You Say It First by Susan Mallery – a Review
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository
Description:
Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks—mainly the venue’s captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won’t let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he’s all in.
Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can’t turn the floundering business around, she’ll have no choice but cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family’s bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn’t belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he’s right—where she really belongs is in his arms.
Review:
You Say It First by Susan Mallery is the 1st book in her new Happily,Inc. series. We meet our heroine, Pallas Saunders, immediately as she is in the midst of handling a wedding. Pallas is a wedding planner, in her ‘Weddings in a Box’ business. What is Weddings in a Box? It is different types of themes that are dreams of the bride and groom; such as Roman Empire, Aliens, Dessert, Ocean,etc. Pallas inherited this business from her deceased friend, who she considered a father figure. She loves what she does, but is under pressure from her mother to quit this business and work at the bank with her mother.
Nick Mitchell is a famous sculptor, who comes from a family of well known sculptors. Nick works with wood, his brother’s work with glass, etc. Nick is in between work, as he is waiting for commission to work in Dubai for two years, but it will be a couple of months before he finds out. He ends up helping Pallas, by dressing up as a Roman Warrior, as part of the current wedding theme. Nick also notices some of the woodwork that Pallas has stored is old and decaying, but worth a lot of money. Nick is determined to fix and renew the wood, since it is his hobby too. Pallas will agree, and in time a friendship begins that will form into a slow build romance.
Mallery has created a great group of characters, which included all of Pallas’s friends, who work locally and help her create the wedding designs. Nick’s brothers were also a big part of this story. I loved how they all bonded, and their creativity to create amazing wedding themes for Pallas. Another major part of the story was the family issues surround both Pallas and Nick. Pallas is always being pressured by her mom, but Nick will help her stand up to her mother. Nick in turn has his own family problems with his famous father, and with one of his brothers, who learned he was adopted, and has become somewhat distant. These were good stories that added to the overall storyline.
As Nick and Pallas’s romance heats up, she knows she has fallen in love with Nick. He cares about her, but is afraid to commit to anything permanent, since he feels it will only lead to hurt. Will Nick take the job in Dubai for two years? Will Pallas tell Nick her true feelings?
You Say It First is a very nice romance, wonderful characters and set in a sweet small town. I recommend that you read this book, written very well by Susan Mallery.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Publisher
