Sawyer was invited not only to attend his ex wedding with his best friend but also to stand as the groomsman, he accepted but actually doing it is a step too far for him which is why he leaves in the middle of the ceremony, while the cameras are documenting this exit. In order to escape the attention he drives to a small town where he ends up getting drunk.

Fallon has left her life to take care of her grandfather and his cabin rental business, her list of things to fix is a mile long but she is determined and won't stop until she succeed.

Sawyer might have appeared in her town by accident but this isn't the first time they meet, they went into a blind date and it was a disaster, and even worse Sawyer doesn't even remember their date.

This was a second chance, slow burn romance and it might have been a bit too slow in my opinion. I enjoy the moments where they fixed the cabins together and how they became closer. Her grandfather was a character, truly he was a hoot.

What I didn't liked was the fact that she was in a relationship for a big part of the book, and why she kept that relationship if she wasn't into him anymore.

I also think that the third act confict could have been easily been avoided, I don't think it added anything to the plot.

All in all, I liked it, especially the way Sawyer was pining after Fallon, Meghan's humor always makes me laugh but it isn't my favourite of her books.


* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Sawyer is everything you love about a Meghan Quinn hero. Nothing scream Meghan Quinn more than a groomsman running out of the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and his ex-best friend while shooting them the bird and then losing a shoe while making his escape. Sawyer then tucks tail and run to Canoodle to hide away for a while. He then meets Fallon and Jaz and manages to embarrass himself spectacularly.

I know that Meghan is known for her slow burns but this was almost too slow for me and one of the reasons I didn't give it 5 stars. Fallon was with Peter almost 60% of the book all while I am over here swooning over Sawyer and how sweet he is, she is holding onto someone she knows she doesn't belong with. He was so great with Sully, who suffers from Alzheimer's. All the projects they did together and the stories he listened to about Sully and his Joan. I loved how it mirrored what he was going through with Fallon. There were so many great characters in the story that you can't help but fall in love with the little town of Canoodle. More than anything I loved how the whole town adored Sully and did everything they could to help Fallon take care of him. Her dad's were also a pair of my favorite characters.

I really enjoyed this one from Meghan but I just wish it had a little less time with Peter and more with Sawyer.

I had a lot of reading Runaway Groomsman, a slow burn, small town romance. Screenwriter Sawyer Walsh is the best man at his best friend’s wedding… only the bride is his ex girlfriend, and the bride cheated on him with his friend. Sawyer has had it though and he runs out during the wedding and escapes to Canoodle Cove Cabins, where Fallon Long has moved to renovate the cabins and take care of her grandpa who suffers from Alzheimer’s. There is so much heart in this book! Sawyer is so sweet and charming and I love his generosity. His relationship with Fallon’s grandfather Sully felt so special too. And Fallon is so determined and kind. These leads were just wonderful people, and I loved their friendship and banter. I loved the gentleness in their romance, which reminded me of a Sarah Adams kind of book. It’s sweet and sexy, and the character are great! Sully’s battle with Alzheimer’s is so heartbreaking and I just adored Sully. And Fallon gives so much of herself. Plus Jaz, Fallon’s best friend, is unique and funny and I loved the banter and humor she added. There were a few things that didn’t fully click with me. The third act conflict didn’t feel like it matched the growth of the characters and I feel like the love triangle element didn’t add a lot, and instead made the story drag a little. But I truly adored these characters and was just really rooting for them. Runaway Groomsman is so endearing and heartwarming and I just really enjoyed reading this.

Another fantastic story from the talented mind of Meghan Quinn.

Full of laughs, swoons, and heart, this story will take readers into the amazing world of Canoodle, a small town with a big-hearted community.

This is the story of Sawyer and Fallon. 

Fighting hard to save her grandparents legacy, Fallon is a fighter; she takes too much on and is too proud to ask for help when needed. Her love for her family shines through the pages, and I was cheering her on.

Sawyer is running from a life that has broken him down. When he lands in Canoodle, he doesn't realize that his past is right in front of him. When he finds some clarity and companionship in a growly old man, he decides that he wants to help make the Cove vibrant again.

The chemistry between Fallon and Sawyer is amazing, and I absolutely swooned hard at the things that Sawyer was doing to take care of Fallon and Sully behind the scenes. I applauded his resiliency when faced with a dilemma of the heart.

As always the secondary characters in this story almost steal the show and make this story that much more vibrant.

Is this the last we will see of Canoodle? I hope not!

✔ Forced Proximity
✔ Small Town
✔ Second Chance Romance
✔ SLOW burn
✔ New Adult

Honestly Meghan Quinn can do no wrong with these tropes.

I picked this book up since I am getting married and wanted to side track my mind. I ended up devouring this book in one day! This book is so cute! Meghan did a great job setting the tone from the first chapter!

3.5 stars
This book was okay, just not great.
I enjoyed the storyline, but at some points it just felt slow and the dialogue seemed to be a bit pointless.
I loved the dual POV (who doesn’t) and Sawyer was the best character, will Fallon falling a bit flat for me. But loved the side characters and their input.
The romance was a real slow burn, with a smaller spicey scene than I was expecting but still good

This book had so much story in it. Where to begin... First of the blind date that went horribly bad, but hey at least you got a free steak out of it.. Then to be so unforgettable the next time you meet, what a blow to the ego. The blue suit and missing shoe groomsman. Yes, you heard that right. Throw in some awesome and fun characters that help you figure out life, when you're lost, and you've got a great book that's hard to put down.

Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn was a funny, quick read for me. Sawyer storming out of his ex’s wedding, flipping off the bride and his best friend groom on the way, and leaving a his powder blue shoe on the church stairs was such a fantastic opening scene and really set this book up to shine.

Sawyer ends up in the California mountain town of Canoodle, running into an ex-blind date, Fallon, and her adorable crew. BFF Jazlyn, sweet Grandpa, Sully and the rest of the town, including the mayoral cat.

Full of sarcasm, wit and odes to Quinn’s previous novels and characters, this is definitely a page turner. I loved Sawyer. He really stole the show. I felt like maybe I didn’t get to know Fallon as well or maybe I just didn’t understand her quick behavioral turn-around with Sawyer. There’s a bit of a love triangle, and a lot of slow burn.

While covering heavier topics, including Alzheimer’s, this book is a light read overall. Rating 3.5 overall.

Meghan Quinn is a genius at writing romantic comedies and with her latest book “Runaway Groomsman”, she adds just enough family drama to make it one of the best books she has ever written. I love the characters, the storyline, the witty banter and the reflective nature of Fallon and Sawyer. I adore Fallon and the devotion she has for her grandfather and when Sully needed someone to care for him and help run the family business, she dropped everything and rushed to be by his side. Fallon’s love for her grandfather runs deep and I admire her thoughtfulness, compassion and selfless personality.

The peaceful setting for our story, the quaint Canoodle Cove Cabins, was the perfect place for new beginnings, recapturing the past and falling in love. Sawyer arrived out of nowhere, tempting Fallon with his kindness and charming ways. He loves the cozy and secluded cabins but he is more interested in the spunky and beautiful proprietress. He felt at home almost immediately and knew that fate had sent him to help Fallon when she needed it the most.

I loved everything about this book from Sawyer’s finesse with woodworking tools, the patience he showed for Fallon’s grandfather and the creativeness he had as they spruced up the cabins. His kindness was honest and heartfelt and he quickly became my favorite Meghan Quinn hero. He worked tirelessly, with Sully as his supervisor, to bring the magic back to the cabins, the picnic tables and to one very special bench. Just seeing Sully smile as he reminisced about courting his late wife Joannie at the cabins, were all the thanks Sawyer would ever need. This is the kind of book that only comes around once in a while and stays with you forever. Of course it was funny and made me laugh, but it also showed me that family always comes first and love is always a wonderful surprise.

Runaway Groomsman was an amazing read!!
It starts with a bang… Sawyer is the runaway groomsman… he is running away from his ex marrying his friend! I laughed picturing the scene. I laughed picturing him wearing his tuxedo …. What a suit it was!!

He ends in the town of Canoodle and decides to keep a low profile there… away from the gossips and the paparazzi!

Fallon moved back to Canoodle to look after her grandpa , Sully and to help him renovates the cabins.

Sawyer gets to know Sully and I have found their relationship so endearing. I loved every scene with both of them… the bench, the clock

Jaz needs to be mentioned as she also brought so much to the story! The interactions between her and Julia were comedy gold!!

'I swooned. I laughed. I felt every degree of emotion.
Runaway Groomsman is utterly delicious - every single ingredient for the perfect love story is here in this fun and witty story.

Canoodle is a magical place and I loved the storytelling as I fell under its spell.

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Runaway Groomsman was one of my favorite reads of 2022 so far! I loved the premise of the story: Hollywood screenplay writer is forced to attend his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend's wedding after they cheated on him, but goes viral for running out during the vows. To escape the media storm, Sawyer ends up hiding out in Canoodle, staying in a cabin rented by a girl he once went on a blind date with. The attention to detail in the story is amazing--Meghan Quinn doesn't allow anything to slip through the cracks. The hero, who easily could have come across as arrogant, is actually humble and down-to-earth, made relatable to the reader through his self-deprecating humor and acts of kindness. I loved the fun side notes from Sawyer about how this would be different if it was a movie-- a fun twist on the whole book. The hero of this book writes romance so the whole story is very romantic and swoon-worthy. This is my first Meghan Quinn but certainly not my last! Perfect for fans of Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score.

This was such a fun story! I adored the characters of Sawyer and Fallon and really wanted the best for them both.

The runaway groomsman is a slow burn romance that starts off with Sawyer making a very dramatic exit from his friend and ex girl friends wedding.

If you are a fan of slow burn second chance romance set in a small town then you will love this one!

4 Stars

Adorably sweet and funny. No one writes a quirky heroine quite like Meghan Quinn and I’m always here for it. Fallon is struggling to bring her grandpa’s flailing cabins back to life in the cozy small town of Canoodle. Sawyer has had enough of the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and best friend and makes a run for it in the middle of the ceremony. And what better place to run than the cozy little cabins in Canoodle.

This story was just too cute and as always, has the best secondary characters that just help make the story even better. It was definitely a slow burn. Fallon did her very best to not fall for the handsome screenwriter lol. But in the end, things worked out how they should. Overall, good story with lots of heart and laughter.

Angela - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

I've been meaning to try one of Meghan Quinn's books for a while now, and I couldn't resist Runaway Groomsman when I read the blurb. There was something about the Hollywood angle and small town setting that hit the mark for me, and I liked the promise of Fallon and Sawyer as main characters. I've been looking forward to read it, and now that I did I'm happy to say that I've found a new romance author to follow. This was such a fun, touching and mainly uplifting slowburn romance!

The story starts with a bang, and it sets the tone for the rest of the plot. I really liked the contrast of the Hollywood screenwriter suddenly finding himself in a small town... Especially with the town itself sounding so charming. Canoodle makes for the perfect backdrop of this story, and I loved the many discriptions of the town, its quirky inhabitants and the cabins itself. I also liked the importance of the cabins to Fallon, and the focus on family and working to keep memories of the past alive.

There was just something about both main characters that made me root for them. Sawyer has a rough start in Runaway Groomsman as he keeps getting himself in awkward situations... But the way he acts and interacts with Sully as well as Fallon soon won me over. Talking about Sully, I could really appreciate how the alzheimer element was incorporated into the plot, and how the different characters all tried their best to help him. Fallon makes for a great main character too, and I like how driven she is and how she isn't afraid to fight for what she believes in.

That said, I wasn't too much of a fan of the love triangle (especially since Fallon stays with her boyfriend for more than half of the story), and this did made me like her a tiny bit less. I also could have done without the drama close to the end of the story; I don't think it was necessary adding the conflict after such a long building up of the romance. The slowburn romance was definitely very slow indeed, and I know this might bother some people... I personally didn't mind, and the story had just the right amount of steam for me.

I really liked the writing style and the banter incorporated into the dialogues, and the secondary characters were brilliant. I had so much fun reading this story, and what I liked is that Runaway Groomsman had a great balance of the light and fluffy with more serious topics. This story definitely ended up being a hit for me, and I can't wait to try more of her books soon!

I am so disappointed to write this review with this rating. In the past I have loved all of Meghan Quinn's books but this one was a struggle to get through.

In this second chance romance we meet Fallon and Sawyer. Sawyer, the groomsman who ran away in the mist of his ex's wedding after being forced into being the best man, finds himself in the small town of Canoodle. While hiding out from the fallout of his exit from the wedding, he reunites with Fallon whom he did not realize he had a past with.

Sawyer, puts her life on hold to care for her grandfather and run his inn. She learns that the family business is not doing that well and that in order to keep it she needs to save it first.

This book started out having me hooked but then once the dust settled with Sawyer and he started hiding out, it slowed way down making it hard to stay interested in. I resigned myself to these feelings all before I got to what felt like a rushed ending since the story needed to be tied up. I understand that slow burn romances don't take off running at page one but on the other hand at one point it felt like the story stopped.

In the end, this book was just okay for me and I look forward to seeing that is next from Ms. Quinn.

I really enjoyed this book, the love stories and how all the relationships came together and changed over time. A really good feel-good book.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect book to snuggle up with on any day.

Absolutely loved this book! I loved grandpa sully the most! He was fun, quirky and kept Fallon and Sawyer on their toes!