Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace by Becky Monson
Speak Now is the latest hit from the author of the hit Spinster Series, Becky Monson. In this Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner (Bronze Medal) novel, Bridgette Reynolds needs to stop a wedding, but can she do it? If there’s one thing that Bridgette Reynolds has learned recently, it’s that the perfect shoes, the perfect hair, and the perfect dress do not make for the perfect proposal. In fact, sometimes they make for the not-so-perfect breakup. Now, Bridgette must do everything in her power to win Adam back. She knows they are meant to be. And nothing will stand in her way—not her friends, not her grandmother, not even the fact that Adam is now engaged to Serene after a whirlwind romance. Focused on her plan to win Adam back, Bridgette isn’t expecting Ian—her college best friend, her love, her big regret—to come back into her life. They sink back into their comfortable friendship as if no time has passed at all, making Bridgette start to question her feelings for Adam. But Ian has a few secrets of his own . . . secrets that could shatter their friendship once and for all. Bridgette has to make some major decisions—should she speak now? Or forever hold her peace?
After some channel surfing, and a vain attempt to catch up with The Young and the Restless (I couldn’t watch the Ian and Heather and Jessica drama—a bit too close to home), I decide to drag myself upstairs to Margie’s place where Gram and the girls are playing bridge. I need something to get my mind off everything. I doubt it will work, but it’s worth a try. “Is Gram here?” I ask Margie when she answers the door. “Sure is,” she says, opening the door wide. She ushers me in with a sweep of her hand. I walk into Margie’s apartment, which is set up a lot like Gram’s. And just as old-fashioned as well. But, like Gram’s place, it has a homey feel to it. I will say that there are doilies. Lots of doilies. “Look who’s here, ladies,” Margie says as we walk into the living room. Gram and two other ladies, Evelyn and Barbara, all turn to see who it is. Once they see me they all start talking in unison. Saying hello and asking me question after question. I try to field each query, but they keep talking over each other. “Well, Bridgette, what brings you here?” Gram asks, after the chatter has settled. She looks slightly concerned. She wasn’t expecting me. Likewise, I was not expecting to come up here, but here I am. “I thought I would come and see what you ladies are doing.” I knew they were playing cards, so that was kind of a dumb comment. “And also to check up on Gram,” I say, pointing to the wine glass sitting to her left. That was not something I was expecting to find, but I’m glad I did. She looks down at the glass and then back up at me, a sheepish just-been-caught look on her face. “Oh, that’s mine,” Evelyn declares, and I roll my eyes. Evelyn isn’t even sitting next to Gram. “Gram, you’ve got to be kidding. Does she drink every time she’s playing cards with you?” I ask, looking around the room. “Not all the time,” Barbara pipes in. “Just . . . most of the time.”
"Speak Now grabbed me from the beginning! This is the perfect escape/beach read - light and fun, amusing with some tearful moments." -Reviewing in Chaos "By the end of the book I felt like Bridgette was a real life friend of mine and I was actually sad when the book ended." -Divine Books Blog "Can I give this book a 10? It was so fantastic!" -Taking Time for Mommy
Author Becky Monson
By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning* author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last… but it probably won’t.