Tasty Book Tours Spotlight + Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding by Victoria Alexander

The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding

Millworth Manor # 4

By: Victoria Alexander

Releasing November 4^th, 2014

Zebra / Kensington

Blurb

 The bride and groom cordially request your presence for a wedding at Millworth Manor…

Guests will include Jackson Quincy Graham Channing, New York City banker, and Lady Theodosia “Teddy” Winslow, wedding planner to the finest families in England.

 Introductions shall be followed by light conversation, dancing, flirtation, arguing, reconciliation, and an impulsive kiss that both parties are quite certain they will never repeat.

 Until they do.

 A mutually beneficial fake engagement will be accompanied by all manner of very real complications, scandalous revelations, nefarious schemes, and one inescapable conclusion: That true love—unlike the perfect wedding—is impossible to plan…

My Thoughts:

I have always found Victoria Alexander's books entertaining and The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding is no exception. This fun story is filled mayhem. I know that is probably a wrong word to use, but it's a good way to describe the chaos that happens to Jack's life. Cause you have Jack who basically had his whole life planned out. He had a future career at the bank his grandfather is part of, a future with the girl he has known his whole life, and then to have it all uprooted cause he found out the father he thought was dead was perfectly alive. That could cause mayhem. If that didn't throw a wrench in his life, the possibility of being a future earl might. Poor Jack doesn't know which path he should go and he has two choice: 1) Become the banker he was raised to be or 2) Become an earl eventually and head of a family he didn't know he had. Yeah, I don't know how I would have handled Jack's situation.

Then we have Teddy. Ever since Teddy's father died, Teddy and her mother have been striving to survive by being party planners. Which is fine and dandy, but they have to keep somewhat secretive in a way. Here's why, if society found out that they were on hard times, society would turn their noses on them, which would make it harder for them to survive. Now Teddy's mother has been trying to get Teddy to marry her cousin Simon, so they can get back to their home. However, Teddy isn't to keen on this plan, because she just doesn't want to be with Simon. Gotta love a persistent mother. Anyway, she has no desire to marry, but pursue her career. Very modern of her.

I have to the realization that I enjoy Victoria Alexander's books. They are always entertaining, and sometimes a bit off the wall. I think thats what makes her stories so much fun. Yes, The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding have elements that make it know you are reading an Victoria Alexander book. You have two unlikely people that are drawn together. As I said that Jack's life was turned upside down and you have Teddy who has been surviving. What you are going to find is people coming back from the dead, fake engagements, and things that will definitely lead to scandal. If that wasn't enough you have Channing family charging forward like it's nothing they haven't seen before.

Honestly, I found this story highly entertaining and somehow they are able to manage the chaos that surrounds them. I love Jack cause his character goes through such a transformation because he starts out stodgy and changes to something he could see himself. Teddy also goes through some growth, and she has to cause she's a tad bit stubborn for her own. You can't forget the family and their tendency to be busy-bodies. Truly The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding is a lot of fun to read. I would recommend this to someone who is looking for something light and a little out there plot.

Copy provided by Zebra via NetGalley

Excerpt from The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding: 

“First, you should know about your family, Jackson,” Father began.

            “He does know about his family,” Mother said under her breath.

            Father ignored her and continued. “There are Channings all over England, mostly distant relations and you needn’t be overly concerned with them.”

            “Although it is nice to know they exist,” Lucy said.

            “Exactly.” Father nodded. “And I dare say you’ll meet them all eventually.”

            “I really don’t see –“ Mother began.

            “Quiet Mother.” Jack nodded at his father. “Go on.”

            “For the most part, they’re not especially important although admittedly some of them are most amusing. Eccentric is probably the kindest description.” The colonel lowered his voice in a confidential manner. “There is Cousin Wilfred on my father’s side. He was quite convinced he could fly. He couldn’t of course. Pity, as it turned out.” Father shook his head in a regretful manner. “But as I was saying, you needn’t bother concerning yourself with anyone aside from the immediate family. At least for now.”

            “The immediate family?” Jack said.

            “You my boy, have an uncle, my twin brother, Nigel, and an aunt, his wife Bernadette. They have three daughters, charming girls all of them. They’ve grown up quite nicely, all things considered. Oddly enough, I am not the only brother whose wife preferred to let his offspring believe he was dead.”

            Lucy stared.

            “Although in Nigel’s case, he did rather deserve it. But that’s neither here nor there at the moment.” Father’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Let me thin. The eldest girls are older than you and are twins. One is married, the other a widow and about to be married again. The youngest, Delilah, is also a widow. So you can see how the revelation that I have a son changes, well, everything. Especially the future. The family’s and yours.”

            “Basil.” A warning sounded in Mother’s voice. ‘This is not how I wanted –“

            “It no longer matters what you want Elizabeth. You’ve had what you wanted for far too long.” Father cast her a hard look.

            “I’m not certain I understand,” Jack said slowly. “I know I am as shocked by your existence as you are by mine. And this does change a lot, for any number of reasons. But while it certainly is significant, in a personal sense, I fail to see what effect my having a living father, and you having a son has on your future or mine. Not that I don’t like the idea mind you,” he added quickly. “It would be different if we were having this, oh, reunion I suppose is the only word for it, when I was ten years old or even twenty. Burt I am an adult. I have a position of responsibility at the bank and a sound, solid career ahead of me there. My future is well planned out.”

            “Exactly,” Mother said under her breath.

            “It might well have been planned out yesterday or this morning or even a few hours ago but now…” His father’s gaze me his. “Now your future is entirely different.”

            Jack drew his brows together. “I still don’t see-“

            “My brother is the Earl of Briston.” Father paused to allow the others to grasp the significance of his pronouncement.

            “Jackson, your uncle is an earl,” Lucy said with delight. “How very interesting.”

            “It’s more than merely interesting my dear girl,” Father said. “I know it’s not the same in your country-“

            “We don’t have earls for one thing.” Mother sniffed.

            “But in my country”-he met Jack’s gaze-“your country as well titles and property are often tied together in what is called an entailment. Are you familiar with it?”

            “Vaguely.” Jack nodded. “We deal on occasion with English financial institutions and I’ve seen reference to it in correspondence. It has to do with inheritance doesn’t it?”

            “Exactly.” His father studied him closely. “A title is tied to a family’s property, they are passed on together. In our case, Millworth Manor, the estate that has been in our family for generations, as well as some other properties, are tied to the title. The title can only be inherited by the closest male relative. If my brother died, I would be next in line to be the Earl of Briston. If I died..”

            Lucy gasped.

            Mother sighed.

            Jack stared. “Are you saying that I would be the next earl?”

            “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Father nodded. “And thank God, too. We were all afraid Millworth and the title would eventually go to Wilfred’s son.” He shuddered. “And believe me no one wanted that.”

Buy Links : Amazon | Barnes | BooksAMillion

Author Info

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and has never looked back. Victoria grew up traveling the country as an Air Force brat and is now settled in a very old house in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two allegedly grown children and two bearded collies. She firmly believes housework is a four-letter word, there are no calories in anything eaten standing up, procrastination is an art form, and it's never too soon to panic.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Rafflecopter Giveaway 

(3 Print Copies of The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride and The Shocking Secret of Guest at the Wedding)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Link to Follow Tour:  

http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/08/the-shocking-secret-of-guest-at-wedding.html