The only thing disappointing in THE MAKE-BELIEVE WEDDING
is
its size -- which actually qualifies as a novella. Sarah
Mayberry always writes a delightful story that just
inspires
the reader to smile and walk away a very satisfied
customer.
MAKE-BELIEVE WEDDING certainly did make me smile and at
times laugh out loud because it is a well written
situational comedy complete with one-liners. It's well
worth
the price of admission.
MAKE-BELIEVE WEDDING is part of the ongoing Montana Born
Brides series called the Great Wedding Giveaway. This
story
truly stands on its own merit and did not depend on any
prior familiarity with any characters.
The premise is simple. Andie Bennett having attended stag
and having a little too much to drink at the Valentine's
Day
Ball had a little too much idle time on her hands. And so
she innocently decided to fill in an application for a
wedding prize package -- truly a mock version -- but
candidly
based on a whole lot of truth. Liquor has a way of
loosening
one tongue and inhibitions -- in this case it sort of gave
Andie a whole lot of literary license.
Wouldn't you know it -- if Andie had any kind of luck it
would be bad. Her mock application somehow was collected
along with legitimate ones and somehow winds up in the
final
running for this prize. Surely she would be able to head
off
any real damage -- remember Andie and her luck? Well not
to
be.
So there is she in front of the whole town, all her
friends
and her overly possessively, protective brother Beau
trying
to explain why she and said brother's best friend Heath
are
in the finals.
Honestly Andie has had a major crush on Heath all these
years. They were thrown together often because of Heath
and
Beau's friendship. But Andie never considered herself in
the
running for anything more than just good friends.
Physically
she wasn't Heath's type. And Heath would never cross that
boundary with his best friends little sister.
Never say never. Suffice it to say that where Andie was
concerned neither Heath nor Beau would ever fail to come
to
her aid. The application and contest has left Andie in a
very vulnerable position and Heath was destined to become
her white knight. Best friends make the best couples.
THE MAKE-BELIEVE WEDDING is a great little story with just
enough meat to keep you interested even with its brevity.
Sarah Mayberry is a jewel and with this novella provides a
tasty little morsel for any romantic's appetite.
Everyone in Marietta, Montana, is in love and getting
married - at least that’s the way it feels to Andie
Bennett
the night of the Valentine’s Ball. As she watches the man
she’s loved from afar for half her life dance with another
woman, Andie allows herself a moment of sheer fantasy as
she
fills out a stray entry form for the Great Wedding
Giveaway.
Andie channels years of fantasy and yearning for Heath
McGregor onto the page, but she never intends to actually
enter the Giveaway. Only a crazy woman would do that. But
fate has other ideas….
When Heath learns he and Andie are last minute finalists
in
the Great Wedding Giveaway, he’s completely baffled. How
on
earth could anyone make such a ridiculous mistake? When it
becomes clear that Andie will be humiliated if the slip-up
becomes public, Heath does what any good friend would - he
suggests they pretend the engagement is real until the
Giveaway is over and then quietly “break up” when no one
is
paying any attention. It’s the perfect solution, except
Heath very quickly realises that pretending Andie is his
is
no hardship at all. In fact, it may just be the best thing
that’s ever happened to him…