Red Velvet
Blackwood Cellars series
by Carla Luna
Blurb:
Faking it has never been so much fun…
In her ultra-competitive family, April Beckett is used to taking last place. For years, she’s put up with jabs about her modest job and her pathetic love life. Especially after she tried to impress her older sisters with a fake boyfriend in college and failed miserably. But now she has a smoking-hot date for her brother’s wedding, guaranteed to wow them.
Until he bails. Cue total desperation.
Without April’s friendship, Brody Blackwood wouldn’t have survived his last breakup. So, if she needs a plus-one for a family wedding, he’s all in. Even if it means pretending to be her boyfriend. And committing to six days of activities at a wooded resort in Wisconsin. But how hard could a relaxing getaway with your best friend be?
Too bad there’s a grueling 10K race and a cutthroat trivia night to endure. Not to mention a massive secret to protect. But will the biggest secret of all turn out to be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined?
Website: https://www.carlalunabooks.com/red-velvet
Books2Read Link: https://books2read.com/u/m0KQrW
*****
Review:
When a romance starts with a little white lie, you can expect that things are going to get a bit out of hand and Luna delivers with a deft hand, mixing in humor and fun with a big dose of drama. And does she give her readers drama – family drama, romantic drama, personal drama … all mixed together with sweetness and heat to deliver a satisfying HEA.
Both April and Brody are relatable – they experience doubt about their choices and their worth, but they are good with each other. They are supportive and caring, there when the other needs them, and they understand & accept each other faults and all. They make a perfect couple, they just haven’t realized it yet. Good thing a week at a destination wedding might just give them a chance to see what’s been in front of them all along.
But it isn’t going to be easy. First they have to deal with April’s super-competitive (and super-suspicious) family, resentments that have been simmering for a lot of years, and moments of self-doubt as their feelings begin to deepen. Tensions run high, emotions spill over, and old wounds have a chance to be healed but only if they are willing to stand up and ask for what they want.
(Part of a series, but easily can stand on its own.)
*****
Author Info:
Carla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. When she’s not writing, she works in a spice emporium where she gets paid to discuss food and share her favorite recipes. Her passions include Broadway musicals, baking, whimsical office supplies, and pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Victoria, B.C., she currently resides in Wisconsin with her family and her spoiled Siberian cat.
Website: www.carlalunabooks.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/casacullen
FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/CarlaLunaAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlalunacullen/
*****
Romantic Reads and Such 