Author: Zara Keane
Publisher: Beaverstone Press LLC
Publication Date: May, 2014
Genre: Chick-Lit
Description: Vows in Vegas...True Love in Ireland.
Three days before leaving Ireland on the adventure of a lifetime, Fiona Byrne returns to her small Irish hometown to attend the family wedding from hell. When she discovers the drunken vows she exchanged with the groom during a wild Las Vegas trip eight years previously mean they're legally married, her future plans ricochet out of control. Can she untangle herself from the man who broke her heart so long ago? Does she even want to?
Gavin Maguire's life is low on drama, high on stability, and free of pets. But Gavin hadn't reckoned on Fiona blasting back into his life and crashing his wedding. In the space of twenty-four hours, he loses a fiancée and a job, and gains a wife and a labradoodle. Can he salvage his bland-but-stable life? More importantly, can he resist losing his heart to Fiona all over again?
WARNING: This book features a crashed wedding, a labradoodle with attitude, sexy times, and love and laughter, Irish-style.
My Thoughts: Love and Shenanigans is the first book in the Ballybeg series by new to me author Zara Keane. This book introduces the reader to two wonderful characters, Fiona Byrne and Gavin Maguire and many other supporting characters in and around the charming town of Ballybeg. Fiona has come to Ballybeg to participate in her cousin, Muireann’s wedding to Gavin. Fiona has been in love with Gavin for as long as she can remember and after a drunken one night stand in Vegas 8 years before, Fiona knows that Gavin does not feel the same for her. As if that humiliation isn’t bad enough, Fiona experiences the ultimate fashion emergency which exposes her backside to Gavin. On the morning of the wedding, Fiona and her best friend discover that the drunken night Fiona and Gavin had in Vegas was actually a drunken wedding night. As soon as Fiona discovers she and Gavin are married, she tries to do the right thing, even when unforeseen events cause her to extend her stay in Ballybeg, postponing her world trip adventure to Singapore and Australia.
I really enjoyed this story. The story moves smoothly and I did not want to put the book down. This book had so many laugh out loud moments and also includes a little bit of a mystery surrounding Fiona’s grandmother’s last will and testament. Add in some very hot and sensual passion between Gavin and Fiona and you have a book that has it all.
The author does a fabulous job of bringing these characters to life. As a reader, it is important to me to feel connected to the characters. Fiona and Gavin were wonderful and easy to relate to. Ms. Keane takes it one step further and does a brilliant job of bringing the less desirable characters to life that elicited strong feelings of dislike. I could not stand Fiona’s cousin Muireann initially. I found her to be selfish, vain and spoiled. By the end of the book, I felt sorry for her, but not enough to go out of my way to help her. She may be redeemable in the future but not her father. Fiona’s Uncle Bernard is truly despicable and I wouldn’t wish him as a father-in-law on anyone. Fiona’s Aunt Bridie was wonderful and I loved the bond she and Fiona share. I loved that the characters in this book are not afraid to speak their mind, no matter how profane their thoughts or with fear of who they may offend.
My Final Verdict: This is a wonderful start to a series that will be a fun adventure in reading. I am looking forward to getting to know more of the characters and reading their stories, especially Gavin’s friend, Jonas and Fiona’s friend, Olivia. If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh and fan yourself at the same time, give Love And Shenanigans a try.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Love And Shenanigans from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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