Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss

Julie James’ IT HAPPENED ONE WEDDING

May 9, 2014

Julie James

From “contemporary romance superstar”* Julie James comes an exciting new romance that will have fans exclaiming, “I do!” *Kirkus

After a humiliating end to her engagement, investment banker Sidney Sinclair is done with commitment-phobic men. But when her sister winds up engaged after a whirlwind courtship, Sidney is thrown into close contact with exactly the kind of sexy playboy she wants to avoid—the gorgeous best man. She’s stuck with him, for better or worse, until her sister walks down the aisle, but that doesn’t mean she has to give in to his smooth advances, no matter how tempting they are…

It Happened One Wedding

Special agent Vaughn Roberts always gets his man on the job and his woman in bed. So Sidney’s refusal to fall for his charms only makes him more determined to win over the cool and confident redhead. Only what starts out as a battle of wills ends up as a serious play for her heart. Because the one woman who refuses to be caught may be the only one Vaughn can’t live without…

“James is a contemporary romance superstar…Sexy and effervescent.” —Kirkus Reviews

“One of contemporary romance’s superstars.” —San Francisco Book Review

“Julie James writes books I can’t put down.” —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

“An addictively readable combination of sharp humor, sizzlingly sexy romance, and a generous measure of nail-biting suspense.” —Chicago Tribune

“Sexy fun. Romance fans will pop their corks over this one.”—Library Journal

“Trademark sizzle and wit.”—Booklist

“One of today’s premiere contemporary romance authors. Fresh and inventive, full of intelligent people and witty repartee, this is a great story in a fantastic series.” —Fresh Fiction (on Love Irresistibly)

Now on shelves–IT HAPPENED ONE WEDDING by New York Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author Julie James

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I was asked recently what it was like writing a novel that centered around a wedding. Certainly, an author can have a lot of fun writing scenes that involve bachelor/bachelorette parties and bridal showers–and you’ll definitely find all of that in It Happened One Wedding. But, anyone who’s ever been married, knows someone who’s been married, or watched Bridezillas, knows that there can be a lot of drama associated with weddings, too. It can be quite a stressful experience–a ton of work goes into a planning a wedding. And with this book, I wanted to capture those elements that so many of us have experienced ourselves or vicariously through a friend or family member: all the wonderful emotions and highs of a wedding, but also how truly exhausting the process is.

In It Happened One Wedding, the heroine, Sidney Sinclair, is done with commitment-phobic men after being cheating on by her ex-fiance—and Special Agent Vaughn Roberts, the sexy best man in her sister’s wedding, is exactly the kind of playboy she wants to avoid. Sidney and Vaughn want very different things from a relationship: she’s looking for a guy who’s a “serious contender,” while he just wants to have a good time. Logic would say these two should have nothing to do with each other, but underneath all their quips and banter is a serious attraction both of them find hard to resist. And that’s when the fun part of this wedding really begins…

Check out a brief excerpt from the book and see for yourself:

Vaughn exited the truck and walked around to Sidney’s car. He found her standing next to the sedan’s open trunk, taking in the picturesque town before them—a quaint cobblestone street flanked by brightly colored historical buildings.

“So this is ‘town.'” She cocked her head, as if surprised. “It’s so cute and charming.” She turned and raised an eyebrow. “You really grew up here?”

Ha, ha. “What were you expecting? A tavern, a gas station, and some diner named Flo’s, advertising the $5.99 meatloaf special?”

“Of course not.”

He gave her an unwavering I-can-wait-for-the-truth-all-day FBI stare.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Maybe that’s something along the lines of what I’d pictured.”

Satisfied with the admission, Vaughn reached for the handle of her suitcase. He grunted as he lifted it out of the truck. “Christ, what did you pack in here?”

“An espresso machine. There’s no Starbucks for miles, so I had to improvise.”

He was about to respond—You’ve got to be kidding me—when he caught the sparkle of amusement in her eyes and realized she was messing with him.

“Cute. What’s really in the suitcase?”

She grabbed her laptop bag and threw the strap over her shoulder. “Bridal magazines for Isabelle. Lots of them.” She shut the trunk of her car and they began walking up the driveway to the mansion.

“Ah. You mean the ones filled with articles like, ‘How to Dazzle Your Guests with Ridiculously Overpriced Centerpieces,’ and ‘Where to Register for Obnoxiously Expensive China You’ll Never Use’?”

“And here I thought I was snarky.”

“Come on. You have to admit, the whole thing is a racket,” he said. “The wedding industry preys on stressed-out brides, convincing them that they have to spend crazy amounts of money to create some romanticized idea of the perfect day.”

“And when you’re forty-five, and your twenty-four-year-old fiancée wants to create wonderful memories that you two will remember for the rest of your life, I’m sure that’s the exact speech you’ll use to rein her in,” Sidney quipped, not missing a beat.

Ooh, she sounded irritated with him again. Vaughn turned around, walking backward so he could face her. Strangely, seeing her aggravated expression made him grin—and want to goad her on even more. “I like this scenario. Tell me more about this twenty-four-year-old wife of mine. Is she hot? Smoking body?”

Sidney smiled sweetly. “Remember that thing you said to me at the coffee shop? That we could meet the next day, so you could surprise me bynot turning out to be the ass I thought you might be? I think we’ve officially established that you would not have been successful in that endeavor.”

He stopped at the base of the steps. “But I haven’t shown you my best moves.”

“Honey, I already know your best moves,” she said, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. “And five years ago, I might’ve been tempted. But now I’m looking for more . . . serious contenders.”

Personally, he thought it wouldn’t kill her to have a little fun—she had her whole life to be bored by serious contenders. “That’s the second time you called me ‘honey.’ I can’t decide if I like it or if I’m starting to feel objectified,” he teased.

She sighed. “I seriously don’t think I can walk down an aisle with you.”

His voice dipped lower, a slow drawl. “Careful, Sinclair. Those are very heady words to a guy like me.”

She left him standing there, by himself, at the base of the steps.

With a grin, he turned and watched her go. Yep, still cantankerous.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the view from behind.

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