The Reluctant Bachelorette - Rachael Anderson

LukeCarneyhasnoideawhatpossessedhimtomovebacktoShelterSprings,Colorado,tosetuphisveterinarianpractice.Hisparentshavelongsinceleft,thesmallfarmingcommunityisonthebrinkofextinction,andonlyoneclosefriendfromhischildhoodremains--TayceeEmerson,hisbestfriend’slittlesister,whoisn’tsolittleanymore.

Thenthere’sthematterofShelter’sBachelorette,anonlinerealitydatingshowcreatedtoraisesomemuchneededfundsforthetown.

Unwittinglycastasthebachelorette,Tayceewantsout,especiallywhenshediscoversthatLuke,herchildhoodcrush,isbackintownandwillbeoneofthebachelors.Tomakemattersworse,it'suptotheviewers--nother--todecidewhichbachelorsstayorgo.AndtheyallseemtolikeLuke.

Unwillingtolethimbreakherheartagain,TayceelaunchesasubtleattackonLuke’sgoodnamewiththehopeofgettinghimvotedofftheshow.Butshe’dforgottenthatLuke'saneye-for-an-eyekindofguy,andwhenhediscoverswhatshe'supto,itmeansrevenge.
Luke Carney has no idea what possessed him to move back to Shelter Springs, Colorado, to set up his veterinarian practice. His parents have long since left, the small farming community is on the brink of extinction, and only one close friend from his childhood remains--Taycee Emerson, his best friend’s little sister, who isn’t so little anymore.

Then there’s the matter of Shelter’s Bachelorette, an online reality dating show created to raise some much needed funds for the town.

Unwittingly cast as the bachelorette, Taycee wants out, especially when she discovers that Luke, her childhood crush, is back in town and will be one of the bachelors. To make matters worse, it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go. And they all seem to like Luke.

Unwilling to let him break her heart again, Taycee launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. But she’d forgotten that Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

Luke Carney has no idea what possessed him to move back to Shelter Springs, Colorado, to set up his veterinarian practice. His parents have long since left, the small farming community is on the brink of extinction, and only one close friend from his childhood remains--Taycee Emerson, his best friend’s little sister, who isn’t so little anymore. 

Then there’s the matter of Shelter’s Bachelorette, an online reality dating show created to raise some much needed funds for the town.

Unwittingly cast as the bachelorette, Taycee wants out, especially when she discovers that Luke, her childhood crush, is back in town and will be one of the bachelors. To make matters worse, it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go. And they all seem to like Luke.

Unwilling to let him break her heart again, Taycee launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. But she’d forgotten that Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

Blurb taken from Goodreads. 

✼

LukeCarneyhasnoideawhatpossessedhimtomovebacktoShelterSprings,Colorado,tosetuphisveterinarianpractice.Hisparentshavelongsinceleft,thesmallfarmingcommunityisonthebrinkofextinction,andonlyoneclosefriendfromhischildhoodremains--TayceeEmerson,hisbestfriend’slittlesister,whoisn’tsolittleanymore.

Thenthere’sthematterofShelter’sBachelorette,anonlinerealitydatingshowcreatedtoraisesomemuchneededfundsforthetown.

Unwittinglycastasthebachelorette,Tayceewantsout,especiallywhenshediscoversthatLuke,herchildhoodcrush,isbackintownandwillbeoneofthebachelors.Tomakemattersworse,it'suptotheviewers--nother--todecidewhichbachelorsstayorgo.AndtheyallseemtolikeLuke.

Unwillingtolethimbreakherheartagain,TayceelaunchesasubtleattackonLuke’sgoodnamewiththehopeofgettinghimvotedofftheshow.Butshe’dforgottenthatLuke'saneye-for-an-eyekindofguy,andwhenhediscoverswhatshe'supto,itmeansrevenge.
Luke Carney has no idea what possessed him to move back to Shelter Springs, Colorado, to set up his veterinarian practice. His parents have long since left, the small farming community is on the brink of extinction, and only one close friend from his childhood remains--Taycee Emerson, his best friend’s little sister, who isn’t so little anymore.

Then there’s the matter of Shelter’s Bachelorette, an online reality dating show created to raise some much needed funds for the town.

Unwittingly cast as the bachelorette, Taycee wants out, especially when she discovers that Luke, her childhood crush, is back in town and will be one of the bachelors. To make matters worse, it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go. And they all seem to like Luke.

Unwilling to let him break her heart again, Taycee launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. But she’d forgotten that Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

The Reluctant Bachelorette is a book I downloaded for free onto my Kindle, as it sounded, cute, easy to read, and something I could read without having to concentrate too hard. When I was looking for something easy to read a couple of weeks ago, it seemed the perfect choice!

I actually really surprised myself by enjoying the story immensely. I think because I wasn't expecting anything too spectacular, I was really pleasantly surprised. I loved the idea of 'Shelter's Bachelorette' and it was all very cute and wholesome. It wouldn't win any awards for outstanding literature, but it was just what I needed as a little pick-me-up!

Rating: ✫✫✫✫

SPOILER ALERT

The Story

The idea for this book was really cute; a small town that is trying to raise community funds, holding a 'Bachelorette' contest in the process. Just the kind of trashy plot that I love to read. Not so convincing was the way the bachelorette herself, Taycee, was roped into taking part by her friend Jessa. I felt this was a little unconvincing of a real friendship, especially when at the end the pair fall out towards the end of the book. I felt it was a little ridiculous that Jessa was so angry at Taycee for not falling over her own feet to abide by Jessa's rules when she hadn't even wanted to take part in the first place! Nonetheless, that wasn't really the main point of the book. I digress.

I really loved the competition itself, and the way it was written. It included a lot of different 'bachelors' that took Taycee out on different dates, which I enjoyed reading about. Some of the bachelors were very sweet, and I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more included about them. Without this additional detail, it was a little difficult to follow everything, and to distinguish the different guys that she had dates with, but this didn't bother me too much. The plot moved so rapidly that I didn't really take too much time to dwell on all the little details of the story. The joy, I found, came from wanting to keep reading more.

The relationship between Taycee and Luke is, of course, the primary part of this story. The idea of two people who have a history reuniting is one that is definitely tried and tested, but I wasn't mad that it was utilised in The Reluctant Bachelorette. The dual narrative was a great idea, as it gave the reader the joy of hearing both characters' feelings during the course of the plot. I loved switching back and forth, and watching their love story. I'm a huge fan of fictional romance, and this was adorable. The scenes between the two of them just made me want more, and made me feel very mushy. I'm not sure how necessary it was for Luke to be reunited with his ex-fiancée at the end of the book; it seemed to me that the author tried to throw in too many unnecessary plot twists. However, the ending was very satisfying, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The Verdict

I expected to enjoy this book as a quick read that wouldn't require a lot of concentration, and that is what I got. However, what I also got was a cute, fast-paced love story with a twist, that had endearing characters, eventful scenes, and moments that made me laugh out loud. 

As soon as I started reading the book, I was hooked, and it took me no time at all to finish it. A lot of people criticise chick lit for a lack of depth, but this was just what I needed. It brought me joy, and I would happily read it again.