Review: The Practically Romantic Groom by Maria Hoagland

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

When words don’t come easily…

Cobble Creek’s divorce attorney, Isaac Murphy, is not interested in romance. Quite the opposite, in fact. As a supportive brother for his sister raising a daughter with selective mutism, Isaac has seen enough disappointed hearts and broken marriages to know love takes more than a bouquet of roses or flowery phrases. No, Isaac is all about being pragmatic when it comes to relationships.
 
As the small-town florist, Brooke Holt is passionate about romance in everything from picnics to horseback riding. A closet musician, she pours her romantic dreams into writing country love songs—which she might even share someday, if she weren’t stricken with a severe case of stage fright.
 
When Brooke’s brother shows interest in Isaac’s sister, what starts as a friendly wager between Brooke and Isaac to prove whose way is right brings out their competitive streaks and rekindles their old high school friendship. As feelings start to turn into something more, though, expressing those feelings seems like an awfully risky gamble.

My Review

This is a fun story with vibrant and optimistic Brooke reuniting with her middle school boyfriend, the now jaded Isaac. It took me a while to get a feel for both Brooke and Isaac since they start out expressing some extreme opinions but quickly fall back into a friendship despite their disagreements. They love to banter and don't go easy on each other. Their relationship is all about fun and they enjoy feeling good around each other, even when they often get frustrated. The subplot of Brooke's brother dating Isaac's sister added another dimension, especially with the disability of Isaac's niece and the way her family and friends supported her and handled the difficulties that arise.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Check out all the books in the Cobble Creek Romance series . . .

The Sheriff's Bride
The Inventive Bride
The Lumberjack's Yuletide Bride
The Practically Romantic Groom
The Snapshot Bride
The Combustible Engagement