Title:  My Stepbrother the Groom
Series:
Author:  Lexi Maxxwell
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  March 23, 2015
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

He’d be perfect if he wasn’t getting married … and if he wasn’t about to become her stepbrother.

Romantic humor has never been so deliciously tempting.

It’s been a rough day for Ella Roberts.

First, her social-climbing mother Valerie dragged her to yet another wedding — something that always reminds Ella that real life offers few happily-ever-afters.

Second, Valerie’s goal isn’t to have fun at the event, but to schmooze clients for the family wedding business that Ella’s hated forever.

And third (after too much wine, and being mocked by her black sheep sister for “letting Mom bind you with her bitch chains”), Ella gets a text from her latest disposable boyfriend, Chase:NOT WORKING OUT. SORRY. I HAVE YOUR GYM SHOES.

But things are finally looking up. The handsome, charming, successful man Ella meets at the bar fills her with flutters and makes everything better. Gazing into Nathan Hayes’s kind blue eyes, Ella can almost believe that love at first sight is true after all.

It’s too bad that in just two months, Ella’s mother will be marrying Nathan’s father … in a double wedding with Nathan and his fiancée Natasha.

She should run from her feelings for Nathan. She should back away and find a new mediocre man to amuse her. But Ella’s been unlucky in love too many times to ignore what she feels … and so for Ella, “taboo” turns to “game on” instead.

Read on for my thoughts on My Stepbrother the Groom.  No true spoilers, promise.

You have the basic storyline in the cover description for this fun book so I’m not going to rehash that.

I enjoyed My Stepbrother the Groom for many reasons.  The characters were fun (and yes, maybe a bit crazy) and brought me into the chaos in a heartbreaking charming way.  Come on, who hasn’t looked longingly at a guy we knew that we shouldn’t – Ella acted on what many of us wanted to but couldn’t or wouldn’t.

At the heart of it, I loved this story for the basic premise of “do I reach out and fight for my own happiness or do I step aside and let others be happy instead of me”.  I believe that is what many of us do – put others ahead of ourselves until there is nothing left for us.  I can applaude Ella for going for what she wanted… maybe I couldn’t do the things she did, but for her character it was believable and realistic.

This story is full of great characters, unusual situations and a lead character that not everyone is going to love, but she certainly is true to herself.

If you’re looking for a slightly different love story, with a few twists, then My Stepbrother the Groom is perfect for you.

*I received an e-ARC of My Stepbrother the Groom from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available in paperback and for the Kindle