
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Michelle
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

If you have ever read a Lauren Layne book, then you are well aware that Ms. Layne has a knack in delivering a love story that will steal your heart. And in her newest series, Lauren Layne has whipped up a fresh modern sexy series that will have reader saying yes to the dress and I do.

So if you have read the novella, From This Day Forward, then you were introduced to the Wedding Belles, New York’s elite planning services. They are the crème de la crème when it comes to planning a wedding. And so in this first installment aptly titled To Have and To Hold, Lauren Layne introduces readers to Brooke Baldwin, the newest member of the Belles.
Brooke Baldwin can plan any wedding. She is that good. She even planned her own dream wedding from the dress to the flowers and to the venue. She was all set to say I do until her dream wedding came to a crashing halt when her fiance was arrested. You see Brooke never knew the man she was gonna marry was a con man. Imagine the humiliation and embarrassment when her almost wedding was featured on the news. So Brooke decided that she needed a change and fresh start in a new city. As the newest member of the Belles, she gets assigned to Maya Tyler, New York’s socialite and billion dollar hotel heiress.
Maya Tyler is not your typical NYC socialite and heiress. She is actually sweet, lovable, and has a big heart. All she ever wanted is to be loved and so when she tells her protective big brother, Seth that she is going to get married to a guy that she met in less than six months, you can imagine the shock.

Seth Tyler is a businessman who loves to be in control. He likes things to be done with perfection and so when his baby sister informs him that she is going to get married to a man that he has doubts in, Seth does what any protective brother does. He takes it upon himself to be involved with the wedding planning process since he will be the one paying for his sister’s wedding and also it gives him a chance to see if this Neil guy that his sister is in love is marrying her for all the right reasons not because of her money.
So when Seth Tyler shows up to the wedding consultation, Brooke is a little taken aback. First, she never had a big brother who wanted to know every details of the wedding. Secondly, Seth was also a cocky and arrogant man who got under her skin. And last but not least, Brooke was head over heels sexually attracted to him.

On his first impression, Seth thought Brooke was a dumb-headed Barbie but after spending time with her, he soon realized that she the ideal package of beauty and brains. Seth loved that Brooke challenged him and so when he makes the first move, Brooke finds herself lusting and wanting Seth. When Brooke finally submits to her desires, will she be able to separate business and pleasure? And will Seth be able to prove to his sister that the man she thought was marrying was a liar and con? And will anyone be walking down the aisle?

To Have and To Hold was a sweet, charming sexy romance that perfectly weaved passion, friendship, family, second chances, banter and love into one intoxicating and entertaining read. Lauren Layne had her readers walking down the aisle with a big fat smile on their faces as she treated her readers to a romance that had heart and steam. Seth Tyler is your Mr. Big of Sex and The City, your modern day version of Mr. Darcy, your Hubbell of The Way We Were your Christian Grey except with the BDSM and of course your Prince Charming. He is a combination of those famous and beloved characters. He has the personality to drive you insane but also has a way to make you heart beat with passion, desire, and love. This story may have been a modern version of The Wedding Planner but Lauren Layne has made this book stand out on its own with her gorgeous and heartfelt prose. She has layered this story with every facets of love, forgiveness, second chances, and of course new beginnings. So if you are looking for a story where a man who didn’t believe in marriage falls madly in love with a woman, who believes in the magic of romance then I highly recommend you to read To Have and To Hold.

Lauren Layne
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