Red Velvet: 2 (Blackwood Cellars Series)

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Was he making a huge mistake? The last time he attended a wedding, he made a total ass of himself. He still hadn’t fully recovered from the debacle. She bit her lip. "You haven’t been to happy hour with us since July. You’ve missed every karaoke night. And you didn’t go to Pamila’s engagement party last weekend, even though she works in our department. Now you want to spend an entire week at a wedding? While pretending to be someone else?" She undid her apron and hung it on a peg. It’s Delilah’s birthday tomorrow. Red velvet cupcakes are her favorite. Both April and Brody have complicated family relationships, though the story focuses more on April’s family. Her sisters are particularly difficult and antagonistic, especially toward April. They are a highly competitive family, unlike April, and April often feels like the odd one out. She and Brody are alike in that way. They both struggle with feelings of worth and not living up to the expectations of their family. Neither feels like they fit in with the rest of their family, and they always seem like they are trying to prove themselves to those who should accept them without reservation.

For a brief, blissful moment, the fire inside April burned bright. Screw Chris. She was through with all his calorie counting and all his rules. Like no sleeping over. After they were done, he always dressed and headed for the door. No matter how many times she asked him to stay, he claimed spending the night would derail his morning run. His unabashed affection for her baking skills filled her with a warm glow. Though she’d been seeing Chris for five months, she still harbored a tiny crush on Brody. How could she not? He’d been one of the first people to befriend her when she’d relocated from Santa Barbara to the Temecula Valley—an hour north of San Diego—to work for his family’s company. And he was brilliant, funny, and totally hot for a self-proclaimed computer nerd. No. After being available for Chris whenever he needed her, after cheering him on at all his races, she’d asked him for one thing. Granted, it was a big ask, but he’d given her his word. And by breaking it so casually, he’d shown her exactly how little she meant to him.He groaned. That’s not what I meant. I’d be up for a normal vacation, like a weekend in the mountains. But weddings have this weird impact on women. Did he think her clothes looked that bad? Granted, some of her outfits were out of style, but they weren’t unwearable. I was trying to pare down the options for my brother’s wedding. We’re going to be there for six days, and the weather might be iffy since fall in Wisconsin isn’t dependable. This book is a fun and flirty romance. You’ll root for April and Brody as they *fall* for one another while attending this autumn wedding.

But before Chris, her bed had been empty for months. Even the crumbs of his affection were better than slowly morphing into a lonely cat lady. This trip means a lot to me, she said. And you promised you’d go. If you can’t be there for me, then I don’t want to be with you anymore. He wrinkled his nose. You know how I feel about cat hair on my clothes. And I won’t be long. He sauntered over to the breakfast bar and frowned at the cupcakes. Baking again? Butter and refined sugar are terrible for your waistline.Welcome! I write contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of steam, often set in fabulous locations.

Maybe that’s why he couldn’t leave town for six days. Tears welled up in her eyes. I feel so stupid. What if he has a secret family? The memory still stung, like a cut that refused to heal. Taylor had been his plus-one for Marc’s wedding, but she’d dumped him, via text, two hours before her plane was due to arrive on the island. He’d been so distraught he’d gotten wasted at the rehearsal dinner, made an inappropriate speech, and passed out at the table. A fake excuse if ever there was one. Sounds dubious. Did you ever consider he might be married? Didn’t you say he never spent the night?This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. It has the one bed trope, it has the forced proximity trope, fake dating, friends to lovers, and protective male He leaned closer and stroked her cheek. That’s my girl. I’ll make it up to you in the bedroom. With a wink, he headed for the door. Have fun at the wedding, but try not to overindulge. Go easy on the sweets. I also want to thank the publishers Moon Manor Press and the writer Carla Luna for my e-copy of this book. I enjoyed it and I hope others will as well. About the Author Too bad there’s a grueling 10k race and a cutthroat trivia night to endure. Not to mention a massive secret to protect. But will the biggest secret of all be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined? My Thoughts