Red Velvet: 2 (Blackwood Cellars Series)

Product Information

I never should have agreed to it. Attending a destination wedding? With your entire family? That implies we’re getting serious. I loved the tropes in Red Velvet. We had friends to (fake) lovers, horrible siblings and the inevitable ex-boyfriend turning up when everything is actually going alright. 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. She dipped another wonton into the sweet and sour sauce. Exactly. I don’t want to get into the details, but several years ago I invented a fake boyfriend and posted pictures of us online. It blew up in a spectacular fashion, and my sisters have never let me forget it.

Hi! I'm Jen, 24 and from the North West of England. Blogging about books, baking and everything in between. No, I can eat whatever I want at the wedding. And no, you can’t make it up to me in the bedroom. Because if you bail this late in the game, then we’re done. 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?"I love this romantic setting. Author Carla Luna brings the flavors and life of Door County, Wisconsin alive. With crisp apples, gold and red leaves, cherry jams galore and plenty of wine tasting, you’ll adore this vacation-in-a-book. 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 turn out to be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined? 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?

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. She grabbed a wooden spoon and waved it at him. You need to wait until tomorrow. I still have to frost them. 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. After a series of mixed reads last month, Red Velvet was just what I needed. It is nothing readers won’t have come across before but, if you’re looking for an easy read this autumn, Red Velvet is just the thing. A Few “Thank Yous”He rolled his eyes. You’re making this into a bigger deal than it needs to be. But if that’s what you want, then it’s your loss. 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. 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.

She twisted her hands together. I didn’t ask for anything long-term. Just a date for Ollie’s wedding. Six nights together in a cozy cottage on Lake Michigan. Think how much fun we’ll have. It has the one bed trope, it has the forced proximity trope, fake dating, friends to lovers, and protective male The romance between April and Brody is fantastic and equal parts sweet and steamy. Both April and Brody are nerds, and I loved their references to Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and more. They are the best of friends, and they are a great support to each other. They have such fun together, and it’s clear that they can be completely themselves when they are together. Both have had bad and recent breakups and are a little hesitant about love. However, they have a special connection and care deeply for each other. I love how they slowly admit their feelings for each other and how their relationship grows and transitions throughout the story. They have such fantastic chemistry, and their ease with and love for each other is relatable, realistic, and swoon-tastic! I totally related to this couple, as my husband and I were friends before we became more. We are also big nerds, much like April and Brody. I mean, one minute you’re happy being single; the next, you’re watching the bride walk down the aisle and wishing you were her. Cute Romantic Comedy Troupe with HEA. Easy listening and the narrator has a soothing voice. Read moreCarla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. When she’s not writing, she works in a spice emporium where she gets paid to discuss food and share her favorite recipes. Her passions include Broadway musicals, baking, whimsical office supplies, and pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Victoria, B.C., she currently resides in Wisconsin with her family and her spoiled Siberian cat. I wouldn’t have been able to read this book – or participate in this Blog Tour- without Rachel (of Rachel’s Random Resources) so I just wanted to say thank you to her for organising the tour and for letting me have a spot on it, too.