Thursday, July 27, 2017

ARC Review: A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin

A Wedding Tail
Author: Casey Griffin
Series: A Rescue Dog Romance (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 1, 2017)

Description: ’TIL DEATH DO US BARK…

Wedding planner Zoe Plum has brides from all walks of life vying for her services. The only problem is: happily-single Zoe doesn’t actually enjoy weddings―but that might change when she meets the singer of a local band playing at one of her weddings. His name is Levi Dolson and he’s too gorgeous for his own good. And now he’s gone ahead and charmed her new dachshund. . .

It’s no secret that Zoe doesn’t believe in fairy tales, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting to make sweet music with Levi. While she’s convinced she doesn’t need a man, when someone starts setting one trap after the next to make sure she never plans a wedding ever again, she might need Levi in more ways than she could have imagined. But just how far is Zoe’s hidden enemy willing to go? The only thing Levi knows for sure is that he will do everything in his power to protect the woman who brings music to his soul. Maybe that will prove to Zoe, once and for all, that he is a man worthy of her heart. . .
My Thoughts: This is the third book in the Rescue Dog Romance series and tells Zoe's story. Zoe Plum is a Japanese-American wedding planner who doesn't believe in romance. Since her own fiance left her at the alter about six years previously, she has buried her emotions and given up on men. She has a side business hosting parties and selling sex toys for Pure Pleasure and is a very good customer for their products. I just about gave up on this book because the first half had lots more to do with sex toys than rescued dachshunds.

The story begins at a wedding where everything goes wrong. From battling in-laws, to drunk relatives, to a church with broken air-conditioning in a heat wave, to a sick priest, a flower girl determined to release the doves into the church, a missing horse to assist in the new husband and wife's getaway, and a missing groomsman, everything is testing Zoe's ability to work under pressure.  I believe that this whole set-up was designed to be funny but it missed the mark for me because I was seeing it through Zoe's humorless eyes.

The wedding fiasco does lead to the introduction of the hero. Levi Dolson is the missing groomsman. He is a musician and laid back person who falls for Zoe. Zoe doesn't do anything to encourage him which makes me wonder why he persists.

The wedding fiasco only begins Zoe's troubles. The disgruntled bride is trashing her reputation at a wedding expo, her booth has been changed from a prime location to the outskirts at that expo, her assistant jumps ship and hires on with Zoe's fiercest competitor, someone vandalizes her van and cuts its brake lines, someone bombs her office.

Through all this, she and Levi are trying to build a relationship through her cynicism and distrust and their different goals.

This ended up being a nice romance and the mystery was resolved too. Along the way Zoe does rescue a dachshund to be her companion. Freddy is an interesting character in his own rite who adds some humor to the story.

Favorite Quote:
Emotions always ran high leading up to the big day, and a good wedding planner knew how to maintain perspective, to be empathetic but remain neutral. Zoe could see the bigger picture. She was objective. She didn't get wrapped up in all the fantasy of romance and love. It was all bullsh*t anyway. 
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

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