Smooth as Silk by Alicia Hunter Pace: Hyacinth sticks to her plans. Since her parents never stuck to any plans, she wants to 
assure herself that she is not like them. When it comes to her bridal shop, she runs a tight ship and has backup plans A, B, C for each client she meets to help them find the right dress. She provides the client what they want, which also includes when brides want the complete opposite dress than suits them (like her Great Gatsby bride).
When Robbie sees a bride through the window of Hyacinth’s shop wearing the complete wrong dress for her, he enters the store trying to help the situation. What he doesn’t expect is to spill his chocolate ice cream all over one of the wedding dresses in the store. Already starting off on a bad foot with Hyacinth, he tries to show her that he’s not such a bad guy while traveling to their friends’ parents’ houses for Thanksgiving.
What neither of them knew was that their encounters with the Gatsby bride were recorded and now they are being recruited to be on a reality tv show. Initially unsure, Robbie quickly uses his position to spend more time with Hyacinth. She hesitatingly agrees to go to all of his home games and to dinner afterwards. As they spend more time together, Hyacinth’s walls start to come down. When their relationship finally starts to blossom, the taping puts Hyacinth on edge since she finds that her plans aren’t working. When Hyacinth says that she thought of their relationship as a fling, it pushes Robbie away. Both Hyacinth and Robbie have to face their feelings and determine what they are going to do.
Hyacinth is very closed off to anything out of the norm at the beginning. She wants to follow her routine and not veer off for anything. Robbie brings a part of her out that she didn’t know existed and she enjoys her time with him. When she realizes how unlike herself she has become, she panics. After talking to friends, she realizes how she truly feels about Robbie and puts herself on the line. The growth that she has during the course of the book makes her less robotic and helps her learn to embrace the chaos of the world.
Robbie starts the book seeming like a fun guy who just wants to have a good time. As a professional hockey player, he is used to traveling, meeting women, and enjoying life. As he spends time with Hyacinth, he finds he doesn’t want to go back to his old ways and wants to focus on her. He wants to show Hyacinth that he is focused on her and only her.
Overall the book is written very well. Based on the synopsis, the book took turns that I didn’t see coming. It was very slow going at the beginning, but I really liked it when they started focusing on the relationship more and the upcoming taping. Some of the beginning stuff seemed unnecessary to the story.
Book Info:
Publication: February 22, 2022 | Carina Press | Good Southern Women #2
“A decadent read packed with lovable characters, witty dialogue and a sigh-worthy happily-ever-after that leaves me craving more.” —New York Times bestselling author Rhonda Russell on Sweet as Pie
Hyacinth Dawson’s life runs like clockwork—and she likes it that way. Spreadsheets, lists and plans have never failed her, and now they’re going to help her get her bridal shop on the popular reality TV show All Dressed in White. But it won’t happen unless she can land a celebrity client…maybe one of those new NHL players in town.
Enter Robbie McTavish, a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants Scottish defenseman who can’t help but meddle when he spies a bride in Hyacinth’s shop wearing a completely wrong dress for her figure. Robbie’s family just happens to own the Scottish Highlands’ premier wedding venue, and he knows his way around bustled trains and buttercream frosting—even if his help seems to be less than welcome.
When a video of his infuriating interference goes viral, the TV producers decide to film at Hyacinth’s shop—as long as her “associate” Robbie is part of the package. Opposites might attract, but as far as Hyacinth’s concerned, no amount of chemistry is worth the way this particular plus-one threatens to blow up her carefully laid plans…
Good Southern Women
Book 1: Sweet as Pie
Book 2: Smooth as Silk
