Member Reviews

This was a tough review. I often enjoy Bethany Turner's work, but this book fell flat. It had a lot of promise, but I couldn't get past the lack of communication and miscues between the heroine and would-be hero. The zany cast of secondary characters was fun, but it began to unravel a bit toward the end. I so wanted to like this book... but I didn't.

I do, however, applaud Ms. Turner for tackling some difficult subject matter in this book. While fiction (especially Christian fiction) often skirts the edge of idealism to the point of being unrealistic, Ms. Turner allowed her characters to face tough choices, "fail" in the eyes of the reader, and somehow get back up and keep going. Again, I really, really wanted to like this book! It had a lot going for it, but it just didn't live up to its potential.

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The author has done a great job in this romantic novel - Wooing Cadie McCaffrey.

In this story, we find Cadie ending a four-year relationship with her boyfriend Will. It's a mistake and Will will do anything to win her back.

Delightful read I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. Great job!

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Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is Bethany Turner's 2nd romantic comedy. Gotta say, I loved Will. Cadie, not so much. She was so focused on the "trappings" of romance that she missed the real romance Will was giving her. AND, so many of their problems could have been solved with a simple conversation! Grrr.

The "meet-cute" is very fun. Cadie works for a sports network and her coworkers throw her a 30th birthday party only to have it overshadowed by an appearance by Joe Montana. She's left standing on her desk, holding her cake, with burning candles dripping into the icing. Will rescues both the girl and the cake and introduces himself as the new hire in research. Cadie is convinced that Will is her person, but after four years of dating, she has lost hope of a proposal. When Will wins a prestigious promotion and their celebration crosses the intimacy line they've held for four years, Cadie is over-the-top in both self-castigation mode and in Will avoidance mode.

Will has wanted to marry Cadie for at least two years. In fact, he asked her parents for permission to ask her, just like Cadie always romanticized about. He didn't expect to be turned down because he wasn't "successful" enough. He's been working nonstop ever since, trying to prove his worth to her parents, but he's also been neglecting the one person he should be paying attention to. When they cross the line and she dumps him, is there any hope for getting her back?

Hilarity ensues as Will tries to emulate the romantic movies Cadie loves with misfire after misfire. He tries everything he thinks she wants, only to have her slam doors in his face over and over. Will Cadie ever see how much he loves her, or will she only ever see her disappointment?

Like I said, I loved Will but Cadie was an entitled, whiny, not-very-likable girl who wouldn't know real romance if it bit her. The only romance she thinks is legitimate is the kind she sees in the movies, but really, who lives like that? I cannot believe that in all the time they dated, they also never had the "relationship status" talk. All she would have had to say was, "Where do you see this relationship going?" and Will could have told her he'd had the ring for months, but her parents stopped his proposal in its tracks. Of course, there goes the rest of the book, too...

Overall, I liked the story but it was super frustrating. I actually listened to the audio version, which was very well done, and I can definitely recommend listening to it.

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"I made the commitment to love her forever. That commitment doesn't go away just because she's not in on the plan."

What a cry-out-loud, laugh-out-loud romcom. Bethany Turner has perfected how to pull your heartstrings and make you fall in love with her characters through their mountaintop and dark valley experiences, while cracking up at the hysterical moments and dialogue.

I loved the journey through New York City and loved Cadie's first person voice in the present. Will's third person voice in the past, through flashbacks, and in the present is honest and so lovable. Clueless about everything outside sports but so tender and persistent, Will is a swoony hero! Tons of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of actions and words place their relationship at odds but how they learn to move forward is heart-warming and charming.

This is a book that needs to be made into a movie! I received the book from the publisher via LibraryThing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

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Bethany Turner has written a delight and funny story in her latest romcom Wooing Cadie McCaffrey. From page one, readers will be drawn to the interesting back story of the two main characters Cadie and Will. This excellent story is about a long term dating relationship and the struggles the dating life can be. It’s about expectations and the lack of them. It’s about making mistakes in the name of love and learning to overcome and forgive to be with the one that you truly love. It’s about going through life and sticking together through the good times and the rough times. Readers will be giggling their way through this wonderful story!

Genre: contemporary, romance, romantic comedy
Publisher: Revell
Publication date: May 21, 2019
Number of pages: 354

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This sweet romance was such a fun read! The author describes real situations that Christians face while dating and it was nice to read about them being dealt with instead of glossed over, or worse, mishandled. I laughed, cried and then recommended this book to all my friends!

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The back cover copy on this title really caught my attention, and I wanted to love it so much! Sadly, I didn’t. Wooing Cadie McCaffrey was an okay read, but frankly the POV shifts and some of the telling combined to make it a little murky and not as clearly written as it could’ve been. Fun romance, but alas, not a favorite.

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This book was just okay. I didn't love it but I didn't dislike it either. It was more of just a personal dislike than the actual book. The writing was okay and I didn't mind the characters. I think a lot of it may just be more religious views, but I can definitely see why people would love this book. The second half of the book definitely takes more of a serious turn and I can appricate that. Overall I think this was a decent Christian contemporary.

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I enjoyed reading this book, the storyline was good and characters well written.
Thank you for the advanced copy.

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I read Bethany's book, The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, with mixed emotions. I enjoyed the story, but I felt like she crossed the lines of Christian fiction a little too much. But I'm happy to say that her newest book, Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, turned out to be much better than  expected!

Cadie met Will on his first day working at the company where she worked. It was love at first sight, but after four years of dating, and no proposal, Cadie believes Will just doesn't feel the same. After some crazy mistakes and misunderstandings, she breaks up with him.

Will is determined to win her back. He tries every tactic from every chick flick she ever made him watch, but to no avail. There were a lot of funny as well as heart-felt moments in this book. And I loved that the author dealt head-on with the complications of sexual sins, and how they effect lives. 

I loved the characters in this book--especially Will. The secondary characters were great, too, and I thought they played into the story well. I also loved all the sports references--and how Cadie was totally clueless about them all. 

The cover of this book makes it look like it's a fun read, and it is. But there are also some serious issues dealt with in these pages. I think you'll love it!

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Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is a sweet escape into a world that carries deep questions, a lot of heart and a fantastic sense of humor. Bethany Turner steps right into the issues that modern Christian couples battle, especially when they are dating as adults and does not shy away from the mess that it can create. As a girl who was raised on the television and movies of the 80’s and 90’s, this story had me howling and sighing with the pop culture references. Like a conversation with a friend, Bethany Turner’s Wooing Cadie McCaffrey leaves you a little lighter after it’s over.

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Another fun story by Bethany! I fell in love with Cadie from the get go, with her quirky personality and ideas of how things should be. This is a fun rom com!

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This is one of those books which halfway through you wonder it it’s even worth finishing. This book started out hopeful. It was funny and witty, but real quick went downhill. The chapters were a bit confusing at times to the point where I wasn’t sure if we were looking at a flashback or not. The ending, however, was worth it.

Cadie McCaffrey has been with her boyfriend Will for four years. When a misunderstanding drives Cadie to break up with him, Will is determined to win her back. Even if it means watching every romance movie and doing every cliche in the book.

This book really lags in the middle but the last quarter of it makes it worthwhile.

This book is recommended for ages 16+ for some adult (non-graphic) content.

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Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is the second book I've read by Bethany Turner. The title character has grown tired of waiting for Will to move their relationship forward and decides to break up with him. Feeling wrongly dumped, Will seeks to win Cadie back. Turner is a master of snappy dialogue that sucks you in and makes you feel every emotion of the character. I appreciate her tacking the issue of pre-marital sex with a Christian viewpoint that seems modern and more like what Christians struggle with it in their relationships. I eagerly await her next book.

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This was a fun take on Rom Com, but with some serious overtones. The switches in POV jarred in a couple places, but all in all I really enjoyed this read that had a delightful heroine, a slightly clueless hero, and a sweet cast of supporting characters.

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Really enjoyed this hilariously cute Rom Com! From the pop culture references to the hilarious dialogue, it was a treat! That being said I was totally Team Will!! I was rooting for him to get the girl! Mainly bc he wanted the girl, because Katie became a bit of a brat! Her annoying behavior only accentuated how sweet Will was and showed how far he was willing to go to win her back. And all of his antics were just amazingly fun to read. I was happily satisfied with the ending of this book and felt as though it was a fun, sweet contemporary romance that hit all the right places!

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What happens when you have a clueless hero and a head-over-heels in love heroine? You get Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, that's what! Add in chick-flicks, some Barry Manilow, a little sports, actually a lot of sports and you have a touchdown!

I was hooked from the meet cute in the prologue and I was on a roller-coaster throughout the book until the epilogue.

While this book is full of fun and laughs, with a clueless hero that I wanted to shake several times it also has some great life lessons. Something I wasn't really expecting in this novel but, I am so glad Ms. Turner included them.
Something that I don't see much of in inspirational fiction, and we need to see more of is character's who sin. Yes, sin. Shock, I know! And Ms. Turner showed this superbly. It reminded me of something one of my pastor's used countless times in his sermons, when God and His word intersect into our daily lives.
The sin wasn't descriptive it just happened so don't worry. Yet, even though it was there looming in the background, Ms. Turner showed these two character's who were struggling with their faith and each other seek God. While I loved all the pop culture, romance and laughter I really wanted to just camp in this spot for awhile. It was beautifully done.

I have yet to finish Meeting Sarah Hollenbeck but I will be soon which makes this my first Bethany Turner novel and it will not be my last! I highly recommend this book!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Wooing Cadie McCaffrey (or WooCaM, as the fandom calls it) is a resonating story that will make you laugh out loud, fall in love with the characters, and experience all of the emotions ever defined right along with them. It’s truly a story for movie lovers, with too many romcom references to count. It lovingly makes fun of some classic film moments and even draws truths from a few, using such light elements to deal with the deeper, more serious veins of the story.


I have so many FEELINGS about this story! Mostly, I love the balance of hilarity AND real life. Author Bethany Turner doesn’t shy away from realities, handling some tough topics with a delicate candor. I think that’s what I like best about this story! The decisions Will and Cadie make are not always the best, and that’s ok, because it highlights the dilemmas, temptations, and even the mixed signals of modern relationships. All of this makes Will and Cadie’s love story more meaningful because they deal with messy, real-life stuff. And learn about forgiveness. And what it means to have authentic faith. And the importance of honesty, a boombox, and best friends to see you through.

If you’re looking for a romcom with a hint of faith, I highly recommend WooCaM! It has a few surprises that are refreshing and brave for the genre, along with expected hilarity, a colorful cast of characters, and the BEST banter and chapter titles ever. (Case in point: see my above photo.)

Thank you to Revell and Netgalley for the review copy. This is my honest review.

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So thankful that #netgalley allowed me to review this book because I LOVED IT! Since I really enjoyed the first book of hers that I read ( The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck), I was not sure if this one would be equally as good. But it definitely was. There is a longtime saying that "the course of love never did run smooth," and that truth definitely played in this book. What I appreciate about this author is that she does tackle tough topics, and her characters have real life struggles. No sugar coating at all. If you are looking for a safe book that you could share with your grandmother, then this one is probably not for you. But if you want to read a true-to-life story that will challenge you to consider how you can apply more truth to your own relationships, then I highly recommend this one.

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I’ve been provided this book by Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

3 stars.
This novel started out great, promising blurb, interesting characters, a different setting. But it quickly morphed into something different. This wasn’t advertised as Christian and for a book that isn’t categorized in that, there was a lot of talk and focusing on Christianity. It made me uncomfortable and not want to finish this.

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