The Wedding Season by Michelle Major – a Review

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Description:
The last person she wants to see in Magnolia, North Carolina, could be exactly whom she’s been waiting for…

Mariella Jacob was one of the world’s premier bridal designers, but one viral PR disaster later, she’s trying to get her torpedoed career back on track in small-town Magnolia, North Carolina. With a secondhand store and a new business venture helping her friends turn the Wildflower Inn into a wedding venue, Mariella is finally putting at least one mistake behind her. Until that mistake—in the glowering, handsome form of Alex Ralsten—moves to Magnolia too.

Mariella ruined Alex’s wedding by announcing that his starlet bride-to-be was sleeping with Mariella’s fiancé. While he’s furious when they’re forced to work together, there’s no denying Mariella is hardworking, talented…and gorgeous. In fact, though Alex keeps reminding himself that they’re enemies, something deeper is growing…daring them to admit that a rocky past might lead to something unexpectedly wonderful.

Review:

Wedding Season by Michelle Major is the 3rd book in her wonderful The Carolina Girls series. I have become a big fan of Michelle Major, having enjoyed her Magnolia Sisters series, and the first two books of her Carolina Girls.  Wedding season continued this trend, as it was a wonderful story, with a terrific couple, and great secondary characters.

Mariella, our heroine in this book, is the third partner in the Wildflower Inn, as she helps design the dresses for upcoming weddings at the Inn; she also owns the Second Chance dress shop.  In the previous books, we learned how Mariella left her job as a big shot wedding dress designer, and moving to Magnolia to avoid meeting anyone, after her fiasco when she drunkenly ruined her career.  Now Mariella has made friends with her partners in the Inn (Emma and Anji) is happy being in Magnolia. But things will soon change.

Alex Ralsten, our hero, is the man who Mariella ruined at his wedding by exposing his cheating fiancee, and has opened a new business in Magnolia.  They both are cordial, but try to avoid each other, and slowly they become friends.  Alex hires a young assistant, Heather to help at work, who turns out to be Mariella’s daughter, whom she gave up at birth.  Heather is not nice to Mariella, but with help from Alex, she begins to learn more about her biological mother, and in time the two of them will open up their hearts.

Alex recognizes that Mariella is not only a hard worker, who is loyal to her friends, but also smart, not to mention beautiful; as he begins to see her more often, he enjoys spending time with her.  Mariella and Alex’s relationship begins to change, as they each have strong feelings for each other. At first, they try to avoid anything, until their sizzling chemistry becomes an affair that they keep a secret.   I did love Alex and Mariella together, and also loved how Heather became closer to Mariella.  It was great to see how close and loyal the ladies were to each other, going out of their way to help Mariella with her daughter, as well as with Alex.  I really loved seeing Emma and Cam, Anji and Gabe.

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming romantic story with both Mariella and Alex dealing with their past issues; as well as Mariella coming to terms with the daughter she never knew. Michelle Major also created a wonderful group of secondary characters, as well as giving us a glimpse at the ladies we loved from the previous series. Wedding Season was written so very well by Michelle Major, with a great couple, and so many wonderful characters, many of the townsfolks, and the cute animals. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher