Christy's Review: The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 304
Pub Date: January 3, 2012
Format: ARC

A special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for sending this book to review. 

Two high-school sweethearts, a wedding reenactment, and one absent-minded preacher. Is it a recipe for disaster or a chance for a new beginning? 

Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact.

But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy.

Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.

So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?

Review:

I loved this novel. It’s a great light read. From the get-go you know what you’re getting yourself into, it’s a love story and you expect a happy ending. But, as with every story, it’s the telling that counts and this book is no disappointment. (The author)’s country colloquial dialogue is charming and perfectly done. The pacing is great and the romantic moments just keep coming (Yes, please!). Shay is a great spitfire character with a whole lotta heart and soul. Travis is the picture-perfect dream country gentleman with a good heaping of rough n’ tumble. The world could use a few more men like him!! I loved every minute of this story, even the cheesy, predictable ending. It turned my insides to mush. Sigh.

I had issues with two things:

1.     This novel is classified as Christian, and there are many, many references to God and to praying and pleading with God. But there aren’t really any references to the characters receiving answers from God, they just pray and then make up their mind and go ahead with what they want to do. There’s never a “I felt good about it, or I needed to do such and such…” The lack of answers from Heaven made it feel as though God were just a device to refer to rather than an Omnipresent, caring being.

2.     Hmmm, issue number two… How do I address this issue without giving away the story? An action is decided upon at one point in the book. I was surprised about it because it really felt to me like Shay was betraying herself in that action, and also that Travis had broken Shay down rather than helped her to see what she really wanted. Despite his own feelings on the subject, I think Travis should have been attentive enough to Shay's feelings and have support her decision. It seemed out of character for both people. I think if the story had been slightly re-worked around the “spirit of the law” as well as the “letter of the law,” it would have been much stronger.

Those things said, I still loved the book.

Quote:

“Go ahead. Spill it.”

“Another time, Shay.”

“I’m too cranky, that it? Can’t handle it, McCoy?”

“I can handle you just fine, and we both know it.”