A Toast for Laurent (Vine Valley Book 1) by Theresa Paolo – Review by M Policicchio

A Toast for Laurent by Theresa Paolo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A pact made by two 22 year-olds gives the now 40 year-olds a second chance at love. Laurent and Phoebe had been friends for years. Each secretly longing for the other. They finally gave into their feelings at what was possibly the worst time in Phoebe’s life. Phoebe’s mom had just died, her dad brought his former mistress to the funeral, and then he married her two weeks later. Phoebe just couldn’t take it. It was all too much. So she ran.

Phoebe is a successful business woman, well traveled, and extremely independent. But her entire facade starts to crack when she receives the invitation to her half-sister’s engagement party. It is just another chance for her step-monster, her father’s former mistress, to berate and belittle her. Phoebe acts in desperation and goes to Laurent and claims that he has to marry her because of the pact.

Laurent says he won’t marry her but he will act as her boyfriend for the event. While at the engagement party, the step-monster pulls her usual tricks and insults Phoebe at every turn. Laurent slips into uber-protector mode, one of his usual, and accidentally announces to the step-monster and Phoebe’s family that they are also engaged. Family hijinks ensue.

I love the scenes with Laurent’s siblings. They are hilarious. I hope there are lots more of those to come in the series. The characters are real and feel like they could be someone you could be friends with on any given day. I look forward to reading more of this series. Great opener!!!

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