To Have and to Hold

Written by Lauren Layne

Narrated by Vanessa Daniels

Discovering her fiance is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin's business-and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she's found it with her first bridal client, a sweet-if slightly spoiled-hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who's holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya's fiance is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke's help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning is theirs?

Contains mature themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781515984917

Lauren Layne

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than three dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

Reviews for To Have and to Hold

[Amanda Malone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall great plot and liked the characters, but would have rated higher if there weren't so many expletives as they didn't add anything to the storyline.

[AuntieK8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have read several of Lauren Layne’s books. “To Have and To Hold” was my least favorite. I listened to the audio version and I believe my dislike of the narrator contributed to my dislike of the book. The narrator did not have much range in terms of using different voices. At times, it was hard to tell which character was supposed to be speaking. The female narrator was also unable to produce a male sounding voice.

[t_k_elliott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I used to say, I don't ever read contemporary romance. Since this is the second I've read, I shan't be able to say that any more!

I heard about this on the Caffeinated Book Reviewer blog and liked the idea. So I got a copy. Then I read it.

So, here we go. This is your traditional formula romance, so I wasn't expecting Great Literature. I wasn't even expecting the complexities of plotting and characterisation that I'd expect from Great Fantasy, or Great Sci Fi, which are the genres I usually read. This is formula romance: it's supposed to be mind candy; it's supposed to be a fast, fun read that gives you a happy pink feeling. And sometimes, that's what you want out of a book. My star rating reflects what I expect from the book.

So, four stars.

Brooke is a wedding-planner, who's just had the embarrassment of her professional and personal life when her fiance got arrested by the FBI at the altar. Upon which, she discovers he's a con man - and she didn't even know his real name.

Cue the end of Brooke's business, and she flees up to New York to join a firm of wedding planners who've just lost a member to marriage. Her first wedding to plan is for Maya, a hotel heiress - and it's being paid for by Maya's brother, Seth, who suspects the groom is a wrong 'un.

Insta-lust between Brooke and Seth, and the bone of contention is obviously Maya's wedding.

Sooo.....

What I Liked
Brooke
The failure of Brooke's business wasn't her fault, and she's trying to make a new start. The story did not require her to do something unutterably stupid and then get rescued from the consequences by a man.

Brooke wasn't perfect - she was capable of saying, and doing, mean things in a fit of temper. Then she would apologise. Brooke might have been a bit too determined to look on the bright side, but she wasn't so nicey-nicey that I wanted to smack her.

To be strictly fair, she's not the kind of woman I'd probably spend much time with, but I could see that she was a decent person, and I wanted her to be happy.

Seth
Seth, I really liked. He had drive, commitment, and control; I do like a rational man. He wasn't your typical chest-beating alpha male, so lots of extra points there. There was a certain amount of Mr Darcy to him - he's the responsible, hard-working, control-freaky one who could do with learning to lighten up a bit.

Relationship: Brooke and Seth
This is make-or-break for me. I've read romances where I've just thought, "This is going to last, like, six months after the end of the book. The sex might be great, but you'll bore each other to death." Not so with Brooke and Seth. They've each got enough spine to stand up to each other, and their differences are complementary. Brooke tends to look on the bright side too much; Seth tends to be rather more of a cynic. They can each learn from each other, smooth each others' rough edges, and have the kind of give-and-take that makes a relationship work. I think they'll make it. :-)

Also, this is not one of those books where you think, "If this were real, he'd be arrested for harassment or sexual assault." You get insta-lust, but at least it's mutual.

Maya
I loved that bit right at the end. You'll know it when you get to it.

The Plot
This is a romance; it's about the characters and their relationship, not about the actual plot, which is kind of fortunate because there wasn't much of a one. But it worked.

The Writing
Layne can write. The book whizzes along, with cute banter between the characters. The editing could have been a bit better - tell me once, you don't have to tell me again a few pages later - but it wasn't enough to spoil the enjoyment of the story.

What I Didn't Like
Brooke
Given what had happened to Brooke, I thought she'd be rather more suspicious of Maya's fiance. Maybe the author was trying to get across that Brooke's method of dealing with the issue was basically to ignore it and try to pretend it not only never happened but could never happen, but if so, that didn't come through quite strongly enough to work properly. I was more like, WTF? Hello? Pollyanna.

Seth
There wasn't anything I didn't like about Seth. Apart from his name.

The Plot
The big thing that triggers the "boy loses girl" part of the book, I was left thinking, WTF? (again) Why is this such a big deal? Sounds like a sensible course of action to me. Then I thought, maybe it's me? But no, it's me and a bunch of other reviewers.

Overall
I really enjoyed this - hence the four stars. It's like candy-floss: sweet and sugary and insubstantial, but great fun while it lasts. It does what it's supposed to do: give you a nice, happy pink feeling. The world needs books that just give you a happy pink feeling without demanding much in the way of intellectual effort or being put through the emotional wringer.

Will I read another book by Lauren Layne? Quite possibly. There are two more in this series, apparently - the next one doesn't attract me quite as much as the third.

[alyssaross-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

To Have and To Hold is a new novel by Lauren Layne. Brook is a wedding planner new to NYC after her con man ex fiancé got arrested at the alter. Her first client at her new employment is Maya Tyler who is engaged after only dating fiancé Neil for three months. Brooke is hoping to start her career in New York of with a wonder wedding but what she doesn't bargain for is Maya's controlling but extremely hot and wealthy older brother, Seth, who distrusts Neil and is falling for Brooke.

I thought this book was very well written. The characters were well developed and were very likable, most of the time at least. At first Seth seems like a controlling jerk but the you see the insecurities hiding beneath the surface. I got hooked from the beginning and soon didn't want to put it down. Seth and Brooke were both badly wounded by their previous relationships and I found myself rooting for them. Lauren Layne did a wonderful job making these characters not only likable bit easy to relate to. This book quickly became one of my favorites.

I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[pam50627 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sweet, tender HEA. Lauren does a great job at writing stories that tug on our heart strings & our emotions & keeps us involved from the beginning. Her characters are people that we can see ourselves being friends with. The novella that introduces the series, From this Day Forward, is a second chance romance and I feel that this qualifies too. Wedding Planner Brook Baldwin was planning the wedding of the century, her own. On the day of the wedding, it was discovered that her fiancée was an international con man. Fleeing Los Angeles, Brooke lands in New York and is hired on as a events planner. Seth Tyler is paying for his sister's wedding but wants something to stop the wedding. He is sure her fiancée is a liar & cheat. Can he convince Brooke to help him? Will they get the wedding stopped?

Lauren does a great job at writing stories that tug on our heart strings & our emotions & keeps us involved from the beginning. Her characters are people that we can see ourselves being friends with. The reader feels the emotions that Lauren is trying to portray and you find yourself involved with those emotions. By giving us both point of views, instead of distracting the reader, it enables them to see both sides of the story and see the moment they both become aware of their feelings. I can't wait for Book 2!!

[arlenadean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: To Have and To HoldAuthor: Lauren LaynePublisher: Pocket BooksSeries: The Wedding Belles # 1Reviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: FourReview:"To Have and To Hold" by Lauren LayneMy Thoughts....After what had happened to Brooke Baldwin as she starts a new life in NY being a wedding planner working for Wedding Belles after her own disastrous wedding came to a abrupt end in L.A. Brooke had high hopes about her new job until she meets her first clients older brother Seth Tyler. We find from the read that Seth wanted to give his sister Maya the wedding of her dreams but he wasn't to sure about her groom Neil that she had only known for a few months. This is where the plot thickens and we get a very interesting story that will involve the wedding planner,Brooke, Seth, Maya, Grant and a few other secondary characters [Heather, Alexis & Logan] that will add to this delicious story that seems genuine and so realistic. What happens when Brooke has to deal with the unhappy Seth...the brother of Maya the bride? There will be some misunderstanding about this hold deal...[hiring a PI,]? Will Seth stop his controlling ways? Now what was that all about? What about Brooke with her trust issues? Will there be some chemistry between Seth and Brooke? Well, to find out you will have to pick up this good read to see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to her reader. I will say this author has a way of capturing the readers thoughts, emotions and even weaving them into the read where you will seem to be right there in the midst of it all. The reader will be left wanting more answers that I am sure will come out in later series. So, if you are looking for a good romance read "To Have and To Hold" will bring it to you featuring Brooke and Seth.I received this book from NOR for an honest review.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To Have and to Hold – The Wedding Belles- Vol.1) by Lauren Layne is a 2016 Pocket Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark. I read “For Better or Worse”, the second book in the Wedding Belles series and absolutely loved it. So, I’m happy I was given the opportunity to read and review the debut novel in the series. When Seth’s sister, Maya, announces she is about to marry a man she has only dated for three months, Seth is blindsided. After his father’s sudden death, it is up to Seth to see that Maya has her dream wedding. But, the thing is, Seth is a major control freak, and so insinuates himself into the wedding planning, which is how he meets, Brooke Baldwin.Brooke is excited to have the opportunity to work for The Wedding Belles, especially after her own wedding came to a crashing halt when her fiance’ was arrested. But, she never anticipated her first client would have her brother tagging along, attempting to control the entire affair, which means she and Seth Tyler will be spending a lot of time together. What could possibly go wrong?This first book in the series has two love stories in one book, which is always fun. Seth’s instincts about Maya’s fiancé may be spot on, but, he has to let her live her own life, except he can’t seem to let it go, prompting him to take invasive measures he rationalizes away under the guise of love and protection. He’s also putting entirely too much pressure on himself, which, despite his lack of warmth, makes you want to hold him.Brooke, is trying to put her past behind her, embrace her new lease on life, but her upbeat persona sometimes feels forced, as she tries desperately to shut out all the bad stuff, the hard parts, and live a life free of conflict. But, where’s the fun in that?Playing in the background, is the wedding plans for Maya, who is perhaps holding a little secret in her heart we hope she will own up to before it’s too late. I loved the immediate chemistry between Seth and Brooke and how they tried to ignore it and fight it, but of course it’s a losing battle. The banter between them is so funny, plus they have a palpable connection, despite having some real issues to cope with. So, there is a good deal of character growth and development along the way. Seth, in particular, has some hard work to do for himself, but he does redeem himself in such a sweet way, you won’t be able to hold back a smile or a little sigh. I’m glad I took the time to go back and check this one out. It was definitely worth it.

[janet126 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well-developed primary and secondary characters and setting, although the main h/h conflict was a bit wordy and prolonged. Nicely balanced steamy scenes. Solid start to a new series.

[pgchuis · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley.Brooke moves to NY to work as a wedding planner at the prestigious Wedding Belles. Brooke's wedding planning business in LA failed to get off the ground after her own fiance, Clay, was arrested by the FBI at the altar (really?) and exposed as a con man who had lied even about his own name. Her first client in NY is Maya, who is marrying Neil, a man she has known only for three months. Maya's brother, Seth, is suspicious of Neil and is determined to keep a close eye on things.I thought this novel opened strongly. The first chapter introduced Seth and Maya and set things up clearly. All the characters, including Seth's best friend Grant, were likeable. This is the first of a trilogy, which explains why we were introduced to all the personnel at Wedding Belles, despite them not adding much to the plot. No doubt Alexis and the British (= irresistible?) Logan and the others will reappear later in the series. I struggled a bit with why Alexis chose to employ Brooke; she had a reputation to live down and, while she seemed competent on a day to day basis, she ended up handing back the Maya wedding (her only client).Other things that worried/confused me:1. Brooke was left at the altar three months before the story started - surely that was too soon to be starting anything new with Seth?2. There was a repeated message that part of a relationship is that the man should buy the woman pretty gifts. Also that the wedding day itself is super important and that lots of money should be spent on it. (I know it would be hard for there to be a wedding planners series if the characters just went and got married at the courthouse on a whim and had a BBQ afterwards, but parts of the story were very entitled.)SPOILERS:3. Why was it so terrible that Seth employed a PI to look into Neil and Clay? Everyone seemed to agree that this was a very very bad idea, but it seemed very sensible to me. Brooke got all hysterical about it and compared Seth not telling her that he was going to find out if Clay could turn up on her doorstep with Clay's years of deception and fraud (he stole her parents' retirement savings for heaven's sake!): "Two men in a row who don't come clean". I'm sorry, but there is NO comparison. 4. And then, after all that, Seth doesn't tell Maya what he has discovered about Neil. What?? What?? Why??5. Finally, after no contact for two months, Seth shows Brooke his new place and she agrees to move in with him right away...At times the story dragged a little; other than looking around potential venues and Brooke and Seth angsting about what they want from each other, not a lot happens. Finally, there were quite a few editing errors, which I assume will get picked up before publication day.