Member Reviews
Tillie is spending two weeks on a tropical island because of her sister's wedding. She bonds with a local man named Gabe over colorful cocktails and crabs. They're both bartenders and have somewhat parallel issues with their parents. Tillie's mother is dead and her father checked out, so it's been a battle for survival for her and her sisters. . Gabe never knew his father and his birth mother abandoned him. Neither of them thought they were ready for a relationship and it was initially meant to be just a holiday fling but the two weeks start to feel far too short. Can they make it work, what with the distance and Tillie's sisters guilt tripping her? One of her sisters relies on Tillie for daycare for her daughter, so Tillie can't uproot herself easily and Gabe has his bar on the island. Yet it is very hard to say goodbye.
It's a familiar trope but the book made me happy and got me into a summer holiday mood.
Steam level: Sex on the beach.
Series status: The sister who got married has her own book but you can follow along this story without reading it.
I received a netgalley copy and this is a voluntary review.
3.5 stars
This book was so cute, my ideal place to read it would be in a beach chair in La Jarra ;) I liked the many different family dynamics we got to experience which I don’t often see in romance books
This is a quick read and is great to read as a cooler if you’ve been in a slump or have just read something very heavy.
I think if there was a little bit more struggle from our main characters as they figure out their future together this really could’ve been a really gripping story but at this length is stayed being super cute and fun
This is the follow-up to Drew and Ensley's story (The Wedding Confession) and I do recommend reading these in order to avoid spoilers.
Tillie and Gabe have so much in common, and their chemistry is steamy and addictive. It was fun to see the connections between them align so well, until the end of her vacation hits, and the hard choices begin. The emotions surrounding their time apart is very relatable, and I found myself [surprisingly] upset. I appreciate her desire to ensure her family bonds, and well-being, based on her history. Gabe's backstory is just tragic for him, and I was very happy to see the positive resolution.
There are fantastic secondary storylines kept me engaged and flipping pages. I enjoyed the creativity and craftsmanship with these characters and story. This has parts that a very funny, but most of this read [for me] wasn't a laughfest. It was an emotional, heart-wrenching, heart-warming read that was engaging and entertaining. I recommend this read, this author, and her other works as well.
I thank Montlake publishing and Netgalley for my free ARC, and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Very cute rom-com, great sequel to the first book of the series. I loved the characters, major and minor. Some explicit sex, so not acceptable for K-12 students, but fine for adults who aren't offended by such.
I enjoyed this book and finished it in a day. The relationship between Tillie and Gabe, is cute and they overcome their own struggles.
It is an easy, lovely read and I really recommend it.
Tillie is in a tropical dream to watch her oldest sister get married. Sun, Sand, family....and crabs???! Gabe storms into the end of the ceremony and escorts the invaders back to the ocean where they belong. Tillie is a fun, outgoing type of a person who follows Gabe to thank him. She finds a grumpy curmudgeon who really hates tourists. Tille never gets a vacation, so she is on the island of La Jarra for two whole weeks. What better way to spend her time than challenging the local bartender to a competition - and maybe she will crack that hard crablike exterior and find that you just know when you find your soul mate.
I read this book in only a couple of hours; it was so cute and so easy to read. I loved the banter between Tillie and Gabe, and how they both had issues that they could work out better because the other person was there. I didn’t just read this book, I devoured it! A super easy summer beach read!
Absolutely love this book. The chemistry between Tillie and Gabe is fantastic. Who wodnt want to find love in paradise with a hot bartender, especially when you get to knock him down a notch and teach him a few things in the process. Really hope we get a 3rd book in this series, Lila needs her story told. Would love to see a completed story for all 3 sisters.
The Wedding Shake-Up by J.J. Knight is the second book in the Wedding Meet Cute Series. This is a stand-alone in a series of interconnected stand-alones-
Tillie is in paradise for the wedding of her sister. Only for this isn't paradise. She isn't really impressed.
Gabe is a bartender, seriously hot and interested in Tillie. Tillie herself falls pretty quickly for the bartender. And soon their fling turns into more.
This is a witty and fun, cute read, highly entertaining and well written, 4,5 stars.
This was so good!! I highly enjoyed this and I loved the story line. I thought that it was a very good book.
I just reviewed The Wedding Shake-up by JJ Knight. #TheWeddingShakeup #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]
Thank you to JJ Knight and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Wedding Shake-up was an enthralling read with a refreshingly exciting spin on a vacation romance between a surly local and a bouncy tourist—their words not mine ;)
From the beginning I could feel the sparks flying between Tillie and Gabe, the chemistry was other worldly. Both stubborn and fiery, and when they mix they’re one second away from combusting. I loved them. They were so very…adult in a sense and swoon-worthy at the same time. Their relationship felt honest, very go-with-the-flow, like puzzle pieces fitting together but with an hourglass hanging over their heads.
There aren’t many explicit steamy scenes in the books besides a couple, which I thought was nice and I liked that it wasn’t overdone. I loved their progression over the story, their attachment to each other, and their interactions. They were so fun and easy to be with as a reader.
Even though Tillie is new on La Jarra, I absolutely adore the familiarity aspect throughout this book. She fits in with the locals as if she was there her whole life—but not in a cliche kind of way, more of a: this girl is obviously not from here but we like & respect her kind of way because sometimes humans are cool and personable. That being said, there were a few cliche moments in the middle that were just a tad bit too on the nose for me but it wasn’t a huge deal.
The cocktail component of this book was so fun! I don’t know much about making & mixing drinks, but JJ Knight writes these scenes flawlessly. It was exciting reading about their drink competition or simply when they’re helping each other out behind the bar.
The main problem I had was her relationship with her sisters. At first, I thought it was odd that Tillie didn’t spend much time with her sisters, but then I got over it after seeing their personalities. Throughout the book it kept being mentioned that Tillie is sooo close with her sisters but I didn’t read enough about them to know that’s true. Instead, I thought their relationship was toxic & unfair. Tillie was made to feel guilty simply over liking a boy…and all the family responsibility fell on her. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but I get that family relationships are hard & complex. I almost wished Tillie would set more boundaries between herself and her sisters. I guess I didn’t see enough of the good to overcome the bad that I was reading about in terms of the sibling relationships—I might also just be a tad unforgiving.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The opening scene set the tone wonderfully and the book followed with lots of amusing & cute moments. It was an enticing island escape and I would definitely recommend to any contemporary romance lovers!!!
Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, and Montlake.
I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.
A destination wedding on an idyllic island is the beginning of a new love. What was supposed to be a casual affair turns into forever.
A bartender meets another drink slinger at a competitive cocktail challenge. Things spark between them as more than just cocktails will be consumed. Things were supposed to be casual but when she invites him to her hometown things take a turn.
Turns out he has some bittersweet memories there as well. Can these two find away to move pass the past and take a chance on love? A bittersweet yet amusing love story .
Thank you to JJ Knight and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The Wedding Shake-up" by JJ Knight is an enchanting tale of unexpected love and delightful chaos set against the backdrop of a picturesque island paradise. Tillie and Gabe's chemistry leaps off the pages, captivating readers with their playful banter and undeniable attraction. From their first encounter amidst pincher crabs to their exhilarating cocktail-making challenge, their journey is filled with laughter, romance, and a touch of destiny. The author's vivid descriptions transport you to La Jarra Island, making you feel the warm ocean breeze and tempting you to sip on a mermaid sunrise cocktail. While Tillie and Gabe's time together may be limited, their connection is undeniable, leaving you yearning for more. With its perfect blend of humor, heart, and steamy moments, "The Wedding Shake-up" is a delightful escape that will leave you with a smile on your face and a craving for your own island adventure.
The Wedding Shake-up is a cute, often humorous romantic, family drama beach read by J.J. Knight. He saved her feet from crab pinchers. Now these two are competing in a drink making competition. She’s only on the island for two weeks. Can they find forever in a short time or will the past get in the way of their future? I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.
Perfect beach read in Hallmark movie format. I gave this three stars becuase it was a very PG romance and there could have been more simmering between Tilly and Gabe. I just needed a little more romance/chemistry from them. Overall felt like I was at my favourite bar in the Bahamas while reading this.
Tillie and her siblings are on beautiful La Jarra Island, for a destination wedding of their older sister.
Tillie and Gabe first meet over pincher crabs and continue bumping into each other. The attraction between them is off the charts. Gabe has a rule never to date tourists, but despite that, they fall hard for each other. When they have to say goodbye it breaks both their hearts. But maybe fate has a way to bring them back together.
A very romantic, and steamy story of two unlikely people falling in love and finding their way to a HEA. I couldn't stop reading it. I read it in one sitting, it's so good!
A perfect book to read somewhere sunny, preferably with a cocktail in hand. :)
I didn't expect this to be this good🤌🏻 I so love the characters, I thought the book theme is gonna revolve around some wedding mess, but the wedding thing just ended there. Though I love the escalation of the story and the spice was too good.
Fun, vacation type read. Interesting character development, and I was pleased to see the author give the characters such thoughtful personalities. So often in this genre, we end up with characters jumping into new situations without thought. I really enjoyed how "real life" this felt, for a vacation-read.
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book, it was a good read with a particular twist and growth of the main characters. Interesting secondary characters connected with Gabe, as opposed to Tillie's family. While reading, it felt like being on a tropical island.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a nice read. The author really allowed us to understand Tillie and her familial relationships. I loved seeing how important her sisters were to her and how eventfully they were supportive of her relationship with Gabe.
It was also nice getting an insight into Gabe and his close friends/family! Definitely a funny read but also dealt with the storyline of Gabe’s birth mother well.
I did feel like the build up to their relationship could’ve been explored a little more. That being said I adored the personal growth they did.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.