Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus ~ Tracy's Take

Publisher’s Synopsis:

When professional wedding planner Anne Hawthorne first meets the handsome Englishman George Laurence, she wonders if God has finally answered her prayers for a husband. But when the “best man” for her turns out to be a client – and someone else’s to-have-and-to-hold – Anne quickly realises that planning his wedding will be no honeymoon. Can she remain professional while falling for the groom?

A personal assistant for a wealthy man who wishes to keep his identity – and his engagement – a secret, George Laurence has come to Louisiana to plan his employer’s wedding and pose as the groom. Not only is this a challenge to the tenets of his Christian faith, but he can’t stand the fact that he’s deceiving Anne, the first woman who ever made his heart really sing. Will George ultimately risk his career to keep the woman he loves?

And what will happen when Anne finds out the groom’s true identity? Can Anne and George find a way to a happy ending, or will this “I do” ruse destroy their chance at love?

What I thought:

Kaye Dacus displays her expertise in her craft with flair in ‘Stand-in Groom’. On the surface this book may appear to be an example of predictable Christian romance. However, dig a little deeper and Kaye deftly weaves deeper values and challenges the reader to action over issues that each one of us face at some point in our lives.

I love the way Kaye develops Anne’s character throughout the story. I also found the development of Anne and Laurence’s relationship to be nothing of the cliché I expected. Instead, Kaye has managed to construct her storyline in a way that feels entirely realistic. Anne and George encounter their fair share of communication snags throughout the story, which adds weight to what might otherwise be a light-hearted romance.

Throughout ‘Stand-in Groom’ I was challenged by Anne’s difficulty in pursuing forgiveness for the way she had been treated and I was inspired to be diligent in seeking out ways to communicate effectively with the people I love most. ‘Stand-in Groom’ highlighted, for me, the need to communicate thoroughly and with integrity that is God-honouring.

With thanks to Barbour Publishing for this review copy


Guest reviewer:~ My friend Tracy from Beyond My Picket Fence

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Kaye's William Ransome & Julia Witherington from Ransome's Honor

Visit Kaye's website

Buy Kaye's books at Amazon or Koorong