While traveling through Scotland with her friend and photographer, Judith, to cover the local customs and traditions, Boise journalist Gwen Taylor wakes one morning in an unfamiliar place: a big, white tent. Her clothes seem to have gone missing, and she has no recollection of what happened the night before.
The previous night is a big fuzzy, thanks to the whiskey that was flowing at the fire festival, but now she’s got gorgeous redheaded Scotsman Grant McLeod following her around—and he’s claiming that Judith got married the night before.
Gwen just wants to get rid of her hangover, find Judith, and get back to her normal life in Boise—so she can put this whole experience behind her. But Grant doesn’t seem to want to let her out of his sight.
From the title of the book, you can probably already guess the story’s big surprise—which is why it seems so silly that author Mary Malcolm tries to keep it a secret for so long. She hints at it repeatedly—and let’s not forget that telling title—so when the truth is finally explained, it’s more of a Yeah…so? moment than a shocking revelation.
And that’s not the only way in which Accidentally a Bride seems a little misguided. Though it has a good heart, it’s all a bit too obvious. Gwen doesn’t get much character development, aside from the fact that her divorce has left her with a seriously negative attitude toward marriage—so it’s not hard to see where the story is heading. Meanwhile, though readers are supposed to feel for Gwen and understand her resistance, she ends up coming off as a stubborn—and sometimes even hostile—character. Still, Grant (this gorgeous guy whom she met just a matter of hours ago) is somehow eternally devoted to her.
The couple has a strange relationship. She wants nothing more than to get away from him, and he spends most of the novel keeping things from her. Not exactly the kind of relationship that would stand the test of time, if you ask me. But they both really enjoy the sex—and, apparently, that’s all that really matters.
I enjoy a nice, fluffy romance as much as the next chick—but Accidentally a Bride takes it too far. It’s just so predictable and unrealistic that even the most hopeless romantic will find it hard to believe.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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