Member Reviews
4/5 STARS
This was my first read by Anneka R. Walker and I'm so so happy to say that it was nothing short of wonderful!
This was a retelling for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. and while I maybe too young to compare it to the original, I honestly enjoyed this fun read so much !
This was a super sweet and light read and I would definitely recommend it to someone who enjoys the contemporary genre.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the eARC.
I love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, so I definitely enjoyed this retelling. The author did well in pulling tidbits from the movie, while also adjusting a few… plot points… to make it more modern :) There are a lot of characters, but they are each well-written and distinct. I definitely recommend, especially if you love the musical!
This is a lighthearted, modernized, book version of the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers movie that will appeal most to people already familiar with the story. The author does a great job keeping the same main plot points and some of the same stereotypes to stay true to the story.
The seven Peterson brothers live together on a farm in Cherish, Montana. Aiden has been caring for his younger brothers for the past ten years since their parents' death in a car accident. He promised he would help them all get married and settled down since the most important thing to their parents was for the boys to find happiness with their own families. The author does a great job developing very different personalities for the characters and fun conversations between them.
Aiden is almost 30 and spends a lot of time on the computer designing software. He initially wants to marry so he will have someone to cook and clean for him, he's not worried about love. He also wants all of his brothers to marry within the year. Benson is reserved and antisocial, Cade and Daegan are twins. Then there is Easton, Flynn, and the youngest Grant who is deployed for a year but has a girlfriend, Amy.
Camille Kelly loves to cook and just signed a contract to teach at the college. She is almost 27 and needs to find another place to live because professors can’t live in student housing. She is estranged from her mom but is close to her younger sister Amy. The other five girls in Amy's apartment are: Camille's best friend Daisha, sisters Macey and Raina, and Emma and her best friend Sage. Emma is quiet and sweet and tutors in Calculus. Sage is her opposite, wears heavy makeup, and dates a lot.
“Your life has taken a different route than you planned, but it doesn’t mean you’re going the wrong direction.” Ch 2
Highly recommended, especially to those familiar with the movie. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a temporary digital copy to use for my review.
5 stars for this contemporary Christian retelling of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. This book will get you out of a reading slump fast. It was funny and romantic and full of heart and all the feels, paying perfect homage to the musical. All of the characters were charming. This retelling needs to be made into a movie.
I loved this book!!! IT was so creative and fun to play around with the "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" musical! I enjoyed all the brothers AND their perspective Brides! It was a great storyline!
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of my all time favorite musicals. I love it so much. My anticipation for this book was strong because has anyone attempted this before? If they have, I don't know about it. I wondered how the author was going to pull of a storyline like this in a modern setting.
I think the concept of this is a fun one. I loved all the nods to the original story throughout the book. It helped me feel like that story was modern and all it's own, but still similar enough to the original that kept that nostalgic feel.
I think overall, the story progressed slowly which seems weird to say given all the characters and interactions in this book. Because there were so many characters, it was really hard to connect emotionally to anyone. I felt like the characters remained on the surface level- even the two main characters, Aiden and Camille. It took me a bit to get through this book because my investment level was just not there. So yeah, not my favorite book but a fun idea.
Content: kissing, some talk of God and praying
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved this modern take on the movie “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. I loved the matchmaking that was going on and the ups and downs in each of the relationships. I loved how awkward the characters were at times as they tried to understand what the other person needed. I loved seeing the love grow between each of the brothers and that these characters were relatable. This was a really fun book and I loved the storyline. I highly recommend reading this book especially if you loved the movie “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
This retelling of the classic film Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is as entertaining as the movie! Insta-love, disillusionment, family bonds, and a hefty dose of matchmaking brought the original story to the contemporary version, which added more depth with some backstory, challenges, and faith elements. With so many characters I didn't really connect emotionally with any of them, but it was fun to read about the them as they learned about relationships and what makes them overcome the inevitable trials and become stronger. A must-read for fans of the movie and contemporary sweet romance!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
This was definitely the book and modern version of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers and I loved it. It made me want to go back and watch the movie all over again. The story between the two main characters was cute and I loved the unintentional meet-cute they had years prior. I didn’t like fight sequence/revenge something seemed like it didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the story. I also wish the communication was better between everyone, while it did create tension in the plot, it seemed like it could have been solved without the drama.
Overall it was a cute book and I now need to go find the movie that inspired it to rewatch it.
Brides And Brothers was a sweet romantic story of Camille a 27-year old teacher and Aiden Peterson a 29-year old software developer. Camille is introduced to Aiden by her younger sister Amy when she needs help fixing her computer. The sparks start flying almost instantly and within a matter of weeks the two have joined in marriage. However, Aiden may have neglected to tell his new bride that he shares his family home with his 6 brothers and they are a bit of a package deal.
This book had some really sweet moments but it also felt a bit chaotic due to the many characters. I felt like more character development would have added a lot of this book but I can appreciate that would take up a lot more pages. Some of the characters felt very similar to me which made it difficult to be truly invested in their storylines. Camille felt like a very sweet, genuine and caring person, I really liked her and rooted for her. Trying to put myself in her shoes I can only imagine how difficult it would be to enter a family of 7 brothers who are pretty set in their ways and try to fit in. It is obvious Aiden take the responsibility of being thee oldest and therefore the father figure very seriously. He is caring, loving and lives to serve and please the people around him. However, while Aiden is the oldest I felt several of the other brothers could have acted more their age and been picking up after themselves and not leave the mess to their brothers new wife to pick up when she joins their family.
I thought the plot of marrying off her brothers-in-law to her friends was rather unrealistic. I can see how a couple might have naturally dated and even potentially gotten married but all 6 of them seems a bit of a stretch, though I recognize this is to stay true to the movie. There were several sweet moments between Camille and her brothers-in-law, my favourite being when they were hiding behind the bushes.
I also found it odd that Aiden would abandon his wife so shortly after they were married and for such a long time. Leaving her to run their house and deal with his brothers whom she hadn't spent much time with previously. All in all this was a sweet romance with more than one HEA and I think many who are familiar with the movie would truly enjoy it.
I should say I am not familiar with the movie/play Seven Brides for Seven Brothers which the book is based upon so I cannot speak to how closely it aligns with the original storyline. I would also call this a Christian Romance, while not religious this doesn't bother me but there are several mentions to God, prayer and scripture throughout which I wasn't aware of going into this book.
The cover of this book caught my attention and I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. This is the first book that I have read by Anneka Walker and I will keep an eye out for other books she has written.
I am not familiar with the original story that the book was adapted from, nor have I seen the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers musical. Therefore, I had nothing to compare the story to and came into it without expectations or anything to compare it to.
This is a cute and fun read with everything moving quickly. Camille and Aidan meet and within two weeks are engaged. They do not know each other as well as I think they should, to be taking this big step, but they are both eager to be married and hope to be married within a few short months of the engagement.
Camille decides she should try to set up her best friends with Aidan's brothers, her sister Amy was already engaged to one of the brothers. The story follows this line of thought and you see a bit of what is happening in a few of the main relationships.
There were a few things I struggled with. One was the lack of communication between Aidan and Camille before and once they were married. Aidan goes on making decisions just like he would have if he was single, and that was hard to swallow. Second, because there were so many characters I do not feel that we know them as well as we should/could, including the main characters. Finally, I felt that the ending was rushed. The epilogue was a nice touch, but I felt it all could have been fleshed out a bit more.
This book would appeal to those who enjoy contemporary fiction with humor. The romance is sweet and light.
Thank you to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I adored the musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and I was really looking forward to this book. However, I should have taken into account how unrealistic such a storyline is in contemporary romance. It just didn't work, for a whole host of reasons, not least of which is the ridiculously sudden proposal between the two main characters. It was a cute relationship at first, but then all of sudden they're falling in love, declaring that love, and instead of living together for a while, they decide the best thing to solve her housing situation is to get married....huh?
I recognize that this is a Christian romance, and so living together isn't an option from a traditional POV, but I found this to be such a monumentally bad idea for them. And it absolutely was as the story progressed - they didn't know each other, their relationship was really not a healthy one, and I didn't see how it was a marriage. He got everything while she really got nothing from it. I also felt like the author was creating this idealistic view of what a perfect Christian couple looks like, so it just felt very unrealistic. Neither person had any obvious flaws, she was so content to just be a housekeeper and mother (nothing wrong with this but the way it was described had me rolling my eyes), and then there was the honeymoon...it was maybe one page. Because heaven forbid we even hint at intimacy between them. It was over so fast, I had to go back and re-read to confirm that yes, they did indeed have a honeymoon.
This story is just not one that belongs in contemporary Christian romance. Historical Christian romance? Sure. But in modern times, it just reads as ridiculous, and I couldn't buy into the idea.
I really enjoyed this fun and witty story. The characters were engaging and had wonderful chemistry. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Since the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was a favorite of mine growing up, I was so excited when I heard about a contemporary retelling of the story. It was fun to see parallels between the movie and the book. There were some really cute moments in the book, but it was also chaotic sometimes and with fourteen characters, no one really had that much depth--and while those things are true to the movie as well, I found myself wishing for a little more in the book. I wish some scenes had fewer characters in them to make them simpler, rather than crowding everyone in like is done in the movie. (My thought on that was that if I'm watching a movie, I'm not necessarily taking in every single action of every single character; I focus on one or two, and then the next time I watch it, I'll notice what other characters are doing as well, but I"m not really hit with it all at once, whereas in the book, reading what every character is doing and saying can feel chaotic and messy because I am being hit with it all at once.)
I also wished that there was some more character development to give a better feel for the characters' personalities--particularly their good points because we got to see a lot of their bad point as both the guys and the girls make immature choices or won't communicate. For me as a reader, there wasn't enough to balance that out and help me really care about them. All of the stuff about Camille's relationship with her mom, which maybe was supposed to make her a more developed character, felt kinda weird, particularly how easily it was resolved and didn't work for me.
Obviously taking a film and making it into a book--especially when you have fourteen characters to include!--is a difficult task. Add in the fact that there's a lot in the movie that's not going to fly with a modern audience (I was kinda surprised watching the movie as an adult to realize how sexist or misogynistic some of it is!), and this is a tough movie to turn into a book. While I didn't love it, there were some cute parts, and I think as a younger reader I might have enjoyed the light-hearted nod to a beloved film.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NeGalley. All opinions are my own.
First I LOVE the movie this book is based on so when I saw this I had to grab it! At first I was reluctant thinking it would be a play by play of the movie but it was very refreshing and modern. I caught myself smiling during scenes and laughing out loud. Definitely a cute quick read definitely worth the read!
I really like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers so this story that mirrors that movie/play seemed like a winner. But I just didn’t like Brides and Brothers more than 3 stars. Here’s why:
Camille was a door mat.
Aiden wasn’t around for much of the book.
Communication between characters was a big issue.
For a romance, it wasn’t very romantic.
What I liked:
The names of the brothers.
Camille’s friends
How the characters included God in their lives.
The way the author managed the kidnapping scene.
I appreciate the opportunity to review a pre-publication version of the book.
Brides and Brothers is a Christian retelling of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, and I loved it! I'm super picky about contemporary romance, and if I wasn't familiar with the movie 7 Brides I probably would have found this book to be cheesy and forced. BUT! I do indeed love the movie so I found this retelling absolutely creative and precious in the ways it was true to the plot and characters as well as how Walker wrote her own thing.
Walker did such a great job weaving the melodrama of the interactions from the classic movie into a modern setting. Some of the big scenes in the movies include the barn raising dance scene as well as the "kidnapping," and Walker totally nailed her own rendition! She wrote in the boys's awkwardness, the oldest brothers thick-headedness, and the wife's pluck.
Honestly, it's hard to say much more than WOW THIS IS SO CREATIVE! It's really very clever and a fun read for those who love the movie.
My one criticism is that for a Christian book, the role their faith and God plays is mostly like a Santa Claus. They ask for what they want and use Bible verses in the ways that suits them.
I read an ecopy arc from Covenant Communication and NetGalley to review honestly.
I don’t know how I feel to be honest.
The concept was great. There were great moments (sweet, funny and sass). I had to google to see if that was inspired by a hallmark movie of something -turns out it’s an adaptation of a musical?
I’m not big on Christian fiction, and as much as it’s not that ‘in your face’ you certainly have the reference to turning to god and all that.
I felt like we were missing a bit of our orignal couple as well. Maybe I would’ve loved it better if we had a book/novella about each brother and his quest/adventure.
Growing up I cannot count the times i was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I found this novel fun with the take to modernize the movie. There were so many characters but it was easy to follow and was not confusing. I would have loved more depth and sometimes I felt sticking to the main theme of the movie forced the plot instead of it moving smoothly. In all, I found it really sweet and fun!
Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC copy of this book!
Being a huge Seven Brides for Seven Brothers fan my whole life I was excited for when this book became available for me to read, and read I did. I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to get more chapters in. This whole book was delightful and I didn’t want it to end.
If you want to laugh and enjoy a modern day telling of this story, then look no further. I highly recommend this book.