There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde

From Amazon.com:

Legend claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire. But be careful what you wish for...

The moment Texas socialite Delaney Cartwright touches the veil, she knows she can't go through with her wedding. And it's not just because she envisions a stranger's dark eyes and irresistible lips the second her fingers hit lace. But she can't simply call the whole thing off. The nuptials to her nice, predictable childhood friend are the social event of the season (not to mention that her mother would freak). To fan the flames of this dying ember, Delaney abducts her fiance for a night of passion...and grabs the wrong guy! It isn't her fault that Detective Nick Vinetti of the oddly familiar eyes and lips has crossed her path--and looks game for all kinds of sexy fun.

Now Delaney hatches an outrageous plan to get out of marrying: she'll hire her own kidnapper. With an altar to avoid and a cop to dream of, this runaway bride is hoping a little Irish magic will unveil the true destiny of her heart.

A very fun and entertaining romance. I love both Delaney and Nick. Delaney is such a people pleaser (and I understand her, I am similar) and she is marrying because she can't bear to hurt her fiance or her mother. She's already postponed the wedding twice and when she meets Nick and feels the sparks fly (the whammy, I love that term), she knows she shouldn't be getting married.

Nick has been left by his wife on his honeymoon and he's currently off of his undercover detective job due to a knee injury. When his grandmother and her friend Trudie conspire to bring him together with Delaney, they had no idea the passion that would ignite. But is Nick ready for this after being jilted as he was and does he want another man to be jilted the way he was?

The characters in this book felt very real to me and I liked that they never took the completely easy way out. There is also another subplot going on that lends a light suspense to the storyline, but the romance is what shines through here. This was such a feel-good book for me. I loved Nick's family and the stories of his grandmother and grandfather being struck by "the whammy". So much goes into this book and I was actually sad when it ended (not over the ending), but I wanted more of Nick and Delaney and their families. A wonderful start to a series that centers around a "magical" wedding veil - the series is named "Wedding Veil Wishes". I am about to delve into Once Smitten, Twice Shy next and can't wait to get more of Delaney's friends.

Rating: 4/5
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0446618454