Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Riviera #2

A Wedding on the Riviera

Rate this book
A return to the Riviera on the trail of a runaway groom ...

When out-of-work actor Ryan Calder attends a wedding as the plus-one of successful businesswoman, Nadine Wells, he doesn’t expect to get in a scuffle with the groom.

But Ryan has a good reason. He recognises the groom from another wedding where the same man made a quick getaway, taking the wedding money and leaving a heartbroken bride in his wake. It seems he's struck again, and Nadine's poor friend is the target.

Ryan and Nadine decide they can’t let it happen to another woman, so with a group of friends they hatch a plan that will take them to the French Riviera, hot on the heels of the crooked groom. But could their scheme to bring him to justice also succeed in bringing them closer together?

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2020

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Evonne Wareham

12 books46 followers
Evonne Wareham writes romantic suspense set in her native Wales and in favourite holiday destinations in Europe. She lives on the South Wales coast, where she walks on the beach, watches the rain and procrastinates.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
186 (44%)
4 stars
132 (31%)
3 stars
70 (16%)
2 stars
21 (5%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Brenda.
5,229 reviews3,039 followers
September 30, 2020
4.5s

Ryan Calder was Nadine Wells’ plus-one at her best friend Karen’s wedding and although he admired Nadine, this was just his job. When Ryan thought he recognized the groom from a previous wedding, he didn’t know what to do. But in the end, when the groom attempted a quick get away on the back of a motorcycle, Ryan acted. Bruises and a black eye followed for Ryan, but the groom still escaped.

With Jake and Cassie on their side, Nadine and Ryan created a plan to catch the wedding scammer in the act. Slowly but surely, they dangled the bait, and before long the would-be groom took it. A wedding on the Riviera would be every woman’s dream, planning the wedding a delight. But would their plan work? It was a dangerous one, with the fine line they were treading threatening to break. They needed it to work…

The Wedding on the Riviera is the 2nd in the Riviera series by Evonne Wareham and I really enjoyed it. The plot was unusual and intriguing, different to anything I’ve read before; the characters well played. Drama, extravagance, conspiracies and romance make The Wedding on the Riviera a great read. Recommended.

With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Els .
2,307 reviews55 followers
September 22, 2020
About 3 years ago this author wrote a great summer read starring Cassie and Jake. Ryan also played a rather important role in their story. In my review I begged the author to please, please write a sequel and my prayers have been heard. A few hours ago I finished another wonderful book by her. Cassie and Jake are present, but the focus is on Ryan this time.

I like romance, but not the too sickly sweet kind. A perfect counterpart is adding a dash of suspense, to spice it all up a bit. This is what happens here and I loved it. There is a perfect balance between those two main ingredients.

A con artist that has to be stopped and a blossoming love affair. Do you want to know how it all works out? Grab your copy and enjoy this very entertaining read.

Maybe I should give it another try. After all, you never know. Could you, please, give us a third part? 5 stars

Thank you, Evonne Wareham and Choc Lit

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
Profile Image for Frankie.
1,043 reviews75 followers
October 5, 2020
How come I have never read this author before now?

It’s another case of me living in a bubble and not taking notice of the world around me, but now I have discovered Evonne Wareham I am definitely on the hunt for more of her books. I loved her cheerful, light-hearted and magical writing, I was certainly hooked with the story the moment I met luscious Ryan…and off course the other character’s, but you know me, I do tend to become somewhat possessive over the heroes, and when they are as drop-dead gorgeous and sexy as this man is, well who can blame me?

The story starts with a bang, where gorgeous, sultry, enigmatic, sexy as hell….I need to take a moment he just to gaze wistfully off into the distance…sigh!!

Right, where was I?… So, out of work actor; Ryan Calder is ‘on duty’ escorting vivacious widow Nadine to a friends wedding. It’s while sitting there daydreaming about the beautiful woman beside him and what he would like them to do together, that he spots something a little odd, something he has seen before and before anyone knows it he is in hot pursuit of the groom something that leads him to throw a few punches and nearly getting himself run over.

After all, he knows about the groom is revealed, he and Nadine take it upon themselves to track down this villain and makes sure that he doesn’t do the same to another poor, unsuspecting woman and this is where the fun and high jinx begin. I loved following Ryan and Nadine as they not only try to find and stop this dastardly villain but the more they spend time with each and they more than soon see that there is a connection that won’t fizzle out once their job is completed. We know from the first chapter that our Ryan is really smitten with her, and I really enjoyed her discovering that and realising that; yes there can be goodness and love in her life again.

I really, really enjoyed this book, it’s cheerful, romantic, sexy – yup, it does make you a little hot under the collar in particular scenes…oh, Ryan!! …I liked that this wasn’t predictable, it keeps you guessing and doesn’t follow any well laid plan to happily ever after, it’s clever and original.

A Wedding in the Riviera is a cheerful romantic comedy with a hint of crime and danger, the relationship between Ryan and Nadine starts as very professional but you just know that these two are so made for each other, the chemistry is sizzling but due to something which is revealed as you read they don’t plough headfirst into bed and I really liked that, I liked watching as they really got to know each other.

Overall, this is a great read, perfect for those cosy evenings sitting at home with a cuppa, or escaping for a few hours into the garden to be whisked away.
Profile Image for Marsha Keeper Bookshelf.
4,290 reviews88 followers
September 25, 2020
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

“A Wedding on the Riviera” continues the “Riviera” series with a fast-paced, funny, charming story that captured my attention on the first page and held me in its grip until the end. Although you could read this story as a stand-alone title, it does bring back characters from “Summer in San Remo” as secondary characters. This story is not Jake and Cassie’s but they do play a part in the antics, danger, and just plain fun going on with Ryan as the focus this time around. I would suggest also picking up “Summer in San Remo“, if you can, and getting all the juicy details of these engaging romances.

Nadine and Ryan are heading to a wedding, so are friends, Cassie and Jake. When Ryan recognizes the groom, chaos rules because this guy is a nasty piece of work who steals money, ruins lives, and breaks innocent hearts without a thought or care as he dashes from the altar with all the woman’s money firmly in his grasp. These four friends are not going to let that happen to Nadine’s friend, so a plot is hatched to catch this scum… and it involves another sort of wedding plan.

Usually, Nadine, a wealthy widow, and businesswoman would hire Ryan as her plus-one at events, yet over time, their relationship has moved from friendly to having emotional feelings for each other – falling in love wasn’t part of the plan, but love rarely pays attention to anyone’s plan. In order to get this criminal to go after Nadine (as bait) in order for this group to capture him and hand him over to the police, Ryan is going to have to watch the woman he’s falling for placed in danger and be with another man who cares little for the women he encounters and steals from. There is danger in this plan but everyone is willing to go forward with it.

“A Wedding on the Riviera” is a delightful experience combining danger, romance, friendship, and all these beautiful locations into a story that you will want to devour… but savor it, it’s worth the time for a leisurely read to enjoy all the details. I loved watching Nadine and Ryan falling in love, taking the risks that loving someone involves. There is definite steam between them, but the friendship and the love are just as real as their chemistry. It was great fun catching up with Cassie and Jake again… I’m hoping for another story in this world one day soon. I had such fun back in this world, and I’m betting you would, too.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Choc Lit/Ruby Fiction. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
43 reviews
December 27, 2020
Another great read from Evonne! Thank you. This was brilliant. A much needed read with lots of drama, friendship and wedding excitement. The story itself had some great twists and the characters were totally relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The two main characters, Ryan and Nadine attend a wedding. Ryan is an actor (but just hasn't had his big break yet), he works in a bar and also provides a "plus one" service (who happens to be Nadine in this case). The book follows on from Summer in San Remo - but you do not have to read that first. The wedding they attend seems familiar to Ryan and during the photo's he realises he has seen the groom before - only problem is the groom is speeding off on a motorbike with the brides money - turns out he is a serial runaway groom! (Not sure if that also counts as a bigamist - but that doesn't spoil the story :)) Nadine's good friend Jake runs a Private Detective agency and starts his own private investigation on the groom (John Thackeray) and the group hatch a plan to create a fake wedding of their own. The fake wedding is to be set in France on the Riveria. Nadine is to be the bride but Ryan struggles with this as he has feelings for her. He doesn't act on them as he thinks Nadine is totally out of his league. Nadine has feelings for Ryan too, but doesn't think he would be interested in her. During the planning stage, her best friend Cassie realises and tries her best to get them together and tell each other how they feel. Meanwhile, Nadine has to pretend she has feelings for John (fake groom) who seems to be getting more and more shiffty. The story is fluid, is easy to follow and is great for the imagination.
188 reviews
September 18, 2020
This book features characters from Summer in San Remo however this book can be read as a standalone (although I would highly recommend the reading the first one as it’s excellent).
Cassie and Jake are in attendance at a wedding of an associate along with Ryan and Nadine, who is being paid by Nadine to be her escort when the Groom does a runner and it turns out he is a scam artist.
As Jake and Cassie run a Private Detective Agency they decide to try and get to the bottom of the scam with the assistance of Ryan and Nadine. Nadine is going to be the bait for the con artist but the only problem with that is that she has fallen in love with Ryan and the feeling is mutual so how will he cope seeing his new love with another man, even if it is purely business?
This is a wonderful read that I enjoyed immensely and I like the fact that although Jake and Cassie are in this the focus is not on them for this book.
I would recommend this book if you want a great read based in the gorgeous Riviera, beautiful Bath and Bristol.
Thank you to Choc-Lit for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review, which is completely my own
Profile Image for Joanne.
1,592 reviews47 followers
September 22, 2020
A Wedding on the Riviera is about a group of friends who are determined to track down and entrap a man who has been defrauding women of lots of money and doing it in a most cruel way – by pretending they are going to be married, then ditching them at the altar. The scene is set for some drama as the friends set up a fake dating profile to try to reel the man in and stop this happening to any more women.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the romance element between two of the characters Ryan and Nadine. Originally their relationship had been purely professional as young widow Nadine hired actor Ryan as her plus one for events. Before too long there was simmering sexual tension and growing attraction between the two. The professional pretence was spilling over into real life. There were definitely some scenes to get you hot under the collar, particularly when the two decided they couldn’t act upon their desires for reasons which will become clear when you read the book.

The plotline about hunting down the runaway groom was entertaining and engaging with a hint of danger too. The author takes the reader on a virtual trip which includes Bath, Bristol and the beautiful French Riviera. And yes I would quite like to be there just now – maybe next year!
Profile Image for Karen Mace.
2,454 reviews86 followers
October 2, 2020
A story that is a brilliant escape from the reality of life!! It has excitement and mystery galore in a beautiful setting and I loved reconnecting with characters from the first in the series, although this can easily be read as a standalone.

Ryan is used to being the plus one at weddings in the line of work that he does! And the more times he spends with Nadine, the harder he finds it to feel a real connection with her and that is really put to the test when they all pull together to try and thwart a serial runaway groom from scamming his next bridal victim. When Nadine puts herself forward as the 'guineapig' fake bride, can Ryan bear to see her with someone else as she tries to lure 'Hemingway' into another wedding.

Nadine seems to quite enjoy the subterfuge in this one, although in dealing with a man who has pulled this stunt a number of times, she always needs to be on her toes so she doesn't mess up the plan and I loved how quickly she had to think on her feet sometimes to try and stay one step ahead of the sneaky scoundrel!!

Another brilliant and absorbing story from Evonne full of romance and drama galore!! Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Isabelle D.
452 reviews
September 6, 2020
Linked to Summer in San Remo (the main characters of that book are in this one too, as are others) but perfectly readable as a stand-alone, this new story takes the reader from Bath and Bristol to the French Riviera as part of a plan to "con a con artist". Not an easy task, especially as the heroine, who wants nothing more than starting a relationship with the hero, has to pretend to fall in love with the villain they want to bring to justice. I really enjoyed finding out how convincing Nadine could be in her role, and how it affected her and Ryan. Catching up with Cassie and Jake from the previous book was a nice bonus.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Monica Mac.
1,718 reviews43 followers
September 28, 2020
When I first starting reading this book, I didn't realise it was the second in a series but then I kept on reading about an incident that had happened in the past and I twigged. It can easily be read as a standalone though.

I really loved this book!! Very easy to read, main characters very likeable, nice bit of romance without being sleazy – what’s not to love!

Nadine is a lovely woman who lost her husband early and who employs Ryan as her escort for functions and the like. Ryan is an actor who hasn’t cracked the big time but has the talent to do so. Both of them are so nice, but vulnerable when needed. Ryan is a complex character but has a good heart. He mentions his family, and the story is told from both his and Nadine’s POV, which works.

Highly recommend this book.

5 stars from me.

946 reviews15 followers
November 9, 2022
Well I certainly wasn't expecting that! I thought I had bought a copy romance book and it turned out to be something quite different and quite better.
Yes this book does have a lovely romantic tale running through it but it's also a really great detective novel too. Now that secondary title would automatically put me of but stop!
This is great, a man who romances a woman all the way up to their wedding day and after the service does a runner.
Such an unusual tale and great characters. I also loved that it was told from the points of view of our two main protagonist's.
I will certainly look out for other books by this author. Great writing and an intriguing tale.
189 reviews4 followers
September 22, 2020
This is a glorious mix of crime, romance and friendship. The author has worked all the elements together in a very easy and clever way. It kept me turning the pages and I read this in one go! Just did not want to put it down! Ryan and Nadine are worthy heroes of the romance which goes from UK to France and back. They are backed up by their friends to form a tight group to find the criminal who has been targeting susceptible women. A novel crime but realistically portrayed. Enjoy with a bar or two of chocolate to keep you going as I am sure like me you will not to stop reading.
Profile Image for Donna Morgan.
57 reviews
September 22, 2020
Story of Ryan who is a Private Investigator working for Jake McQuire’s company looking into a runaway groom who cons wealthy women by proposing to them and taking large sums of money off them to pay for the wedding. The conman then runs off after the ceremony on the big day along with the money. Nadine is the next mark but she is helping Jake to try and bring him to justice. However, will things go to plan?
Interesting opening with the wedding & the groom running off. Pleased it wasn’t predictable.
Profile Image for Isobel.
102 reviews
September 28, 2020
This really is a great escape. The idea of the story is quite wild but the characters are so warm and have such good relationships with each other that it does not matter, they could do anything and you would want to go with them. I grew up in the Bath/Bristol area and this added to the fun but there is plenty to enjoy if you don't know the area. Who would not want to go the the Riviera just as autumn starts to make wearing a cardigan a good idea! I'm looking forward to reading this again already.
Author 2 books12 followers
June 3, 2021
Magical trip to the Riviera drenched in sunshine, romance and mystery.
‘A Wedding on the Riviera’ is a smoking hot romance entangled with an intriguing mystery. The runaway groom hooked me from the outset. An intricately woven plot ensured I escaped to the Riviera, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath. Wonderful writing took me into the heart and soul of Nadine and Ryan and made me yearn for their happiness. I absolutely loved the tension created by the dubious dealing of Thackery. Drama, romance and glamour are packed into the novel. Will the perfect plan to catch a thief be thwarted? Read it!
Profile Image for Angela Britnell.
Author 54 books104 followers
September 27, 2020
I loved this fast-paced story centred around a wedding on the glamorous Riviera and a runaway groom! I can’t believe I missed reading Summer in San Remo (the first in this fun series) but will be rectifying that soon. It didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book though as it can easily be read as a standalone story. Everything about the larger than life characters and over the top setting whisked me away from everyday life – the perfect remedy for these trying times!
Profile Image for Michelle.
262 reviews3 followers
March 3, 2025
Second in series and a return to the Riviera. Ryan, an out of work actor is also a part time bartender and escort. Whilst escorting Nadine, a successful businesswoman to a wedding, he gets into a scuffle with the groom who he recognises from a previous wedding! Could this be a scam at play? They decide to try to delve further and see if he can be brought to justice! Thought at first this might be too girlie for me but I found it an enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Yvonne Greene.
80 reviews1 follower
September 22, 2020
Adored this story! Ryan is an out of work actor, working as a paid escort to rich women. Nadine is one of those women. What happens when he falls for her? Throw in a crooked runaway groom and the romance of the Riviera and you have a perfect mix of adventure and who knows what else! Thoroughly enjoyable story and who wouldn’t fall for the gorgeous Ryan!!
93 reviews
September 22, 2020
Another good read from Ms Wareham – a feisty heroine with a hunky hero, a bit of a different story, and some updating on characters we had met before, with an interesting and unexpected little twist at the end. I can’t really say more without giving spoilers, I can only suggest that you read if for yourself! I think you will find it worth the effort, I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for megs.
400 reviews35 followers
June 4, 2022
2.5 stars.

It was okay. I think the book just was not for me and for a more elderly audience. The romance was sweet but it felt incomplete and rather dissatisfying as the book felt more of a murder mystery than a romance and it focused quite often on the previous couple when i feel the attention should’ve been more on the intended main couple.
115 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2023
Book 2 of Riviera series was as good as the 1st. I enjoy the romance and the thrill and mystery in the story line. I also enjoyed continuation of the story of Jake and Cassie and the romance between Ryan and Nadine. A few unexpected twists and turns which made it hard to put my kindle down. Thank you Evonne Wareham.
31 reviews1 follower
October 1, 2020


Evocatively written conjuring up the beauty and warmth of the French Riviera while also being intriguing and page turning, capturing my attention and lulling me into its characters as they track down a serial con man who marries women then leaves them at the alter.



Profile Image for Betty.
662 reviews6 followers
August 27, 2021
This is the 2nd book in a series, so do read the other one first. You will already have met some of the characters and everything makes more sense.

I loved this book. It is well written, has a really exciting premise and it ends just the way it should. Can heartily recommend it for romance and mystery combined.
7 reviews
February 15, 2021
Wonderful book

Wonderful book and kept me turning the pages at what was coming next . Romantic ending what fairy tales are made of
Profile Image for Sal.
462 reviews3 followers
August 27, 2022
Despite this being a follow on book I read this as a stand-alone and it was fine. A sweet read with likeable characters and a good storyline.
263 reviews
September 19, 2022
It’s odd - 2 of my friends said keep with it - it gets better but l enjoyed it from the beginning but thought the end a wee bit week. Odd how different we all are.
Profile Image for Paul.
91 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2022
This felt like a good idea for a story and was OK for the most part but I felt it lost its way a bit at the end. It was easy to read though and entertaining enough.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews