C.C otherwise known as Cinderella Charming, is about to marry Michael Campbell, famous football star, soon to be actor. The only problem is that Michael is the boyfriend of her boss, and this will be a ‘fake’ marriage. However, C.C is infatuated with Michael, and his feelings for her are complicated. Interested?
Well, the premise of the story was great as were the two main characters. Both are well developed that it is easy to really like these two main characters and hope that they will end up happily together. What makes this book a bit unbelievable is that the wedding is arranged, in what seems like a day, and that the couple, time-travel back to the time of Culloden in 1746. This was a lovely story but at times, the time travel story felt like a separate story altogether and really didn’t add much to the storyline. Whilst it provided the ‘magic’ element, the characters of C.C and Michael alone, created the magic.
This is a sweet story with some interesting characters and was an easy read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so sweet and charming, I really enjoyed reading it!
I mean, how could a book with a heroine like Cinderella Charming or C.C. as she prefers to be called for obvious reasons, not be sweet and charming, especially if you throw in a bit of magic, true love and some hot and equally charming Scots?

Okay, there are also some not so charming Scots around at least if you happen to be a Campbell in a Campbell's plaid at the wrong place and time... But it was definitely good to see some plans thwarted and I was upset when a divorce (or rather more than one) was proposed for all the wrong reasons and well, I was very happy indeed to see someone being put down a notch or two.

I loved to see love prevail and conquer time and circumstances and I loved the idea of the matchmakers and their café. The whole story was entertaining and well written and I must admit that I really, really have to know what happened to Fiona and Liam and...well, let's just say that I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!

Michael thought how funny it was that traveling to Scotland brought up the topic of how to repair his reputation. Michael was a super bowl winning football player and lived large or at least that is what the press told everyone. Harold had been Michael’s best friend since grammar school and was also his manager now. They had played HS and college football together. Now Harold was a lawyer. Both Michael and Harold had been accepted at Stanford Law School but Michael chose football for his career. Michael was secretly engaged to a married supermodel Tatiana who was to be working on getting a divorce from her husband who was a football player from a rival team to Michaels. Michael was up for a lead row in a major motion picture, Michael had told Harold he wanted the part. Harold told Michael the football fans won’t care who Michael marries but the producers of the film did. Michael needed an image adjustment and marriage to the right person would solve the issue. Harold felt Tatiana was deliberately inventing reasons to delay the divorce. Harold told Michael he looked out for everyone else someone had to look out for him. Tatiana came up with the idea of a fake wedding to help Michael’s image. Harold picked CC to marry Michael. CC’s father had leukemia and CC was sending her paycheck to her siblings of her father’s care. But CC’s dream was to have her own sandwich shop. If CC agrees to the fake wedding she will get a bonus that will cover her father’s medical expenses and have enough to help start her sandwich shop. That way the press will believe Michael is really ready to settle down and his football contract would be renewed and he would get the part he wanted in the movie. After a fair amount of time they will put out a press release that the marriage was a mistake. Michael paid CC’s salary but she worked for Tatiana and her mother. Even though this was to be a fake marriage it was freaking CC out . The Matchmaker Sisters have CC and Michael travel back in time by going through one of their magical doors so they have time to bond. The Matchmakers Cafe is owned by the three sisters who sometimes ad guests travel back in time.
This didn’t really work for me. I didn’t believe you could set up a wedding in one day. I also didn’t understand Tatiana wanting her man to marry fake or not. I don’t particularly like time travel stories and just didn’t really enjoy this one. I am sure there are many people who will love this book just not me.

A Bride for a Day has just allowed me to find Pam Binder. If this is an example of her work, she is being added to my list of go to authors. Needless to say, I loved this book. Ms. Binder definitely used a bit of writer’s creativity in adapting the football star and playboy Michael Campbell as the hunky highlander in a kilt for the ‘prince.’ Cinderella Charming is his employee who actually works with his finance, Tatiana. Tatiana having the ‘evil mother’ Alba who controls her life. Of course, the story would not be complete without the slippers.

The idea of the matchmakers being able to bring about a bit of time travel greatly adds to the fairy tale element of the romance. Even the secondary story of the matchmaking sisters having a heartrending romance going on made you want to see what comes next for them and love in their lives.

But, back to CC and Michael. Michael has to clean up his image while helping Tatiana’s husband move forward with their divorce so Michael and Tatiana can marry. Tatiana and her mother Alba come up with the idea of Michael ‘fake’ marrying their assistant CC to mislead Tatiana’s current husband. Geeee – what a mess. Sweet CC is battling being in love with Michael so much that she will do anything for him.

In order to keep Michael and CC out of the public eye once the marriage takes place, the matchmaking sisters send them back in time but for a very short amount of time. The sisters believe a couple have to go through a bit of a trial in order to ‘cement’ their relationship. CC and Michael definitely did that in a brief evening.

I am never one to spoil a book other than to say – for a lighthearted romance that is truly a fantasy, pick this one up. The length of this novella was just right in bringing together two people who already had feelings for each other, they just needed some assistance. Yes, this could be made into a lengthy book, but it was great as a novella, too. Either way, I loved it. I will be looking for more Pam Binder books.

A quick and easy read, that is a perfect take along for the beach. CC and Michael are adorable together, and Tatiana's evil mama makes a good villain. Fun to read about the Scottish history and a different perspective on time travel. More on the angst of the main characters would have helped to make me more sympathetic, and cost a star, otherwise I enjoyed this book and highly recommend this book and author.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. Even though this is the second book in the series, you can read it as a standalone. This is a modern day Cinderella story. This is a quirky, cute and sweet romance. I loved the book. It was a very unusual romantic tale for Cinderella and her prince Charming.

C.C. (better known as Cinderella Charming) is an assistant working for the sexy football star Michael. Michael is engaged to Super Model Tatiana who is going through a divorce. In order for Michael to get a part in a movie, he needs to show that he is settling down. Harold, Michael's best friend, has arranged the perfect plan. He arranges for C.C. and Michael to get "fake married". The Matchmaker Sisters see something no one else sees, Michael loves C.C.. So the sisters arranged for them to travel back in time, to help them bond. Will there plan work? Can Michael and C.C. beat all the odds against them?

This story was so sweet and exciting. I really enjoyed the tale. It was a romantic story like it has never been told before. I loved the going back in time to help love bloom. Such a cute concept. The characters were sweet and caring. And there was an opening left for another story. I am interested in seeing how this series will continue. I loved the authors take on romance and she seems to have a great road paved for a brilliant series.

A very entertaining book. Well written romance with an interesting plot. A bit of a fairytale.

Even though Tatiana was separated, the way the story was written , it felt wrong that Micheal was engaged to her. It made me question his commitment to his marriage. Why the heck was he supposed to marry someone like Tatiana anyway. Most people marry who feels right in the first place. I would have liked Michael to have more depth.

What a unique and truly interesting romance. I liked it.

A Bride for a Day, Matchmaker Cafe Series Book 2, Pam Binder

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, Women's fiction

My first book by this author so I didn't know what to expect. Sadly its one that didn't work. I think that though this author's work is perfect for many readers I'm looking for something different. That's life.
I was intrigued by the synopsis but in practice the story has so much more. Unfortunately it wasn't what I look for in a novel, and unfolded in a way that left me with more questions than answers. 

Everything happened so fast, one morning she's at work as usual, then later that day she's marrying Michael!
I understood - just- the issues around the marriage, but in practical terms I just don't believe they would work. Arranging a wedding in such a short time too isn't possible, Scotland might be the land of elopement but even then there were/are time restrictions. You cannot simply get married on the day you think of it...Legalities just don't allow it and without some kind of explanation of how they got round them I can't put that aside. 

Then there's the reasons: I thought Tatiana's issues felt contrived, I didn't see that the marriage would affect that, and I didn't like her or her mum.
Michael's film and image problems too, well, they may be real but marrying one day, filing for divorce the next isn't going to change them. Studio heads don't make decisions this way, they wouldn't have given him the role so quickly just because he got married on a whim. That doesn't scream stable and settled even if he could convince them he'd known CC a while. Especially when his involvement in Tatiana's life is well known..the practicalities just wouldn't work. 

And then there's the second thread, the description makes no mention of this, the sisters and the magical matchmaking. I was pretty confused when that all started, I love fantasy novels but this was just...odd...and I found it hard to believe in. 
I hadn't read the first book, thinking it wouldn't matter as these are connected but stand alone reads, so maybe that would have helped me understand what was going on there. Perhaps? I don't know.
As it was I felt it was a book that had maybe just too much packed into too short a space, as it's just 133 pages long. 

I didn't ever feel I knew the characters more than just a surface gloss of them, and I wasn't really invested in them or their issues. Either a longer book so more detail, or less complex story might possibly have made a difference for me, but of course not all books suit all readers, and for very many readers this book will be perfect as it is. 

If you like light and fluffy, don't bother about practicality and reality and are happy to accept the story as its presented then you'll love this.
If like me you need reasons for decisions, ones that feel real and are practical/legal, and want to get to know your characters well then probably you won't.

Stars: Two, too unbelievable for me - and I don't mean the fantasy side, but the practicalities. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Secretly engaged, my patootie.

Is he a football player or an actor?

Why does Alba know more about his life than he does? Harold sounds like a cold fish, not someone I'd like as a friend.

I wonder how C.C has time to do two jobs.

Sounds like C.C. should have been in the running from the beginning.

So he's paying for his married girlfriend's assistant. Did he pay for her ticket to Scotland as well?

That seems awfully unfair to Bridget. And are they time-travelers?

Are you sure the baby is yours, Michael?

Cool name. Her parents must be fun.

People don't usually discuss the kiss, you guys.

She's going to give all her money to the mime.

That sounds like a fun funeral. The turd was good for something, at least.

My mother didn't really let us eat cafeteria food either.

A football player, an actor, and a history buff? Sexy.

Huh, I didn't know Bonnie Prince Charlie cross-dressed as a disguise.

No one thought about the fact that he's wearing traitor's colors before he time-traveled?

I wish they could have brought a camera.

How did the kitten get out of the water?

Four months is a short time. I'd be mad.

Not exactly a pleasure cruise, is it?

It took him six months to get his head out of his butt?

Geez, Culloden? Is Fiona crazy?

Oh, I like his take on Prince Charming.

A Bride for a Day is the second book in the Matchmaker Cafe series written by author Pam Binder. It's a cute time travel romance. Thanks to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for the advance copy.