First Date

The first of a four book series entitled THE BRIDESMAID CHRONICLES, Karen Kendall's FIRST DATE starts it off with a bang! To be followed by Kylie Adams with The Bridesmaid Chronicles: First Kiss (Bridesmaid Chronicles), continued by Ms. Kendall with The Bridesmaid Chronicles: First Dance (Bridesmaid Chronicles), and finished up with Julie Kenner and The Bridesmaid Chronicles: First Love (Bridesmaid Chronicles), this series is sure to be a hit. Harried and overworked Sydney "Syd" Spinelli isn't at her best when her father demands her to leave Princeton, New Jersey, and come home to South River to evaluate his accounting books. Already angry at having to jump at her father's demands, and worried about the absence of her father's bookkeeper, Betty Lou-not to mention the money that disappeared right along with her-it's no wonder she doesn't take her younger sister's email very well. It seems that Julia, whose always seemed to be the incompetent one, regardless of her job as manager of the smallest hotel in the Marv's Motor Inns motel chain, is in an even greater bind this time-she's getting married to Roman Sonntag, a man she's dated for-gulp!-one entire month. Hightailing it to Fredericksburg, Texas, is the last thing Syd wants to do, but when Julia fails to take her sister's worry seriously via email and telephone, she knows that she's the only one who can make her sister see reason. Being irresponsible is one thing, but ruining your life by marrying a virtual stranger is, most definitely, something else entirely. There's only one problem with Syd's plans-one best man by the name of Alex Kimball. After all, the best man's job is to make sure the wedding goes off without a hitch, right? So there's a redheaded sister-of-the-bride who wants to string him up by his boot heels on his case-Alex is sure he can handle whatever she throws his way. What neither of them bargained for was a red-hot dose of passion that makes Julia and Roman's month-long courtship look like a ten-year engagement. Funny, witty, and sizzling, FIRST DATE is a book sure to tickle your funny bone and zap your romance button. If the following three books in THE BRIDESMAID CHRONICLES are all like this one, you'll need to make room for more books on your keeper shelf.

When this series first came out I read the summary and wasn't too interested. Last week I bought this book to pass a few hours and I really liked it. Thankfully I bought the first one. I have since ordered the others but haven't gotten them yet. Can't wait to read the 3rs one since Karen Kendall wrote it too. The second didn't get that great reviews but I am going to try to read it. I liked this book enough to check out some other titles by KK.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It didn't take me long at all to finish it. It was pretty light and very fun! It's a story about a snap engagement that provokes the protective sister to come in and try to stop the wedding. Of course there are misunderstandings and scheming plans and personality conflicts. That only makes the book more fun entertaining to read. The main character did get on my nerves a little bit due to the fact that she is very controlling and extremely nosy and worst of all, self-loathing. Enter sexy hero. He convinces her that she is sexy and desirable and they fall in love and she stops hating herself. Everyone lives happily ever after... at least until the next in the series, First Kiss -recommended

Every time I read one of Karen Kendall's books, it is better than the last one! I would normally run like the wind from a series about bridesmaids (IMHO, the stuff of nightmares) but, since Karen wrote it, I gave it a chance--and LOVED it. So much, in fact, that I've already started on FIRST DANCE, another of the books in the series. In fact, I'm trying to figure out how to get Fredericksburg, Texas into my 2006 travel schedule. The womanizing Texas hunk meets Jersey-girl-with-an-attitude romance made me want to two-step with someone in a Stetson hat.

Meet Julia, Sydney, Alex and Roman..   Julia Spinelli, young blond goddess, is getting married. She's already going crazy over wedding arrangements. If only her sister could be happy for her..   Sydney Spinelli is Julia's red-haired intelligent sister. When she first hears her sister is getting married she books the first flight to Texas to go and change her sister's silly mind. What else could have gotten into her?   Roman Sonntag manages a vineyard and has found the woman of his dreams in Julia. But he has to prevent Julia's evil older sister to interfere with their wedding plans. Maybe this is where Alex, his best friend, comes in handy. Time for some "you-owe-me-something".   Alex Kimball is running an Emu farm with his Uncle Ted. At home he and his father have to deal with his mother's early on-set Alzheimer. He agrees with Roman to distract stubborn know-it-all Sydney.   Although it took me a couple of pages before I really got into the story (because of the switch of characters) once you get there, you'll be hooked! First Date is a very light-hearted humorous book which will leave a "sweet" impression on you afterwards. Karen Kendall handles a serious issue like Alzheimer in such a sweet, comforting and learning/interesting way. It's like this book involved a little first-aid kit for when you meet people with Alzheimer. Karen Kendall's writing style is very unique (some slang), very comical and it takes courage to handle a serious subject like she did and yet put it down in such a loving way. I found this story very original and entertaining and I hope the others from the Bridesmaid Chronicles will be as good as this one.   reviewed by Eveline for Euro-Reviews