A Perfect Bride for Christmas

by Dyann Love Barr

Alex King wants to follow the family tradition and marry his perfect bride on Christmas Eve. There's one little hitch-Bianca dumps him at the altar. He wakes up in Vegas with a hangover, a ring on his finger, and in bed with his best friend,Zoe Hillman. She's overweight and plain, nothing at all like his image of the perfect wife. So begins the shortest Vegas marriage in history. Zoe loved Alex from the moment he walked through the law firm's doors. He can charm the panties off any woman, but he's never tried it with her. The chance to grab for the golden ring is within her reach until everything blows up in her face. Now, five years later she returns to Kansas City with triplets in tow and a brand new look. Catering Alex' next wedding should prove interesting

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance

376 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2010

Reviews

[Cielo Mae · Rating 2 out of 5]

RATING: 2.5/5.0



Hi guys! (*▼o▼*)ノ
I really do have a bunch of spoilers below so be sure if you really want to continue reading (especially if you don't like spoilers before reading a book). You have been warned.



SYNOPSIS:
Zoe, Alex King's secretary (and they seem to act like best friends), was desperately in love with her boss. She decided to resign on Christmas, a day before Alex's wedding. However, it seems that the wedding didn't took place and a drunken Alex (with a coleague, Tommy) said he would marry the first woman he would see. Needless to say, they got married, consummated it and by morning, when the alcohol has run dry, its a breezy annulment. After 5 years, Alex is walking the aisle again and who comes but his ex-wife Zoe, all skinny now and it seems that she's given birth to triplets and Alex is the father.



THE COVER:
It was okay. Nothing much to comment on it, though I think the woman on the photo looks harder than what I imagined Zoe would be (adorableness overload). Triplet girls might be more charming I think.



THE CHARACTERS:
Zoe is adorable yet stupid in love. She's fallen in love with a jerk and can't get over him even though she had a wonderful husband already (though he died). She even made love with the jerk and let's just say that one can't forget someone when your continuously creating memories together! Her only redeeming quality is when he refused Alex and that's that.
Alex, a capital Jerk and Man-slut. And apparently, he also handed his balls to his fiance. Now this one is in need of a baseball bat in the head. He chose bitches as fiances and apparently more fickle than me (like I can't decide what I want half the time but he's more so). So before my litany about the guy surpass a 100 words, I would just say that I don't like him.
Sydney...sigh... that girl needs help. Serious ones.
What I love in the book though are the triplets, the grandma, and surprisingly, Keeley. The triplets are adorable. Amelia was a great character, what with her deviousness and love for her children and of Keeley. Keeley was clearly a strong person but has a vulnerable side to her that needs love (at first, I was gearing to not like her too, but in the end, I did).



THE WRITING, THE PLOT, THE WHOLE SHEBANG:
I think the thing that made an impression to me first are the characters. And because I couldn't sympathize with Zoe and absolutely hate Alex already at the start, I was hoping for some character development. It didn't happen. I didn't saw it. I kept reading and reading, not because I particularly like it. As they say, it was like looking at a car wreck and I couldn't look away from it. The plot was very good. It just needed a proper character development (Five years Alex! Five years and you still picked the same type of woman! Are you high or just a masochist?! Your balls have also been given to a whiny bitch! Grow a pair already!). The on and off engagement between Sydney was annoying. At the end when the wedding didn't pull through, there is no resolution on how it is handled on their part. Did they sue? Did they made Alex's life miserable? The what's-her-name aunt scene, was she necessary? The children went to the mall by themselves. I think there's a story enough there. And Zoe, why did you give in? Okay, Alex said she loved Zoe but hello? He also said that he love Sydney at the start. I couldn't feel it, only the sexual tension between the two. And maybe Alex's fascination with his daughters but that's it.



OVERALL:
Would I recommend it? Not really. Would I read the next book? Maybe, if it involved Keeley. If it involved Alex's brothers...hmmm...I can't feel any affinity to them at all though they also only appeared a few times on the book so I have hope. And that's it, my honest review. Feel free to read it though and form your own opinion. We might have a different one after all.

Regardless, good reads to all! ヾ(˹ᆺ˺✿)ﾉﾞ

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book really tame and kind of stupid. Especially because the hero is going to marry a selfish woman whom he doesn't love when he is so obviously in love with the heroine and the triplets he has with her. Parts of the book absolutely frustrated me enough that I wanted to throw it on the ground and stomp on it. I'm glad we got a happy ending but I'm also on the fence about the added drama to the novel that didn't need to be there.

[Bakudis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid Hero!!!!!

so,,,,,love is blind, but not so blind and make you stupid to:(# heroine. Jeezzz how come she loves the BIG JERK Hero
Lovely Triplet :)

[Mallorie Bane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story overall. I was looking for a fluffy Christmas Romance it definitely checked those boxes. A fast read that was enjoyable.

[Lyndi W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars This one started off pretty rough for me. Zoe is overweight and pining for her best friend Alex, who just got dumped at the altar. Alex's truly evil friend Tommy convinces Alex to marry Zoe while he's shitfaced drunk. Zoe, of course, agrees. Next morning, Alex is horrified to find out he's married a fatty, even though she's supposedly his best friend. Tommy and Alex both say atrociously insulting things to her before she flees in humiliation and disappears. This is only the first chapter and I could barely get through it. It was so incredibly painful to read and I was really embarrassed on Zoe's behalf. In her position, I would have held the most impressive grudge ever. But she moves on with her life, gets married, has babies, starts her own business. This fictional character is a much better person than I. I'd have found a way to destroy Alex. And hopefully Tommy alongside him. Admittedly, Tommy was a million times worse than Alex, but he's not the hero of this story.

However, after that torturous scene... things get better. There are a few things I wish were wrapped up better (ie: with a little more detail), but overall it was an enjoyable read. Zoe ended up being a strong character that stood up for herself and knew her own mind. Alex was kinda terrible at the start and you really got to watch him grow up and take responsibility, but I never fully warmed up to him because I couldn't forget his horrible fat comments. I wish we got to find out what happened with Crazy Aunt Brenda, but that didn't take away from the story.

I'd recommend it, with a warning that the first chapter is somewhat painful.

[Yolanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked it i thought he was really bogus at the beginning how he treated Zoe. I also tought he was very noncommittal and he was weak most of the book. At least he finally got it together though because it took him a while. I think his problem was he didnt want to end up alone so he wasnt sure if Zoe would take him back and he kept that crazy girl on the side. The kids were adorable because sometimes i dont like kids in sotries.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

It would have been better with a good editor.

[Tenaya Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. One of the best contemp romances I've read in a long time.