The Great Escape (Dilbury Village #2) ~ Charlotte Fallowfield

A tropical beach paradise in Mexico was the last place Georgie Basset expected her decimated heart to be jump-started again, not after she’d been jilted the year before by her fiancé, leading to said breakage. But when she spotted Weston Argent jogging along the beach, all bronzed with ripped muscles like some Greek God out of a modern day Baywatch scene, she nearly choked on her cocktail. She knew immediately she was in trouble, she’d never reacted so strongly to a man on first glance.

However, after a disastrous first date with him, she headed back home to Dilbury, resigned to never seeing him again. That is, until Weston turned up unexpectedly at her dog grooming parlour with Bertie the French bulldog, a species she had a real weakness for. She couldn’t help but wonder if fate was playing a helping hand. But each time she saw him, their encounters never went smoothly, resulting in some mortifying and hilarious escapades. Despite their undeniable attraction, there was something about Weston that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, something that concerned her.

When Weston finally confessed that all was not as it seemed, Georgie was convinced that all men were dogs, except she knew that was an insult to dogkind. Ever the meddler, her best friend, Abbie, intervened, knowing in her heart that despite what had happened, Weston was full of good intentions, and was undoubtedly Georgie’s Prince Charming.

The question remained, could he convince Georgie of that, or would he forever remain in the dog house?

This was a super fun vacation. Georgie, being the great friend that she is, takes off on this holiday with her best friend to just get away. Her bestie having a horrible time with her man, needed to escape and Georgie is the shoulder to cry on. (There's more about this story in the first book of the series, but this story can totally be read as a stand alone). Sand, beach, fruity drinks.....ah, what a way to relax. The scenery is nice too...and I'm not talking about the beach. 

Weston is super sexy and athletic. He has a great smile and makes Georgie a complete basket case. It's almost like Georgie has never flirted with a man before, yet she was engaged. Weston stirs some primal feelings that completely terrify her. She did swear off men after she left her fiance, but why not give it a go. What follows? One of the worst dates ever. 

Even though Georgie tries, the night fails. I was actually surprised they made it through the entire date and that Georgie even put herself out there the way she did. After being shut down only to have Weston show up later is a completely lovely surprise. There was something suspicious about Weston, I will agree with that, but I also felt that it was Georgie'a guard she built. She felt she couldn't trust men after her fiance, so it was almost like she was looking for something to be wrong. That is until Weston's major mess up (trying to be PG here) and we realize Georgie had every reason to be reserved. 

I laughed so much in this book and my heart broke a little too. Charlotte does a great job of putting the pieces back together though. I love Charlotte's characters and I was happy to see how the other character's progressed. She did a great book of getting you up to speed on the other characters, while not seeming redundant for those who did read the first book in the series. I definitely can not wait for the next book in this series. 

Never The Bride (Dilbury Village #1) ~ Charlotte Fallowfield

Amazon US/Amazon UK 


 

Abbie Carter felt doomed as she clutched her bouquet and started walking up the aisle. Again. She felt like she was stuck in some kind of Groundhog Day wedding nightmare. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Eight dresses, most of them hideous, were already stuffed in her attic space. She had more bridesmaid dresses than relationships. Was she really that unlucky in love? She despaired of ever finding her soul mate and was convinced that if she packed away dress thirteen in her attic, she’d never get to wear the coveted white one and have her happy ever after.

That was until she locked eyes with one of the handsome ushers, whose wink turned her elegant and well-practiced glide up the aisle into a flailing Bambi-on-ice spectacle. Miller Davis was the first man in forever to make her heart skip a beat, as well as her legs turn to jelly. And, for once, her interest in a man didn’t seem to be one-sided. It was just a shame that the Atlantic Ocean separated them. Abbie couldn’t even make a relationship with her elderly fat pooch, Sumo, work, so what chance did she have with a permanent New Yorker? Her best friend, Georgie, told her to ignore the miles that separated her from Miller and to go for it, saying that true love knew no bounds.

Was Abbie fated to always be the bridesmaid, or would her wish for the perfect day with the man of her dreams ever come true?

While Never The Bride is a standalone story, it's the first in the Dilbury Village series of romantic comedy novels. All of them will be set in the quaint ficticious English hamlet in the Shropshire countryside, but feature a different village couples' story.

Abbie and Miller’s story was hilarious. I was giggling and laughing out loud from the first chapter on. While versions of the plot have been told before, I loved Charlotte’s take. Her writing is so much fun and the story is uplifting with a bunch of feels.

There are some great characters in this book.  Abbie and Miller are definitely the main ones, who I absolutely love, but we are also introduced to some crazy, catty, annoying, charming and lovable people. There were spots where I would want to punch certain characters in the face and others that I just wanted to cry for. Not that there is a lot of crying, but Abbie and Miller’s story, along with their friends, hits you right in the feels.

Some of the situation that Abbie gets herself in, I can’t even imagine how the author came up with those. All I can say is #turdgate. Read the book and your cackle out loud like I did. Mr. Sumo is another character in Abbie’s life that I just wanted to squeeze, but also caused Abbie some of her quirky moments. I know I’ve gotten in to some silly situations with my girlfriends, but Abbie’s blunders, falls, and disasters are a riot.

I knew there was more to Miller than meets the eye and his connection with Abbie could be felt through the pages.  While he kept quiet about who he really is, once we find out, I can understand why. The love Abbie and Millie share is what all couples wish for, but the ocean separating them definitely takes its toll. I was rooting for them the whole time, while wanting to reach through my kindle and slap the haters in the face.

I cannot wait for the next books in the series to see what happens with the other characters in Dillbury Village. This series looks to be a lot of fun with tons of laughs and lots of feels. 

Until We Collide ~ Charlotte Fallowfield

What do you do when the guy you’re in love with is seeing someone else?

That’s the dilemma facing Paige Taylor. All of her life she’s only ever had eyes for the gorgeous Alec Wright, but despite their undeniable chemistry, their timing has always been off. Fast approaching her thirtieth birthday, Paige despairs of ever finding love and a happy ever after. Her best friend Poppie tells her that she can either watch life pass her by, or grab it with both hands. She convinces Paige to throw herself back into the dating pool, or she could be waiting for Alec forever.

What Paige didn’t expect was the catalogue of dating disasters to follow. A neck brace, jelly fish, stitches, flashing and an encounter with a gorilla were some of the most memorable. Despite some downright hilarious, humiliating and cringe worthy dates, her biological clock is ticking and Paige is determined to keep trying until she finds the one. 

Was Alec Wright always her Mr. Right, or is he still out there waiting to be found?

Join Paige in her quest to find the ultimate prize. Love.

 I Loved “Until We Collide!” While this was a RomCom, make no mistake, there were situations, conversations and scenes that hit me right in the feels. I was rooting for Alec and Paige the whole time, but every time they would cross paths and it “not be the right time,” I started to think maybe they weren’t meant to be together. Each time that happened, it broke my heart for them a little more.

From the moment they met, you could tell they had intense feeling for each other. Even through cow spray (you’ll have to read to know what I’m referring to), you could tell they liked each other, but they were so young. Even though Paige was pining for Alec the whole time, I knew he had to have liked her, despite dating someone else.

Through each disastrous date and boyfriend fail, I couldn’t help but crack up laughing, but then my heart would crack a little more that Paige couldn’t find happiness. No one could hold a candle to Alec. And when Alec would come around, you could tell he wanted Paige so bad, but he was a good guy and committed to whatever girlfriend or job he was doing. It still made me scream at my kindle that the two needed to get together already, but I digress.

When the time came that both Alec and Paige made the choice to move on, I had tears in my eyes. Paige is such a beautiful, sweet, funny, often clumsy, but funny person, she deserved happiness. If she had to be alone to achieve that she would and she would wish Alec the best. I’m not going to tell you what happens, but know you will be cracking up at all the adventures Paige goes thorough trying to find her happiness.