JUST ONE OF THE GROOMSMEN

Madsen (The Wedding Deal, 2019, etc.) offers a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance set during a small-town wedding.

Addison Murphy doesn’t like dresses—she prefers wearing jeans and sweatshirts and playing ball. Growing up, she had a close group of friends, but her best pal was Tucker Crawford. Since he moved away, about two years ago, their friendship has been feeling a little strained—maybe a call every so often and some sporadic texts. But now he’s back in town, and it’s like he never left, as they’re just as close as they used to be. Soon, they’re both asked to be part of a mutual friend’s wedding. Addie will be a “groomsman” in name, but she’ll have to participate in all the bridal party shenanigans with the bridesmaids. Tucker can’t imagine his life without Addie as a friend, but after seeing her in a lacy, pink dress, he starts seeing her in a different light. This first entry in a new series by Madsen offers two entertaining main characters. The guy-suddenly-realizes-that-his-friend-is-female trope is overplayed, and this may, in part, keep the book from being a breakout hit. However, the author manages to make the story fresh with some small-town antics and light humor; for example, town gossips spread rumors about why Tucker’s back in town and also make insinuations about how close he and Addie are now. The will-they-or-won’t-they storyline moves the plot along at a steady pace, though, and the author’s style will really keep the reader engaged: “She couldn’t help noticing that while she looked like a dirty mess, Tucker looked sporty and sexily disheveled.” What shines brightest in this book, though, is the friendship between the main characters, and romance readers looking for something fun and flirty will find it here.

A cute love story that will likely keep readers coming back for more from the author.