RomCom at some of its most charming, Krista Phillips's The Engagement Plot weaves the author's trademark humor with a story that is full of heart. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. First of all, while I've read a couple of reality show-based novels, I'm not familiar with their real-life counterparts. I'm just not a reality show kind of girl. That said, I AM a romance kind of girl - one that had previously enjoyed Phillips' Sandwich with a Side of Romance. So I jumped at the chance to read this one.

The Engagement Plot is ripe with more depth than you might expect after reading its synopsis: it's not all drama and paparazzi. Instead, this novel takes you into a world where morals are held, judged, and end up crashing down -- in short, it's a small picture of the real world. The novel offered a refreshing look at what it means to be held to a high standard, and how it feels when you fail (or are perceived to fail) at holding that standard. Krista Phillips provides a great glimpse into what it means to try to walk the line, to make mistakes as you do it, and to get confused about the voice you feel yourself hearing.

If you pick this one up, be prepared for a very contemporary feel (it revolves around reality tv and tabloid news, after all) but you can also expect to be surprised by its depth and emotion - the very real wrestling we do as we try to get things "right" as we live.

I enjoyed the story of forgiveness. It just took Hanna (our heroine) a long time to see her way clear to do it. Will (our hero) is a likeable character who made a huge mistake. The rest of the story is how Will tries to reconcile with Hanna (for less than stellar reasons in the beginning of the story). I will look forward to reading other stories by this author.

The Engagement Plot is such a good book. The book is well written and has a great plot that will keep you laughing and cheering on the main characters. I couldn't put this book down. You can't miss with this book.

This is an easy-read, a light hearted novel by a Christian author. It's set around two people , William and Hanna, who seem to spend their lives in a muddle. On a reality dating show, William gave the untrue impression with a wink and a nod, that Hanna was less than pure. Silly man.
To protect Hanna's reputation they apparently need to get together publicly to show that they are still a loving couple.
Personally , although I am a Christian, I would have sent William further.
I did find the book a little irritating in that none of the characters seemed to have any real strength of purpose.
Thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy. Amazon is not yet taking reviews.

The Engagement Plot had me laughing out loud throughout the entire book. It was exactly what I needed to read at the time. The old saying "laughter is good medicine" is so true. The banter between the hero and heroine was so fun and also being in their heads was too. I really enjoyed the book and I hope there are more to come in a series.

I ADORED this book.
I was honestly saw it on Netgalley and skipped over it because I must be the only woman in America that HATES shows like the Bachelor.

Barbour reached out to me to ask if I would like to review so I thought I would give it a shot. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I read it in 2 hours. I loved it. I loved Hanna and William. I liked seeing them grow.

I have one minor complaint- I find it hard to believe that Hanna's dad could just look up William's dad's number and chat before the show started filming. Not in today's day and age that is. Weird. But like I said, its a minor complaint.

Wish I would have gotten an epilogue!

Thanks Netgalley and Barbour for the E-Arc! :)

A delightful story about the family and sharing life together. It was refreshingly different and captivating.

Unfortunately I couldn't get into this book. It was well-written and the plot interested me, but I found the characters boring. I think this was all down to personal preference and my current mood, someone else would probably love it.

I am not one that watching "reality" TV. So this was probably an odd selection for me to pick. But this story is more about what happens after the camera stops rolling. The story was well thought out and moved at a steady pace. I read the book pretty quickly because I wanted to know how it ends. I actually liked the book and found it entertaining. Still not going to watch "reality" TV.

The Engagement Plot is sweet and funny at times but deep and serious at others. It is the story of two real people who are trying to right a wrong that has hurt them both.
Hanna met Will on the reality television show, The Price of Love. She was dubbed Holy Hanna because of her faith. Will chose Hanna out of the other contestants but messed up by implying that they had an intimate weekend. Hanna was so hurt that she gave back the ring and told the show that she was going home. The whole show was a publicity ploy by Will, CEO of a cosmetic company, and his company to raise sales. Will's unfair implication appears to have made sales go lower so he has been told to make amends; he is to approach Hanna a plan to try to help him and the company and also give Hanna a chance to save face. She has been treated ugly by many people, including many Christians. She even quit her job as a teacher because parents didn't like her. Will's plan is to pretend that they are back together. With her father joining forces with Will to convince her to give it a try, she agrees to the arrangement. To make it legit, they agree to do an interview on a talk show.
They encounter ugly fans along the way. Some are unhappy with Will for how he treated Hanna and some are ugly to Hanna for being a fallen Christian. I liked both of the characters for all that they had been through and for who they actually are in spite of the TV personas. There is a great cast of supporting characters as well. Hanna's BFF, Carly, is a wonderful Christian friend who tells Hanna how she sees things that Hanna can't see but is there for her. Emma, Will's assistant, covers his back while he is away. Will's parents are loving and supportive to them. Hanna's dad is supportive to both but with a warning to Will. But the elephant in the room is faith. Hanna is a Jesus loving person who has made mistakes. Who hasn't? Will is estranged from God even though he grew up in a Christian home. He holds God responsible for not saving his little sister. Can they develop a real relationship? What will happen to Will's job? Will God work in Will's life and Hanna's as well? This is a sweet journey that shows where our meaning in life should be, not in a job or what others think about us but in a relationship with God. Awesome read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read! Even though I do not watch shows like the Bachelor I really enjoy this book. Hannah has a broken heart and reputation after William, who had picked her and asked her to marry him on The Price of Love, led everyone to believe that he went further than Hannah was willing to go. So she leaves the show and tries to hide back home in Minnesota. William comes to see her during a blizzard and tries to win her back. Then all the fun begins as they try to fix there reputations through a fake engagement. Can trust be repaired? Lots of laughs and angst.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips is a funny, romantic, Christian novel you won’t want to miss.
Kindergarten teacher, Hanna Knight, agrees to compete on the reality show The Price of Love and is quickly dubbed Holy Hanna due to her Christian morals. CEO, William Preston, is the “prize” and has agreed to do the show to improve his company’s sales of cosmetics. Once taping is complete and William has chosen Hanna there are interviews and this is where William messes up big time by insinuating that Holy Hanna is not so holy. It destroys her life in many ways. As the story begins William shows up in a blizzard to beg forgiveness and ask to renew the engagement. Is William sincere or is this a plot to further his career? Will it Hanna or make her life crazier?
I loved this book! The plot is really a farfetched but funny and focused on an outcome. The characters act as some people would in this situation but at times I wanted to shake Hanna and tell her to stop and think before she acts. She at times forgets to pray and it does cause her some trouble. Will has turned his back on God and doesn’t think God is listening anymore. The author does an excellent job of showing the feelings of all the characters so you can understand their motives. There are times of laugh out loud scenes and those that are more serious and somber. I rate this book 5 of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good Christian romance.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book sounded so good to read and with a cute cover. I had not read from this author previously so I wasn't sure what to expect. I think this had so much potential but was not for me. Its not that I didn't like it, there were parts that were good. It bothered me that "Holy Hanna" was claiming to be Christian but was completely judgmental towards Will and all his faults. He is human just like the rest of us and can be forgiven as well. But heavens sake, practice what you preach! IF you are gonna judge someone, wait, you shouldn't judge anyone! Period. Hanna as a character really bothered me as you can tell. She liked Will, didn't like Will, liked Will and didn't like Will and so forth. There wasn't really that connection with Hanna and Will. She was so angry with him most of the book. Lesson of this story. Forgive and move on. SO this was not for me but thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

The Engagement Plot was a little too silly and unbelievable, unfortunately. The chance meeting of Hanna and Will in a snow storm, after a public humiliation event, piqued my interest at first. But by the 15% mark, I sensed that the story was a little too light to really hold my attention. I abandoned the book. This story may be more of interest to readers of young adult literature.

The author has a nice writing style but it’s not my type of book. I suppose if I had watched the Bachelor show it would be a more interesting read. I was a little turned off by the main characters snarky attitude towards men - I believe moron and idiot were her descriptive words. Other reviewers have really liked this book so I’m going to chalk it up to preference give it a 3/5.

Sweet, cosy romance. The bachelor meets a Christian girl and turns his world into a tail spin.
Will leave review on Amazon under name of Connie

I have heard much about this book and so I couldn't pass up the chance to get it when it was offered to me.
This book was so much fun to read. I could just picture the scenes because, like many, (well....only once) I watched those kind of shows about the hot bachelor or bachelorette. I could just picture the hurt of Hanna after trying to keep her Christian beliefs and winning the show only to have it tarnished by a rumor from the one who was to love her. I could also feel sorry for Will for having to be pressured into this because of his position. He really did know he made a huge mistake, but didn't know how to fix it.
There were so many bumbles through out this story, we never knew what would happen next. It was great to see how the author made all the issues real. She also brought in a side of humor to it all.
I truly enjoyed this book. There was romance (of course) and a bit of drama and lots of humor, and through it all was the reminder of God's love for us.
I highly recommend this book. I was given this book by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a delightful and tumors read! This was my first experience with Krista Phillips but it defiantly won't be my last!
I started this book at lunch and just finished it this early a.m.
Join Will and Hanna in their journey after a horrible interview damaged both their relationship and lives as they seek to set things right for each other. Join them in this journey of discovery, adventure and forgiveness for each other and learn how the God of grace and mercy does the same for us when we turn to Him.
I really enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story and appreciated the honest struggle each of the characters faced. I don't think I will ever cease to be amazed at how close fiction can mirror our own personal life and struggles, and how often the "step on my toes" to point me back to my Saviour.

A fun contemporary romance between a couple who meet on a reality TV dating show. Full of humor and some tender moments, as well as faith.

I enjoyed the funny and sometimes awkward situations the characters find themselves in as they try to iron out the difficulties that all began with a lie. The story demonstrates well how damaging a lie and gossip can be, how it can grow and hurt people until set right. Hanna has a lot to forgive, and eventually Will does too. Their relationship has a lot of ups and downs, allowing for some personal and spiritual growth along the way. Hanna's friend Carly is a good example of a true friend who speaks the truth in love, and encourages her to see the bigger picture, when she says, "Get over the fact that you made mistakes. It's not about you anyway. It's about bringing God glory." Wish we all had a friend like that in our corner to laugh with, bring us chocolate, and lovingly push us in the right direction.

Readers who enjoy contemporary romances with faith and humor will like this one. I have enjoyed all the ones I've read by this author.

(An e-book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.)

This book was a surprise. I usually do not read books that have religion so prominent in the writing, but I am glad I read this one. I honestly did not know what to think of Will at first, what he did, what he said made me want Hanna to find better. The relationship between Will and Hanna was intense and full of so many questions, untruths, and sometime confusion but the author did a great job expressing Hanna and Will's feelings and thoughts that brought them to the place they ended up. Thank you NetGalley and Krista Phillips for allowing me to read and write a honest review of this book.