Fantastic!!

How else do you describe a book that is not usually in my genre but blew me away?! I usually don’t do books with much humor in them but if this is what I’ve been missing out on, things are going to change! Brek was the manager of a hard driving rock band who drove a bike and lived his life on the road without much family contact. Velma/Velvet was a very straight laced, successful business woman who had a crush on her twin Claire’s soon to be husband, Dean since she was a young girl…without any one’s knowledge of this. Velma had a five year plan of where her life would be and used a spreadsheet to rate the guys she has dated with Dean having the honors as her “10”.

Imagine the surprise when said manager/biker, who was a friend of Dean’s and his best man in waiting, ended up living in Velma’s extra bedroom until Claire and Dean’s wedding. Brek had to stick around because his very pregnant sister, Aspen was ordered to hospital bedrest until the birth of her baby. Aspen was a wedding planner with a growing business that would not withstand her down time so she asked Brek to take over for her. I mean he should be able to handle it since he managed a rowdy rock band, right?!

This is a book that had a lot of laugh out loud moments that at times made me doing a quick look around just to make sure no one was seeing me lose it. Oh, and the steamy scenes these two had was hot. See how the famous Brek was totally attracted to the straight laced Velma who was helping him navigate the rough waters of bridezellas. This book had me turning pages as fast as I could until the very end. Loved it!!

I really wanted to like this book. But it wasn't funny and relied on some gross tropes/descriptions that I don’t enjoy.. Uptight, prudish, non cursing heroine. Biker, kind of bad boyish hero. He takes over as wedding planner for her sister's wedding. Hijinx are supposed to ensure.

But instead we get a scene where the heroine gets almost assaulted in a hallway to a bar bathroom, hero saves the day,because of course and then all but throws her on the back of his back. He gets get home and they have a passionate kiss and then he leaves. I'm so tired of seeing the heroine subjected to violence of the threat of violence so we can see how wonderful the hero is. See my Twitter rant about it.

I had to nope out because I don't think the men in the book actually liked women. They talked about the
women as “taking their balls” and how they used to look up their skirts. And how it is not like the hero to “chase a skirt”. I just can’t handle characters that describe and portray women like this. Even if it is early in the book. So I stopped caring.

3.5 stars

Going Down on One Knee is the opposites attract story of Velma and Brek. Velma has secretly been in love with her twin’s boyfriend for years. They are now newly engaged and Velma finally has to let go of her crush. Brek is the grooms’ best friend. He has come back to town to help his pregnant sister. His sister is currently on bed rest and her wedding planning business will tank if she lets it go. He also needs a place to stay and Velma has a room to rent.

The antics surrounding the wedding planning were funny. Velma and Brek decide to pursue a fling since he is leaving town. Of course, feelings get involved and it gets messy. Their relationship ends up with your classic miscommunications. Feelings are hurt and amends must be made. I liked that the one groveling in the end wasn’t the guy for a change. I really liked how Brek turned everything Velma thought she wanted on her head. This was a fun and light read. Great book for a rainy day.

I did not know about the author but I was curious to discover this novel that seemed really perfect to have a good time and I must say that it really is!

Velma has a perfect plan for her future and all this over 5 years. Besides, she is currently trying to find the man of her life by dating on the internet and then filling an algorithm to see how compatible they are. But her life is turned upside down when she learns that her sister is getting married … with the man whom she had a crush on. But that’s not all, because the best man is in town and he is far from indifferent even if she knows that he does not fit at all in her boxes. Brek has everything of the bad boy: muscular, tattooed, driving a great bike and manager of a big rock band, he knows he is not for relationships. And yet Velma intrigues him and when he is forced to take the place of his sister as a wedding planner, he knows that nothing will be easy. But there is Velma, and he hopes to make her succumb and to ensure that the marriage of her sister and his best friend is not catastrophic.

I had a great time with this novel and I loved to see this great guy take the role of wedding planner who is … really not for him it must be said! And then there is Velma who is a tidy young woman who realizes that she must try to get out of her routine and Brek seems perfect for that!

It was a very nice first volume to discover and I really had a good time with the characters, although it is true that it is not super original. But how to resist Brek? Impossible, we fall easily under his spell! I will have to discover the author other’s novels now!

A delightful blend of witty humor and romance! I love a good opposites attract romance, and the author definitely delivers in this book. I love the chemistry between the characters and how Brek is able to coax Velma out of her shell. This was my first by this author and I'm adding her to my must-read list!

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

4.5 Stars!

I'm always drawn to books that involve strong women with the ability to succeed in life and love. Both of these qualities are met with Going Down On One Knee by Christina Hovland. Ms. Hovland's writing is well-paced, descriptive, and brings out the true emotions of the characters. This book may be enjoyed as a standalone.

Velma Johnson is a successful money manager. She believes her true love is her sister's new fiance, who just happens to be one of her good friends and a co-worker. When she meets Brek Montgomery, a biker and the manager of the mega rock band Dimefront, there is an instant spark that Velma cannot understand. Brek is so not her type, yet when he needs a place to stay, Velma reluctantly offers up her residence temporarily. Brek is back in his hometown of Denver while his band is on hiatus. His very pregnant sister needs him to run her wedding planning business while she is on bed-rest. Brek's sister, and now Brek, is planning Velma's sister's wedding. Overtime, their roommate arrangement evolves into much more.

I liked this story. Ms. Hovland pours amazing passion into her writing and as a result, her characters are compelling and full of intensity. This book is the perfect example of the opposites attract romance trope. Velma and Brek compliment each other both in and out of the bedroom. Their sexy times are hot and I loved how Brek brought out Velma's wild side. This is the second book I have read from Ms. Hovland and I look forward to her future work.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

He manages a rock band; she manages investment portfolios. They don't match on paper or anywhere else. But still... inexplicably this pair learn they make a great team through wedding plan fiascos, sharing a condo, bad dates, and discovering love has a sense of humor. When he tosses out the rule book, this pair gave me some amazing reading magic.

Going Down on One Knee is a humorous, heartwarming, and sexy opposites attract romance. Velma's so buttoned up that she has lists for her lists and has a five year plan that doesn't have room for spontaneous, colorful biker rock band managers who gets an itch from staying in one place or picking up their socks. Brek's friend Dean is marrying Velma's sister and because of his sister's required bed rest for her pregnancy, he's taking over her wedding planning accounts. How tough can it be? He's managed a rowdy rock band on tour. He seems to be the only one to see Velma's pain over her sister marrying the co-worker she was secretly crushing on or that Velma's crazy, inflexible, list-making quirks are funny rather than boring. He gets all heated up over a buttoned up sweater and pearls. But, his stay is temporary and Velma's a long haul gal who wants a guy in a suit with a retirement plan and healthy 401K. Only, Velma's learning that a guy who looks good on paper doesn't make her body and heart zing like Brek's smiles or rides with him on his bike. Will they figure it out before the wedding bells chime and Brek heads back on tour?

I spotted this one on Melliane's Between Dreams and Reality blog and the blurb had me eager to give it a try. I thought these extreme opposites who do the wedding planning together would make for a fun read. I was right. Both were engaging people who saw the best in each other when they started working and sharing a condo. I laughed so many times over his casual habits and her stringent ways that were more amusing than acrimonious. They both had reasons for not being anyone's idea of a good bet, but there was sizzling chemistry from the beginning moment right on into the bedroom where a built, tatted Brek got to show that poor woman that she was NOT boring like an old boyfriend said.

The romance is set against a circle of friends for them both, their families, and their jobs. I loved meeting Brek's posse who are all a little rough except Dean who's the first of them getting married. It was sweet to see the relationship between Velma and her twin sister and their friend. At first, I thought her sister stole Dean from Velma, but what was there was all in Velma's head and she never hinted or acted on it so there was no stealing men. It was fun that Brek's mom was a professional matchmaker who wasn't opposed to doing pro bono work for her son's match and his sister was a wedding planner.

Oh man, this pair had lots of moments- some sweet, some hot, some a hot mess, and some utterly hilarious. It's been a while since I picked up a romcom, but I sure did get into this one which was well-developed for plot and characters and just plain sparkled. I can't wait for the rest of the series. Do yourself a solid and get in on it from the start, here, if a romance full of sweet and spice and a lot of fun moments is your thing.

This was a sweet book about finding love in the place you least expect it. The book had its cute moments. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Going Down on One Knee is first read by Christina Hovland and I found myself totally enraptured by her easy writing style, the fun and quirky plot, and the wonderfully engaging characters. Who would have expected a bad arse biker to take on the unlikely role of wedding planner to help out his pregnant sister? But this tough as nails hottie has a heart of gold and can’t begin to deny his sibling in her time of need.

There’s not much not to like about this story, as the romance between Brek and Velma is well orchestrated and the epitome of opposites attract. This is an absolutely fabulous escape that will put a smile on your face, make you laugh out load, and have you anxiously waiting for this author’s next book. I highly recommend this one to everyone who loves a fun and enchanting romance.

***4 Stars***

I readily admit that the whole badass biker becoming a wedding planner to help his pregnant sister out was what peaked my curiosity, not that I don’t believe a badass biker could plan a wedding, because I do, but since this one appeared to be quite reluctant, the need to find out just what happens to the poor man was strong. Couple that curiosity with the whole opposites attract romance and I had no choice but to get my hands on this book and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it all. It was sweet, smexy, funny, cringe worthy in more ways than one and filled with a ton of heart and kept me turning the pages until the very end.

Velma. Here’s the thing about Velma. I really liked her and totally understood her way of thinking, not so much because I do or have done what she does, but because I had a friend who did the list and planning things, so I got it. And while she did drive me a bit batshitcrazy at times, I found her to be compassionate, sentimental and sassy and I loved watching her become more while still maintaining all that made her unique.

Brek is hard not to love. He is a good man with a good heart despite what his appearance may have others think. He does have a soul that has a hard time staying in one place for long, but he will be there for those he calls his own when needed. He has his own quirks, but his greatest strength, as well as greatest fault, is his is hard head, which does get him some amazing things, but also gets him in some very sticky situations.

I have to say that I really enjoyed Velma and Brek’s journey. It was sweet, funny and smexy and while they had their fair share of issues, the angst was on the lower end of the spectrum. The chemistry between them was intense and only became stronger as they spent more time together.I loved their bantering and how they nudged each other into doing things that helped them grow without changing who they were at their very cores. And as for that big ‘ole sinkhole in their journey. This is one of those situations where I totally understand the reaction to it, but can’t totally back it and the actions taken right after ~ I know, vague, but no spoilers. But I did like how everything was resolved and where Velma and Brek ended up.

This is my first read by Christina Hovland and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was engaging, the pacing good and I liked the dual 3rd person POV’s. The whole Brek as a wedding planner was a lot of fun, some cringe worthy moments, but fun ones as he traversed that crazy world. And as for the supporting cast of characters, some I wanted to Gibbs smack for many and various reasons, but in the end I really liked them all. They brought a lot of depth, laughter and heart to the story and I definitely wouldn’t mind getting to see a few of them get their own HEA’s one day.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

I really liked this book. It was engaging and humorous, with great characters that were memorable and you just couldn’t help to root for. Even if they were complete opposites.. Storyline and writing were very well done. Christina hooked me onto her style of writing and I can’t wait to read more!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. All opinions are my own. This is the first in a new series. What fun! A truly mismatched couple who figure out what's important. Velma is a bit needy, with a 5 year plan for her life. Her sister falls in love with the guy she thought she wanted, and then comes along Brek, a fun guy who manages a rock band! Total opposites but the chemistry is off the charts!! I enjoyed this. I think most romance readers who enjoy contemporary stories will love this! I rate it a 4.

What do a financial planner and a band manager have in common? Not much, except for hot chemistry and a wedding. Brek and Velma have an off-the-charts, super-charged attraction that leads to a slow-boil romance. Combine that with the absolutely hilarious idea of a biker-dude brother taking over his sister’s wedding planning business and you’ve got an incredible romantic-comedy.

Velma has always been the good girl in the family. She works hard, and she has totally bought into the idea of algorithms and safety nets not only at work , but also in her personal life. Brek rides into her life on his motorcycle, and he messes with her tidy, little life. He is muscled and inked; his life is about the freedom of the road and the headaches of managing a rock band. According to Velma’s algorithms, they’re all wrong for each other, but love isn’t about the math.

Her sister marrying his best friend throws Velma and Brek together. I adored the silliness of the everything-that-could-go-wrong mishaps that they face in their wedding planning events. Dealing with Bridezillas is apparently much harder than keeping a bunch of rowdy rockers in line while on the road. I crack up just thinking about a long-haired hunk dealing with place setting and floral decisions. The troupe of secondary friends is fantastic. I hope Ms. Hovland considers writing spin-off stories about some of these characters. I loved the bro-banter between Brek and his friends, especially Jase.

This well-written story is perfectly paced. The title chapters reference the timeline before and after the biggest, most important wedding Brek is planning. There was just the right amount of angst and an utterly adorable conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed Christina Hovland’s Going Down On One Knee.

4.5 stars

The pacing of the book was fair. I liked the characters because we really saw many different sides to them. Making them really come to life off the pages. You get to see them in many different lights with their families, with friends, at work, in moments of struggle, and it really gives you this full picture of whom these characters are.

I do recommend this author. I received this ARC for an honest review.

Velma and Brek couldn't be more different, but maybe different is what they need.

When Velma's sister gets engaged to the man Velma had a crush on, she puts more effort into finding a guy of her own. She is sure he will be similar to Dean, her sister Claire's fiance. What she doesn't expect is to find herself attracted to Brek who rides a motorcycle, has tattoos, and manages a rock band.

I loved Brek and Velma together. He appreciates her for who she is, but wants to help her have more fun and learn that not everything can be planned. She, in turn, is there for him when he needs help keeping his sister's wedding planning business afloat.

Going Down on One Knee is hilarious and heartfelt. You will find yourself rooting for Velma to learn that maybe love can't be quantified and for Brek to want to stay in Denver with Velma, his family, and friends.

I am looking forward to seeing who the next book will be about!

So unexpected and that was perfect!!!!! Three males all funny, hot with unique careers. Amazing!! Seriously, this was a trifecta!

I read hundreds of books a year and it is not often that I come across something different. Excited for the series to continue and sad that the next book isn’t on GoodReads :(

It was a good book , I recommended to all who likes funny moments and unexpected love . Thank you Net Galley and publisher for this opportunity .

Such a good book. Brek and Velma were your unexpected roommates that ended up working together. They helped each other with the needs of their business and their families.

I enjoyed this book, Brett was funny and I think he was the book. Velma had a five year plan, and in that plan she had Dean the guy that she saw as perfect but Dean ends up with her twin sister. They end up engaged and here comes Brett who is Dean's good friend and ends up assisting or planning the wedding since his sister the wedding ends up in bed rest. Brett was instantly taken in with Velma but these two could not have been more different. Brett was fly by your pants and does not committ and travels. Velma is the type to plan everything and when she finally gave Brett a chance is where the fun starts happening..I think one of my favorite parts was when he was telling his friend chase that he had to meet a couple to take Kah naps..as in "Canape" hilarious..Unfortunately for them and for a little heartbreak he finds Velma's spread sheet where she adds up how her dates match up and Brett did not get very high..Enjoy!