My favorite type of book- balanced with romance, angst and emotion!

Violet has always been the bridesmaid, but she has been fastidiously been planning her wedding to her longtime boyfriend for years. Until he cheats on her, breaks her heart and makes her swear of all men. Headed "home" to help her sister remodel her bakery, Violet has no other option but fall head first into an emotional upheaval. First, she is letting her guard down with a half-sister that she only began to appreciate as an adult, she is facing off with a father who has always treated her as a dirty secret and second best, a stepmom who didn't like her and a town who always gossiped about her. Violet then finds herself sparking with a hot fireman who she can tell would never want to settle down and could only break her heart.

Ford is, as they say, "fit to be tied'. Yeap, he is man of honor for his best friend Abby and is knee deep in wedding planning. When new to town and temporary Violet is thrown in the wedding mix, Ford can't help but be attracted to the beautiful woman, She is fun and witty and a little quirky, but she is fun and sexy and Ford is very attracted to her. Problem is, he can tell she wants forever and he isn't a forever dude.

Ford and Violet can't resist their attraction and soon give in and have fun. They are amazing together and you can't help but want a happily ever after, despite knowing she's burned and he's gun shy of forever. But can they walk away from what they have? This brings up the emotional part of the story that I loved. I highly recommend this wonderful book!

7 times Violet Abrams has been in somebody else's wedding. Too bad her own blew up before she even walked down the aisle. Licking her wounds, she heads to the small town where her half-sister lives. Too bad her father and his wife also live there. The man who fathered her out of wedlock, that is. The town where she would go growing up but was never completely accepted. Violet just wants to help her sister fix up her bakery and then get out of town. Hopefully, doing so will help her get the mojo back that she lost (being a wedding photographer doesn't feel so good when you've just been dumped.) Yes, she's trying to burn her wedding book behind the bakery but she doesn't mean to set her pity cupcakes on fire.
Ford Maguire is on the fire crew (also trains search and rescue dogs and is an EMT.) When he responds to a fire at the bakery, he doesn't expect to find a woman that he's attracted to. And definitely not one that fits into his life so perfectly, enjoying and understanding his jobs as well as being able to hang out with all of his friends. But this can't be a relationship, can it?
It helps to have read the first book in this series but it's not necessary. Violet was a little too much of the stereotypical rom com heroine but this was still a fast and fun read.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 26th
Follows Just One of the Groomsmen
ARC kindly provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I really loved this book! Ford is the perfect book boyfriend. He is hot, a paramedic, trains search and rescue puppies and is the dude of honor at his best friend Addie’s wedding. Seriously, could he be more perfect? He meets Violet when she accidentally sets her sister’s bakery oven on fire. Violet is a photographer who lost her muse when she caught her boyfriend of ten years cheating on her. She is licking her wounds and decorating her half-sister’s Bakery and trying to figure out what her next steps are. While she has sworn off men, it’s hard to say no to the hottie fireman. This is a delightful small town romance with a lot of humor and heart. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

4.5☆
Cute and fun

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
The humor
Part of a series: Getting Hitched in Dixie
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.

This was a wonderful second book in the Getting Hitched in Dixie series. We got to revisit the familiar town of Uncertainty, Alabama with its lovely, quirky residents. All the fun characters from Just One of the Groomsmen were present and wonderful as always. This story takes place leading up to Addie and Tucker’s wedding. It introduces Violet, a photographer trying to move past a disastrous break up and Ford, a commitment shy paramedic/ firefighter and Addie’s best friend from the first book. I look forward to another book in this series because I love these book friends and want to see each with a HEA! This is a stand-alone story, but is a little more fun if you read the first ahead of this one.

Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen is a great book. This is the second book in the series, but it does stand alone. You won't be lost if you start here, but you'll definitely want to check out the first. I really enjoyed the story and the dialogue and relationships between all of the characters. Very well written.

Thanks NetGalley!

Oh my goodness! This book was hilarious! Full of laugh out loud moments, swoony moments, sweet moments and plenty of drama and romance. What more could you ask for? Ford and Violet will have you smiling and swooning as they go on one heck of a wild ride to finding their happily ever after. I honestly could not get enough of these two and this wonderful cast of characters to enjoy! So, so GOOD! Always a Bridesmaid was such a feel good read and I'm super excited to see what's next from this spectacular author. Go grab your copy today, you definitely need this on your TBR! Happy reading everyone!!

Cindi Madsen blows it out of the ballpark with Ford and Violet's story. It is a fast-paced, fun story that I did not want to put down. This book is part of a series and can be read as a standalone, but why would you? Read them all. They are funny, heartwarming, and the chemistry is off the charts.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book to review.

This was a fun, quick read. Violet has come to stay in a little, Southern town where her natural father and her half-sister live. She’s never been comfortable there because she is the result of a love affair that her married father had and so of course she wasn’t ever really welcomed there. On top of that, she’s ADHD and just has a hard time focusing on things no matter how sincerely she wants to help out at her sister’s bakery. Violet was dumped by her long-time boyfriend and had to leave town after she was arrested for taking a golf club to his Mercedes. She’s sworn off guys, but sexy Ford, the firefighter who helps out when she sets fire to her sister’s bakery oven, might entice her to break her personal vows.

Ford has his own insecurities because his family was a trashy, wrong-side of town family with an alcoholic dad who basically ignored him all the time he was growing up. He’s vowed to make something of himself and never get involved with any woman who wants a family and children because he thinks he’s undeserving. Instead he trains search-and-rescue puppies. Could anything be more adorable than a hunk raising puppies? Violet doesn’t think so. And luckily for her, he finds her quirky, absent-mindedness is dang cute.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I received a copy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here’s why:

I dropped everything to read this book today. And I finish this story in one sitting, and not just because of COVID-19 and being quarantined, but because I was fortunate enough to read the first story in this series and I knew I was going to love this book as much as I loved the first one. And I did! Holy moly this was a fantastic read! The writing was fast-paced, and the chemistry between Violet and Ford was a real page-turner. Plus, any book with dogs is a bonus. Highly recommend.

This novel was enjoyable read in the Getting Hitched in Dixie series. Two people, both of whom have difficult upbringings come together is this novel. Being known because of you your family is can be difficult, since you are being judged by your family name, not who you are. This is case for Violet Abrams and Ford Maguire. Violet was with a man for years who kept promising "someday", which turned out to be never. Violet visits her sister in Uncertainty, trying to get her life back on track when she meets Ford. Tall, dark, handsome, and a firefighter, Ford has a reputation. He has issues with forever. Both are done with the opposite sex, but cannot help but be drawn to each other. Bring in Ford's friends and wedding planning and let the chaos begin! What neither was looking is for is exactly what each other needs, but will both be ready to take that step forward or will the past ruin what the future could bring?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fun book! Of course, any book with 4 dogs is going to be high on my list!! This was a very easy read with characters I could relate to and wanted to be their friend. The story moved along and I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen a four-star read that will blossom as you read. I enjoyed this one, but I kept getting distracted as I read it and that’s not me, so it could be that I was having a funny day or two, as overall I enjoyed the story it just didn’t grip me. I adored Pyro as he reminded me of my own Pyro, sadly mine wouldn’t be able to save me if I was in a paper bag, but I love him none the less. Much like I loved Violet and not only as we both love purple, and Ford he was just sublime he made me want to protect and care for him as well as shake him. I also adored the secondary characters and will be going to read the other standalones in the series when I am able as they all seem like great characters. I do enjoy the authors writing so I will be recommending this one, hopefully you won’t be as easily distracted as me, maybe I should change my name.

I have been impatiently waiting for Cindi Madsen to release this book since I read Just One of the Groomsmen. I could not wait to be back with the amazing cast of characters she created and the friendships they shared. All that build up could have lent to some self over hype or a big let down, but I'm incredibly happy to report it didn't. Always a Bridesmaid was just as great of a read as Just One of the Groomsmen.

This book makes me feel all gushy and I don't want to be too long winded in this review, so I'm going to give you my 3 favorite things about it.

1. You know how some contemporaries are just fun to read? It doesn't matter what the deeper issues are the characters because the romance is that sweet? That's how I felt about Always a Bridesmaid. Violet and Ford both had reasons to avoid dating. Both had to fight through their issues to admit to themselves what they wanted and needed. I liked that they had this in common. Their love story was so cute and sweet!

2. The friendships in this story continued to be fabulous. Ford had his whole bridesdude thing going with Addie. Tucker, Shep, and Easton were still around. Even Lexi joined in on the friendship fun. I loved every minute of all the wedding planning for Addie and Tucker that involved the gang. I'm also going to throw family in here. Addie's nonna continued to be a highlight of the series, and Violet's sister was also a great addition. All these moments with friends and family added in so many laughs.

3. Puppies! Yes, you read that right. Three adorable puppies try to steal the show.

A sweet relationship between great characters, great friendship moments, laughs, and adorable puppies. What else could you ask for in a book, right? Well, maybe first person, but the writing and story was so good I didn't notice the third person at all. That's saying a lot because usually I'm complaining about third -- but right now all I'm complaining about is having to wait for the third book in this series of standalones. I can only pray Cindi Madsen doesn't make me wait too long for Easton's story.

Are there any books that feel like a guilty pleasure? For me it’s this series. To me this is the perfect small town romance with enough drama that isn’t over the top and lots of steam that can make you blush.

Violet is trying to find her way. After leaving a rough relationship behind she is now questioning her every action, she’s on a journey of rediscovering and getting back to loving herself. She has a wild spirit, a sense of humor that keeps you on your toes, and loves so fiercely. Gotta give it up to Ford though. A fighter’s fighter who is comfortable in his own sexuality and had zero problems with being a Man of Honor for his best friends wedding. He’s completely ready to give in on center pieces and the great debate between which shade of red not to use. I mean if the author wanted us to swoon, she couldn’t have made a better character for it than Ford. I fell hard for him. He was the perfect mixture of funny and sweet.

This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie love story with a light dose of Lifetime movie drama. This book made me feel the feels. It was sweet without being over the top and had the right amount of drama, though it did frustrate me at times. For example, I didn’t enjoy how Ford let others project their insecurities onto him causing him not to be able to think rationally. There were times he acted like a stereotypical “guy” where the mention of marriage and babies had them running for the hills and it was frustrating. The writing, for me, also made this book read a little slow. At times I was wishing this would read like a first person narrative than a third.

This book was fun and entertaining. Though the plot was predictable, it was an enjoyable story with swoon worthy moments that gave you butterflies. The friendships portrayed in the story were the backbone of this book and were the heart of the story. I’m excited for the next installment of the series and to see where the story takes these characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Pub for this eARC

Lots going on. More than one story included in book, that can be good and/or bad. On hand it gives you everything you almost want in one book, but on the other it almost bogged it down with all the plots and web of information you had to process.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

A quick but action-packed read. As a continuation of the series Cindi picks up right where the last one left off so it's easy to get back into the characters.

Wow! This is the second book in the series and another great read. I was afraid I wouldn't like it as much as he first one, "Just One of the Groomsmen" but I was pleasantly surprised. Here we get to meet Violet who is coming off a terrible 10 year relationship and its aftermath. She also has a horrible family with the exception of her half sister. Ford is the town firefighter, search and rescue, search and rescue dog trainer, etc. He needs to keep busy due to HIS terrible family situation. Violet and Ford have great chemistry and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Trouble, a search and rescue puppy they are training steals your heart too! I liked that we got to see Ford's relationship with Addie as he served as her "Man of Honor" without Violet being jealous of this relationship.

Overall, a highly recommended read!

I received a free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for this book

4.5 stars

What a fun and entertaining read Always a Bridesmaid by Cindi Madsen turned out to be, I really enjoyed it.
The storyline is well written, well paced and entertaining from start to end.
I loved Violet and Ford, they're likable characters that made me laugh, smile and swoon while watching them fall in love.

If you're looking to forget real life for a few hours, I highly recommend you read Always a Bridesmaid, and you too will be left with a heart full of love and a huge smile on your face.

Pre-Order your copy:-
Amazon: amzn.to/3culOhO
B&N: bit.ly/3anq6FO
iBooks: apple.co/2TlBHiM

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Violet - Vibrant, beautiful, resilient, impulsive at times, quick with sassy/humorous comebacks, hearts been stomped on before, photographer, complicated immediate family past, eye for fashion/style/weddings, wants the whole package - love, marriage, children, won’t be used/tricked again.

Ford - Firefighter, paramedic, rescue dog trainer, all around good guy town hero, family history baggage, knucklehead actions/words at times, afraid of marriage, falls for the heroine despite trying not to, calm in a crisis but love makes him panic.

Well, this main couple was like bread and butter, my fellow romance book loving friends. Yeah, they truly went that well together. From their at first glance, sizzling, instant attraction/chemistry to their funny, sassy, flirty, at times argumentative back and forth banter, I couldn’t get enough of them. The great posse of friends that surrounded them as side characters just added to this romantic mayhem mix. Throw in the cute, adorable puppies, and, really, what more do I need to say. I was hooked from the get go.

As a lover of relationship angst, I can handle knucklehead words/actions when I know it will ultimately lead to soul searching, hard on the heart regret, groveling, and life changing, light bulb moments of realization on what’s truly important. We definitely get that in the form of a direct punch to the heart here, folks. Here’s to hoping you’ll feel the same way and enjoy this book as much as I did.

Title: Always a Bridesmaid, Series: Getting Hitched in Dixie (Book 2), Author: Cindi Madsen, Pages: 400, stand-alone, sassy/quick with comebacks hearts been stomped on heroine, good guy but a knucklehead/afraid to love hero, relationship angst, very steamy late in book, get to know each other first, small town setting, HEA,

Book 1 - Just One of the Groomsmen
Book 2 - Always a Bridesmaid

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no relationship or affiliation between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or NetGalley.)