Author: Hope Ramsay
Series: Chapel of Love, #2
On Sale: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Forever
The second book in USA Today bestselling author
Hope Ramsay's Chapel of Love contemporary romance series about a small-town
wedding chapel is perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr,
and Sherryl Woods.
Amy Lyndon is tired of being the Poor Little Rich
Girl of Shenandoah Falls. In her prominent family, she's the ordinary one - no
Ivy League education and no powerful career. But when her father tries to marry
her off, she knows it's finally time to stand up for herself, despite the
consequences. Now that she's cut off from the family fortune, her first
challenge is to fight her attraction to her handsome new boss.
When Amy shows up looking for work with his
landscaping crew, Dusty McNeil thinks there's no way such a pampered princess
will ever get her hands dirty. But as Amy proves him wrong and gets down to the
nitty gritty, Dusty's admiration turns to like, then lust - and then love. But
can a high-society woman like Amy ever fall for a man like him?
A Small Town Bride is the second book in the Chapel of Love series. I really enjoyed the first book. While, I did ultimately enjoy this second book, I didn't love it as much as the first one. Amy is part of the large Lyndon family. She is the underachiever of the family and thought to be lazy and not all that bright. When her father cuts her off, she finds herself on her own for the first time in her life.
The one thing I really liked about this book was Amy. I was cheering her on as she didn't wallow in pity and took her life into her own hands. I loved watching her find out that she was smart and could be successful and useful, It was really satisfying to see her finally tell off her many family members. The romance between Dusty and Amy was sweet and I loved the HEA at the end.
What I didn't love was the Lyndon family. I don't remember them being SO snobby in the first book. It was really grating the way they treated Amy. That includes Willow and David from the first book. I really felt badly for her. I'm not sure who the next couple will be in the third book, but I do look forward to finding out.
Enjoy this excerpt!
“Hon, are
you all right?
You’ve been in
there a while, and I . . . ”
Amy opened the door. “I’m fine.”
Her voice wobbled. She would not ask to borrow the phone. There had to be
another way.
“No, I don’t think so,” Gracie
said. “You come out and have your eggs and bacon.”
Oh crap. What was she supposed to
do now?
“I . . . I . . . don’t. I mean I
can’t . . . ” She let go of a long, trembling breath. “Daddy locked me out of
the house yes- terday and told me I had to marry Grady Carson. Then he took all
the money out of my checking account. And I probably should call Grady, but I
have to borrow your phone.” The words came out in a terrible, hoarse whisper.
She expected Gracie to yell at
her for using the bath- room without having any intention of buying food. Or,
worse yet, to take her into the back room and hand her a phone. But instead
Gracie draped her arm over Amy’s shoulder. “Come get your breakfast. You can
pay me for it later, after you sort things out with your father. And no woman
should ever marry someone she has second thoughts about. Shame on your daddy.”
The tense muscles in Amy’s neck
and shoulders relaxed as Gracie led her to the counter, where a plate of eggs
and bacon awaited. “Eat your breakfast. You’ll feel better.”
Amy did as she was told, downing
the eggs and bacon like a starving person. She had no idea where her next meal
would come from, so she allowed Gracie to refill her coffee cup several times
while the diner filled up with the usual Saturday crowd.
Pippa Custis, the owner of Ewe
and Me, the yarn shop in town, came in for a bowl of oatmeal.
Walter Braden came in holding
hands with his new wife, the former
Poppy Marchand. For a couple of old peo- ple, they were sweet. They ordered two
big breakfasts and spent the entire time gazing into each other’s eyes.
Alicia Mulloy, the hygienist at
Dr. Dinnen’s office, or- dered three different kinds of donuts. Amy wondered if
Dr. Dinnen knew about Alicia’s sugar habit.
And then Dusty McNeil strolled
through the door and turned Saturday into Man Candy Monday. Wow. He was like
some unholy combination of Thor and Captain Amer- ica all rolled into one
gorgeous example of maleness.
Gracie swooped down on him with a
cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and bacon, as if she’d been expecting his
arri- val. He gave Gracie a smile full of laugh lines and dimples and white
teeth. And then he turned toward Amy.
Unlike the other customers, he
didn’t pretend she was invisible. Oh no. He gave her a long, assessing gaze
that made Amy’s pulse jump. Dusty McNeil had a badass repu- tation as a player
who preferred the showgirls and cocktail waitresses who worked up at the
casinos in Charles Town, West Virginia.
So why was he ogling her?
She had no idea, but she returned
the favor. Who wouldn’t enjoy gazing at that chiseled face or those bright baby
blues or all that golden blond hair?
And that’s when a crazy idea
popped into her desperate head. Maybe she could invite herself over to his
place for some Netflix and chill. Spending a night with him wouldn’t be much of
a sacrifice. And it would probably be way more fun (and warmer) than sleeping
in the Z4.
Or sleeping with Grady for that
matter.
But no. Initiating a booty call
would not be the right next step. She’d chosen to sleep
in her car instead of falling back on a man. She’d taken a principled position.
So she pushed the ridiculous idea of sleeping with Dusty McNeil out of her mind
and concentrated on her coffee mug while she tried to figure out what her next
step ought to be.
She came up with exactly nothing.
“Y’all seem to be busy up at
Eagle Hill Manor these days,” Gracie said to Dusty. And since Amy didn’t have
anything better to do, she eavesdropped.
“Yep. Ever since that article in
Brides. Willow’s hiring another event planner. Know anyone who might be inter-
ested?”
Gracie shook her head. “No, but
I’ll keep my eye out.”
A job.
Why hadn’t Amy thought of that
before?
A job would solve all her
problems. And becoming an event planner sounded like the perfect fit except for
the fact that she had zero real work experience. But she had been her
sorority’s social secretary and had planned all kinds of themed parties and
charitable events. She’d even had a hand in helping several of her sorority sisters
with their wedding plans.
This was perfect. She’d get a job
instead of a husband.
And wouldn’t that blow Daddy’s
mind?
PRAISE FOR THE CHAPEL OF LOVE SERIES
“Ramsey charms in her second Chapel of Love
contemporary...[and] wins readers' hearts with likable characters, an engaging
plot (and a hilarious subplot), and a well-deserved happy ending.” –Publishers
Weekly on A SMALL-TOWN BRIDE
“With skillful precision, Ramsay
nails the political dynamics and small-town vibe and launches an endearing
series fans will savor.” –Library Journal
on A CHRISTMAS BRIDE
“[Ramsay’s] pun-filled, witty
dialogue fits each realistic character and every lushly vivid scene
perfectly. Watching love bloom for this
opposites-attract couple, the downtrodden heroine and hero with major issues
with his Kennedy-esque family, is poignant and impactful.” –RT Book Reviews on A CHRISTMAS BRIDE
BUY THE BOOK HERE
THE CHAPEL OF LOVE SERIES
A FAIRYTALE BRIDE, #.5
A CHRISTMAS BRIDE, #1
A SMALL-TOWN BRIDE, #2
HERE COMES THE BRIDE, #3
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hope Ramsay is a USA Today bestselling author of
heartwarming contemporary romances. Her
books have won critical acclaim and publishing awards. She is married to a good
ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her Southern heroes. She has
two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Virginia
where, when she's not writing, she's knitting or playing her forty-year-old
Martin guitar.
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