For one charming playboy, getting cast on a Bachelor-esque reality TV show is the shock of a lifetime—until he finds love where he least expects it. And now the chase is on!“Romantic comedy at its finest . . . Readers will not want to put it down.”—USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog Gage Barrett’s reputation as a ladies’ man has been greatly exaggerated, but none of that matters after a drunken … exaggerated, but none of that matters after a drunken bet lands him on Jilted, a reality TV show that matches runaway grooms with wannabe brides. Now he’s stuck at a Hawaiian resort with nineteen women competing to drag him back to the altar—and one contestant who’s even more miserable than he is. Gage has no idea how feisty, independent Ellie Wright wound up in the cast, but it’s obvious she hates his guts. And if there’s one thing Gage likes, it’s a challenge. . . .
Ellie can’t believe she let her best friend talk her into exchanging her dignity for a glorified bikini contest. Still, she could use the exposure—her business is struggling—and she’ll probably be one of the first to get eliminated anyway. But Gage isn’t the shallow jerk Ellie anticipated—and he’s in no rush to send her home. As stolen kisses turn into secret trysts, she finds herself losing track of what’s real and what’s for the camera. With the wedding finale looming, this runaway groom is tempting Ellie to start believing in storybook endings.
Praise for Runaway Groom
“Lauren Layne gets the red rose for this one, and fans of The Bachelor will fall in love with this thoroughly charming story.”—Kate O’Keeffe, bestselling author of One Last First Date
“It’s the perfect beach read—or snow day read, if you’re stuck in cold weather like me!”—All About Romance
Lauren Layne’s New York Times bestselling Oxford Novel series can be read in any order:
IRRESISTIBLY YOURS
I WISH YOU WERE MINE
SOMEONE LIKE YOU
I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE
I THINK I LOVE YOU
Don’t miss any of Lauren Layne’s hot reads:
The Love Unexpectedly series: BLURRED LINES | GOOD GIRL | LOVE STORY | WALK OF SHAME | AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS
The Sex, Love & Stiletto series: AFTER THE KISS | LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH | JUST ONE NIGHT | THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE
The Redemption series: ISN’T SHE LOVELY | BROKEN | CRUSHED
The I Do, I Don’t series: READY TO RUN | RUNAWAY GROOM
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
more
I adored this book! This author never disappoints, but this book is easily her best in my opinion. It’s got a great premise, it’s funny and clever and sexy, with a depth of emotion in the characters that took the story to another level. I thoroughly recommend this book.
I love me a Lauren Layne book and this one is no exception. Runaway Groom is the second in Ms Layne’s I Do, I Don’t series. It’s another sweet, sassy, and downright fun story!
Runaway Groom is based on the reality TV show, Jilted. Gage Barrett lost a bet and now he’s on this disaster of a reality show. Did he jilt two brides? Yep. It he really the playboy everyone thinks he is? Umm… That doesn’t really matter. He’s now stuck trying to choose which of the 25 single ladies to send home and which ones will stay. At the end of the month, he’s supposed to be the groom in an actual wedding. How’d he get here??? Oh, yeah, that stupid, stupid bet.
Ellie Wright can’t believe she lost that bet. The one that ends up with her as a contestant on Jilted. The one that has her competing for the privilege (cough, cough) to become Mrs. Gage Barrett. Her main motive? Free publicity for her new business, High Tees. What a mess….
Runaway Groom is filled with sassy/snarky dialogue, wonderful characters, and lots of spying. It’s pure entertainment and fun.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
Gage Barrett is a ladies man and why wouldn’t he be. He is a Hollywood actor with big movies under his belt, so everyone knows who he is. And they all know he is a runaway groom of at least two alters. So how does he end up on the reality show Jilted? With 20 women wanting to be his new bride, well 19 of them anyway and contestant number 20 acts as if she would be anywhere but here.
Contestant number 20 would be Ellie Wright and she can’t believe she let her BFF and business partner sign her up to be on this show. But it was a good idea, to get the name of their business out to the world. Ellie and her BFF own an internet t-shirt company for women called High Tee. And what better way to advertise then for Ellie to walk around the set of Jilted wearing one of their tees.
While Ellie tries to talk Gage into sending her home, he wants to keep her around and he will think of any excuse to keep her. So with a few stolen moments, a few well-timed eliminations and Ellie finds herself wanting to stay more than she wants to go home.
Will Ellie find that Gage is more than a playboy? Can Gage get Ellie to stay until the end? Will Ellie and Gage find the HEA they both deserve?
I found this story to be fun, flirty, exciting, sexy and even heartbreaking at times but I loved it. And I can’t wait for the next one, Just Run with It. I hope you love it too.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
**4.5 Stars**
I love everything that Lauren Layne gives to us. Runaway Groom was no different. there is something refreshing about Gage and Ellie. Their story was fun and full of laughter. Gage didn’t want to do a bachelor type show, but somehow he lost a best and we were given an amazing story of two unlikely people who fell in love.
Ellie never thought she’d be competing to win a man’s heart on national TV, let alone have it be Gage. But here she was, being number 21 thanks to her mom and best friend/business partner. I loved Ellie. She wasn’t your typical female that one would picture going on a reality TV show. I think that’s why I loved her even more. Gage wasn’t what I was expecting either. He traits that made me think of a typical actor when picturing an actor, but I was pleasantly surprised at how wrong I was about him.
Gage and Ellie were refreshing. They were funny and they were just what I needed to get me out of my book funk. I can’t wait for more from Lauren Layne.
Gage’s perfect life is about to become a complication he doesn’t need, yet can’t live without. What began as a drunken bet has become a life changing moment for two people who never saw it coming. Runaway Groom is romantic comedy at the highest level. Not only is it an over the top look at love, but it’s a temptation that must be experienced. Lauren Layne has created a guilty pleasure. Tears of joy and laughter are a constant with this crazily heartwarming romance.
This was a great idea done really well. I wanted to read it because the fact that both Gage and Ellie were reluctant participants in the show made them seem more sane and gave them that opportunity to bond.
Ellie’s character was really fun – fresh, honest, and a little too cautious when it came to live. She didn’t seem like Gage’s type until we got to know the facts that Gage was hot and charming, but the real Gage stayed hidden to all but Ellie.
This is one of those books I didn’t want to see end, but it was such an escape to read.
Runaway Groom made me realize I might have a soft spot for reality TV show’s books (yes, only books). As soon as I read this blurb, I knew I had to read this story and I’m so glad I did!
Ellie is one hell of a character! I loved her! She’s smart, cool, sassy, sexy, confident and she enters the show just because her business needed a serious boost (and also because her best friend convinced her to do it). She was hoping to stay just for a short period of time and advertise her clothing line, she wasn’t exactly interested in Gage Barrett. At all. Until she meets him in person and sparks are flying everywhere.
Gage is a hot shot movie star who has several women at his feet, he’s hot, sexy, cocky but he’s not at all shallow or dumb. Still, he’s on the show, not because he wants to meet his one true love but because he lost a bet… to his best friend and of course his pride stopped him from backing out. He’s going to be surrounded by beautiful women at a paradise island, it doesn’t sound so bad, the catch is he has to marry one of the girls on the last episode, not just get engaged, it’s actually marry-marry! He gets to pick which one but it’s still scary, nonetheless he’s determined to see it through.
I’m not going to spoil the story, so I’ll keep this short and I’ll only share a few things. The banter between this two is EPIC! I loved it, the closet moments (you’ll get it when you read it!) are hilarious and their chemistry is off the charts. They start out as friends, almost as buddies because there’s a lot of crazy girls on the show, Ellie kind of helps Gage to dodge some crazy bullets, and the way their relationship slowly builds is absolutely perfect. I also loved their interactions with the secondary characters, the way the reality show went on (the eliminations, the “dates”, the manipulation), the plot was beautifully written. There was one of Ellie’s choices almost at the end of the book (can’t spoil it though…) that I think was a little off character and it bugged me a little.
Running Groom is a fun, charming, sexy, entertaining, easy read that will make you fall in love with Hollywood (yes, Gage!).
I really, really enjoyed this book and this series. I definitely recommend this book, this series and this author.
This was such a fun read! It had just the right amount of snark, fantastic characters, and a wonderful HEA. It was super sweet and full of so much heart. Excellent read!
Not bad but not hard to know the ending after the first couple of chapters. Good no thinking lazy day read though.
It’s pure magic when the sassy, sophisticated Lauren Layne takes on the world of reality dating shows in her second book in her “I Do, I Don’t” series, The Runaway Groom. “Jilted” is a show that places a runaway groom in a glamorous location with a whole bunch of eager-to-get-married-minded women and let’s the mayhem ensue! Gage Barrett, ladies man and Hollywood heartthrob, finds himself as the lucky male contestant thanks to a lost bet. Ellie Wright tries out for the show to drum up publicity for her up-and-coming t-shirt company, never expecting to be in the running as a contestant. She plans on being low-key, get a couple of plugs in for her company, and get sent home. Ah, but that fickle finger of fate points Gage in Ellie’s direction and before one can yell “cut,” these two are having private chats in a cleaning closet and ignoring the sparks that are a-flying!
Goodness, this was one fun, witty read! I defy anyone to read this book without a smile on your face for most of it! Gage seems like your typical Tinseltown player, but once we get a glimpse inside his head, we find a shockingly nice guy. And Ellie is as real as it gets – a young woman looking for success in business since her love-life is, well, not successful. It’s her lack of artifice that appeals to Gage and makes her stand out from the preening females fighting for the chance at being “Cinderella.” You will laugh as Ellie becomes Gage’s spy amongst the contestants and enjoy Gage’s subsequent reasons for sending one home. And you will feel a tear or two well in your eyes when…….well, you just have to read the book to find out!
Another well-written and clean-plotted book from Ms. Layne with characters you cannot help but fall in love with and root for. Before you know it, you have hit the last page an you are feeling good. But as always, I am left craving the next LL book!
~5 + STARS~
Runaway Groom is exactly why Lauren Layne remains one of my favorite writers. Once I began reading, I couldn’t put it down until I was done several hours later. She ALWAYS does that to me, but I LOVE IT!!!
Because of a drunken bet, Gage has found himself on the reality dating show, Jilted. It’s like the bachelor on steroids…this show ends in a potential marriage, not just an engagement. He is miserable. Some of the funniest parts of the book are his thoughts about the contestants. The only other person who seems as miserable as him is contestant, Ellie. She is not like any of the other women. He can’t figure out why she is there because she acts like she can’t stand him. She doesn’t like him at first, but the two somehow form some sort of friendship. As they sneak in time without the cameras rolling, the friendship seems to be growing into something more. Can you really find love on a television show?
Gage is a successful actor, but he is also a man. He wants Ellie to see him as a man, not the version of the man everyone else wants to see. He was hurt deeply in his past, and he has a hard time trusting others. Ellie makes him want to take that risk again, but can she accept that he is an actor and all that goes along with it?
I want someone who wants me in spite of the actor stuff, not because of it.”
I loved how Layne showed that vulnerable and unsure side of him, making him even more irresistible.
“Yeah, that stuff sucks, but Gage is worth it. I just want to be worth it.”
I loved Ellie. She didn’t take crap from anyone, and she was honest to a fault to others, but not to herself. She was falling for Gage, but she couldn’t admit it to herself. She was afraid to because of others in her life, especially her mother. She wasn’t necessarily the best example of love. She had many, many loves during her life. Ellie learned from her mother’s mistakes, but it jaded her about love.
“But here’s the thing about learning from other people’s mistakes: you miss out on the chance to make some mistakes on your own. And sometimes you get so busy dodging the potential mistakes that you miss the potential magic. You miss the one.”
I just kept hoping they would find a way to be completely honest with one another.
There were so many things that made this book so good. Layne gave us a look into reality television. Some of it was crazy which made it hysterical, but my favorite part of the book…the ending. Oh my gosh, it was magical!!! It’s what Happily Ever Afters are all about!!!!!
Love her books
This book was just exactly what I needed. Fun, entertaining, full of snappy banter and sparky chemistry and – in a sea of books that just failed to hook me – Runaway Groom took me hook, line and sinker.
I think I have a weakness for reality TV love stories. Something about the delicious guilty pleasure of reality TV mixed with the fluttery butterflies and swoony interactions between two people who are actually falling in love. The whole thing just feels super indulgent, and loads of fun. It helps that I basically adored Gage from the beginning, and I loved how slow and steady his relationship with Ellie unfolded. They were adorable together – playful and sweet even as they fought the real feelings that were developing between them.
And the banter? Ugh. Banter is my weakness and Ms. Layne delivered in spades. And, while I became a little bit impatient for these two to get their act together and get out of their own way, I completely adored the way she resolved things for us in the end.
All in all, this was a complete delight for me. I didn’t want to put it down and I enjoyed nearly every moment I spent reading it. It felt like a treat, and I am absolutely all-in for the next installment! ~ 4.5 Stars
Fun, flirty and so incredibly good! Love blooms when Gage Barrett and Ellie Wright find themselves on the reality dating show Jilted. He’s there after he loses a drunken bet. She’s there because she couldn’t say no to her business partner. He’s stuck for the long haul. She’s certain she’ll be one of the first to go home. Neither expect the feelings that begin developing after they start partnering up and getting rid of one woman after another. Gage is determined to get Ellie to believe in happily ever after but that is going to be one hard task.
I am such a huge Lauren Layne fan and this book is an example of exactly why. Low on the angst, high on the witty sarcasm, and always leaving me smiling. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Runaway Groom was a cute and fun story surrounding the Jilted series introduced in the first book. This book was really great as it followed the usual Lauren Layne givens: alot of sass, banter and hot chemistry. I loved Gage and Ellie as they were so cute together. They had back and forth spitfire banter which was fantastic and electric chemistry. I love how they were so drawn to each other and how they could not get enough of each other!
Runaway Groom is the second book in the I do, I don’t series but can be read as a complete standalone. This book had a definite Bachelorette feel with the idea of there being a possibility the Runaway Groom, Gage Barrett, could finally settle down once and for all at the end of the show. But what (reluctant Bachelor) Gage didn’t foresee was that he would meet a woman who gave as good as she got and didn’t hold back. Ellie saw the real him beyond the glitz and the glamour. But would she be able to put her own strict rules aside on who and what she wants and see what she has right in front of her?
I really really love Lauren Layne’s books as she always delivers with an amazing story each time. I seriously can’t wait for the next one! Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
Favorite Quotes:
I was one of the few noncrazies in the early stages. One woman carried her pet turtle strapped to her chest. Another woman was stressing about whether the producers would want to count her dual personalities as one contestant or two.
Twenty-one. My life has come to this— being known as a number. I’m surprised they don’t tag my ear.
They’ve told me to pace myself, but that started to get hard when contestant number six told me (and the rest of America) that her hobbies include Brazilian waxes and flossing, and so help me God, I don’t even know if she was talking about her teeth.
But once, just once, I want someone I care about to look at the crapshoot that is my life, to take in the Jilted contract and the Killboy movie shoots and the never-ending tabloid rumors and say, “Yeah, that stuff sucks, but Gage is worth it.” I want to be worth it. Just once.
My Review:
What fun! Runaway Groom is destined to be a runaway hit. Packed with smart snarky humor, witty banter, poignant insights, and steamy love scenes, this rom-com is one of Ms. Layne’s best. The story was highly amusing, unfailingly entertaining, and well written with a dual POV. I may require Botox if I continue to follow this author as my face seems to maintain a near constant smirk while reading her clever arrangements of words.
3.75 stars– RUNAWAY GROOM is the second instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult I DO, I DON’T romance series focusing on the ‘reality’ television show Jilted. This is Hollywood actor Gage Barrett, and small business owner Ellie Wright’s story line. RUNAWAY GROOM can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
Told from dual first person points of view (Gage and Ellie) RUNAWAY GROOM follows Hollywood leading man Gage Barrett as he struggles with his time on the television show Jilted, a Bachelor-esque style reality show that was never on his radar until he lost a Vegas bet to his best friend Wes Carver. The perpetual ‘runaway groom’ Gage has walked away from two previous attempts at walking down the aisle only to face twenty four potential brides who will do anything for their shot at fame and glory. Enter reluctant contestant Ellie Wright, co-owner of a small clothing business, and a woman equally opposed to appearing on TV, especially a show where the woman sell themselves for a few minutes of fame. What ensues is the building relationship between Ellie and Gage, and the potential fall out as Gage and Ellie make a promise to protect one another from the game show fall out, only to have Gage push away our story line heroine.
Ellie Wright never intended for things to go this far when her business partner signed her up as one of the potential brides on the reality show Jilted. Thinking the groom-to-be was nothing more than a Hollywood player, Ellie is surprised to find herself falling for the man who would eventually break her heart. Gage Barrett has no intention of all falling in love, least of all selecting a bride from the crazy bunch of females the show has to offer-been there, done that twice without any success. Meeting Ellie Wright, the only ‘sane’ woman in the crowd, finds Gage wanting a future but a future he has to put on hold until he rides out his time on reality TV.
The relationship between Gage and Ellie begins acrimoniously as Ellie refuses to play the game, regardless of the rules for appearing on TV. A reluctant contestant, Ellie finds herself falling for the man in question but a man who is willing to risk their time on the show for some personal R & R together. The $ex scenes are intimate and seduction without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. The back and forth banter is fun, revealing, and real.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including twenty-four potential brides willing to do anything to get close to Gage Barrett.
RUNAWAY GROOM has moments of heartbreak and tear; humor and fun; romance and love. The premise is engaging; the characters are colorful and real; the romance is passionate and loving.
Gage Barrett has really done it this time, he got drunk, made a bet and lost, so now he is filling his obligation of said bet on a reality show called Jilted, which ultimately means at the shows close he will have himself a wife. And the mere thought of being married gives him the hives, he has been down this road twice now, and both times he bailed before the “I do’s” were said, but this time he signed on the dotted line agreeing that he must utter those words and it scares the hell out of him. He likes his freedom, and a wife would certainly cramp his style… but a bet is a bet!
Ellie Wright and her best friend have created the best t-shirt on the planet and they are certain it will be a hit with women, but they seem to have hit a little hitch, they need a boost in advertising, so what better way to get publicity, then to advertise on TV. The only problem with this little plan is that Ellie will be competing on the ever popular TV show Jilted for that publicity… and possibly landing herself a husband by shows end. Letting her best friend talk her into this to this cockamamie idea was beyond stupid on her part, she can’t compete with these women, nor does she want to win the prize… a husband, by the name of ever famous playboy Gage Barrett. She has seen the tabloids and is well aware of what kind of man he is, but then she meets him, and begins to wonder if he is really as bad as they say?
Runaway Groom is a delightfully hilarious and oh so sexy little tale that is sure to score a special place in the hearts of readers, with it’s feisty banter, steamy toe curling moments, and quirky, yet lovable, characters readers will feel like they hit the romance reading jackpot with this one! From the moment I cracked the cover on this one I found myself becoming attached to these wonderfully crafted characters, there was so much to love about them, from the banter they shared, to their secret meetings in the closet, I just couldn’t get enough of them. They will pull you into their wild little TV adventure and have you flipping the pages like a madwomen to see if they can finally get it together and salvage something out of this unique situation they have found themselves in… and boy what a ride it is!! I highly recommend you get your hands of this one, Ms. Layne’s characters are certain to steal your heart and have you laughing throughout!!