A Waterfront Wedding: a sweet small town romance

A Waterfront Wedding is the third book in the Heart’s Landing series by Leigh Duncan. Filling in for her cousin, Evelyn wants to make sure that the Captain’s Cottage stays the favorite place for weddings. Meanwhile, her childhood friend, Ryan Court has invested his life savings into remodeling the old boatworks into a brand-new wedding venue. As the Wedding in a Week contest is an all-expenses-paid event with just seven days to do it comes to Heart’s Landing. As the winners come to Heart’s Landing, it pits the Captain’s Cottage and the boatworks against each other. The two friends become rival business owners as they help the young bride and groom, Evelyn and Ryan learn how little they truly know each other. Will  their newfound relationship survive when only one can win? 

As published by Hallmark, A Waterfront Wedding reads like a Hallmark movie, no surprise. However, it is an enjoyable sweet romance. It’s more than a second chance romance, it is more a story of two people who crushed on each other and didn’t know about the mutual interest. While the winning venue was not a surprise, however, the end of the story was surprising and very sweet and romantic. I enjoyed Evelyn and Ryan and the slow realization that they are attracted to each other. Their relationship hits all the romance formula parts: the glances, the misunderstandings, to the great reconciliations and the grand romance gestures. If you enjoy Hallmark-style romances, I highly recommend A Waterfront Wedding. 

A Waterfront Wedding is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

A Simple Wedding: when a wedding is anything but simple

A Simple Wedding is the first book in the Heart’s Landing series by Leigh Duncan. Jenny Longley always dreamed of getting married at Heart’s Landing. When her cousin, movie star Karolyn Karter gets engaged and wants a wedding at Heart’s Landing, she wants Jenny to go ahead to Heart’s Landing to make the wedding arrangements for her. There’s one catch, in order to keep the event a secret and avoid a media circus, Jenny needs to pretend she’s the one getting married. Nick Bell, baker and owner of I Do Cakes, is intrigued by Jenny. As Jenny deals with her cousin’s ever-changing demands, the wedding becomes more and more complicated and Nick and the other residents of Heart’s Landing start to become irritated at the changing details. What will happen once the truth finally comes to light? 

A Simple Wedding is from Hallmark publishing and it is a sweet love story you would expect from Hallmark. The town really embraces their wedding reputation with street names and business names that are all wedding themed. The townspeople take great pride in creating a once in a lifetime wedding for every bride. That pride will be tested when Jenny comes to town. I enjoyed Nick and Jenny from the beginning. Their accidental meeting was hilarious which fuels their banter later. As Nick and Jenny get closer and the cracks begin to show in her cover story, it was like waiting and asking “when will the shoe drop?” If you enjoy Hallmark movies and sweet romances, A Simple Wedding is the book for you and I highly recommend it. 

A Simple Wedding is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Gift at Sugar Sand Inn: when an unexpected inheritance offers a second chance of life

The Gift at Sugar Sand Inn by Leigh Duncan is the first book in the Sugar Sand Beach series. Michelle Robinson has a great life. A husband who loves her and two children on their way to a successful life. It all came crashing down when her husband of 25 years suddenly died and even after one year later, she is still barely staying afloat. She now realizes that she cannot stay in their beautiful home in the rolling hills of Virginia and is forced to sell before the bank forecloses. Her decision puts her at odds with her children but her three best friends, Erin, Nina and Reggie, she is ready to face her bleak future. Until an unexpected inheritance opens new opportunities for her future. Will the beautiful Florida beach offer her a second chance at life, love and happiness? 

The Gift at Sugar Sand Inn is a great beginning as it introduces four women at the crossroads in life and finds themselves wondering what to do next. My heart broke for Michelle as she is still trying to function a year after her husband’s death. She realizes that she has put off the inevitable for far too long and now she is in a race against time to get her life in order. I also enjoyed her friends as they deal with their own problems and issues. The story was fast paced, easy read as I was engrossed in the events and the characters as they find themselves in Sugar Sand Beach. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy stories about four friends and new adventures, I highly recommend The Gift at Sugar Sand Inn. 

The Gift at Sugar Sand Inn is available in paperback and eBook