Bachelors Inc.: Marrying Owen

Although Owen Thomas formed the GAG (Girls Are Gross) club with his best friends Zack and Ben, that did not stop him from befriending, albeit reluctantly, his next door neighbor Abby Maconnal. The two friends grew closer until the inevitable happened, they became an 'item' and, later, husband and wife. After ten years Abby and Owen are now exes. Owen's childhood friend Zack has faired even more poorly and has become a single father while Ben remains a confirmed bachelor and incorrigible ladies man.Realizing that his obsessive focus on his work led to Abby's leaving him, Owen returns to his childhood home of Land's End and, with Zack and Ben, starts up a refurbishing business under the corporate header of Bachelors, Inc, with each man swearing to give up serious, long term relationships with the opposite sex.Yeah, right.Then Abby comes to town, stopping by to pick up a few things left in the childhood home that Owen now resides in. The former couple are reluctant to part and Hurricane Alice swoops in to keep Abby there for a day or two and one thing leads to another and then...But why spoil the fun for you? READ THIS BOOK! The best thing about Marrying Owen is that it is the first part of a trilogy, so all the wonderful characters Colleen Faulkner introduces (especially Ben's father Max, who is so likable that he deserves a story of his own) can be revisited as their relationships mature and grow (as well as their families). Bachelors, Inc is a truly great little series, one that is well worth a place on your keeper shelf.

The first of the Bachelors Inc. miniseries, MARRYING OWEN by veteran author Colleen Faulkner delights readers with the story of an estranged couple forced into close quarters by an unexpected storm, proving love finds a way despite profound opposition. When the three friends of the GAG club (Girls are Gross) return to Land's End to go into business together, they rename their association Bachelors Inc. and plan to restore old buildings to their past glory. All three men swear off women, just as they had when they were ten, promising to support one another in their efforts to avoid women; that is, until Owen's ex-wife comes back to town. Owen Thomas fell for Abby Maconnal when they were ten years old, despite his agreement with his buddies to stay away from girls. Even when the friends formed the GAG club, Owen couldn't help liking the pretty girl with freckles. Some things just don't change, despite hurt feelings and divorce. Ten years of marriage ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. Too many hours in the office, too many late dinners, and too many postponements of current pleasure for the promise of something better later left Abbey alone, empty and disillusioned. She and Owen didn't fight, didn't raise their voices, didn't disagree. They simply, quietly drifted apart until the day Owen came home to an empty home. A quiet, polite divorce seemed to settle it. An editor, Abbey saved until she could take a year off to devote to her own novel. On the way to her rented home in Florida, she stops by Owen's to pick up some precious keepsakes from the past. She didn't check the weather before leaving Boston, and finds herself forced to seek shelter with Owen rather than continuing to Florida due to a hurricane. Then an unexpected illness keeps her there even longer. Besides, Abbey finds she doesn't want to leave, nor does Owen want to let her go. But trusting feelings in the wake of a divorce proves to be daunting and difficult, at best. The concept of Bachelor's Inc. left this reviewer in stitches. The harder these guys protest against women, the harder the reader knows they are bound to fall. Moreover, Faulkner writes with a passion that brings these delightful characters to life. Even Max, the father of one of the bachelors, captures the imagination as he tools through town on his riding lawn mower. I have a weakness for well created miniseries because they allow the reader to linger in the world just a bit longer, lending the series a depth unequalled by stand-alone books. Although this novel certainly could be read alone, it exemplifies the best qualities presented by miniseries and comes Very highly recommended.

I think "Marrying Owen" by Colleen Faulkner is a realistic and lively romance. As a native of Maryland's Eastern Shore, I loved the background of this book. Ms Faulkner's characters always come alive, and this story is no exception. Owen is a man you could easily imagine falling in love with. This is a warm, funny, and keepable book. Anyone who wants to remember the joy of falling in love should read "Marrying Owen." I rate it 10 out of 10.A Fan From the Eastern Shore Maryland, U.S.A.