Always the wedding dress maker, never the bride?

Synopsis

Some women were born to wear beautiful wedding dresses, others were born only to make them.

Talented bridal designer, Laura loves weddings, but long ago a tarot card reading told her she’s doomed to never marry. Trying to prove this wrong has left her with three broken engagements, an empty bank account and a career in tatters. Finally, she’s accepted she’ll never walk down the aisle. Now she desperately needs to rescue her career.

A high profile design commission will make her reputation, it’s the only reason she came to La Canette island. She ahs six weeks to make the perfect wedding gown, no time for anything else.

Adam, the handsome but allergic-to-marriage doctor has finally found freedom. He’s just passing through, a week maybe two, maximum, then he’ll be gone. Then a disabled old man begs for his help and he agrees to stay an extra week, and things get tricky. The universe can have an evil sense of humour, and La Canette is a beautiful place where lives can take unexpected turns.

★★★★★  “Rose Amberly has a very warm feelgood style and characters that leap off the page… occasionally a laugh out loud wit.”

★★★★★  “This is just lush! Who doesn’t like wedding dresses? The designs here and the exquisite silks and gold chiffons are almost as wonderful as the romance in this enemies to lovers feelgood novel.”

★★★★★  “This is the second book I’ve read by this author and have to say I’ve enjoyed them both. I want to live on La Canette! Great escapist stories for these lockdown times!”

★★★★★  “A magical uplifting story, full of warmth and laughter and deliciously romantic. Adam is swoon worthy even if he has a troubled past. Laura is the girl who didn’t realise her own strength. Loved it and enjoyed revisiting La Canette.”

My review

Laura is a wedding designer whose biggest dream has always been walking down the aisle. And yes, she has been close to achieve her dream, until her fiancé changed his mind. With now no husband, no job and no home, she can count on the help of her friend, who advices her to go to La Canette Island. Before she knows is, she has been hired to create the wedding dress for the wedding everyone has been waiting for. Laura understands perfectly what Millie wants and needs in her dress, and Laura is ready for the challenge, even if it means creating a perfect dress in just six weeks. Luckily, not only those really close to Millie but everyone on the island, is ready to help Laura out. That included doctor Adam, who just arrived on the island himself, in an attempt to get away from everything and everyone. However, before Adam even realizes it, he finds himself looking after Lord M., whose health is rapidly declining. But with the wedding approaching, Lord M. shows once again his stubbornness and refuses getting further examinations, exasperating Adam. Staying at the same place, and having each other’s back for sure brings Laura and Adam closer. But while things seem to go for the better for the both of them, Life still has a few curveballs for them, jeopardizing literally everything…

I think it is safe to say, that most little girls have always been dreaming about their wedding. And even when growing into adulthood, haven’t we all at least thought once about our wedding dresses?

And I could understand Laura, how it has always been her dream to be walking down the aisle, marrying the man that she loves. I could also understand her devastating when her wedding never takes place. In fact, her fiancé ‘suddenly’ makes a realisation, leaving Laura on her own, without anything to hold on to.

Once again, the marvellous island that La Canette is, offers all the help and comfort that Laura needs. Because La Canette, in all its uniqueness, is a real close community, where everyone is ready to help out.

I liked it how Laura feels at home at La Canette, how she finds peace there, meeting new people, and even having the opportunity of a lifetime. Because of everything she expected, she never thought that she would be the one that would create Millie’s wedding dress.

I was amazed by her artistic talents, especially as I don’t have an artistic bone in my whole body! Even if just by the words written in the book, it’s clear that Laura has great ideas, and that she understands who Millie truly is, even if have just literally met.

However, even if Laura is now in a place, literally, where she feels accepted and wanted, the hurt is still palpable. She wants to protect herself, and her heart, she wants to find herself and be herself, without ever losing herself once again.

And in that aspect she finds a kindred spirit in Adam. Because right from his first appearance, it is obvious that he also needs an escape, an escape from his own world, even an escape from the job that he has always wanted to practice.

However, no matter what happened in both characters’ pasts, it was lovely to see how they connect. Even if they start of just being friendly towards each other (forgetting that real first meeting of course), there is also a complicity between them. They understand each other, with even just a look here and there.

Now, there are several points in this book that I didn’t like and that got me worried. And don’t worry, it’s not because of the writing itself, but because what is happening in the book.

I truly feared the worst for Lord M. Because in the first book, we know already that his health isn’t one of the best, but there was an obvious progress. However, in this book, his health is truly deteriorating. And his stubbornness of refusing help was so infuriating!

And then there is the wedding planner Nicole… God, that woman… I am not a violent person (well…😊) but if she were a real person, and I would be around her like Laura is, I for sure would have slapped her several times!

But this story centres around Laura and Adam, finding a place that truly feels like home. A home where they think about their future, their dreams. We see with this pair how dreams can change, as how life takes you in a different direction than expected.

As a second book of a series, I am always curious to see if the sequel can live up to the first book. And I can happily announce that it for sure did! This is a great next chapter, once again in a wonderful place, filled with great people. People that are going through a lot, with many ups and many downs, but people that grow and understand not only the others around them, but mostly and most important, themselves.