It’s a book like this that makes me miss the days of classic romantic comedy films. No one does a #romcom movie like Nora Ephron and, in my opinion, no one does a modern romcom book like Bethany Turner. Her writing is fresh and fun. It makes me laugh, cry, groan, and rejoice with her characters. It didn’t take but a few pages in to get invested in Cadie’s life, picture her friends and colleagues, and wish it were my birthday, so I could be picked up by Will Whitaker in our very own meet cute. While the jobs Cadie and Will have seem a tad too convenient and glamorous in today’s world, they fit the needs of a story that becomes an 80's movie tribute, which I think is what makes this book so special. Haven’t we all imagined what it would be like to be in a romantic comedy? Cadie’s ideal “movie” romance is not realistic, as she comes to realize, but the resolution shows that real love is messy, complicated, and even when we try our best at it we may fail. Royally. Wooing Cadie McCaffrey uses funny and nostalgic memories to remind us that, yes, even within a Christian worldview as Cadie and Will profess, our failures can be overcome by forgiveness and a whole lot of grace. No love story is perfect, and I appreciate this timely romance for the reminder that “life is not like it is in the movies.”

This book is so much fun! I enjoyed all the pop culture references. Its a story that I believe is more true to life then many books out there. There is drama, uncertainty, hope and lots of questions.
I feel like it is so true to life.
I think the reader can learn so much from this story right along with Cadie.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I received this book from the publisher to read and give my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Wooing Cadie McCaffrey. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I wasn't able to get into it, thus won't be rating or reviewing.

Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is my first book by Bethany Turner. She created a funny realistic couple with serious communication issues. It should make all of us realize you don’t really know what they are thinking.
Cadie is frustrated that her long term boyfriend has still not proposed. She feels she is wasting her time and that he doesn’t really love her.
Will has a totally different perspective and is not prepared when Cadie decides to break up. Will decides to win her back with help of some friends.
I found their careers very interesting and their friends a great addition to the story. I adored Will and found Cadie a little immature.
Sexual content – there is premarital sex, with NO details, Will struggles with temptation

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

I absolutely love this book!!! Bethany Turner is a new author to me and I am so happy that Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is the first book that I read from her. I had no idea this is considered Christian Romance and I loved how she incorporated their faith in the story. Now to be honest there were only two things that kinda bothered me, but it didn't take away from the story and I'm happy about that. First was how clueless Will seemed and how long it took them to actually talk. Now I know this does happen in real life and its frustrating, but she wrote it well. I feel like both of them were clueless and a lot of miscommunication, but so happy they finally got it together and talked. Overall this is a beautiful book and I can't wait to buy it.

Thank you so much Bethany Turner and NetGalley.

The plot and the story line sounded like something I would love. The heroine was even around my age. But something in the way in was written and the character development didn't draw me. While the book itself was well written, there was just something missing that I can't put my finger on. This was my second book by Bethany Turner I wanted to give her a second chance after not liking her first book. And after this second book I've realized that while her books are well written her writing style and character development are just not for me. But that's all right not every book is for every reader.

Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner is a tour de force! In some ways, it’s not what I expected after reading her first novel and in other ways it is everything I expected and more. Cadie and Will are a couple where things have gone awry. Now, Will is determined to win Cadie back with every romantic gesture he can come up with. This book has everything- mistakes and shame, love and pain, success and failure, hope and perseverance. At times it’s funny and at other times it will make you cry. Read this book! It’s entertaining and still full of substance. I just loved this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This was an interesting book in many ways! We start at the end of the relationship between Cadie and Will- with a few well-placed flashbacks to help us feel the romance of their early relationship as well as experience some critical stages of decline. They seem so in sync, yet the miscommunication of such vital topics as expectations, marriage, and the future cause a rift between them- and they think it is for different reasons. I felt so badly for Will who is pretty much blindsided by the breakup, but admired his fortitude and determination to keep her in his life. The corporate setting brought a dynamic to the story showing how the professional lives of Cadie and Will intersect with their personal relationship. Powerful themes of regret, forgiveness, faith, and devotion are woven together with fun pop culture references, specifically from romantic movies, that make cameos as Will fights for the love of his life.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

From Bethany Turner, a fresh new voice in Christian Romance, comes Wooing Cadie McCaffrey -- a Pop-tastic, sometimes frustrating, many times hilarious, incredibly quotable, and altogether, super fun read.

Bethany had me smiling right from the start with that fantastic Prologue introducing Cadie and Will via one of the funniest and sweetest meet-cutes I've ever read. She had me relating to Cadie with her internal monologues regarding happiness and standards and popular culture. She also had me falling for Will with his humor and sincerity and general cluelessness.

But, Bethany also got me frustrated for the better part of the book because of the unfinished sentences, the lack of meaningful conversations between the two protagonists, Cadie's over-reactions, Will's indecisiveness, and the too-large roles of Cadie's parents in their daughter's love life. Eventually, I got over it because that's the whole point of the book. Cadie and Will have to go through the miscommunications, the tests and trials, and the doubts before they can get their happily-ever-after. I'm just so glad they have amazing support system in their respective friends because I don't think they would have a happy ending if left on their own. I kid. Of course, they'll make it. This is romance, after all.

Bethany has a distinctive style of writing with her differing voices for the main characters' points-of view (first for Cadie, third for Will) and the back-and-forth between past and present. It was effective here, but it took some getting used to. For future books, I'd like to see the characters' faith play a more central part in building the relationship. Here, it was not as enhanced as it should be. Fear of God's disappointment because they gave in to carnal temptations led to Cadie and Will's break-up, but the acceptance of His forgiveness played only a minor role in the restoration of their love.

Overall, Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is an entertaining read with engaging characters and fine storytelling.

Bethany Turner takes us on an emotional ride through Cadie and Will's dating life.  They met on Cadie's 30th birthday, and as Cadie called it, it was the perfect "meet-cute" moment.  It is what Cadie has been waiting for all her life.  What she fails to realize is that life is not a romance movie or book...well maybe she does since she accepts the fact that "Cary Grant does not exist in my Millennial world".

The book fluctuates between past and present and I really liked the different chapter titles.  Chapter 1 is Four Years later.  To the Day.,  Chapter 2 is About Twenty-five minutes earlier.,  Chapter 3 - A Day or Two later. Three at the Most.  and so forth.  The fluctuations give us a peek into Will and Cadie's dating life over the last four years - their expectations, adventures, and desires.  We also see the issues that neither seems to be able to verbalize and I think that is the crux of their issues - lack of communication.  It isn't as if they don't communicate, but they don't talk about the important things like where they see their relationship heading, what they want out of life, and their faith and beliefs.  Cadie is strong in her faith and beliefs, whereas with Will, we know he has beliefs but not sure exactly what they are or to what extent his faith extends.

Fast forward four years later (from the prologue to chapter 1) and it is Cadie's birthday and their dating anniversary...remember, they met on her birthday.  Anyhow, Will has an opportunity to springboard his career at work and this is the culmination of their conversation issues.  The story really starts at this point and with unplanned sex.  Nothing could ever go wrong there, right?  Cadie and Will had agreed that they were waiting until marriage and considering that Cadie's parents are church/faith leaders this puts a lot of pressure on her...basically like good ol' Catholic guilt.  Both Cadie and Will have a lot to learn from this experience and it takes some frank conversations with her parents and with each other before there can be any hope for them.

Will and Cadie have a great support system and it is ultimately what helps them through this crisis, along with some honest and frank conversations.  There is a lot of humor that made me chuckle in various situations and then there are moments where I am holding my breath that all will work out for these two.  One of the lines that I felt summed up the situation for Cadie was "it's simply a matter of you deciding whether or not you want to spend your life with this man - and what it might take to do that."  After all that she had learned by this point was she willing to do what it takes?  And was Will willing to do what it takes?

Overall a very enjoyable book.  For a Christian romance, I was surprised that the faith portion was fairly light.  There was a lot of focus on the one instance of sex (that is behind closed doors) and after a while, it started to overshadow what I think was the heart of the issue - communication.

We give it 4 paws up and look forward to what this author has in store next for us.

"I am so enamored with this story! From the first sentence, I was hooked. In fact, just reading the Prologue had me filled with so many emotions! From laughter at the meet-cute to the heart-warming way Cadie and Will fell in love so quickly. Be still my heart! I found myself both longing for (so I could know how things turned out) and dreading the ending of the book (duh! It was so wonderful to read).

Will swept Cadie off her feet both literally and figuratively as he rescued her from the certain peril resulting from standing on a desk in high-heels holding a cake blazing with fifty candles on it. In the same way he became captivated with Cadie in a flash, I was captivated with this story.

Despite pulling from familiar stories and being written in a genre that can be somewhat predictable, this story was fresh and new and included many unexpected situations. The ending was both original and familiar in the best way possible.

Will was handsome, according to Cadie, “in a goofy sort of way”. With an incredible smile. He was so in love with Cadie yet so inept at expressing it. The results of his bumbling attempts at winning her back were highly amusing!!

One of the things that I enjoyed tremendously was the feeling of sharing inside jokes with Will and Cadie. I wanted to highlight so many passages to share and each time I realized they don’t make any sense if you aren’t in the know. Will’s special birthday greeting to Cadie each year is one such example.

If you enjoy Rom-Com movies, you will have fun with the abundance of references here. I was surprised at the number of movies I wasn’t familiar with at all and loved seeing some of my favorites listed here. I was reading portions of the story to my husband because it was just too humorous to keep to myself! We both agreed that the author arranged her words was masterful.

On the other hand, Wooing Cadie MCCaffrey was also poignant and dealt with issues such as temptation, shame, and guilt. Cadie’s fear of being judged by her parents and the burden she carried made me so sad. I loved the way that both Cadie and Will drew closer to God when they realized he was so ready to forgive. The words of Cadie’s mom’s words to her about God’s nature and forgiveness touched my heart deeply.

Author Bethany Turner achieved the delicate balance of romance, inspiration, humor, and heart issues in this delightful story. It is the first I have read of her books and I hope to add many more to that number.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book!
Read my full review at <a href=""http://amongTheReads.net/wooing-cadie-mccaffrey-by-bethany-turner-book-review-preview""?utm_source=goodreads&utm_medium=review&utm_campaign=goodreads""target=""_blank"">at Among the Reads</a>


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own."

I really love romantic comedies and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is all that and more. No one makes me laugh out loud quite as much as Bethany Turner! She has a fresh and unique voice that leaves no doubt she will always be one of the funniest people in the room. Luckily for readers who may never actually meet her in person, we get the benefit of her witty style in fictional form.

I loved Will and Cadie from the start. At first glance, it may seem Will is a bit clueless about relationships, but for my money, Cadie proved herself to be the clueless one. What 34 year old woman locks herself in a bathroom to call her best friend for advice because her boyfriend is at the door and she doesn't know what to do? And Cadie's also a bit of a crier, okay, a big crier, a total drama queen. She's an all or nothing girl and throws away the relationship with the guy she loves because she "thinks" she loves him more than he loves her. And yet, he's committed to her, even when she's "not in on the plan".
Now don't go thinking because I said all that you won't want to read the book, because you WILL want to read it, and you WILL enjoy it, a LOT, such are the magical powers of comedic persuasion that is Bethany Turner.

Will is one of the most adorable and charming guys you'll ever meet. Are there really any men out there who will go to the lengths he goes to to "woo" Cadie?! Not many, if any, I'd guess, but it's total romantic fantasy at it's best and I'm all in. I really loved Will and all his klutzy crazy attempts to please Cadie and laughed all the way through every one of them. One of my favorite lines from Will, "I'm sorry I looked so irresistible in that suit. It wasn't fair to tempt you that way." So funny! Kev and Ellis as his wingmen while trying to get Cadie back were hilarious. This is a really good story, but the misunderstandings could have been resolved by some simple communication. Will said it himself, "Just think of what might have happened if we'd actually talked." Exactly my thoughts, Will.

I could have done with a little less angst throughout and a bit more sigh-worthy moments on the page, but that epiloque brought it all home and I got my happy-ever-after! A reader won't find a better writer than Bethany Turner for a good romcom, she's my go-to girl for laughs. I'm looking forward to my next Bethany story, but sadly, it won't be out until Spring of 2020. Write faster, Bethany! I appreciate Revell Publishers for making a copy of Wooing Cadie McCaffrey available for review.

I’ve come to the conclusion that Bethany Turner could make a doctoral dissertation on the history of watching paint dry entertaining, so it’s probably not unexpected that I absolutely loved this story that had, you know, a plot and characters and everything you could possibly want in a story. Well, except dragons. #tipfornexttime

But in all seriousness, in just two books, Bethany Turner has become one of my favourite voices in contemporary Christian romance. Not only is it one of the most natural, unique, and entertaining voices out there, but her stories are pushing the envelope for Christian fiction in a really meaningful, appropriate, and grace-filled way—and making us laugh into the bargain. Exhibit A:

“Instead of running to the Lord with my shame and heartbreak, I had spent the week vegging out in the Garden of Eden, acting like I was simply wearing my fig leaf because it was the latest thing in Madison Avenue foliage wear.”

One of my favourite things about this novel—aside from everything I just said!—is that this story isn’t about falling in love; it’s about what it takes to make love (in the romantic/forever sense) work. It’s about the mistakes we make, and it’s about the way we respond to those mistakes (and one of them is a biggie for Christians). It’s about the way our romantic daydreams don’t always translate so well into real life, and it’s about the way real life—with all its ups and downs—has the potential to be so much richer than our romantic daydreams. And yes, it’s about that old “lack of communication” chestnut, but while that can be frustrating when it’s the whole basis for romantic conflict, it’s only part of a much bigger picture in this novel.

So, in case you need a summary, I loved everything about this story: The characters (primary and secondary), the writing, the plot. EVERYTHING. (Even dragons wouldn’t have improved it, if I’m being completely honest.)

It’s probably worth adding here that if pop culture and romantic comedy movies were a subject at school, I would get a big fat F—I’m woefully ignorant and probably missed soooo many references throughout this story. But do you know, it didn’t detract from the story at all. So there’s potential that other readers our there will enjoy this EVEN MORE than I did, if you can imagine that. I can’t, personally, but I dare you to try!

When I began reading Wooing Cadie McCaffrey I was expecting a charming, fun story with a good dose of pop culture, but I got way more than that. This story possessed a depth I hadn’t anticipated. Amongst all the hilarity and rom-com film references, there was an immense amount of heart.

About the Story:

After four years with her boyfriend, Cadie McCaffrey is thinking of ending things. Convinced Will doesn't love her in the "forever" way she loves him, Cadie believes it's time for her to let him go before life passes her by. When a misunderstanding leads to a mistake, leaving her hurt, disappointed, and full of regret, she finally sends him packing. 

But for Will, the end of their relationship is only the beginning of his quest to figure out how to be the man Cadie wanted him to be. With the dubious guidance of his former pro-athlete work friends and tactics drawn from Cadie's favorite romantic comedies, Will attempts to win her back. It's a foolproof plan. What could possibly go wrong?

My Thoughts:

This author knows how to captivate readers. I was drawn in—from the initial, humorous meet cute between Will and Cadie to the genuinely satisfying ending. The engaging first person point of view placed me directly into Cadie’s mind which was a funny yet tender thing. One minute I’m snort-laughing and the next I’m nodding my head because I’ve experienced a lot of this character’s doubts. She’s so relatable and that makes her endearing.

Now Will is completely oblivious. I’ve found myself saying “poor guy” on several occasions. It seemed his heart was always in the right place even if his head was somewhere in the seventh inning of the 1982 world series. The man breathed sports, but you could tell his heart beat for Cadie which caused me to root for his success in his effort to woo her back into his arms.

All around I loved this story. This book painted the picture of Christianity—portraying that the blotches of messiness and scribbles of failure are nothing compared to the strokes of grace, forgiveness and knowledge that God’s arms are always open, wooing us back into His awesome embrace.

**I received a copy from the author. All opinions are my own.

This book was hilarious. I loved the characters and I loved all the pop culture references the most. I want to read more from this author because of this book.

I loved this book. Bethany Turner has done it again. Creative, engaging and touching all in one fell swoop, delivered with a delightful smattering of popular movie references.

Wonderful.

This book is laugh out loud funny! I don't generally enjoy funny, but I'm loving Turner's books.

The pop culture references in this book are a little over the top, but that is part of what makes this book hilarious. I'm a fan of many of the movies referenced in this book and loved reliving some of those moments.

I appreciated that this book is Christian, but still allowed the characters to have moments of weakness. Sometimes Christian Fiction is too perfect and unrealistic.

I must say that there was a big romantic gesture toward the end that was the best. I am not really a hopeless romantic, but that moment was pretty special. You'll have to read the book to find out what it was!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

If a book could say hello, then this book had me at hello! The cover...the dedication...the prologue, absolutely perfect! And it honestly only got better from there. What a laugh out loud breath of fresh air! From the quirky, yet stubbornly lovable heroine to the clueless and affable hero, what we ultimately have here is a failure to communicate! However, their missteps and misunderstandings provide the perfect approach for the author's incredibly unique voice and style to showcase this unique love story.

Romantic comedies have always held a special place in my heart. I still have every line from The Goodbye Girl memorized! The summer I was 14, I watched Sleepless in Seattle or Reality Bites every night before bed. And don't get me started on the number of times I swore I was going to be Kathleen Kelly from You've Got Mail when I grew up with my little neighborhood book store and a sweet and adoring relationship that began online. But in the last decade or so, it's become increasingly difficult to find the time and attention span to actually watch a movie much less one that isn't animated! This book reminded me of how much I used to enjoy spending a few hours humorously wrapped up in someone else's love affair. There are so many amusing references to beloved rom-coms that any fan will find a reason to fall in love all over again! Every character is wonderfully well developed and truly came alive to the point that each minute spent reading was like watching it unfold on the screen. This was further enhanced by the endearing chapter headings, which set the tone and kept the pacing on point!

"It wasn't Will's fault that life was not a John Cusack movie any more than it was my fault that I wished it were."

For every perfectly timed comedic moment, the story was beautifully laced with touches of grace and forgiveness in the ever present struggle with feelings of guilt and regret. Love can be a fantastically frustrating journey, yet this story is a shining testament to faith! God is truly in the details, and when we hand them over to Him, wonderful things happen.

As Vivian says in Pretty Woman, "I want the fairy tale," and this book definitely gave me the fairy tale that I didn't know I needed! Happily ever afters can exist and this one will definitely make you swoon. Now, as I anxiously await the author's next book, you can find me behind the pages of her debut, THE SECRET LIFE OF SARAH HOLLENBECK!

(3 stars) - overall positive, but mixed feelings

I was drawn to the premise of this story; it sounded like it had the potential to be a lot of fun. And the Prologue really was quite amusing. The author writes very well. I loved the witty banter between the characters.

The description & prologue had me anticipating something lighthearted, but the story isn't as fun as the relationship begins to fall apart. If you're frustrated by plot conflicts created by lack of communication, as I know some of you are, this is not the story for you. Cadie's parents are hard enough to comprehend, but that Cadie & Will were not more open with each other really is just baffling.

The resolution is accomplished - and this can't be a spoiler - when they finally open up to each other. I just wish we were given something more concrete to assure us that they have learned from their mistakes & so their married relationship will be able to thrive til death they do part.

The ending was really sweet, at least, and the epilogue was especially good.

Clean romance level: passionate kisses, main characters have sex but no graphic details are given
Religion: overtly Christian, not preachy but not altogether positive exposition of chastity

Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner is a breath of fresh air. I laughed, I teared up a little, I struggled some, I got frustrated, I wrestled with a couple of my own issues, and I cheered like crazy for Will and Cadie. This fabulous story had me running through the gamut of my emotions, and I enjoyed the journey immensely.

I would like to propose a subtitle for this novel. My proposed title is as follows:

WOOING CADIE MCCAFFREY; OR, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE*
(*yes, I stole the subtitle from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but it’s totally apropos!)

Cadie and Will are communication failures. I have definitely been a communication failure a time or two. I bet we’ve all been guilty a time or two of failing to communicate. Maybe we forgot to text our spouse about an important appointment. Perhaps we’ve accidentally sent an email to the wrong person but swore we sent it to the correct inbox. Or maybe we’ve just straight up misunderstood the words being spoken to us, especially if those words were coming at us prior to our first cup of coffee of the day. Point is we’ve all messed up a time or two where communication is concerned. But I’m not talking about this kind of communication. I’m talking about the more vulnerable kind; the kind between those we choose to love, our significant others.

Cadie and Will struggle to talk. The number one culprit: assumptions. Assuming the thoughts and feelings of our spouse or significant other is a super bad habit to get into. It gets Cadie into major trouble in the book, and it has really gotten me into some sticky situations a time or two in my marriage. In my personal experience, I’ve been with my husband for so long I am 100% convinced I know him like the back of my hand. I rationalize my assumption habit by saying to myself, “My husband and I have been together for a decade so I must be a Robert expert. In any given situation I know what my husband will think and I know how he will react!” But this is bunk. I can’t possibly know what my husband thinks at all times or how he will react to every situation we find ourselves in because my husband is NOT a programmable robot. He is an independent, flesh and blood man whom God fearfully and wonderfully made. Cadie has been with Will for four years and assumes she knows his every thought and feeling where she is concerned. Cadie then makes life-altering decisions based on what she THINKS Will thinks but never takes the time to ASK Will what he thinks. I have to admit that this drove me insane while I was reading the story, and I may have yelled at Cadie a few times, but of course, it’s because I recognize myself in Miss McCaffrey and knew what path her assumptions were leading her down. I wanted so badly to steer her in a different direction, but where would the fun be if I had the power to do that?! LOL!

Will is not off the hook in the communication department. Will’s failure lies in the fact that he forgets to check in with God. Aside from being totally swoonalicious and incredibly smart and charming, Will is a very focused man. Laser-focused actually. He desperately tries to give Cadie what he assumes she needs and wants, and even makes extremely grand plans in this regard, but completely forgets to get God’s take on the matter. Will disregards that man may make plans, but it is God who directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9). But honestly who hasn’t pulled a Will once or twice in his/her lifetime? I’m certainly not blameless. I can’t count how many times I’ve made a plan and jumped headfirst only to crash and burn. In my crash-and-burn status, I realize my error and ask God for forgiveness thinking to myself, “Man, life would be so much easier if I just remembered to talk to God first!” Will does eventually get there, but there were definitely moments in the novel where I had to shake my head at him. Silly Will!

Now, do you see why I want to add a subtitle to this novel?

Cadie and Will make it clear that good communication is key to a happy, successful relationship. And God makes it clear in His Word that good communication begins by adding Him into the conversation. It’s definitely my goal to remember to put God first BEFORE I open my mouth or make assumptions.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent reading Wooing Cadie McCaffrey. This book packs a punch and isn’t afraid to tackle some tough, real-life topics in an honest, respectful manner. It is a story filled with realistic, endearing characters. And, it’s a story that’s so engaging a reader will stay up way past bedtime devouring every word. I highly recommend this novel. Will and Cadie’s story is one I won’t soon forget!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.