Witty and compelling, Runaway Groomsman is a thoroughly enjoyable read that you should definitely check out! Full of Meghan Quinn’s trademark banter, I found myself totally lost in the story. Sawyer and Fallon shared a remarkable chemistry and I adored the development of their relationship. Five runaway stars!

4.5 stars
Runaway Groomsman is one helluva story. Its entertaining, has this wonderful small town in Canoodle. I smiled so big whilst reading it.
When Sawyer makes a scene at his ex’s wedding, needless to say he runs and lands in Canoodle to get away from everything and everyone. His arrival in the town, creates quite the stir. Fallon runs the family business Canoodle Cove Cabins along with caring for her grandpa Sully. With Sawyer renting a cabin, Fallon does try to cope with all that is on her plate, especially regarding the renovations to the cabins. While Sawyer offers a hand, needless to say, she is reluctant. I love her best friend too, shes a hoot. The town is nothing short of entertaining and the way Sawyer helps Sully, is really quite something.
This book has to be read for yourself to see the charm, the heart of people, family and the heartwarming moments. All in all, a feel good small town read!

A second chance romance- of sorts. Fallon and Sawyer had one date years ago and then went their separate ways. He's become a Hollywood screenwriter and she's a nurse whose grandfather Sully owns the cabin when Sawyer holes up to work. He finds himself working on the cabins and slowly entering into friendship (and then, of course, love) with Fallon, who, btw,, has a long distance relationship. It's sweet. the characters are nice and it's actually funny in spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Runaway Groomsman
Meghan Quinn
4-4.5 ⭐️

Hollywood screenwriter Sawyer Castle knows a good love story when he sees it. But when it comes to real life romance, he’s a mess. That’s how he finds himself standing at the altar…as his ex-girlfriend ties the knot with his very famous best friend. The pressure, the resentment, the media coverage—it’s all too much—and before he knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s making a run for it, leaving a shocked congregation and flashing cameras in his wake.

Runaway Groomsman was so fun and heartwarming to read! Quinn definitely gives us one of the funnest prologues! While this is probably the slowest burn and lowest steam I’ve read from her, I can’t say I minded the change. The story was well written and nicely paced so that everything just worked and allowed you to happily get lost in it’s small-town cuteness.

I adored Fallon and Sawyer’s story and how each was on a journey to find themselves. I enjoyed that we get to read about past and present events. Their romance was cute, and the fantastic banter had me LOL! Sawyer’s screenwriting talk and all the rom-com references were so much fun to read. But for me, the side characters absolutely stole my heart. Sully was by far my favorite. I loved how Quinn handled the Alzheimers representation. Him and The Guys totally had my heart. Also, I don’t think a more perfect rom-com mountain town than exists Canoodle. Are you kidding me, I loved it and all of its quirky residents.

What I adored;
✨ Slow-burn, small-town romance
✨ Nine Juan Juan Tacos
✨ Sully & The Guys
✨ LOL humor

If you’re in the mood for a swoony second chance romance with so many great characters, definitely check out Runaway Groomsman!

Pub Date: 10/11/22

Thank you so much NetGalley and Montlake for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A fun rom-com set in a small town and charming characters. I really enjoyed the small town, local inn (along with renovations) angel - definitely gave me some Schitt's Creek vibes. The third act break up didn't sit well with me (lack of communication), but that is a personal preference. I would still recommend this book for anyone looking for a light, funny read.

This was a first time read for me by this author and I had such fun reading it. It is a cute and sweet story that will having you smiling and laughing along the way. Sawyer is a Hollywood screenwriter. He is the best man at his ex's wedding and pretty much causes a scene and ruins it when he runs off. He needs to get away and stay out of sight for a bit while the media is having a field day. He ends up in a small California town, the perfect escape. While there, he meets Fallon, who is back in town to care for her sick grandfather and also oversee the renovations to his cabins. She is overwhelmed with the responsibilities and also trying to keep things running smoothly so she is glad when Sawyer arrives and the added income he will provide. But other than that, she is not very impressed with him, thinking him to be lfull of himself just like all the rest in Hollywood. But as they spend time together and get to know each other, he begins to prove her wrong. The book definitely left me with a smile on my face and a happy feeling afterwards. The characters were interesting and well-developed with realistic qualities. The story was delightfully cute and I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a fun, quick and light read, that will put a smile on your face then you definitely will want to pick this one up.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Meghan Quinn. Meghan Quinn. I’ve read so many Meghan Quinn’s at this point I could play Meghan Quinn bingo. They are all worth a look if you like that sort of thing but quality does vary which is not surprising given the rate she churns them out at with which is admirable and baffling. Sometimes they don’t have any plot at all but this isn’t one of those, this is mostly plot and hardly any hanky panky. I Know! I was surprised too.
So what happens is Sawyer, a hotshot Hollywood screen writer in bad suit, runs away from his former best friend and ex girlfriends wedding in spectacular fashion and finds a hideout in Canoodle Cove Cabins where he get’s spectacularly drunk and passes out. He decides to stay. He meets Fallon, a hot saint, and Fallon’s grandad who has Alzheimer’s, and Fallons best friend (who is actually deranged and no one can convince me otherwise and is responsible for one of the most frustrating plot points ever and is actually quite a Bad Friend for doing so) and also Fallons boring boyfriend. Huh. There is also a huge amount of interior decorating discussed.

This one was an unexpected surprise, small town slow burn, with a strong female main character, and themes of friendship, loyalty, and family both born and made.

Sawyer is a famous romcom screenwriter, who is the best man at his best friends wedding, who betrayed him and stole his girlfriend who is now the bride who cheated on him. Just as the vows are being proclaimed he makes a huge scene, flips them off and runs out making a grand escape. He flees to a small town, where he unknowingly meets Fallon for the second time, the local in charge of the local cabins. They had both gone a disastrous blind date sometime ago and while Fallon remembers it all, Sawyer has no idea. Sawyer decides to stay for a few weeks and wait out the scandal until it blows over and hopefully get some inspiration to write his next screen play. Fallon is trying to juggle taking care of her grandfather with Alzheimers while also renovating the cabins hoping to save the failing business. Will they take this second chance that fate has provided, or will their complicated pasts and presents prevent them from seeing what is right under their noses?

This is my first novel from this author and I am an instant fan. I was never bored reading this one. All the characters had depth and struggles, the romance had a beautiful build up. The side characters and story lines were a joy to follow. Reading this felt like a warm hug but with emotional rollercoaster as well.

This book was absolute perfection!! It is very different than Quinn’s previous release, Royally Not Ready, which was also a five star read for me. While both are filled with the classic Quinn laugh-out-loud humor and amazing banter, in Runaway Groomsman there is little steam and it’s a Mariana Zapata kind of slow-burn. I could not put the book down and there was so much to love!

Synopsis: After ruining the wedding of his ex and former best friend, Sawyer, a Hollywood romance screenwriter, escapes to a small town called Canoodle Runaway Bride style. There, he meets Fallon, who moved back to care for her sick grandfather and renovate his cabins. The two get to know each other

Thoughts: This book had EVERYTHING I look for in a romance. It was fun, witty, heart warming and filled with lovable main and supporting characters. Canoodle was the perfect fictional setting and with Quinn’s vivid descriptions and unique town traditions, I imagined myself right alongside Sawyer and Fallon. While I loved both Sawyer and Fallon’s individual stories, my favorite parts were when we got to hear Sawyer talk about the screenwriting process. All the references to the tropes we see in movies, grand gestures, camera angles, conflicts etc., made the story relatable to any romance lover. Plus, as Quinn mentioned in the story, there was one epic full circle epilogue.

Read if you like:
-Small town setting
-Slow burn romance
-Forced proximity
-Books with sassy best friends, lovable grandfather figures and a tight-knit community
-Home renovation/ DIY tasks
-Cameos from Quinn’s previous books

Thank you SO much Amazon Publishing. Pub Date: 10/11

For the amount of skimming that I did, this is more a 2* rather than an average 3.
There's one part of the storyline that really bugged me as it went on for more than half of the book, but since it's a big spoiler, I won't put it here.
As for the rest, I loved how murderous Jaz was. Loved her whole vibe.
The rest of the story was pretty much average, but at least I read the whole thing, so it wasn't that bad?

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I loved Sawyer and Fallon's story. There were.so many times in this book where I was laughing, only to read a little farther and find myself in a swoon-worthy moment. There are tons of delightful and hilarious side characters, from Fallon's grandpa Sully, her best friend Jaz, and her two dads, to Sawyer's brother Roarick and other people in town. Canoodle is an interesting place, for sure. Jaz and Sully especially and some of their interactions with Sawyer are priceless.
The majority of the book is Fallon trying to juggle taking care of Sully and the cabins while Sawyer takes some time out of Hollywood. As time goes on, they develop a friendship that finally grows into more. I loved how well he knew Fallon and how much she was able to appreciate him.

4.5 stars. Sawyer is a Hollywood screenwriter who is made to be in his ex- girlfriend and best friend’s wedding. During the ceremony, he has stomached all that he can handle, makes a scene and then finds himself in a tiny town where he meets Fallon. Fallon has taken on taking care of her grandfather in addition to trying to restore the family business. This is a sweet romance that reminds me of a hallmark movie, but also will make you laugh out loud. This was a very entertaining fun story.

3.5 stars
I've read many of Meghan Quinn's books over the past couple of years and they do not disappoint when it comes to the steaminess but this was a departure from those steamy rom coms for me.
This would be much better marketed as women's fiction with a little bit of romance thrown in, instead of what I usually go to Meghan Quinn for.
This also felt overly long and because of that it some serious pacing issues.
It is a really slow burn romance, in that sense.
Some of it was enjoyable but the whole notion of the love triangle didn't appeal to me.
Fallon being in a relationship for the majority of the book, while a slow burn romance goes on with someone else, when she could have easily broken up with her boyfriend, also just didn't sit right with me.
It's not the kind of escapist romance that I'm looking to get lost in.
I know that Meghan has followed this book up with her usual steamy romances so I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future. But this one just didn't work all that well for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read almost ALL of Meghan Quinn's back list and let me tell you that I really really enjoyed this one. Runaway Groomsman felt really different from almost everything else she has written and I was so here for it. It was such a refreshing story and so so sweet.

Sawyer Walsh is a screen writer who finds himself the best man at his best friend's wedding. Only problem is the bride is his ex girlfriend who cheated on him with his friend. Sawyer has a moment of clarity while standing at the wedding and flees the scene in the middle of the ceremony in spectacular fashion. In an effort to escape and get his life together he stops in the small town of Canoodle and finds himself drinking himself into oblivion only to be saved by Fallon, a woman he once went on a very bad blind date with. Fallon a former nurse is working to restore her grandfather's legacy, cabins for rent in Canoodle while acting as his primary caregiver since he has Alzheimer's. She has a bad memory of her first interaction with Sawyer but is quickly changing her view of him as his helps her around the property and with her grandfather. Soon they realize that their story may just be the stuff that Hallmark movies are made of.

This story is sweet and oh so charming. Sawyer is drool worthy but not in the typical MQ way. He is kind and caring and so in love with Fallon your heart will leap off the page for him. The steam in this book is minimal but their connection is powerful. I loved the way the characters built and you just hated to leave this town when the book ended. This book had a Mariana Zapata vibe in its very slow burn quality with focus on character development rather than immediate steam and sex. I loved this deviation from Meghan's "usual" format.

My biggest issue with this book as with so many these days is the length! This one tops more than 450 pages and it took me longer than it usually would to pick it up just because of that. I miss the days of romance books being around 300 pages and an easy read. I feel like a lot of people will miss this beautiful story because of the intimidation of the length.

This is a sweet second chance, small town romance that I know I will be reading again and again.

I would highly recommend checking this out if you love a good character story.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

• Small Town Romance
• Second Chance
• Love Triangle
• Renovations
• Alzheimer's Representation

I’ve read a few Meghan Quinn books and have her backlist on my TBR as I’ve had fun reading each one. Each of her reads have delivered a fun, lighthearted romcom with a quirky mix of characters, some solid banter and those funny ‘lol’ romcom moments you come for. While this one had all of those elements, it also delivered some great representation of Alzheimer's and how it impacts the person with it, as well as their family and loved ones.

The premise on this one was great – and I loved how it opened: Sawyer is a screenwriter who wrote a romcom screenplay in which his former girlfriend was the lead actress and the lead was played by Sawyer’s best friend. Unfortunately, the two played their roles a little too well and started having an affair behind his back. Which leads us to the opening – Sawyer being forced by the higher ups to make nice and play the “happy” groomsman for the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend…needless to say, things don’t go exactly to plan and Sawyer finds himself on the run and in need of someplace to lay low.

As I said, the premise grabbed me from the start, and the opening scene was great – I could totally picture it as the opening to a romcom movie. It was highly enjoyable to read about how Sawyer handled things, and I was loving the town of Canoodle, where he ended up. It was great to see the banter between Sawyer and Fallon, and I enjoyed the slow build of their friendship. They weren’t the only highlights though – I really loved Fallon’s bestie (and defender), Sully and Fallon’s dads. I also really appreciated the thoughtful representation of the heartbreaking realities of Alzheimer’s.

My wish in this case would have been for a bit of a shortening of the second half of the book, the first half went very quickly. However, it did feel a bit dragged out for me in part two. As an aside, I also don't love the love triangle trope - though I did find this particular situation to play out okay for me.

Overall, it was a cute, heartwarming story and I’ll definitely try more from this author in the future.

I have to admit, the first 60% of this slow burn romance amused me a lot. Follow the runaway groomsman, Sawyer (lots of references to Julia Robert) as he leaves his cheating ex and best friend who forced him to be the best man at the wedding (Sawyer is a screenwriter and the other two are actors.) He is the absolutely most wonderful character- seriously sweet, understanding, smart and hilarious. Pair that with Fallon, a smart, sweet character and her best friend Jaz, who made me laugh like no other and I loved the characters in the story. Sadly, I didn’t get the romance- Fallon was involved with someone else the majority of the story and then, when they did finally get together, it was rushed and a bit unbelievable. I loved the backstory of Fallons’s grandfather with Alzheimer’s and I wish she explored more of them as they navigated these obstacles. That said, Sawyer and Sully, the granddad, was heartwarming. I smiled a lot throughout the story. I just wish it focused longer on the Present and future rather that the “other”relationship. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the early copy!

Runaway Groomsman is the newest from Meghan Quinn. This story starts with the hero fleeing from his ex’s wedding to his best friend and escaping to a super quaint small town where he meets the heroine, who owns local cabin rentals.

Sawyer is a Hollywood movie screenwriter, popular for his romcom films. The story kicks off with him standing up as a groomsman for his best friend’s wedding to his ex-girlfriend. Not only did they meet because of him, both were cast in a romantic movie he wrote, and then they cheated! With movie contracts being held over him, Sawyer is in the wedding, but the more time he is spending there, the more angry he gets over and decides to flee. He runs out during their vows, running down the aisle, through the church door, and even losing a shoe along the way. With paparazzi outside, the incident gets filmed and put on the internet, so to stay low and out of the spotlight, Sawyer ends up in the small town of Canoodle, California and heads straight for the bar!

On his first night in town at the local bar, Fallon is there too and spots Sawyer immediately. She realizes quickly that she knows him, they went on a blind date years ago, and it has lived on as the worst date of her life. It gets even worse when she realizes Sawyer doesn’t recognize or remember her! Fallon has taken over the management of the Canoodle Cove Cabins, working on renovating, fixing them up and helping out her grandfather Sully who owns and built the cabins. Sully has Alzheimer’s, so she takes care of him as well as trying to make changes quickly and improve sales for the rental cabins or risk loosing them.

I felt like the romance was lacking in this one a lot. Meghan Quinn is very hit and miss for me, the only books I’ve enjoyed have been her Getting Lucky series. This felt more women’s fiction. Fallon has a boyfriend for over half of the book (until about the 65% mark) and during that time Sawyer forms a friendship/relationship more with her grandfather Sully than anyone else. Sawyer is staying at the cabins and starts helping Sully out, or more like gets tasked by Sully with construction jobs and fix-it projects around the cabin property. Which was a nice relationship to see developed. A lot of time Sawyer and Fallon don’t even spend together, so when her boyfriend is no longer in the picture it all just turned very insta, with them both declaring they love one another real quick. I didn’t get their chemistry or connection at all, like I said I believed more in Sawyer and Sully’s connection.

2.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher (Montlake) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. The Runaway Groomsman has a publish date of October 11, 2022.

Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn is a story about finding love, family and friendship.
Sawyer thought he was in love till he found out she was cheating on him with his best friend. He thought he just wrote about romance for the movies. Now he is living her worst nightmare at his ex’s wedding to his ex-best friend. He thought he could pretend but he can’t and leaves in the most dramatic way at the altar as a groomsman.
He ends up in Canoodle, a quirky town, where he hides while Hollywood goes crazy with gossip after he runs away from the wedding.
Meghan sets up this rom-com with a perfect setting, and characters to draw you in, and the perfect town for it to take place.
Fallon is caring for her grandfather who has Alzheimer’s and taking care of the Inn her family owns. The Inn needs a lot of work, and Fallon is trying to remodel it herself. She is determined, and such a caring person.
Sully, her grandfather, has moments of clarity where he teaches Sawyer about love while they work together to restore parts of the property. These moments were heart felt and made you start to fall in love with Sawyer.
Fallon and Sawyer grew a friendship over time which turned into so much more. Throw in her friend Jaz for some sidekick comedy and you have a perfect Meghan Quinn romantic comedy.
It’s a fixer upper meets small town romance kind of story.
It was a really cute story with a really fun meet cute premise filled with heart, soul and fun. It’s a story you won’t want to miss.

Sweet, swoony and sassy, Runaway Groomsman is all the great things.

Filled with so much love, sincerity and humor, this book is a classic Meghan Quinn story, bursting with everything that sets her writing apart and makes her the romantic comedy queen.
With a magical setting, wonderfully written characters and an engaging plotline, it truly captivated my heart. Not to mention the many little Easter eggs and references that caused this long-time fan to smirk, this story was an absolute delight and I wholly support a Webflix adaptation of it!

5 stars and a bench

I feel like MQ was the easter bunny with this book. So many awesome little easter strewn throughout. The whole book was epic. This was one of my favorite reads by this author which is basically the entire backlog. I love the whole range of characters. Sully was amazing. This was a really easy book to read.