| Thrillseekers Anonymous could put together any extreme
sport event for any person rich enough to afford it. They could
keep the entire thing a secret, making sure the press didn't find out
and spoil the trip for the actors and other famous people using the
service. As a result, Eli McCain and his partners Cooper, Jack and
Michael were very well off and much in demand in the movie/extreme stunt
industry.
Which is why planning a wedding really wasn't something they knew
anything about. And they weren't going into this job with much
enthusiasm, since it meant hiring someone who could plan a wedding,
albeit around the extreme vacation the bride and groom wanted.
So they were interviewing, auditioning really, Marnie Banks, the
latest in a stream of wedding planners who were unable to climb a rope
or run the track. And somehow Marnie got the job of planning the
wedding, the extreme wedding of 2 of the biggest names in show business.
So what should be the job of a lifetime actually becomes just that --
but not exactly in the way Marnie had planned.
WEDDING SURVIVOR works on many levels. First off, while Marnie
is a bit of a ditz [I mean that in a nice way], she's a solid, caring
and multi-dimensional woman. I so vividly pictured the look on her
face at times, especially throughout her phone conversations with Eli.
She nicely compliments the straight and emotionally injured Eli, who
never saw her coming and really never had a chance. And while I
did get a bit tired of Eli running away, I can forgive him, simply
because he's such a wonderful character himself.
Eli has his own reasons for not wanting to do this wedding, but he's
going to suffer through it for the business. He's completely
infatuated by Marnie though, and who wouldn't be? But despite
being tough enough to raft class 5 and up rapids, ride hurricane winds
and travel the Amazon river, to make a commitment that puts his heart on
the line is just too scary for him.
Add to this two very unique and interesting locales, and some
secondary characters who will make you laugh -- and cringe. No one
should have to suffer through a mother like Mrs. Banks.
Julia London's WEDDING SURVIVOR is a fun and definitely engaging
read. The concept grabbed me from page one, and the characters kept me
reading long into the night. Anyone can write a story, but no one writes
characters like Julia London. If you're a fan of her
contemporary work, this one is sure to fit on your shelf, hopefully as
the first in a new series. Personally, I can't wait to see the
other boys taunted down the path to partnership by whichever lovable
females the author can think up.
Reviewed for the Road to Romance by Sue Waldeck
August 23, 2005 |
