Thank you for allowing me to read an advanced copy, I enjoyed it throughout especially the banter between Megan and Allison! Their chemistry lured me in with a gravitational pull. I did find Bret and Betsy to be slightly irritating but this story does deal with complicated feelings, also having an unsupportive sibling hits close to home. Overall the romance certainly delivered!!!

Megan Kinkaid owned and managed the number one event and wedding planner, ‘Soiree’ with one aim. Make every celebration simply the best and make it all look easy even though anyone who has gotten married knows it can be one of the most stressful times of their lives. She along with her best friend Kelsey and a few others worked hard to make it appear stress free for the bride. Her own personal life was just the way she liked it, quiet with an occasional hook-up. Getting involved wasn’t something she wanted to try again. Been there, done that. Now she has a chance to plan the wedding of Brent Carmichael and bride, Allison Hale.
Allison Hale was used to doing what other people wanted of her. Not exactly a pushover she certainly didn’t push back on any plans made for her. Now Brent was a super nice guy but his family were known for their money and the ruthless way the Carmichael’s conducted business. Now before family and friends Brent asked her to marry him, Allison went along with the plan. It didn’t help that her family also operated a little bakery and were eagerly awaiting for their prize ‘Dash Bar’ to make its way to the grocery stores operated by the Carmichael’s.
None expected the attraction between Allison and her wedding planner Megan. Great characters with a believable story line. I’ve always enjoyed Ms Brayden's books but this one was special. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

4.25 stars. Melissa Brayden is the author who got me into f/f romance, so her books will always have a special place in my heart. MARRY ME has the quintessential Brayden magic but has a bit of a different feel than some of her other books, probably because there’s so much going on and so much at stake. As always, we have a chemistry-filled pairing between two wonderful leads and a well-rounded cast of lovable (and, in this case, not-so-lovable) side characters. This is also a toaster oven romance, though Allison is quick to embrace her queerness, which I loved.

I’ve read a book with this same premise before: BEFORE YOU SAY I DO by Clare Lydon. While I liked that book fine, I didn’t feel much chemistry and didn’t really buy the romance. Basically, I think this is a really hard premise to navigate: you’ve got a very significant third person in the picture, there’s a high possibility of cheating, there’s so much at stake, etc. I was hoping that I’d enjoy Brayden’s book more than Lydon’s, and I 100% did. Though while Brayden handled this premise well, I still had some issues with it.

Allison Hale is our kind, quirky, sunshine girl who reminds me of Elizabeth Draper from BEAUTIFUL DREAMER. I just adored her! She doesn’t have much of a filter, which made for some wonderfully comical moments, and she doesn’t hesitate to say what’s on her mind, which is refreshing. She sounds like the best kind of fun, weird elementary school teacher and I wish I could have been in her class! Wedding planner Megan Kinkaid (Black, biracial) is the put-together powerhouse to Ally’s laid-back vibe, though her perfectly curated exterior hides a woman who can be a hot mess at times. I loved Megan too — she sounds like the perfect kind, hardworking boss, and I adored her emotional journey. I’d also love to give a shoutout to Ally’s fellow teacher Lacey, who, despite her limited on-page time, is one of the most entertaining side characters Brayden has ever written!

Sparks fly at Ally and Megan’s first encounter, but it doesn’t feel forced or like insta-love. Their chemistry is great and they communicate in a wonderful rhythm while maintaining their distinct personalities. It’s beautiful how Ally and Megan each feel more than they ever have before. They’re also each introduced to something new: for Ally, it’s that Megan is a woman, and for Megan, it’s that she can see herself committing to Ally. Like every Brayden book, there are adorable date scenes that made me feel warm inside. Due to the premise, there’s just a lot more going on in this book than other Brayden books, but I don’t think that detracted at all from the romance, and I never had the feeling that we were spending too much time with non-romance sub-plots. I can always trust Brayden to deliver a romance-heavy romance, and for that reason she’s one of the most consistent authors I read.

While I love Brayden’s writing, there’s always something about her conflicts that irritates me. It’s why she’s one of my favorite authors and I’ve read all of her books, but I’ve only given three of her books five stars. In this case, the conflict is complicated, and while it kinda makes sense, I just didn’t like it. At one point I screamed at my kindle: “Are you f@#$ing kidding me, Allison???,” and I wasn’t always impressed with Megan either. I don’t know, maybe I’m being too hard on these characters, since I know I’d act way dumber if I were in either of their shoes. It’s definitely a messy situation, so I can’t really blame them and I get why most reviewers could look past it. Another issue I had was that certain side characters, such as Ally’s sister Betsy, were out of line on several counts and didn’t get the comeuppance they deserved.

Despite the issues I had, I still greatly enjoyed MARRY ME and will be counting down the days to Brayden’s next book!

Content warnings: alcohol (recreational), graphic sex, guilt, manipulation, motor vehicle accident, hospitalization

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have no major complaints about this one. When I was reading it, I enjoyed it but the instant I took a break from it, I lost all interest and kept forgetting about it, which is weird. So there was nothing wrong with it but I just didn't connect with it at all.

There wasn't any real friction in it and it felt like everything was just way too overblown in places which was odd because at the same time, literally, all the characters were reasonable and logical? I also didn't fully connect with the romance but I did like both Ally and Megan as characters.

This is a cute story with sweet MC's and whilst I did like it well enough it didn't wow me.

I really really loved this book and was all set to give it 5 stars. I have been in a similar situation and totally get the instant draw to someone and everything feeling right. I loved both Megan and Ally and I loved Ally’s job. I also loved both sets of parents, though I really disliked Betsy ! And Brent was manipulative too actually and I didn’t much like that but understood it as part of the story.

The part I really really disliked was Megan waiting until the wedding day to confront Ally. That’s not ok in my book. I understand she needed time but she had months to approach Ally - In my opinion, the one day you don’t touch is the wedding day - at that point your behaviour becomes incredibly selfish. I definitely think she needed to approach her but not the hour before - again it felt very manipulative

That being said, I love the author and this book was no different - full of love, laughter and real connection. Made me dream of my fairytale !

Melissa doesn't disappoint as usual. Its always a pleasure to read on of her books.
The book was well written and quite delightful. The main characters had amazing chemistry and were fully developed. I definitely recommend 4.5 stars.

Thanks you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Waiting in the wings was my introduction to lesfic so all of Brayden's books are an automatic read for me. I liked this one; something about event management just draws you in. Both of the MC's were likable. Had this been a different book, I would have found Megan's actions a bit unwarranted but her insecurity regarding Ally has been depicted well. Ally is a ray of sunshine and I'm glad everything came together in the end.
I liked that Ally didn’t automatically forgive Megan and we got to witness them repair their relationship.
A delightful read from Brayden again.

When I open a book by Melissa Brayden, I usually know what to expect. This time, however, she really surprised me. In a good way.

Is there a rule that you’re not supposed to fall in love with the bride whose wedding you’re planning? Megan Kincaid did her best to keep her feelings in check but fourth-grade teacher Allison Hale turns out to be irresistible, very different from whom Megan expected wealthy Brent Carmichael to marry. Allison isn’t unhappy with Brent but as she finds out as she spends more time with Megan, she isn’t exactly happy either. Could Megan – a woman – be the person she’s meant to be with? And will Allison, who always puts other people’s needs before hers, allow herself to go for what she really wants?

Marry Me is the least Brayden book I’ve read by Melissa Brayden, while still being very much one, and I loved that. The last few books of hers I read, I couldn’t help but think that some things needed to evolve. The cuteness, the banter, all these things I loved in Brayden’s earlier books were becoming too much. I’m not sure whether that’s on her or on me. Anyway, she dialled back on them a little in this one, and it really worked for me. What’s at the forefront instead is the chemistry and damn, she writes it well.

Melissa Brayden has never shied away from writing intimate scenes, but in her latest books, they didn’t feel as exciting as in previous ones. The heat is back on and I couldn’t be happier about it. Undeniable chemistry is what makes Allison question her life and her desires, and Brayden wrote it in an entirely believable way. I also loved that while that chemistry was the starting point, it wasn’t the be-all and end-all of the attraction. Everything is better when Ally and Megan do it together. And yes, that definitely includes sex.

I ached for Ally whenever she felt she wasn’t enough. I despise her sister Betsy, who doesn’t seem to have any qualm pimping her out to her ex-fiancé to solve the family’s problems. If Ally can forgive her, good for her. I won’t. Yes, I have strong opinions on this.

On the other hand, I love Lacey, Ally’s colleague, and Kelsey, Megan’s best friend. I wanted more of them and would love for either to get her own book. I enjoyed Lacey’s humour a lot. And Kelsey’s supportive (and sexy) and isn’t scared of calling Megan out when she’s acting like a fool. Finally, Megan’s parents’ playful squabbling made my heart warm.

There’s still the 80% break up but at least it’s not out of the blue, and while I wish Megan and Allison had more faith in each other and in themselves, it made sense for them to mess up in this way. I could have done without it but it didn’t annoy me as much as other black moments have.

For the first half, this felt like a 5* book. Then the second half began and the characters started acting like idiots, and it dragged on for a while, until finally everything got fixed, somewhat in a rush. I nevertheless recommend reading it, because, even though the second part is frustrating, there’s a lot I really enjoyed.

ARC provided to Rainbow Literary Society for an honest review.

I honestly wanted her to marry the guy or anyone other than Megan. Allison jumped so fast to love and all that made me not like the story as much. would've preferred a few years later jump where Allison would meet her again" or not at all" and be sure of her feeling

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I liked the first half but then it just turned meh. We all knew a break up was coming but it could have been avoided if Megan would just be honest and talk to Allison.
I didn't really buy their whole falling in love at first sight, I felt it moved to quickly. They met and then it was like wham! Bam! "We have intense feelings for each other and I need to fire you so I can focus on getting married".

After reading the blurb I wanted to love this but sadly it seems like km in the minority that didn't love it.

What i did love though was the throwback to Back To September, Lacey being the lesbian godmother Allison needed advice from, and the kitchen sex scene 🔥

and the whole Megan showing up at the wedding, minutes before Allison was getting married was not romantic or cute. It was pathetic and a tiny bit manipulating. She had months to tell her how she really felt after sending her packing because she believed Allison was in love with Brent even when Allison was the first one to say that she was in love.

*Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

Who doesn't love a book by our lesbian romance queen, Melissa Brayden?? In Marry Me, we follow Allison (Ally) Hale and Megan Kinkaid. Ally seems to always be the underachiever in her family and not excepted to produce much value. However, unexpectedly she's been dating and is now engaged to Brent Carmichael. The Carmichaels are one of the wealthiest families in Dallas and are going to be able to help Ally's parents with their failing business. Finally Ally can bring something to the table! Now because of the recent engagement, she needs a wedding planner and not just any wedding planner, but the best in the industry, Megan Kinkaid. Once Ally and Megan meet, the fairytale starts to unravel as both Ally and Megan start to wrestle with their growing attraction to one another. Ally finds herself having to choose between what she feels is her duty and finally being her true self.

What I appreciate about this book is how easy it was to read. The storyline flowed well and the chemistry between Ally and Megan was really well written. The only reason I don't give this book a full 5 stars is because there were a few moments that felt manufactured just for the drama and not quite a match for the book. I also really had a hard time relating to Ally. She wasn't a bad character, but Megan was just top tier in my opinion. I did think that Ally's story of acceptance was a great part of the book and did help with her character development. Ultimately, loved the book, great read and highly recommend!

This was a quick read. The story is about two women who start out in separate relationships, but find joy and happiness with each other.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy. The opinion in this review is solely my own.

This was a fabulous chemistry driven lesbian romance between two intelligent professional women who were essentially brave enough to “go for it” and reap the rewards, bittersweet at times. The main characters are well-drawn, and each offers depth, suspense and more interest to the readers. From the beginning to the end this literally could go in one of several different directions. Bryden succeeds in keeping her reader both engaged and interested.

I thought this was exceptionally well- paced. It has lots of subtleties woven into the narrative as well as having a novel full of well-drawn interesting individual characters. When put together they really enhanced the storyline and the plot possibilities opened up. And there comes the conflict, the endless possibilitiies driven by individual insecurities and individual personality traits. From this plot alone it is easy to see how sometimes misunderstandings, guilt trips and other factors can combine in life to give different outcomes.

Loved it! My favourite Melissa Bryden novel to date. Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel. It’s a clear 5* from me.

If you like books about weddings you'll love this book. Marry Me is well written and the main characters are lovely. A bride to be falls for her wedding planner. It reminded me of the movie Imagine Me and You replacing the florist with the planner. There is some angst but the happy ending left me happy.

Something out of the ordinary happened to me when I read this book, I actually shed a couple of tears during the big climax.
Honestly this book has it all, it has unpredictability, character chemistry, romance, good pace and amazing dialogue, this is a huge win for Melissa Brayden.
This is a definite read if you are an avid romance reader, and I am convinced that the author's name is becoming a staple for quality romance.

I really enjoyed this novel for the first half, but once the conflict happened it lost my interest. Without giving too much away, I was disappointed by both of the main characters' behaviour and the way this story resolved just fell flat due to this. It honestly made little sense to me.

As much as I initially enjoyed the story, the side characters were all pretty unlikeable from the get-go. Ally's fiancé, Brent, was manipulative as hell, and the way that others saw and then inserted themselves in that relationship was terrible. This didn’t feel resolved at all by the end of the story, with Brent still being seen as a ‘good guy’. In regard to Ally’s family, they all felt as though they really could be her enemies more than family. They were all so self-centred and pushy, who said they cared about her but their actions didn’t quite match that. I’m disappointed that this also wasn't really addressed by the end of the novel.

So overall, 3 stars from me as I did enjoy the first half but the second half just perplexed me. I’m devastated as it's rare that I don’t come away loving a Melissa Brayden novel.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Slap Melissa Brayden's name on a book and I will read it, that's just how it is. But sometimes I don't click with her books and unfortunately, I don't click with this one. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good book, but one of the main characters is just a bit too much of everything for me.

Allison just got engaged to Brent, son of the BeLeaf store owners. He's rich and handsome, understanding and patient, an all-around standup guy. Allison, with nudging from her sister Betsy, decides to hire Megan to plan her wedding. Allison is this super bright, happy and cheerful person, this is a sort of person I really don't have the energy to deal with in real life. In books, I can take them or leave them. Megan is taken aback by the perkiness that is Allison and while planning her wedding they form this bond. They speak about it, about their connection. I was afraid to see some cheating, luckily other reviews already told me Brayden found a solution for that, So no cheating, thankfully. So why doesn't this sit right with me? I just don't get how Allison can go so quickly from one thing to the other, or in this case, one person to the other. As a partner, it would have me worried as well. The drama/ fallout from the wedding that wasn't, to Megan's insecurities and Ally just being this person who seemingly goes into anything head first, it all adds up to just not clicking for me. I do understand and see the chemistry between Megan and Ally, but the way their romance is, I doubt if it is romance or lust. And from Megan's pov you get the same doubt, but I don't feel like there is a resolution that makes me really feel it.

One strange thing that happened, in the first chapters no one called Allison Ally and all of a sudden there is a mention of Ally. I had to go back to make sure it was Allison who was now being referenced, it was strange, could have been just me as well. And can I just say, Betsy is an ass. We don't see much of Ally's sister but what we do see I really don't like.

So look, this is a Brayden book, it's well-written and enjoyable, but how the story unfolds just doesn't click for me. This isn't my favourite Brayden book, but I did enjoy it even without it clicking for me. I would need some half stars to properly grade this one, 3.5.

Melissa Brayden on the cover is enough to make me want to read the book. But, when I first read the blurb for this one, I thought it would be predictable. Bride falls for the wedding planner - this certainly has been done before. But Melissa Brayden really did a great job. She made this book very enjoyable and readable. Then, when one thinks that certainly the plot will move in one direction, it goes in a totally different way. I really like Ally and Megan and their chemistry. They're both professionals who are good at their job, but also have insecurities that they have to work through. The romance is both sweet and hot. Of course, there's great dialogue, since that is one of the author's forte. Highly recommend!
**Thank you to Bold Stroke Books for giving me a copy of ARC for an honest review.**

I absolutely loved this book! I am already looking forward to re-reading it again!
The characters in this book are Allison and Megan. Allison is engaged to a man, Brent, who is from a wealthy family. Allison wants to get the best wedding planner, but has heard that the best in town was impossible to get an appointment with. Allison's sister tells her to try and drop Brent's family name. All the sudden, Allison has Megan as her wedding planner.
There is an instant connection between the two women. They realize that there is something more than friendship between them and agree to make sure nothing happens so that Allison's wedding happens. This is not what happens. Allison tells Brent, who is blindsided. However, Brent tells her to take her time and make sure that he is the one she wants to marry.
Many things happen between Allison, Brent and Megan. I finished this in 2 days. I couldn't put it down! I really loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a lesbian romance.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I really started getting into lesbian romance, Melissa Brayden was one of the first authors I latched onto. Her Soho and Seven Shores series are still two of my favorites. This wasn't a bad read but it didn't fully capture my interest.

Allison Hale has accepted her boyfriend, Brent's marriage proposal, although she isn't over the moon happy about it. Brent's from a very wealthy family and Allison's sister is thrilled that she's going to marry into it and their parents have a deal to have their healthy bar put into Brent's family's grocery store chain. Allison is an elementary school teacher who is happy with Brent but there's a spark missing that she hasn't experienced with anyone.

Megan Kinkaid is the top wedding planner in Dallas and knows she will get the Carmichael wedding. But her excitement over securing the wedding of the year is halted by her immediate attraction to the sweet, unassuming bride. Allison is drawn to the confident wedding planner as well and it isn't long before the wedding is on hold and Allison and Megan start exploring their feelings for each other. Will the connection be enough for Allison to put herself first or will she cave to pressure from her sister and Brent to marry into the Carmichael clan?

This isn't really an insta-love book but it's pretty darn close. Allison is a total sweetheart but she feels just another incarnation of Brooklyn Campbell or Hannah Shephard.  While I appreciated that she didn't freak out when she realized her attraction for another woman, I would have liked for her to stay strong throughout the book and not have been so easily influenced by Brent. Allison wasn't the only one to make some questionable decisions. Megan also did some things that caused me some irritation. There are some good supporting characters like Allison's parents and her work lesbian guru. If you're a Melissa Brayden fan you will probably enjoy this one. However, it wasn't her best but did have some good moments.