Review: Jaci Burton's THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT

Review courtesy of Romance Junkies: The Engagement Arrangement by Jaci Burton | Romance Junkies

Brenna Bellini handles the wine and wine-making aspect of her family’s vineyard and wedding venue business. She agrees to be a bridesmaid in a friend’s upcoming wedding. However, the event requires her to be around her ex-husband and her nemesis for four days. She persuades Finn to pretend to be her fiancé for the occasion. Will their fake engagement turn into a real one? Or will Brenna’s uncertainty ruin a good thing with Finn?

Finn Nolan works as a jack-of-all-trades handyman for Red Moss Vineyards. He has always loved Brenna since coming to live at her family’s vineyard in Oklahoma. Finn agrees to play her fiancé at her friend’s wedding. He hopes to convince the feisty redhead they belong together. But first, Finn needs to prove he is nothing like Brenna’s ex-husband. Will Finn’s plan backfire? Or will his love continue to be one-sided?

Brenna took me a while to warm up to. I empathize with Brenna’s reluctance to enter a new relationship, especially after experiencing her ex-husband’s aloofness. However, her hot-and-cold dealings with Finn got repetitious and a bit annoying. What I admire the most about Brenna is how she dealt with her nemesis throughout the story.  She behaved civilly, and she purposely ignored the woman’s insults, especially when they were around others.

Finn has the patience of a saint! I love that he never once rushed Brenna into anything. He understood that her previous relationship bruised her emotionally. I adore how Finn readily adopted the stray he found. He never second-guessed his decision. What I love the most about Finn is how he refuses to sugarcoat the truth. He gives Brenna the unvarnished truth about a situation, no matter how much it might hurt, him or her.

THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT is book two in Jaci Burton’s contemporary-romance series, BOOTS AND BOUQUESTS. The story can easily standalone. However, the first book hints at the brewing chemistry between Brenna and Finn. I like how the couples from the prior novel and novella appear throughout the story.

THE ENGAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT is a wonderful tale of one person’s determination to help his love reconcile her past, so they can be together. I am curious to see who the author plans to pair the last Bellini with.