Until recently, I equated Amy Clipston with Amish romance, which is not my thing. We can possibly blame my Mennonite upbringing for that. I’m not sure. When I discovered she had also written several contemporary romances (I don’t actually consider Amish to be contemporary, no matter when it is set, but that’s another story), I thought I would give one a try. Thomas Nelson was offering With This Ring for review via Netgalley, and I asked for a copy. I read it just after the new year, when I was finally done with my 2024 Christmas reading spurt!
Dakota thought she had left her dreams of happily-ever-after behind, along with the pain of a broken engagement to her high school sweetheart, Hudson. Now, as the proud owner of Fairytale Bridal Shop in the picturesque town of Flowering Grove, she’s built a life and a business on helping brides find their perfect dress for their own fairytale weddings. But running a small business is not for the faint of heart, and when her ex-fiancé unexpectedly returns to town with a mission—to put a stop to his sister’s wedding—Dakota’s problems go from bad to worse.
Hudson Garrity should be living his dream. After selling his software company, he’s single, handsome, and rich, but an unexpected call from his baby sister has him flying down to his hometown, determined to protect Layla from yet another big mistake. Though he’s single-minded in his effort to derail the nuptials, he instead finds himself thrown into family chaos and roped into helping his sister with her plans . . . bringing him once more into contact with Dakota Jamison, the one who got away.
For Hudson, coming home means revisiting his painful childhood, repairing a strained relationship with his sister, and coming face-to-face with the woman he never stopped loving. For Dakota, it means confronting the tender memories she buried deep within her heart. As Layla’s wedding date draws close, the two reunited lovers begin to question if what went wrong between them really happened the way they remembered it at all. Will they continue believing the lies they’ve told themselves, or will they remain forever entangled in the threads of what could have been?
As the story opened, I felt sorry for Dakota. There had been a flood in her bridal shop, her insurance didn’t seem to be coming through, and she was struggling to recoup her losses. Tragic circumstances, for sure. Her bright point is her teenage niece who helps in the shop after school and shares her teen drama with her favorite aunt. But it’s still a pretty doom-and-gloom situation. Even the small fixer-upper she’s scraped to buy is in a major state of disrepair. In her brief memory of her high-school sweetheart, Hudson, early in the story, we only see bitterness. Perhaps to be expected.
We switch to NYC, where Hudson and his partner are wrapping up the sale of their software company and considering future options. He’s lived the dream for the past decade, going from a disadvantaged orphan to a mega-rich businessman. And… there’s no evidence this hasn’t all gone to his head. When his younger sister calls, all excited about her recent engagement, Hudson decides to return to the small town where he grew up to stop Layla’s wedding. He only hopes not to run into Dakota again.
Of course, he does. She’s in the wedding business. But Hudson… I tried to like him, but I really struggled. He is so pompous, certain he knows what is best for his sister, their aunt, and everyone else. He is exceptionally rude to the girl’s fiancé. I just… couldn’t, with Hudson.
By this stage, Dakota’s niece has some ideas for helping rebuild the bridal business, but she shuts the teen down. Dakota knows best and is sure the girl’s ideas won’t work. But the situation becomes more dire.
Hudson and Dakota run into each other a few times and it becomes apparent that their memories of their long-ago breakup are different. Which version is correct? That question kept me reading when I nearly didn’t.
The writing was solid. The descriptions excellent. The small town came to life around me. I adored Dakota’s teen niece. Readers who love the “rich man swoops in to save the day” trope may love With This Ring.
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