Brenna Bellini is divorced and has started dating again. Finn Nolan has lived on the Bellini farm since he was 18 years old. He’s loved Brenna from a distance since the moment he stepped foot on their property. After a particularly bad date, he decides to create his opportunity to convince Brenna that she loves him too. Brenna has another idea in mind: to make people think she’s got it all, when she ends up in a wedding party with her ex-husbands new wife.

This is a friends-to-lovers, fake engagement book, which are two of my favourite tropes. However there were a few things holding me back from loving this book. Finn was kind of an asshole at times and a few of the decisions that Brenna made along the way were super petty and didn’t seem to fit with the character that had been established in book one/most of this book.

I read a review saying there was a lot more saying the characters were into each other than showing and I completely agree with that statement.

I didn’t love book one, and I did like this one more that that one. Overall, this was a very meh read for me.

Brenna Bellini is satisfied with her career. She doesn’t need nor want a man. She experienced enough pain with her ex-husband. She is now expecting to play nice with him all weekend long at her friend’s wedding. She doesn’t want to appear to be single so she asks Finn Nolan to be her fake date.

Finn has always liked Brenna. This is his opportunity to take the fake relationship and turn it into something real. The problem is Brenna has been so hurt that she doesn’t want to take a chance on anything real. How he get her to see that he is serious?

I didn’t like our heroine. She is so brash and it takes too long for her to come around. Granted, she is harboring so much emotional baggage from her ex and her nemesis that I expected her to take her time with falling in love. However, she is so hot and cold. She kept going in circles about what to do. Why? The hero shows her that he loves her and she is pondering what to do.

The hero is too kind for me. The author writes him in a way that he is overly romantic for my taste. He is already in serious like so he falls rather quickly. Brenna pushes him away every chance she gets and he still longs for her until she finally wakes up after some prep talks from her family.

The fake relationship trope is normally one that I don’t mind but in this case I just felt it really took too long for them to come together in a way that was believable for me. I think the hero could have found a better mate.

I think I will see if the next book in the series is better. I loved Ms. Burton’s older books so I’m hoping there will be some of that magic in the next book.

~ Samantha

Cowboy.... better yet Irish cowboy?! Oh yes!

I enjoyed many aspects of this book. I appreciated the big feelings and emotions that were given to us with the caveat that we know the resolution will be worth it.

The big conflict was honest and real and I appreciated the realness of this entire book.

Thank you Berkley Romance for the advanced copy of this book. I did not read the first in this series and still understood the premise.

I keep trying Jaci’s books, hoping I’ll find one I love, but they just don’t click for me.

Brenna was hard for me to like. She’s combative and even though she means well, she’s constantly hiding behind the walls she’s built around herself. Finn is steadfast and delightful and he definitely deserved better.

Plot wise, it was okay. I will always love a fake engagement, but this one was a bit bland. I didn’t see the chemistry between them and Brenna’s constant push back and indecisiveness got really old really fast. And then the angsty break up happened at nearly the end, so the resolution felt rushed.

Overall, I’m definitely intrigued at the set up for the next book, but I don’t know if I’ll read it.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

4 star

The story has laughs, secrets, twists & turns, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
The Matchmaker's Mistletoe Mission (Boots and Bouquets, #0.5)
The Best Man Plan (Boots and Bouquets, #1)

This is Brenna and Finn’s story. Brenna is not looking for a man they are nothing but trouble. When she is chosen to be a bridesmaid in a wedding, she is excited. That is until she finds out who else is going to be in the wedding. Her ex and her nemesis. Now she needs a date because if she shows up without one, she is going to be talked about. Finn is happy to help out after all he has loved her from afar for a while now and this might just be the chance, he needs to have her fall for him. What happens when fake becomes oh so real? Can they make a go of it if from the beginning is was supposed to be all pretend? Really what is pretend and what is real?

I recommend this book.

I struggle with the fake fiancé plots but try to be open. This one struck me odd. Brenna's rocking it single and happily divorced. She's strong and got a great career which she's very good at. So why is she so insecure that she has to have a "fiancé" for a friend's wedding were her ex and the friend turned enemy who he was cheating with will be? Thin. This doesn't however mean I didn't enjoy the story. The love story between this two was fun to watch and follow.

Brenna was likeable and except for a few instances was very level headed. Finn, sigh, the sexy cowboy with an Irish accent. There are a lot of side stories in this book, including Finn's life in Ireland and his late mother. These bits added to the overall story. It was good to be back at the vineyard and to see the other family members, all of whom are fun and interesting.

I liked this book and enjoyed the time reading it.

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley Books for the ARC.

THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT is a feel-good, heartwarming romance that lit a bright spot in an otherwise dismal few months.

Brenna took some getting used to--she was a bit prickly, in my opinion, especially toward Finn sometimes--but over the course of the book, she grew on me as I understood more of her past and how it affected her. I love her family, how supportive her mother and her sisters were toward her, how they were the voice of reason she needed to hear sometimes. The family dynamics was written well--it makes me wish I was a part of them!

Finn was the perfect hero--sweet and thoughtful and so caring of Brenna. I wish there were more of him in real life! An orphan at age 18, he was welcomed into Brenna's family as their moms were close friends, and he found immediate friends with the local boys--Clay, Jason and Owen. I love their conversations; I feel it's realistic and how guys talk with each other--so much care and concern beneath the insults. :)

Another thing the book showed me is that real people are rarely one-dimensional (as most books would have us believe), and while that's a good thing to be reminded of, some people rarely change or become mature so fast, unless of course, a life-changing event happened, like in the case here. (Sorry if that's vague, but trying not to give spoilers)

Overall, I had fun reading this book. My first Jaci Burton, but definitely not my last!

The Engagement Arrangement was a pleasant read. Finn and Brenna have known each other for a long time. Finn was "adopted" into the Bellini family when his mother died. Since he first laid eyes on Brenna, Finn had a crush on her but did nothing about it. They just became good friends as he did with her sisters as well. Fast forward many years and these two are about to get real close when Brenna asks Finn for a favor. The easy role that they fell into with the fake relationship just showed how they just trusted and cared for one another. There was definitely more there than just a friendship there and it was interesting to see how it would all play out. Finn was such a good guy who has been through a lot. He deserved to have a great love. I wanted a little more than the push and pull we got from Brenna. When these two were together, they were great. Good banter and good times. But I wanted more of them together. I did like the family relationships that the Bellinis had with each other as well as those they considered family. That was nice to read. Overall, an alright easy story.

Brenna Bellini is happily single, divorced, living at home and working in the family wine and wedding business. However all bets are off when her high school rival who is also her her ex-husband's new wife is the matron of honor at an upcoming wedding where Brenna is a bridesmaid.  Brenna needs a plus one to save face in front of her ex-husband and his new wife. Finn is ecstatic at this tailor made opportunity to woo Brenna and advance his campaign to win her.  Readers will love some of the ingenious schemes he comes up with to get Brenna to kiss him and go out with him.
Finn has been a part of Brenna's growing up years and yet she never quite sees him as romantic and marriage material while he's been in love with her forever.  When the opportunity presents for Finn to come to Brenna's rescue he's going to milk it every way he can to get Brenna see him as husband material. Aided and abetted by her family, Finn's campaign kicks off to a good start.  He's a great guy who hits it off with her friends.  Finn is dreaming of a happily ever after but Brenna is not quite on the same page yet.
What a complicated life it is when you first decide to lie. The weddings done but they now need to attend the house warming party, and the fishing and barbeque. It seems like there's never a good time for the two of them to break up and all her friends and family adore him. Will Brenna see the writing on the wall and recognize her growing feelings for Finn or will her past hold her back from finding happiness.
Great characters, wonderful beach read. I can't wait to see how it will all come together for the third Bellini sister.

I'm a sucker for a fake fiance, throw in awesome friends and family and I'm sold!

Brenna is more than a little anti relationship after her marriage went south. I appreciate that she took the time to figure out what she wanted and what kind of purse she is before fully jumping in to a relationship with Finn.

Finn has long time had a thing for Brenna, I loved how he felt that now was the right time and he went after it slowly and knew just how much to push.

My only issue with The Engagement Arrangement was I felt that there was a lot of telling, and not a lot of showing. But the story was cute so I can deal.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book of the series (a prequel novella and book one precede it). I would recommend that you read the earlier books, as they are good reads, and introduce the family vineyard and characters who feature in this story.

Finn has lived and worked at the vineyard since his mother died when he was a teen. He fell in love with Brenna almost on sight. But respectful of the family who gave him a home and a career, he has never made a move on her, even having to watch her marry someone else and then get divorced. She is now really anti-relationships and yet, he still cares just as much. Therefore, when she asks him to pretend to be engaged to cope with an upcoming wedding, he obviously accepts.

Brenna cannot cope with her ex and his new wife being at a mutual friend's wedding. She decides that Finn will be the perfect foil – but little did she understand how things would turn out. I loved watching her relax as she knew how much she could trust him. That her family all knew how much they were friends, how close they were, and yet how respectful Finn had always been. It made the outcome all the sweeter.

I really enjoyed the elements which gave us more insight into the vineyard, the distillery that Finn had been working on, and the joys of running a wedding business. It made it very clear how they all lived and worked together and the dynamics.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved this! I thought it was really cute and filled with some really swoon worthy moments. I didn’t like the third person pov too much but I adjusted.

Fun book. After her short-lived and disastrous marriage, Brenna Bellini has no desire to get married again. She loves her life working at the family winery with her dad, mostly leaving the wedding side of the business to her two sisters. She's excited to be a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding until she discovers that her ex's new wife, who was also her high school best friend turned worst enemy, is the maid of honor. Which means Allison's husband will be there too. Dreading the prospect of the gloating she'll face if she shows up alone, Brenna hatches a plot. She'll ask her friend Finn to pose as her fake fiancé.

Finn is the son of Mrs. Bellini's best friend in Ireland. When his mother died, Mrs. Bellini brought him over from Ireland to live at the winery. While he always looked at Brenna's sisters Hope and Erin as his sisters, too, his feelings for Brenna were much different. When Brenna asked him to play the part of her fiancé, Finn jumped at the chance. Perhaps now he can show her that they belong together.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Finn and Brenna grow and change from friends to so much more. Because they've known each other for so long, Brenna and Finn are very comfortable with each other, and their conversations show it. What Brenna didn't expect was the strength of the attraction between them. She'd always been aware of Finn but ruthlessly suppressed it, not wanting to make life at the winery awkward. Finn likewise buried his feelings, but now he seizes the opportunity to let them loose. He also knows that Brenna is skittish about relationships, so he exerts a great deal of patience in his pursuit. I loved seeing them together as Finn uses their "engagement" to spend quality time with her. It isn't long before the chemistry between them burns out of control, but will Brenna see the emotion that forms the basis for it?

I admit to wanting to shake Brenna more than once. She knows she's falling for Finn, but she's so afraid of trusting her emotions that she pulls back whenever they start to overwhelm her. There's one instance where the pull-back coincides with a misunderstanding over his whiskey business. Brenna's reaction was petty and excessive, but fortunately, she realized it. I liked that she admitted her mistakes and apologized and that Finn has a healthy attitude toward letting go of incidents like that. When the "need" for the fake engagement ends, Brenna freaks when Finn wants to make their relationship real. I felt that Brenna earned her misery and loved her sisters' "intervention." I had to laugh when she realized that he wasn't right there for her to go back to. I loved how his friends helped him see what he needed to do. His decision to get away for a while was just what he needed, and I wasn't at all surprised at where he went. The ending was great as Brenna finally let go of the past.

I also loved the closeness of the Bellini family and friends. Though each family member has a particular role in the family business, they are always ready to jump in and help each other. I loved how Brenna's sisters provide not just support but also the occasional kick in the pants when she needs it. The friendships among the men in the story are strong enough to weather anything from busted weddings to health issues. I loved watching them insult each other over silly things then rally around when one of them needs help.

I loved seeing more of both the winery and wedding businesses. The behind-the-scenes looks are fascinating. It's always fun to see some of the shenanigans brides get up to when planning their weddings, the things that go wrong, and the lengths people go to fix them. One of my favorite winery scenes was on the harvest day as Brenna got roped into grape-stomping on television. I also liked the bits we saw of Finn's whiskey distillery. Having visited a few in Ireland, Scotland, and the US, I have some idea of how complex it is.

This a story of two people who were married but now divorced but who still love each other. The two main characters are Brenna and Finn. Finn has loved Brenna every since he came to work at the vineyard. They are both attending a wedding and realize they still love one another.

4.5 Stars!

The Engagement Arrangement is the second book from author Jaci Burton's Boots and Bouquets series. The prequel and first book from the series are terrific, but are not necessary to read in order to enjoy this gem. This is a well-written love story, with hot romantic scenes and characters that I really liked getting to know. If you are a fan of sisterly love, excellent wine and hot men, then pick up a copy of this book.

Brenna Bellini loves managing her family's winery. She works alongside her dad, who has taught her everything she needs to know about harvesting the perfect grape. Brenna's two sisters manage the other aspects of the business and they are all very close. One of her good friends is getting married on the vineyard, and Brenna is a bridesmaid. Unfortunately, her high school enemy, who happens to be a ballbuster and her ex-husband's wife, is the matron of honor. As a result, Brenna decides that she needs a fake fiance in order to remain sane throughout the long weekend's festivities. That is where Finn Nolan fits in.

Finn has been a part of Bellini family for over a decade. He has always lusted after Brenna and is more than willing to shield her from the harpy. As the wedding weekend unfolds, their fake relationship evolves into a real love story.

I really enjoyed this book. Ms. Burton's characters are always interesting and easy to get to know. The fake engagement is one of my favorite tropes, so requesting this novel was a no-brainer. I am truly looking forward to the next book in the series.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This month I've been very lucky with the ARC's I've read. I really enjoyed them. They remind me why I like reading series so much. Every book connect with the prior book in some way. You'll find that with The Engagement Arrangement. What a mouthful, right!

I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and was so glad to read this one. I really like so many of the characters. The sisters are so funny, they can pick on each other but don't let anyone else try.

Up this time is Brenna's story. I really liked her. She comes off very confident but really underneath she has so many issues. So much like the rest of us. She very much worries about her standing in the family which is only in her mind. No one thinks any different of her since she ended her marriage. But what she's willing to do just to show everyone how happy she shows you how she feels underneath it all is.

I love Finn. He is so wonderful and funny. At times I wasn't sure Brenna was good enough for him then I remember just how much he loves her. In fact, until she needs his help she pretty much didn't think about him. Not in a mean way, just in her life was busy, and then she was wrapped up in what happened.

The funny part is that these two together are so much fun. You'll love them together. When Brenna isn't thinking about them faking it she really enjoyed herself. The problem is that she's worried about things she can't control and misses the stuff she can.

If you haven't yet started this series then you really should. I promise you will really enjoy it.

Title: The Engagement Arrangement
Author: Jaci Burton
Publication date: June 29, 2021

Summary: Brenna Bellini will never get married again. She plans to live out her days as a happy, successful, single woman. When she's chosen to be a bridesmaid in her friend's wedding at the Bellini family vineyard, she's thrilled. That is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. She just knows the fact that she's single and alone is going to be rubbed in her face all weekend long. Well, not if Brenna can help it. She's going to find herself a fake fiancé.

Finn Nolan is thrilled to be offered the job. He's had it bad for Brenna ever since he came over from Ireland to live at the vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar for years, this Irish cowboy is determined to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr. Right. 

So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever.

Review: I absolutely love how the story starts out. I also love how stubbornly independent Brenna is. I really expected this book to be a quick read as I thoroughly enjoyed it. However it did take me a full day to read it. I really want to read the first book in the series as well as whatever follows. The family is fantastic and reminds me of mine if it was all boys (obviously not including me) instead of all girls. I also love that Finn just adopted/immediately took in a stray. This story is so sweet I highly recommend it

I enjoyed this story, more than book 1! But boy do those Bellini sisters know how to avoid talking about feelings!

Brenna Bellini is a winemaker, and works with her dad at their family vineyard. Her sisters work there too, Erin on the financial side of things, and Honor in charge of the weddings and events they hold. Brenna also lives at home with the fam, after her divorce. She doesn't plan on ever marrying again, though she has started dating, and it's not going well. She finds fault with all the men she's gone out with. She's a bridesmaid in a wedding at the vineyard soon, and her ex-husband's new wife, who is also Brenna's high school friend-turned-nemesis, will be one too. Brenna isn't looking forward to having her singledom rubbed in her face all weekend, so she decides she needs a fake fiancé. And she knows just who to ask.

Finn Nolan is an Irish boy, who moved to Oklahoma to live with the Bellinis after his mother's death when he was 18, as Mrs. Bellini was his mother's best friend. He works at the vineyard, and he's built a little house on the property that he loves. He's even branched into making his own whiskey, and he loves it, and hopes to expand it one day. The Bellinis are his family, and he loves them all as such. All but Brenna, who has never been like family to him. He has always wanted her, since they first met as teenagers. He feels like now the time might finally be right for him to pursue her, and then she springs this fake fiancé idea on him. But, you can bet he'll be using their fake relationship and forced proximity to his advantage!

Finn and Brenna had wild chemistry that Brenna just didn't know how to deal with, and as we saw in book 1, the Bellini sisters' tactic is to AVOID, AVOID, AVOID. Brenna can't figure out how she feels about Finn, so she just won't think about it. As if ostrich-ing your head in the sand ever fixed anything for anyone. Finn was a total cinnamon roll delight, and he 100% saved this story for me. He knew Brenna, and her strengths and faults, and he was willing to go slow and give her time to figure things out. Even though he's always known she was the one for him. I appreciated that he didn't let her indecision put him off. He was all in, and I LOVE a hero who is gone for the heroine from the beginning.

The Bellini family is a delight, and we got some of Erin and Jason (from book 1) planning and holding their wedding, which was fun. I love the sisters' relationship. They are always honest with each other, and I like their dynamic. They also always call each other out on their stuff, even if it's in the kindest way possible. The scenes with all 3 of them together are always enjoyable.

Brenna had a lot of stuff to work through before she could be with Finn for real. Finn was willing to let her work through it all, which was lovely. I really enjoyed them together, and once they finally got to their HEA, I believed in it too, because of the work and thought that had gone into it. I think I might see where Honor's book will be going for book 3, and I'm not sure if I'm into it, but we'll see if I turn out to be right.

Overall, this one worked for me by the end, though there were times I found Brenna's avoidance annoying. It was a solid small town romance.

As a fan of Jaci Burton, I was excited to read her latest book--book two in her newer Boots and Bouquets series. Burton always manages to combine small-town charm and steam masterfully. Unfortunately, it is not her best work. It honestly felt like a different author wrote it. It wasn't as good as the first in this series, and definitely didn't hold a candle to her sports romance series, "Play-by-Play" (which is a favorite of mine and what I recommend to those looking to try a Jaci Burton book. And who doesn't love a sports romance?).

This book sadly could have be written by a romance AI. The female lead ping-ponged emotions so fast it felt like I was watching a tennis match, and I had to check I didn't miss pages. Her rationale for not being with the male lead was unbelievably flimsy and became incredibly frustrating as a reader. The male lead was the true standout of the book and great #bookboyfriend material, though a bit of a sap for pining after the female lead for SUCH a long time. The best thing about this book is its vineyard location, which is always fun to read about. In the end, this book was overly predictable with too much of a roller coastering of emotions and not enough build.

I'd recommend checking out her Play-by-Play series instead, though I hope book three in this series (I assume, featuring the last sister) is an improvement.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars - 5/10

In this steamy romance we get Brenna Bellini's story of the Bellini sisters. Brenna knew shouldn't have married Mitchell Walker. Divorced and back into the dating scene Brenna just can't seem to find a nice guy. She has no plans to ever get married again, but she'd like to have some fun. Brenna is excited about her friend Esther's upcoming wedding that she is in until she finds out that Esther's matron of honor can't come and she asked Allison Walker to be a replacement. Not only are Brenna and Allison high school nemesis, but Allison is now married to Mitch! Not wanting to spend the weekend as the "single person", Brenna hatches a plan and knows just who to get to help her.

Finn Nolan has had a crush on Brenna since he first arrived to America from Ireland after losing his parents at 18. When Finn came to live with his mom's best friend, Maureen Bellini, he was immediately taken by the fiery, redheaded Brenna and knew they were destined to be together. He also had his heart broken when she married Mitch but now that they are divorced, Finn is ready to make his move.

When Brenna approaches Finn with the crazy suggestion of pretending to be engaged for four day festivities for Esther's wedding, he jumps at the chance. Now if he can only convince Brenna that the feelings they are pretending are really real. Of course the more time these two spend together, the closer they get and the more fun they are having until Brenna finds something out then everything blows up. It will take a lot of grovelling and quite the trip, but these two will finally get together for real in a perfect ending.

I loved this steamy romance. I just adored Finn. He knew what he wanted and was just biding his time. I understood where Brenna was coming from but because of her past, she had a hard time letting go. Together these two just sizzled on the pages. I can't wait to read Honor's story.