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Carolina Cove #1
Seascapes and Vegas Mistakes
When a Las Vegas prank turns into an accidental and very legal marriage, Isabel Shipley is dead set on getting a discreet and hasty divorce. The last thing the struggling artist wants is to admit to her family she's screwed up—again—but Everett Drake's desire to give their marriage a chance proves hard to resist.
Billionaire Everett Drake is as surprised as Isabel to find himself married to a virtual stranger. But what's done is done and arranged marriages have succeeded with less than the chemistry he and Isabel share..Isabel checks all the boxes—minus her determination to divorce.
Can two people from two very different worlds find the common ground that will make a marriage work—or will they have to admit defeat and end their Vegas mistake?
Billionaire Everett Drake is as surprised as Isabel to find himself married to a virtual stranger. But what's done is done and arranged marriages have succeeded with less than the chemistry he and Isabel share..Isabel checks all the boxes—minus her determination to divorce.
Can two people from two very different worlds find the common ground that will make a marriage work—or will they have to admit defeat and end their Vegas mistake?
250 pages, ebook
Published April 18, 2022
1342 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
Kay Lyons
140 books55 followersPseudonym: Ivy James (slightly sexier stories) and Kay Stockham
Kay Lyons always wanted to be a writer, ever since the age of seven or eight when she copied the pictures out of a Charlie Brown book and rewrote the story because she didn’t like the plot.
Through the years her stories have changed but one characteristic stayed true— they were all romances. Each and every one of her manuscripts included a love story. Published in 2005 with Harlequin Enterprises, Kay’s first release was a #7 bestseller. Kay has also been a HOLT Medallion, Book Buyers Best and RITA Award nominee.
Kay's books are known for their heartfelt and emotional storytelling, focusing on themes of love, redemption, and personal growth. Her novels feature well-developed characters who navigate through life's challenges, finding love and new beginnings along the way. Set in charming small-town environments from mountains to beaches, her stories are filled with warmth, friendships, family dynamics, and a strong sense of community. Kay's writing is appreciated for its depth, relatable characters, and the emotional journeys her protagonists undergo. Her books are a blend of sweet and swoony romance that resonate with readers.
If you like slightly sexier books, check out Kay's alter-ego Ivy James. Kay currently focuses on sweet, small town contemporary romance while Ivy James' titles contain love scenes and mild language. Several of Kay's series have alternative versions by Ivy James, and you can find the list below. Just remember Kay Lyons' books are sweet/clean and wholesome, and Ivy James' are sexy.
Stone Gap Mountain Series (Ivy James) = Stone River Series (Kay Lyons)
Tennessee Tulanes Series (Ivy James) = Taming The Tulanes Series (Kay Lyons)
Montana Skies Series (Ivy James) = Montana Secrets Series (Kay Lyons)
Redeeming Love Series (Ivy James) = Small Town Scandals Series (Kay Lyons)
The Crash Before Christmas (Ivy James) = Secret Santa 1 (Kay Lyons)
Kay Lyons always wanted to be a writer, ever since the age of seven or eight when she copied the pictures out of a Charlie Brown book and rewrote the story because she didn’t like the plot.
Through the years her stories have changed but one characteristic stayed true— they were all romances. Each and every one of her manuscripts included a love story. Published in 2005 with Harlequin Enterprises, Kay’s first release was a #7 bestseller. Kay has also been a HOLT Medallion, Book Buyers Best and RITA Award nominee.
Kay's books are known for their heartfelt and emotional storytelling, focusing on themes of love, redemption, and personal growth. Her novels feature well-developed characters who navigate through life's challenges, finding love and new beginnings along the way. Set in charming small-town environments from mountains to beaches, her stories are filled with warmth, friendships, family dynamics, and a strong sense of community. Kay's writing is appreciated for its depth, relatable characters, and the emotional journeys her protagonists undergo. Her books are a blend of sweet and swoony romance that resonate with readers.
If you like slightly sexier books, check out Kay's alter-ego Ivy James. Kay currently focuses on sweet, small town contemporary romance while Ivy James' titles contain love scenes and mild language. Several of Kay's series have alternative versions by Ivy James, and you can find the list below. Just remember Kay Lyons' books are sweet/clean and wholesome, and Ivy James' are sexy.
Stone Gap Mountain Series (Ivy James) = Stone River Series (Kay Lyons)
Tennessee Tulanes Series (Ivy James) = Taming The Tulanes Series (Kay Lyons)
Montana Skies Series (Ivy James) = Montana Secrets Series (Kay Lyons)
Redeeming Love Series (Ivy James) = Small Town Scandals Series (Kay Lyons)
The Crash Before Christmas (Ivy James) = Secret Santa 1 (Kay Lyons)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 24, 2023
The book is highly predictable. I started skimming near the end, because I already knew how it ends. Then you have the begining of the next book in the series and there goes this gem of a sentence "Tessa wore a dress twenty years too young for her sixty-two-year-old body,"
What TF is this supposed to mean?? Especially if the next sentence explains that said Tessa (also having a small part in the first book) exercises a lot and has a great body. What is it if not ageism? The writer is not going to have any business from me.
What TF is this supposed to mean?? Especially if the next sentence explains that said Tessa (also having a small part in the first book) exercises a lot and has a great body. What is it if not ageism? The writer is not going to have any business from me.
December 30, 2022
Fun plot…
Totally unreal, but an entertaining story. I could wish for a more confident main character, but Izzy stayed true the entire story. The “Boardwalk Babes” are an interesting twist that bring ten characters into the story and opens up a whole bunch of future stories.
Totally unreal, but an entertaining story. I could wish for a more confident main character, but Izzy stayed true the entire story. The “Boardwalk Babes” are an interesting twist that bring ten characters into the story and opens up a whole bunch of future stories.
February 27, 2024
Fascinating Plot, Frustrating Characters
Kay Lyons opens her Carolina Cove series with a fascinating story that roped me in from the beginning! Isabel (“Izzy”) wakes up in Las Vegas to a rumpled bed and the sound of someone else in the shower. She’s horrified at having a one-night stand and rushes to the airport to catch her plane home to Carolina Cove, an island off the coast of Wilmington. Her friend Amelia asks about her ring, and Izzy realizes she didn’t have a one-night stand—she slept with her new husband!
Billionaire Everett wonders where his bride went, so he hires his assistant to search for her online and finds that she’s an artist who dropped out of community college, beauty school, and real estate classes. She sees herself as a failure; he sees a woman whose family tried to suppress her dreams and get a “real” job. They met at a bar, drank a lot, decided to prank her cousin and his fraternity brother, Michael, by staging a fake wedding…then walked into a real chapel and got really married by mistake! Everett tracks down Izzy’s address and interrupts Amelia’s baby shower, hosted at Izzy’s mom’s house by the mom and her fellow “Boardwalk Babes”, a semi-famous friend group of five sixty-somethings who bonded like sisters and whose children are honorary “cousins”. (Michael is one of Izzy’s “cousins”, born to another Babe, her “aunt”.)
Izzy is even more horrified to know the marriage is real, but her insistence on getting it annulled is deemed impossible by Everett because they consummated the union! She then insists that they divorce, though she thinks it will be “the cherry on top” of her failure sundae. Everett disagrees.
Everett confides in Michael about the prank gone wrong. Michael advises him to romance his wife—odd to Americans but common in cultures where marriages are arranged. Izzy confides in Amelia, and both swear their confidants to secrecy.
Izzy, who Everett always calls “Isabel”, tells him she’s not pregnant, so he can go. Again, Everett disagrees. The Babes found him irresistible and want to see more of “Izzy’s friend”, and he’s willing to accede to their wishes. Together they attend a brunch, which Izzy compares to a firing squad, and fend off the Babes’ innuendo about their “friendship”.
One of Michael’s suggestions is to try a new activity together. Despite being a Carolina Cove native, Izzy hasn’t experienced many local attractions, so Everett takes her to the lighthouse and on a boat ride. The more time they spend together, the more certain he becomes that they can make their accidental marriage work. Izzy, however, digs in her heels and insists they end a marriage she thinks was a drunken mistake. Once more, Everett disagrees.
Izzy paints obsessively, first using the sea as her inspiration but then painting Everett, calling the canvas “Heartbreak”. That should be her first clue that she doesn’t want a divorce as much as she claims!
Everett’s next step in wooing his wife is to use his contacts in New York’s art world to secure her interviews with some gallery owners about showing her artwork and letting the people buy it if they like what they see. When she steps into his penthouse, Izzy is floored by the way the windows show off the city—and by the studio Everett set up for her. Using New York as her new inspiration, Izzy completes three canvases in two days.
The interviews go well, and Izzy chooses a show that will allow her to stage her paintings as if they’re decorating a model home. It’s expensive, but Everett offers to buy what she needs. Izzy balks, thinking it would put her in his debt, but Everett convinces her it’s not a competition. The show is a great success, with all the paintings and most of the staging accessories selling that night. She’s so overwhelmed she can’t stand upright, and when Everett carries her into his penthouse, rather than going into her own bedroom she steps across the hall into his. The couple again consummate their marriage, for real this time.
But there’s trouble ahead. Izzy awakens first and sees the divorce papers Everett had his lawyer prepare on spec. She had told him that she didn’t care about his money or want anything from him, and the settlement offends her so badly that she writes a nasty note on top before taking a cab to the airport and joining her parents and the Babes on Everett’s private jet back to Carolina Cove.
In a scene straight out of every romantic movie, Everett reads her message and tells his driver to take him to the airport right away. He runs to the jet, boards, and waits through Izzy’s tearful “you tried to buy me” outburst before confessing his love and asking her to marry him. She gets over herself, says yes, and lets the Babes plan a wedding that already happened!
Izzy bothered me at first, ignoring the progress in her own heart. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish—and it finishes happily! Highly recommended.
Kay Lyons opens her Carolina Cove series with a fascinating story that roped me in from the beginning! Isabel (“Izzy”) wakes up in Las Vegas to a rumpled bed and the sound of someone else in the shower. She’s horrified at having a one-night stand and rushes to the airport to catch her plane home to Carolina Cove, an island off the coast of Wilmington. Her friend Amelia asks about her ring, and Izzy realizes she didn’t have a one-night stand—she slept with her new husband!
Billionaire Everett wonders where his bride went, so he hires his assistant to search for her online and finds that she’s an artist who dropped out of community college, beauty school, and real estate classes. She sees herself as a failure; he sees a woman whose family tried to suppress her dreams and get a “real” job. They met at a bar, drank a lot, decided to prank her cousin and his fraternity brother, Michael, by staging a fake wedding…then walked into a real chapel and got really married by mistake! Everett tracks down Izzy’s address and interrupts Amelia’s baby shower, hosted at Izzy’s mom’s house by the mom and her fellow “Boardwalk Babes”, a semi-famous friend group of five sixty-somethings who bonded like sisters and whose children are honorary “cousins”. (Michael is one of Izzy’s “cousins”, born to another Babe, her “aunt”.)
Izzy is even more horrified to know the marriage is real, but her insistence on getting it annulled is deemed impossible by Everett because they consummated the union! She then insists that they divorce, though she thinks it will be “the cherry on top” of her failure sundae. Everett disagrees.
Everett confides in Michael about the prank gone wrong. Michael advises him to romance his wife—odd to Americans but common in cultures where marriages are arranged. Izzy confides in Amelia, and both swear their confidants to secrecy.
Izzy, who Everett always calls “Isabel”, tells him she’s not pregnant, so he can go. Again, Everett disagrees. The Babes found him irresistible and want to see more of “Izzy’s friend”, and he’s willing to accede to their wishes. Together they attend a brunch, which Izzy compares to a firing squad, and fend off the Babes’ innuendo about their “friendship”.
One of Michael’s suggestions is to try a new activity together. Despite being a Carolina Cove native, Izzy hasn’t experienced many local attractions, so Everett takes her to the lighthouse and on a boat ride. The more time they spend together, the more certain he becomes that they can make their accidental marriage work. Izzy, however, digs in her heels and insists they end a marriage she thinks was a drunken mistake. Once more, Everett disagrees.
Izzy paints obsessively, first using the sea as her inspiration but then painting Everett, calling the canvas “Heartbreak”. That should be her first clue that she doesn’t want a divorce as much as she claims!
Everett’s next step in wooing his wife is to use his contacts in New York’s art world to secure her interviews with some gallery owners about showing her artwork and letting the people buy it if they like what they see. When she steps into his penthouse, Izzy is floored by the way the windows show off the city—and by the studio Everett set up for her. Using New York as her new inspiration, Izzy completes three canvases in two days.
The interviews go well, and Izzy chooses a show that will allow her to stage her paintings as if they’re decorating a model home. It’s expensive, but Everett offers to buy what she needs. Izzy balks, thinking it would put her in his debt, but Everett convinces her it’s not a competition. The show is a great success, with all the paintings and most of the staging accessories selling that night. She’s so overwhelmed she can’t stand upright, and when Everett carries her into his penthouse, rather than going into her own bedroom she steps across the hall into his. The couple again consummate their marriage, for real this time.
But there’s trouble ahead. Izzy awakens first and sees the divorce papers Everett had his lawyer prepare on spec. She had told him that she didn’t care about his money or want anything from him, and the settlement offends her so badly that she writes a nasty note on top before taking a cab to the airport and joining her parents and the Babes on Everett’s private jet back to Carolina Cove.
In a scene straight out of every romantic movie, Everett reads her message and tells his driver to take him to the airport right away. He runs to the jet, boards, and waits through Izzy’s tearful “you tried to buy me” outburst before confessing his love and asking her to marry him. She gets over herself, says yes, and lets the Babes plan a wedding that already happened!
Izzy bothered me at first, ignoring the progress in her own heart. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish—and it finishes happily! Highly recommended.
March 28, 2024
This was an okay romance, featuring a likable couple. I did think it seemed a bit long, probably because portions of it dealt with minor characters. I suspect I would have liked it better if I had read other books this author has written, that were based on this same fictional town. It gets 3 stars from me.
The accidental marriage at the beginning of the book was a bit hard to believe. I get that the couple thought they were playing a prank on her cousin -- but to accidentally go into the wrong wedding chapel, and not realize they were legally getting married? I just found that a bit unlikely.
I did like that the H/h truly tried to make their marriage work, and ended up finding their HEA. I just thought the whole scenario was too unrealistic.
This story is clean, with kisses only. There is sex within marriage, but it is not described in the book. Each scene is done in a fade-to-black manner. If you don't like sex scenes in your romances, this book might be a good choice for you.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
The accidental marriage at the beginning of the book was a bit hard to believe. I get that the couple thought they were playing a prank on her cousin -- but to accidentally go into the wrong wedding chapel, and not realize they were legally getting married? I just found that a bit unlikely.
I did like that the H/h truly tried to make their marriage work, and ended up finding their HEA. I just thought the whole scenario was too unrealistic.
This story is clean, with kisses only. There is sex within marriage, but it is not described in the book. Each scene is done in a fade-to-black manner. If you don't like sex scenes in your romances, this book might be a good choice for you.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
February 1, 2023
Seascapes and Vegas Mistakes was my first read by this author, but I don't think it'll be my last. ;) Her writing style was funny and engaging, and despite there being a large cast of characters at the beginning (or what seemed like it, since this is focused on a group of friends that were raised together and their kids), in the end, only the necessary ones are mentioned/repeated for the story. Izzy and Everett's story was sweet and interesting with how they met and got together (accidentally married in Vegas as a prank for someone else), yet it was all the more intriguing in how one wanted out and the other wanted to fight for their relationship.
I enjoyed how we get to know each of them (Izzy as a fantastic painter who's yet to have her big break, and Everett as a billionaire and business expert who was looking for someone real) and how they're layered characters with hurts, things to work through, yet also deep convictions and values. Their romance is sweet and closed-door (see details below), and without spoiling anything, the ending has a bit of drama but all leads to a satisfying HEA. I also enjoyed the setting of both the beach and New York since the author's descriptions are really good. What threw me for a bit was the subplot of Tessa's story woven throughout, and even though it bothered me for a bit, I got used to it (and even though I could tell where it was going after the conversation with her ex, I still enjoyed the ride.) Recommended for fans of the author and/or anyone looking for a Sweet Romance (beach) read. ~ 4.5 stars
Content:
Sex: it's present but closed door (some memories or references mentioned in conversation, and passionate kisses shown, but nothing further)
I enjoyed how we get to know each of them (Izzy as a fantastic painter who's yet to have her big break, and Everett as a billionaire and business expert who was looking for someone real) and how they're layered characters with hurts, things to work through, yet also deep convictions and values. Their romance is sweet and closed-door (see details below), and without spoiling anything, the ending has a bit of drama but all leads to a satisfying HEA. I also enjoyed the setting of both the beach and New York since the author's descriptions are really good. What threw me for a bit was the subplot of Tessa's story woven throughout, and even though it bothered me for a bit, I got used to it (and even though I could tell where it was going after the conversation with her ex, I still enjoyed the ride.) Recommended for fans of the author and/or anyone looking for a Sweet Romance (beach) read. ~ 4.5 stars
Content:
Sex: it's present but closed door (some memories or references mentioned in conversation, and passionate kisses shown, but nothing further)
March 23, 2025
Made it halfway through the book and put it down. Everett is a handsome dreamy guy you'd love to get involved with. On the other hand he's unbelievable, such a rich fabulous guy goes anywhere a Vegas chapel, accidentally gets married & wants to stay married? Izzy is so annoying, the reason I quit the book. She bit her lip so much it should have been cut in half & why did Everett think it was cute? Annoying that she couldn't speak without biting that darn lip. Every conversation had repeated insecurities, lack of self-confidence, self-worth, intelligence. How could an artist sell a painting if she didn't believe in herself. Refusing to believe Everett about anything, doubting his intentions to the point that he should have walked away. It wasn't ditsy artist behavior. I didn't connect with any of the characters and won't bother with the other stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions express in this review are completely my own.
#SeascapesandVegasMistakes #Amazon #KayLyons #Kindred Spirits Publishing #romance #contemporaryromance #billionaireromance #CarolinaCoveseries #CarolinaCove#1
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions express in this review are completely my own.
#SeascapesandVegasMistakes #Amazon #KayLyons #Kindred Spirits Publishing #romance #contemporaryromance #billionaireromance #CarolinaCoveseries #CarolinaCove#1
July 10, 2025
I just cannot. The book is fine. I mean you have the predictable billionaire, handsome, nice guy who wants to be with the not wealthy, stubborn, artist girl he accidentally married in Vegas. He pursues her by showing up at her home back in Carolina Cove and meets her family. He wants the marriage with no prenup to work. She doesn’t and doesn’t want his money either. Yeah right!?! What’s not to like? I mean he’s good looking, you have chemistry, and he’s loaded. No, thank you, said no woman ever.
And having to read over and over again about how much Isabel does not want to be married to Everett I might just throw my phone (I’d throw the book, but it’s an ebook, so…)
And I’m sure we can all predict the end. They’ll stay married. She’ll be in love. HEA. I just can’t get into these two and this drawn out story. I’m 45% in and Isabel is still resisting and saying, let’s sign those divorce papers. And the book started with her fleeing Everett and Vegas, so you don’t really get their whole meeting and whirlwind fling in the beginning either. It’s just 105 pages of Isabel resisting so far.
And having to read over and over again about how much Isabel does not want to be married to Everett I might just throw my phone (I’d throw the book, but it’s an ebook, so…)
And I’m sure we can all predict the end. They’ll stay married. She’ll be in love. HEA. I just can’t get into these two and this drawn out story. I’m 45% in and Isabel is still resisting and saying, let’s sign those divorce papers. And the book started with her fleeing Everett and Vegas, so you don’t really get their whole meeting and whirlwind fling in the beginning either. It’s just 105 pages of Isabel resisting so far.
September 8, 2025
Intend & Pretend
"It's not dating when it's a one-night stand."
I am a big fan of Kay Lyons and several of her series. What is not to love about a Sea Side romance and those Babes who have their nose into everything. I like a lot of the characters and the role they play throughout the books. Love is definitely in the air.
This is from the book:
How long was this pretending going to go on?
How long until someone started digging into their relationship and how it began?
How long before their secret went public?
Wedding #2 went off like a hitch and just like that, a Shipley/Drake baby is on the way.
Check out the rest of Carolina Cove, The Blackwell Brothers, Montana Secrets, and Make Me a Match series, just to name a few.
I'm jumping around a little in my Kindle books, but staying with the same author. Next on my list is Brody's Redemption (Small Town Scandals Book 1)
"The journey of a Lifetime starts with the turning of a Page." (Quote)
"It's not dating when it's a one-night stand."
I am a big fan of Kay Lyons and several of her series. What is not to love about a Sea Side romance and those Babes who have their nose into everything. I like a lot of the characters and the role they play throughout the books. Love is definitely in the air.
This is from the book:
How long was this pretending going to go on?
How long until someone started digging into their relationship and how it began?
How long before their secret went public?
Wedding #2 went off like a hitch and just like that, a Shipley/Drake baby is on the way.
Check out the rest of Carolina Cove, The Blackwell Brothers, Montana Secrets, and Make Me a Match series, just to name a few.
I'm jumping around a little in my Kindle books, but staying with the same author. Next on my list is Brody's Redemption (Small Town Scandals Book 1)
"The journey of a Lifetime starts with the turning of a Page." (Quote)
April 19, 2022
Isabel Shipley sets out to prank her cousin by sending pictures of her fake Vegas "wedding" to Everett Drake. But after a fun, drunken night together, Everett finds out the marriage is real. Isabel is ready for a quick divorce so that no one finds out. Everett wants to try to make the marriage work. Can these two fix their Vegas mistake or realize maybe it wasn't a mistake after all?
Isabel is an artist and I enjoyed reading about her work and felt like I could actually picture all of her paintings. I also liked how supportive and encouraging Everett was. I thought the book was well-written and I recommend it. It is the first book in the series and I look forward to reading the others. This was the first book I read by the author, but after finishing it I read another of her series because I enjoyed it.
Isabel is an artist and I enjoyed reading about her work and felt like I could actually picture all of her paintings. I also liked how supportive and encouraging Everett was. I thought the book was well-written and I recommend it. It is the first book in the series and I look forward to reading the others. This was the first book I read by the author, but after finishing it I read another of her series because I enjoyed it.
January 18, 2023
Second book in a row with guys who have red flag behavior, and second book with a lip biting woman. Both of those irritate me. Her stuttering annoyed me too, usually I'm on board with someone who is a little different, but she mainly seemed to stutter around Everret, so yeah, annoying.
He just pushed all my buttons with his domineering, she clearly tells him not to pick her up for a date and he turns up anyway. Then her father has to tell him to take his hands off her when he grabs her arm, which he does "out of respect" - for her father that is, he clearly has no respect for women if he thinks arm grabbing is okay.
Okay read but there wasn't a lot happening, and there needed to be a secondary romance plot introduced just to pad the story out.
He just pushed all my buttons with his domineering, she clearly tells him not to pick her up for a date and he turns up anyway. Then her father has to tell him to take his hands off her when he grabs her arm, which he does "out of respect" - for her father that is, he clearly has no respect for women if he thinks arm grabbing is okay.
Okay read but there wasn't a lot happening, and there needed to be a secondary romance plot introduced just to pad the story out.
July 6, 2025
When a Las Vegas prank turns into an accidental and very legal marriage, Isabel Shipley is dead set on getting a discreet and hasty divorce. The last thing the struggling artist wants is to admit to her family she's screwed up—again—but Everett Drake's desire to give their marriage a chance proves hard to resist.
Billionaire Everett Drake is as surprised as Isabel to find himself married to a virtual stranger. But what's done is done and arranged marriages have succeeded with less than the chemistry he and Isabel share..Isabel checks all the boxes—minus her determination to divorce.
Can two people from two very different worlds find the common ground that will make a marriage work?
I guess it depends if they have common goals.
Billionaire Everett Drake is as surprised as Isabel to find himself married to a virtual stranger. But what's done is done and arranged marriages have succeeded with less than the chemistry he and Isabel share..Isabel checks all the boxes—minus her determination to divorce.
Can two people from two very different worlds find the common ground that will make a marriage work?
I guess it depends if they have common goals.
July 30, 2023
Authors have a responsibility to ensure the information in their books is accurate. I lost all respect for this author when near the beginning she implies that Plan B is an abortion drug. It ISN’T. It prevents ovulation so conception doesn’t happen, but if you’ve already ovulated, then it’s useless and doesn’t work. It doesn’t interfere if conception has already happened. Don’t spread YOUR ignorance about such an important topic.
I also found the supporting characters to be highly annoying. They were ignorant, judgmental and ageist.
I quite liked Izzy and Everett’s story but the surrounding issues with the book overshadows it
I also found the supporting characters to be highly annoying. They were ignorant, judgmental and ageist.
I quite liked Izzy and Everett’s story but the surrounding issues with the book overshadows it
March 24, 2023
This is a sweet, clean, contemporary read with two stories running concurrently but are interconnected. The main characters were Isabel and Everett who accidentally marry while in Vegas. Their story was a slow burn romance as two different people come to love each other. Isabel is a painter/artist and Everett is a very successful businessman and they are both looking for someone real who will love them for themselves. The other story is about Tessa, Kirk and Bruce. Both stories are told together and the book is well written. An enjoyable read about a seaside town and it's inhabitants.
April 14, 2023
A slightly different take on a second chance romance
Loved the characters- moxie, moneyed and ethical, even if the lack of communication was physically painful to read at times. This one really demonstrates the importance of getting out of your own head and communicating with those in your life. The plot was not surprising, but endearing nonetheless.
PG13 for some sexual content and very mild violence and language. Themes include pranks gone bad, marriages for money and convenience, elder abuse and fraud by scam artist.
Loved the characters- moxie, moneyed and ethical, even if the lack of communication was physically painful to read at times. This one really demonstrates the importance of getting out of your own head and communicating with those in your life. The plot was not surprising, but endearing nonetheless.
PG13 for some sexual content and very mild violence and language. Themes include pranks gone bad, marriages for money and convenience, elder abuse and fraud by scam artist.
May 29, 2023
Seascapes and Vegas Mistakes
What a fun story, starting at a Vegas weekend with a Art exhibit, and meeting up with a friend who knows a good friend of yours, you have a great evening together. When returning home from trip, realizing you were in a situation that you didn’t normally do, and need to forget about. Your one night fling shows up a week later, with different intentions on his mind. This story is about the feelings, interests, possibilities of love, and a life with each other. Loved this story.❤️
What a fun story, starting at a Vegas weekend with a Art exhibit, and meeting up with a friend who knows a good friend of yours, you have a great evening together. When returning home from trip, realizing you were in a situation that you didn’t normally do, and need to forget about. Your one night fling shows up a week later, with different intentions on his mind. This story is about the feelings, interests, possibilities of love, and a life with each other. Loved this story.❤️
April 2, 2024
This is a sweet romance that was very fast paced and written beautifully. I loved the characters and think they are well developed, it is written as if you know them. Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.
Izzy panics when she wakes up in Vegas and finds that she is not alone in her room. Her new husband, Everett tries to romance her and tries to convince them to stay married, will they get their HEA?
I loved this sweet story, so if you love a good clean romance, this is the book for you. I will definitely be reading more from this author and series.
Izzy panics when she wakes up in Vegas and finds that she is not alone in her room. Her new husband, Everett tries to romance her and tries to convince them to stay married, will they get their HEA?
I loved this sweet story, so if you love a good clean romance, this is the book for you. I will definitely be reading more from this author and series.
July 3, 2024
Great story
Everett was a billionaire. He was in Vegas and saw a beautiful and graceful lady, Izzy. He was entranced by her. They spent time there and decided to do a fake wedding. It was a prank on her cousin Michael, which was a friend of Everett’s. Except a few weeks later, his lawyers told him it was a real wedding, they were married. Now he had to fly to South Carolina and tell Isabel. He thought that they could make a go of it but she said no. He was going to do everything in his power to make it happen.
Everett was a billionaire. He was in Vegas and saw a beautiful and graceful lady, Izzy. He was entranced by her. They spent time there and decided to do a fake wedding. It was a prank on her cousin Michael, which was a friend of Everett’s. Except a few weeks later, his lawyers told him it was a real wedding, they were married. Now he had to fly to South Carolina and tell Isabel. He thought that they could make a go of it but she said no. He was going to do everything in his power to make it happen.
December 27, 2022
Terrificl
Sweet, tender, feel good love story of 2 very different personalities who met in Vegas, immediately clicked, pranked her cousin by sending him pictures of their Vegas wedding. Chapel was supposedly a fake one but they entered the wrong one and are martied. Everett follows Isabel to NC to tell her, wanting to try to see if their marriage could work! She is very hesitant and this is their delightful journey toward their own HEA!
Sweet, tender, feel good love story of 2 very different personalities who met in Vegas, immediately clicked, pranked her cousin by sending him pictures of their Vegas wedding. Chapel was supposedly a fake one but they entered the wrong one and are martied. Everett follows Isabel to NC to tell her, wanting to try to see if their marriage could work! She is very hesitant and this is their delightful journey toward their own HEA!
January 27, 2023
Isabel Shirley's cousin tricked her into faking a Vegas wedding with Everett Drake after a drunken night. Izzy is an artist from Carolina Cove, North Carolina. Everett is a billionaire from New York. Izzy made a big mistake and wants to get divorced. But Everett wants to make the marriage work. Romance is in the air between Izzy and Everett. I really enjoyed this romantic contemporary romance fiction novel.
October 13, 2023
Clean but heated kisses just skips the intimate parts, as it should
Good storyline, interesting characters you dive right into. A bit if back and forth emotional/feelings of her feeling in his league. Not a huge fan of those types of stories but didn't knock me out of finishing it. Has a secondary story that involves the older generation. Appreciated the heated feelings but not making us read all the details.
Good storyline, interesting characters you dive right into. A bit if back and forth emotional/feelings of her feeling in his league. Not a huge fan of those types of stories but didn't knock me out of finishing it. Has a secondary story that involves the older generation. Appreciated the heated feelings but not making us read all the details.
March 18, 2024
A recommendation from beloved @bookbub the second Vegas themed read for today. The second one was Tell Me No Lies By C. Morgan a fun, feel-good and hopeful story. Oh right about this story Everett & Isabel are historically fun loving characters written with some very colorful personalities. I liked they both seem to have a drive to be determined, focused with a zest for life in there own ways. I will consider the next read Seashells & wedding bells for a later time.
June 11, 2024
What happens on Vegas doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas.
A crazy night of drinking with a stranger. A prank gone wrong. A for real marriage between a trying to make it artist and a down to earth billionaire. What could be wrong?
Isabel and Everett, two star-crossed people, are so perfect for each other. This book was written with so much feeling that the reader could experience it all. Ms Lyons puts so much into the story , one of my favorites in a while.
A crazy night of drinking with a stranger. A prank gone wrong. A for real marriage between a trying to make it artist and a down to earth billionaire. What could be wrong?
Isabel and Everett, two star-crossed people, are so perfect for each other. This book was written with so much feeling that the reader could experience it all. Ms Lyons puts so much into the story , one of my favorites in a while.
December 31, 2022
The boardwalk babes was a nice twist to introduce a lot of characters, old and young. The book was fun to read, the main characters were mature adults in their thirties, the side plot with a female in her sixties with problems of that generation. No insta-love or lust despite the wedding in Las Vegas, a slow approach to the HEA.
February 9, 2023
Izzy came home from Vegas with a secret that couldn’t be left behind no matter how she tried
Izzy went to Vegas to show her paintings and came home with a secret. One she was sure would stay there but he followed! The prank marriage they pulled was legal not a prank. He wants to stay married she wants to end it. Now the games began. She running he chasing.
Izzy went to Vegas to show her paintings and came home with a secret. One she was sure would stay there but he followed! The prank marriage they pulled was legal not a prank. He wants to stay married she wants to end it. Now the games began. She running he chasing.
February 11, 2023
Great read!
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found myself cheering for Everett. I felt for Izzy. Loved that Bruce was there for Tesse, when she needed him. Looking forward to reading more of the series as well as her previous one. Kay Lyons draws you in. Bringing her character's to life. You can picture the scene in your head like you were watching the movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found myself cheering for Everett. I felt for Izzy. Loved that Bruce was there for Tesse, when she needed him. Looking forward to reading more of the series as well as her previous one. Kay Lyons draws you in. Bringing her character's to life. You can picture the scene in your head like you were watching the movie.
March 20, 2024
Exciting
A next morning wake up to a Vegas wedding. Izzy bolts while Everett is in the shower. They were strangers, but he sees something special in Lizzy, he follows her to her hometown. No it's about convincing her to stay in the marriage. Good book, he's just way too good to be true...
A next morning wake up to a Vegas wedding. Izzy bolts while Everett is in the shower. They were strangers, but he sees something special in Lizzy, he follows her to her hometown. No it's about convincing her to stay in the marriage. Good book, he's just way too good to be true...
March 1, 2025
a bit of a slog
The story was good. The editing excellent (it’s a weird issue for ebooks). Where I struggled was the telling of the story. I had a hard time emotionally connecting with the characters, which is ironic b/c the author did an amazing job describing Isabel’s art as emotional.
The story was good. The editing excellent (it’s a weird issue for ebooks). Where I struggled was the telling of the story. I had a hard time emotionally connecting with the characters, which is ironic b/c the author did an amazing job describing Isabel’s art as emotional.
April 8, 2025
Having sections of this book about Tessa and her life was distracting and unrelated. There were a lot of characters to try to keep up with.
Izzy and Everett’s story was fine, but he was a bit pushy as Izzy said multiple times.
This may be the first book in this series, but Izy was introduced in the matchmaker series.
Izzy and Everett’s story was fine, but he was a bit pushy as Izzy said multiple times.
This may be the first book in this series, but Izy was introduced in the matchmaker series.
September 21, 2025
When a prank goes wrong Isabel and Everett find themselves married in Vegas. She wants a quick divorce, but Everette wants to make it work between them. Will their quick divorce have them entering into a new era with the chance for happiness to follow. This entertaining story had me all caught up in the story.
December 30, 2022
He decided the Vegas wedding was what he wanted..
She grew up feeling inferior to her many relatives. He sees her a talented and delightful. Interest premise re him wanting to stay married and she thinking he must be crazy. A few too many characters to keep track of in the book.
She grew up feeling inferior to her many relatives. He sees her a talented and delightful. Interest premise re him wanting to stay married and she thinking he must be crazy. A few too many characters to keep track of in the book.
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