Love and Lust rec: 'Sex, Lies and Wedding Bells' by EM Lynley

Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells by EM Lynley

What it's about (courtesy of Dreamspinner Press):

Of all the tiny towns, in all the world, he walks into mine.

Texas native Kieran Quinn has hit the big time, working in Manhattan as a columnist for Gloss, a national literary magazine. He's well-known for his snarky, sardonic columns, but deep down he's more interested in exploring what makes people tick than his editor would like. He keeps his desire to find his own Mr. Right hidden under a sexy, carefree persona that favors champagne and underwear models of the male variety.

Jaxon Lang loves being the high school principal in tiny Buckwheat Springs, Texas, after relocating from Austin to pursue his relationship with Danetta Archer, despite her reputation for leaving grooms at the altar. So far, he's avoided examining the questions he has about himself, certain that marriage will put them to rest. Then Kieran arrives in town. Kieran's charm and unique attitudes about sex and attraction soon challenge Jaxon's concept of what—and who—he wants.

While covering the latest wedding of a real-life "runaway bride," Kieran falls hard for the gorgeous—and supposedly straight—groom, Jaxon Lang, despite that ridiculous X. Then Kieran discovers the bride's hiding a shocking secret.

Why you should read it: Kieran Quinn is a columnist with a New York magazine known for tearing people and situations down rather than building them up PR-style. When he accidentally stumbles upon a wedding invitation meant for someone else he finds the door open to a real-life runaway-bride event. Danetta Archer is getting ready for her fourth wedding, having left three previous grooms stranded at the altar. The intriguing aspect of what could be a gift assignment for a sarcastic writer is that all four men are good friends who have nothing unkind to say about Danetta and are all unwilling to reveal what happened to cause Danetta to cancel their commitment plans at the last possible minute.

When Kieran arrives in the small Texas town of Buckwheat Springs, where he calls the citizens Wheaties, he is of course charmed by the residents and their quaint manners and friendliness. Kieran being a born-and-bred Texan himself, finds himself falling back on the etiquette rules of his childhood. However, as an out and proud gay man he is careful about his deportment in this town. Within a short time he has found the secretly gay bar and hookups to please any gay man. Not only that, the newest groom, Jaxon, is either bi-curious or closeted. But it turns out the bride has her own secrets, and Kieran's mission becomes something more than an expose full of snark and meanness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, with its twisty middle that leads to an unexpected HEA based on the way the story begins. Please note that this is a new edition of this book, and by new I mean entirely rewritten. If you read the previous edition you need to put it aside and read this highly recommended re-issue of a tale with classic elements that turn a predictable story on its head.

Becky Condit is a widow, mother of three and grandmother of 10 who reads all kinds of books, but her go-to comfort books are erotic romances. A romance novel coupled with just-out-of-the-oven chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of cold milk is her idea of heaven. She reads and reviews more than 250 books a year, so you won't often find her without her Kindle in hand, but when you do, she'll probably be gardening, doing needle crafts, working in her upholstery workshop and spending time with her family.