Review: A wonderful book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 30, 2011
Afton is getting married but she's been putting off picking out her dress for some reason.  It doesn't help that her maid of honor keeps avoiding her, and her fiancé is so cheap, she had to buy her own ring as well as the dress.  It's no wonder she's not excited about it.  Things finally click together, though, when she sees her best friend and her fiancé strolling arm in arm and kissing like they've done it quite a few times before.In pursuit to let them know exactly what she thinks of both of them, Afton runs down Cooper who's looking his scruffiest after just returning from his latest mountain climbing expedition.  Suddenly caught between a woman scorned and her cheating fiancé, he does his best to help her save face.  Just moments later, he needs her help to fend off a persistent problem of his own.  Out of this unfortunate bonding experience, the two concoct a plan to rid themselves of both problems for good as they pretend to be engaged.  The problem is - when does the pretending stop and reality begin?It has been a while since I reviewed a contemporary romance and Kelly Curry's Happily Ever Afton was the perfect book to jump back into the genre.  I immediately became engrossed in Afton's quirky outlook on life and Cooper's fascination with everything Afton.  From beginning to end, this roller coaster of a relationship had me rooting for criss-cross love.One of the things that made Happily Ever Afton such an enjoyable read is that Kelly Curry gave her characters real feelings.  Afton didn't just fall into Cooper's arms after breaking up with her ex.  Her emotions are all mixed up, her trust issues are off the charts, and she's not sure what she wants anymore.  Cooper has his own issues.  He's finding himself more and more attracted to Afton, but because of his own trust issues, he mislead her in the beginning.  But now, he's finding it harder and harder to tell her the truth after she mistakes him for a bank teller instead of the investment banker that he is.  The more he gets to know her, the less impressed he thinks she'll be with his success and lifestyle.  No, the mistaken identity in a romance is not a new concept, but in this story, you won't mind.  Even though the character's misunderstandings and self-imposed roadblocks are sometimes frustrating to read - you want to shake them and tell them to get over it, you can understand the hurt feelings and stubbornness that can lead all of us to sometimes make poor decisions.  Filled with raw emotion, laughs and passion, Happily Ever Afton is one enjoyable read.  I thank the author for providing me with a review copy and I give the book five stars.