Mari’s older sister Crystal is getting married, and Mari is one of her bridesmaids – actually, the last in a lineup of five bridesmaids, but that doesn't really bother her. Much. But Sienna Jameson as the maid of honor? Really? She might be Crystal’s best friend, but she’s ditzy and undependable on her best days. When the best man turns out to be hunky Derrick Richardson, the right fielder for the Houston Astros and one of Houston’s most eligible bachelors, Sienna abandons her duties as maid of honor to chase Derrick, and it’s up to Mari to make sure Crystal’s wedding day goes off without a hitch.
While Mari is wrapped up in dress fittings, bridal showers, and bachelorette nights, Derrick has taken notice of her devotion to her sister and her determination to make the wedding perfect. But between dodging Sienna’s advances and watching Mari running around like a madwoman, Derrick is left to steal moments whenever he can to get to know this beautiful bridesmaid.
When the maid of honor shows up to the ceremony late and more done up than the bride herself, Mari fears her attempts to make her sister’s wedding perfect have all been for naught. Will the bride be up-staged by the maid of honor? Will the fifth-in-line bridesmaid ever be recognized for all the work she’s done? And will Mari finally have a moment to revel in the magic of a wedding and dance in the strong arms of a man?
My Thoughts:
Can Janice Thompson write a bad book?
In this May installment of the Year of Weddings 2 series, we find all the things that make Spring wonderful - love, baseball, and weddings.
Mari won my hear immediately as the baby sister that gets looked over for the most important role in her sister's wedding. Even though she is heartbroken to not be the maid of honor, she continues to step in and work tirelessly to make her sister's big day perfect. Her devotion to her sister makes her one of those people that you just want to know better. In addition, she shone as a woman of class in the way she handled the actual maid of honor throughout the entire wedding planning.
When Derrick comes into the picture, it doesn't take long to figure out that he has eyes for Mari. The way he makes a point to always seek her out and make her feel comfortable is so sweet. I also loved that he wasn't one of those full-of-himself star athletes, and that he was comfortable just being himself.
I loved watching Mari and Derrick become closer as they worked together to create something perfect for the people who mean so much to them. They also showed a great deal of faith as they handled the pre-wedding crisis, and stuck together to work it all out. I admired the way they handled each situation that was thrown at them.
Now, someone just need to convince Janice to write a full length follow-up to this book. I need to see how this Mari and Derrick thing works out, haha!
