A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California

GIVEAWAY

GWYN, KELI
A BRIDE OPENS SHOP IN DEL DORADO, CALIFORNIA

An ever-resourceful widow, Elenora Watkins arrives in El Dorado ready to go into partnership with Miles Rutledge. When he refuses, Elenora becomes the competition across the street. Is this town big enough for the two of them? Miles can't help but stick his well-polished boot in his mouth whenever he comes face-to-face with Elenora. Can he find a way to win her heart while destroying her business? Miles's mother, Maude, is bent on Elenora becoming her new daughter-in-law while Elenora's daughter, Tildy, thinks Miles would make a perfect papa. How far will these meddlers go to unite this enterprising pair?

My Review:

 Witty and charming and so much fun! The kind of read you chuckle the whole way through. I could totally see this on the big screen as a romantic comedy. Snappy dialogue -- the whole competition between Miles and Elenora is just a hoot. They're both so stubborn!!! I'd have to say that Elenora came out on top though -- she has such ingenuous marketing strategies! Poor Miles didn't stand a chance.

Then there's Elenora's daughter, Tildy. I love the warmth and humour a child can bring to a story and Tildy has both in spades along with enough spunk to keep her mother on her toes. And it isn't long before the little girl has Miles wrapped around her pinky finger. Their special friendship is another highlight of the book.

Secondary characters fill out a quirky town and contribute to meddlesome matchmaking which raises the stakes on both an emotional and comedic level.

An intricate plot filled with quite a few surprises kept me eagerly turning pages right to the end. A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more of Gwyn's books in the years to come.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 9 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!