ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY

Author: Lori Wilde ISBN: 0446618462 1/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: GRAND CENTRAL

Legend claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire. But be careful what you wish for. Wedding videographer Tish Gallagher is at the end of her rope. Her video business is about to go bust. She's just spent her last buck on non-returnable (but oh so fabulous) shoes. And her most sustainable relationship is with a pint of Haagen-Dazs. So she makes a wish on the lucky wedding veil to get out of debt.and sees the man she never stopped loving, her ex-husband, secret service agent Shane Tremont. Sure, their chemistry was off-the-charts sizzling hot, but their clashes were legendary and no amount of longing will change that. So when her dream job of recording the first daughter's wedding appears out of the blue, Tish knows it's her only shot to get out of the red. Just one teensy glitch: Shane is the groom. From the moment they see each other, she knows nothing's changed-the same old black magic is still between them, just as irresistible and potent as ever. But he's promised to another and Tish has been burned before. Will she always be... ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

This is the second book in the Wedding Veil Wishes series. The premier book is called THERE GOES THE BRIDE, and I wish I had read that one first. It isn't necessary in order to understand ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY, but this second book was so entertaining that I yearn to know what came before it.

ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY by Lori Wilde is poignant, funny and heartwarming. From beginning to end, I was hooked, and my only regret is that this story had to end. That regret is tempered with optimism, though, as I realize there is more to come in this utterly charming series.

A wedding veil with legendary powers, a smart woman whose regrets outnumber the dollar signs in her bank account, and a man who reappears suddenly-with a catch... Shane Tremont, Tish's secret service agent ex-husband, comes back into her life and her heart flutters anew, but then it plummets as she realizes Shane is engaged to marry the President's daughter. Elysee, the bride-to-be whose wedding Tish is to capture on film, is filled with appreciation for Shane. He's done his job of protecting her well, and Elysee will be eternally grateful. But do thanks, regrets and vows make for romance?

In ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY they are the perfect ingredients for a wonderfully stirring, romantic triangle. Well written, with quirky yet loveable characters, ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY is a romance that readers won't soon forget. I loved it, giving it a spot on my keeper shelf!

Kay James