Book Review: The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

From the publisher: Two high-school sweethearts, a wedding reenactment, and one absent-minded preacher. Is it a recipe for disaster or a chance for a new beginning?

Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact.

But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy.

Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.

So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?

My thoughts: It was an okay book.  I didn't love it.  Perhaps because I found Shay to be a little irritating.  Granted she's been hurt before, but she was rude, stubborn, selfish, and unforgiving.  I've never experienced the things that this character has, so I can't imagine the pain this character would have been feeling.  But at some point it got a little frustrating.  I can't say much more on this point without giving things away so I will stop there.

I liked that this book tied into the first in the series A Cowboy's Touch.  It was fun revisiting Abigail, Wade, Aunt Lucy and Maddy.   Many of the other characters in the book were enjoyable.  I just had a few issues with the leads.

It was hard for me to swallow that this man pined for this woman for 14 years and then when he accidentally marries her he puts up with the behavior she hands out.  I did like how the book addressed not trying to do things so that others can see, or to impress them.  It's a message that I think a lot of women and girls need to be reminded of from time to time.


Would I recommend the book? It was an okay book as I mentioned before.  I'm not sure it's one that I would reread again.  As an ebook it is one I will keep because it isn't taking up valuable real estate on my sole bookshelf.  If you're looking for a book about first loves, missed chances, second chances, being hurt than this may be for you.

I would give this book 3/5 stars.

(I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes and am under no obligation to provide a certain review.  All opinions in this review are my own.)