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    From This Day Forward
    From This Day Forward
    From This Day Forward
    Ebook108 pages1 hour

    From This Day Forward

    By Lauren Layne

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in this prequel to USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s The Wedding Belles series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

    Up-and-coming wedding photographer Leah McHale’s career is on the rise–thanks in no small part to the Wedding Belles, the elite New York wedding planning agency that always throws top-tier business Leah’s way. So when one of the Belles asks Leah to fill in at the former First Daughter’s wedding, Leah is overjoyed to say yes—until she finds out who she’ll be working with.

    Jason Rhodes is the one man who was able to capture Leah’s heart and, once he had it, promptly stepped all over it and left her broken. Now he’s working side-by-side with her at the biggest wedding of the season and Leah is determined to give him the cold shoulder. Despite his persistence, she is not going to fall for his charming, impish ways again. Not even if he still has that killer, irresistible smile...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPocket Star
    Release dateJun 6, 2016
    ISBN9781501135194
    Author

    Lauren Layne

    Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than three dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

    Read more from Lauren Layne

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    Reviews for From This Day Forward

    4/5

    43 ratings2 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I received a copy of this novella from the publisher via NetGalley.Leah is a wedding photographer who agrees to step in at the last minute and photograph a very high profile wedding. This will be good for her career, but the downside is that she will have to work (it being such a huge wedding) with another photographer, Jason. Jason broke Leah's heart a year ago by (she believes) being unfaithful to her and she was just beginning to get over him.This was a very quick read and pretty enjoyable, despite being an extreme example of one of those "if they just took a moment to have a rational conversation wth one another about what actually happened..." type storylines. It quickly becomes apparent (since we hear parts from Jason's point of view too) that Leah jumped to a false conclusion, but there are reasons (which in the moment sound vaguely convincing) why Jason was too upset to persist in trying to explain. In the end, though, it just went on a bit long: Leah would almost ask him to explain, but the moment would pass, Jason would almost explain things, but then the moment would pass etc etc.There were thing to like though; the wedding itself was a good backdrop without intruding too much on the flow of the plot; I liked the parallel scene at the end when Leah knocks on Jason's door - it was very clever and amusing; Leah and Jason (their inability to have a reasonable conversation with one another apart) were sympathetic characters; and the set-up for the three novels to follow was fairly subtle. The background of Leah and Jason's past relationship meant that things could move quickly in this novella without seeming rushed and I was rooting for their happy ending.
    • 4/5
      From this day Forward by Lauren Layne is a 2016 Pocket Star publication. I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.This novella length story will whet your appetite and have you craving more from the new and delightful ‘Wedding Belle’ series. Leah is a wedding photographer who has been given a lifetime opportunity to shoot the photographs for a former first daughter’s wedding!! But, she didn’t expect to run into her old flame, Jason. Awkward! She and Jason were doing great, or so she thought, even though he is not sold on the concept of ‘happily ever after’, but when she stops by his place unannounced and finds him with a beautiful brunette, she realized Jason didn’t think their relationship was all that special. Now she has to work with him on the wedding photos and keep things on a professional level, but Jason is doing everything in his power to rekindle that flame. Jason has a rough background, and so is a little more cynical when it comes to true love, but Leah, his redheaded she-devil, has him thinking it could be possible, after all. But, he has to convince her she’s the only one for him, something she is making harder than it has to be, because she’s too stubborn and hurt to give him a chance to prove it. The story is really cute, but it’s kind of predictable, and of course I picked up on a major clue somewhere in the middle and figured out how things went awry, but despite that, I really enjoyed reading this short story mainly because of the characterizations. While many authors can create a sympathetic female protagonist, the male characters are often stuffed into a certain mold and must stick to the rehearsed lines. But, not Lauren Layne. I love the way the hero goes off script and is very unpredictable, even a little mysterious, and so easy to fall in love with. I can be pretty hard on novella length books and they rarely satisfy me fully, but this one is a lot of fun, and perfect for a lunch time diversion.

    Book preview

    From This Day Forward - Lauren Layne

    If Leah McHale had learned anything in her decade as a wedding photographer, it was that Sunday mornings were meant for sleeping in. This was especially true when last night’s wedding had involved the bridal party taking tequila shots and insisting they’d pay her extra for photographing the drunken train wreck. Until three a.m.

    In other words, Sunday brunch was rarely an option for Leah.

    Today, however, Leah made an exception.

    Because when a friend who also happened to be owner of the most elite wedding planning company in Manhattan asked you to meet her at a trendy West Village hot spot at eleven thirty on a Sunday morning, you didn’t say no.

    Alexis Morgan was already seated at the restaurant when Leah arrived, which came as zero surprise, since the wedding planner thought being late should count among the deadly sins, nestled right alongside sloth.

    Leah smiled in thanks as the hostess pointed out Alexis’s table on the patio, and wound her way through the crowded mess of sidewalk tables until she reached her friend.

    Alexis was writing something in her ever-present day planner, but the second she saw Leah, she gave one of her small, trademark I have a secret smiles, shutting the planner before standing for a hug.

    Leah, you look lovely.

    Um, stop, Leah said, giving the smaller woman a squeeze. I’m not one of your brides to be pampered and fluffed. You can tell me the truth. I look tired and I’ve gained seven pounds since we last hung out.

    Nonsense. Alexis fluttered her napkin to her lap as they both sat down. I never know which one I’m more jealous of: that gorgeous red hair or those curves.

    Yeah, well. Leah patted her padded hip. The curves are real, the hair not so much.

    "Really, Alexis said in surprise, leaning forward and studying Leah’s hairline curiously. That’s not your real color?"

    Leah shrugged and took a sip of her water. "It used to be. I was one of those girls that the other kids called carrottop on the playground. But somewhere in my twenties the bright orange decided it wanted to be more of a muddy copper, so let’s just say I, um, enhance it."

    No judgment here. Alexis lifted a pink manicured finger to her own shiny dark hair. These roots aren’t my own, either. Prematurely gray even though I’m thirty-three. Tell anyone, I cut you.

    Leah let out a surprised laugh. Alexis Morgan had always reminded Leah of a badass Audrey Hepburn. She had the same slight figure and wide brown eyes as the iconic Hollywood starlet, but whereas there’d been a sweetness to Audrey, Alexis was . . . fierce.

    Kind, definitely. Loyal, for sure. But if Audrey Hepburn was the type to soothe you during the teary phase of a bad breakup, Alexis was the quiet revenge friend. The one you called when you needed a kick in the pants to get your life back on track.

    Mimosa’s your day drink of choice, right? Alexis asked, motioning a server over with a subtle lifting of her hand.

    The waiter was by their table in seconds. Mimosa for my friend, and I’ll take a Bloody Mary, heavy on the horseradish, Alexis said.

    For some reason it always catches me off guard that you’re a vodka-in-the-morning type of girl, Leah said after the waiter had walked away.

    Alexis lifted a slim shoulder. Let’s just say I get more than enough champagne during the workday. It’s nice to take a break.

    Leah patted her friend’s hand. It’s a rough life, dear. All that Veuve Clicquot you’re forced to sip with your clients.

    Alexis tilted her head, her long brown ponytail draping over a slim shoulder. Surely you get the occasional glass of bubbly yourself?

    Leah shrugged. It’s often offered, but I don’t like the view on the other end of the lens getting blurry.

    Alexis nodded. Rumor has it you’ve been busy lately.

    Leah cracked her neck and wished she’d had just one more cup of coffee before this brunch. "Aren’t we all? I keep thinking that one of these years, the June bride thing will go out of style, but nope. I’m already booked three Junes out. What is that?"

    Tradition, combined with you being one of the best photographers in the city, Alexis said as the server placed their drinks in front of them.

    Uh-oh, you’re busting out the trademark Morgan flattery, Leah teased. Whatever you called me here for must be big.

    Alexis used her straw to stir her drink before lifting wide brown eyes to Leah’s. The Kowloski/Shrapner wedding you were working next weekend was called off.

    Leah’s eyes narrowed. "True. Turns out the bride and the best man had a thing. But how do you know that? I thought Wedding Belles passed on that one?"

    The Wedding Belles was Alexis Morgan’s wedding planning company. Although company was perhaps an inadequate term. It was more like an empire, and one that Leah was darn grateful to be connected with. She had enough faith in her skills to know she could support herself either way, but it definitely didn’t hurt to be one of Alexis Morgan’s go-to photographers. Not only did it mean more weddings, it meant big weddings.

    And big money.

    We did turn it down, Alexis confirmed, taking a sip of her drink. I didn’t have a good feeling. And it’s a good thing, too, because we ended up booking the Preston wedding for that same weekend.

    Leah shook her head. Only you could look so perfectly chill about the fact that you’ve been planning the president’s daughter’s wedding.

    "Former president."

    Details, schmetails, Leah said with a wave of her hand. It was true, the bride wouldn’t technically be the First Daughter on her wedding day, but President Preston had ended his second term just within the past year, so in the eyes of the press, Kylie Preston was still very much America’s sweetheart.

    What’s Kylie like, anyway? Leah asked. She always seems so sweet and shy on camera.

    She’s sweet and shy in real life, too, although the shyness fades when she’s around Brent.

    Leah shook her head. Wouldn’t you just figure that the president’s daughter and the son of the richest man in New York would become college sweethearts?

    An uncharacteristically dreamy look stole over Alexis’s eyes. It works that way sometimes.

    Leah’s snort slipped out before she could help it. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in true love. She totally did. One didn’t make it to age thirty-one as a wedding photographer without trusting that at least some of the couples would make it to happily ever after.

    It was just that it never seemed to work that way for her. Despite the fact that Leah continued to put herself out there, trying every sort of wretched dating app on the planet and gamely agreeing to every blind date her friends could rummage up, she had yet to feel the thing. That elusive combination of wanting to see someone naked and wanting to wake up beside him the next morning. For Leah, it was usually one or the other—either she met exactly the type

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