and tries to get her mom to help with that. He’s a rockstar dream - rough on the outside, and a sensitive family guy on the inside.
Narration: I really enjoyed the performances of Savannah Peachwood and Jason Clarke, who is becoming one of my favorite male narrators. The story is shared in the alternating, first person POVs of Willow and Dax, and both narrators are equally suited to their roles. Mr. Clarke has a gravely, deep voice (that I love!), giving Chase a very sexy vibe. His female voices (most notably Willow) are softer and distinguishable. Ms. Peachwood breathes joy into Willow’s voice, but can also perform the worry and stress. Her Dax is slightly deeper and male sounding but not overly deep and gravely. She also does indeterminate accents for her stepbrothers and other characters that work well. The pair make a great team, enhancing the story. Their tempos are equal and their performances complement one another.
After enjoying Rockaway Bride, I’ve come to realize that Pippa Grant is a new go-to author for me, sharing wonderful, silly romantic comedies with characters I have come to love.
My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: A-
June 26, 2018
Pippa is so amazing at turning any situation and scene into a hilarious, laugh out loud moment. There were so many times during this book that I had to sit my Kindle down to wipe the tears off my face from laughing so hard.
Willow is a prim and proper preschool teacher and stepdaughter to a king. She is not spontaneous or wild, and you would never see her color outside the lines.
Dax is a famous rock star who is down on his luck. Everything is falling apart, and he doesn't know how to make it right. After one drunken night, he decides to kidnap Willow the night before her wedding as ransom.
However, his plan turns in a cray whirlwind adventure of crazy strangers, wild antics, farm animals, nuns, and unbelievable circumstances.
Throughout the time, Dax and Willow begin to grow closer which surprises Dax. He is very outgoing, but only those close to him know the real Dax. He puts up a front that matches his rock star persona. When walls fall, these two have a decision to make...was what they felt real or just a product of a spontaneous, fun adventure that should never be repeated?
These characters and their friends keep getting better and better. They are such a tight knit group of friends who aren't always who they seem...especially Eloise. I am really hoping she gets her own story because she is such a mysterious, crazy character.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
Willow is a prim and proper preschool teacher and stepdaughter to a king. She is not spontaneous or wild, and you would never see her color outside the lines.
Dax is a famous rock star who is down on his luck. Everything is falling apart, and he doesn't know how to make it right. After one drunken night, he decides to kidnap Willow the night before her wedding as ransom.
However, his plan turns in a cray whirlwind adventure of crazy strangers, wild antics, farm animals, nuns, and unbelievable circumstances.
Throughout the time, Dax and Willow begin to grow closer which surprises Dax. He is very outgoing, but only those close to him know the real Dax. He puts up a front that matches his rock star persona. When walls fall, these two have a decision to make...was what they felt real or just a product of a spontaneous, fun adventure that should never be repeated?
These characters and their friends keep getting better and better. They are such a tight knit group of friends who aren't always who they seem...especially Eloise. I am really hoping she gets her own story because she is such a mysterious, crazy character.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
June 29, 2018
-Kacie, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The more books I read by Pippa Grant, the more I appreciate her weird and quirky writing style. And I mean weird and quirky in the best possible way. Her stories are all wonderfully unique, and I truly love that. This story is no different.
Willow is a preschool teacher, a singer in an all girl band, the step daughter of a king, and an all around good girl. She plays life safe. Until Dax. Dax is a singer in a band called Half Cocked Heroes. He is the text book bad boy rock star. Nothing seems to be going right for him lately! Until he kidnaps Willow. Dax might have kidnapped her, but she took control and made it an adventure of a lifetime. They weren’t perfect by any means, but with Dax’s grumpiness and Willow’s free spirit, they complimented each other well. And together they were combustible.
There are so many great things about this book that literally made me laugh out loud. There are so many great characters that I absolutely loved! I really can’t wait to read Eloise’s story.
The more books I read by Pippa Grant, the more I appreciate her weird and quirky writing style. And I mean weird and quirky in the best possible way. Her stories are all wonderfully unique, and I truly love that. This story is no different.
Willow is a preschool teacher, a singer in an all girl band, the step daughter of a king, and an all around good girl. She plays life safe. Until Dax. Dax is a singer in a band called Half Cocked Heroes. He is the text book bad boy rock star. Nothing seems to be going right for him lately! Until he kidnaps Willow. Dax might have kidnapped her, but she took control and made it an adventure of a lifetime. They weren’t perfect by any means, but with Dax’s grumpiness and Willow’s free spirit, they complimented each other well. And together they were combustible.
There are so many great things about this book that literally made me laugh out loud. There are so many great characters that I absolutely loved! I really can’t wait to read Eloise’s story.
July 10, 2018
4 Hilarious Stars
Initially I was worried that I wasn’t going to like this book because, frankly, Dax wasn’t really all that likeable to me. I pretty much adored Willow already and I just wasn’t sure I was going to approve of Dax for her.
However, once we finally get to see the real Dax who was hidden behind the vengeful musician I fell in love with him and Willow together.
Their adventure was full of that Pippa Grant hilarity and mishaps that we’ve all come to know and love but there was also a very meaningful undertone to everything they went through. Of course you can’t have a complete Pippa Grant story without a visit from the Berger twins and the rest of the gang adding to the craziness!!
If you’re a fan of donkeys, musicians and sexy, Royal stepbrothers then this is the book for you!
Initially I was worried that I wasn’t going to like this book because, frankly, Dax wasn’t really all that likeable to me. I pretty much adored Willow already and I just wasn’t sure I was going to approve of Dax for her.
However, once we finally get to see the real Dax who was hidden behind the vengeful musician I fell in love with him and Willow together.
Their adventure was full of that Pippa Grant hilarity and mishaps that we’ve all come to know and love but there was also a very meaningful undertone to everything they went through. Of course you can’t have a complete Pippa Grant story without a visit from the Berger twins and the rest of the gang adding to the craziness!!
If you’re a fan of donkeys, musicians and sexy, Royal stepbrothers then this is the book for you!
June 27, 2018
Seriously, I know. I say it EVERY. FREAKING. TIME I read a new Pippa book. But it's true. So I can't help it. She just gets better. Like every time I read one of her books, I think, that's it, I love it so freaking much, it just can't be topped. And then I read the next one and go, oh, fudgenuts, she topped it. How does she do this insane unicorn magic?? Seriously, a bad boy rocker who's down on his luck and a runaway bride/preschool teacher who's never stepped one toe over the line? Throw in handcuffs, nuns, a donkey, men fighting on stilts and more than one karaoke session and that doesn't even cover HALF of what's in this book. And in the end, the heroine has truly come into her own and the bad boy hero discovers he's really not bad at all. Absolute perfection.
October 7, 2021
4.25 Stars / 4 Steam Fans
Video review available in Week 37: Sep 12 – Sep 18, 2021, full weekly book reviews available on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.
For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Video review available in Week 37: Sep 12 – Sep 18, 2021, full weekly book reviews available on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.
For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
July 23, 2019
Hilariously ridiculous. How does one mess up a kidnapping that bad?
Also, love spuds 😂 I just about died
Also, love spuds 😂 I just about died
August 23, 2021
Finally - Willow's story, and what a story it was. So much fun, and I have to say the characters found themselves in some very interesting situations ;)
August 5, 2023
Was it completely ridiculous? Yep. But did I have a blast? Absolutely
First, I need to say that I read this through the Beach Reads anthology because every single time I tried to get it on KU it downloaded as Stud in the Stacks. Not sure if that was because I initially tried to get it during the technical glitch that I believe the author corrected, but it happened every single time I tried to download this story. Thankfully, it was available in full in the anthology, so I finally got to read it.
It’s so much fun. Completely over-the-top, borderline ridiculous, not all that believable, but realistic enough to be a fun journey.
Our heroine is about to get married to a guy that she clearly doesn’t want to marry. We meet her on the night before the wedding when her royal stepbrothers (yes, there’s royalty, rockstars, and billionaires mentioned in this story - who can be surprised that it’s so OTT?) get her drunk on mead. Then, the next morning, she wakes up on a boat in the North Sea hand cuffed to a rockstar. He’s trying to kidnap her because her fiancé stole all of his money. But there’s so much more ridiculousness to come.
Willow is a mess. She’s total people-pleaser who doesn’t do what she really wants to do because she doesn’t want to worry her mom. The same mom who left America (where Willow lives and works) to marry the king of a tiny country you’ve never heard of. She is a preschool teacher and the lead singer of a girl band that covers boy band pop songs. She has a really good heart. She wasn’t easy to read about because she has severe TSTL (too stupid to live) vibes. But she’s fun.
Our hero, Dax, has been through the freaking wringer lately and is not handling it well at all. He’s on his last string balancing on a tightrope above the hot mess express. But Willow helps him deal with it. I have to mention that it’s alluded to multiple times that he has piercings in interesting places, but never confirmed. It’s a plot hole that upset me greatly, for the record. But overall, I liked him. He was the grump to Willow’s sunshine, and I really enjoyed them together.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But is it a wonderful little escape from the frustrations of life that will make you laugh and make your heart happy? Yes it is. I can’t give it five stars because I wanted more from the story and less. I wanted plot holes like piercing explained. There were so many mentions of other characters in the Pippaverse that it was actually pretty difficult to keep everything straight in my head. And everything happened so quickly that it made the story feel rushed. But I was absolutely entertained. So four stars.
There is spice. It’s not bad spice, but not necessarily good spice. It’s there, but it doesn’t feel like it’s too much. Do I recommend? Yes. You wanna laugh at completely OTT antics that actually seem realistic in the world they’re built in? Then pick this up and get ready to giggle your way through it!
First, I need to say that I read this through the Beach Reads anthology because every single time I tried to get it on KU it downloaded as Stud in the Stacks. Not sure if that was because I initially tried to get it during the technical glitch that I believe the author corrected, but it happened every single time I tried to download this story. Thankfully, it was available in full in the anthology, so I finally got to read it.
It’s so much fun. Completely over-the-top, borderline ridiculous, not all that believable, but realistic enough to be a fun journey.
Our heroine is about to get married to a guy that she clearly doesn’t want to marry. We meet her on the night before the wedding when her royal stepbrothers (yes, there’s royalty, rockstars, and billionaires mentioned in this story - who can be surprised that it’s so OTT?) get her drunk on mead. Then, the next morning, she wakes up on a boat in the North Sea hand cuffed to a rockstar. He’s trying to kidnap her because her fiancé stole all of his money. But there’s so much more ridiculousness to come.
Willow is a mess. She’s total people-pleaser who doesn’t do what she really wants to do because she doesn’t want to worry her mom. The same mom who left America (where Willow lives and works) to marry the king of a tiny country you’ve never heard of. She is a preschool teacher and the lead singer of a girl band that covers boy band pop songs. She has a really good heart. She wasn’t easy to read about because she has severe TSTL (too stupid to live) vibes. But she’s fun.
Our hero, Dax, has been through the freaking wringer lately and is not handling it well at all. He’s on his last string balancing on a tightrope above the hot mess express. But Willow helps him deal with it. I have to mention that it’s alluded to multiple times that he has piercings in interesting places, but never confirmed. It’s a plot hole that upset me greatly, for the record. But overall, I liked him. He was the grump to Willow’s sunshine, and I really enjoyed them together.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But is it a wonderful little escape from the frustrations of life that will make you laugh and make your heart happy? Yes it is. I can’t give it five stars because I wanted more from the story and less. I wanted plot holes like piercing explained. There were so many mentions of other characters in the Pippaverse that it was actually pretty difficult to keep everything straight in my head. And everything happened so quickly that it made the story feel rushed. But I was absolutely entertained. So four stars.
There is spice. It’s not bad spice, but not necessarily good spice. It’s there, but it doesn’t feel like it’s too much. Do I recommend? Yes. You wanna laugh at completely OTT antics that actually seem realistic in the world they’re built in? Then pick this up and get ready to giggle your way through it!
July 4, 2018
This was my first Pippa Grant book and it was awesome!!! I had so much fun reading this book! For some reason I have been on a reading frenzy these past few weeks, reading a book to 2 to even 3 books (on weekends) a day and I hit the jackpot when I saw this one being mentioned. I had just finished another book and was thinking about taking a break (maybe clean the house!) but then I came across this book something about it just drew me in. Normally I would not really be interested in the whole misunderstanding storyline or one side disliking the other, but something about Willow's character got me to click it.
This book was hilarious!!! I read a few reviews about it and people were saying how funny this book was. I've read books where I was laughing so much my stomach hurt, but its been awhile (1st few books of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series). This book was definitely one of those. Its true, do not drink anything while reading this!
I so loved Willow, I didn't read any of the other books so I was not familiar with how she came across in those books but it seemed like she was the quiet, good girl, preschool teacher who never took chances and seemed afraid to live. Well that sure changed in her book. She went on an adventure and it was all awesome! Nuns, cows, chasing chickens, donkeys, stilt fighters oh it was so fun!
And poor Dax, I felt so sorry for this guy!! I'm not too much of a fan of rock stars in my books, but I didn't mind so much in this one. His only thought was to get his money back and then finally get back on his feet again. So funny from kidnapper to kidnappee, so funny!!
Overall, I loooooved this book, I really needed rom-coms so today was a great read day for me. Majority of the books I've been reading has been more on the darker side, so I really really needed to read Pippa Grant!
This book was hilarious!!! I read a few reviews about it and people were saying how funny this book was. I've read books where I was laughing so much my stomach hurt, but its been awhile (1st few books of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series). This book was definitely one of those. Its true, do not drink anything while reading this!
I so loved Willow, I didn't read any of the other books so I was not familiar with how she came across in those books but it seemed like she was the quiet, good girl, preschool teacher who never took chances and seemed afraid to live. Well that sure changed in her book. She went on an adventure and it was all awesome! Nuns, cows, chasing chickens, donkeys, stilt fighters oh it was so fun!
And poor Dax, I felt so sorry for this guy!! I'm not too much of a fan of rock stars in my books, but I didn't mind so much in this one. His only thought was to get his money back and then finally get back on his feet again. So funny from kidnapper to kidnappee, so funny!!
Overall, I loooooved this book, I really needed rom-coms so today was a great read day for me. Majority of the books I've been reading has been more on the darker side, so I really really needed to read Pippa Grant!
August 10, 2018
This marks the first (and probably only) book I've found via a Facebook ad. The premise is cute, the extract is funny, and it's available in KU. Why not?
Well, there's definitely some humor, but a lot of it is so over the top that it verges on the ridiculous. The adventure that the characters embark upon is totally unrealistic. And there are clearly back stories to Willow and her friends that aren't explained in this book (which is labeled as a stand alone).
So, I got through it and didn't despise it. But that's about as positive as I can be about it right now.
Well, there's definitely some humor, but a lot of it is so over the top that it verges on the ridiculous. The adventure that the characters embark upon is totally unrealistic. And there are clearly back stories to Willow and her friends that aren't explained in this book (which is labeled as a stand alone).
So, I got through it and didn't despise it. But that's about as positive as I can be about it right now.
June 29, 2018
What do you get when you combine a down-on-his-luck rock star God with a sweet preschool teacher run-away-bride? The best crazy road trip ever!!!!
Willow is amazing. Sassy, crazy, caring. I want to be her friend. Dax is everything you want your super hot rocker boyfriend to be. And their trip?? Epic! Crazed donkeys, a bus full of nuns, random cow humor. I wanted in on their crazy European adventure!!
Definitely a memorable story. Can't wait to read more!
Willow is amazing. Sassy, crazy, caring. I want to be her friend. Dax is everything you want your super hot rocker boyfriend to be. And their trip?? Epic! Crazed donkeys, a bus full of nuns, random cow humor. I wanted in on their crazy European adventure!!
Definitely a memorable story. Can't wait to read more!
July 23, 2018
This was my least favorite book in this series. However, it was still a great book and I would recommend it. I will continue to read the next books in the series. Still hilariously funny. I mostly didn’t like the ending as much as the other ones. It was a HEA and it wasn’t.
September 27, 2019
Super cute
Loved it but was hoping for a confrontation from Martin. Other than that the rest of the book was amazing and funny
Loved it but was hoping for a confrontation from Martin. Other than that the rest of the book was amazing and funny
February 28, 2020
3.5-4 stars. Imma just be honest.. I wish I could figure out how the order of these books. Despite not being part of a series this book is a part of the world Pippa has created and it involves one of the 5 girl Bffs. I am trying to read them all but there isn't any direction as to which books go where in the series so I've read them all out of order creating spoilers. I didn't even realize Willow had a book until I read Hero and the Hactivist and discovered that all the girls had dudes... I just wish she would lump them into a series with numbers so I would stop getting all the spoilers lol. That all being said of course this is a complete stand alone and the only down side is that you may get spoilers about the other girls or even the Berger family if you don't read things in order.. BTW I still haven't found Ares story.. but I digress.
Pippa Grant has the most amazing sense of humor. While this book isn't "as funny" as the others I have read in this world.. Its still an uproariously and completely ridiculous good time. Willow and Dax do have great chemistry.. I will say that as far as dudes in this series go he is one of the least rounded characters but still good. The adventures these two have all because Willow seems to be hell bent on living her #best life.. are more than hilarious and poor Dax just gets dragged along for the ride. I like the development of the characters here, how they grow and fill the aspects of life they have been missing out on. I also really like how Willow gets to let loose in this book and has now become one of my favorite of the 5 ladies, whereas before she seemed so mousy and a pushover.
Super entertaining read. Just want to say that my star power awarded here reflects how I felt about this book in relation to the other books I've read in this world by Pippa more so than all books in the romantic comedy Genre. If your looking for a good time look no further.. but start with the first one, which for these 5 girls would be Mister McHottie. That way you don't get the spoilerage!
Pippa Grant has the most amazing sense of humor. While this book isn't "as funny" as the others I have read in this world.. Its still an uproariously and completely ridiculous good time. Willow and Dax do have great chemistry.. I will say that as far as dudes in this series go he is one of the least rounded characters but still good. The adventures these two have all because Willow seems to be hell bent on living her #best life.. are more than hilarious and poor Dax just gets dragged along for the ride. I like the development of the characters here, how they grow and fill the aspects of life they have been missing out on. I also really like how Willow gets to let loose in this book and has now become one of my favorite of the 5 ladies, whereas before she seemed so mousy and a pushover.
Super entertaining read. Just want to say that my star power awarded here reflects how I felt about this book in relation to the other books I've read in this world by Pippa more so than all books in the romantic comedy Genre. If your looking for a good time look no further.. but start with the first one, which for these 5 girls would be Mister McHottie. That way you don't get the spoilerage!
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