The Wedding Shop: A Sweet Romance

*Review copy provided by NetGalley and publisher** This was my first Rachel Hauck book, but it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this story unfolded and the way that the past and present were intertwined. It was a very inspirational book, but it was also not in your face. There were a lot of great lessons that anyone could take out of this story. The book follows the stories of Cora Beth Scott back in the 1930's and Haley Morgan in 2014 and how The Wedding Shop has a huge impact on both of their lives. Cora inherited the shop from her great aunt and she devoted her life to the brides that came in and making sure their dreams came true all while she was pining for a man who just kept her waiting. Haley is at a point in her life where she has accomplished most of the things on the list she had set out for her life, but when her childhood best friend succumbs to cancer, she decides to pursue the pinky-promise they had made when they were young - to re-open and run The Wedding Shop. She goes back to her hometown and encounters all kinds of issues as she begins to bring this longstanding dream to fruition. Both women are very driven in their work, but they want nothing more than to be loved, but they aren't sure romance is worth it, which is ironic due to their vocation. The similarities in the stories of the women so many decades apart is captivating and there are other details that will suck the reader in further. This was a very well written book that kept me engaged from the outset. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good story, weddings and trusting that things in your life will happen when they should.

The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck tells the story of Haley Morgan and Cora Beth Scott. Haley Morgan has returned to Heart’s Bend, Tennessee where she grew up. Haley has resigned from the Air Force and needs to decide what to do next. When Haley finds out that The Wedding Shop is going to be torn down for a parking lot, Haley decides it is time to make an old dream come true. When Haley was younger, she dreamed of reopening this shop with her friend, Tammy. Tammy, unfortunately, passed away recently. Haley decides this is a way to save the building and honor her friend. Cole Danner was Tammy’s fiancé (she died before their wedding). Cole runs Danner Construction and is just the right person to help Haley. Haley has to convince the city to let her have the building (instead of selling it to the developers). But that is just the beginning! Cora Beth Scott ran The Wedding Shop after the death of her Aunt Jane. Cora was in her element at the shop. But Cora had a weak spot named Rufus St. Claire, a riverboat captain. Cora was convinced he loved her and was waiting for Rufus to earn enough money so they could settle down. Birch Good was in love with Cora, and he was waiting for her to realize the Rufus was a no good scoundrel. What will it take to open Cora’s eyes? Join Haley as she remodels The Wedding Shop, discovers the shops history as well as Cora’s, and starts a new chapter in her life. The Wedding Shop was a very good book. It is well-written and captured my attention right away. I liked how the author tied everything together. It is such a charming story that is easy to read. The Wedding Shop had a nice small town setting (Heart’s Bend, Tennessee), good characters that a reader can relate too, and an interesting tale. I enjoyed the descriptions of the shop and the beautiful clothes (especially the vintage wedding dresses). Rachel Hauck put some great lessons or messages into The Wedding Shop. The importance of listening to God, the power of prayer, and knowing that God has a plan for your life (it may not be what you have in mind). I give The Wedding Shop 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I did find Cora to be a little too naïve (very gullible). Cora seemed to view Rufus through rose colored glasses, but it did fit into the storyline. I like Rachel Hauck’s writing, and I will definitely read her novels in the future. I received a complimentary copy of The Wedding Shop in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

A beautiful interwoven story of two women, two time periods and one wedding shop. If you are a fan of Katy Perry's two for one romances you will enjoy this book. The story is woven between Cora in 1930, her man troubles and running of the shop and Haley present day her man troubles and renovating the shop. Both women come to life in this tale and we learn a great deal about them and how thier lives are connected through the wedding shop. The romance side is a bit lacking here. You don't get a great sense of the budding relationship, just that they are there. The story is very clean and Christian so could be read by any age group. I enjoyed this so much I'll be adding the others to my wish list. Thank you to the publisher who provided a copy in exchange of an honest review, you have introduced me to a new author! If you found this review helpful, please click so