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    An October Bride
    An October Bride
    An October Bride
    Ebook120 pages1 hour

    An October Bride

    By Katie Ganshert

    5/5

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    About this ebook

    What if the only way you could make your father’s last wish come true . . . was to marry the man of your dreams?

    Emma Tate has just moved on from one fiancé, so when she announces a sudden engagement to her lifelong buddy Jake Sawyer, every busybody in Mayfair goes into high alert. Of course, no one but Jake and Emma know the real reason they’re getting married—so Emma’s dying father will have a chance to walk her down the aisle.

    But while Jake and Emma move forward with their plan—and frantically plan an October wedding—it becomes clear that their agreement has a few complications . . . the biggest being their true feelings for each other.

    With dubious friends, deliriously thrilled parents, and a town that won’t keep its nose out of their business, Emma and Jake will have a lot to contend with if they’re going to pull this off. The real question is: Who wants this wedding more, Emma’s dad . . . or Emma?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateSep 23, 2014
    ISBN9780310339144

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    Reviews for An October Bride

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    • 5/5
      Emma Tate wants to fulfill her dying fathers wish of walking her down the aisle. Having ended her relationship with her fiance, she's not sure how she'll do that. Then she runs into her long time good friend, Jake Sawyer. He suggests that he could fulfill the roll of her husband and gives her a ring. When they announce their engagement, her parents are thrilled. As they move forward planning an October wedding, they begin to experience a few problems; the Bunco Babes, small town gossip but mainly their true feelings for each other. Will they follow through with their fake wedding for the sake of Emma's father or will it become something real?What a great story. I loved getting to know Emma and Jake and all the secondary characters. The story itself was really cute and one that was hard to put down because the town and people are so endearing. You'll experience with Emma the emotions of knowing your father has cancer. You'll find yourself smiling when Emma finds out what Patty learned at Bunco. Although this was a novella, it was completely satisfying. I would, however, have loved this to be a full-length novel. This is the third book I've read by this author and have really come to love her easy writing style. She paints realistic characters that just capture your heart, and that, along with witty dialog, makes her stories top-notch and ones that I would highly recommend, including An October Bride.*This complimentary copy was provided by Zondervan through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
    • 5/5
      October BrideKatie GanshertBook Summary: She wants to make her father's dream come true. She doesn't realize her own dream has been in front of her the whole time. Emma Tate isn't a risk taker, so everyone in her small Midwest town is surprised when she suddenly becomes engaged to lifelong friend Jake Sawyer. No one but Jake and Emma know the true reason they're getting married-so Emma's dying father can walk her down the aisle. While Jake and Emma plan an autumn wedding together, it becomes clear that their agreement has a few complications-the biggest being their true feelings for each other. In this novella by award-winning author Katie Ganshert, a young woman must reconcile her dying father's dreams with her own dreams for love and for her future.Review: Sweet Story! It took me back to when I was in school and read teen books. This was such a sweet story and yet it is touched by a sorrow. Emma was great fun and she had such a sweetness to her, Jake was the ideal character - caring, manly and generous. How could you not want to have a happy ending. So much happened and yet it was such a short read. Lily was a great friend to help and yet not forget that this was not the way it should be for Emma. Liam was fun who seemed like a real big brother. The story earned some tears when reality comes crashing in and yet it was all put together so well. I am so glad I got to read this story.I would like to thank Net Galley and Zondervan Fiction for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
    • 5/5
      An experience of Small Town USA, a bucket list, plans for a fake wedding, childhood sweethearts, a veterinary practice, and a man dying of cancer. The combination creates poignant family scenarios laced with the wisdom of the ages plus a sweet romance, all touched by the race against time. Just a touch of suspense. For the past two years, Emma Tate's family knew her dad's time with them was limited. An MRI revealed a brain tumor for which treatments could only slightly slow down the growth. At the time of discovery, Emma was engaged to Chase. But the serious turn of events woke her up to the realization that her reasons to marry him were all wrong. She didn't really love him as she should. If she were honest with herself, the serious crush she had had on Jake Sawyer in high school had only diminished a little. But she never really felt certain that he had ever returned her sentiments. Jake was her brother Liam's best friend. He probably thought of her as a little sister. Then a few years ago, he left the area. She was sure he hadn't felt anything for her at all. Now he's returned. And today of all days, he shows up in her kitchen to fix a leaky sink...right after she had just found her dad's bucket list. Nearly all the items on the list were crossed off except for the one item on the top of the list, "Walk Emma Down the Aisle." This was one last thing she could do for her dad. But how?Jake Sawyer noticed how upset Emma was when she entered her house. He asked her if something was wrong. She explained about the bucket list. Jakes idea surprised her; he offered to become her pretend groom. He wanted to help Emma, but did he really think ahead about the implications of a fake wedding? They lived in a tiny community. There were no secrets here. But they went ahead and planned a wedding for autumn, Emma's favorite season of the year. It was only a little more than a month away. With her father's imminent decline looming on the horizon, the planning took on the aspect of a race against time, while Jake and Emma avoided the reality of the supposed "happily-ever-after." In the meantime Emma's best friend, Lily, knows the truth and agrees reluctantly to help plan the Fall wedding. Her real concern was for Emma when the fallout hits her. Then Emma's brother Liam got the truth out of Jake one day. Will he keep their secret, or throw a monkey wrench into the whole works?This is a novella, not a full length novel, so I didn't expect thorough development and growth of characters. However, the full cast of players such as Emma and Jake, Lily and Liam, Emma's mom and dad, some of the town's major players quickly grew on me so that by the time the wedding day neared, I was screaming in my head, "Make it real, you dopes!" I couldn't stop reading the book. I knew how it would inevitably end, but I wanted to know how they would get there. It's a good thing it's a short book or I would have lost sleep trying to finish the story. I wasn't disappointed either. The ending is absolutely lovely. This is a well-written novella, in which I felt eventually that some of the characters were my friends. The second thing I enjoyed about this novella was the familiarity of the setting. Events occur in a small town up north, whereas I grew up in a small town up north. There were moments I felt reminiscent of my childhood days when they referenced drives around the state to see the Fall colors, and the feel that the town was just one big family because everyone knew everyone else's business. Second, autumn is one of my favorite seasons too. Like Emma, I always enjoyed Fall harvest festivals since we were also a farming community. I have always loved the fresh crisp air of autumn, the hints of summer winding down and the leaves turning color. The author's vivid descriptions of the season made it come alive for me. There are moments where the frantic pace slows down, a hush comes over the family and friends as they soak in a quiet moment. They become vignettes to cherish and remember afterward. The author skillfully creates an atmosphere of contentedness during these rest periods amidst the rush of wedding preparations. My favorite part of the novella was the ending. While it may have been a bit predictable, it was perfect for this story. I had become so wrapped up in the dilemma Emma faced that the ending was just the right solution to the conflict. This is going to be one of those stories that I will be able to read several times without getting bored because there are so many elements that resonate with me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I highly recommend this book. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of Zondervan Fiction. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

    Book preview

    An October Bride - Katie Ganshert

    Acknowledgments

    I’m a wordy person, so when Becky Philpott contacted me about writing a novella for their Year of Weddings series, I was honored but also a little frightened. Novels I could do. Novellas? Not so sure.

    I had no idea that I would have so much fun writing this story! I fell in love with Jake and Emma and the small, quirky town of Mayfair, Wisconsin. I hope readers fall in love too!

    A few shout-outs are most definitely in order . . .

    A hearty thanks to all the people who have made this novella better than I could ever manage on my own—Becky Philpott, Jean Bloom, and Karli Cajka. It was a pleasure working with you!

    Thank you to the entire team at Zondervan for inviting me to take part in such a fun project, Elizabeth Hudson for your passion and enthusiasm, and an especially loud shout-out to my fellow bridesmaids. It’s been an honor and a joy celebrating these novellas together!

    Thank you to Marie Bates for giving me a sneak peek inside the life of a veterinarian, and to Joel Malm for helping me figure out the perfect occupation for adventure-seeking Liam. Any inaccuracies in the portrayal are all mine!

    Carrie Pendergrass for sharing your husband’s words to you at a time I really needed to hear them. They became the words Emma’s dad shared with Emma by the fire pit when she really needed to hear them. I pray they encourage readers as much as they did me!

    Thanks, of course, to my agent, Rachelle Gardner, for all you do to get my work out there.

    To my amazingly supportive husband and my wonderful family for all you do so that I can write.

    To a lavishly good God for allowing me to do something that brings me such joy and for providing the words when I’m feeling wrung dry.

    And to my fabulous readers—the ones who take that joy and multiply it exponentially with your support, your presence, and your encouragement. It’s an honor to write stories for you, and I will continue as the Lord allows!

    One

    The suddenness with which life can upend itself is alarming. One second you’re two months away from matrimony—unable to find that perfect dress but confident it’s out there in the wide abyss of bridal boutiques—and then wham. An MRI reveals a tumor in the brain of the man you love more than life.

    Only that man isn’t your fiancé.

    This singular diagnosis turns your entire world on its head. Instead of the bride-to-be, you are the woman who has canceled the cake order and returned the ring, all while apologizing profusely to your wounded ex-fiancé who was nothing but kind and patient.

    It’s a hard thing to recover from—these sharp, unexpected upheavals.

    And just when my life started to normalize, everything went flip all over again. Three weeks fresh and I’m trying to acclimate. After all, if Dad can do it—if he can go from the picture of health, to the trenches of cancer-battle, to the cruel tease that was four months of remission, to the shockingly cold waters of a two-month time clock, then what’s my excuse? In my weakness, I have forced my father to be the strong one, to comfort me, yet he’s the dying man.

    This has to stop.

    I take a deep breath, inhaling the aroma that is Mayfair, Wisconsin, in the beginning of autumn—a paradoxical combination of fresh air, burning leaves, and the scent of Eloise’s famous pumpkin bars wafting from the front windows of her bakery. A flock of geese honk overhead. I look up at the clear blue sky—the dark bodies in V-formation—wondering if I couldn’t join them somehow. Grow a pair of wings and take flight to someplace where time and death do not exist.

    Instead, I let out my breath, remove the two-day accumulation of mail from the mailbox, and head up the walkway, taking in the modest home of my childhood—buttercream siding with country-blue shutters, flower boxes outside the windows, and a pair of burning bushes that bookend the front, their leaves a vibrant bloodred. It’s a house that carried my brother and me from infancy to adulthood and has since treated a pair of empty nesters with kindness these past nine years. At least until the diagnosis.

    Will Mom put it on the market after he’s gone?

    Shaking away the question, I unlock the door, step inside, and blink at the mess before me. Saying yes to cat-sitting while my parents drove up to Door County for the weekend was my first attempt at climbing aboard the be-strong-for-Dad train. If Mom and my brother can hop on so quickly, going about life with smiles and unshakable faith, then surely I can at least feed the cats and empty the litter box. Animals are, after all, my forte. What I failed to remember, as I eagerly agreed to the favor, was that my parents’ cats are not normal cats.

    Case in point?

    The mess of kitty litter and down feathers scattered across the hardwood floor. A groan escapes from my mouth like a slow leak. Off to the side, Oscar lounges beside the emptied-out carcass of a throw pillow.

    Seriously?

    His furry tail twitches lazily.

    I head down the hall toward the room with the closet where Mom keeps the cleaning supplies. Floorboards creak beneath my cross trainers as I smooch the air and whistle for the other beastly feline to come out from hiding. The tabby is a no-show, which can only mean she’s responsible for the mangled pillow.

    I cross the small office that was once my brother’s bedroom to set the stack of mail on Dad’s desk. Something catches my eye. A familiar leather-bound journal sits precariously close to the desk’s edge—a birthday present I gave Dad three years ago, before cancer cast its ugly shadow over our lives. My father isn’t much of a writer, but I knew the collection of quirky quotes on the top of each page would make him chuckle.

    Trailing my finger down the spine, I find myself wishing I could go back to the time when tragedy was something that happened to other people, or better yet, wishing I could fix what is wrong now. My inability to do anything but cat-sit leaves me with a helplessness I’m unaccustomed to feeling. As I turn away from the desk, the journal falls to the floor with a whap, and a piece of paper slips out from its pages.

    I bend over, but the words—written in neat, straight script at the top—stop me mid-reach.

    Bucket List.

    I pick up the paper carefully, delicately—like it is a find as rare as the Dead Sea Scrolls. These are my father’s dreams. His dying wishes. The things he wants to accomplish before the end. Carefully written on the sheet of paper I now hold in my hand. I sit on the edge of Dad’s swivel chair, knowing this is private but unable to resist the temptation. If there is something on this page I can give him or help him accomplish, how can I look away?

    Take Marie to Ireland.

    He did. Two years ago, after his surgery. Before his first round of chemo. Dad got himself a passport and booked the tickets, and they flew across the Atlantic. They spent a whole week visiting pubs, riding bikes through ancient ruins, looking into Mom’s genealogy.

    Let Liam teach me to ride a motorcycle.

    He did that too. I’ll never forget watching the pair of them in matching Harley Davidson bandannas, driving around Mayfair’s town square while Mom clutched my arm, convinced her two boys would become one with the cement.

    Run a half marathon with Emma.

    I

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