Home to Wickham Falls (Wickham Falls Weddings, 1)

This romance is a genial tale of friendship that blossoms into love and marriage. In fact, there is less drama and tension than in a Jane Austen novel. I had to wonder if the main reason Sawyer and Jessica were attracted to each other was because it had been a long, dry spell of sex for both of them.

"It was safer to broach a generic topic than to think about wanting to make love to Jessica. She was the first woman in a very long time to whom he had found himself physically attracted on sight and that made him slightly off balance when around Jessica.

Jessica didn’t want to believe she was sitting across the table in her kitchen talking to a man who made her feel incredibly comfortable in his presence. She found herself physically attracted to Sawyer and that, in and of itself, shocked her, because it had been a long time since she felt desire that palpable."

Love is definitely a thing that can grow by degrees. Although Jessica Calhoun Sawyer Middleton are attracted to each other (why not? They’re both gorgeous people), the feeling between them is more of a slowly growing affection rather than the coup de foudre mentioned in so many other romances. She wants children and a family but she’s a tad gunshy after her rotten fiancée played his own version of “bros before hos” attitude. He’s also attached to his company in New York.

As in many modern romances, we get to see Sawyer at work. But because Jessica is a teacher and she’s on her summer vacation, we don’t get to read about her and her students. We are told that she’s a dedicated teacher and we witness her encounter two of her students while on break. But it’s hardly in a teaching capacity.

We are forced to ignore this disparate attention paid to their respective professions because of the timeframe. Sawyer also likes Jessica because, golly, she’s the girl he’s been looking for all his life. She’s beautiful, a great cook and grows her own vegetables. She’s a Suzy Homemaker all tied up in modern dress. Jessica likes Sawyer because…well, everybody likes Sawyer.

The ways in which they change their lives to accommodate and reconcile each other is pleasantly predictable. Most people in these stories keen on small-town lives rarely leave for the big city, even if it is the city that never sleeps. Sawyer and Jessica’s roadblocks are a bit too neatly dispensed with (the story even has her parents moving so they’re within easy driving distance of her home). So there is little or no conflict over their inevitable mutual attachment.

Love needn’t have Sturm and Drang tossed into it. But a little spice never hurt and this is one bland dish.

Reordered this book and read again! No worries the characters and their love connection was a beautiful thing to reread. Neither of the two main characters were looking to settle down. Yet, it becomes apparent they are meant for one another. It was nice to follow their love bloom over time and not instantly become sexual. There is healing for both in the story. Both characters have a strong commitment to family too.

Great book.

Well written story. The shift from friendship to lovers was a little odd, but ok.

loved the story line.

Light hearted romance.

Was not disappointed!!

I didn't buy this book through Amazon. I enjoyed this book. The story moves at a good pace. I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars.

Loved it

Good characters and storyline. I enjoyed seeing Jessica and Sawyer meet, and fall in love. Looking forward to the next book in the series.