That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump by Julie Christianson: Book Review

  *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

BRADY

Yeah, I shouldn’t have kissed Natalie Slater.

Not on the porch. Or at the beach. Or in the storage closet. Especially not the storage closet. But to be fair, she kissed me first. Six months later, I’m still thinking about it.

Trouble is, I’ve made promises that tie me to our small town, while Natalie can’t wait to escape. I’ve got no business pursuing her or my secret ambitions. My future’s set, and good people here are depending on me. Too bad my gut’s not listening to reason, and I'm being pulled toward different dreams: the career I’ve always wanted, and the woman whose smile I can’t forget…

NATALIE

Brady Graham and I used to be friends. For a while there, I was even the teensiest bit attracted to him. But Brady’s sister is marrying my brother, and my brother is Brady’s best friend. How awkward would family dinners be if things went south? We need to let our mutual attraction fizzle out.

Except…nothing seems to be fizzling. With all the time we’re spending together as Maid of Honor and Best Man, our attraction’s just burning hotter. Then the guy decides to show me his secret soft side. Hot and vulnerable? So. Not. Fair.

Because the only heat I need in my life is the sunshine in Los Angeles. I’ve made commitments on the west coast, and I can’t risk being sidetracked by Broody Brady.

I just need to put three thousand miles between me and his so-not-fairness…

That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump is a grumpy sunshine, standalone romantic comedy in the Time of Your Life series. Each book has crackling chemistry and sizzling kisses, but the romance remains closed-door.

Julie Christianson writes sweet romantic comedies—but only when she’s not reading them. A former English teacher and lapsed marathon runner, Julie lives in Southern California with her one husband, two kids, and three rescue dogs. She’s madly in love with all of them, but there’s not a lot of room on her couch.

To connect with Julie, visit her website juliechristianson.com and follow her on Instagram (@juliechristiansonauthor).

To be honest, this book should have been titled 'That Time I Kissed My Productivity Goodbye'... because from the moment I started, I did not want to put this one down for a moment! 

That Time I Kissed the Groomsman Grump is the second book in the Time of Your Life series. It could definitely be read as a standalone with no problem, but many of the characters from the previous book in this series AND the Apple Valley series make appearances in this one so it might be a good idea to read them first. Also, they're all just great reads anyway! 

We first met Natalie and Brady in the previous book, so I was excited for them to get their own story... and I must say, as much as I enjoyed That Time I Kissed My Brother's Best Friend, I adored this one even more! I love a good use of the grumpy/sunshine trope, and while I'd say Brady was only mildly a grump, I loved it anyway! The chemistry between these two was so enjoyable, and the laughs... so, so good. I found myself smiling and laughing throughout... especially during the rehearsal scene. Oh. My. Goodness. It was certainly the icing on the cake... but you'll have to read it to discover the fun for yourself! 

Overall, an absolutely fantastic read with chemistry-filled kisses, but nothing beyond that. If you enjoy a good romantic comedy, don't miss this one!