Blue Hill Brides, Book 2
From the publisher:
A delightful romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird…
Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man―a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once―and couldn’t stand―isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal―play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…
Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride
I read this series out of order, but if you can believe the publisher, each book is a standalone. That wasn’t really my experience, so I recommend reading them in order. This is the second book.
Meredith was in the first book, she’s Jackie’s best friend and maid of honor at that disaster of a wedding. But it is also where she meets Derrick, the groom’s youngest brother, when they get into a fender bender. It’s pretty much hate at first sight, so you know something is going to happen. It never does in the first book, but this is their story now.
Meredith is a professional matchmaker with a TV series on a local station. She is in the process of trying to get picked up for syndication, so she happily accepts the offer of a TV interview with another local show. But that interview quickly devolves into one about Meredith’s love life, which is nonexistent. But a nonexistent love life is not a good look for a professional matchmaker, so feeling the pressure of the live interview, she blurts out that she is seriously involved with a boat builder in Maine.
The press starts digging and then Derrick’s name is leaked as the serious boyfriend. Meredith jumps in her car and heads up to Blue Hill, Maine, to warn him and beg him to play along. Unfortunately, the paparazzi beat her to his home, and he is totally confused. He slams the door on the news media, and probably wants to on Meredith once she finally gets there and starts explaining.
Meredith comes up with a plan – she’ll stay in the cabin with Derrick, they pretend they are engaged while she tries to get him back with his ex-wife. He’s not even sure he wants to, but they were both very young when they married and their divorce was acrimonious, to say the least. Ten years later he is curious to see if they still have that attraction so he gives Meredith ten days to pull it off.
Meanwhile, Meredith and Derrick had had a moment at the wedding the previous year, but neither pursued it. Now that they are in such tight quarters, those feelings are starting to return. There is definite chemistry going on, and as they learn more about each other the closer they get. But Meredith is still working on getting Derrick back together with his ex, and figures she and Derrick will “break up” once he gets back with his ex. Good ending for everyone, except she is falling in love with him and is surprised by how much it hurts to put her matchmaking skills to work here.
There are a lot of characters that overlap from the first book, and it was much easier to understand who they all are and their relationships if you read the first book first. This was a good enemies-to-lovers sweet romance, and I highly recommend this series.
8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE by Ginny Baird. Entangled: Amara (July 27, 2021). ISBN: 978-1649370266. 350 pages.
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