The Surprise Wedding: A Fake Relationship Small Town Romance

It’s rare to find characters as thinly drawn and shallow as the female protagonist of this book, but the author did a phenomenal job of creating a lead female character with less depth than a single fleck of mist. The only thing important in life is wearing Manolo Blahniks, carrying a Gucci purse, driving a Porsche, and having a credit card (paid for by one’s parents) with a high enough limit to buy designer clothes. According to this book, money is the only form of happiness. The female protagonist has never held a job in her life that wasn’t paid for in full by her parents. The greatest act of independence that she ever has committed in the entirety of her 30 years is owning a dog. Devon, the male protagonist, works hard to do the right thing by everyone in his personal and professional life, but because he wears jeans and a t-shirt, carries an old backpack, and drives an old car - the author asserts that none of the work he does in life matters. In fact, the author goes out of her way to say that clothing is the only thing in life that matters.

Perhaps for some readers premarital sex is okay but I would never want my children or grandchildren to think sex is fine apart from marital fidelity. I don't want any of them picking up my tablet and and reading about sex descriptively for entertainment so I returned this book without finishing it. Romantic love can be depicted cleanly. Still not sure how to rate this novel though. I wish it hadn't the questionable scenes but I liked other parts of the author's writing style and I especially liked that her characters did not have the "stamped out" feel so many have in this kind of romance novel. So many feel like the author is following a format they have learned in a writing seminar and all the character personalities in different novels are the same. The females are snarky and judgemental and the men are groveling. This one was not like that rather Olivia and Devon felt more honest. I did not like having to meander through her thoughts and his thoughts style of writing. Still I would have finished her book if not for the author's attitude toward sex. I may search through her books for something cleaner.

THE SURPRISE WEDDING is a standalone read with a HEA. A young couple in college fall in love. There is a big problem. She comes from a very wealthy family with certain ideas on how she is to live her life. Then a tragic event takes place and they separate and do not see each other for 10 years.They reconnect when he goes to see her to try and get her cosmetic company to come to his town and test a flower that grows wild there. The town is slowly dying and they need the industry the company can bring to town. The company needs them because the flower is the key to making cosmetics without toxins. It is a hard sell but she arrives in his town to see if he truly has the plant that can turn the cosmetic world upside down.She is a hard nut to crack. He is a fun loving devil may care guy that just takes things as they come and never sweats the small stuff. She is hard core corporation and by the book. This trip is going to be the one that changes their lives. It is such a good story. One that is hard to put down once you start. I really enjoyed it and I definitely recommend it. A good read. There were a few steamy scenes but they were mostly left to the imagination and just inferred. I thought it was a very good read.I was not paid for this review. I am not a writer nor do I know one. I am not kin to this author. I am a reader and this is my opinion, nothing more, nothing less. 11/14/18

This was a wonderful marriage of convenience resolution for our characters from the Promise. There was a lot of underlying hurt to overcome along with hurdles to jump in the present. great characters and storyline.

I'm really enjoying reading about Blueberry Springs and all the characters. I loved Olivia and Devon's story. It took a lot for these two to work things out. A really great read.

The Surprise Wedding is really a continuation of The Promise where Olivia Carrington and Devon Mattson met and dated in college. Things ended bitterly between them because of pressure from her family, owners of Carrington Cosmetics. She was taken away from college by her father and enrolled at Harvard. Devon had a family emergency that took him away about the same time. Present day-ten years later-Devon interrupts a business retreat the Carrington company is holding at a resort a few hours away from his hometown of Blueberry Springs, Colorado. He has a business proposition for Olivia and her company, one he hopes will benefit them both. Olivia is developing a new organic cosmetic line and a plant grows outside Devon's town that he thinks will work for her. But will she hear him out and check out the plant? The current mayor has made arrangements to have a dam is built that will destroy the businesses in the small town and will also flood the land where the plant is. Devon is running for mayor and hopes to stop the dam but he needs Olivia's help. Olivia and Devon really loved each other and haven't gotten past those feelings but neither realizes how the other feels. In fact, they have no interest in getting involved with each other. The time gives them the opportunity to deal with their past and maybe get some closure while working together to save their own interests. This is a sweet story of healing, forgiveness and moving forward but there are many obstacles along the way. Others don't want a resolution and will not stop to end their efforts fail.

Such a good book. Really really enjoyed it. She captured the struggles of a couple reconnecting, forgiving, and growing together so well. Olivia was so afraid to trust and Devon didnt want his heart broken again. Stubborn people falling in love is tough. You have to learn to submit and to trust. Beautiful story.

I really enjoyed reading your book it was wonderful I loved all the characters in your book especially Devon ,He was a great character I would recommend this book to all my friends and family members. Ruby w:

Devon and Olivia were a serious couple in college until Olivia walked away thinking she had done the right thing. Ten years later Devon is between a rock and a hard place trying to save his small town and thinking that Olivia could save it because of a rare plant that has been found. He swallows his pride and reaches out, seeing her was harder than he thought. She still thinks of him as the easy going, life is fun sort of guy and shes the well off tense beauty that does what is expected of her. They clash and yet the magic the both felt is still there, its just a case of each trusting the other.

Love this new series which is a continuation of the Blueberry Springs Series, the good news is we get to 'check in' with all the characters from the original series whilst we meet a fantastic cast of new characters too!Devon and Olivia love each other, soul deep love, but they cannot trust each other. They destroyed their trust in each other and themselves ten years ago and neither one can open their heart and trust again.....which leads to a very empty and lonely life.Can they work together long enough to save Blueberry Springs? Can they also save each other?Come and join this slightly crazy town whilst they rally around Devon and Olivia, interfering every step of the way.Can love win and Devon and Olivia find their happy ever after, together?

This is a lovely romance with no tacky sex scenes included. I really didn't like Olivia although I did occasionally feel a bit sorry for the way she had been smothered by an overbearing father which is probably why she is so 'proper'. Devon is great and why Olivia ditched him the way she did was really incomprehensible. A good cast of characters with a good ending. Only one thing was confusing - why is Trish called Dee? No explanation why a perfectly acceptable diminutive is swapped for Dee.Negatively, there are quite a few errors that a good editor would have spotted and eliminated.

If you want a nice easy read they you couldn't do better than try a Jean Oram book. I wouldn't say there were any surprises, nothing too taxing but sometimes that is all you need. Blueberry Springs sounds a lovely place to live. Devon and Olivia split up years ago but when Devon needs help to save the town Olivia comes to his rescue and before they know whats happening the town is organising their wedding. How will they get out of it and do they want to?

A good read , A lot of romance books are about fake relationships ,so they end up being similar.But this book has more and a bit above the rest.