Runaway Bride and Prejudice

Runaway Bride and Prejudice (Appies, #5) by Emma St. Clair Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: August 28, 2024 Publisher: Indie Pages: 418 ISBN: 9798989027651 Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads

Synopsis: Van and Amelia have instant chemistry when they meet in a bar. But when Van finds out Amelia is his coach’s daughter, he hightails it out of there and spends the next several months trying to forget she exists until he receives an invitation to the wedding. On the day of the wedding Van ends up finding the groom with his pants down and the maid of honor blushing. Van may be the mouthy bad boy but he doesn’t tolerate cheating and demands the groom come clean to Amelia before the ceremony. The day doesn’t turn out quite as he expected because he finds himself driving the getaway car with the bride as his passenger princess.

Review: I have been a huge fan of the Apples since book one in the Sweater Weather series. Van has been a favorite character of mine because I loved his bad boy image and sassy mouth. When I found out Emma was writing Van’s story and I was finally going to dive into Van’s world, I was beyond ecstatic.

Emma did not disappoint with this book! It had everything I want in a romance; witty banter, swoon-worthy moments, and amazing chemistry between the characters. I laughed-out-loud at many moments and had tears in my eyes during others. The sweet moments and vulnerability makes this book an absolute joy to read.

The storyline kept me hooked from beginning to end and is a must-read for anyone who loves the bad boy x good girl trope.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

Merritt and Her Childhood Crush (Oakley Island, #2) by Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor Emma: Website | Twitter | Instagram Jenny: Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: January 31, 2023 Publisher: Independently Published Pages: 324 ISBN: 9798374821864 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: ARC (ebook) Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Merritt hasn't been back to Oakley island since she was a teenager, well technically not since That One Night but she doesn't talk about that. Merritt was perfectly happy in New York, being a strong no-nonsense woman with a nice apartment, work friends, and her boyfriend. But when her life suddenly implodes, she finds herself heading back to Oakley Island to oversee the renovations of her late grandmother's house.

Hunter hasn't seen Merritt since he was a teenager and she dropped a bombshell on him, broke his heart, and then never came back or looked back. 

Review: This story is so incredibly sweet and charismatic. It's a closed-door romance, with no swearing, and very little steam/heat (though the interest is there - they just keep it PG), and it's told with a dual POV. I really enjoyed getting to see both Merritt's and Hunter's sides of the story. 

Also, how adorable is this cover? I mean, it's pink! Of course, it's adorable! I love pink covers so much and then add in cartoon characters and I'm here for it. This is also a second-chance romance, who doesn't love a second-chance romance with a HEA? 

As for the characters, Merritt is such an interesting character. I really felt like I could relate to her, and I saw so much of myself in her. That fierce drive and determination while also hiding away vulnerable parts of yourself. There was one part at the beginning of the book when Merritt is picturing (hearing) her late grandmother's words and her grandmother describes Merritt as a turtle, a hard exterior shell to protect her vulnerable insides. That part of the story was so relatable to me.

"I would rather risk everything for a chance than live another moment without you in my arms."

        - Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor, Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

This was my first Emma St. Clair book but not my first Jenny Proctor Book. I really enjoy Jenny's (and Emma's) writing style and found this book to be really sweet with well-developed characters and idyllic scenery. 

Overall I give this book 4 stars because I loved the plot, I enjoyed the characters, and the storyline was very engaging. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series, I am going to go back and read Eloise's story and I am excited to read about Sadie's story when book three comes out next year. 

I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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