For
Better or Worse
The Wedding Belles #2
The Wedding Belles #2
By: Lauren Layne
Releasing
August 30, 2016
Pocket Books
Pocket Books
Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?
When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets
promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it
as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client
demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time.
Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP
cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live
music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.
Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall
Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer
diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If
only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As
Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the
sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s
turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.
When Heather was a child, she made a plan to leave her small town of
Merryville, Michigan and go to Manhattan New York, and that she did!...well via
Brooklyn Heights, but now she was in her own little apartment just east of
Central Park and working her dream job of being an Assistant Wedding Planner to
one of the exclusive wedding planning services in New York! And Heather is
working hard towards her dream of being a full wedding planner! If only should
could get a full night sleep!
Josh Tanner was an ex Trust fund Manager, musician and… well, he
doesn't know what he is planning to do! That is until the gorgeous new tenant
from 4C bashed on his door, to yell at him to stop his band playing! But Josh
was blown away by this sassy little this with her perfect ass! But Heather
seems less than thrilled with Josh, but that doesn't stop him from flirting
with her. But Heather is extremely focused on her job and when she lands a
wedding of a socialite and ex-girlfriend of Josh's, she recruits his into
helping her plan a wedding, that the bride seems to have no interest.
Heather is more taken with Josh, but doesn't want him to know it! Even
if that means kissing his friend Trevor, just to make him jealous and it works!
And their relationship turns into a friend's with benefits.
But Heather realizes she is in love with Josh. But Josh is hiding a
huge secret, that stops him from even considering having a relationship with
anyone, even if that means his heart breaks.
I loved the first book in the Wedding Belles series, But if you have IT
DOSEN'T MATTER as For Better or Worse can totally be read as a standalone
novel.
You cannot help but love Josh and his flirty behavior! And your heart
goes out for everything he has gone through. I will also say that I LOVE Sue
(Josh's Mom) and I wish I had her for a Mom. Heather is awesome and she is
everything I wish I was.
The chemistry between them Josh and Heather is fantastic, the plot is
divine and you and help but get sucked in their story and get a little hot
under the collar when it gets to the steamy parts. The writing is superb and
everything I have come to associate with a Lauren Layne book!
I give For Better or Worse 5 stars!
“So this is where the noise happens,
huh?” she asked.
Josh’s eyes narrowed as his friend’s
hand touched Heather’s back briefly. “Absolutely,” Trevor said. “We’re sorry it
keeps you up though.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” she said, waving
her hand. “I mean . . . it’s not. But tonight I couldn’t sleep anyway, so you
get a free pass. What do you all play?”
“Donny’s bass, Felix is on drums.
Josh is lead guitar, and I, as the most important member, have the pipes.”
“Oh! I thought Josh was the singer,”
Heather said with a quick glance over her shoulder at him.
Their eyes locked, and Josh felt a
flicker of . . . something.
“Ah, is that what he’s telling the
women these days,” Trevor joked.
“No, I just . . . I hear him,
singing sometimes,” Heather muttered.
“Our boy can carry a tune well
enough, but wait until you hear me, love,” Trevor said.
Josh turned away in mild disgust,
pulling a beer out of the fridge as Trevor and the other guys coaxed Heather
into the practice room, thrilled to have any sort of audience, even a reluctant
one.
“Yo, Tanner,” Felix called.
“What,” he called, popping the lid
off the bottle and tilting the beer back to his lips as he tried to shake off
whatever was bringing down his mood tonight.
“Let’s show Heather here that we’re
more than a bit of noise coming through her bedroom wall.”
Josh turned around to see Donny
dragging one of his kitchen chairs across the room, disappearing into the
practice room.
“All right, love, you just sit down
and get comfortable,” Trevor said. “Tanner! Come on, man.”
Josh heard the low strum of Donny’s
guitar, heard Felix do a little warm-up rhythm, and knew there was no way of
getting out of it. If he refused to play a song now, he’d look like an ass.
Still, his feet didn’t move, and he
took another sip of beer.
Feeling eyes on him, he glanced up
to see Heather in the doorway, leaning one shoulder against the doorjamb as she
studied him.
“Okay, 4A?” she asked.
Her tone was lighthearted, almost
slightly reluctant, as though she didn’t want to care about why he was out here
alone, feeling oddly itchy with his life.
He appreciated it. He’d spent enough
time in the past few years dealing with people who walked on eggshells around
him, cooing sweetness. Some of it genuine, some of it not so much.
Heather’s no-nonsense question was
refreshing—and exactly what he needed.
He was happy and healthy and living
the dream, damn it.
Even if he was no longer sure it was
his dream.
“You going soft on me?” he asked,
taking one last sip of his beer before setting it aside and strolling toward
her.
Heather’s eyes narrowed. “Hardly. I
just wanted you to get your shit together so I can see your cute lead singer
work his magic.”
He deliberately stepped into the
doorway so she couldn’t move in either direction without brushing against him,
grinning at her discomfort.
“You’re in a better mood tonight,”
he said, his eyes skimming over her crazy curls and relaxed expression. “Why?”
“Believe it or not, I’m not a
shrew.”
“Huh.”
Heather shoved his shoulder with a
little scowl. “I’m not!”
“Does that mean you’re going to
start making banana bread like Mrs. Calvin?”
“Yes, definitely. And coffee cake
and sugar cookies and whatever other goodies you might like. All while wearing
a frilly, feminine apron.”
“Dare I hope there’s nothing under
the apron?” he asked, leaning in slightly.
“Right again!” she said, in mock
delight. “I just love to bake naked.”
Josh’s pulse leapt, but Trevor
interrupted before the sudden X-rated picture in his mind could turn into a
full-fledged fantasy.
“Dude, we doing this or what?”
Josh looked at Heather.
“One song,” she said, holding up a
finger. “I may as well see what the music sounds like on this side of the
wall.”
Lauren
Layne is the USA Today bestselling
author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with
her husband (who was her high school sweetheart--cute, right?!) and plus-sized
Pomeranian.
In
2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing
career in Manhattan, and never looked back.
In
her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.
For
a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official website!
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