Whitney's life is not going to plan. Her romantic comedy novel isn't selling, her career feels stuck, and by the time she realises she's in love with her best friend and roommate, Andy, he's back from his work trip with a fiancée - and a wedding date that is alarmingly soon.
Enter a cowboy with his own problems, including a country estate he's desperate to buy and an owner who doesn't trust developers - or men without roots. When a viral moment throws Whitney and Jake together, they strike a deal. Whitney gets the real-life love story publishers want. Jake gets to look like a committed, family-minded man who belongs at Rosewood. All they have to do is pretend they're in love.
As Andy's wedding approaches, Whitney uncovers a plot twist that could change everything for him - but the romcom she's acting out with Jake is starting to feel dangerously real.
Falling for your best friend is complicated, but riding off into the sunset with a cowboy is pure fiction… Right? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
Wed or Alive was the perfect example of thinking you know what you want, or need, then something (or someone) becomes the catalyst that makes you change your mind; but really, what you thought all along that was right under your nose isn’t really what you wanted or needed to begin with. Or is it?
Sound a little dizzying? That’s the type of viewpoint and perception that Whitney has when it comes to her love life. She’s all over the place. I get the feeling that she has a tough time finding her happily ever after because she wants the type of storyline she creates within her imagination. To find that perfect man that doesn’t exist in the real world. The only person who would ever come close is her best friend and roommate, Andy–but when she finally figures out that she could see a happily ever after with him, he’s found that scenario with someone else.
Jake is a sexy cowboy that Whitney could see as perfect potential, but she doesn’t know him, other than how quick he’d been to save her from an unfortunate experience in a water fountain. (It was a cute and unique way to have the two characters meet each other for the first time.) Whitney’s best friend (and agent) JJ comes up with a clever plan for Whitney to get what she wants, creating a path to a successful romcom writing career, while Jake can get what he wants, which is buying a country estate–but in order for everyone to pull off the plan, Whitney and Jake have to pretend to be an engaged couple.
This could backfire, or it could go in Whitney’s favor, depending on what it might mean for Andy and his own personal feelings towards Whitney. There are moments of obvious jealousy, and there are moments of confusion when trying to decide if Andy’s fiance is really who she claims to be, or if there is some shrouded secret that surrounds that situation. During Whitney’s trial and error experiences, she ultimately discovers what she wants and needs, not based on outside influences, and the way she discovers that is a lot of fun to witness and see. It was also nice to recognize that there is no perfect person, only a perfect person for the individual seeking love. But Whitney has to decide what that means and who that might be for her, whether it’s Andy, Jake, someone else, or no one else. Wed or Alive was light-hearted and sweet, an easy-breezy five-star experience!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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