Cover Image: The Engagement Plot

The Engagement Plot

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Member Reviews

Hanna Knight auditioned and was accepted for a dating reality TV show. She was know on the show as Holy Hanna for sticking to her values and not compromising. After she is picked as the winner, she becomes engaged to Will Preston. During their "victory tour," Will answers a question that leads everyone to believe that he and Hanna had sex before marriage. Holy Hanna is mocked and ridiculed for violating her Christian faith.

She loses her job, reputation, and moves in with her dad to recover. Will feels awful for what happened, and one year later he decides to visit her. He hopes to gain her forgiveness. When he visits her farm, a huge snowstorm hits, and the two are stuck in the same house. Will comes up with the bright idea to pretend to be engaged again to salvage Hanna's reputation. After they have carried the scheme for an appropriate time, they can quietly separate and move on with their lives. Hanna is skeptical, but agrees to go along with the plan. But what happens if she falls in love with Will again?

I had never read any books by Krista Phillips before and was pleasantly surprised. The Engagement Plot is a cute story with good plot lines and likable characters. I will be on the look-out for new books by Krista Phillips.

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While I really like the concept of this story and all the twists and turns that it took, I felt that the character development was a bit lacking, particularly for the secondary characters.

I also felt that some parts of the story could have done with a bit more fleshing out with details, while other bits became so repetitive that i found myself skim reading pages just to move forwards.

In the end, I would consider another book from this author but it wouldn't jump straight to the top of my to read stack.

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The story of Hanna and Will is fun. I usually like my romance with a little more heat but found myself drawn to this story in spite of my preferences. I like the plot of the reality show gone bad as it were and enjoyed the writing and the world building employed by the author. The characters are likeable and real.

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This was for me. I love the Bachelor! When Hanna pulls the man of the snowstorm I mist have gotten lost in the storm for a minute. Hanna and her father were dealing with Will and fallout from The Price of Love.
The way the story involves for Hanna and Will had me wanting to just sit and read the book instead of working.

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A cute, fun read for anyone who enjoys The Bachelor. Sweet and lighthearted with just the right amount of kissing :)

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Hanna rescues a man in the snow on her way home, imagine her shock and surprise when she finds it was her ex fiancée. Hanna and William met on a show very much like the Bachelor called ‘The Price of Love’. Things went awry when William insinuated some things that ruined Hanna’s reputation so of course she never wanted to see him again yet here he was… in her house. William has a plan to try and fix it… you guessed it….Fake an engagement.
This book had an interesting plot and was quite interesting however I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters. At times I got annoyed when they had a choice to fix a situation and they did the opposite thing but all in all an interesting read and a very captivating cover.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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If I were a fan of Reality shows likeThe Bachelor and The Bachelorette I might have given this a higher rating. However, I find the concept of agreeing to marry someone after they’ve kissed and done whatever to 20-25 other folks over a few months period might decide at the end that they found “True Love” a bit on the outrageous and ignorant side. However, I will admit to liking this story - a lot!

When Hannah discovered that Will was a complete jerk when he intimated during a live interview that they had sex during a couple of get togethers during the show, it immediately broke Hannah’s heart and caused her to immediately dump Will. His was the ultimate betrayal of both her and her faith in that she was a virgin and would remain so until the day she married. Will not only lied but he laid Hanna open to the worst kind of censures and fans who had held her up to such high standards only to have her reputation completely destroyed.

So what is a super rich CEO going to do to try to make things right. Come up with an idea to have a “FAKE” engagement and then break it off once the publicity and the profit margin in his company begins to rise again! Although, Hanna might still have a soft spot in her heart for Will’s predicament there is something else going on behind the scenes that is really causing the profit loss statements going down and the worsening of both their reputations! Would they discover that faith and love could win them a happily-ever-after!

Bottom line: A fast read and highly enjoyable

Marilyn Rondeau

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The Engagement Plot by Krista Phillips is a sweet quirky romance about two people who meet and kind of fall in love on a reality show much like the Bachelor. But he betrays her trust at the end and they go their separate ways. When Hanna and Will are brought together again by necessity, they have to put their differences aside and work together. But are they still in love? I loved reading this book. It is a fun read and I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. This is my honest review. I can't wait to read more from this author!

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If you are a fan of reality TV, it might be good for you to read about how bad it can get. You will definitely laugh!
Hanna is an elementary school teacher who stands strong in her faith and thinks she can hold her values even if she go on "The Price of Love", a "Bachelor" style TV show.
Will is CEO of a major company that is struggling and needs a boost.

Things do not turn out like either of them had planned.
She is painted by the press as some "Holier than Thou" tease and he fuels the fire, causing her to lose he job and her reputation.
He realizes too late exactly how much he has lost.

Can things be fixed?
You will have to read it for yourself!

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A wonderful story! Two thumbs up! I really liked the plot line and the character development. Super fun read.

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I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a fun, light read. It seemed repetitive and a little slow moving at times, but it was interesting enough to keep me going.

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I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Of course I was mad about what Will did to Hanna but then you could see things begin to develop. I loved the faith component. Looking forward to finding more books by Krista Phillips.

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If you're looking for a quick, fun read then this is the book for you. Especially if you like the reality TV shows like the Bachelor. This book also reminded me of the movie, I Want to Marry Ryan Banks/Reality of Love (Yes, there were two titles...) which was a cute movie.

The author actually did a pretty good job of weaving substance into a book with the whole story relying on a TV show where a CEO could find a wife. The parents of both were Christians and the woman was too and was careful to keep her morals even while being made fun of... But in the end I was still very disturbed by the level of dishonesty.

Fortunately in the end all truth came out and a lot of things cleared up in a nice little HEA. But this book definitely reminded me that I don't love chick lit as much as I used to.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

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Six months ago, William stole Hanna’s heart and shattered it in front of millions of people on a reality TV dating show. Hanna has since lost her job and become tabloid fodder after William made a comment which marred Hannas reputation. Now William is back and trying to get Hanna to pose as his fiancé to help his company.

Hanna still has a lot of anger and hurt towards William. She knows that God would want her to forgive William but does she have it in her ?

This was a really great read.

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She's been hiding from the world for six months since being humiliated on reality TV, and is just starting to hope that life might be getting back to normal. Then he appears, and more trouble is stirred up, necessitating a pretend engagement and a return to public life to try to clear up the mess. Will the engagement break up or turn into something more permanent? How important is his job to him? And who is behind all the trouble anyway?

These questions and more are answered in an entertaining but also at times heart-string-tugging story that is more than just your 'boy meets girl' book. It made me think about the responsibilities of Christians to show their Christianity in the way they live (in the way they treat each other, as well as they way they portray their own behaviour), and the relative importance of a career. I found Hanna quite easy to relate to, but Will was a bit harder - at times it felt hard to tell how sincere he actually was, though he seemed to consider himself sincere. Fortunately he did the right thing in the end...

Regarding content, as a Christian book, there is mention of Jesus, but it is not particularly extensive. Likewise, its language is clean, there is no sex, on or off screen, and the occasional kisses are not the descriptive sort that leave me gagging. Incidentally, though TV obviously comes into it, the characters do not spend much time on screen, with most of the story dealing with their private lives following the TV show that started it all.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it to others.

Note that I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

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I was surprised when I got an email from the publisher saying they specifically wanted me to read and review this book. When it came up in my TBR pile, I found that it was much more than I realized it to be. Krista Phillips takes a poke at the "Bachelor/Bachelorette" shows on tv.

Hanna Knight and William Preston met on the set of "The Price of Love," and Hanna lost her heart. Hanna was a kindergarten teacher who made no secret of the fact that she was a Christian and thus garnering herself the nickname "Holy Hanna." William Preston was the CEO of a seemingly failing cosmetics company. According to the contract of the show, after the finale was filmed, they were allowed no contact until it aired, except for one weekend. After the show was broadcast, William was interviewed on his weekend with Hanna and made an insinuation that ruined her reputation.

In this, Krista has set up the characters, the conflict, and the plans for the denouement. Hanna lost her job because no one wanted someone like her teaching their kindergarteners, she started getting hate mail, and she was in no way ready to forgive Will. Will comes to visit with a plot to help right the wrongs done in this almost melodramatic situation. There are chuckles and laughs throughout the book. And that makes it a five star book with two thumbs up and a prize winning fish caught through the ice in one of Minnesota's many lakes.

My thanks to Shiloh Run Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

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What a fun book to read! I thought It was well written! A wonderful blend of romance, laughter and drama combined creates a story you won't want to put it down. I read it in one night! Each character brought an unique piece to this story. I especially like Hanna, Will and Hanna's father. This story gives a glimpse of what life is like for the famous actors. Krista Phillipe weaves trust, forgiveness and second chances throughout this book. I think there are many good lessons the reader can learn along with the characters. I am not a huge reality tv show fan but I loved this book!

I recommend this book to family and friends.

I received this book from Netgalley to read and give my honest review.

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This is the first book by Krista Phillips that I picked up. And, boy, am I glad I did. I heard such great things about this book so I went into this reading experience with high expectations. I'm pleased that the rave reviews have been quite correct; I could not put the book down. Anyone who enjoys a good contemporary romantic comedy would love this book.

It is a well-written book with a fantastic plot. Oh, my goodness, the comedy and humor in this book kept me laughing until tears rolled down my face. Yet, underneath all the funny and silly moments, there was an incredibly tender and poignant yet fragile romance ready to surface. Will and Hanna's love story had so many twists and turns that I wasn't sure, even towards the end, if there would be a happily-ever-after. The heartache they both faced made my heart hurt, too.

Will is a young, handsome, capable CEO of a large company who goes on a reality TV dating show to boost up the sales of his company. He has a wonderfully supportive family but has made some big mistakes and guilt and pain from the past haunt him to the point where all he works for is money. Hanna is a beautiful small-town kindergarten teacher who goes on the same reality TV show and gets her heart trampled, along with her reputation and faith. Forgiveness is not easy. Love is even harder. Yet both find their way, though the road be strewn with boulders and rocky cliffs and thorns and hideous creatures waiting to harm them. Both mature and evolve throughout the book. As the book progresses, the reader realizes that Will is not just a shallow player but someone with deep thoughts, feelings, and hurts. Hanna becomes less self-righteous and more like Christ. Both learn important and dear lessons about God's grace, mercy, and sacrificial love.
The secondary characters were just as wonderful. I fell in love with Hanna's dad and Will's parents. Oh, to be like them in parenting.... willing to admit faults and mistakes, willing to love that child no matter what.

I am now totally hooked! I can't wait for the next book Ms. Phillips will write. She has definitely become one of my go-to authors when I need a good inspirational rom com.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

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The book has such a cute cover and it sounded like a fun story to read. The book started off alright, but after a few chapters, I lost interest. I grew tired of Hanna very quickly. I get that she was humiliated by, Will after being on a reality TV dating show with him, but I’m sure I would have moved on and chalked it up as a bad experience.

I didn’t care too much for Will or Hanna which made reading this book kind of struggle for me. What I had anticipated as a fun read, became a chore and I had to make myself finish the book. It may appeal to other readers, but this is not one that I will want to read again.

I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and was not required to post a review. All opinions are my own.

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To me this book read like a Hallmark movie!! Its not a bad thing...it made it  so fun to read! Seriously and if it ever becomes a movie I'll sooo be watching it lol...any way.

Dunno what it is with book centered around reality show stars but this is 1 of 2 I've read (or rather am reading) this month. This was a fun fasted paced book you won't want to put down. Cause know I had a really had time putting it down for very long. I liked Hannah and was so with most of the times she was mad at Will....I mean c'mon he was a jerk during the last interview...I'm soooo glad she showed him what his comment did to her reputation. I was sort of shocked her dad took to him so fast but I was kinda glad he did cause that helped her give him sort of a second chance at least to make things a little bit right.

https://booksnbaubles.com/the-engagement-plot-by-krista-phillips/

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