REVIEW: I Do With You by Lauren Landish

I Do With You by Lauren Landish:Hope Barlowe has always had her entire life all planned out, and for the most part she was right on track. Well that is until the day of her dream wedding to her high school sweetheart, something just didn’t feel right to Hope, which is how she finds herself pulling a runaway bride, running straight for the woods and into the arms of a hot tattooed hiker.

Escaping to the wilderness was supposed to be the break that musician Ben Taylor needed to find his inspiration again and really just unplug from all the drama that comes with trying to make it in the music industry. So you could definitely say that finding a runaway bride just days into his three week long trip was definitely not on his agenda, but there is just something about the beautiful Hope that sparks something in Ben, for the first time in a long time he feels inspired and it is all thanks to the beautiful blue eyed Hope that he cant help but find himself falling for… however not everyone is thrilled to see Hope and Ben together, with the entire town of Maple Creek talking… the two of them need to figure out what is their next step and fast.

I love small town romance and I think it is safe to say that Maple Creek is one of the cutest places to fall in love, well that is when all the townsfolk are not against you… I loved reading I Do With You, this cute and sassy runaway bride style romcom was the prefect combination of cute, sassy and a bit steamy. As always Landish does a brilliant job in captivating her readers right from the very first chapter and keeping up wanting more right until the very end.

I loved all the characters in this book the Barlowe clan was just a hoot, I loved all the antics that they got up to and all of their witty one liners. I just have to say that I loved Joy to bits, this girl so needs her book and Im so glad that Landish has already got it in the works! Now on to our leading couple, I really liked Hope, while she did come across as if she was having a bit of a midlife crisis, I really couldn’t fault her for wanting more and not wanting to settle. I liked that she was self aware enough to realise a life with Roy would have been a check in her life plan but not true happiness and I am glad that she realised this before she wasted to much time. I did enjoy getting to see her grow and kind of let go of all her careful plans while with Ben, this was a nice change for her. Now for our hero, well there is just something about musicians that makes them just that much more appealing and this was very much the case with Ben, while he doesn’t openly admit that he is a musician at first we get to see hoe Hope bring inspiration into him. While Hope is trying to figure out what she wants in life, Ben too is dealing with some of this own issues and I really enjoyed getting to see them support each other through it all.

The chemistry between these two was just perfection. There was banter, tension and a good amount of steam. As much as I loved the spiciness of their relationship, I loved the emotional connection that they developed just a bit more. While Hope had always assumed that she wanted the prefect story book love story, it took meeting Ben to realise that what she really needed was a love that was raw and true and that happiness doesn’t always come clean cut and neat. While I really liked that Hope provided the light that Ben had so desperately needed to lift him out of a heavy dark place. While their romance might be a bit instalove, I liked how it tied into this story, it just felt right for them and at the end it worked. As for Roy, well as much as he was a bit of a spoilt brat, I did feel a bit sorry for him. I mean its not easy being left at the alter or having to see you ex loafing around town with her new man all loved up.

All in all I really enjoyed reading I Do With You, this small town, good girl falls for the bad boy romance was cute, sweet and a bit spicy. A total must read if you ask me. Now I can not wait to get to read Joys book next!

Book Info:

Publication: November 12, 2024 | Montlake | Maple Creek #1

Hope Barlowe is a vow away from a lakeside wedding to her high school sweetheart. Next, check off her follow-up two kids, a dog, a home, and a happy ever after. But suddenly, ever after seems like a very long time. Instead of saying I do, Hope thinks I can’t and bolts for the woods—right into the unpredictable life of a handsome tattooed hiker.

Days into a three-week getaway, struggling musician Ben Taylor is in search of inspiration. He never thought he’d find a bride stumbling through the bramble. Right away her sweet baby blues, confounding dilemma, and spirited independence strike a chord. Ben has found his muse, and he’s falling fast. Hope is finding something just as important—herself.

Soon enough Hope and Ben have all of Maple Creek talking—and divided. Where do they go from here? If Hope has learned anything, it’s that happiness is more than a checklist, and dreams can change in a heartbeat.