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Book Review and New Release: Down the Aisle by Christina Bell (Book 2.5 of the Dare Me series)

Title: Down the Aisle
Author: Christine Bell
Series: Dare Me
Genre: Contemporary romance
Published: 2013
Pages: 125
Format read: ebook
Rating: A-

Down the Aisle is the third book in Christine Bell’s Dare Me series–officially, it’s listed as book 2.5, since it’s a novella that continues the story of Lacey and Galen, the hero and heroine of book one in the series, Down for the Count.

(Which I haven’t read yet. I know, I know–but I own it, and fully intend to read it…soon. It’s definitely moved up the never-ending TBR, as has book two, Down and Dirty. I really can’t wait to read about the “misunderstanding” that Lacey and Galen have with another couple while in Puerto Rico the first time. It’s alluded to in this one, and seriously, it sounds too funny. Where can I get my hands on unlimited time to read? I’ve got a great gift idea: a month of uninterrupted reading time, with all obligations other than reading taken care of. Tropical location a lovely idea, but not required. A “staycation” could work here, if done right. Can I get that? Please? But I digress….)

Lacey Garrity and Galen Thomas are cohabiting, and their wedding day is fast approaching. All is not quite as it appears on the surface, though. They both have been looking forward to starting a family, and soon–only to discover that infertility might be an issue. As the big day looms closer, Lacey and Galen face internal struggles over the issue, both hesitant to broach the topic out loud. Will they be able to face their situation together, strengthening their bond, or will it divide them forever?

Oh, the heartbreaking angst in this one! Watching Lacey try to carry a devastating secret all alone so as not to “ruin” the wedding day and honeymoon for Galen was painful to read. Poor Galen–he can tell that Lacey is pulling away, but doesn’t know exactly why, nor does he know what to do about it. They were killing me with the drama–in a good way. Being a romance novel, I was fairly certain there’d be a HEA of some sort at the end, but yikes, there were some pretty dark moments along the way to it.

Galen has his own secret, though, and that’s what will bring on the happy ending. (Phew!) It was a bit on the short, sweet, and sudden side, but as it’s a novella, that tends to be par for the course. For fans of the series, Down the Aisle will give a satisfying glimpse into the lives of the couples from both books one and two, and show you the direction that book three will be taking. (Can’t wait to read it! Courtney and Rafe’s story sounds like all kinds of smexy fun.) If you haven’t read the rest of the series yet, you’re definitely going to want to–pronto.

In a nutshell: Angsty glimpse into the future lives of series characters. A quick but satisfying ending. A- rating.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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