Angela Chestnut can’t wait to move to New York City to fulfill her dream on the stages of Broadway, but first she has to finish her last year of college. When a couple of the student stages are damaged in a flood, she moves the show she has to direct to a local community center in the hopes of raising enough funds that they’ll be able to keep their doors open. But someone wants The Center to … fail, and if that means Angela’s show, and her final grade, have to fail as well, they’re totally okay with that.
Since they met at her sister’s place the previous summer, Alex Checketts has had an unhealthy interest (in his opinion) in Angela, who is twelve years younger than he is. He finds himself roped into accompanying the musical she’s written for her project and gets caught up in the mystery behind who is trying to shut down the community center. His attraction to Angela only grows as they spend more time together and her interest in him isn’t helping his resolve not to date her.
Whether they’ll be able to make it work after she moves to New York worries them both. But first they have to survive to put on Angela’s show and save The Center.
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**** Book 1
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel A Perfect Fit (DiCarlo Brides Book 1): Love in Juniper Ridge Jan 15, 2014 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
A good introduction to the series. Complex and full of drama. 6 women find out after their father’s funeral that they really are sisters and must work and live together for a year to make a the new Colorado hotel prosperous or marry in order to inherit. What they didn’t expect upon arrival to the hotel site in Juniper Ridge,Colorado were romances that were secretly set up for them by their father George DiCarlo prior to his death and the multiple media sabotage attempts. Couples inferred include Cami with Landscaper Vince ,her sister Lana with the hotel’s regional manager Blake, and her stepsisters Sage with former SEAL and head of hotel security Joel, Delphi with photographer Jeremy, and Jonquil with Ski Resort owner/manager Gage. A tutorial on hot air ballooning, setting up a hotel and resort and the stress of waiting for a kidney transplant are seamlessly blended in with all the family and workplace drama.
**** Book 2
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) Mar 11, 2013 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
Suspenseful with multiple forms of violence this novel begins months before the timeframe in book 1 and features the fearful reflexologist Sage who has a gift of precognition. Sage is contemplating leaving LA not only to take the Colorado Spa Manager job for her father but also to hide from a stalker. A suspenseful opening results in Sage meeting Joel the private security guard hired for her by her matchmaking father George Dicarlo. This sequel contains the events leading up to the post funeral attorney meeting in book 1 and then jumps ahead to the present day to Cami and Vince’s engagement, Sage’s work in the DiCarlo Colorado Hotel’s Spa, the return of Sage’s stalker, Sage’s budding romance with former SEAL/private security guard/ head of the DiCarlo Colorado Hotel’s security Joel, a poignant moment with Joel’s SEAL family,and the continued saga of the DiCarlo sisters.
Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence.
**** Book 3
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel Reclaiming His Bride (DiCarlo Brides book 3) Mar 17, 2013 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
Suspenseful, emotional and action packed with a twist. Starting three weeks after the DiCarlo Colorado Hotel’s opening,the story of hotel general manager Lana and the hotel chain’s regional manager Blake is a rocky one of secrets, misunderstandings, and an unplanned pregnancy. The continued saga of the DiCarlo sisters is peppered with escalating ghost activity in the form of hotel destruction and a murder which is blended with Blake’s family’s interference and Blake trying to win back Lana.
Contains some violence. Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence.
**** Book 4
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel Family Matters : DiCarlo Brides book 4 May 6, 2013 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
An emotional second chance at love story with multiple unhappy people, multiple acts of violence, a message concerning excessive dieting/poor body image, and a happy ending. Rosemary’s life drastically changes when one of Sage’s predictions come true giving Rosemary the chance to be a parent of her 10 year old daughter Cleo after the adoptive parents are tragically killed. Rosemary and Harrison find love and healing as he comforts and assist her through the changes brought with motherhood and tries to protect them when multiple violent acts befall the family.
Contains some violence. Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence.
**** Book 5:
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel Wild Hearts (DiCarlo Brides Book 5) Dec 22, 2013 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
A poignant second chance at love story combined with the continued saga of the Dicarlo sisters. Mystery and violence follow the couple as an innocent piece of fool’s gold turns out to be real. Reverting back to May and Delphi’s entrance at the reading of her father’s will then Jumping to July and her first meeting with Jeremy and then jumping again to January and the preparation for Rosemary’s wedding this sequel features the widowed motorcycle loving wedding planner Delphi and the friends to more romance with photographer Jeremy.
Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence. Contains some violence.
**** Book 6
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides Book 6) Jan 22, 2014 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
The last of the six DiCarlo brides finally wins her love and gains the emotional support and sense of belonging she has been craving for years. George DiCarlo’s last not so “secret match” involves his youngest daughter the Hotel’s floral manager Jonquil and appears to be a soulmate but Gage is still resistant. Both Jonquil and struggling local ski resort owner Gage are dedicated hard hard works who love nature and outdoor sports, support their families emotionally and monetarily but are taken advantage of by their self centered younger sisters. Life gets interesting when floral department manger Jonquil’s flighty self centered little sister the drama student Angela moves in for the summer, Gage is unable to support his self centered socialite sister Natalie, and someone sabotages the ski resort.
Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence. Contains violence in the form of shooting and jealousy/mental illness.
**** Book 7
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel Getting Her Groom (DiCarlo Brides Book 7) Dec 11, 2014 by Heather Tullis and this review was given freely.
An older man-younger woman romance with a sinister undertone, one large loving family, a pair of superficial parents, and a happy ending. Tying up some loose ends, Jonquil’s little sister Angela’s road to graduation is sabotage but, graduation does not end her problems when she has to make a decision between a long distance relationship with Cami and Lana’s cousin the lawyer Alex, living near her family, and taking an understudy position to her dream job on Broadway in NY.
Can be read as a stand alone but best if read in sequence. Violence is not as graphic as in prior novels.
So Loved
Angela wasn’t a DiCarlo but her half sister Jonquil was.But she has gotten to know and like all of the girls and their husbands. Alex is Cami’s cousin in her mother’s side and was the attorney for the estate. He and Angelo hung out a little in Juniper Falls the summer before but now she is back for her senior year and they seem to be connecting more.
What do I say? Angela was not a favorite of mine when she appeared in the original series. While she has been in college, she has grown up & matured which turns her into a more likable character. Alex is older than Angela & it has him fighting his attraction to her. He doesn’t want to be like his father who has a tendency to marry younger women. As they work together to salvage Angela’s play, figure out who is trying to harm them & save The Center, they both become more comfortable with their feelings & stop fighting them.
ARC for honest review with no compensation
Getting her Groom is the last book in the DiCarlo Brides series and its a fitting end to the series. Was glad to see Angela has finally grown up and is determined to show Alex that even though they are 12 years apart she is the one for him…
Loved this series! ! !