A January Bride by Deborah Raney

★★★★★
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What will happen when novelist Madeleine Houser’s “pen pal” friendship with a lonely widower takes an unexpected turn?

Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie's never met the innkeeper – but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie's alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn's owner – a man who's likely many years her senior – and who she's never even met.

The second novella in Zondervan’s A Year of Weddings – a collection of wedding-based novellas by best-selling inspirational romance novelists – “A January Bride,” by Deborah Raney, is an enjoyable and light read. By no means is the plot a surprise (with the giveaways in both the title and the collection’s premise), but the story does have its quirks. The character interaction and misconceptions are delightful and I thoroughly enjoyed my chance to read this novella. Though it’s part of a collection, it can definitely be read without the other novellas, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in inspirational romance and a free afternoon. Again, I greatly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with this free copy and the opportunity to review it honestly.