Maid without Honor: An Age Gap, Best Friend's Dad, Billionaire Romance (Forbidden Promises)

After two delays, the airline has now canceled, Samantha (Sam) Rutledge's flight, to her hometown, Charleston permanently. Meaning she has spent the whole day, at the airport for nothing. As if the day, is not bad enough it’s, Valentine’s Day. Not that she has a man waiting on her, to come home or anything. So, she heads over to the popular coffee shop she gets, an iced coffee black, and a donut, of course, getting the heart-shaped one.Moving to the coffee station to doctor her drink with sugar. While standing there she immediately regrets taking a bite of the donut. She grimaces because it is already stale when she hears a deep clear voice say, “That bad, huh?” She did notice him, earlier at the gate in the way too early hours, of the morning. Being the workaholics that they are, both are on their computers. Both stayed up, as others disappeared to get more comfortable, elsewhere. He had caught her attention time and again.She couldn't get over how his coat and steel watch cost more than some people's rent. Yet, his Eagle’s T-shirt has been lovingly worn and washed repeatedly. His hair is more silver than gray, but his face is youthful looking. His winning smile about bold her over, she stopped scrunching her nose and smiled back. It’s not fresh it tastes about a week old. Being Valentine's Day, and all, you would think it would be fresh. They must be shipping in all the old stuff from other shops, he replied. Then he asks if she wants cream.They move in sync as if being around each other, always. After trading off the sugar, and creamers, the introductions of first names only, came about. He tells her he is, Jude, and she tells him, she is, Samantha. Telling him most people call her, Sam. With her witty sense of humor, she starts joking with him. He asks if she wants to share the last table. She agrees. He told her he was in NY on business and she told him she had been there to shop. She had been traveling and needed new clothes.They both realize it's Feb 14th and they felt like they were on a bad snow-induced time loop. Jude rallies and says they should try and break the cycle. He gets his phone and calls someone. He steals the donut telling her his suite is still available so they can eat at a great restaurant. She wanted to know if he was inviting her to go to a hotel room with him. Lordy, what did they put in the coffee? He laughed again, brighter and warming her.Their meet-cute was easy and unassuming. It was to be two people who meet under stressful conditions, what they felt was more. Not that they shared that with each other. But, when they both end up at his daughter’s engagement party, with her as one of her maids of honor, life gets interesting. There is so much going on, in this book. The Southern mamas, all the girls must contend with are bad enough, but then add their snooty friends, OH, HELL NO! Then there is, Thad, he is a piece of work. I can’t believe, Tucker still allowed him to stand up for him, after all the hurt he caused at the rehearsal dinner. This is a constantly moving book, a very good one, too.

Best friends since kindergarten—Samantha, Delilah and Cassidy—now adults in their mid 20’s, had each successfully followed her childhood dream into adulthood. Samantha—Sam—had always been curious about the world beyond the environs of Charleston, SC, and so her skill in writing computer code allowed her to work remotely from anywhere in the world that had Internet access. Delilah had achieved her dream of owning her own business with the opening of her successful and popular wine store and bar, and Cassidy was back in kindergarten, but now, as the teacher.Now, the friends are again gathering to celebrate a new milestone. Cassidy Goldwyn is planning a summer wedding to her boyfriend since high school, Tucker, who has completed his residency in pediatrics. And, as the three childhood friends plan to gather, they anticipate summer weeks in each others' company, preparing and participating in events leading up to the celebration of Cassidy and Tucker’s wedding.So, as Sammy Rutledge, a beauty with blonde curls and golden-brown almond-shaped eyes, heads home to Charleston from spending weeks working and travelling in Greece and Portugal, she anticipates a brief layover in New York City to shop, seeking cute looks for the days of celebration in Charleston. What she hadn’t anticipated was a late season spring snowstorm slowing by several days her homeward journey. And, what Sammy certainly hadn’t anticipated was meeting and connecting with a handsome older man in his mid-40’s.The handsome man with blue-grey eyes and hair that looked more silver than dark awakened something in Sammy that she hadn’t felt in forever. And, as she tried to casually observe the attractive older man, she cast her eyes on the 40-something man’s face which seemed so youthful, with classic strong cheekbones, shadowed by a night’s facial scruff. And over the hours as they awaited their flight being cleared for takeoff, they began to talk over drinks at the bar.And when the shared flight was officially cancelled, the man—Jude—made a quick call to the boutique hotel which he always booked when in NYC. Having only left hours earlier for the intended flight to Charleston, SC, he confirmed that they still had his usual suite available.So, when Jude realizes that Samantha, his new airport acquaintance, had no plans for the layover, he invited her to share his suite—in her own room—until the weather cleared and their flights could resume. What the two new acquaintances never imagined was that they were headed to the same location for the same event, and that they both shared a close relationship with the bride-to-be.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I look forward to following the adventures of bridesmaid Delilah and groomsman Owen.

Interesting story. Jude and Sam met when their flights were cancelled in NYC. Little did they know the connection that Jude was the father of Sam’s best friend. They had not met previously since Jude lived in CA and her best friend live in SC. But they knew they needed to be together but how to break the news.

It was a good book but it just felt too long and at the end I just finished it to find out what happen between Jude and Sam. It just took to long for the truth to come out lol. I really enjoy Jude and Sam story and the friendship between the best friend Cass, Sam and Delilah were very lovely.

A lovely age gap best friend’s father story. It kept me interested right from the start just wondering how it would work out and if a big dust up would be the result. Glad it all worked out

Love a story that flows seamlessly because it is well written and has great characters you can relate to. It draws you in and you are wrapped into its very fabric until the end. Then you feel you are missing a friend.