The Runaway Bride (The Wedding Series, Book 4)

Patricia McLinn delivers another fabulous read with Runaway Bride!! I loved this book! Packed full of LOL moments, romance, and fun twists, it hooked me for a one sitting read. I'm already looking forward to the next Patricia McLinn winner!

RUNNING FOR THE SHELF.The Runaway Bride was a prime example of what this talented writer can do.An amnesia story where no one forgets a thing...especially Judi Monroe. She's made mistakes in the past, mainly almost marrying a slug, but as she pretends to be Helga, the nurses aid, she finds her attraction to sexy rancher, Thomas Vance is anything but a mistake. And neither is acting on that attraction. As a matter of fact, it's just might be the most right-ish thing she's ever done. But can Thomas forget and forgive her deception or will this Runaway Bride be forced to walk away from the only man she could ever love?A fantastic, fun read with memorable characters you'll fall in love with!

... As Judi Monroe fled from the church in all her wedding finery, all she could think of was getting away. Away from the man she was supposed to marry, to spend the rest of her life with. The words that she had over heard right before starting that long walk down the aisle kept echoing in her ears, "I just wish I knew if I'm about to watch Bonnie and Clyde getting hitched, or Mary Poppins being tied to Al Capone."Judi saw the horse and rider loom up in front of her as she drove down the lonely Wyoming road. She was going to hit them! She swerved the car off the road and ran smack dab into a tree. As she came to, she slowly opened her eyes. She was staring into the greenest, sexiest eyes she had ever seen. She felt the heat from those eyes clear through her body. Thomas Vance stared down at the girl in the wrecked car. She was slumped over and bloody. She was dead! Then her hazel eyes slowly opened and she looked up at him. Clear through to his soul. He felt himself being pulled into those eyes. But she was an outsider and Thomas knew all about what could happen when you let outsiders into your life. "What's your name?" Thomas demanded."I don't know-----." Patricia McLinn has created a wonderfully entertaining story in THE RUNAWAY BRIDE. It takes you from the sophisticated world of Lake Forest, Illinois to the rugged life of a ranch in the wilds of Wyoming. There couldn't have been more of a contrast between two people than there was between Judi Monroe and Thomas Vance. Would Judi and Thomas be able to put the past and their differences behind them and find true love? You won't be able to put THE RUNAWAY BRIDE down until you find out...

Loyal readers know what to expect from a Patricia McLinn book--a strong, emotional story, a solid plot, and characters so real you miss them when the story ends. THE RUNAWAY BRIDE is no exception. Judi Monroe flees her wedding--for a very good reason--and winds up crashing her car on the Diamond-V ranch then feigning amnesia in order to stay. The fact that everybody knows she's faking keeps the story light and believable. Thomas Vance has very good reasons for wanting to keep Judi at arm's length, but watching her characters change and grow is one of the true pleasures of a Patricia McLinn novel. The secondary characters in THE RUNAWAY BRIDE are not merely props to help move the story along, but are fully-drawn people who further draw you into the story. Becky Vance, Thomas's teenage sister, is a young woman with adult responsibilities but a girl's desires, and Ms. McLinn captures the interaction between her and her brother brilliantly.THE RUNAWAY BRIDE is stong emotional book that leaves the reader satisfied, and it's a keeper.

An overheard conversation just before she walks down the aisle sends Judi Monroe fleeing the church, leaving her shocked groom standing at the alter. Suddenly her perception of her wildly romantic, quick courtship shifts as she recalls her fiancé's refusal to discuss business when they were together. His determination to put assets in her name no longer seems courtly, but threatening. Four days later, as she runs short of cash and drives back roads attempting to elude anyone that might follow, Judi gets lost on a gravel road. Then she suddenly swerves to avoid "The Lone Ranger" on horse back, totals her car, and finds herself faking a case of amnesia. Judi also finds a family that she quickly comes to care for and a job helping "Gran" who is recovering from hip surgery. All Judi needs is five weeks to hide, until the supposed deal her ex-fiancé implicated her in has passed. Judi's Lone Ranger turns out to be Thomas Vance, a sexy horse trainer desperately trying to meet a deadline before a fourth of his ranch is sold out from under him. His struggle with the ranch is matched by his struggle connect with his teen sister, who seems to immediately take to "Helga," the purported health care aid. Despite his suspicions, Thomas desperately needs the woman's help with Gran, and accepts the outlandish claim of amnesia despite his misgivings. As "Helga" grows on Thomas, he finds himself seeking her wisdom and skills with his family and his ranch. But he fights romantic involvement for a number of reasons, not the least being he knows she does not suffer from amnesia, but from secret keeping.Author Patricia McLinn creates a fresh approach to the classic amnesia tale, giving THE RUNAWAY BRIDE an appealing twist. The shift of identity allows Judi to grow beyond her previously restrictive environment, establishing her abilities and self-confidence among people who need her. The interchange between Thomas and his teen sister is likewise fascinating as he struggles not just with "parenting" issues, but maturing female issues. Further, Gran provides a wonderful secondary character with her common sense, determination, and strength. Even the ex-fiancé sparkles with his manipulations and illegal activities-which will leave the reader amused when the truth of his activities is revealed. With a remarkable cast of characters that will linger in the reader's memory long after the last page is turned, THE RUNAWAY BRIDE belongs on the keeper shelf! Very highly recommended.