Best Made Plans

Three and a half stars. This is the second in a series of four books written by different authors centring around the marriage of an English woman called Hope Kennard to Jonas Reval, the Prince of a small country called San Michele. Max is Hope's older brother and owner of Hasebury Hall in Wiltshire, since he inherited the property he has done his best to extricate the family from the financial difficulties caused by their profligate/criminal father. He's just about solvent but the announcement that his sister wants to get married in the local church and have the reception at Hasebury Hall has thrown a spanner in the works. Max will do anything for his little sister but this is going to stretch him financially and socially. Flora Deare is a renowned chef, particularly of pastries and one of Hope's best friends, usually based in London she came home to look after her grandparents until they died, running her cake business from their cramped kitchen. She has been chosen to cater the royal wedding and to facilitate matters she has moved her business into the Hall's spacious kitchens. Flora has always had a crush on Max but a curly-haired, curvaceous chef can't compare to the cool, leggy, ex-models like his wife that Max is used to date. Max is a harassed, somewhat grumpy, single dad (can you say that if the children generally live with the mother?), drawn against his will to the effervescent Flora, distributor of real coffee and creator of delicious cakes, who lights up his gloomy Hall. Flora feels like a frumpy, short, troll compared with the procession of sophisticated women that Max's ex-wife sets him up with, but she can't help but feel a frisson of something every time they get close. When Hope tells Max he must have a plus-one for the wedding and pre-wedding celebrations in San Michele what could be simpler than going with Flora? And faking a relationship to satisfy Jonas' uptight sister-in-law isn't difficult? But with Max set on living in Wiltshire and Flora determined to return to London can this opposites-attract romance get off the ground? I had a Kindle full of NetGalley ARCs to be read, plus loads of other books but after Saturday afternoon's announcement of London going into Tier 4 COVID restrictions (effectively cancelling my plans for Christmas Dinner with my parents), I was looking for something comforting, something gentle and life-affirming, and this was just the ticket. Recommended if you are looking for a opposites-attract romance set in a picturesque village, with a royal wedding thrown in.

The Baronet’s Wedding Engagement is the second book in the Royal Wedding Invitations series. Each story is by a different author and bits of them overflow, although they can each be read as a standalone. Max suddenly finds himself needing to make improvements to his rundown home in order to please his sister who plans to marry there. He's also expected to bring a date. Hope's friend, Flora, is catering the wedding and agrees to be Max's plus one. As they fake their way through the event, they find they aren't faking everything. This was an enjoyable story to read.

The Baronet's Wedding Engagement by Jessica Hart. This story took me longer to get into but once I did it was enjoyable. Likable characters and good dialogue. I recommend this series be read in order. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series and more by this author.