Sandra D. Bricker

Joss Snow has had enough of Christmas pageantry, so for the last few years, she and her best friend Reese Pendergrass have skipped the holiday together. But this year, Reese is newly engaged and spending a traditional Christmas with her future in-laws. Joss, left to go on her Bah! Humbug cruise alone, ends up on a 12 Days of Christmas cruise instead and Reese's trip seems to take every bad turn possible. Will these two friends survive the holiday?

Technically this is written as 2 separate show more novellas, "Once Upon a Jingle Bell" and "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," each following one of the two friends through their holidays. The story is mostly cohesive, though; it simply tells the 2 main characters' escapades one at a time. Each chapter starts with a line from a "12 Days of Christmas" parody invoking Murphy's Law, which I liked. And Murphy's Law comes in heavily, especially in the 2nd story. While normally the "everything that can go wrong will go wrong" trope annoys me, I enjoyed the book and even liked the 2nd novella more than the first.

One great thing about this book is that, even though it's a Christmas book, it's not as sappy as Christmas books so often are. On the other hand, it's billed as a Christian book, but the Christian content is incredibly light. And there's a lot of emphasis on physical looks in both relationships. If you're not looking for a faith-filled story, though, this is a nice light-on-the-syrup Christmas read with some romance and fun. show less

Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride
by Sandra D. Bricker
Published 10/1/2011
Abingdon Press
RATING: 5 Stars

Every time I finish a book like this one, I ask myself why I don't read more of them. Though considered part of the christian fiction genre, this book has all the great characteristics of a PG rated chick lit novel. It is delightful and romantic with that certain fun-loving quality, humorous tone typical of chick lit type books.
Sherilyn Caine and Emma Rae Travis have been friends show more since their college days. With virtually no family of her own, Sherilyn quickly gets received into the fold of the Travis family by Emma's parents, Gavin and Avery. Now, after years of living in Chicago, Sherilyn is headed back to Atlanta to be near both them and her fiance's family.
Quickly landing a job at The Tanglewood, Sherilyn works alongside Emma as the resorts wedding planner. While she possesses all the right skills to successfully execute dozens of fairytale weddings for her clients, getting her own marriage plans together proves to be most difficult. Two lost wedding dresses, a terrible allergic reaction and a mischievous drunk from 'down under' makes for an interesting ride.
I LOVED this book... with big X's and O's. It was funny, entertaining and it had a great cast of characters that I would love to meet. All of the various relationships portrayed throughout the book were fascinating without being overly "fluffy" or dramatic. I found myself giggling out loud several times and going back to re-read the parts that tickled me.
The story was well written and well paced. The ending was a bit predictible but satisfying none the less. I am looking forward to the third installment in this series so we can finally know the fate of Emma and Jackson.
If I had to say one negative thing about this book, it would be that reading Emma's yummy recipes at the start of my weight loss program was near torture. They sounded so sinfully delicious that it took all my willpower not to set the book down and run to the kitchen. Consider yourself warned. =)
Without a doubt, I give this book 5 big stars and highly recommend it to you. show less

This was a fun little romance with a nice, lightly spiritual tinge to it. Not overly so, but just the right amount. I appreciated that there were clear feelings developing between the two main characters (Liv and Jared) without them having to dive right into bed together.

One thing I found a bit distracting was that the whole story made 50 seem like it was really old. I found that a bit disturbing... maybe it's just because the 50-somethings I actually know in real life are younger at heart show more (and in appearance) than average? show less

Brief Synopsis: Emma has won a prestigious award for her scrumptious and beautiful wedding cakes. As she's becoming an Atlanta sensation, she receives a job offer she can't turn down. Jackson Drake has just bought the Tanglewood Inn and is planning to turn it into a one-stop shop for brides: bridal showers, engagement parties, catering, ceremony, wedding planning, guest accommodations, and even honeymoon packages. He's already hired the best chef to run Tanglewood's restaurant, and now he show more wants the best pastry chef: Emma. Jackson's trying to make his deceased wife's dream for Tanglewood Inn a reality, and he's getting a lot of help from his sisters. When Emma becomes a part of Tanglewood's staff, Jackson finds her help invaluable. The more he gets to know her, the more time he wants to spend with her. However, he's still mourning the death of his wife, and he's not sure how to balance his feelings for two very different women. Will he find love with Emma, or will he push her away and cling to his grief?

I thought this was a very sweet and enjoyable book. I loved the banter between Emma and Jake. There were several laugh-out-loud moments. Jackson is pretty moody, but Emma is feisty. I love that she doesn't let him get away with anything. And his sisters are a hoot! They are overbearing but lovable Southern belles. They add much charm to this story. Fee, Emma's assistant, is a real character as well. She adds an unconventional charm to Tanglewood. And let's not forget Emma's parents. Emma's afraid of having her parents in the same town, and when that happens, sparks fly. It's hilarious, unexpected, and downright fun. There were a lot of interesting little moments in the book, and I loved every minute of it.

Every chapter contains a recipe or wedding advice. I thought it added a cute touch to the book, in keeping with the novel's theme. The reason this is not a 5-star for me is that it's just too light. There's no real conflict or mystery. It ends happily ever after for all the characters. Be forewarned: this is an inspirational romance. That means that there is a thread of faith running through the storyline. God and prayer occur frequently. Some reviewers have been upset by that fact. I knew it was Christian fiction before I began reading, and I happen to enjoy that genre. If you're looking for an enjoyable read, you can't go wrong with "Always the Baker, Never the Bride." show less