#TheLeftoverBride

Perfect book for the Holiday season! Would make a perfect Hallmark movie! Sorcha and Ryan are one steamy couple! I loved the small town story and how they both were "famous" in their own way. I would love to see where their story goes from here. A sequel perhaps?

This book was not exactly what I was expecting but was super cute. I feel like sometimes second chance romance books don’t actually deal with the original issues that broke up a couple and it really bothers me. This one didn’t just brush the conflict between the characters under the rug and I liked that.

If I were teaching a lesson about using details in your writing I would probably use an excerpt from this book. There were A LOT of details throughout. If this is something that you don’t like, you might find it distracting.

The author does a great job of showing just how connected the two main characters are by weaving in details from their memories throughout. You can really tell that they’ve been a huge part of each other’s lives and their history is deep-rooted.

The story, overall, is a good depiction of two people who have made a lot of mistakes and who have the chance to finally get it right.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. It was sexier then a hallmark movie. I found the characters relatable and not annoying or irritating. Which is a definitely a plus. Also made me laugh out loud.

I thought #theleftoverbride was very cute. I absolutely adore the cover too, it is just so fun in both black and white on my Kindle and in color here.

I loved Ryan and Sorcha though I do wish there was more romance. Things didn't start kicking off until about 60 percent or so which is good if you wanted a slow burn.

I still liked their connection and their friendship. The writing pacing was hard to get into at first but I was into it halfway through the book.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy of this book even past publication date. This was a four star rating because this book was still really good.

I can't wait to see what is next for this series!

All thought and opinions are my own.

This was a great and entertaining second chance to happily ever after read. Loved the quirky diatribe between the characters.

"This could be a disaster."
"As my therapist would say, it's a moment in time."

Genre:  contemporary romance
Tropes: second chance romance, high-school sweetheart, friends to lovers to strangers to lovers, holiday romance, forced proximity, small town Christmas spirit
Cliffhanger: No
Series:  Swans Cove series #1 (stand-alone books)
Spice:  2/5 🌶


I received an ARC through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and left voluntarily. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy.

I loved it. I was actually looking for a romcom, but this Christmassy contemporary romance was perfect. It was sweet and sprinkled with funny scenes, romantic angst and steamy moments, but it also had a unique way of seeming real and relatable.

》》<u>The Plot </u>《《

One year after she was left at the altar, Sorcha is decided to put her life back on track and recover from her loses, because being a wedding dress designer who trended as the #LeftoverBride is not only painful and humiliating, but also bad for business. And when Nathan, the runaway groom, becomes the Most Coveted Bachelor in America, all eyes are again on her. But what does this has to do with Ryan Sawyer, famous hockey player (also known as Hockey Hottie) being back in town after 10 years? Well, according to Sorcha, this entire business is just a bad remake of The Boyfriends of Christmas Past, because even her feelings seem to betray her. Especially when she ends up needing Ryan... only to discover that he needs her just as badly. In more ways than one.

The story is shared between Sorcha and Ryan and, while this dual point of view has definitely diminished the mystery, it also increased the angst for their romance. Knowing what was going on inside both of their heads did wonders for my view of how much miscommunication there is in today's romance. Even more, it definitely helped me connect with both of them, making it hard to take sides but generally making me want to scream "idiots, just kiss already".

》》Characters and Relationships《《

👩🏻‍🦰 Sorcha O'Connor - #TheLeftoverBride

"Neona - my grandma from my Dad's side - would tell me " Sorcha. Sarcasm is dripping from your tone. This is so unbecoming." And then she'd wink at me because she's the Queen of Sarcasm."

I loved her. She was a great female MC and I just felt for her and everything she went through. Dealing with OCD, being left at the altar, losing her business and forgetting how to fight for her dream but never truly giving up on it, on love, on those around her... she had a lot going on. But I could feel the character development, the wish to put all the puzzle pieces back together and the kindness and determination with which she set to accomplish it all.

🧑🏻 Ryan Sawyer - Hockey Hottie

"Everywhere he goes, Ryan Sawyer always looks like he owns the place.
Like he owns a piece of my heart.
And goddamn him, he does."

Well, Sorcha, if it makes you feel any better, now he owns a piece of my heart too.

He's not easy to label. You can't put him in the high-school sweetheart category because he also has a hint of a bad boy in him, but he's not exactly a bad boy either(despite his grumpy grunting and temper) because he ends up being too sweet. Final conclusion? He needs an entire category just for himself. How should I label someone hot and sort of famous, whit a huge heart that rivals in size only with his ego and his stubbornness (and well ... maybe some other things 🤔... )?
In any case, wherever you may box him, I definitely need one in my life. He may not be easy to love, he's still making amends and learning how to handle some relationships, but he had an emotional journey that was really nice to follow.

👩🏻‍🦰🧑🏻 Sorcha and Ryan

"It's my turn to give myself an internal pep talk: one afternoon.  We can spend an afternoon together without ripping each other’s clothes or ripping each other’s throats. "

Their relationship was a roller-coaster. Angst, tension, laughter and fights, all bottled in sweetness and wrapped up with a bow of snarkiness and "that's what she said" jokes. They have a past which both helps and complicates their actual relationship and it's frustrating in the most delicious way to watch them pining after each other.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 The side characters are also cool, starting with Nathan and Sorcha's sisters and ending with Tiramisu the Cat and Fluffy Napoleon. I wanted to hate Nathan for leaving Sorcha at the altar, but let's just say there's more than what meets the eye here and I can't wait for his story (#3 in the series, coming in 2023 !!!). While not giving us a lot about her two sisters and brother, I'm also really looking forward for their stories too, especially after the "Easter egg" from the Epilog, which sort of introduces us to Aisling's story (#2 in the series, coming in 2022).

》》Conclusion《《

I definitely think this is worth a try. It's a nice contemporary romance with enough funny scenes to almost view if as a romcom, and it has a bit of everything: sweet moments, plenty of angst, gift unwrapping going wrong, adorable pets and some smut after all that thick tension. Not to mention: Christmas. It's the perfect read for this time, since the winter holidays season is near. So grab a hot cocoa or an eggnog, a fluffy blanket and this book and enjoy the festive vibe.

This was a really adorable festive read 😍 loved the characters, the setting and the story. Highly recommend!

This was a very sweet and lovely read, perfect for the holidays!

I loved our heroine, Sorcha. I felt a lot of admiration towards her throughout the story, because what she went through cannot be easy to handle. For me, I would be devastated that if 1) I was left at the altar 2) the video of that moment went viral 3) I became a meme because of it 4) I lost my business and initial dreams, I mean, knowing me I would have fallen in a hole of darkness, but even through sadness and frustration, Sorcha tried her best to stay positive, pushing herself to be better. I truly loved her and made me learn new things.

Now with Ryan, he also was facing a lot of trouble regarding her career and family, and of course the fact that his biggest desire was to reconnect with Sorcha, and I loved how he described his feelings, the longing that even made him feel like a poet (that made me smile a lot)

This a second chance contemporary romance, and the best of it is the memories both characters hold. It seems they couldn’t stop talking about the adventures they went through since they were kids and the way they discovered their own feelings and desires with one another. I really love this trope.

The only downside to me is that some parts felt a little rushed and I didn’t have enough pages to develop an even deeper connection with the characters, but other than that, I loved this book! And big shout out to Tiramisu and Fluffly Napoleon, the cutest pets. Can’t wait for Aisling’s story!

This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review! ✨

Review is already posted on Goodreads, Storygraph and Amazon, it will be also posted on Instagram in the next days, link will be updated when is up!

Great book to get you in the holiday spirit. Super cute and loving. The air Thor does a great job at bringing the two main characters together and involving their pasts etc. Ryan and Sorcha were easy to love and connect with. I still wanted a little more for this book but overall 4 stars and will definitely recommend this one. Thanks NetGalley!

Such a sweet read for the holidays. This is my first time reading any of this authors books. I must say I really enjoyed the story. The characters are lovable and the book keeps you engaged.I finished in a very short time. Like I said a easy fun read for this time of year.

Sorcha and Ryan were high school sweethearts. Then, he left town for a chance at becoming a pro hockey player, and she didn't follow. But she never thought he'd leave her hanging in her time of need. Now, for the first time in a decade, he's come home. She wants nothing to do with him until a media feeding frenzy threatens to swallow her up. Ryan comes to her rescue, and they call a truce. Can they find their way back to love?

This book is a mashup of chick lit and small-town romance. Sorcha is smart and funny, though disillusioned after her foray into reality TV went terribly wrong. Ryan is good-hearted but struggling, now that an injury is threatening his career. Their relationship is tense at first but they quickly become a cute couple you can't help routing for.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.