Rating: ★★★★
After a long reading slump, I can truthfully say Meghan Quinn's The Runaway Groomsmen took me out of that awful place. While I haven't been into slow-burn romances recently, this one was such a fun ride I couldn't help but fall in love.
After storming out of his ex-girlfriend and best friend's wedding, middle finger in the air, Hollywood screenwriter Sawyer Walsh finds himself in a media storm. He decides to lay low in the small town of Canoodle, California, where he meets Fallon Long, the owner of the cabins where he stays. Overwhelmed with cabin renovation and caring for her sick grandfather, Fallon quickly writes Sawyer off, assuming he's just like other LA guys. But soon, everything changes, making it hard for Fallon to stay away. With her family business on the line, and Sawyer still dealing with the aftermath of the negative press, the pair are as complicated as ever. Could their romance really come to fruition? Or is this kind of love yet another Hollywood fairytail?
I have so many great things to say about this book! For starters, it's been so wonderful reading so many different books from Meghan Quinn and seeing how her writing has progressed. This was an epic refresh from some of her earlier writing and showed immense growth.
Quinn portrayed both characters as emotionally mature and I instantly fell in love with them. Sawyer was incredibly likable especially given how much he did for Fallon and her grandpa. The whole cast of characters was so wonderful and unique. Jaz, Fallon's best friend, was a bit over the top yet absolutely hilarious. Roarick, Sawyers's brother, was the perfect confidant. Fallon's two dads were such a wonderful breath of fresh air, and her grandpa Sully was so incredible to read about. His struggles with Alzheimer's were so brilliantly written, and I loved how this book captured not just one love story but two. Sawyer and Fallon's, and Sully and Grandman Joan.
I loved this book's emphasis on family and friendship. Sawyer charmed his way back into Fallon's good graces in the sweetest way, and he truly did it because he cared about Sully and Fallon. Quinn captured why the pair loved each other so much, and it was beautiful to see their relationship progress.
I also really liked how Quinn handled Fallon initially being in a relationship. Peter was a good guy, but the two didn't suit each other anymore as their priorities and goals shifted. They drifted naturally, and it overall made a lot of sense within the story. Her breakup with Peter helped Fallon to further realize how much she felt for Sawyer and showed her what she wanted in life via what she realized he couldn't give her.
Even the act three conflict in this novel was handled exceptionally well, with both characters making reasonable mistakes in the heat of the moment but being mature about things and eventually admitting they were wrong. I will say Sawyer definitely messed up, but I wanted Fallon to take him back the second he apologized.
All in all, I really loved this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, fun read this winter. It was such a pleasure to read, and I'll definitely be buying more from Meghan Quinn. I gave this book a rating of four stars, not because it's not excellent, but because it didn't give me the wow factor my five-star reads have. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed The Runaway Groomsmen, and I encourage you all to try it out!
---
Thanks for reading, everyone! Be sure to check out the rest of my blog for more information on new books to read, and follow my social media for more bookish content.
Comments