If you haven’t yet tried one of Janine Amesta’s books, I would compare her to Kate Clayborn and Tarah Dewitt – small town, contemporary romances written with tremendous emotional intelligence, medium spice, and big yearning. If you are looking for an excuse to pick up one of her books, Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 – October 15 and she is a Latine author.
I was describing Janine Amesta’s The Wedding Con to another romance reading friend who interrupted and asked, so this is a black cat and a golden retriever romance? I was stumped for a moment and then said, more like ‘suspicious house cat and a semi feral cat who is trying to become a house cat too’ romance. Naomi is right to be suspicious of Boone as he inserts himself into her family. If Boone were the man he was raised to be, he would be a threat to her family. But Boone is trying to be a better person and the Moreno family has given him the warmth and acceptance he craves. He is the cat that having been fed once, belongs to you now. Faintingviolet wrote a lovely review of The Wedding Con and you should read it.
Boone is a smooth George Wickham type and Naomi is more Elizabeth than Lydia. He has been low key trying to impress Naomi with his wild stories and florid compliments, but she has been entirely unimpressed. She doesn’t make the connection that this peacocking has been because Boone is in love with her, she just thinks he’s an annoying ass. The mating display that finally gets Naomi’s attention is when he offers her a trade – he will help her convince her family to offer wedding packages as part of their hot air balloon tour business, if she will help him demonstrate his skills as a climbing instructor. She agrees and he discovers that the key to Naomi is offering up genuine pieces of himself. George Wickham would never.
A common element in Amesta’s romances is that the sparks between the love interests don’t become a flame until they are willing to work together, or help each other. Proximity may plant the seeds of attraction, but it’s the cooperation that builds the relationship. I love that her characters are the kind of extraordinary that is attainable. Naomi sees what’s possible for her family business and stretches for it. She challenges herself, whether it’s dying her hair pink or agreeing to let a charmer she doesn’t entirely trust teach her to rock climb. Boone is breaking family patterns and learning to be a good person who values the welfare of other over his own comfort. He is willing to use his con man skills to help Naomi achieve her goals, and then instead of making himself the center, he stands back and watches her soar. I love them both.
There is a third act break up, and I thought it was great. It gives Naomi space to let go of her fears and it gives Boone a chance to choose to continue building the kind of honest life he wants when everything goes wrong. At the wedding convention, Boone created a space for Naomi to stretch herself. When Naomi makes her big apology, she creates a space for Boone to call home.
For transparency I need to say that I have bullied Janine Amesta into being my online friend. She is one of the kindest people you’ll find on the internet and a wildly talented artist. My review has been entirely honest, though unbiased simply isn’t possible.