The Best Man’s Bride

Dallas pairs a runaway bride and an emotionally damaged businessman to charming effect in her debut and Hartman Brothers series launch. After Hailey Miller catches her fiancé, Evan, cheating on her with their wedding planner an hour before their wedding, she bails on the ceremony, running out into the rainy Houston streets. She’s rescued from her distress by the last person she would have ever expected: Jace Hartman, Evan’s business partner and best man, who offers Hailey his guest futon while she figures out her next steps. Hailey, who’s been freelancing for Jace’s tech company, is ready to ditch the business and head home to California—until she realizes that Evan’s stuck her with the astronomic wedding bills. Jace offers to double Hailey’s fee if she stays on long enough to finish her work planning an important launch, extending her stay in his apartment. In close quarters, their long simmering chemistry ignites­—but Jace hasn’t believed in love since his parents abandoned him at age four. Watching this couple navigate the bumpy road to their happily-ever-after makes for enjoyable reading, though the cartoonishly dickish Evan will leave readers wondering why Hailey ever said yes to his proposal. Still, contemporary romance fans will find plenty to love in this unexpected couple. [em](July) [/em]