This book was truly amazing, I did nothing all day but read this one. The moment Kitty and Jack met I was invested in their story. At first I thought it was a bit melodramatic for Kitty to runaway from what happened during her wedding, but as I got to read more of her story and her life I was able to understand and sympathize with her.
This book started of being light and funny, but then we get to see the traumas experienced both by Kit and Jack and how they're trying to deal with it.
I love Jack for being with her every step of the way and helping and teaching her to love herself. He was so patient to show her that she deserves to love herself too and stand up for herself. These two had me swooning and laughing so much, they were too adorable together. Their chemistry was amazing, I love how they were each other's strength. Aside from that, I love that we get to have dogs in the book which I feel gave us a show of how Kit and Jack would be us parents.
Not only did I love the romance aspect of the book, but I also love how it talked about death of a loved one and grief. This book showed that the way to help you deal with your traumas and struggles was if you learn to face them and fight them yourselves, your loved ones are just bonus and guidance that will give you the strength to face all your fears.
I understand why their conflict had to happen and why they had to spend some time apart from each other. Because it was another way of showing that in order for you to have the romance you deserve, you have to face your own demons first and deal with your traumas on your own. I love how in the end Kit and Jack finally acknowledged their own traumas, found a way to cope, and still love and accept each other.
The ending was so satisfying but I was still craving for so much more!!!!

I enjoyed this book - lovely story and Kitty and Jack are perfectly suited for each other - once they get past their won demons. Jack is a recent widow and Kitty has run away on her wedding day - but why........
This is a feel-good book and I read it in the garden in a single sitting whilst enjoying a few days off work. If you want to escape and read a humous love story I would definitely recommend this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one day. The storyline goes a lot deeper than you think it would and the issues addressed including the insidious bullying and coercion which our main character has experienced, will make you want to read on to ensure she doesn’t go back to that. This is a brand-new author to me, but one I will look up for further reads. The writing style is brilliant, there are excellent descriptions of settings characters and emotions, with just the right amount of humour and the story flows in obvious expert hands. Thank you very much for a very enjoyable read.

At the start of this story we meet Kitty, a woman who is doing all that she can to put as much distance between herself and what should have been the happiest day of her life. After running for far too long and making her feet bleed with the excursion, she stops at the side of the road and finally allows the pent up emotions she has been holding in escape.
When a bright orange van stops at the side of the road, Kitty isn't sure what to make of the friendly Irish man that has offered to drive her wherever she needs to go. Normally, she would hesitate in these situations, but right now Kitty needs all the help she can get.
As Kitty and Jack - the mysterious Irish man who rescued her in her hour of need - embark on their journey together, this is where the true drama really begins.
I refuse to give too much away about this book as it is one that you really must read. Alongside a blossoming love story, there are plenty of demons from both Kitty and Jack's past that begin pushing their way to the surface, including one revelation that leaves Kitty questioning everything.

This is an absolutely gorgeous story that I found impossible to put down. Kitty is a character who captures your heart instantly and you can't help but root for her and her happiness throughout. And then of course there is Jack, who is utterly swoon worthy!. Alongside a cast of intricate characters and a storyline that is full of drama and love, this is one of those books I certainly won't forget about!.

A feel good romantic comedy fast paced witty dialogue and great characters. A look a love and loss I will definitely recommend to read.on at home and on the beach.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. It had depth and racialism .

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like this book, it was a quick read with many humorous parts. The first half of it was great, but I felt a little let down by the second half and the ending felt rushed to me. I was also a little annoyed at the runaway bride because she had to let people push her around for so long. I recommend this book, but can’t highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. It explores the issue of someone finding themselves after a lifetime of being controlled.

It also explores grief and loss and how we can deal with this. The story was at times predictable but then also had some twists which I didn't always see coming. The main characters were both very likeable which always makes it an easy read. It's a heartwarming book and a story with a 'happy ever after' ending.

Yet another wonderful romantic comedy full of British humour by Mary Jayne Baker.

I seriously adore Mary Jayne Baker and her books. I'm British by blood, but Canadian by birth, so hearing the British comedy and trills in my head when I read brings me back. It reminds me of my Dad a lot, which makes me smile. The fact that I can bring my love for reading, romantic comedies and British humour all into one place? Golden.

This is another hit in my books. The story is fast paced, full of beautiful twists and turns, and feels like a great 2000s comedy. The theme of facing hardships and getting past them is also a really nice touch that will make you smile or cry (or both, you never know). Kitty and Jack are quite the pair, and make for a really good couple in this book.

Overall, I highly recommend picking this book up! If you like tv shows like Coronation Street but want more romantic comedy in it, this book is for you.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

The dialogue in this book is off the charts!

There's always one thing you remember from a book you read and for this one, it's the dialogue. It feels like you're watching a movie by the way the author has written this book. The dialogue is everything. It's witty, smart and playful and just downright fun to experience. You can just hear Jack and Kitty speaking as if they're right beside you on their adventures.

Also, there's puppies! And Jack is just an awesome character too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the earc in return for an honest review.

Overall: 4/5
Shock: 1/5
Angst: 1/5
Spice: 1/5

Themes:

~romantic comedy
~bonding through grief
~road trip

Thoughts

Kitty Clayton and Jack Duffy are on the run. Jack is running from his past while Kitty is running from her own wedding. These two meet while Kitty is hitchhiking on the side of the road in a wedding dress. Jack and Kitty come to an agreement to travel together if there are rules: no questions allowed about their pasts and no running from each other. This road trip pushes both characters to find companionship in one another and forces them to face the things that they are running from.

This is my first time reading from this author and I really loved the story and writing. The writing is casual and flows so quickly that the conversations between these two characters feel so real. I laughed out loud a few times and had tears in my eyes at some parts. Something about two characters bonding through grief really gets to me every time. Kitty is grieving the passing of her father and her family life and Jack is grieving over the loss of his wife. At first, I thought the way they handled their situations were different, but they were both doing the same thing, running away from their problems. Kitty soon confronts her family, but Jack feels that he always needs to escape the bad memories.

Sometimes I felt like this book was literally a soap opera. Some of the drama that unfolded had me wanting to SCREAM. This was a book I needed when taking breaks between high fantasy books. It was so fun and heart-warming. I could totally see this story playing out in a movie and just the chaos that these two characters bring would be so much fun to see! I can’t wait to pick up more from this author.

I love a good romance, and this book was exactly that. The Runaway Bride was charming and fun, the perfect summer romance. I totally recommend!

I AM THANFUL TO THE PUBLICATION HOUSE AND AUTHOUR FOR PROVIDING ME WITH THIS ADVANCED READERS COPY AND MY OPINIONS ARE NOT INFLUENCED BY ANYONE
THIS WAS SUCH A FUN FLUFFY LIGHT-HEARTED BOOK TO READ AND HAD CONVEYED GREAT MESSAGE

tw: themes of abuse and bereavement

The Runaway Bride is equal parts funny and heartwarming, and incredibly poignant at times. This book deals with big themes: mental and emotional abuse; mentions of physical abuse; mental health and the various ways that grief and bereavement manifests itself, along with the varied coping mechanisms. Each theme is handled with great care and sensitivity, and never feels forced.

That said, there was also a lightness to much of the story, with gentle humour and beautifully tender moments. I particularly loved the easy banter between Kitty and Jack. It felt natural and organic, although some of the phrasing did come as much older than the character's ages would suggest. I don't know if that was an intentional choice as both Kitty and Jack come across as old souls in some ways, but it was occasionally jarring. That said, it didn't stop me from empathising with both characters and I found myself rooting for them. Recommended read.

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 💓💓😥😥😂

Kitty Clayton takes flight on foot from her own wedding reception minutes after saying I Do! As she is walking down the highway, a van comes along side her and pulls over. Jack Duffy, famous child author is being a Good Samaritan and offering Kitty a ride.

Both of these individuals have severe hang ups. Kitty has been controlled by her mother and then by her boyfriend now husband of a few minutes. Jack is avoiding that he is not responsible for something that he could not have possibly foreseen. He witnessed something horrendous and he feels culpable even though there is no way he could have changed the outcome.

These two souls have so much they need to work on in there personal lives that one wonders if there is a chance that they could possibly help each other discover what is deep inside each other and how they can grow together?

I thought at first this book was slow, but emotionally it got to me. I found humor in parts and the compassionate tenderness from them both was so poignant. I felt touched at the sensitivity of the writers words.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

The Runaway Bride was a light-hearted, quick read for me. I enjoyed the story, and found the characters quite likeable.

Kitty was running away from her wedding when she ran into Jack whilst hitchhiking, with nothing to remind her of her previous life. No phone, no money, no identification. Jack is always taking in strays, though in the past, they've always been furry. He offers her to stay with him in his camper while she figures out her next step.

Naturally, over time and the close living quarters, they become very close and enamored with each other. Kitty's still trying to recover from the worst day of her life, and Jack is trying to live with the guilt of his wife's death.

Kitty and Jack are two lost souls who stumbled into each others' lives. I loved their connection and how they interacted with one another. Both were understanding of the others' past, and wanted more for themselves. It was great to see Kitty's confidence grow over the course of the book. I applauded her for running away from her crappy life, which included a controlling husband and an overbearing mother.

The only problem I had with the book was towards the middle/end where there was a "surprise twist." It seemed could have been introduced/explained much better. I enjoy a shocking twist as much as the next person, but it was so abrupt and almost felt forced.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would give it 3.5/5 stars! (rounded up to 4)

I was excited to read this the moment I read the description. Though the "runaway bride" story has been done before, this had a couple unique twists and I found it to be a fun, interesting read!

I received this book as an Advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Kitty and Jack are both wounded people in need of healing when they meet. Although a romantic comedy this also has more depth as the two develop a relationship and recover from their pasts.

<p>This book had me gripped from the very first page. I stayed up late trying to finish it. I loved it. Kitty was running away and stumbled across another broken soul who offered her a helping hand and escape when she most needed it. </p>
<p>This book is full of English humour which isn't for everyone but I loved it. What starts out as light-hearted actually has depth and nuance that is unexpected but brilliant. This is my first by this author but it won't be my last. I already have another book waiting on my kindle. </p>
<p><em>I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“We’re all broken. We’re all the things life makes us. But we fight, and we come out stronger. And happier, I think, in the end.”

What happens when you witness the worst thing imaginable on your wedding day from the two people you trusted the most? ... you run away! Which is exactly what Kitty did. She took off in her wedding dress and nothing else and headed for the main road to catch a ride with whoever would help. Which is how Kitty found herself meeting Jack Duffy, not once, but twice.

Jack was a children’s book author and nomad running from his own grief and past. He didn’t have much to offer, but it was more than Kitty had. Jack gave Kitty a helping hand to start her life over and Kitty helped Jack face the past he had been running from and introduce him to a future he never thought he would get to have. They needed each other.

“Love isn’t obsessive, it heals; it doesn’t break.”

The Runaway Bride was the second book I have read this year by Mary Jayne Baker, and I liked this one even more than the last. I loved Kitty and her will to start to life over, even though she was scared. I loved Jack and his willingness to lend a helping hand not only to Kitty but also all the animals he met. Plus he was a children’s book author ... how could you not like that!

Thank you Aria and Netgalley for this eARC copy to read and review.