Veena’s review of Meant to be Yours (Happily Inc, Book 5) by Susan Mallery
Contemporary Romance published by HQN Books 22 Oct 19
Jasper writes suspense novels, but lately his readers, or perhaps more importantly his editor, want him to build a love interest for his swashbuckling mystery-solving detective character. His first attempts at a female character has his beta readers in splits, definitely not a winner. Can Renee be his salvation in creating a three-dimensional female character for his series?
While Jasper is delightful, Renee didn’t exactly endear herself to me from the get-go, but then the magic of the story catches up, and, before you know it, it’s the end of another delightful chapter in the Happily Inc. series.
Jasper is suffering from PTSD when he first comes to Happily Inc, but soon the town calls to him and he finds himself buying a house and settling in to write. Things have gotten a lot better for him since then and he’s even recently adopted a dog. He finds Renee intriguing when they partner each other at a Monopoly game and before long they’re in bed. Jasper finally gets answers on what a wedding planner does, as he searches to flesh out the character in the latest book he’s writing. I love how he glazes over and forgets that Renee is around when the muse is calling and his fingers are typing.
Renee, however, isn’t so easy. She’s carrying a lot of baggage and definitely comes across as irritating in the beginning. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to tell her to get over herself. She does, however, have a strong group of girlfriends and it’s great catching up on the happily ever afters of some of the couples from earlier stories. Renee’s life-long embarrassment is that her mom can talk to animals. Her reaction to her mom make me cringe. but fortunately her friends and even her lover are a lot more accepting than Renee herself. Once Renee accepts her mom for what she is and begins to finally like herself, we see a change that tured the tide for me in how I felt about Renee.
While every book in the series features weddings in a box, it’s great fun to be a part of the planning and execution and even a couple of mishaps with weddings. This sweet romance, even through it comes after the Summer is done, brings alive memories of light-hearted reading on the beach or on vacation.
Grade: B
Summary:
In Happily Inc, love means never having to say “I do”…
Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too.
After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse.
Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?
Read an excerpt.
