Review: Planning for Love by Christi Barth (Aisle Bound #1)

Publisher - Carina Press
Publication Date - 1st August 2012
Genre - Contemporary Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Hopeless romantic Ivy Rhodes and anti-Cupid Bennett Westcott request the pleasure of your company for their disaster of a courtship.

Wedding planner Ivy Rhodes is the best in the business, and she's not about to let a personal problem stop her from getting ahead. So when she's asked to star in the reality TV show Planning for Love, it doesn't matter that the show's videographer happens to be a recent—and heartbreaking—one-night stand.

Bennett Westcott admits he didn't handle his encounter with Ivy very well. But looking at her beautiful smile—and great body—through a camera lens every day? He can't be faulted for suggesting they have some no-strings fun.

The more time they spend together, the more Ben realizes Ivy isn't the wedding-crazed bridezilla he'd imagined. But if he doesn't trust himself to make a relationship last, how can he convince Ivy to give him another chance?

My Thoughts - I admit now that I absolutely love stories about wedding planners. Mainly because I loved planning my own wedding and thought for a while about how much I'd love to be a wedding planner myself. Well, that was until I realised just how stressful it must be to have the responsibility of another couple's big day on your shoulders and I decided against it. As soon as I started seeing reviews of Planning for Love on other blogs I knew I wanted to read it and I was very excited to start it. And for the most part, Planning for Love totally lived up to my expectations.

It is a very sweet contemporary romance that will have you falling head over heels in love with the main characters, Ivy and Ben. They are a couple who, on paper, just should not work. A woman who is obsessed with romance and who always seems to be wearing her rose-tinted glasses, with a man so pessimistic he will make you want to tear your hair out at times. But when they get together the chemistry sizzles, sparks fly and it feels so right. My only complaint about the main characters would be that Ivy comes across as slightly manipulative when she hatches a plan to get Ben to fall in love with her, although not to such an extent that it made me dislike her.

The book comes with a great cast of supporting characters and I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in the series to read about their happy ever afters. I am especially looking forward to reading Daphne's story, Ivy's best friend and roommate, as she was probably my favourite character in this book.

The storyline was an enjoyable one and, although it was fairly predictable at some points, the author did bring out a pretty good twist in the tale near the end that I wasn't expecting. After this, Ben does act in a way that makes him pretty difficult to like (although I won't say anymore than that to avoid spoilers) but this does give him an opportunity to grovel as though his life depends on it. And that's something I always enjoy reading :)

Summary - A cute and fun read that will leave you wanting more. I really enjoyed Planning For Love and I'm looking forward to reading more from the series as they are released.