The Best Man

I am a huge Kristan Higgins fan and couldn't wait for this book. The Best Mas did not disappoint me! Levi and Faith's story is heartwarming and very funny. I love it when a book makes me literally laugh out loud. If you enjoy a good romance with some quirky characters thrown in, you will love this book!

3.5 out of 5 stars. I meant what I said ... it's heartwarming and a very sweet book about how love can heal the soul. Yet I didn't completely expect to be crying so much while reading it. =0P

Review By: From Me to You ... Book Reviews
-- read more of this review on my blog: frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com --

I like my fiction with some facts, and this book kept distracting me with repeated mentions of how the main character was a diagnosed epileptic her whole life. Ummm, she wouldn't be driving herself around in the real world, because in the states I'm familiar with you would never be issued a driver's license if you have seizures as portrayed in this book, because you don't ALWAYS know that you're about to have a seizure and you would kill someone while driving. I can't suspend my disbelief when this medical condition is a main plot theme repeatedly mentioned throughout the entire book.

Beyond that it jumped ALL OVER. I'm 12, I'm 30, I'm 19, I'm 12 again, I'm 25, I'm 30 again, I'm 12 again, I'm 30 AGAIN.

I didn't enjoy the resolution of the story. When people have such deep, life-long animosity and then suddenly love one another - check please!

I was disappointed in this book. It never grabbed my interest. I kept reading, hoping it would get better, but it never did. It was full of sarcasm, which I didn't enjoy. There was a love story in there, but it just bored me.

This is my first, and probably my last, book by Kristan Higgins. It was incredibly boring. I was thinking surely it was almost over, but I was really only at 20%! It was all just - too much. Too much about the bickering grandparents, the sister with the sex-crazed husband, the sister with the secret boyfriend, the clueless dad, the girl who didn't like her in school. I would have preferred much more about her and Levi than all the other stuff I got. I also didn't feel much between her and Levi. There just wasn't a love story here for me. This was almost a DNF, but I just kept hoping it would get better.

I have just discovered Kristan Higgins, and where has she been all my life? And why hasn't she written dozens of books so I don't have to go back to the ones I've already read? Sort of kidding about the latter, but this is the best romance writer I have read in a very long time. Sympathetic characters, standard plots (meaning happy endings), but surprises too, and best of all, laugh out loud funny. The writing is graceful, and the jokes are unexpected. There is no greater gift a writer can give than make me laugh out loud. Plus, I got to cry too, especially in Catch of the Day. The Next Best Thing covers some difficult terrain, regarding young widowhood. The situation isn't created just to give drama to the character, but is explored intelligently. Read any Kristin Higgins book if you like happy endings, laughs, and to have your heart strings tugged.

Witty, quirkey, flawed, funny, and loveable characters always make for a great read! Kristan Higgins always delivers, and The Best Man is as good as it gets. Those of you who have never read Kristan Higgins, but are romance fans, stop and buy this book...you won't be sorry!

This was the first book that I read by Kristan Higgins and I was so pleased with her writing style that I purchased all of her other books. They are all good, but The Best Man was my favorite. Her characters are witty, real, and had me laughing out loud. I'm so glad that I found this endearing book and it's author.

I have to say with this book I was a little bored.
Not a great relationship between the heroine and hero, they just kept going and going in circles around each other and never really getting anywhere until the last chapter.
I was more interested in the heroines sister then I was in her.
She was way more descriptive then she needed to be. There was hardly REAL conversation between the heroine and the hero. all they basically did through out the whole book was sit on a couch and stare at a television!
Also the black widows were just dumb.
This book as a whole was just a tad bit boring to me.
I hope her next one is better.

I have a love-hate relationship with Kristan Higgins. I've read them all, and I'm sure I'll continue to read anything she writes in the future. But. There's always a "but," different for each book. The last one, "Too Good to be True," was definitely her best so far, so I had high hopes for "The Next Best Thing." And it does have a lot going for it. For one thing, I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day. The characters are compelling, and the idea of getting over a marriage that seemed perfect is heartwrenching. But. :-)

The quick summary: Lucy's marriage to Jimmy, the love her of her life, ended after just eight months when he was killed in a car accident. Five years later, when her sister has a baby, she decides she's ready to re-enter the dating scene because she wants children of her own. This involves breaking off her "friends with benefits" arrangement with Ethan, Jimmy's brother, who has been her rock and best friend for years. I confess I've never suffered through the death of a husband, so maybe I'm not the best judge here, but Lucy's utter devotion to her dead spouse FIVE YEARS LATER seemed overdone to me. I could completely sympathize with her reluctance to begin dating again, and her inability to visit his grave rang true. But two-thirds of the way through the book, she is still breaking down into broken-hearted sobs on almost a daily basis. She is unable to have the simplest experience with another man without comparing it to the wonder that was her marriage with Jimmy. She still watches their wedding video so often that she leaves it in the DVD player. She just seemed pathetic to me. I skimmed through about a third of the book, partly because it didn't seem believable, but mainly because I felt so sorry for Ethan.

And as others have said, it's hard to understand Ethan, anyway, because he never really gets to have his say. He's a very likable, nice guy, and I thought it was a nice change for a romantic hero that he wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, just a nice looking guy. But as far as we know, other than a two-month affair with Parker (who ends up being Lucy's best friend), he hasn't ever had another girlfriend in the eight or so years he's known Lucy. Which seemed a little unbelievable. And what was the deal with the whole town letting her win her softball games because they felt sorry for her? Sure, the season after Jimmy's death, that would be sweet. But five years later, it's insulting. The more I thought about all the little details after I put the book down, the less sense I could make of it.

It does have a good ending. Lucy finally learns to be a little more realistic about her first marriage and comes to truly value Ethan. But the whole thing would have worked better for me if it had been three years since Jimmy's death instead of five. Or if it needed to be five years, if Lucy wasn't still so hung up on him. It's a great read if you're spending a day on airplanes and in airports, but not much more than that. In fact, if you haven't read "Too good to be True," just skip this one and read that instead.

This book was annoying and offensive in multiple ways. I can't count how many times the word 'slut' came up, with a few 'whore's to change it up a bit. Anyone who isn't exactly like the main characters is bad news and described in disgusting terms. This includes quite a few paragraphs where Faith, trying to find her dad a girlfriend, doesn't realize the woman she's screening is transgender. The author clearly thinks the dropped clues are HILARIOUS; Faith learns the truth when her friend sends her a text saying "she-male", which is where I gave up on the book. I did keep reading far enough to see Faith's family have a great laugh over how insane it was for a trans person to be in their reality, including her brother yelling, "it's a man!" No, Kristin Higgins, it's not a man. You're just an ass.

First time to leave a review and just saying..... I laughed. I cried. I adored this story. I am so glad someone recommended Kristan to me. Got the book this morning and read it straight through. The best kind of read in my book. Enjoy!

This is the first book by Ms. Higgins I've read and probably my last. I cannot understand where all the 4 and 5 stars came from. Oh where to begin. First I could not finish it, so maybe some might think this is not an actual review. Maybe not, but I tried real hard to finish the book and managed to get about 40% of it read when finally, I gave up. First there was no Hero or heroine as one would think. And the list goes on. Faith was left at the alter for a very good reason and the best man was the one to tell her.

Here's my problems. A romance in my opinion is suppose to be about H/h falling in love, overcoming any problems that come up with a few surrounding characters adding to the storyline, and then an HEA. This story is about a whole town of characters...some mean, some stupid, some conniving and the list goes on and on. After reading 40% of the book, the H & h had not even talked yet. Finally the stupid scene when the so called heroine accidently flushed her sweater down the commode, I said enough is enough.

Everything was disjointed and I don't believe that is the way to make a story interesting. If you want to read a good story about a bride being jilted, read Ms. Reid's Marriage on the Rebound. Now that is a 5 star read.

Good reading all.

FYI: I couldn't believe this, but this "sorry" book is considered one of the 10 best romance books of the year according to the the store count. Still don't understand why.

Yes - if this were a gory thriller I'd say she was too stupid to live. I suppose most of the positive reviews for this book come from readers who like fluffy, stupid female leads. Or from people who find the antics of fluffy, stupid women funny. I don't. I like lead characters with at least a little substance, and this one has NONE. She's just irritating.

Faith has essentially lived her life as a clueless piece of fluff, and hasn't show any personal growth. About the time she flushes her sweater down the toilet in the bathroom of a bar, and tries to climb out the window of the bathroom getting stuck in the process, I just couldn't read any more. Irritatingly stupid, stupid, stupid.

Levi, now the Sheriff, has known her since high school, and very accurately has her pegged as a stupid piece of fluff. No telling why he changes his mind, because she's now just an aging stupid piece of fluff, and there's nothing attractive about that.

My Review:
Confession....this book is a re-read for me. I discovered Kristan Higgins books way early in her career. I'm thinking she only had 2-3 books out when I read her the first time. I love every single one of her books, but this one is definitely at the top of her releases list for me. As a result, when I saw it on one of my review lists because of the re-release, I jumped at the chance to do a re-read, especially since I never wrote a proper review for it the first time around.

This book is about Lucy and Ethan. They've been best friends ever since they met at culinary college. In fact, it was Ethan who introduced her to the love of her life, Jimmy, Ethan's older brother. BUT, the women in Lucy's family are cursed....they are all widows because their husbands died young. Lucy didn't escape that curse and her husband, Jimmy, died only 8 months after they were married in a car accident. She's mourned him in the 5 1/2 years since...and Ethan has been there every step of the way, supporting her and providing her with a friends with benefits relationship the last couple of years.

But when Lucy's sister has a baby, things change for Lucy. She wants a husband and family...she just needs that husband to be someone that she won't fall desperately in love with because she can't go through the heartache of loss again. That rules Ethan out...first of all, he is Jimmy's brother. No one would understand, but second of all, she could really fall in love with him if she allowed herself to, but she's just not willing to risk it. So she calls off their arrangement. She can't find another man and still have sex with Ethan. But Ethan is hiding things from her.

The book is told entirely from Lucy's POV and she honestly doesn't really see Ethan. Well, she does, but she is in denial and refuses to see him and how deep his feelings really are for her. As a reader, there are moments in this book that you just want to shake Lucy. Ethan is so absolutely perfect for her and she's destroying herself by trying to stay away from him. It's heartbreaking. She thinks she's saving herself in the long run, but she's just making it hurt all that much more. She's so focused on the love that she had for Jimmy, that she doesn't see the feelings she has right in front of her. And the glimpses you see of Ethan's pain are just shattering.

But this is a Kristan Higgins book which means that even among the heartache are tons of laughs and giggles. Seriously, I love the way that she writes her books. They are absolutely full of angst, but her heroines are real women with all the self-depricating, roll your eyes antics that keep you giggling all the way through the tears. This book is absolutely one of my favorites of hers. Ethan adores Lucy, but he's not willing to let her trample his heart to have her and I loved that about him. Everything Lucy is doing is killing him just as much as it is her, but he's stood by her for years. He's reached his limit for pain. I loved him and how much he loved her, but even more, for how much he loved and respected himself. When Lucy can't step up, he steps away and it's brutal, but right.

It's a fabulous book and I HIGHLY recommend it. It also sets up for Parker's story who absolutely has my top pick for Kristan Higgins books, Somebody to Love. But honestly, you will NEVER go wrong with any of Kristan Higgins books. They are emotional, but I promise you that you will giggle through the tears and for me, that simply makes a perfect read!

Compared to the dreary The Perfect Match, this was awesome. Okay, readable.

The h is dumped at her wedding when the best man pushes the groom to make his big confession: he's gay! The sweet couple had been the cutest high school couple, and everyone is shocked at the fallout. She beat feet for the bright lights of San Francisco and who could blame her.

Three years later and the h is back in town. She needs to get over the past, see her ex-fiancee who is still, at heart, her best friend, glare at the evil H who stirred her fiancee up, and get a life. A life would include actually having sex with a heterosexual man. Apparently the move to SF didn't resolve that pesky problem.

SPOILER. She is not a virgin. Her fiancee managed to have sex with her if he could picture Justin Timberlake in his white hoodie. OUCH! (End spoiler)]

The H is now the sheriff in town and is so reserved both as a hero and as a written character it's hard to get a handle on him. The author says he loves/lusts for the heroine so I just went with it.

Unlike most of these jilting stories, the original fiancee is not a creep other than the Timberlake confession. He and the heroine connect again as friends, and I actually teared up, yes weepy eyes, at his confession at the wedding. Sounds like the heroine is not the only one who needs to get a life.

Lots of secondary characters, an awesome dog, and it reads like a cutesy rom-com. It is saved by its realistic depiction of small town life (the heroine is confronted with townspeople constantly asking "Are you doing okay?" and "Have you recovered from the humiliation of being dumped at the altar?" Yes, thanks for asking!). It also touches on some serious issues like the h's epilepsy and her mother's death.

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins is a sweet yet steady contemporary romance. I enjoyed the themes of friendship, family, and forgiving. Other themes were widowhood, death, and grief. I cannot imagine loosing a loved one or how I would be able to move forward from that kind of loss. But with family and friends, anything is possible. But the character has to be willing to let down her guard and accept fate.

Lucy Lang has always wanted marriage and kids. But she lost her husband not too long after they married. That left Lucy alone, miserable, and widowed. She felt like widowhood is a curse in her family. Every woman older than her has lost their husbands. Widowhoodseems to be their curse. Except most of them were able to have kids before they lost their loved ones. Unlike alucy who has nothing but memories to hold of her late husband. It's been years and she still cannot let go. Until Lucy's younger sister gives birth to a baby. Holding the baby made Lucy want more in life.

Her plan is to find someone to love her and give her what she wants in a partner. But she does not want to fall in love with the man.

There's nothing more fun than watching a perfect plan go to pieces.

Ethan is the younger brother of Lucy's late husband. Ethan and Lucy got along well, in fact, too well. Until the moment Lucy held her sister's baby, their perfect no strings attached relationship ends. Lucy tells Ethan that they cannot have sex anymore because she wants to find a husband. Ethan has loved Lucy for a long time. Lucy has never realized that nor does she until it's almost too late...

Cutting off their relationship and trying to be just friends is tough. Ethan starts to treat Lucy like a regular everyday chic. Lucy feels like Ethan has dumped her...but it was her who dumped him. When he starts hanging around women, the jealousy breaks out.

Lucy loves Ethan but thinks he isn't perfect for her.

Ethan has been therefor Lucy every time and always.

When Lucy starts to date men, things get funny. Some men are just not that great of a match. Both Ethan and Lucy have jealous issues and are starting to realize what they had...or could have if they open up to each other.

The Next Best Thing is funny, sad, and real. Some parts made me laugh so hard while other moments I cried my eyes out. There was always this strong push and pull between Lucy and Ethan. I could not get enough of them and their craziness. Lucy gets into so much trouble that Ethan has to come save her butt every time. He was the closet thing to a perfect knight in shinning armor. Cheesy, feel good, and romantic...this novel almost reminded me of The Big Fat Greek Wedding movie. Overall, I recommend this contemporary romance to all.

I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

The Next Best Thing is book #2 in Gideon's Cove Series. IMO, the book just had to much "STUFF". The story was drawn out and the angst lead me to shaking my head and wanting to smack Lucy. It did have a HEA and the ending was this books saving grace...

Lucy Mirabelli, has been a widow for 5 years and with the birth of her niece she decides it's time to get remarried. But first she has to "break-up" with her "Buddy With Benefits," former brother in law, Ethan Mirabelli. Lucy has decided that it is important that this time around that the man she marries won't inspire her to love with her whole heart. So, if he happens to die she won't suffer the loss as tragically as she did before. Her life seems full with her cat, Fat Mikey and the Black Widows that she works with at the family Bakery but she must give up one to get the other.
Ethan Mirabelli, has hid the fact that he has loved Lucy from the start but he isn't going anywhere. He knows he must convince her the he is what she needs and wants. His parents call him the next best thing. Now it's time to prove to everyone that he really is....

Faith has lived with a secret since she was 12 years old. It has colored the way she has seen her life and the way she feels other people see her. Then on her wedding day, at the alter, Jeremy's best man, Levi drags Faith and Jeremy to the church basement. He does this so that Jeremy can admit he is gay. Jeremy loves Faith and has loved her since he met her. He simply is not in romantic love with her. I believe one of the things he loves about Faith is her large family.
Levi has become the chief of police. He grew up in a trailer park in town. He went to Afghanistan four times and was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery. He is Jeremy's best friend and when he cares for someone or something, he truly cares. He cares for his little sister, the town of Manningsport, his best friend Jeremy, and being a regular good guy. He cares about being chief of police and doing the best job he can do. If he needs to belly crawl under a porch to save a chicken's life, so be it. The most dangerous part of his job seems to be not being drawn into compromising positions by women who find him a sexy guy.
When Faith returns to Manningsport from San Francisco, she is on a mission. Actually she is on several missions. Her first goal is to find a wife for her father. He is a widower who seems to have been sucked into the orbit of a gold digger who would like to sell everything she sees. Nothing is safe, not the land, not collector perfume bottles, not the family silver. Faith also plans to create a party destination in the old stone barn on the winery property. At the same time, she needs to make peace with Jeremy.
This is a wonderful book. There is a small town filled with quirky characters. And there is Faith's family. Her father is a gentle man who loves his children, misses his wife and takes pride in his winery. Faith is the youngest of 4 children. Her entire life she was treated as though she were special. In fact, she is special in many ways. One of those ways is her epilepsy. She has been having seizures since she was a child and she has learned to deal with them. She is also special because of her strong desire to please everyone around her. That quality and her inner conversations with herself have helped her keep herself just a wee bit distant from everyone.
This book is a well developed story. I would expect nothing less from Ms Higgins. She writes with tender care for her characters and a well developed sense of humor. It is evident that everyone who populates her books is a person who is a complete human being. She creates a place where life is not always easy, but it is always entertaining and interesting.
The relationship which develops between Faith and Levi takes a meandering trip from terminal dislike for one another to very strong lust. They learn about one another and as they do, the humor and challenge in their encounters keeps the reader invested in finding what happens next.
The secondary characters add a great deal to the story. Jeremy is a wonderfully supportive character. Faith's best friend Colleen is a dangerous woman who is a hoot. At times, I got tired of the grandparents. Their animosity seemed to be very constant and not always fun.
If you have never read a book by Kristan Higgins, this would be a good start. It is part of a series, but it works beautifully as a stand alone read.
And after you read the story, you can probably catch a bus to Manningsport. The Opera House is the only apartment building in town, so you better hope they have a vacancy.

Ahh....the enemies to lovers trope. I loved it!! There were so many great things about this book: watching the romance develop, the fully fleshed-out characters, the humor, the secret that Faith carries and how it affects her life with her family, her relationship with Jeremy, Faith’s adorable dog, Blue, and the surprise visitor who shows up in Manningsport and threatens to destroy everything. It all kept the plot moving. I enjoyed every component of the story. Kristan Higgins’s stories are like a jigsaw puzzle; a lot of little pieces that need to come together to form a complete picture. How she manages to reconstruct those pieces so effectively is what has me coming back for more.

I loved this book. It will make you laugh (I cracked up at the ladies’ verbal jabs at poor Levi), it will make you sad, it will have you rooting for the underdog. But in the end you will feel gratified that you’ve spent time with the Blue Heron family of characters. Definitely recommended for lovers of romance.

This wasn't anywhere near as good as the first book in this series. It wasn't until at least half way through that I truly got into the book. And it wasn't until I finished the book and read the blurb for the next book that I figured out why it's even considered a Gideon's Cove book. Fair warning, they never mention Gideon's Cove or any of its inhabitants through this whole story.

I saw in other reviews that some people had issues with the brother-in-law aspect of this story. That was not an issue for me at all. Lucy was friends with Ethan before she even knew his brother and she was really not married a super long time. So for that, I say get over it.

But Lucy took so long to open her eyes that I lost patience long before Ethan did. Plus, the way the Black Widows overruled her and talked over her at every turn and she never really stood up for herself got tiring. Add to that the dynamics between Ethan and his parents and I was a bit depressed by this book.

The thing is, I think this is a very good story. It's touching and delves into a sticky situation. Yet I was expecting something much more upbeat and feel good than what I got. I imagine if I would have went into it knowing it was such a raw and emotional book I may have viewed it differently. Just be prepared that HEA in this case means there's not much happy involved until the very end.

When I originally read this book, I thought it was a charming love story. The main story itself is nice. In fact, I have one of my stories set in this part of New York because of this book.

But as time has gone on since I've read it, I've come to realize the author does a disservice to the trans community. One of the older male figures starts dating again, and a trans woman answers his dating profile and agrees to meet him. This is all treated like a joke with that person as the butt of it. This comes across as acceptable to the author instead of held to the lens of "Don't be a bad human being like this."

For that reason, I can't ultimately recommend this book. It leaves a very bad aftertaste when you actually know better.

JOINT REVIEW BY EMILY AND KINDLE GAL

EMILY: So, without further ado...let's open this up by discussing our heroine, Lucy Lang, the youngest Hungarian Black Widow in her family. I know, sounds ominous, right? Lucy was widowed shortly after her marriage to Jimmy Mirabelli. We meet her five years after Jimmy's death with a HILARIOUS opening scene that had me mentally watching a tennis ball lob between Lucy, her two widowed aunts and widowed mother (who are Hungarian and had the maiden name Black, thus the Hungarian Black Widow titling), and her over-protective sister, Corinne. The banter and squabble amongst this group directly following the birth of Lucy's niece made me laugh and snort loud enough to wake the hubs. From chin whiskers to their family psychic, I instantly liked Lucy, her hilarious internal dialogue, and her zany family.

KINDLE GAL: I couldn't agree more and this scene, among others in the book, highlight one of my favorite aspects of Kristan Higgins's writing: characters that are quirky as hell in situations and conversations that are snort-out-loud hilarious. Hers are books you do not want to be reading while drinking something fizzy. (Diet Coke does NOT feel good in the nasal cavity. Just sayin'...)

As hilarious and zany as Lucy's family is, and as much as I felt for her having to listen to their incessant chatter while they all worked together at the bakery, I had a really hard time connecting with Lucy. For 95% of the book (and I am not exaggerating), she is mooning over her dead husband. Now before y'all start throwing stones at me for being insensitive, I'm well aware of how heartless that sounds. In fact, I'd be reading along, getting all pissy at Lucy for comparing everything that moved to her beloved St. Jimmy, when I'd mentally chastise myself. Thankfully, I don't know what it's like to lose a spouse. I kept trying to put myself in her shoes when I'd get frustrated with something she said or did (or didn't say or didn't do), and it helped...a little. But being the demanding reader that I am, Lucy was just too "stuck" for too long for me to really like and respect her.

EM: Oh no - you didn't just go there! Just remember, y'all - despite this being a joint review, KG actually said it and is the heartless one! ☺ But I gotta `fess up - honestly, I felt the same way. Yes, I know Lucy is sad and has a legitimate reason for her depression, but it was hard to totally take it seriously amongst all the humorous encounters she has with the men she tries to date in her quest to find a new husband - one she has no intention of loving as much as St. Jimmy, because she doesn't want to get hurt again. The grab-happy gym teacher? The blind date with Mr. Spray Paint Hair? Seriously, Higgins is a genius with these characters.

And all along, there is Ethan Mirabelli, St. Jimmy's brother. He essentially takes care of Lucy and helps her cope with Jimmy's death. I totally fell for Ethan - snarky and kind of naughty, yet über patient and kind. My mental picture of Ethan is a little bit Robert Downey Jr., a little bit Orlando Bloom - which equates to a lotta hot, right?

So I guess I'll go there too - midway through this book, I actually started to think Lucy did not deserve Ethan. When have I ever not rooted for the hero and heroine? I mean c'mon, Ethan is all kinds of fantastic, right??

KG: Ha ha! See, everyone? Emily is heartless too. (Whew!)

Yes, Ethan IS all kinds of fantastic. And wow, I like your mental image of him! Although I will say the new cover has a pretty fine version of Ethan too.

Ethan can charm the pants off of anyone, is loyal to a fault, can cook like nobody's business, has a fantastic sense of humor and makes appropriate fun of Lucy and her frequent absurdness (as he should), and to top it all off, he's an amazing single father to the most adorable kid. Gah! Seriously, what's not to love? Nothing. Which is exactly Lucy's problem--she's afraid Ethan is someone she could totally love, and she doesn't want that anymore. She had that already and look where she ended up. Plus, there's that pesky little detail of him being her former brother-in-law. That's her mentality, and I get it, I totally do. But when this amazing guy is basically standing in front of her the ENTIRE BOOK and she never really "sees" him, quite frankly, it does make one think she doesn't deserve him. Not that I ever felt that way--okay, I totally did, but you said it first!

In all honesty, I wasn't sure Higgins could pull off the happily-ever-after. And if I'm being brutally honest, if it weren't for my curiosity of how it was going to end up and the awesomeness of the secondary characters, I maybe would have even DNF'ed this book. Eep!

EM: Holy Toledo - you contemplated a DNF?? Bite your tongue. I would have finished this one for the food porn alone. Lucy's habit of baking amazing desserts into the middle of the night kept me craving sweets the entire read. But while I personally can't fathom not finishing a book, I get what you mean. There seemed to be more excuses and delays by Lucy as the book went on - but it almost felt therapeutic to be around for her transformation. Because there totally is one, and although it was a little late for my liking, it was righteous and good.

Overall, you are right on in the secondary characters making this book. It also may be possible we both are a little harsh on Lucy because WE fell early and hard for Ethan. (Your Ethan pic is totally droolworthy too, btw!). My two cents? THE NEXT BEST THING is a light, fun read - the characters are whacky, the baking is delish, and the hero...divine.

EMILY'S RATING: B+ (4½ stars)

KG: Okay...back the truck up. I didn't SERIOUSLY contemplate a DNF. And this is the thing: How, I want to know, is it possible to dislike a heroine and not want her to get with the hero but still like the book? HOW?? Well, that is the magic of Kristan Higgins, folks. Somehow her books are so addictive, even if I am not fully invested in the main characters and their HEA, I'm still devouring it like one of Lucy's decadent desserts. And I can't say this about many authors. Usually if the main story is lost on me, the whole book loses me. THAT is what I meant.

So, yes, THE NEXT BEST THING isn't my favorite Higgins book (that distinction still goes to The Best Man (Hqn)), but it's definitely a worthwhile read, and fans of her work will no doubt enjoy it. Despite my frustrations with Lucy, my utter love of Ethan, and the should've-been-weird-but-thankfully-wasn't-awkward issue of Ethan being Jimmy's brother, Higgins somehow pulled off a satisfying HEA and tied everything up in a neat bow, all the while entertaining the hell out of me with the secondary characters and crazy antics in this story. That, my friends, is talent!

KINDLE GAL'S RATING: B- (3½ stars)

Note: We received a review copy of this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

I absolutely loved and hated this book at the same time. There were times I just wanted to just chuck this book and call it a day but I didn't. Then there were times I was so glad I didn't chuck the book and wished it would go on and on. So here is what I loved and hated about the book. Spoilers below.

~Loved~
Levi is such a man's man. He isn't afraid to take charge and do things no matter how mundane and sometimes not in his job description it may be. He is pretty messed up and definitely has some abandonment issues but he doe not at all let them limit his life. He makes lemonade whenever life throws him a lemon. He has sooooo much oozing sex appeal that would make any woman want to purr when he is around.

Faith is able to have a sunny outlook on life no matter what is thrown at her. Fiance who comes out of the closet just before vows, dead mother and all. And when she let's down those walls, oh nellie, boy does she feel. And it is so beautifully emotional.

When there was an emotional scene, ie, the airport scene when Faith breaks down after her almost marriage and a few others after that I cried right next to her. Those scenes are what redeemed the book for me. They were so right in flavor and character and feeling that I sniffed and wiped tears while turning pages. I loved that about the book. Even when Levi finally confronts his past. Man. Just perfect.

The seizure training that was imparted to the reader was unusually great. It is so hard to break the misnomer that items need to be shoved in someones mouth if having a seizure. I love how Kristan Higgins even writes how it is not important to call 911 unless the seizure lasts more than five minutes. It has shocked more than one person when I have instructed them of this. To just watch and be with the person seizing and make sure they don't get hurt and put them on their side so they don't asphyxiate. She didn't mention the possibility of losing control of stomach, bowels, and/or bladder but the quick information was wonderful to see in a book. It's terrifying to witness first hand, yet how the characters respectfully handled it, even when in High School. I was impressed the subject was used for a main character.

And lastly, again about Faith seizures. Her being epileptic didn't make her weak. It didn't make her family scared of their own shadow when Faith was around. They didn't treat her like a china doll in any respect. No one in her circle did. They were so real and so loving and just there and protective of her enough to let her lead a normal life that it was admirably written.

=Hated=
The towns people really got on my nerves. They seemed way too needy to be able to live on their own. Who seriously calls the police because a dog is under the house with their chicken? I mean seriously. And then the about town chatter. I guess it is supposed to be reminiscent of small town, which makes me so grateful I do not live in one.

Jeremy is just too likable. Everyone just absolutely loves him and he is always around. Granted we don't really get to meet him til almost 200 pages in but by then we hear how he walks the world with a cape flapping in the wind carrying his medical bag. He just really had the personality of a Golden Retriever. Such a lovable puppy. I get how he broke Faith's heart and he is an important plot point but by the time we got 200 pages in I was so over it.

The sad jokes that were used in the book from the gold digger not girlfriend to the transvestite almost hook up. To the herbivore carrot killer who shows up in a brown sack of a dress and proceeds to turn her veggie tray into mulch before everyone's eyes. Even the scene when Faith tries to crawl out of the bathroom window and her "boobage", not my word, is just hanging out.

Blue, Faith's lovable companion sounds just like a dog who isn't getting enough exercise but you still love him. Unfortunately at almost 3/4 of the book he starts humping everything and it is now part of all of his commentary? That just got on my last nerve.

Faith's grandparents. Seriously, why did they have to be written so acidic? I wanted to like them but couldn't.

Sometimes when there was a large group the background chatter basically made me feel like I was reading static. It was just a bit on the too much side. The better scenes were when there were just a few people present and there was not too much filler noise. I get the whole "trying to give the book color" business but it was more distracting then anything else.

Lastly, and this is a big one for me. Epileptics while they can drink an occasional glass or two, they should never get drunk. On more than one occasion Faith breaks these rules and she is a medicated epileptic who has had her dog therapy trained. This is in my opinion, irresponsible writing.

~=~=~=~

Like I said earlier I loved and hated the book. Now I cold go on and on. Point by point but I won't. All-in-all I come in at the middle ground for star rating of it. The emotional level of the book is very high and felt so real. Yet, the things I found annoying or despicable made me feel like giving it up. Given how I feel pulled in both directions I feel it is safe to say The Best Man is really a three star book. Dead center. Middle of the ground. But those tears will come if you read it.

I received this free ARC from the store Vine for my unbiased and honest review.

Thoughts: I had this book in my library of my Kindle app for the longest while and I never read it. I was browsing through my library when I saw it and I opened it up and was immediately hooked.

Faith Holland does not have much luck in the love department. After being left at the alter, Faith leaves behind her family and friends in Blue Heron, just to get away from the soul-sucking pain that seemed to have consumed her. She just needed a break from everything, but ended up staying away for many years.

Now a family emergency has her returning to her home of Blue Heron Winery, which is her family vineyard where everyone but herself has a place in.

Being back would give her the time to confront the ghost in her past as well as get on good terms with her family. Things don't go according to plan when she keeps running into the best man at the almost wedding, the same man who ruined her wedding.

Levi Cooper did not have the best starting out in life, but he made the best of things. He turned himself from Trailer park and made himself a war veteran and then he went on to become the Blue Heron's local police chief. Life can get a little mundane around town, even with some of the crazy reasons he gets calls for. All that changed when Faith Holland moved back to town.

He knows he was the reason that her wedding was ruined, but he does not regret what he did. His best friend was about to make the biggest mistake of his life and Levi could not stand there and let him do it. The only thing he regrets is not doing something about it before it got too out of hand, seeing the pain in Faith's eyes almost undid him, but it had to be done.

Maybe her being back in town is a sign that they can air out their dirty laundry and make peace. That's easier said than done since Faith does nothing but try to avoid him. Would Levi be able to make peace with Faith? Would Faith ever let go of the pain and suffering from the past? Would Faith and Levi be able to stay away from each other after they re-discover the heat between them?

Find out in the fun-filled, emotional roller-coaster of a ride first book in the Blue Heron Series, The Best Man.

This is my first book by +Kristan Higgins and I cannot believe how awesome is. I was really feeling Faith's pain and Levi was such a sweetheart. At the beginning of the book, I was a little bored. It gave a little intro to Faith's relationship and how sweet and beautiful it was and I started to yawn, but the last sentence of the book perked my interest right up.

Faith has a terrible secret from her past that makes her feel like she has to do something, anything really, in order to pay for her sin. Throughout her childhood, Faith tried and tried and tried and thought that the skies had opened up and that she was finally forgiven when she got a gift in shape of a man, but when it all turned out to be a lie, her only way of coping was running away.

Levi liked Faith when they were kids but all of a sudden, the spunky little girl that he remembered turned into a goodie two shoes and he could not stand her. Making things worse, she was his best friend's girlfriend so he had no way of avoiding her.

Don't want to give out any more of the story, believe me, I gave you plenty of clues of what to expect in this book The description I got on +Goodreads was vague compared to the book. I got a lot of happy surprises and I know you would too.

I have to read another book by Kristan Huggins to add her to my favorite author pile, but I'm sure she won't disappoint me. Please recommend books by Kristan Huggins that you enjoy, I would love to add them to me To-Read-Pile.
Thoughts: This book blew my mind

Grade: A
Review by: Nathifa
[...]

2.5 stars
I've been on a sweet romance kick lately with some awesome sweet romance reads and especially Susan Mallery's latest, Three Little Words. I was eager to dive into The Next Best Thing since I've heard so many good things about Kristan Higgins. I have to say I was sadly disappointed. I actually felt guilty for most of the book because Lucy seemed like a character you should feel sorry for but she was just so darn irritating I couldn't stand her!

Yes, I can only imagine what it must be to lose the love of your life but it's been years (I can't remember exactly but over 5 years) since her husband, Jimmy, died. She idolizes him and behaves as if he died just the week before. While she's doing this she is totally oblivious to the pain she causes Ethan with her whole friends with privileges arrangement. I can't understand how a girl can be so blind to the torch Ethan is carrying for her over years and years. Lucy's actions also came across as selfish many times like how she railed at Ethan when she found out her arch nemesis was an ex-girlfriend of Jimmy's. She also acts like everyone betrayed her by never mentioning this relationship. WTF. It was in the past and what's the big deal? Jimmy married Lucy, not his ex so get over it! She also gets upset when Ethan isn't waiting on her 24/7 after she cuts him off from their friends with benefits relationship (while never getting he's in love with her) and is bitter when he shows an interest in other women. It's not even an "I'm in love with him I can't stand to see him with someone else" bitterness. She still moans and pities herself for losing Jimmy after just 8 months of marriage. And when Ethan doesn't immediately leave his job to come celebrate her aunt's waking in the convalescence home she gets upset. Why should he drop everything in his life every time she wants him to come running?

On the opposite end I loved Ethan. He is such a sweetheart and I felt so bad for him for the way his family treated him. Talk about feeling like the red headed step child. Just because he wasn't as handsome, outgoing or traditional as Jimmy he was always relegated to being second best in his parents eyes as well as Lucy's eyes. He is a wonderful friend and has the patience of a saint. Honestly the only thing I couldn't stand was his continuing love to Lucy. I felt like any guy with brains would have given up on her a long time ago but I suppose love made him blind.

Honestly, if I hadn't heard so many good things about Kristan Higgins I would have DNFed this book but I kept hoping it would get better. Alas, that never happened. Not sure if I will pick up another Kristan Higgins book but I do know if I do it won't be any time soon.

OK, this one about killed me. I enjoy a little angst in my romance, but this was so. much. angst. I kept reading, because you know -- romance novel, gonna have a happy ending -- but I honestly thought I might lose a finger to chewing it off waiting for them to get together. I loved Ethan and that's what you want, right? To fall in love with the hero? But oh, how my heart ached for him. And Lucy.... so damaged and loved watching her pull herself out of it. I just read my first by this author a few days ago and am probably going to have to work my way through her catalog, because as much as I hated the torture in this one, I could not stop myself from tearing through it. She just seems to hit a chord with me.

This story didn't have the laugh out loud funny moments, or at least those moments didn't strike me as funny. Maybe it's because it deals with widows. Ms. Higgins tries to make it funny with her descriptions of the Black Widows and Grinelda, the fortune teller who channel's their dearly departed husbands, but the slapstick is lost on me because I felt the characters were too much caricatures and not real people.

One is the stylish one, wearing designer clothes and looking like Audrey Hepburn. Iris is the bossy one always bragging about her daughter the doctor, and Rose who loves to cry and has a dopey son who lacks good judgment. Of course there was great aunt Boggy's rise from the dead which I suppose should have brought out the laughs, or how about the coffin that flipped into the grave with Uncle Pete's body, but most of the humor was gallows humor and didn't work for me.

What was most pathetic was the heroine, Lucy Mirabelli, widow of St. Jimmy of Gianni's Italian restaurant. St. Jimmy was taller, more handsome, blonder with bigger blue eyes, more charming and lovable, and the most perfect, attentive boyfriend/husband in the universe and very, very dead. Everyone favored Jimmy, including his parents who set up a shrine to Jimmy in the restaurant and belittled their second born son, Ethan, who happened to have been in love with Lucy before Jimmy stole her from him one day when he brought her home for a visit.

So for most of the book, Ethan is ignored, treated as "The NEXT best thing", even used as "bed partner" to Jimmy's wife [not widow, people refer to Lucy as Jimmy's wife], but when Lucy decides to start really dating again, she kicks Ethan out of her bed, as if he wasn't a worthy contender, and starts scraping the bottom of the dating barrel. Again, situations are set up to elicit a laugh, but for some reason, I didn't find the dates very funny either. Not even Fat Mikey's hairball was funny. Maybe it's because I really LOVED Ethan. Except the heroine describes him as ordinary, average: well, average, unremarkable, medium, vanilla type of guy.

In contrast to St. Jimmy who was larger than life, vibrant, colorful, talented, and most wonderful. Until I was totally sick of hearing about Jimmy. Finally, to make matters worse, Lucy realizes that she's in love with Ethan. Her best friend also tells her she's been hurting Ethan for the longest time. But again and again, she walks over him, hurts him, abuses him, breaks up with him after he gets hit by a car because she can't take the pain of worrying about him. Even in the next to the last (penultimate) chapter, Lucy is dating a guy who LOOKS like Jimmy, and calling him Jimmy-lite in her mind.

So, sorry if I don't quite "buy" her sudden revelation that it was Ethan that she loved all along. Because really, truly, she realized it before the middle of the book and decided she would rather spend her life with pathetic, boring men that she didn't truly love than with someone like Ethan who she might care too much about.

I kept wanting to shake her and say, "Whether you're with him or not, his death would still devastate you, dummy. You're already in love with him whether you break up or not."

Finally, I don't really buy that Lucy would do a 180 just because she found out a few things that were negative on the part of Jimmy, which really weren't that negative. So he dated some girl before he met her. So he knew Ethan had a crush on Lucy before he swept her off her feet. It seemed to me that Lucy loved Jimmy and treated Ethan as a friend, so shouldn't a woman have any say on who she would prefer instead of some gentleman's agreement that she's "spoken" for or some noncompete clause?

Lucy as heroine was very similar to Harper. Both wanted to sell themselves short with men they might not really care about to avoid the risk of being with someone they truly love. Her heroines do seem to bark up the wrong tree a lot and are frustrating, like Grace who held a torch for Andrew or Dr. Millie Barnes who chases Joe the Carpenter almost the entire book.

I guess the part I didn't like the most was the Jimmy look-alike. That was so obviously a ploy to make Ethan feel more hurt and rejected. And of course Lucy dating Jimmy look-alike in the next to the last chapter is almost unforgivable. I'm usually pretty tolerant of flawed heroines, like Harper James, but Lucy and her perpetual grief and disregard for Ethan's feelings pushed me way to the edge on this one. Still I finished the book because I wanted the happy ending. Except with most of Ms. Higgins' books, you don't get that happiness except for a few short pages.

I can't believe I only now have discovered Kristan Higgins. I was browsing my local library's choices and saw her Blue Heron 1-3 set was labeled as being Popular. It sounded good, so I decided to take a chance and add myself to the wait list. I am so glad I did! I now find that I need to continue on and read the rest of her work.

One thing that impressed me the most was how there are romantic/intimate moments.. yet it remained clean! I LOVED THIS! It kept the story PG-13 (or maybe R for language). This did not leave it lacking in the romance compartment at all. For me, it added to it. This would transition well into a Hallmark Movie.

One thing that bothered me quite a bit was that there were just too many fringe characters mentioned. I understand that this was meant to set up the town for a full series, but I feel it went over the top. The over abundance of fringe characters quickly made it difficult for me to remember who was who. I eventually started to get them down, but it bugged me. After all.. if/when these fringe characters are NEEDED in a future novel, we will simply need to be reminded and told about them.. no need to do so now. I'm not talking about the siblings and their children so much as every town member walking down the street or in a shop/restaurant.

Now that I got that off my chest, I really did enjoy the story and characters! There were some twists and surprises that kept it from being a cookie cutter romance.

This is my first Kristan Higgins book. Yes, I know, I had my head in the sand but in my own defense, I was having trouble with the Contemporary Romance genre. I kept reading books in that genre that just left me “meh” or “blah” or “good grief why?”. Obviously, I did not read the right authors. Because when I finished this book I immediately picked up book #2 in this series, The Perfect Match, (Don’t you just love it when there are a bunch of books in a series already written and you don’t have to wait for the next one?). Now back to The Best Man:

Levi is alpha all the way, which is very important to Faith since she had a years long romantic relationship with a man who left her at the altar, Levi’s best friend. Levi and Faith never liked each other. Levi thought her a rich, goody two shoes and she thought Levi just a royal PIA who ruined her wedding. Opposites attract.

Kristan Higgins gives us a mix of laugh out loud moments along with emotional teary scenes. Her dialog is so spot on that it is like listening to your own family argue or maybe your own inner dialog. Faith’s delightful, if slightly dysfunctional, but more normal than not, family is well characterized and will provide protagonists for future books in the series. Other side characters are also book worthy. The sexual tension was pronounced between Faith and Levi although neither initially wanted to admit that there was an attraction and, once acted on, they were having trouble understanding how to deal with friends and family who knew. Delightfully portrayed!
Yes, I really liked this book and the very real feeling of the characters. The writing was terrific. If like me you have yet to be seduced by Contemporary Romance books, then I highly recommend this book to start your affair.

The book:
• 431 Pages • Contemporary • Standalone • Happily Ever After • Third-Person Narrative • Her POV • His POV

The romantic theme:
• Enemies To Lovers • Law Enforcement Romance • Neighbors Romance

The read:
• Good Pace • Made Me Laugh • Touching • Sexy

Heat level:
• 1 / 5 (Includes fade to black sex scenes) • MF scenes

Story ingredients:
• Cat And Mouse Games • Instant Clash • Witty Banter

He is...
• Alpha Male • Emotionally Unavailable • Hot • Fit • Troubled Past • Divorced

She is...
• Pretty • Sassy • Curvy Figure • Had Few Bed Partners

Hm. I felt like it took a lot of time for the main characters to get to the point where they didn't loathe each other, but once they started at least managing to be in each other's presence, I really liked it. The first half of the book seems to be about their history and his part in ruining her wedding and I wasn't really enjoying the back and forth of it and the very slow build at all, but then when it took off, it really took off... and now I can't wait to read more by this author. So mostly... 3 starts for the first half, 5 for the second half so we'll just make it 4 and call it good.

I borrowed this ebook from my local library system and I'm glad I did. It was a heart-warming feel good type of romance..or at least more the back story and journey of how they came together as a couple.

So, for believability, the worst part of this story for me was how completely clueless Faith is when it comes to her potential partners. How the heck does she have such a massive oversight with not realizing Jeremy was gay after howww many years together....but then if that wasn't bad enough, how many other gay men does she fall for after that?? I guess I'd be fanatical about that being one of the first questions asked if that ever happened even once to me!!

Beyond that, I kinda like the romance between Faith & Levi. As the story unfolds, you learn more that Levi Cooper is someone I'd view as downright amazing. Romantic in his own way -- even though it took a great deal for him so admit to himself that it was acceptable for him to slow down, put himself first...and follow his heart. FINALLY. He's built himself up from a hardknocks childhood to the Chief of Police, been an amazing big brother and pseudo-parent to his little sister, he is a war hero, and sacrificed himself to "save" both his best friend, as well as Faith, from the marriage that would have ultimately been a major mistake. One of my favorite parts is the heart shaped stone that he gave her (anonymously) 20 years earlier. Then when he busted out the handwritten note from when her mom died....I decided that I love me some Levi Cooper!!!

Some people criticized the way Levi seemed to blatantly dislike Faith and how he treated her rather poorly...or like he didnt care. First of all, that behavior is sort of expected from a teenage boy who doesn't know how to handle emotions. Once he was an adult, I'll admit that isn't really acceptable manners -- but the way they both approached their relationship was already formed from their early years. But when we find out via that note that a young Levi thought Faith was "pretty", and he felt unworthy because of his trailerpark home...not to mention the fact that his BFF ended up dating her for yearssss...I think his attitude towards her was a coping mechanism. Normally, once a friend is with someone, it tends to be common courtesy that friends don't cross that line. Levi was fiercely loyal and his mannerisms may have simply been to try to protect his own emotions. SO glad he got beyond that!!!

One of my favorite quotes: "She's not making babies with anyone but me..."

The Next Best Thing. Kristan Higgins.

ARC supplied by Netgalley.

This sounded like an interesting romance, something a bit different. There's so many romance novels around that I like to find the ones with a slightly different slant in them, one can only read so much standard man meets woman romance without stories blurring into one another, unless there's something that sets the story apart from the thousands of others. This one I thought would be a good one, after all living up to the perfect but dead husband is a hard task for anyone. I liked Lucy, given her family history where the husbands dropped dead early - she was only 25 and Jimmy 28 (I think) when he died, and they'd only been married a few months, not long enough for the newness and gloss to wear thin, so I could see how she was afraid to step back into the dating game. Her sister ( neurotic about her husbands life - understandably) has just had a baby, and it brings home to Lucy that she's young enough to find someone new and have her own family. Her mum and aunts have all embraced widowhood and almost made it into a sort of saintly state, but they were older when widowed and Lucy is still very young. She has a list of what she wants in a husband but Jimmys' death left her so distraught she still counts the time since in years, months and days, she wants someone who she'll like but not love so much she'll fall apart when he dies. Sad isn't it, but her family see it as inevitable that the husbands will die - They're known collectively as The Black Widows.
She's been friends with Ethan, Jimmys' younger brother, since college. It was him that introduced them to each other, and he's been a godsend to her since Jimmy's death - and they're friends with benefits. She decides that must stop now she's on a search for a husband. Ethan takes the news calmly, though its clear to the reader that he doesn't agree with her, and that he loves her. He has a young son Nicky, with Parker, from a short-lived fling. Parker is a really good friend to Lucy, and the four often spend time together. Lucy keeps suggesting that Parker and Ethan get back together as she wants Ethan to be happy, Parker says no and suggests Ethan is better suited to Lucy but she's not receptive to that. She does miss him though once they've become conventional friends and not so closely linked, and finds sharp pangs of jealousy when he's with other ladies.
Its a great book, full of love and emotion, some realism in that the characters aren't perfect. It makes me think how hard it must be to live up to a spouse that's died, and in Ethans case a brother that even his parents thought was perfect. He's always felt second best and though he doesn't show it outwardly its there in his behaviour and career direction.
The characters are fabulous, I felt like I was there with them in many scenes. The Black Widows and Friday pm cocktails, great :) Grizelda (something like that ) the gypsy come fortune teller was terrific, Jimmy and Ethans parents who run the restaurant typical Italian family orientated foodies, Parker and Nicky and even Doral-Anne the "bad" girl were all so real to me and a great balance of characters. Its a well written tale, with lots of love (and a few hot sex scenes!!) laughter and tears, and plots that blend and weave through into a fabulous happy ending. The very best sort of romance where you've an interesting story, and that although we know the outcome the journey keeps us guessing how we reach it. I loved it.
Stars: full five, one I'd happily read again.

Levi Cooper is the best man. He's strong, silent, gruff and not given to sweet words, but his actions show him to be a caring man, a police chief in a small town who spends his time helping out his neighbors and caring for his younger sister after his mother died.

Yes, he has issues, PTSD, abandonment, and a hot, exciting ex-wife who found his small town ways a tad boring. But he is honest and willing to stick his neck out, even to break up his best friend's wedding because he knew his friend is gay.

Faith Holland was engaged to Levi's best friend and hates him for ruining her perfect life. Well, she'd imagined it would have been perfect if the fact that her fiance was gay hadn't busted her wedding.

When Faith returns home three years after her failed wedding, she faces her family, the entire town who remembers her being jilted, her ex-fiance who is the town doctor, and Levi, the man she loves to hate.

Only Levi had always been in the background doing things for Faith, taking her to the airport after the failed wedding, watching over her when she had an epileptic seizure in elementary school, and there was even that one time he'd kissed her at the lake.

The chemistry between Levi and Faith is palpable and I couldn't help rooting for them to get together. This time, I wasn't particularly enamored with the large family, the weird pet dogs, and the strange sideplots. I frankly skimmed most of it, uninterested in the leopard skinned lady and the vegan queen trying to marry Faith's widower father, or the spatting grandparents or the older sister and her strange husband who lives at his parent's house but hassexual escapes with his wife through texting. I honestly needed brain bleach for all the non-Faith-Levi scenes.

While the dogs in other Higgins stories are great, this one was a pervert who persisted on humping Levi's leg every change he gets. Sorry, but this is not endearing. Also, Faith tends to call everyone a hemorrhoid, and there was something I skimmed about bowel mucus that I don't even want to think about. So yuck, the sideplots fell short here.

But Faith and Levi were great together and I enjoyed all of their moments, from the ones in flashbacks to the fight they had because Levi couldn't admit his feelings. Some of the most touching moments were when Levi takes care of Faith at her worst moments: as a jilted bride at the airport, stuck in the window of a bathroom while avoiding her ex-fiance, and of course the Niagara Falls of tears she cried when finding out the truth about her mother's death. Even though he failed to say he loved her [unlike the effusive ex-fiance], his actions proved his love louder than any words.

Faith Holland never thought coming home would led to meeting the two men she wanted to stay away from, her ex fiancé and his best friend. Jeremy was supposed to marry her but it turned out he was not for her and Levi was a pain in her side since childhood and happened to be Jeremy’s best friend and the man that outed her almost husband, at their wedding the jerk.

Having gone on to build an amazing career in a big city Faith finds herself surprised that being home in a close knit community is turning out to be a great experience. She is surviving her crazy family, trying to make sure her dad does not fall prey to a gold digger, and come to terms with the feelings she has for all the men in her life past and present. What does surprise Faith the most is the man that Levi, the bane of her existence is turning out to be the man of her dreams. She thought another man was going to give her love and happiness for the rest of her life, yet it seems Levi may give her all of that and some major grief just to keep her on her toes.

The past must be dealt with by both of them, and resolution will either keep them together or separate them permanently.

I skipped around reading this. I did not like the main characters. Are they even the main characters? They're supposed to be. But I've got to read more of the "Black Widows", and the town, and the food, and then the other characters are just small glimpses to who they are. I'm feeling no chemistry between the couples. It feels forced. Really forced. Like they HAVE to like each other. At one point, Ethan even told Lucy that she HAD to give him a chance for a relationship together.

And I didn't like Kristan's humor for women who are 30 years old and thinking they are hitting Menopause. Or any other humor that her life isn't complete without a husband and 4 children.

This was my first attempt to Gideon's Cove series and I wasn't impressed. I have read some Kristan's other books and I will continue if they interest me. But I won't continue with this series.

This was such a weird read for me. I liked both Levi and Faith a lot, and I loved the Holland family (I read the second book in the series, The Perfect Match before The Best Man), but the story just dragged for me and I don't really know why that was.

Levi and Faith had known each other since elementary school, Faith's family is one of the founding families of their town and Levi grew up in a trailer park, so even though they've known each other forever they come from very different places. Faith's mother died when she was young and she's always blamed herself because she had a seizure in the car and her mom was concerned about Faith and not watching the road and they got into an accident. After Faith's mother died she changed and young Levi started thinking about her as "Princess Super Cute" (a nickname I loved) and begins to find her perfectness and earnestness really annoying. Faith eventually starts dating Levi's best friend, Jeremy, and they go on to get engaged. At their wedding Levi ruins it by making Jeremy admit he's gay. Faith flees to San Francisco, where she lives for several years, before returning to their hometown and meeting up with Levi who is now the town's police chief.

3.5 stars

I genuinely really liked this set up. I loved that Faith was this perfect girl with maybe a secret edge, but also a lot of guilt about her mom. And I loved Levi's background, too, as the kid from the wrong side of the tracks who's now admired by the whole town. When Faith first moves back her and Levi do a lot of verbal sparring, which I also loved. But yet it all just didn't come together. So much of the book is spent in the past, back in high school, back at Faith's almost wedding, back during Levi's time in Afghanistan (he was in the Army), back in Faith's childhood that the story just never settled into a real rhythm. The story should have been fast-paced, a lot happens in a relatively short period of time, but it just really drags.

Bottom Line: Great characters, great idea for a story, but the pacing really hurt the book overall. The trips into the past constantly broke up the action and I never found myself really compelled to keep reading.

I enjoyed this despite myself and despite feeling for the first half of the book I would absolutely hate it. But in the end it felt closer to some of her earlier books that first attracted me to her as an author.

I almost DNF'd it. First because I don't get the need to always feel like you have to humiliate the heroine to create sympathy. Faith was humiliated, publicly, quite a few times in the early parts of the book. It gets old.

I also did not like Levi at first. He felt like he was, well, just mean. He never once felt guilty for being instrumental in what became a major, public humiliating moment in Faith's life. Instead he came off feeling somewhat self righteous about it.

I did think the author did a pretty good job of making Jeremy's character as a gay man not feel stereotypical. His love for Faith warred with his deep in denial closeted self in a way that I thought was surprisingly nuanced. Having known someone IRL whose own sexual identity trajectory somewhat mirrored Jeremy's (minus the public coming out at his own aborted wedding) I thought she did a good job with him in the beginning. Where Levi seemed to have no guilt, Jeremy seemed to wallow in it.

But It was genuinely funny in parts. Faith's family is a stellar stand-out in the story. And something curious happens with Levi. I begin to really like him. The author starts to pull out something quietly wonderful in him that makes him the MVP in the book. Also, Faith was a great character. I like how she was positioned in relation to various people in the story. She was unabashedly her father's favorite. She was a representative of the upper class that Levi (and another high nemesis, Jess, who lived in the trailer park) viewed with both suspicion and envy. She is viewed as genuinely nice and popular but not a Mary Sue despite what some of her detractors in the book thought. She wasn't cloying or pitiful which sometimes happens with a KH heroine.

The second half of the book was much stronger, more romantic and more engaging to read that he first half.

I do have to shout out the location of the book which is set in the Fingerlakes wine region which is where I used to live. The small towns that dot the ends of the various lakes really are beautiful and picturesque and the Rieslings are truly amazing.

An enjoyable read overall, but this didn't really stick with me after. Still, for the most part it was worth taking the time to read.

As I was reading this, I kept thinking of the adage that too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. At times, it felt like there was just too much going on - too many side stories and characters being "characters", steeped in their own eccentricities. And I found that Faith's grandparents were simply too caustic a presence after a while.

I did like Faith and Levi, both individually and ultimately together. Even so, I sometimes felt that Faith put too much blame on Levi for what happened with her aborted wedding to Jeremy. Would it really have been better if he'd stayed quiet? The scenes with Jeremy were good - it was clearly important for some semblance of peace and harmony to be re-established if Faith and Levi were to make a go of it. And, though I can't fully disagree with reviewers who felt that Levi was too mean for too long to Faith, at the same time it rang true from the standpoint that our childhood/teen years can haunt us in ways that are hard to move past.

In the end, I felt things resolved in a satisfying way.

NOTE: I received the eARC via Netgalley. Thanks!

The moment I saw this novel on Netgalley I just had to have it! I loved "Someone to Love", which was a companion novel and thought that I'd like this one too. One thing I had overlooked though is that The Next Best Thing is actually written before Someone to Love. Frankly, I had no idea they were connected until I actually sat down and came across a character called Parker. That woman is unforgettable it seems.

To tell you the truth, back in the day (last year) when I read Someone to Love and was told to check out The Next Best Thing featuring Ethan and Lucy's story, I thought "What? Why? Those two didn't really catch my attention." I seriously couldn't care less about them. But now that I've actually gotten to know them on a more personal level, along with their hardships and feelings... let's just say that they were totally worth their own novel.

The Next Best Thing is your typical romance, full of passion, secrets and lots of drama. THere's also a tragedy, which both separates and brings together Lucy and Ethan. This tragedy is the loss of Lucy's husband, Jimmy, who also happened to be Ethan's brother. This is why the barrier between those two was so enormous, so tough to shatter.

Of course, there are a bunch of other events involved adding even more drama.

So, onto the characters. They were well developed, and I mean ALL of them, not just Lucy and Ethan. The Black Widows, Lucy's sister, Ethan's parents... everyone.

I loved Lucy, even though she seemed a bit too absorbed with the past, with the perfect memory of Jimmy that she'd built up in her mind. She was sharing a bed with Ethan on a regular basis, but she was so sure he wasn't the right guy for her. Sure, what with the Black Widows' fate and so on, I understand why she wouldn't want to fall in love again, but still... running away is never the right option, is it?

And Ethan? He was so sweet all the time. Lucy continued hurting him again and again, but he kept on loving her. I was hurting for him, hurting that he had to go into self-preservation mode because he was sick of being Lucy's plaything. He was sick and tired of being the next best to Jimmy. Even his parents saw him as merely the second son. He wanted to be loved and cherished. He wanted to be appreciated. And he wanted a serious relationship with the woman he loved. Was that too much to ask?

Sweet, full of passion, pain and the aftereffects of immense tragedy, The Next Best Thing is a great light relaxing read.

I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley.

Shel: So if you are looking for a romantic comedy with a smidge of sadness in it, this may just be the book for you. Our main character, Lucy, who has been widowed for 5 years has decided that it may be time to start looking for a mate. The problem is that she has this obnoxious list of characteristics that is so incredibly depressing and nearly impossible to acquire that she's left with multiple less than stellar options...unless you count Ethan (which she doesn't want to do!).

Court: Yes, this is definitely one of those stories where it is obvious in space who she should be with, but she is so afraid of repeating any sort of heartbreak she goes out on painful dates with all sorts of suitors who are wrong for her. Though, really in a way, who could blame her. When you think you've found the love of your life and he dies...as well as all the men in her family where the men in town think you're cursed to kill them off, well....it's hard to get back on that horse!

Shel: Lucy and her aunts and many of the multiple other minor characters provide many humorous quips and moments through the duration of the novel and makes Lucy's hunt for the next husband funnier than her bland list would suggest. You see, Lucy and her mom and aunts have all buried their husbands and are fondly known in their small town as the 'black widows'. They all own and work together in a bakery and are so wrapped up in each others' lives that they have kind of stagnated in the stories they've all created for themselves. Because of this Lucy is hesitant to speak her mind or break out of her 'story' and it prohibits her from making healthy relationship choices....like giving Ethan a chance. Of course the fact that he's her dead husband's brother also makes any future relationship a little unusual and awkward. But, even more than that I think Lucy is afraid of what others will think and whether or not her heart can survive a relationship with him.

Court: Yes, the joys of opinionated family members! And these Hungarian women are damned opinionated! They cracked me up though...the three older Blacked Widow's are so set in their ways that they have a hard time accepting change..and by hard time I mean not at all. So they don't take too well to Lucy's ideas of expanding their business or that she is getting the business from a man when she should just be happy as a widow for the rest of her life like them. It is really hard for Lucy to sort through all the emotions that she has spent a really long time avoiding after her husband's death...and as long as her list is for potential husband picking, her list as to why she can't give Ethan the chance he deserves is equally as long!

Shel: Lucy's in laws (aka Ethan's parents), Grinelda, Corrine, Parker, and Ash...along with many other secondary characters provide many colorful and sometimes frustrating moments in the on again off again relationship of Ethan and Lucy. I love that Parker calls it like she sees it--she may be one of my favorite characters in the book! I also love all of the food descriptions--I think I gained about ten pounds just reading about all of the food!

Court: I heart Parker also. But mostly I loved Ethan. He put up with sooooo much insanity from Lucy and was an incredibly genuine guy. His awesomeness with his son Nicky and how he was so good to Lucy after all that time when he was grieving his brother as well made me swoon. I really liked him a lot!

Shel: If you are looking for a clean, romantic comedy...try this one! Court: Yep! We liked this one! And can say now that I've read two of Kristan's books that her heartwarming stories are worth the time and shenanigans that are a given in her stories!

Shelley: 3 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars

I've mentioned in previous reviews that I love a book that gives me "warm fuzzies". What I love even more is a book that also makes me want to reach through the pages to give a character a reassuring hug. I must admit, this book had me tearing up a few times. The wounds Levi and Faith carried with them were just so raw.

I would have liked to have had more exploration into Levi's PTSD, but understand that it would have possibly been too heavy for such a book. I'm glad that it was at least touched on and that Kristan Higgins also acknowledged, through her characters, that asking a vet very personal questions about war is uncomfortable for most of them.

Even though I believe Faith's grandparents were used for comedy effect, they are the piece of this book that fell flat for me. I didn't find their relationship comical, just sad. Until their anniversary party, I actually had no idea they did anything for each other. But that small bit that Faith spoke of there did nothing to redeem them in my eyes.

I'm excited to know what happens in the next book, to get to know Honor. She was the sibling we learned the least about this book so it will be nice to see behind her iron curtain.

This is the first Kristan Higgins novel I've read, but it won't be the last. This is Chick Lit, Romance HEA ending material all the way, but it's more than that. You have a very cute and feisty Hungarian heroine and a gorgeous Italian hero who turn each other on and nearly light a fire every time they get naked together. BUT...and it's in the BUT that the story gets very interesting. Because there is a very good and a very - actually for a Chick Lit novel very - deep storyline.
Because Lucy Lang is a widow, who loved her first husband deeply and passionately and madly and still loves him. And her Italian heart throb Ethan Mirabelli is the younger brother of her beloved late husband. And normally you're not supposed to do the nasty -actually the way these two do it - the very nasty - with your husband's brother. And even after your husband has been dead a few years, it still feels like incest.
Throw in a few complications like Lucy is in a nest of Black Widows - mother and two aunts all of whose husbands died young and they see no reason for any of them to have another man in their lives -ever, and the fact that Ethan is the younger and scorned and undervalued brother of his family's Golden Boy, and complications abound.
Add in the fact that Lucy has subordinated her dreams of becoming a pastry chef, at which she is very good, to keep her family's Bakery from sinking slowly into bankruptcy, and Ethan's parents have never been able to see him in his brother's shadow and will never let him take a hand in the running of the family restaurant, and there's Greek tragedy.
So back to the nudity. While helping his sister-in-law through the trauma of his brother's death, Ethan finds their clothes flying off one night. Lucy can't accept the thought of loving another man, but she needs human contact (alright, she needs the sex) and they agree they can burn up the sheets as long as it stays purely physical.
Which is alright for awhile, but after a few years, Lucy realizes she loves her sister's little girl, and she wants babies. And a husband. And a little house with a picket fence. AS LONG AS, there's no love involved. Because she barely survived her husband's death. If she were to let herself love again, she wouldn't survive a second loss.
So she ends things with Ethan and goes looking for a steady, comfortable, boring man to have children with and lead a safe life.
The writer does a great job in showing us a community and two people facing what seems to be a truly insoluble dilemma. How do you find love without being willing to face the possibility of losing it?
The emotions are strong and true and the actions of the two people at the center of the story are believable. And, this is the part I love, there's an Epiphany that shows the way out of this Gordian Knot. I love Epiphanies - the sudden blinding realization of truth . It's what Paul saw on the Road to Damascus, I've used them in my own writing, and I've seen it at least once in my own life.
Some people confuse an Epiphany with a Deus Ex Machina, or God coming down to solve problems, but an Epiphany is a very human experience no matter where it comes from.
And the deep part I mentioned early on: When you truly, deeply love another human being and you lose them, how do you move on and love a different human being with the same strength and passion? Do you have to betray your first love, or will your second always have to play second fiddle in your heart of hearts?
It's a tough question and one that The Next Best Thing takes a good stab at answering.
I bought this at full price in paperback. It was worth it.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Have read many of the authors works and have loved them all. Book #1 of the Blue Heron series. Finger Lakes area along with vineyards and Mennonite farmlands.
Faith Holland had been left at the altar, Jeremy was her to be husband. He was a doctor and they spent a lot of time together in town, in love til the day they were to marry. We learn he was gay and thus didn't want to marry her.
Her sister, Honor had called and summoned her back home to the vineyard as she thinks their father is about to marry a young woman. Faith plans to restore the stone barn into a wedding/event area with the vineyard right there. She's a landscape designer.
Levy Cooper the local police chief. He's back from the war and now the police chief of the town and he pulls Faith over upon her return. They are total opposites but could they be attracted to one another?
The chapters go back in time so you can follow what happened in the past as it relates to the present day life's.
Levy knew of the secret, why Jeremy couldn't marry Faith...
Hot steamy sex scenes and her secret and guilt about the death of her mother comes out...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The birth of her niece triggers a longing in Lucy Lang for a child of her own - even though she already knows that dream is dead and gone - just like her husband. She's settled for working at the family bakery alongside the rest of the Black Widows (her mother and aunts) and coming home to her beloved cat Fat Mikey. However, that's just not enough for her anymore. She's ready to move on and find a man to marry and have babies with but it's important that he doesn't inspire any real happily-ever-after imaginings in her heart. She just doesn't think she can face that sort of loss again. In order to move on, Lucy decides to break things off with Ethan, her best friend with benefits, and try to find someone suitable - only doing so is proving to be much more difficult than she anticipated.

Ethan Mirabelli understands what Lucy's going through; when she lost her husband, he lost his older brother - and he knows he'll never measure up when compared to Jimmy - not in his parents' eyes or in Lucy's. Ethan's a man in his own right with his own dreams, secrets, and needs and they all include Lucy - always have. Understandably he's hurt when she decides to cut him loose in favor of a `safe' man to date and eventually marry, so it's difficult for him to deal with her still wanting to remain close friends and do everything together except indulge their mutual desire for each other. Ethan knows that they're perfect together, convincing her is a different story altogether - and there is that little issue that he's her deceased husband's brother that definitely complicates the entire situation.

THE NEXT BEST THING is a beautifully written dramatic read that touches the heart on so many different levels. First there's the deceased husband, Jimmy, who was taken away all too soon, but he certainly wasn't the saint everyone seems to believe him to be. Lucy's in a sort of `trap' of her own family's making. There's a stigma attached to the Black Widows and there's a constant fear that marrying again will mean losing another husband to death - her sister is a complete basket case because of her own fears. And Ethan, he's just an all-around great guy who is doing the best he can but never lives up to his brother's saintly image. I love how Ms. Higgins instills the perfect amount of humor to counterbalance the emotional turmoil throughout the storyline. She shows how difficult the entire grieving process can be, how difficult and freeing it can be to let go, and even that you can move on and be happy again. It's a long drawn out process full of many pitfalls and tears but in the end the second chance at a happily-ever-after is so worth the effort.

This book was reviewed using a digital galley via NetGalley.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

In The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins, Lucy Lang has convinced herself it's time to wade into the dating pool, five years after losing her husband to a tragic accident. Jimmy was the love of her life. Now she's looking for someone who will be a good companion and wants children. Not someone she will fall madly in love with, if that could even be possible for her again. She can't take the risk with her heart. Lucy is expecting problems when she announces her intentions. Her mother and aunts, lovingly known as the Black Widows, never dated after losing their husbands so Lucy's not sure how receptive they'll be. And her in-laws still live in town and work just down the street, which will make things awkward. Not to mention she'll have to break things off with Ethan, her friend-with-benefits who has been so kind to her while she's been recovering from her loss.

It turns out that while her head might be telling her she's ready to move on, her heart is still not ready to let go of the past. Lucy fights her anxiety with the help (and hindrance) of her friends and meddling family only to find out Ethan wants to be considered as husband material along with the town's other eligible bachelors. Lucy isn't so sure. He's one of her best friends. Wouldn't a relationship potentially ruin their friendship if things don't turn out well? She just knows that she's tired of being viewed only as a widow and wants to feel like herself again, to possibly have some fun at some point. Lucy's small town life in Mackerly, Rhode Island, will be completely tossed upside-down in her search for a husband.

Kristan Higgins wrote The Next Best Thing as a narrative from Lucy's point of view, telling the readers...well, basically Lucy's life story in bits and pieces. I felt like she was flawed and damaged and just plain wonderful. It's almost a relief to read about a female protagonist who isn't perfect. She doesn't always know exactly what to say or do and she makes mistakes. A LOT of mistakes, but so don't we all. She does (eventually) learn from them and that's what truly counts. She's not ready to think of herself as one of the Black Widows yet and still has a lot of living left to do, but she's having a hard time making that first leap. Which is understandable.

Ethan is probably one of the most selfless, patient, sexy and caring guys I've read about in a long time. He's the perfect blend of nice and naughty. He's already a loving father, having a child from a previous relationship, and it was so sweet the way he interacted with his boy. But Ethan also has a mischievous side which he lets Lucy see from time to time. I found it easy to sympathize with him over his situation and could feel his emotions through Kristan's expressive writing.

It's not all heavy emotions, though. Sure there are quite a few tender and even heart-wrenching moments perfectly blended in. But we also get to see the comedic side of entering the wonderful world of dating at the age of thirty. Not everything goes as planned, of course, and between her family's meddling and her interaction with the locals in town, I was in stitches. Throw into the mix Lucy's cat Fat Mikey, who's all attitude with just a touch of love/tolerance for his humans, and you have a hysterical story.

If you like your romance with a lot of heart, a good laugh and a dramatic sigh-worthy ending, I highly recommend The Next Best Thing.

http://ripeforreader.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-next-best-thing-by-kristan-higgins.html

A pastry chef by trade, Lucy Lang has ended up baking the bread in her family's bakery after the death of her husband five and a half years ago. It seemed like a good idea at the time, since the bakery is run by her mother and her aunts, all widows, the Black widows. Her name may not be Black, but her curse to end up a young widow just as crippling.

Ethan Mirabelli has been her best friend since college and the only male who is able to charm the collective Black widow clan, except perhaps for his 4-year old son. Ethan is also the person who introduced Lucy to her husband, Jimmy, his older brother and chef for their family restaurant. And the last few years Ethan has also become Lucy's 'friend with benefits', nothing more, and purely for convenience.......after all, he's her neighbour too!

But now Lucy is ready to date, or so she claims, she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life alone, even though she is determined to keep her heart out of play this time around. If she should fall in love, she might lose another husband to the 'curse', so any potential risks must be eliminated beforehand. That means Ethan has to go.......first of all, he drives a motorcycle.....right. Also, he likes adventure, that's a definite strike against him, and lastly......he might have the ability to really destroy her, should something happen, and there is no way she can do without her friend!

Ethan is not impressed with that plan, in fact he is quite tired of playing second fiddle, especially when it comes to Lucy. But will he be able to convince her to let go of her fear and take hold of what was hers all along?

****

Ohhhh it's a great book when you've laughed and you've cried and everything in-between!! I've had the pleasure of reading more of Kristan Higgin's work and knew she was capable of pulling out every possible emotion I have in my arsenal, and she has done it again!! And yes, that includes anger and frustration!!!

I uttered OMG in frustration plenty of times, when Lucy's internal struggles came up, but I have to admit, I'm generally one to make a decision and throw myself in. Not so Lucy, poor thing has not had the best of examples either, with a mother and a bunch of aunts who continue to worship their long deceased husbands as if they were virtual Gods when still alive, perfect and faultless. HA. She also gets no assistance from her in-laws, heck, they continue to mourn their son as if it was yesterday and expect her to do the same. This girl needs some hair on her chest, not her lip!!! I wanted to poke my elbow in her side or teach her to whistle on her fingers, anything to prompt her to take a stand for herself.
Ethan was also not one of the most decisive people, although I appreciate he wanted to let Lucy come to her own conclusion, part of me wanted him to grab her, shake her and tell her how it was going to be!! I also wanted him to give his parents a good talking to, geeze....I was ready to give them a piece of my mind!
But both of them learned, they unstuck themselves from the place they had almost become rooted and found a way to choose the path that was meant for them.

I love the mute character working in the bakery, amidst all the crazy cackle of the sisters, he was an oasis of quiet reason. Without saying a word, he ended up providing that little injection of encouragement at the exact right time. That was perfection and told an entire story in itself.
The interaction between the Black sisters and also Lucy's in-laws is at times hilarious. Especially when you throw in the questionable Gypsy psychic, then the bakery becomes a true three-ring circus.

Kristan Higgins has found a perfect balance in using clever humour to ensure that the serious and quite emotional nature of the story doesn't become too overwhelming. Your emotions will run the gamut, but you will end up with a big smile on your face, that I guarantee!

A moving, witty and captivating story of overcoming.

**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harlequin HQN in return for an honest review.**

Sweet story of love in a small town. This is the first in the a series of five books, of which I read book two first. The stories are all able to be read independently, but there are the same characters, so reading them in order may be nice. This story features the "baby" of the family, Faith, and a friend from childhood, Levi. I think this whole set would make for some great summer reading. I already have book three ready to go!

3.5 stars

This was my second Kristan Higgins book and I have to say I remain really impressed. I read this one on a plane, so I was a pretty captive audience, but even without a cross-country flight I think I would have happily flown through this one.

When the book first starts Lucy, a young widow, is finally ready to start dating after her husband, the love of her life, passed away a few years before. Lucy's life is complicated by her devotion to her wacky family, her two widow aunts and widow mother and her sister who's terrified that her own husband will pass away with the family curse of dead husbands; her guilt about wanting to rebrand the family bakery to make it more hip and exciting; and the friends with benefits she's been having with Ethan, her neighbor, old college friend, and her dad husband's brother.

At first I wasn't sure I wanted to read a story about a widow. It was really sad, I'm not going to lie, but I thought the way that Higgins showed Lucy dealing with it was so real. Lucy obviously missed her husband, but she was also angry at him and herself and ultimately she did want to move on in some way. I really liked the arc of Lucy coming to terms with being a widow and feeling out at moving on. I also loved Lucy's sense of humor and perspective on things. I laughed a lot while I was reading it and I thought that even in the moments where she feels bad for herself it's never out of perspective or too much.

I was also really skeptical of the fact that the love interest is Lucy's brother-in-law. I really loved Ethan and his adorable son, but, even though I'd love to say I'm so open-minded it didn't bother me, there is definitely something that seems strange about sleeping with your dead husband's brother. But the more I got to know Lucy and Ethan the more I liked them together and really just wanted them both to be happy.

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a sweet love story with a strong main character then I highly suggest you pick up this book. Parts of the story are sad, but the main character's sense of humor and spirit kept me laughing and rooting for her the entire book.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!). All opinions are my own.

I loved and disliked this book in equal quantities as although the story itself is moving and the characters are well rounded, there is this undercurrent of cruel, misogynistic behaviour that just didn't sit well with me. I'm all for humour in books but not petty and cheap shots. Our heroine Faith Holland has returned to her hometown after being ditched by her fiancé Jeremy at the altar. Faith forgives Jeremy but blames Jeremy's best friend Levi for giving Jeremy the courage to come out publicly and thereby ruining her big day.

Faith suffers from Disney Princess syndrome - she desperately wanted her HEA (just like the princesses) and when she didn't get it, she looked around for someone to blame. It's ironic really as she had such a `please like me' and overly cheerful persona. She's not all bad as she is able to maintain a cordial relationship with her ex and become a successful businesswoman on her own. Her fixation on Levi though borders on the ridiculous and she is unable to move on. She is angry that Levi stopped her from marrying a gay man and being trapped in a loveless marriage. Levi on the other hand has every reason to be surly. He was born on the wrong side of the tracks and had to constantly prove himself to the town that he was more than his trailer park trash. A stint in the military stood him in good stead to become the town's police officer. In this role he goes overboard to help the townsfolk who once looked down on him. Got a missing cat or need a dog washing? Give him a call. As a teen he was attracted to Faith but she was strictly off limits as Jeremy's girl. Higgins actively works to downplay Levi's intelligence - Helen of Troy, anyone? Levi really does have Faith's best interests at heart even though he is unable to communicate effectively and comes across as rude and boorish at times. Given the overt hostility between the two, I wasn't sure how a real HEA would occur but Higgins pulls it off. The extended flashbacks help to round out both characters and made them both far more appealing and vulnerable. More Levi would have been great. Why does he need the acceptance of the town? What nightmares plague him? How the heck did he immediately know Jeremy was gay?

The main issue I have with this romance is the use of offensive jokes and misogynist behaviour. There is an unpleasant scene where a transvestite goes on a date with Faith's dad as part of the children's desire to pull him away from the clutches of a `gold-digger'. We also have numerous uses of `slut' and `whore' which weren't really necessary and didn't fit the tone of the novel. Faith's grandmother was an interesting character that clearly had a lot to say, yet her husband constantly denigrates her publicly and no one really calls him on it.

This novel has so many things going for it but the humour, if you can call it that, crosses the line way too many times for me to really enjoy it.

Faith returns home to work on a special project in her family's winery. Although she's not looking forward to facing the man who left her at the altar, his best friend or the pitying looks she's sure to receive, she has missed her hometown and her family and she's determined to see this through for however long she decides to stay. Between finding her father a date, helping at the winery and working on her project, Faith comes to terms with many things - especially the fact that she's attracted to Levi.

I've been beating my head against the keyboard trying to figure out how to rate this book. I have read other books by this author and have always found them to be fun, heart-warming and romantic. I guess that is why I am having such a difficult time with this story. It had all the elements necessary to make it an awesome read for me - the characters were complex and kind of broken, there was range in emotions and the dialogue was interesting. I even enjoyed most of the humor - when it wasn't over-the-top or offensive.

I loved the romance part of it, especially the angsty parts. Levi and Faith both had issues to overcome before they could ever consider being in a relationship again. Their attraction was there, easily palpable, but it was their emotions that really did the trick for me. The secondary characters were enjoyable even if at times there was too much going on with them that didn't add anything to the main story.

However, I didn't like some aspects of this book. There were demeaning comments and assumptions based on social status and appearances. Some of these I could overlook, mostly because they are commonly used and this is fiction after all. But I was especially disturbed when a transgendered character was referred to as a "she-male" and the reaction of the characters at encountering this person. Now this I couldn't overlook.

The Best Man offers a lot of things within its story. There was the romance, the cozy feel of living in a small town and the rewards when one finally learns to let go of the past. I just wished the unpleasant stuff I mentioned above would have been excluded from this story. A lot of people have not been bothered by it, so maybe you won't either if you decide to give it a try.

I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

I've mentioned in previous reviews that I love a book that gives me "warm fuzzies". What I love even more is a book that also makes me want to reach through the pages to give a character a reassuring hug. I must admit, this book had me tearing up a few times. The wounds Levi and Faith carried with them were just so raw.

I would have liked to have had more exploration into Levi's PTSD, but understand that it would have possibly been too heavy for such a book. I'm glad that it was at least touched on and that Kristan Higgins also acknowledged, through her characters, that asking a vet very personal questions about war is uncomfortable for most of them.

Even though I believe Faith's grandparents were used for comedy effect, they are the piece of this book that fell flat for me. I didn't find their relationship comical, just sad. Until their anniversary party, I actually had no idea they did anything for each other. But that small bit that Faith spoke of there did nothing to redeem them in my eyes.

I'm excited to know what happens in the next book, to get to know Honor. She was the sibling we learned the least about this book so it will be nice to see behind her iron curtain.

This is the first Kristan Higgins novel I've read, but it won't be the last. This is Chick Lit, Romance HEA ending material all the way, but it's more than that. You have a very cute and feisty Hungarian heroine and a gorgeous Italian hero who turn each other on and nearly light a fire every time they get naked together. BUT...and it's in the BUT that the story gets very interesting. Because there is a very good and a very - actually for a Chick Lit novel very - deep storyline.
Because Lucy Lang is a widow, who loved her first husband deeply and passionately and madly and still loves him. And her Italian heart throb Ethan Mirabelli is the younger brother of her beloved late husband. And normally you're not supposed to do the nasty -actually the way these two do it - the very nasty - with your husband's brother. And even after your husband has been dead a few years, it still feels like incest.
Throw in a few complications like Lucy is in a nest of Black Widows - mother and two aunts all of whose husbands died young and they see no reason for any of them to have another man in their lives -ever, and the fact that Ethan is the younger and scorned and undervalued brother of his family's Golden Boy, and complications abound.
Add in the fact that Lucy has subordinated her dreams of becoming a pastry chef, at which she is very good, to keep her family's Bakery from sinking slowly into bankruptcy, and Ethan's parents have never been able to see him in his brother's shadow and will never let him take a hand in the running of the family restaurant, and there's Greek tragedy.
So back to the nudity. While helping his sister-in-law through the trauma of his brother's death, Ethan finds their clothes flying off one night. Lucy can't accept the thought of loving another man, but she needs human contact (alright, she needs the sex) and they agree they can burn up the sheets as long as it stays purely physical.
Which is alright for awhile, but after a few years, Lucy realizes she loves her sister's little girl, and she wants babies. And a husband. And a little house with a picket fence. AS LONG AS, there's no love involved. Because she barely survived her husband's death. If she were to let herself love again, she wouldn't survive a second loss.
So she ends things with Ethan and goes looking for a steady, comfortable, boring man to have children with and lead a safe life.
The writer does a great job in showing us a community and two people facing what seems to be a truly insoluble dilemma. How do you find love without being willing to face the possibility of losing it?
The emotions are strong and true and the actions of the two people at the center of the story are believable. And, this is the part I love, there's an Epiphany that shows the way out of this Gordian Knot. I love Epiphanies - the sudden blinding realization of truth . It's what Paul saw on the Road to Damascus, I've used them in my own writing, and I've seen it at least once in my own life.
Some people confuse an Epiphany with a Deus Ex Machina, or God coming down to solve problems, but an Epiphany is a very human experience no matter where it comes from.
And the deep part I mentioned early on: When you truly, deeply love another human being and you lose them, how do you move on and love a different human being with the same strength and passion? Do you have to betray your first love, or will your second always have to play second fiddle in your heart of hearts?
It's a tough question and one that The Next Best Thing takes a good stab at answering.
I bought this at full price in paperback. It was worth it.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
Have read many of the authors works and have loved them all. Book #1 of the Blue Heron series. Finger Lakes area along with vineyards and Mennonite farmlands.
Faith Holland had been left at the altar, Jeremy was her to be husband. He was a doctor and they spent a lot of time together in town, in love til the day they were to marry. We learn he was gay and thus didn't want to marry her.
Her sister, Honor had called and summoned her back home to the vineyard as she thinks their father is about to marry a young woman. Faith plans to restore the stone barn into a wedding/event area with the vineyard right there. She's a landscape designer.
Levy Cooper the local police chief. He's back from the war and now the police chief of the town and he pulls Faith over upon her return. They are total opposites but could they be attracted to one another?
The chapters go back in time so you can follow what happened in the past as it relates to the present day life's.
Levy knew of the secret, why Jeremy couldn't marry Faith...
Hot steamy sex scenes and her secret and guilt about the death of her mother comes out...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The birth of her niece triggers a longing in Lucy Lang for a child of her own - even though she already knows that dream is dead and gone - just like her husband. She's settled for working at the family bakery alongside the rest of the Black Widows (her mother and aunts) and coming home to her beloved cat Fat Mikey. However, that's just not enough for her anymore. She's ready to move on and find a man to marry and have babies with but it's important that he doesn't inspire any real happily-ever-after imaginings in her heart. She just doesn't think she can face that sort of loss again. In order to move on, Lucy decides to break things off with Ethan, her best friend with benefits, and try to find someone suitable - only doing so is proving to be much more difficult than she anticipated.

Ethan Mirabelli understands what Lucy's going through; when she lost her husband, he lost his older brother - and he knows he'll never measure up when compared to Jimmy - not in his parents' eyes or in Lucy's. Ethan's a man in his own right with his own dreams, secrets, and needs and they all include Lucy - always have. Understandably he's hurt when she decides to cut him loose in favor of a `safe' man to date and eventually marry, so it's difficult for him to deal with her still wanting to remain close friends and do everything together except indulge their mutual desire for each other. Ethan knows that they're perfect together, convincing her is a different story altogether - and there is that little issue that he's her deceased husband's brother that definitely complicates the entire situation.

THE NEXT BEST THING is a beautifully written dramatic read that touches the heart on so many different levels. First there's the deceased husband, Jimmy, who was taken away all too soon, but he certainly wasn't the saint everyone seems to believe him to be. Lucy's in a sort of `trap' of her own family's making. There's a stigma attached to the Black Widows and there's a constant fear that marrying again will mean losing another husband to death - her sister is a complete basket case because of her own fears. And Ethan, he's just an all-around great guy who is doing the best he can but never lives up to his brother's saintly image. I love how Ms. Higgins instills the perfect amount of humor to counterbalance the emotional turmoil throughout the storyline. She shows how difficult the entire grieving process can be, how difficult and freeing it can be to let go, and even that you can move on and be happy again. It's a long drawn out process full of many pitfalls and tears but in the end the second chance at a happily-ever-after is so worth the effort.

This book was reviewed using a digital galley via NetGalley.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

In The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins, Lucy Lang has convinced herself it's time to wade into the dating pool, five years after losing her husband to a tragic accident. Jimmy was the love of her life. Now she's looking for someone who will be a good companion and wants children. Not someone she will fall madly in love with, if that could even be possible for her again. She can't take the risk with her heart. Lucy is expecting problems when she announces her intentions. Her mother and aunts, lovingly known as the Black Widows, never dated after losing their husbands so Lucy's not sure how receptive they'll be. And her in-laws still live in town and work just down the street, which will make things awkward. Not to mention she'll have to break things off with Ethan, her friend-with-benefits who has been so kind to her while she's been recovering from her loss.

It turns out that while her head might be telling her she's ready to move on, her heart is still not ready to let go of the past. Lucy fights her anxiety with the help (and hindrance) of her friends and meddling family only to find out Ethan wants to be considered as husband material along with the town's other eligible bachelors. Lucy isn't so sure. He's one of her best friends. Wouldn't a relationship potentially ruin their friendship if things don't turn out well? She just knows that she's tired of being viewed only as a widow and wants to feel like herself again, to possibly have some fun at some point. Lucy's small town life in Mackerly, Rhode Island, will be completely tossed upside-down in her search for a husband.

Kristan Higgins wrote The Next Best Thing as a narrative from Lucy's point of view, telling the readers...well, basically Lucy's life story in bits and pieces. I felt like she was flawed and damaged and just plain wonderful. It's almost a relief to read about a female protagonist who isn't perfect. She doesn't always know exactly what to say or do and she makes mistakes. A LOT of mistakes, but so don't we all. She does (eventually) learn from them and that's what truly counts. She's not ready to think of herself as one of the Black Widows yet and still has a lot of living left to do, but she's having a hard time making that first leap. Which is understandable.

Ethan is probably one of the most selfless, patient, sexy and caring guys I've read about in a long time. He's the perfect blend of nice and naughty. He's already a loving father, having a child from a previous relationship, and it was so sweet the way he interacted with his boy. But Ethan also has a mischievous side which he lets Lucy see from time to time. I found it easy to sympathize with him over his situation and could feel his emotions through Kristan's expressive writing.

It's not all heavy emotions, though. Sure there are quite a few tender and even heart-wrenching moments perfectly blended in. But we also get to see the comedic side of entering the wonderful world of dating at the age of thirty. Not everything goes as planned, of course, and between her family's meddling and her interaction with the locals in town, I was in stitches. Throw into the mix Lucy's cat Fat Mikey, who's all attitude with just a touch of love/tolerance for his humans, and you have a hysterical story.

If you like your romance with a lot of heart, a good laugh and a dramatic sigh-worthy ending, I highly recommend The Next Best Thing.

http://ripeforreader.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-next-best-thing-by-kristan-higgins.html

A pastry chef by trade, Lucy Lang has ended up baking the bread in her family's bakery after the death of her husband five and a half years ago. It seemed like a good idea at the time, since the bakery is run by her mother and her aunts, all widows, the Black widows. Her name may not be Black, but her curse to end up a young widow just as crippling.

Ethan Mirabelli has been her best friend since college and the only male who is able to charm the collective Black widow clan, except perhaps for his 4-year old son. Ethan is also the person who introduced Lucy to her husband, Jimmy, his older brother and chef for their family restaurant. And the last few years Ethan has also become Lucy's 'friend with benefits', nothing more, and purely for convenience.......after all, he's her neighbour too!

But now Lucy is ready to date, or so she claims, she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life alone, even though she is determined to keep her heart out of play this time around. If she should fall in love, she might lose another husband to the 'curse', so any potential risks must be eliminated beforehand. That means Ethan has to go.......first of all, he drives a motorcycle.....right. Also, he likes adventure, that's a definite strike against him, and lastly......he might have the ability to really destroy her, should something happen, and there is no way she can do without her friend!

Ethan is not impressed with that plan, in fact he is quite tired of playing second fiddle, especially when it comes to Lucy. But will he be able to convince her to let go of her fear and take hold of what was hers all along?

****

Ohhhh it's a great book when you've laughed and you've cried and everything in-between!! I've had the pleasure of reading more of Kristan Higgin's work and knew she was capable of pulling out every possible emotion I have in my arsenal, and she has done it again!! And yes, that includes anger and frustration!!!

I uttered OMG in frustration plenty of times, when Lucy's internal struggles came up, but I have to admit, I'm generally one to make a decision and throw myself in. Not so Lucy, poor thing has not had the best of examples either, with a mother and a bunch of aunts who continue to worship their long deceased husbands as if they were virtual Gods when still alive, perfect and faultless. HA. She also gets no assistance from her in-laws, heck, they continue to mourn their son as if it was yesterday and expect her to do the same. This girl needs some hair on her chest, not her lip!!! I wanted to poke my elbow in her side or teach her to whistle on her fingers, anything to prompt her to take a stand for herself.
Ethan was also not one of the most decisive people, although I appreciate he wanted to let Lucy come to her own conclusion, part of me wanted him to grab her, shake her and tell her how it was going to be!! I also wanted him to give his parents a good talking to, geeze....I was ready to give them a piece of my mind!
But both of them learned, they unstuck themselves from the place they had almost become rooted and found a way to choose the path that was meant for them.

I love the mute character working in the bakery, amidst all the crazy cackle of the sisters, he was an oasis of quiet reason. Without saying a word, he ended up providing that little injection of encouragement at the exact right time. That was perfection and told an entire story in itself.
The interaction between the Black sisters and also Lucy's in-laws is at times hilarious. Especially when you throw in the questionable Gypsy psychic, then the bakery becomes a true three-ring circus.

Kristan Higgins has found a perfect balance in using clever humour to ensure that the serious and quite emotional nature of the story doesn't become too overwhelming. Your emotions will run the gamut, but you will end up with a big smile on your face, that I guarantee!

A moving, witty and captivating story of overcoming.

**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harlequin HQN in return for an honest review.**

Sweet story of love in a small town. This is the first in the a series of five books, of which I read book two first. The stories are all able to be read independently, but there are the same characters, so reading them in order may be nice. This story features the "baby" of the family, Faith, and a friend from childhood, Levi. I think this whole set would make for some great summer reading. I already have book three ready to go!

3.5 stars

This was my second Kristan Higgins book and I have to say I remain really impressed. I read this one on a plane, so I was a pretty captive audience, but even without a cross-country flight I think I would have happily flown through this one.

When the book first starts Lucy, a young widow, is finally ready to start dating after her husband, the love of her life, passed away a few years before. Lucy's life is complicated by her devotion to her wacky family, her two widow aunts and widow mother and her sister who's terrified that her own husband will pass away with the family curse of dead husbands; her guilt about wanting to rebrand the family bakery to make it more hip and exciting; and the friends with benefits she's been having with Ethan, her neighbor, old college friend, and her dad husband's brother.

At first I wasn't sure I wanted to read a story about a widow. It was really sad, I'm not going to lie, but I thought the way that Higgins showed Lucy dealing with it was so real. Lucy obviously missed her husband, but she was also angry at him and herself and ultimately she did want to move on in some way. I really liked the arc of Lucy coming to terms with being a widow and feeling out at moving on. I also loved Lucy's sense of humor and perspective on things. I laughed a lot while I was reading it and I thought that even in the moments where she feels bad for herself it's never out of perspective or too much.

I was also really skeptical of the fact that the love interest is Lucy's brother-in-law. I really loved Ethan and his adorable son, but, even though I'd love to say I'm so open-minded it didn't bother me, there is definitely something that seems strange about sleeping with your dead husband's brother. But the more I got to know Lucy and Ethan the more I liked them together and really just wanted them both to be happy.

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a sweet love story with a strong main character then I highly suggest you pick up this book. Parts of the story are sad, but the main character's sense of humor and spirit kept me laughing and rooting for her the entire book.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!). All opinions are my own.

I loved and disliked this book in equal quantities as although the story itself is moving and the characters are well rounded, there is this undercurrent of cruel, misogynistic behaviour that just didn't sit well with me. I'm all for humour in books but not petty and cheap shots. Our heroine Faith Holland has returned to her hometown after being ditched by her fiancé Jeremy at the altar. Faith forgives Jeremy but blames Jeremy's best friend Levi for giving Jeremy the courage to come out publicly and thereby ruining her big day.

Faith suffers from Disney Princess syndrome - she desperately wanted her HEA (just like the princesses) and when she didn't get it, she looked around for someone to blame. It's ironic really as she had such a `please like me' and overly cheerful persona. She's not all bad as she is able to maintain a cordial relationship with her ex and become a successful businesswoman on her own. Her fixation on Levi though borders on the ridiculous and she is unable to move on. She is angry that Levi stopped her from marrying a gay man and being trapped in a loveless marriage. Levi on the other hand has every reason to be surly. He was born on the wrong side of the tracks and had to constantly prove himself to the town that he was more than his trailer park trash. A stint in the military stood him in good stead to become the town's police officer. In this role he goes overboard to help the townsfolk who once looked down on him. Got a missing cat or need a dog washing? Give him a call. As a teen he was attracted to Faith but she was strictly off limits as Jeremy's girl. Higgins actively works to downplay Levi's intelligence - Helen of Troy, anyone? Levi really does have Faith's best interests at heart even though he is unable to communicate effectively and comes across as rude and boorish at times. Given the overt hostility between the two, I wasn't sure how a real HEA would occur but Higgins pulls it off. The extended flashbacks help to round out both characters and made them both far more appealing and vulnerable. More Levi would have been great. Why does he need the acceptance of the town? What nightmares plague him? How the heck did he immediately know Jeremy was gay?

The main issue I have with this romance is the use of offensive jokes and misogynist behaviour. There is an unpleasant scene where a transvestite goes on a date with Faith's dad as part of the children's desire to pull him away from the clutches of a `gold-digger'. We also have numerous uses of `slut' and `whore' which weren't really necessary and didn't fit the tone of the novel. Faith's grandmother was an interesting character that clearly had a lot to say, yet her husband constantly denigrates her publicly and no one really calls him on it.

This novel has so many things going for it but the humour, if you can call it that, crosses the line way too many times for me to really enjoy it.

Faith returns home to work on a special project in her family's winery. Although she's not looking forward to facing the man who left her at the altar, his best friend or the pitying looks she's sure to receive, she has missed her hometown and her family and she's determined to see this through for however long she decides to stay. Between finding her father a date, helping at the winery and working on her project, Faith comes to terms with many things - especially the fact that she's attracted to Levi.

I've been beating my head against the keyboard trying to figure out how to rate this book. I have read other books by this author and have always found them to be fun, heart-warming and romantic. I guess that is why I am having such a difficult time with this story. It had all the elements necessary to make it an awesome read for me - the characters were complex and kind of broken, there was range in emotions and the dialogue was interesting. I even enjoyed most of the humor - when it wasn't over-the-top or offensive.

I loved the romance part of it, especially the angsty parts. Levi and Faith both had issues to overcome before they could ever consider being in a relationship again. Their attraction was there, easily palpable, but it was their emotions that really did the trick for me. The secondary characters were enjoyable even if at times there was too much going on with them that didn't add anything to the main story.

However, I didn't like some aspects of this book. There were demeaning comments and assumptions based on social status and appearances. Some of these I could overlook, mostly because they are commonly used and this is fiction after all. But I was especially disturbed when a transgendered character was referred to as a "she-male" and the reaction of the characters at encountering this person. Now this I couldn't overlook.

The Best Man offers a lot of things within its story. There was the romance, the cozy feel of living in a small town and the rewards when one finally learns to let go of the past. I just wished the unpleasant stuff I mentioned above would have been excluded from this story. A lot of people have not been bothered by it, so maybe you won't either if you decide to give it a try.

I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

When I started The Best Man, I figured it would end up being our typical boy jilts girl (probably by cheating on her), best man swoops in to save the day, they fall in love and get their HEA. Well let me tell you, Kristan Higgins version completely surprised me. Completely!

You see, Faith gets blindsided on her wedding day by Jeremy finally telling her that he is gay. Prompted by the best man, Levi, who Faith thinks is really trying to ruin her life. Holy crap! I don't think that has ever been the reason a wedding gets ruined, and it really took things in a way different direction. I don't intend for that to be a spoiler, simply because that isn't the end of the story. That information is in the prologue, but is a focus throughout the entire story and resulted in a lot of laughs and tears on my part. I was really hoping it was in the blurb, because c'mon that is catchy, who doesn't want to know where THAT is going...

I thought to myself "Hold the freaking phone.." What! Then, when you're told they've been together for 8 YEARS, people...8 freaking years! How on earth did she not realize this? How could he not tell her? How could they get to their WEDDING DAY before Levi thought that he should stop all of this madness, because he thought Jeremy was gay the second he laid eyes on him. The phrase the plot thickens applies here, and trust me it is thicker than gravy, as some of us southern folk know well how thick that should be!

Our story begins with Faith coming home to New York after living in San Francisco for 3 1/2 years post wedding fiasco. Levi is now out of the military, and the chief of Police in Manningsport (how I love military men in my books). Jeremy is the town doctor, and neighbor to Faith's family with adjoining wineries. Higgins includes not only alternating viewpoints from Faith and Levi, but also trips down memory lane. As it is well established that I am a sap and it takes next to nothing to get me teary, then I will say yes, I cried on more than one occasion. The detail taken to finding out how things went down at the wedding (sob), after the wedding, and how and if the journey back to love and acceptance will happen was written beautifully.

Forgiveness is a huge theme for this story, but not just for Faith and Jeremy. Faith blames herself for a lot of family issues and Levi has to deal with life post-military, post-divorce, and as the sole person in his sister's life as she starts college. Now, here is the part where you don't need to write this off as a downer and boring. It is really funny too! As quick as I can cry, it takes a lot for me to actually laugh out loud. Usually I'm more of a LOTI (laughing on the inside!), but I did a lot of laughing. I loved that Faith was just as awkward as the rest of us, and while she was a pretty confident person, she was genuine and relatable. She has a boredom scale for Levi's facial expressions that are just hysterical! Add in small town living with everyone knowing your business (gosh, I can relate to that), grandparents who joke (might be serious) about killing each other, speed dating with seniors to make her father go (with a best friend who actually likes old guys), and a sister who kicks her husband out of the house because he is spicing up their relationship (with 50 Shades sexting, but lets him come home for conjugal visits) and you have a very, very well rounded story. I learned a bit about wineries in New York, which was fun and something I didn't know anything about. I thought the descriptions of the landscape and wines really added an element to the story. Where I grew up is an huge backdrop for my life, so I like when a place is just as much a character as the people are.

Worth the time and not a lot of effort to read The Best Man. I really enjoyed it, and while it seems much like a story that has been done many times, Kristan Higgins did a fantastic job making it her own and giving us a memorable story.

I have a well documented girl crush on Kristan Higgins. Her books always seem to cure what ails me, showing me happy, quirky families, flawed heroines, hot heroes, and true love conquering all. Fairy tales, yes, but believable fairy tales, the sort that might come true. I regularly loan her books to my high school students, and when the girls do not return the books, I replace them. Between Kristan Higgins and Megan McCafferty, I have spent a fortune raising their sales numbers.

And now we have the latest Higgins book, The Best Man. Her books follow a general formula: girl from a boisterous, nosy, noisy family falls for a boy who loves her, but there are complications, usually on his side. They come together, get broken apart, come together, rinse, repeat. What makes the books so enjoyable, though, is Higgins' writing style. She respects her characters, but with a wink and a smile. They are not perfect, their tales occasionally break your heart, but you will always enjoy a laugh (or several) as they go through their ups and downs.

For this one, the first in a series of sorts set in the same whimsical New England town, our heroine is Faith Holland, a landscape architect who bolted to San Francisco when her wedding was called off at the altar. By the groom. Who announced he was gay. And for which Faith holds local sheriff Levi Cooper somewhat responsible. Not for making Jeremy gay, but for failing to tell Faith his suspicions. Yet as we get to know Faith, we also can see that Jeremy left clues, even if he himself apparently had no idea.

Her career thriving in California, Faith returns home to help her family, who own a winery. The very first person she runs into is Levi, and Faith immediately feels herself propelled backwards to that fateful wedding day. She never got the sense that Levi cared much for her, and that sentiment seems to continue to hold true. Faith has trust issues - not surprising, given how the most important romance of her life worked out - and Levi has problems of his own.

As the two come together, their relationship is beset with various conundrums and problems. Typical of a Higgins book, most of the problems are Levi's, and we feel Faith's frustration in dealing with him. Somewhat atypical of a Higgins book, this is told in the third person. We spend most of our time in Faith's head, but we do get into Levi's every now and then. It helps us understand where each is coming from and what motivates them. Too often in Higgins' novels, the book ends without giving us much clarity or insight into the hero (and I'm looking at you, Malone, in Catch of the Day). Here, we do have a greater understanding of Levi, which makes us care about him even stronger, which makes us cheer for him and Faith even harder.

This is not my favorite Higgins book - that slot is reserved for My One and Only - but I enjoyed the heck out of reading it. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love a little with the characters. And my girl crush on Kristan Higgins remains unabated.

Published on cupcake's book cupboard
Thanks to edelweiss for the preview

Sometimes you run across a certain author at just the right time. In my case, it often happens post-some trauma or other, when I am . . . depleted, if you will, and sorely in need of something that will wrap me up in its charm or beauty and give me back a little bit of what I lost. Kristan Higgins is one of those authors. I discovered her not long after having my third baby (never in a million years did I think I'd have cause to use that phrase), and the laughter and hesitant, honest emotion her stories provided served as a balm. She has a nice backlist, and I blew through it with gusto. A few became dear favorites, others merely pleasant ways to pass the time. I tend to think there's probably a Higgins book for everyone, and I'm ever curious as to which one works for which reader. My top three are All I Ever Wanted,Catch of the Day, and Until There Was You. I foresee rereading them indefinitely. All of which is to say that I always look forward to her new releases. With the publication of THE BEST MAN, Higgins embarks upon a series set in the Blue Heron region of the northeast.

Faith Holland has stayed away as long as she can. Nothing has gone right since she left her home, and a string of unfortunate relationships has left her doubting the existence of happily ever after. But the last disaster takes the cake, and Faith returns home to her family's winery to see if she can't find her way to seeing things clearly again. Of course, coming home means seeing her ex-fiancé Jeremy again and attempting not to murder him for leaving her at the alter all those years ago. No mean feat, that. It also means attempting to retain her sanity amid her inane, but lovable family's quirks and foibles. So when she crosses paths with Jeremy's best friend (and former best man) Levi Cooper, Faith is spoiling for a fight. Levi just stood by and watched as Jeremy called it quits. Faith is sure he could have done something to avoid the catastrophe and didn't. As a result, she isn't about to let him meddle in her life again, chief of police or no. For his part, Levi is decidedly less than thrilled to see his best friend's ex-fiancée back in town. Faith always did get in the way of things, with her endless cheerfulness and attached-at-the hipness to Jeremy. Add to that the fact that he's not best pleased with women in general these days, Levi is determined to have nothing to do with her. Circumstances fail to cooperate with Faith and Levi's wishes, however, and it isn't long before they find themselves forced to reevaluate their original opinions of each other.

There is a lot going on in this novel. Even for Higgins. From crazy family members en masse and numerous painfully failed marriages to the unwilling reliving of high school drama and surprisingly traumatic pasts, it's a certifiable festival of emotions. And for a little while I was uncertain as to how well I would sink into this dramedy served up on a platter. Though they are admittedly attracted to each other upon her return, Faith and Levi's enmity runs deep on both sides. While I liked that they didn't just fall into each other's arms, I did struggle a bit with the way they handled each other. I didn't quite have the context to support it. But then Faith got a glimpse of what Levi's life was like, both before and after she left home. And with that glimpse, I sank in. For while there was a bit much going on on some fronts of this novel, there were other areas in which the layers utterly suited me. One of my very favorite things about Higgins' novels in general is the consistent way in which she acknowledges that families are imperfect. That growing up reveals these imperfections. That they hurt. And that sooner or later we are all forced to address them and see if we can't somehow embrace them and move on. I truly enjoyed reading about Levi's history, growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, his unexpected friendship with Jeremy, his mother, his sister, joining the army and shipping off to Afghanistan. I was similarly involved in Faith's background, in her struggle with epilepsy, her combative relationships with her sisters, and her desire to create something lasting and beautiful. It was these layers, along with (as always) the gradual reconciliation and development of their relationship, that earned THE BEST MAN a spot on my keeper shelf. While not perfect (a few annoying moments and some potential threads left unexplored), it has that undeniable heart that I've come to expect and rely on in a Kristan Higgins book.

When meeting the man of your dreams, having children, building a life together and growing old together is pretty much the only thing on your minds, and thinking of being apart is the last thing that is brought into the equation. But things to happen to tear us apart, be it divorce or death, and in the end there is not much we can do about it, except fight our way back to the top in our own way.

However we all deal with loss of any kind in our own way and sometimes it changes us for the worse, and coming back from the dark side and back into the light is not easy.

In this read I was shown just how cruel and unemotional a person can be when they loose that special someone, the author clearly showed the almost total disconnection from the outside world of Lucy and how she is towards one person as oppose to the one person that can save her from a life time of being hurt and alone.

The main characters were extremely well written. Lucy yes coming off as cruel, disconnected, some what emotionless and to me as reader a total cold hearted woman, but when the author delves into her hurt, anger and despair one can clearly see exactly why she is this way. And it became clear that she needs the right person to give her back her sparkle, hope and joy in order to become the loving person hiding inside.

The character of Ethan was in all honestly the sweetest most kind and caring guy around, his patience with Lucy was incredible as most guys would surly long ago have given up and ditched the whole friends with benefits idea and gone of in search of a woman who truly wants to be with him, again here the author let me as reader pick up on the idea of when you truly love someone you just need to keep at it until that person sees it, never give up on love.

The secondary characters were wonderful and each and every one brought the book that extra vital "this is from our side" sense and added to the entire element of , you cannot judge someone when you truly do not know what they are going through, you have not experienced their loss and grieve and until you do, it is best to rather try to understand the person.

The Black Widows in the book were to me the most fun to read about as the author showed that when you have been there then the connection is one that can never be broken and a lifelong friendship is formed and happiness found amongst grieve.

The dialogue was fun and witty at times but also mostly emotional and I would have expected nothing less seeing that this is a book that's main focus is on finding happiness and love after having suffered loss.

I highly recommend this read for readers who love a good, heartfelt romance that delivers a strong and powerful message.

5/5 star review
" He is the only one that can bring back her smile, one sexy kiss at a time"

It was a nice way to pass the time if you’re in the mood for contemporary romance. It has a bit of a chick lit feel.

Levi never expresses his feelings. He acts and looks like he doesn’t like Faith. She’s the trusting one who falls for him and continues being with him even though he doesn’t say the right words. All she knows is that he desires her physically. I wish he opened up more at the end.

I loved early on in the book the way rich kid Jeremy became friends with Levi whose mom was low income and single. My heart melted over their friendship.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR - Amy Rubinate.
She was good when speaking dialogue. She has a nice soft feminine voice, but her voice for general narration and descriptions was monotone - like reading without thinking. Not good.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 12 hrs and 4 mins. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: about 4. Setting: current day northern New York state. Book copyright: 2013. Genre: contemporary romance.

I decided to read The Next Best Thing having just finished Somebody To Love. Somebody to Love deals with Parker and Nicky as main characters and with Ethan and Lucy as side characters. The Next Best Thing is Ethan and Lucy's story of how they ended up together. I kind of like that Kristan Higgins did that with the stories. It sort of adds more depth to the characters on both sides.

Lucy and Ethan were friends from school. Lucy married Ethan's brother Jimmy after they fell in love at first sight. Jimmy dies in a car accident months after they were married and Lucy of course becomes a young widow. She starts working in her family's bakery with her mother and aunts who themselves are all widows who have chosen to remain single all these years.

Lucy decides after 5 1/2 years that she wants to get married and have a family. From there it's a long battle dealing with the past and coming to terms with how well you know those you love.

I liked Ethan's character a lot. He was just the right amount of masculinity but was still caring and sensitive enough without ending up too whiny. He was just a generally good guy.

Lucy was a nice character, but for me, the story had her crying almost every other page and it got to be a little too much. I think that made me a little unsympathetic to Lucy. If the crying scenes would have been cut down then it would have been better. She was an emotional wreck for a lot of the book. I would have liked to have seen the Lucy from Somebody to Love (which, granted, does take place after the events in this book so everyone is happier all around).

One thing I liked about Somebody to Love was that we got perspectives from both our main characters' points of view whereas this book is only told from Lucy's point of view. I would really have liked Ethan's side of the story and maybe this would have helped with the overload of Lucy's emotions throughout.

Overall, it's a cute story about moving on but not forgetting. About figuring out your feelings and even if your scared keeping on trying. Sometimes love was right in front of you, you just have to look. Typical Kristan Higgins book, and sometimes that's just what you need to read.

Lucy Lang had it all until her husband tragically dies in a car accident. The family curse of husbands dying young has happened again and now she's just another in a long line of widows in her family. After 5 years of mourning and the birth of her new niece, Lucy decides she wants have children of her own, but that means finding a man - one that she can tolerate but wouldn't be heartbroken if the family curse struck again. She has to then tell her `friend with benefits' that their fun is over, and I'm glad Higgins recognises that the situation is inappropriate because I found it totally off putting.

Lucy's not a very nice person: she's selfish and self-absorbed and I couldn't warm to her. With her being the main character, it made for hard reading. Lucy's sister Corinne is almost as bad, she lives in constant fear that her husband will fall the same fate and die young, so she is constantly checking up on him. Poor, sweet Ethan, who has clearly been in love with Lucy since they were teenagers, has to put up with Lucy's frustrating indecisiveness: one minute she wants to give it a go with him and the next she's on a date with someone else. Ethan is a true gentleman and really saved this book for me, he's a dream guy and Lucy should have realised it sooner. I really enjoyed Ethan's story and after a bit of research is seems as though some of Higgins' previous novels are prequels taking on a different character's story. I think the characters themselves and their behaviours may have made more sense if I'd read these other books.

Reviewed by Francesca Verbeeten on behalf on BestChickLit.com.

I read this one in a single day! (I would have tried for a single sitting if I could have gotten away with it, but darn if those kids didn't need to eat. Geesh.)

I think this is one of, if not my favorite, Kristan Higgins books to date. I loved Faith (and the fact that she ended up crying in *my* airport twice in this book just proved that if she really existed, we'd totally be besties), her extra fifteen pounds (again, besties), her love of Ben & Jerry's (ditto), and her extremely well-behaved dog. (If only he could give mine some tips.) Faith has some very funny moments, but she's not ditzy--I will never look at automatic flush toilets the same way again! She also manages to give as good as she gets with Levi, which was totally necessary, especially when he was being a "hemorrhoid". Her "Boring Scale" rating system for the looks he often gives her (one: "Oh, it's you," four: "What's your name again?" six: "I can't believe I still have to talk to you," nine: "So this is what hell is like") is just too funny.

Levi, for his part, ends up more than making up for his (apparent) butt-headedness as the book progresses. Seeing things from his point of view definitely helps readers understand where he is coming from, and his two big gestures totally seal the deal. I absolutely loved that he was an army vet too. Excellent choice.

Once again Higgins outdoes herself with the quirky family and friends--this book promises to be first in a series, so I can't wait to see whose story we'll get next. The only part that I wasn't totally in love with was the side story of older sister Pru and her husband--it had some funny moments, but there was a lot of bouncing back and forth and at times it was vaguely disturbing. Despite that, this is definitely one for my keeper shelf!

This book's genre was taken into consideration when rating this book. Be aware that I was much more lenient about the content because of that. This has some language and sexual content, which I skimmed. Definitely recommended for adult readers.

I don't read too many Adult Romance books because they aren't normally clean. However, there are a few authors I follow because I like their characters, writing, and humor. Kristan Higgins is one of those.

I love food and baking, so I really liked how food played a role in this story and how both main character's families were part of that and this heritage that was passed on. It was also fun to have a group of elderly/older widows and follow their stories and dialogue. They were quite hilarious!

Then there are the main characters. I loved Ethan. Loved him. Lucy is great too. This was a heartbreaking story in so many ways. I really felt for both MC's. There were several parts that were quite funny as well, thank goodness. That's one thing this author does really well - she is great at balancing out her books between heartbreak, romance, and humor.

Overall if you enjoy books in this genre, this is definitely a book I would suggest picking up.

Source: Received a copy for review from NetGalley, which did not affect the opinions shared in my review in any way. Thank you, Harlequin HQN Books, for the copy!

What I loved: Heartwarming, romantic and hilariously funny, The Best Man is Kristan Higgins' best work yet! I devoured this book in one day and I can't remember laughing so hard or so often. (My stomach hurt from laughing so hard I counted it as my ab workout.)

Faith, Levi and the rest of this entertaining cast of characters are realistic and relateable.

The scenery is beautiful and the romance is steamilicious without being raunchy, something I found incredibly refreshing in this post "quinquagenarian shadiness" era. Also, automatic toilets have always frightened me and I'll never look at Justin Timblerake or white hoodies the same way again. *snort*

One of the things I enjoy about Kristan's MC's is that the women come in all shapes and sizes and the men, while certainly nice to look at, aren't perfect. Levi for example, is a war veteran and the town's police chief who tends to have issues with control and smiling but trust me, he's completely swoonworthy. Faith is beautiful, funny and stronger than she realizes. With a little help from family and her dog, Blue, she and Levi both learn what it means to forgive and how loving someone can teach you how to truly live.

What left me wanting: I didn't want this story to end! I could've read another 400+ pages of Faith and Levi's story. :D

Final verdict: Lighthearted romance that you don't want to miss! You can thank me later, or you know, thank Kristan because she wrote it. ;)

Favorite quote(s):

"Want to have a drink sometime?"

"No! I mean, sure, to catch up, but not romantically, okay? Because I babysat you."

"Maybe they could go into business. Condescending Looks, LLC

Faith had a normal high school life, good friends,good family, boy friend, etc. All was good until her mama died. She told everyone it was because of a seizure she had and it made her mom take her eyes off of the road, and poor Faith goes years blaming herself and thinking her family blames her for their mom's death.

Faith has a very serious boy friend that is loved by everyone, Jeremy. Jeremy has everything going for him, good looks, sports, money, friends! But there is something he is hiding.

Levi had a tougher high school life growing up with very little but makes up for it with being police chief now.

Faith gets left at the alter for reasons I wont say or it would ruin the story. She leaves her home, family and friends for a life away from everyone. When she finally decides to come back home with her dog, she finds all that she has missed out on as well as another possible chance at love!

There are so many funny parts in this book that will have you laughing out loud and some great words I catch myself saying quite often... futtocks, hemorrhoids, to name a few. The bathroom scene is the funniest in the whole book, well maybe the transvestite... oh who knows! There are also a few parts you will need the kleenex, especially after you find out what Levi has done. Boy do I love that man!!!!

We read this for book club and couldn't put it down! I lost so much sleep reading this story and can't wait to lose more and read it again.

Please Ms Higgins, WRITE FASTER! I need more :)

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins
Lucy lives on an island off the coast of Rhode Island and had first met Ethan at Johnson and Wales Culinary School in the city. He had introduced her to his brother Jimmy who she fell in love with and after she finished college they married.
He ran his family place and died coming home from NY after checking out new ovens for the place. Since then she's been sleeping around with Ethan but now that her sister Corinne has produced a baby she wants one also and tells Ethan they are a thing of the past.
How she and Parker-Nicky's bio mother (Ethan is his father) go about dating is hilarious!
Lots of drama and everyday life events: births, deaths, funerals, retirements, dating and the baking industry and the publishing industry with The Holy Rollers.
Hot steamy sex and I love the boat excursions seeing that I live in RI and in the vicinity of the island they are referencing. Everybody in her family has lost their husband so she is terrified her next husband the same thing will happen...
The bread man Matt complicates their relationship and she's not sure whether she wants Matt or Ethan... Remake of an earlier years version.
I received this book from Net Galley via Harlequin HQN in exchange for my honest review.

The Best Man is about Faith and Levi along with both their families. Faith leaves home after her marriage comes to a surprising end. She starts a new life in California, but ends up going back home and wanting to stay. Upon returning home she runs into Levi. A man who has been in her life for a long time, but one that never really acted like Faith was important to him. Maybe since they're older and wiser she will be now.

Faith was a pretty good character. She seemed real and likable. At times she was a little boring and wanted everything to be perfect, but other than that she was fun to read about. Levi was a great character. Very caring towards his sister, a wanting to do good guy, and someone you could count on. The only confusing thing about him was how moody he was at times. However, considering his life it's realistic to think that he'd be moody. I wasn't overly fond of Jeremy and a little surprised that he and Faith stayed such good friends after everything that happened between them. There were some very funny lines in the book, a little suspense, and some romance. Not as much romance as some of Higgins other books. Overall if you like Higgins you'll know this book is another feel good one to read that you'll like.

I the beginning of the book I got disgusted, put it down, and didn't pick it up again for weeks. Too many annoying/horrible characters, too much meanness from our leading man (Levi) and straight up patheticness from the main female character (Faith). Plus, just a very slow moving pace.

I started reading it again and I'm glad I did because it did legitimately get better. Levi stays a little mean but is shown to have redeeming qualities and Faith remains slightly pathetic but at least you have a more thorough understanding of what brought her to that point. The main flaw is that because the book is longish (for a romance novel) we have to circle around a few basic plot points and interactions repeatedly, which gets a little tiring. We could also have easily cut several peripheral characters from the book and not missed them whatsoever. But the story does pick up and you begin to see how the two main characters could fall for each other even though they both definitely have their failings. So my honest recommendation is if you're reading it, stick with it, but despite the high ranking I really believe that you can find a more engaging romance!

Kristan Higgins has done it again. I started laughing almost from the first page, when I learned Faith almost married a gay man she didn't know played for the other side. What a beginning! The girl had to be blind not to see that Levi, the police chief and best friend to the gay guy, was really a lot more--and I mean a LOT MORE--her type.

Faith's guilt at her mother's death years before and Levi's own backstory, one of those on-the-bad-side-of-the-tracks kind of guys, kept me longing for them to get past the bad stuff and onto planning for a future--together.

Fortunately, by the end of the book, Faith's no longer blind to what all the rest of us saw from the start and Levi admits who gave her the special heart-shaped stone when they were in high school.

Extra bonuses? her golden retriever and the ambiance of the characters' living and working on an upper NY state winery, too.

At first poor Faith is heart broken and it seems like things are not going her way. I won't give away the details..She is tough and she will find Mr. Right..this is my second book by Kristan Higgins and will not be my last. She is a new author for me and love this book. Ok! So Faith moves back to her home town where her family owns Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard..she faces the past and a lot she tried to forget. The one man who ruined everything for her may have saved her from making the biggest mistake of her life, but she still has not forgiven him. See what happens to them..you might not like him at times, but you fall in love with him....things even get better between her and the first man she ever loved....it's just a touching story, it will make you cry..Faith has a condition that hits a lot of people in the world. I know from personal experience. Kristan Higgins wrote such a perfect book and its true animals do sense these things. My bird actually sensed my very first seizure. Levi was there for her when she had one, once her dog Blue went to get him.

I loved, loved this book!!!

Faith and Jeremy have been together for years! She is estatic, he is perfect! Unfortunately (or fortunately) at the urging of Jeremy's best friend Levi, Jeremy finally 'comes out of the closet' their wedding day!

Faith escapes to San Francisco (exactly where I would want to escape to also!) but for the next 3 years she is unable to find romance, she has the worst luck with men! She heads back home at the uring of her sisters to help stop her father being trapped by the wrong woman and works at the family vineyard. It's a small town and she first is always running into Levi, then moves into the apartment across the hall from him. Slowly they come to see each other as more than Jeremy's friends (who totally antagonize each other!) and they start to develop a relationship.

Both of them have some personal issues that are not helping them to move forward...Will they make it as a couple?

As I said, I loved, loved this book! It was filled with humor that made me laugh out loud, and sweet romance. Kristin did fantastic work with The Best Man!! I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a light hearted, humorous romance! It was refreshing too because although I don't mind the sex scenes in some books when it works, in The Best Man, you knew it was there but it wasn't so in your face.

I felt really good when I finished this book!

Although the premise of this book is certainly trite and predictable, author Kristan Higgins' execution in The Best Man is anything but. After main character Faith Holland flees from her hometown after getting jilted at the altar by Jeremy, her suddenly gay groom, she finally returns home determined to put the past behind her. Although prepared to rekindle her friendship with Jeremy, shes not entirely sure she's ready to forgive the former best man, now police chief, Levi Cooper for his involvement in the worst day of her life. But their longstanding history makes it difficult for her to ignore him for long.

Higgins has a history of writing about quirky but lovable heroines, realistically flawed but wonderful heroes and dynamic supporting characters, and her latest is no different. Between Faith's fear of getting hurt again and Levi's post-traumatic stress disorder, one is left to wonder if they'll ever be able to make it work.

Higgins adds new depth to a genre that has gotten a little stale, crossing the line between romance and chick lit and going back again.

-Lanine Bradley, posted on Sacramento Book Review

I truly enjoyed the story of Faith Holland and Levi Cooper. Faith and Levi have known each other since they were kids and Faith was dating Levi's best friend. When Faith is left at the altar, she blames Levi for his role in the demise of her relationship. Since she has never thought that Levi liked her despite one questionable encounter as teens, Faith is more than happy to continue ignoring him when she comes back to town. However, she finds herself in a couple of "sticky" situations in which Levi, who is now local police chief, comes to her rescue (or demise depending on who you ask). When they can't avoid each other, sparks soon fly and Faith and Levi have to come to terms with their past in order to determine if they have a future together.

The characters are well developed, the supporting cast is almost intriguing as the leads and the pace is just right. Being the second offering I've read by Kristan Higgans, I am a solid fan and can't wait for another chance to read one of her delightful tales.

Lucy Mirabella was widowed 5 1/2 years ago at the at the age of 25. Her husband's death devastated her and she's unwilling to go through that kind of pain again. Her solution is to find someone that she can like, raise a family and move on again. The person can never be her one true love again because she doesn't think she could survive it.

Lucy is surrounded by lots of family who are committed to keeping her grieving. Her aunts and her mother, known as the Black Widows (maiden name is Black and they were all widowed young), think Lucy is following their tradition and should be committed to staying single and martyred. Her in-laws want her to keep their favored son enshrined for the rest of her life. Thank goodness for her friend Parker who brings some balance to the mix, encouraging Lucy to live full out. Lastly, there's Jimmy's younger brother, Ethan, who's stood by her and been her best friend throughout.

I liked this story, full of humor, quirky characters and Lucy's angst as she struggles to release the shackles of the hurtful loss of her husband and those around her who would keep her crippled. She knows she needs to move on and has come up with her own scheme for how to do it, in spite of her family. Ethan is an extremely appealing character, who unknown to Lucy (because she's deaf, dumb and blind to it!) has always loved her. He gives her the space to get where she needs to be, even at his own expense. Some may find Lucy terribly frustrating but her journey is realistic, especially when you factor in the lovable nuts around her.

I enjoyed each character and what they added to the story, no matter that they sometimes drove me crazy. It's well written and I found it hard to put the book down.

(FYI - Higgins' new book, Somebody to Love, is a sequel to this story.)

I really struggled with this book. I could not find anything I could like in Lucy's character. She is self-center, immature and thinks everyone needs to cater to her because she's a widow. Even in the end, she still expects everyone to stop what they are doing so she can talk. Ethan is too nice and acted like a doormat. While the dialogue is crisp and clear, it could not make up for the unlikable characters. Happy reading!

Kristan Higgins has moved onto my auto-buy list of authors. She consistently delivers stories that capture my interest and eventually my heart. Her small town setting s serve as characters in the books as well, and that really appeals to me. I am always sure that I could live in that town and those people could be my friends - if I was truly lucky.
I was truly lucky to have read The Next Best Thing. The setting, as always, was charming, the pacing a bit slow at first, the story well plotted and the happily ever after was everything I wanted. I think the pacing was slow for me at first because I had a hard time connecting to the heroine. As she evolved and more of her back story was revealed, I found my self liking her more and more. I guess with understanding comes investment. The hero, on the other hand, was a magnet for my emotions from early on. I really empathized with him and rooted for his happily ever after.
Ms. Higgins takes the reader on a journey. Is it always where I want to go> Maybe not, but when I get there I'm glad I took the trip.
*I was lucky enough to receive my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Cyril Gordon, a young, well-educated agent with the Secret Service, is sent on a dangerous mission to retrieve a coded message from powerful criminals in a New York City crime syndicate. He manages to obtain the message, but his merciless adversaries are hard on his heels. If he does not evade them, they will not only retrieve the message, which will have grave consequences for the United States, but they will also undoubtedly murder him. Thinking only of escape, Cyril jumps into a waiting vehicle outside a neighboring building, closes the door and puts on a disguise. He finds himself rushed into a crowded church and up the aisle to the altar, where he believes he is being mistaken for the best man in a wedding. His mind is almost entirely taken up with the need to escape and, being inexperienced in weddings, is married to an ill, despondent, beautiful young woman before he knows what has happened. They are whisked to a packed reception at the bride's family mansion. There is no opportunity to come clean with the bride or her family before he and his bride are sneaked out of the mansion to catch the train for their wedding trip. The story which follows details their hair-raising adventures, Cyril's and Celia's rapidly growing respect and attachment for one another, and Cyril's need to get his message to Washington and then to spill the beans to his bride. Meanwhile Celia also has explaining to do: Why had she been marrying a man she had not seen for ten years and whom she abhorred?

This is a classic Grace Livingston Hill story. It is intricately and adeptly plotted. It has the charms and limitations of a well-written romantic melodrama of its time, the late Victorian era.

I have to say that I am new to Kristan Higgins, so this is my 3rd story that I have read by her. This very quickly jumped to the top of the list as my favorite. I received this book as a gift for my birthday as it came out the day after. After speaking with the person that gifted it to me, I decided that I should wait until I was on break from grad school to read it because I wouldn't want to out it down. Well.........she was right!! I actually saw the time change here in the US.

Faith, our heroine, was left at the altar by her childhood boyfriend, Jeremy, comes out of the closet at the wedding. Faith, upon Goggy's (her grandma)advice, decides that she is going to take her honeymoon anyway. Only, she doesn't return home for 3.5 years.

Levi, our hero, was the best man at the wedding of Faith and Jeremy. Levi knew the Jeremy was gay, but never said anything to anyone and only talked to Jeremy about it one time. He was the one that convinced Jeremy to come out. Upon Faith's return, Levi pulls Faith over for speeding and the fun begins with these two.

I seriously want to gush about this book, but I would give so much away. This story made me laugh and it made me cry, which is what I love about books!

I really felt that this book was a HFN story rather than a HEA story. Levi was nothing but mean to Faith for most of the book, and for no plausible reason. It is plain as day that he flat out doesn't like her. He only seemed to like her boobs. I don't think he liked her much even after they started having sex (I won't say dating because they never dated. It was just a booty call relationship.). I think Faith was just dazzled by her first foray into the joys of heterosexual sex so she didn't want to notice that Levi had the emotional depth of thimble. How many times does a guy have to look at you with disdain before you get a clue and move on. I see them becoming her grandparents someday. Not very romantic for a romance. The best part of the book was Faith's evolving relationship with Jeremy. That part felt emotional and real to me.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins is a laugh out loud and a delight to read.

Faith Holland has not been back to her hometown since she was jilted at the altar. She returns home to help her family with the wine harvest. The last person she wants to run into his her former fiancé's best man, the man that helped to ruin her wedding.

Levi Cooper has become the towns Chief of police. He still regrets the role he played in his best friends wedding. Now that Faith Holland is back in town, he noticed things he never noticed before about the woman. Once Faith moves in across the hall he can't seem to keep her out of his thoughts.

Faith never really paid any attention to the attractive qualities of her former fiancé's best man. Seeing him every day has made her open her eyes to the possibilities of a romance worth keeping.

Added to this mix is Faith's quirky family drama and Faith trying to decide is home is really where she belongs. Faith and Levi's chemistry is ripe with humor and sizzling attraction.

This book will have you laughing out loud and sighing with pleasure. It was a delight from page one. So glad I found this author last year.

Think about that.. The best man. I thought, oh the BEST man. As in, a good, great, wonderful, simply the best man. Nope, the best man. As in a wedding. Hahahha... Levi Cooper ruined EVERYTHING for Faith. Right when she and Jeremy were about to wed and be happily ever after, he made Jeremy tell her, he was gay. So Faith went ahead and flew to San Fran (don't call it that to Faith though, she hates that!! Only tourists do that!! haha) .. now she has come home, to help find a mate for her dad before the crazy money hungry Lorena tries to snag him unaware.

Kristan Higgins always does a fabulous job, these characters leap off of the page-- laugh out loud hilarious, especially the scene where Faith tries to avoid Jeremy and gets stuck in the window, and of course, here comes good ole Levi Cooper. Chief Cooper that is. I love the chemistry between the two!!! I cheered for them the WHOLE time!!!

Looking for a cute beach read, something to just make you laugh and forget the world? Look NO further! Higgins is your go to woman for totally loveable characters!! Happy reading!!

I read this books twice, a couple months apart and both times I loved it and rated it 5 stars.

I'm a fan of Kristan Higgins's work. She has become the queen of romantic comedies for me. Her stories are always sweet and funny. Her characters always feel real and the problems they encounter very much realistic.
With her I lough, I cry, I get my heart broken at least once and I fall in love, every single time.

This book is one of her best I think. Levi was an outstanding hero. Very manly and just like I love them.
While the story centered more around Faith, Levi played a very big role. Faith of course had a lot to overcome in order to find happiness and I enjoyed being next to her the whole time. She was a good person with a good heart. She wanted to love and to trust but of course she was scared... I was very sympathetic of her for that.
The set of secondary characters was very nice and they made me want to go back to Blue Heron quick.

I hope KH never changes anything to her writing and delivers more heroes and heroines like Faith and Levi.

Right before I read Kristan Higgins's "The Best Man", I'd finished a book that I considered a 5-star and that's usually a problem because I'm in a "That was such a good book!" kind of hangover and it sets the bar high for the next book that I read.

But "The Best Man" was probably one of the best romance novels that I've read in a very long time.

The summary reads like a cliche (one that works, mind you, but still a cliche). Faith is a gal who left her hometown after being 'jilted' on her wedding day and is now coming home and starts to notice how good looking a certain guy is who she has reason to dislike but hey, he's a good looking guy so he starts making her 'feel' things.

And again, the cliche generally works. That's why I selected the book to read. Jilted bride stories are usually a guilty pleasure of angst reading for me.

But from the Prologue, Higgins lets the reader know that this isn't going to follow the cliche. It'll use it but it won't follow it and what a joy it was to read.

Faith isn't a 'feel sorry for me' gal. Yeah, she's had a tough break but she's tough too. Licks her wounds, yeah, but she's not broken. She's funny and likable and reads very real.

Her love interest, Levi Cooper, was supposed to be the best man at her wedding seeing how he is the best friend of her former fiance. He's a nice guy but he's got his own issues that to deal with.

But I liked Faith and Levi in that their relationship unfolds in a realistic way and I have to say that in these stories, there is always a split (or a point of contention that causes a temporary split) to help the couple "come to their senses" but how that argument unfolds is brilliant in its simplicity. Dialogue just sells it without overdoing it.

Combine that with friends and family who interact in a way that is a hyper-reality in that they sound like the friends and family that you want to have. They're real and funny and caring.

Just a very well done romance. I've read a few other books by Higgins but this one really seems a cut above.

I love this author and everything she writes is very good. I did however, like this one the least. The title pretty much told me what this story was going to be about and I was right. However, the story is interesting. There were some things that seemed repetitive like what Levi did at night, the dog's actions, Levi's sister's problems. Also the woman trying to get her dad, that whole part just seemed unbelievable. Also unbelievable was the female lead's medical condition and she was still driving. Also I dont like the word hemorrhoid used unless its a medical condition; it made me cringe. I just really did not find this book so romantic. I did not feel any emotions when reading it like deep attraction scenes or deep growing feelings between the love interests. I love the dog in the book except what it did all the time but dogs in books is always good. I felt the book was too long for no reason. However, despite all of this I enjoyed reading it actually because of how its written. I was not bored just felt it was a steady interesting read. I will always read every book this author has because they are always very interesting and well worth the wait until the next one.

I love that Kristan Higgins always makes room for a pet/animal in her books. I look forward to their involvement in every story. The Best Man is one of Kristan's busiest books. There certainly was a lot going on. There were sub-plots and numerous side characters to keep tack of, which made the book a little more difficult to lay aside and pick up later. I enjoyed the author's change in writing voice, this book was in third person voice, and done very, very well. The main couple were compelling and easy to root for - an emotional response can always be counted upon when reading Higgins. The book could be a stand- alone, but if this is your first Kristan Higgins, get ready for a treat - you will find yourself hooked.
I rated it four stars because, while well written, I thought there was a bit too much going on.
*I received my copy from Net.Galley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Faith Holland has bad luck with men. After an eight year relationship with her perfect man, she was jilted at the altar when her fiance came out of the closet. After years away, she returns to her hometown to do some work at her family's winery.

Levi Cooper had been the best man at her almost wedding and Faith has a hard time forgetting that he encouraged her fiance to tell her the truth that day. Now the chief of police, Levi has mixed feelings towards Faith. He'd always though her a goody two shoes, but since her return he's getting to know the real Faith...and she's someone who's getting past the barriers he keeps around his guarded heart.

I thought this was going to be another light and fun romance. And yes, there were some very funny characters and situations, but it was also a moving story of two people, emotionally wounded as children, who find each other after they open their hearts to love.

THANK YOU, Kristan Higgins. My life needed this book.

I've been in search for a good story for a while now & I can assure you, my dearies, this qualifies on every level. I couldn't stop reading, no matter how hard it was at times.

Lucy is a widow from a family of widows. Her dad died, her uncles died, & unfortunately her husband died as well. We meet Lucy as she is beginning to pull herself back from the black hole that is grief & desperation. She doesn't know how to keep living, only that she probably should. Her only rock from the day her husband died has been her brother-in-law, Ethan, the man who introduced her to her Jimmy. She attempts to date, but more often than not she ends up back at her apartment re-watching her wedding video for the billionth time. When Ethan, who has secretly loved her since they met, asks her for a chance, she agrees to try. The only problem is that, he's not a safe choice - she could really fall for him & fall hard. Living through the death of your other half was hard enough the first time, can she let herself get that dangerously close to someone else only to have the possibility of them being taken away too?

The book was written in first person so we get to know Lucy quite well & it's absolutely heart wrenching. I can't imagine, nor do I ever want to try, what it would be like to have your future cut short with the man you love. Each step Lucy took closer to normalcy, she slid two more back. Watching her progress was incredibly painful (I wanted to smack her a couple times) but incredibly rewarding when she finally reached her AHA moment.

Each character in this story was so deliciously well done. From her mother & the rest of the Black Widows to my new favorite heart melting sweetheart, Ethan & even her overly (but, in my opinion understood) neurotic sister. This book was so rich with emotion, at times it was like a decadent chocolate cake & I had to give myself a few moments to let it sink in before continuing on.

It's not exactly a light hearted read, but every page is worth it & after getting to know Lucy & Ethan you'll be starving for more. A whole-heartedly recommended read.

This review & more at RedHotBooks.com!

Yesterday I attended the ARRC (Australian Romance Readers’ Conference), and scored a free copy of Kristan Higgins’s latest novel, The Best Man. Now, I admit, I’ve never heard of Ms Higgins (turns out she’s a RITA winner!), but her lovely, funny, endearingly-klutzy nature, combined with what she said of the book, and its incredibly awesome Australian cover, made me desperate to read The Best Man.

So I went home, and got stuck straight into it.

I was up until one-thirty last night. Or, this morning, I guess.

I can’t remember the last time I stayed up so late, reading a book (or in general, for that matter). And I didn’t even finish it! I finally had to cut my losses and get some sleep—rest assured, I was up after only six hours of shut-eye to finish this engrossing story.

I believe I’ve just been converted to Team Higgins.

Faith Holland’s world came crashing down when her fiancée Jeremy left her at the altar—and came out of the closet. She’d had no idea the perfect man she’d loved for so long was gay. But his best man Levi Cooper had.

And he’d let her build dreams without saying a word. Well, not until she was dressed in white.

Returning to her hometown several years after the incident, Faith isn’t angry at Jeremy; she’s furious a Police Chief Levi. But even that can’t stop her from noticing his cute butt. And his sexy Look.

Ms Higgins has a spunky, witty voice. It captures you right from the first page, entertaining you, making you laugh, right until the last page. Faith and Levi are crafted masterfully, especially with all the sexual tension in the air.

Faith is a happy-go-lucky type, who has learnt that the world isn’t as bright and sparkly as she once thought. Her sass and kindness are a heart-warming combination. Ms Higgins portrays her epilepsy quite realistically. But don’t think it’s all pink and rainbows with Faith—something in her past has scarred her heart.

Ex-soldier Levi is your typical Male, all growly and chest-beating, and über sexy. A very sharp contrast to the almost-effeminate Jeremy. Levi’s dedication to his job and the people of Manningsport is unbelievably sweet. And when he washes Faith’s golden retriever...sigh.

I’m jealous of a dog.

The family dynamics in this book are charming, whacky, and fun, all at the same time. From Faith’s Goggy and Pops who bicker like children, to Levi’s younger sister Sarah who refuses to stay at college, there is never a dull moment.

At one point (sometime around midnight, I believe), I got to a scene that had me laughing so hard I cried, not to mention my stomach hurt. Faith’s older sister Pru and her husband are spicing up their sex life (in various, hilarious ways). Pru receives a sext from her hubby, and replies with a naughty line. Only, the text doesn’t go to Carl, but to someone she really shouldn’t have texted.

Cue the laughing fit.

The Best Man is a cheeky, cute, and emotional romp, one definitely not to be missed.

This book has humorous moments while dealing with a depressing subject of a young widow, Lucy, getting over her husband's death and trying to move on to find love again. She is pressured from family and friends to start dating and as she works at the family bakery there is no shortage of single men coming in. But at Lucy finds out not all men measure up to her dead husband Jimmy and her constant memories of him.
Ethan, Jimmy's brother, has been a shoulder to cry on and slowly becomes her lover but as she decides to find a suitable man to marry Lucy tells Ethan it is over and she has to date to find someone to fill her criteria.
Can she find the "next best thing" to fill her loneliness?
I liked the give and take between her and Ethan but didn't think Lucy would be wallowing over 5 years after Jimmy's death and the constant grief was at odds with the humorous moments but the author has a nice writing style that moves the story along and kept me interested to find out how Ethan opens Lucy's eyes that he has been there all along waiting for her to notice him out of the shadow of his brother Jimmy.

I have loved reading Christian adventure romance and suspense books for 40 years!! This is one of the first of it's kind that I have loved reading and have read it over and over through the years. I now own 600 to 700 Love Inspired Suspense Kindle books and I would have to say my love for them is deeply rooted in this book, The Best Man by Grace Livingston Hill.

Faith Holland was jilted at the Altar by her HS boyfriend,she ran off to San Francisco for a few years, but now she's back and attracted to her exes best friend, Levi.

The book was cute, lots of exes, lots of stumbling blocks for Levi and Faith. It was hard to root for Faith and Levi when he was written to have such sort of contempt for her during most of the book. In fact it was a little uncomfortable that she seemed to be able to overlook how he treated her to have sex with him. I don't know, there were cute and funny parts but as a whole this would not be a book I'd reread.

It was well written though sometimes it seemed a little too cute or too forced.

I really enjoyed reading "The Next Best Thing". I was drawn in by the character of Lucy - the young widow that is trying desperatly to make a life for herself after losing the love of her life - her first husband Jimmy. She decides that she has mourned long enough and wants to find a new husband (someone she doesn't love too much) to father her children. Her rock through the whole ordeal has been her brother-in-law - Ethan. Ethan has always been second best in his eyes and it seems that he has a bit of a complex. He is also painfully in love with Lucy - which adds to the story. Lucy works at her family bakery which is owned by the Black Widows (Her mother and 2 aunts who also widowed at a young age). The book is funny and touching. I definatly shed a few tears while reading - and I loved the ending. I especially loved the fact that the book was set in Rhode Island - I loved the references to Dell's Lemonade and other things unique to Rhode Island. I will definately be reading more books from Kristan Higgins.

The hero is a saint, seriously! Forget book boyfriend, I want him to be my book husband. The heroine has had a rough go of losing the men in her life and she's afraid to do it again. Watching him constantly give and her give in is a special experience. Ms. Higgins has crafted a wonderful romance that chronicles their journey to HEA. It's a real treat!

The Good:

1. Trademark Higgins humor and spot-on insight into human nature.
2. Lovely romance that's warm and fuzzy, and hot without being crassly explicit.
3. Poignant moments that don't feel manipulative.
4. Warm family and friends relationships.
5. Animals. Who doesn't like dogs?
6. Fun way of writing that keeps you interested even when Higgins goes off on a tangent or into wandering narrative.

The Bad:

1. Cutesy vocabulary. Always with the "girl parts". And this time we have a new euphemism for calling a guy a jerk that calls for Preparation H. And "branches" instead of "sticks" up somewhere I should not mention here.

2. This book has a lot more OTT behavior than usual and this considering that Higgins is known for her quirky characters. The issue with the heroine's sister Pru and her husband became way TMI. The guys heroine Faith dates after her ill-fated wedding were cartoonishly horrendous. The women interested in Faith's widowed father also were just too over-the-top to be believed.

Yet the story works and works well. Higgins has such a storytelling gift and such a great romantic bent. Her heroes and heroines are always flawed but always likeable and have such great chemistry. This time around I think I liked hero Levi more than usual for a Higgins H. And the heroine here was not as annoying or needy as some of Higgins' past heroines have been. She had some real, deep issues from her childhood that had to be worked through and Levi was amazingly supportive at one very moving part of the story.

Higgins is, for me, a one-of-a-kind in contemporary romance. I don't know of another author who supplies so much humor, warmth and romance in her books. I've read every novel she has written, appreciated some more than others, but she is an auto-read for me. Even her not-as-good books are good.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

A heart warming contemporary romance with family, friendships, heartbreak, and a local wrong-side-of-the-tracks man who has become the town hero story. I absolutely loved this book, this author and the writing. I was hooked immediately and want to read more. Fortunately this is the first in the Blue Heron series and I'm going back for another visit.
Don't you love a good cry? There were several points were I was crying happy emotional tears. Plus some humor and light-heartedness. G rated.
Really the perfect combination of elements for me. Total escape.

Kristan Higgins's The Next Best Thing (Hqn) is an incredibly readable story. It is a story whose narrative reads easily and smoothly from one chapter to another.

It is also ultimately a frustrating read because at the end, it felt like something was missing. I know what the missing ingredient is, but I'll get to that later.

Told in the first person, Lucy Lang describes her life as a widow of 5 years who is still trying to get over the death of her wonderful husband of eight months, the love of her life, the perfect son, the all around great guy named Jimmy Mirabelli.

Lucy comes from a family of Black Widows. Her aunts and mother all lost their husbands so they have a little club. Lucy probably never thought much about it happening to her until it did. Her sister is paranoid that her husband will fall victim as well.

In the midst of this, there is Ethan Mirabelli. The younger, not as handsome, not as larger-than-life brother of St. Jimmy. He has been Lucy's friend since college. He was the one who introduced her to Jimmy. About three years after Jimmy's death, Ethan and Lucy add 'benefits' to their friendship. It helps get Lucy through the night. And days. And years.

And she's still pining for Jimmy.

After her sister has a baby, Lucy decides it is time to get a man so she can get married again and have a kid. This time around, she doesn't want something she'll be too in love with. I guess this is so that if he kicks the bucket, she won't care so much.

Whatever.

Of course, the guy can't be Ethan because she cares too much... maybe. She doesn't tell him this. Instead, she abruptly tells him that she wants to get married and have a child and they need to stop sleeping together.

By this time, I got the impression that Lucy Lang is dim. I don't think I was even past the third chapter.

Again, the novel is readable. Easy. Smooth.

And frustrating. Because Lucy is frustrating in her selfishness and the way she obsesses over Jimmy. The Black Widows are idiots in the way they wrap themselves up in their widowhood. And Ethan's story, the most heartbreaking and fascinating really, is never truly told. We never find out anything of how Ethan comes to terms with his brother, his parents, Lucy, nothing.

It just... guh... Its frustrating.

And to be honest, I found myself rooting for Doral-Anne, Lucy's childhood nemesis, to take Lucy down.

But that didn't happen.

Oh well.

Like any romance, we know there is a happy ending at the end, but it left me wanting.

Book One in the Blue Heron series.

After being dumped at the altar by her gay fiance, Faith Holland escapes to San Francisco to become an extremely successful landscape designer. Meanwhile, Levi Cooper - the best man - returns from Afghanistan with a new wife, only to have a quickie divorce soon after. When Faith returns home, she is caught back up in her family and hometown.

This is a heart-wrenching story where a slightly broken princess and the not-quite-so-bad boy with a heart-of-gold reunite in a way they never would have expected. Be sure you allow time to read this beauty straight through and have a box of tissues or two on hand. If you're looking for a small-town romance with a bit of heartbreak and lots of family fun, this is definitely the book for you!

Though I liked the underlying story here of a girl returning home to the site of her ultimate humiliation (getting left at the altar in front of essentially the whole town) and falling for the guy who was responsible for that humiliation, I found it impossible to love this book because the heroine was just so annoying. Faith acts like a flighty adolescent rather than an adult who channeled adversity into personal growth, and frankly I think Levi could do better. I also found the subplot about her father to be absurd- no one is so unaware of being the focus of another person's matrimonial aims. This would be a decent beach or snowstorm read, but isn't likely to spark a desperate desire to read more by this author.

Author Kristan Higgins has created quite a comical, poignant gem...

Lucy lost her husband in an accident and has had a hard time moving on. Her life is largely and comically supported by her mothers and aunts, all also widows, who she works with at the family bakery. Frustrated with her aunts' lack of enthusiasm for revamping both the menu and the atmosphere, Lucy is somewhat frustrated with her day-to-day existence and decides it is time to end her friends with extras relationship with Ethan and re-enter the dating market. Only issue is Ethan is not happy to walk away without a fight.

Lead characters Lucy and Ethan were both adorable. It was fun to watch Lucy decide if everything she needed and wanted was right in front of her all the time. A few surprises about Lucy and Ethan and a hilarious supporting cast of characters added significantly to the delightful nature of this book.

I'll definitely be back for more from Kristan Higgins.

Lucy is a young widow who wants to settle down and have a family. To accomplish this, she must stop seeing her "friend with benefits," who also happens to be her brother in law, Ethan. No one can compare to her deceased husband, Jimmy, and she wants a safe sedate man rather than one who can break her heart by taking chances and succumbing to the family curse filled with plenty of widows. Meanwhile, her sister, a new mom fears that her own husband will follow the family curse and widow her.

I was charmed by Higgins first novel and have come back for every single one since. She combines humor, realistic dialog, family drama, and tender moments to tell some really sweet and compelling stories. I always manage to laugh and cry while reading her books. Readers will know who she belongs with, and it is fun just to watch her stumble and accept the love she was destined to share.

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

An introduction to the Holland family and their Blue Heron Vineyard and a look at the youngest of the family Faith Holland as she returns home to face the past and hopefully find her future. She had quite a public happening and ran away from home shortly after to find a new path, but has now returned home.

Although predictable, this book was super sweet. I loved that Faith didn't have it easy in the past and her current story wasn't all rainbows and sunshine! This book did center mostly on Faith's story, but it also set up the behind the scenes of this family and town in Western New York perfectly.

THE BEST MAN was both a humorous and heart-wrenching romance that was also quite heart-warming. The story begins when Faith Holland is jilted at the altar when her fiancé and love of her your life--Jeremy--announces to the congregation that he is Gay. She blames his best man Levi Cooper for forcing the issue. They have know each other all their lives but have never been friends. Faith flees to San Francisco and builds her career as a landscape architect.

Three and a half years pass. Jeremy is the town doctor. Levi has left the service and become the Chief of Police. Faith has had a number of false starts as she tries to find new romance including dating another Gay guy and a man who is cheating on his wife which leads to a funny confrontation with his wife and child. Faith is urged by her family to come home to stop their widowed Dad from marrying a hugely inappropriate woman.

When Faith gets home she finds herself quickly gathered back into her rather dysfunctional family. Her grandparents are constantly bickering, her older sister and her husband are having interesting marital difficulties, and her dad is oblivious to the very obvious gold-digger who has him in her sights. Faith's attempts to find her father a better bet for a second romance were really funny. Who knew there were so many characters out there in the dating pool?

Along the way she keeps having run-ins with Levi who, she is certain, hates her. Levi is conflicted. He thinks she is hot but he can't quite get over that she is the ex-fiancé of his best friend. He has issues of his own too. He is raising his sister and both of them are still grieving the loss of their mother. He is dealing with a divorce from a fellow soldier who didn't find small town life exciting enough to keep her from re-enlisting. He is also still dealing with the fact that his father abandoned him when he was young and has now started a new life with a new wife and new sons. All of these things keep him from wanting to start something with Faith where he might be second-best.

Faith is keeping secrets of her own too. She isn't the cute, perky character that Levi always believed she was. Besides suffering from epilepsy, Faith is still consumed by the fear that she is the one who caused her mother's death when she distracted her while they were driving. Probably the most touching part of the whole romance for me was when Levi did an accident reconstruction in the middle of the night and proved to Faith that the accident wasn't caused by anything she did or didn't do. He wasn't the sort of guy who could do sweet words or gestures but that said love to me.

Readers who like strong emotions in their romance and who want some humor too can't do better than to read this romance by Kristan Higgins.

I LOVED this book. I liked that it's written in first person POV, and while I wanted to give Lucy a good shake and tell her to get a clue a few times, I could understand her fears. I still liked her, and Ethan was absolutely adorable. The secondary characters were as richly alive and well developed as the h and H. The only reason I'm giving the book four stars instead of five was that it seemed a bit slow in a few places. However, the ending was worth the wait, along with the sheer pleasure of reading the author's witty prose. Ms. Higgins is very talented and has officially earned a place on my list of favorite authors. I will read everything she's written!

I definitely think this is Kristan Higgins' best book to date!
I absolutely adored this book! Levi, though taciturn, was super sigh-worthy, and Faith was cute. Reading the bad reviews on Goodreads makes me realize that I'm perhaps not sensitive enough to other lifestyles, but I truly don't think Higgins was saying anything bad about transgendered people.
I also don't think that all Higgins writes about is women wanting to get married. Yes, her books are somewhat formulaic, self-deprecating woman unlucky in love, finds too-good-to-be-true guy, miscommunication happens, and then the happy ending. But that's not a bad thing! :)
I don't know what is next for the Blue Heron series but I would love, love, love more about Jeremy!

When the story opens, readers are treated to an amazing start. We get to see a scene of great conflict when a bride is stood up at her wedding. This isn’t a spoilery review, and I will mention that anyone can see this with the Look Inside function on the book’s the store page.

The interest soon wears off however with the mention of all the surnames, when we weren’t told whose surname was Holland—was it Jeremy or Faith? No idea, but then again, we have no idea who the narrator is either, then we had to continue on with a glut of backstory. In the prologue, there are eight (count them!) paragraphs of backstory with no tension in them, but I persisted on with the story.

I found my interest waning with the mention, “Gay wasn’t the only problem.” I don’t see how gay can be a problem in itself, I definitely see how it relates to the heroine but if she constantly picks out homosexual men as potential partners then she seems rather TSTL. So in the first scene of chapter one, we see her investigating/spying on a potential partner. This would be creepy and stalkerish if a man was to do it with a woman. In fact, she admits she openly stalks men and that’s how she learns things about them. Most other women just engage them in conversation, but whatever floats your boat.

The amount of backstory chokes the forward progress of the story, and I have to wade through paragraph after paragraph of what happened before the first chapter, with numerous potential boyfriends. The story takes us through what happened on date number one, date number two, and date number three with a paragraph for each.

The heroine has a personality that I can’t relate to, as she has set criteria for men, and although she’s been stood up at a wedding, that hardly seems motivation for outright stalking. DNF.

Wow! This book was good. I totally enjoyed it. At first it was a bit hard for me to get into as it is written in first person, but after finishing the book.. I think that was the best way TO write this story. I am left with my mouth agape (figuratively speaking). Lucy and Ethan, I loved them from the beginning. At times I thought for sure Lucy was going to make some really bad choices and I was thinking NO! Why does she have to do this.. but Higgins surprised me and made it work out well! I think with this story Higgins has fully become one of my "Must Buy" authors.

It was a great emotional read but not one of my favorites. I think what didn't make me love it was Lucy. Her emotional journey took too long for me. She had this amazing guy right in front of her but it just took her too long to realize how much she loved him. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Ethan as the hero. He was the best hero ever! Now he truly loved Lucy and he knew it from the beginning. I can't believe how long he stood by waiting for Lucy to realize that he was the one. Ethan totally saved this book. I wish it wasn't in Lucy's first person POV. I would have loved to see what Ethan was thinking throughout this book.

Faith Holland left her hometown when her soon to be husband came out of the closet...on their wedding day. Older and wiser, Faith has decided it's time to return home to her family and lay to rest some ghosts from the past. When she runs into Levi Cooper, local police chief and the evil villain behind her wedding disaster, Faith finds herself re evaluating her animosity towards him. After all, a nice ass in a well fitted pair of jeans can help you overcome a lot of animosity.

Levi Cooper never had much to do with Faith growing up. He found her silly, naive, and a distraction. However, grown up Faith proves to be an even bigger distraction-of the best kind. Unfortunately, she still blames him for ruining her wedding and he is a little put off women at the moment. Besides, with all the additional drama revolving around her family, Levi can't even get Faith alone for even a minute to investigate this new development.

When Faith moves in next door to Levi, all bets are off and suddenly the town watches and waits to see if Faith will bury the hatchet with Levi ...and where she'll bury it.

The Best Man revolves primarily on Faith Holland. Faith was standing at the altar, all set to marry her high school sweetheart, Jeremy, only to find out he is gay. Of course, she finds all this out from her sweetheart's best friend, Levi Cooper. Levi and Faith have always had an uneasy relationship since grade school. Levi thinks she is a spoiled pain in the rear, hence his nickname for her, Princess Super-Cute, and Faith thinks he is a jackass.

Faith leaves home after Jeremy breaks the news to her and tries to get on with her life but life has other plans for her. She has the most unbelievable bad luck yet manages to land on her feet with her humor and smart mouth intact even if her pride is laying shredded at her feet. The term "bless her heart" was made up just for her. Her dating repertoire includes several gay men and even a married man. Throw in her father's gold digging girlfriend, her brother in law's channeling of Christian Gray from 50 Shades, and her grandparents constant fighting, and you have a mad cap hilarious story that have you laughing the whole time.

Kristan Higgins is a master of light hearted romantic contemporaries that uses snarky humor, endearing characters, and crazy romantic plots to write enjoyable stories you won't want to put down. The Best Man is a romantic contemporary that digs deep into your heart and funny bone and doesn't let go. A fast paced humorous and heartfelt story about two people who start out as enemies only to become friends and eventually lovers. Higgins goes one step further by giving us our protagonist's back story through little memory snippets. The characters are all delightfully quirky and wonderfully flawed with a deep vein of realism running through them. The story is written in an enjoyable conversational style with engaging laugh out loud dialogue that will keep you entertained all the way to the end.

Faith is hilarious with her calm manner and snarky dialogue. A pretty 20 something woman, she just wants to be loved. Unfortunately, life keeps getting in her way. Strong and self reliant; she has a very vulnerable side she hides well. That is until the one person who has always made her doubt herself won't go away.

Levi is an enigma. The chief of police in the small town he grew up in, he left only once to do a stint in the military. Married and divorced within three months, he has issues with abandonment. A quiet, broody, gruff, emotionally stunted alpha. Yet, he is also a genuinely nice guy who would do anything for anyone or anything. Wash a dog who gets into it with a chicken. Baked chocolate chips cookies for his homesick sister. Make his best friend tell the truth to his soon to be bride on their wedding day. Faith and Levi have a love/hate relationship. Their bickering, snarky dialogue will leave you laughing as these two waver between ignoring one another and striving to drive each other insane.

There are actually three story lines about love in here that intertwine; romance, friendship, and family. Each one is given equal time with no sacrifices to the others. When Faith and Levi embark on an affair, they open their beds but not their hearts. Both of them have issues that need resolving that impede their ability to forgive and more on. The relationship develops slowly but the chemistry between them blazes white hot from their first scene together. They remind me of kindergartener's who pick on each other to show their affection.For being complete opposites, they fit well together. The love scenes are romantic. Not overtly sexual or visible, but very romantic.

The secondary characters are all well fleshed out as they add delish snarkiness and humor to the story. Faith's family and friends are hilarious. There is so much love between them all. Her dad is a steady, if not oblivious, rock of the family. I LOVED Faith's sister, Pru. Her husband's need to spice up their love life using ideas from 50 Shades of Gray and her reactions to it all left me crying with laughter. Sexting takes on a whole new meaning and I'm pretty sure I'll never eat frozen peas again.

Though I enjoyed the story overall, Levi's attitude a bit irritating, especially in regards to his ex wife. His closed off emotions come back to bite him in the arse, hard. Towards the end, I was ready to pitch a brick at him and really wish Colleen HAD spit in his drinks.

All in all, The Best Man is a delightful contemporary romp that explores love, friendship, and second chances in an engaging delightful tale. Fans of Jill Shalvis or Jill Mansell are sure to enjoy.

Overall Rating: B+

The one thing you can always count on in a Kristan Higgins story is you're going to experience just about every emotion before you reach the end...and that's with the same characters! This one is no different in that your heart breaks for Faith Holland at the outset when she's jilted at the altar after her Jeremy Lyons, her fiancé, announces he can't marry her because he's gay. And, his best man, Levi Cooper, is the one that halted the wedding to make him fess up. Since they were planning to honeymoon in San Franciso anyway, Faith goes alone and ends up staying there for three years.

When Faith returns home to work on a project at her family's winery, she only plans to stay for a few weeks. She's only visited a couple of times since her fiasco of a wedding and the town is so small that most everyone had attended. The first person she encounters is Levi, now the police chief and former Army vet (decorated at that) and the tension is thick; he never really cared for Princess Super-Cute and she hasn't forgiven him for his responsibility in halting her wedding.

While you can't help but like Faith, there are times you want her to get a backbone. But, there's a reason for why she behaves the way she does and it's an important part of the story. Her clashes with Levi sizzle with their animosity and lustful attraction, which neither really gets for a while. There are a lot of colorful characters in the town and no one is shy about sharing their points of view about and with the two. It doesn't help that Jeremy is beloved by all of them and is still there, too. Add to that Faith's pretty whacky family and you've got a story that is often hilarious, sometimes sad and always romantic in some form or fashion.

I love Higgins' stories with her less than perfect characters who end up surprising you when you dig underneath the surface. Faith doesn't look for your sympathy and you can't help but admire how she picked herself up and never shied away from what happened to her. Levi is uber sexy and has his own issues to deal with and his journey to discover the real Faith helped him to look at his own situation in a different light. It's a fun, adult romance that tackles some serious issues but not so seriously that you end up in a bad place. I laughed so hard at times it brought me to tears. I liked them as a couple and am glad this is the first book in a new series, which will allow me to revisit some favorite characters again. 4.5 stars

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

"The Next Best Thing," by Kristan Higgins, was a book that I devoured in one sitting. In typical Higgins fashion, the heroine (Lucy) is a bundle of fun and delightfully human. Higgins allows Lucy to make mistakes, to fail to see truths, to even have misjudged various people or situations. She is snarky, mouthy, yet there were a number of times when I really teared up during the book. Lucy's love for her dead husband, Jimmy, and his love for her, is such a huge element of this book. This book is as much a love story about Lucy and Jimmy as about how she ultimately moves on. Higgins never sweeps any emotion under the rug -- Lucy's deep difficulty in moving on is examined minutely, and her fears of letting go of Jimmy are given center stage.

But for all that, Lucy also has a very full life. Her aunts and mother (the Black Widows) are hysterically funny. The relationships she has with her best friend and sister are also full of witty banter and deep affection. I so enjoyed all of those sections.

The only reason I haven't given this book a full five stars is that I ultimately just felt that something was lacking in Ethan, Jimmy's younger brother and Lucy's love interest. The brilliant thing about Higgins is that she doesn't take an easy path, and the grittiness and reality of her writing is that she also doesn't smooth things over or make anything unnaturally perfect. Ethan and Lucy have a tough time -- they are overcoming a lot of things, not the least of which is Lucy's terror of losing another man that she loves, and also the very fraught relationship that Ethan had with his brother. Things aren't perfect, and when Lucy waffles about the relationship, the reader can see her motivations and that she has strong and valid concerns -- both for herself and for Ethan.

But compared to other characters, I see relatively little about Ethan. He is more of a creation for Lucy and others to bounce off of than a full, round character like Lucy, Parker, the Black Widows, and others.

Ultimately, an extremely satisfying book, but at times Ethan felt a touch unnatural in his reactions. But very, very worth reading.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Love, Love!!! Why, yes, I did love this book!! It started a bit slow for me as I didn't know where it was going. I didn't read the synopsis, I wanted to be surprised bc I had been on a roll with good books lately. I wasn't disappointed as the story varied between Faiths and Levi's point of views and made me love them and their families. It really was a small-town lovely book with lots of laughs, loving memories and sweet romance. I would recommend this to everyone who loves Sarah Addison Allen and sweet romances. It's a small town, heartwarming, romantic tale. <3
-ARC provided by publisher

Faith Holland was jilted at the alter by her highschool sweetheart and the love of her life. She left town and moved to San Fransisco to get over him. He stayed behind in their home town since he had a successful medical practice there. Faith still loved her fiance and he still loved her, but they agreed that they shouldn't marry. Tree yeas later she returned to her home town to see if she could once again live there. The characters in this book were very well developed and I found my self sharing their emotins frequently.It was a very goodread and one that kept me very interested and involved from the beginning till the end o the story. I will be reading more from this author.

I agree with person who said a "love-hate" relationship with Higgins' books. I have enjoyed some, but this one was like trying to walk through a swamp. Once in a while I see a movie or read a book and don't care whether things turn out well for not. This was one of those books. I was bored most of the time and felt the characters were just characters with no real "stories" or purpose of being in the book. The main male character, Ethan, was too much of a saint. I have another book by Higgins that I haven't read and am wondering if and when I will want to pick it up and begin . . .

This is my first Kristan Higgins book - and I must admit that I liked it very much! Because several other reviewers have summarized the plot, I don't think I need to repeat it here. While some may think that the plot ideas were too contrived, for those of us who have loved and lost we know that it is so easy, and probably common, to idolize a love that was young and brief. And because we are all shaped by our experiences, we often see things through colored glasses. Lucy's transition from young widow to mature adult is long overdue, but sometimes a big kick in the right direction provides the momentum needed to get moving. Lucy could not grow until her tidy little world was torn down around her.

I loved the characters. I loved Fat Mikey. And I would love to go to Mirabelli's for dinner and dessert.

Love Grace Livingston Hill books. 5 stars for content. Minus 2 stars for format/price. I purchased all the GLH books available in the Kindle store (approx 100 volumes) for under $150. Granted I did choose the cheapest Kindle version if multiple were offered, but even if you add the price of a Kindle Fire ($50) and a cover (up to $20) - you get almost all her books for $220 instead of one paperback for almost $50.

It's been a few years since I read this series but I LOVED every book!! Kristan Higgins makes me laugh out loud and that is what I love in a good romance. There are also serious issues with Faith's past and her losing her mother. I read them as library books and I need to find them all and read them again! You won't be disappointed by anything Ms Higgins writes!

Love, love, love this book. Kristan has a way of drawing the reader in. She writes in a way that make the reader not want to put the book down until it is finished. This story is about Faith who was left at the alter and the Best Man who helped in that happening. I love the interplay between he two main characters and how their romance blossoms over time. They are sassy, passionate, funny and, most importantly, friends. I laughed my way through this book's humor and funny scenes. I was rooting Levi to win her heart and ride off into the sunset. I would highly recommend this book. Kristan Higgins rocks the house as an author. I give it 4 stars.

Cute and funny book. Ms Higgins has created her main character's own weird little family and good friends. She, her mother and 2 aunts own the small town bakery and all 4 are widows, the older 3 are the Black Widows, Black is their family name. Lucy was married less than a year but her mother and aunts were some years older and had children too when their husbands died. Now they are in their 60's-70's and are real characters. They are Hungarian and make delish goodies for family but not the bakery, which Lucy doesn't understand! Lucy is the breadmaker and it seems to be what is keeping the bakery going. Lucy is a trained pastry chef and she makes all her goodies for Ethan and we get to read of them, made my mouth water LOL

It's been over 5 years since Tommy died in a car accident and Lucy things it may be time to move on and find someone to care about but not love again--it hurts too much to love and lose. She wants to have children. Lucy and Tommy's brother, he's the one who introduced her to Tommy all those years ago, has become her friend with benefits in the last few years now but Ethan is too daring for Lucy to love besides her family and he and Tommy's parents wouldn't understand how they could love each other.

There's also Lucy's sister, Corinne, who could use some meds to calm her down, her husband, Chris, who needs a caring wife not an obsessed wife and now their new baby girl Emma, Ethan has a little boy, Nicky, with a nice woman, Parker, he's friends with but never married and she's Lucy's best friend. There are even more secondary characters that are real funny personalities. Great entertaining romance along with a lot of laughs.

I've read a couple other of Ms Higgins books and have really enjoyed them. Now I'll have to go find those that I haven't read yet.

In Manningsport, New York, high school sweethearts Faith Holland and Jeremy Lyon are engaged. As the wedding nears, he jilts her when he realizes he is gay. Shook up by her fiancé’s revelation, Faith left town heartbroken and feeling betrayed though in lucid less emotional moments she knows she owes thanks to Jeremy for ending their relationship before they said I do. Still she trusts no man with Jeremy’s Best Man Levi Cooper the subject of her biggest scorn for failing to tell her that her fiancé was gay; using background checks that would make FBI agents envious, Faith has no faith in any man.

Several years after she left her Upstate New York town, Faith comes home to a dysfunctional family. Making matters worse for Faith is that she loathes her attraction to Levi, the town’s Police chief. He feels the same way as he wanted her when she was dating his best friend. Both are wary to take a chance as he brought back his Afghan war experience as a wounded warrior and she struggles to move passed the betrayal.

This is a fun madcap romance filled with plenty of feelings as the protagonists suffer from carrying differing emotional baggage. Although the fully developed support cast (especially Jeremy and Faith’s family including her leg-humping canine) adds overall depth, they also impede the prime romantic storyline. Still fans will enjoy the love story of the jilted bride and The Best Man.

Harriet Klausner

I liked it. I honestly did, but I just wanted to shake Levi every time he let his sister play him but it also made me think, "Aw what a great brother."
Towards the end when he has a complete turn around I was really irritated, but it was more than made up for. He was a great character. I enjoyed reading about him and his interactions with Faith.
Faith was a pretty deep character too and it made you feel for her. All and all I enjoyed the book and how it gave you bits in pieces of the past while keeping up with the present. It is a feel good relaxing read that I would read again.

On that sunny day in June, Faith Holland being jilted at the altar was the last thing on anyone's mind. Her fiancé Jeremy was not only her high school sweetheart, but as a former Brown College football player who stands at 6'3", a bastion of manhood. Faith and Jeremy were destined to spend their lives together in Blue Heron - that is, until Jeremy's best man Levi encouraged him to come out of the closet before saying their vows. Devastated and humiliated, Faith left for their honeymoon alone and didn't return. Three years and a successful landscape career later and Faith finally risks showing her face in Blue Heron once more. But does she have the courage to face her former fiancé and his haughty best friend while hoping for another walk down the aisle?

Ever since I read and loved Until There Was You, Kristan Higgin's first novel with dual perspectives, she's become an auto-buy author. I've only been dipping my toes into the romance genre for the past two years, but I've discovered many a romance author that is either miss or hit-and-miss. Sometimes it's random (Courtney Milan) and sometimes it's explainable. For example I like Julie James' earlier novels because they are less steamy and more comedic than her later suspense novels, which get progressively graphic. What I love about Higgins is that I can depend on her to be relatively clean and always fun, and her newest The Best Man is no exception. She likes to refer to "girl parts" but that's it. Of course I know plenty of people in my conservative community who would take offense to that, but I see it as completely innocent. Unsurprisingly, I was thrilled when I was offered a review copy as part of the blog tour.

One thing I've learned about myself as a reader is that there are certain genres I can read all the time, like YA and fantasy, and others that fit a certain mood or occasion. I have to be especially careful when I choose to read contemporary romance and chick lit, because if I need something weightier the fluffiness of it all will turn me off to what is otherwise an entertaining read. I may have read The Best Man in fits and spurts because of this, but when I needed a pick-me-up, it was there, which was so comforting. Higgin's new structure of alternating POVs between the female and male protagonists serves her well again here. Some people will like Levi, who is now the police chief of Blue Heron, from the start, but my feelings for him corresponded to Faith's. But they seethe both loathing and sexual tension from the beginning, so some of you make take to him sooner. Levi has been Jeremy's best friend since high school, so Faith has had a lot of contact with him. It's obvious he has always been disinterested in Faith, and it was hard to imagine him seeing her differently. But that possibility for real feelings becomes apparent with the flashbacks from Levi's perspective. And if I was going to fall in love with Levi, I needed those passages. As I've struggled with in Higgin's previous novels, there are several secondary characters introduced at the same time, which can be difficult to juggle. Levi's flashbacks to his tours in Afghanistan, memories of his ex-wife, and past encounters with Faith also slow the trajectory of the story at times and some of the crazier comedic situations (i.e. Faith literally staking out potential boyfriends) are over-the-top. But in the end I liked Faith and Levi, with their very real and distinctive personalities. You can rely on The Best Man to deliver fun, romantic comedy in book form. As for me I'm glad that I've saved some of Higgin's backlist novels for a rainy day.

Hmmm. Like many others, I don't know how to review/rate this book because of one problematic scene. So I will skip that barrier for a bit and give a general feel.

First, I haven't enjoyed Ms. Higgins for a while. I read her stuff because I want to get back the loving feeling I once had. Do I buy her stuff new anymore? Um, no, sorry, I don't. Is this book enough to get me to buy her stuff new anymore? Um, no, sorry, it isn't.

Like (seemingly) all writers, Ms. Higgins has a niche, a clique, a group of characters in a pool that seems to be the only pool in which she fishes. This pool has interesting characters, some more interesting than others. This pool is invariably located in a quirky small town with quirky small-town characters and quirky small-town situations that would be highly suspect in a town of more than, say, 800 people.

The first character that seems to leap onto Ms. Higgins' pole and hook itself is the slightly needy, ever-insecure, not-quite-physically-perfect heroine. In this case, the character is a young woman who was left at the altar a few years before by her high school sweetheart. They had stayed together through those rough long-distance college relationship years and their relationship culminated in a walk down the aisle. That they didn't consummate their relationship on that altar at the end of the aisle (ewww, not that way) is the foundation on which this book is built.

I won't give any spoilers here, but I think within the first few paragraphs of the book you will figure out the reason for the nonstart, even before the big reveal.

So a few years ensue. There is personal and professional growth of the jilted bride, her erstwhile groom and the BFF/Best Man of the Groom. Circumstances conspire for our not-bride-to-be to come home. Let the cast of quirk begin. There are relatives who behave (the younger relatives), there are siblings who overshare and never share, and grandparents who absolutely, positively hate each other. Having grandparents who divorced after 52 years of matrimonial hell, I did a lot of wincing and had some serious flashbacks that required chocolate to soothe me. Not everyone will have that kind of chocolate-seeking reaction. Some might even find them funny.

Anyway, on with the story. Not spoiling anything for anybody but those who don't actually know the title of the book, it is soon evident that the new Hero (with a capital H) will be the former Best Man. Our heroine Faith has issues with the Best Man, not the least of which is she blames him for the nonstart at the altar.

He is now the chief of police in this small town o' quirk. They are thrown together often and longingly. They give in to this passion a time or two before consummation. There is angsting, some gnashing of teeth, a big MIS and some sex, most of it behind closed doors.

What makes this different from the last few Higgins' books for me? You actually get to know the Hero. He is introduced. His back story is given. He is allowed a voice in the book. When I think back on Ms. Higgins' books (and more than a bit of time has elapsed since I have read the others; these are not reread books for me), I remember distant heroes who seem to have no more history or back story or personality than a lamp bought at Pier 1. Attractive, can be used in a variety of settings, will last for the long run, but nothing to distinguish them from any variety of attractive, reasonably affordable inventory there for the picking and in danger of being quickly forgotten and discarded once your tastes change.

The other different positive is our Faith has experienced life outside of small town quirk and survived and thrived and if she wants, she can go back again to the big city. But she doesn't necessarily want to. She can leave, and does, but her heart is in the small town, her family is in the small town and now she wants to be there, relationship issues or no.

It was a fun book for me. I enjoyed it. I didn't set it down to go make a smoothie and then forget to pick it back up. I read it in one weekend that was interspersed with an out-of-town trek to a junior high quiz bowl national championship and didn't bother to hide it from all the smarty-pants junior high kids I was surrounded by reading their Deliriums and Perks and Eleanor and Parks and Lincoln bios.

So onto the "issue" with the book. SPOILER ALERT: This spoiler is a situational spoiler, not one having to do with the main characters' HEA so I am not hiding it.

The dad of Ms. Jilted is a widower. The circumstances of his widowerhood are important to the story. A long time has passed since he lost his beloved wife. The family is afraid his current single status may be detrimental to their bottom line if he goes for a golddigger. So Ms. Jilted decides (again, for reasons explained in the book) to set her dad up with various women she has vetted. One woman she picks for him turns out to be transgender (again, if you can't figure this out before the big reveal, you aren't paying attention to the setup). The transgender character is referred to as a "he-she" at one point and there is a lot of flapping of wings and squawking about the near miss.

Well, I knew as soon as I read it, this would become an issue. This is where I am having a hard time figuring out my feelings. I am not going to say that some of my best friends are transgendered. I am not going to say I have intimate knowledge of the transgender world. I am not even going to say I understand transgender. I will say I need a "Transgender for Dummies" book, though.
I know "he-she" is offensive without any knowledge base. I would think most would understand that. What I do have a hard time with is how some are so up in arms over the author's treatment of this matter.

I do know a transgender female through my work. I know it was a difficult decision. I know that it was not a decision made lightly. But I also know this person totally understands and has empathy toward those who don't "get it." She doesn't expect everyone to openly accept her and her physical being, especially upon initial knowledge. She gets that this affects how she is perceived and accepted in the everyday world. Heck, her children love her and accept her, but they don't "get it," either. They just let her be her.
She knows this decision to have this surgery has/will affect every relationship, whether it is a relationship that will mature or it is a relationship that will remain forever inchoate once information is shared.

All of the above is really no more than my writing down all the ways my brain went with this scene. I understand if a reader is offended by the words chosen in a scene that the book didn't necessarily need to have. I understand there are a lot of people more enlightened, sensitive, aware than I will ever be that find this totally unacceptalbe. But I also understand that there are people who need time to think about the circumstance. Need to investigate if they choose to. Even Cher has a hard time with Chaz's decision (yeah, I went there).

So don't let this one scene impact your decision on whether to read this book. This scene is fairly well telegraphed. You can easily skip this scene and not have to deal with it. Or if you feel so strongly, then don't read the book. You won't be missing anything. It is fun and frothy, but there is no dearth of fun and frothy available on the market today.

PJV Quickie: An entertaining blend of humor and seriousness, The Best Man delivers what I’ve come to expect from a Kristan Higgins novel: great characters, a sweet story, some laugh-out-loud moments, and an ending that left me with a smile and a sigh.

Review
Faith Holland was left at the altar by the love of her life. And she couldn’t even be that mad at him; more…disappointed and sad. She had been dating Jeremy for eight years – since they were teens, and thought they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Her family vineyard and his family vineyard butt up against each other, and everyone assumed they’d make beautiful babies together – until Jeremy’s best man convinced him to acknowledge the truth he’d been trying to ignore: Jeremy is gay, and marrying Faith would not be fair to either Jeremy or Faith.

Levi Cooper spent his youth living on the wrong side of the tracks, but he’s been best friends with Jeremy ever since Jeremy moved to Manningsport. Levi knew right away that Jeremy was gay and didn’t care. Jeremy was a great football player and a great friend, and if Faith couldn’t see that he was gay, that wasn’t Levi’s problem…right? After high school, while Faith and Jeremy went off to college, Levi joined the Army and did two tours in Afghanistan before coming home to Manningsport. Now he’s Police Chief and after his mother died he also has the daunting task of being guardian to his teenaged sister.

Faith is now living in San Francisco, working hard at her landscaping business and making a name for herself, but her love life is in the toilet. She gets a call from her sister, telling her she needs to come home before her widower father marries a gold-digger. As she hurries back into town, the first person she sees is Levi…who gives her a ticket for speeding.
_________

I love Kristan Higgins’ books for so many reasons: her characters are engaging and relatable, I always laugh out loud several times while reading her books, and she drags your emotions through the wringer before the hero and heroine get their HEA. Let me just say this: Kristan Higgins writes sigh-worthy HEAs.

The Best Man is classic Kristan Higgins and fans won’t be disappointed. I loved Faith, she was dealt a severe blow when Jeremy left her at the altar, and she picked herself up and created a successful career. Her sadness and fear that she’ll never find a husband, or at least someone to love and share her life with felt true-to-life; not that she wanted someone to take care of her, but a partner to share with. Her continued love and affection for Jeremy led her to carry a grudge against Levi and she continued to blame him for the break-up.

The flashbacks to the past with Faith, Jeremy and Levi, growing up together and encountering all the prejudices and expectations that accompany small-town life gave such depth that I felt like I knew them and was an actual resident in the town. The feelings of inadequacy from high school carried into adult life and shaped their relationships with each other. Even though Faith and Jeremy couldn’t be together, their affection for each other was sweet and heartfelt.

Have I mentioned that The Best Man is laugh-out-loud funny? Because it is: from Faith’s bathroom rescue to the “Levi boredom scale” that she invented in high school to her sister’s “sexting” in an effort to keep her marriage fresh, The Best Man will definitely make you smile. Although there are some sad moments, there are a lot of side-stories that keep the reader entertained and lighten up the story. I enjoyed reading about the daily goings-on of a winery business and would love to visit a working winery if I ever get the chance.

In reading over my review, I don’t think I’ve done Levi justice: he’s a quiet character, honorable, maybe even a bit cantankerous. He has a hard time showing his feelings, but is an upstanding friend and tries to do the right thing. I don’t know about anyone else who’s already read The Best Man, but I liked him right from the beginning.

I think my only complaint is that Ms. Higgins uses quite a bit of gay stereotype – good dresser, has to imagine Justin Timberlake during sex – and one scene involving a transgender individual. I think The Best Man would have been just as entertaining without it.

Recommendations
Fans of Contemporary Romance, enemies to lovers, and romance set in a small-town.

I have mixed feelings with this ebook. This is the fitst time I read a book from Kristan Higgins. She is less racey than what I normally read. Slyvia Day style of writing is the complete opposite. (which I read alot of). I liked the story itself in this book, but the style of writing is a little boring to me, it takes a lot of words to get to the point. I found myself skipping parts of the book, which I normally don't do. But I will read the next book in the series "The Perfect Match" book 2.

The one thing you can always count on in a Kristan Higgins story is you're going to experience just about every emotion before you reach the end...and that's with the same characters! This one is no different in that your heart breaks for Faith Holland at the outset when she's jilted at the altar after her Jeremy Lyons, her fiancé, announces he can't marry her because he's gay. And, his best man, Levi Cooper, is the one that halted the wedding to make him fess up. Since they were planning to honeymoon in San Franciso anyway, Faith goes alone and ends up staying there for three years.

When Faith returns home to work on a project at her family's winery, she only plans to stay for a few weeks. She's only visited a couple of times since her fiasco of a wedding and the town is so small that most everyone had attended. The first person she encounters is Levi, now the police chief and former Army vet (decorated at that) and the tension is thick; he never really cared for Princess Super-Cute and she hasn't forgiven him for his responsibility in halting her wedding.

While you can't help but like Faith, there are times you want her to get a backbone. But, there's a reason for why she behaves the way she does and it's an important part of the story. Her clashes with Levi sizzle with their animosity and lustful attraction, which neither really gets for a while. There are a lot of colorful characters in the town and no one is shy about sharing their points of view about and with the two. It doesn't help that Jeremy is beloved by all of them and is still there, too. Add to that Faith's pretty whacky family and you've got a story that is often hilarious, sometimes sad and always romantic in some form or fashion.

I love Higgins' stories with her less than perfect characters who end up surprising you when you dig underneath the surface. Faith doesn't look for your sympathy and you can't help but admire how she picked herself up and never shied away from what happened to her. Levi is uber sexy and has his own issues to deal with and his journey to discover the real Faith helped him to look at his own situation in a different light. It's a fun, adult romance that tackles some serious issues but not so seriously that you end up in a bad place. I laughed so hard at times it brought me to tears. I liked them as a couple and am glad this is the first book in a new series, which will allow me to revisit some favorite characters again. 4.5 stars

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

"The Next Best Thing," by Kristan Higgins, was a book that I devoured in one sitting. In typical Higgins fashion, the heroine (Lucy) is a bundle of fun and delightfully human. Higgins allows Lucy to make mistakes, to fail to see truths, to even have misjudged various people or situations. She is snarky, mouthy, yet there were a number of times when I really teared up during the book. Lucy's love for her dead husband, Jimmy, and his love for her, is such a huge element of this book. This book is as much a love story about Lucy and Jimmy as about how she ultimately moves on. Higgins never sweeps any emotion under the rug -- Lucy's deep difficulty in moving on is examined minutely, and her fears of letting go of Jimmy are given center stage.

But for all that, Lucy also has a very full life. Her aunts and mother (the Black Widows) are hysterically funny. The relationships she has with her best friend and sister are also full of witty banter and deep affection. I so enjoyed all of those sections.

The only reason I haven't given this book a full five stars is that I ultimately just felt that something was lacking in Ethan, Jimmy's younger brother and Lucy's love interest. The brilliant thing about Higgins is that she doesn't take an easy path, and the grittiness and reality of her writing is that she also doesn't smooth things over or make anything unnaturally perfect. Ethan and Lucy have a tough time -- they are overcoming a lot of things, not the least of which is Lucy's terror of losing another man that she loves, and also the very fraught relationship that Ethan had with his brother. Things aren't perfect, and when Lucy waffles about the relationship, the reader can see her motivations and that she has strong and valid concerns -- both for herself and for Ethan.

But compared to other characters, I see relatively little about Ethan. He is more of a creation for Lucy and others to bounce off of than a full, round character like Lucy, Parker, the Black Widows, and others.

Ultimately, an extremely satisfying book, but at times Ethan felt a touch unnatural in his reactions. But very, very worth reading.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Love, Love!!! Why, yes, I did love this book!! It started a bit slow for me as I didn't know where it was going. I didn't read the synopsis, I wanted to be surprised bc I had been on a roll with good books lately. I wasn't disappointed as the story varied between Faiths and Levi's point of views and made me love them and their families. It really was a small-town lovely book with lots of laughs, loving memories and sweet romance. I would recommend this to everyone who loves Sarah Addison Allen and sweet romances. It's a small town, heartwarming, romantic tale. <3
-ARC provided by publisher

Faith Holland was jilted at the alter by her highschool sweetheart and the love of her life. She left town and moved to San Fransisco to get over him. He stayed behind in their home town since he had a successful medical practice there. Faith still loved her fiance and he still loved her, but they agreed that they shouldn't marry. Tree yeas later she returned to her home town to see if she could once again live there. The characters in this book were very well developed and I found my self sharing their emotins frequently.It was a very goodread and one that kept me very interested and involved from the beginning till the end o the story. I will be reading more from this author.

I agree with person who said a "love-hate" relationship with Higgins' books. I have enjoyed some, but this one was like trying to walk through a swamp. Once in a while I see a movie or read a book and don't care whether things turn out well for not. This was one of those books. I was bored most of the time and felt the characters were just characters with no real "stories" or purpose of being in the book. The main male character, Ethan, was too much of a saint. I have another book by Higgins that I haven't read and am wondering if and when I will want to pick it up and begin . . .

This is my first Kristan Higgins book - and I must admit that I liked it very much! Because several other reviewers have summarized the plot, I don't think I need to repeat it here. While some may think that the plot ideas were too contrived, for those of us who have loved and lost we know that it is so easy, and probably common, to idolize a love that was young and brief. And because we are all shaped by our experiences, we often see things through colored glasses. Lucy's transition from young widow to mature adult is long overdue, but sometimes a big kick in the right direction provides the momentum needed to get moving. Lucy could not grow until her tidy little world was torn down around her.

I loved the characters. I loved Fat Mikey. And I would love to go to Mirabelli's for dinner and dessert.

Love Grace Livingston Hill books. 5 stars for content. Minus 2 stars for format/price. I purchased all the GLH books available in the Kindle store (approx 100 volumes) for under $150. Granted I did choose the cheapest Kindle version if multiple were offered, but even if you add the price of a Kindle Fire ($50) and a cover (up to $20) - you get almost all her books for $220 instead of one paperback for almost $50.

It's been a few years since I read this series but I LOVED every book!! Kristan Higgins makes me laugh out loud and that is what I love in a good romance. There are also serious issues with Faith's past and her losing her mother. I read them as library books and I need to find them all and read them again! You won't be disappointed by anything Ms Higgins writes!

Love, love, love this book. Kristan has a way of drawing the reader in. She writes in a way that make the reader not want to put the book down until it is finished. This story is about Faith who was left at the alter and the Best Man who helped in that happening. I love the interplay between he two main characters and how their romance blossoms over time. They are sassy, passionate, funny and, most importantly, friends. I laughed my way through this book's humor and funny scenes. I was rooting Levi to win her heart and ride off into the sunset. I would highly recommend this book. Kristan Higgins rocks the house as an author. I give it 4 stars.

Cute and funny book. Ms Higgins has created her main character's own weird little family and good friends. She, her mother and 2 aunts own the small town bakery and all 4 are widows, the older 3 are the Black Widows, Black is their family name. Lucy was married less than a year but her mother and aunts were some years older and had children too when their husbands died. Now they are in their 60's-70's and are real characters. They are Hungarian and make delish goodies for family but not the bakery, which Lucy doesn't understand! Lucy is the breadmaker and it seems to be what is keeping the bakery going. Lucy is a trained pastry chef and she makes all her goodies for Ethan and we get to read of them, made my mouth water LOL

It's been over 5 years since Tommy died in a car accident and Lucy things it may be time to move on and find someone to care about but not love again--it hurts too much to love and lose. She wants to have children. Lucy and Tommy's brother, he's the one who introduced her to Tommy all those years ago, has become her friend with benefits in the last few years now but Ethan is too daring for Lucy to love besides her family and he and Tommy's parents wouldn't understand how they could love each other.

There's also Lucy's sister, Corinne, who could use some meds to calm her down, her husband, Chris, who needs a caring wife not an obsessed wife and now their new baby girl Emma, Ethan has a little boy, Nicky, with a nice woman, Parker, he's friends with but never married and she's Lucy's best friend. There are even more secondary characters that are real funny personalities. Great entertaining romance along with a lot of laughs.

I've read a couple other of Ms Higgins books and have really enjoyed them. Now I'll have to go find those that I haven't read yet.

In Manningsport, New York, high school sweethearts Faith Holland and Jeremy Lyon are engaged. As the wedding nears, he jilts her when he realizes he is gay. Shook up by her fiancé’s revelation, Faith left town heartbroken and feeling betrayed though in lucid less emotional moments she knows she owes thanks to Jeremy for ending their relationship before they said I do. Still she trusts no man with Jeremy’s Best Man Levi Cooper the subject of her biggest scorn for failing to tell her that her fiancé was gay; using background checks that would make FBI agents envious, Faith has no faith in any man.

Several years after she left her Upstate New York town, Faith comes home to a dysfunctional family. Making matters worse for Faith is that she loathes her attraction to Levi, the town’s Police chief. He feels the same way as he wanted her when she was dating his best friend. Both are wary to take a chance as he brought back his Afghan war experience as a wounded warrior and she struggles to move passed the betrayal.

This is a fun madcap romance filled with plenty of feelings as the protagonists suffer from carrying differing emotional baggage. Although the fully developed support cast (especially Jeremy and Faith’s family including her leg-humping canine) adds overall depth, they also impede the prime romantic storyline. Still fans will enjoy the love story of the jilted bride and The Best Man.

Harriet Klausner

I liked it. I honestly did, but I just wanted to shake Levi every time he let his sister play him but it also made me think, "Aw what a great brother."
Towards the end when he has a complete turn around I was really irritated, but it was more than made up for. He was a great character. I enjoyed reading about him and his interactions with Faith.
Faith was a pretty deep character too and it made you feel for her. All and all I enjoyed the book and how it gave you bits in pieces of the past while keeping up with the present. It is a feel good relaxing read that I would read again.

On that sunny day in June, Faith Holland being jilted at the altar was the last thing on anyone's mind. Her fiancé Jeremy was not only her high school sweetheart, but as a former Brown College football player who stands at 6'3", a bastion of manhood. Faith and Jeremy were destined to spend their lives together in Blue Heron - that is, until Jeremy's best man Levi encouraged him to come out of the closet before saying their vows. Devastated and humiliated, Faith left for their honeymoon alone and didn't return. Three years and a successful landscape career later and Faith finally risks showing her face in Blue Heron once more. But does she have the courage to face her former fiancé and his haughty best friend while hoping for another walk down the aisle?

Ever since I read and loved Until There Was You, Kristan Higgin's first novel with dual perspectives, she's become an auto-buy author. I've only been dipping my toes into the romance genre for the past two years, but I've discovered many a romance author that is either miss or hit-and-miss. Sometimes it's random (Courtney Milan) and sometimes it's explainable. For example I like Julie James' earlier novels because they are less steamy and more comedic than her later suspense novels, which get progressively graphic. What I love about Higgins is that I can depend on her to be relatively clean and always fun, and her newest The Best Man is no exception. She likes to refer to "girl parts" but that's it. Of course I know plenty of people in my conservative community who would take offense to that, but I see it as completely innocent. Unsurprisingly, I was thrilled when I was offered a review copy as part of the blog tour.

One thing I've learned about myself as a reader is that there are certain genres I can read all the time, like YA and fantasy, and others that fit a certain mood or occasion. I have to be especially careful when I choose to read contemporary romance and chick lit, because if I need something weightier the fluffiness of it all will turn me off to what is otherwise an entertaining read. I may have read The Best Man in fits and spurts because of this, but when I needed a pick-me-up, it was there, which was so comforting. Higgin's new structure of alternating POVs between the female and male protagonists serves her well again here. Some people will like Levi, who is now the police chief of Blue Heron, from the start, but my feelings for him corresponded to Faith's. But they seethe both loathing and sexual tension from the beginning, so some of you make take to him sooner. Levi has been Jeremy's best friend since high school, so Faith has had a lot of contact with him. It's obvious he has always been disinterested in Faith, and it was hard to imagine him seeing her differently. But that possibility for real feelings becomes apparent with the flashbacks from Levi's perspective. And if I was going to fall in love with Levi, I needed those passages. As I've struggled with in Higgin's previous novels, there are several secondary characters introduced at the same time, which can be difficult to juggle. Levi's flashbacks to his tours in Afghanistan, memories of his ex-wife, and past encounters with Faith also slow the trajectory of the story at times and some of the crazier comedic situations (i.e. Faith literally staking out potential boyfriends) are over-the-top. But in the end I liked Faith and Levi, with their very real and distinctive personalities. You can rely on The Best Man to deliver fun, romantic comedy in book form. As for me I'm glad that I've saved some of Higgin's backlist novels for a rainy day.

Hmmm. Like many others, I don't know how to review/rate this book because of one problematic scene. So I will skip that barrier for a bit and give a general feel.

First, I haven't enjoyed Ms. Higgins for a while. I read her stuff because I want to get back the loving feeling I once had. Do I buy her stuff new anymore? Um, no, sorry, I don't. Is this book enough to get me to buy her stuff new anymore? Um, no, sorry, it isn't.

Like (seemingly) all writers, Ms. Higgins has a niche, a clique, a group of characters in a pool that seems to be the only pool in which she fishes. This pool has interesting characters, some more interesting than others. This pool is invariably located in a quirky small town with quirky small-town characters and quirky small-town situations that would be highly suspect in a town of more than, say, 800 people.

The first character that seems to leap onto Ms. Higgins' pole and hook itself is the slightly needy, ever-insecure, not-quite-physically-perfect heroine. In this case, the character is a young woman who was left at the altar a few years before by her high school sweetheart. They had stayed together through those rough long-distance college relationship years and their relationship culminated in a walk down the aisle. That they didn't consummate their relationship on that altar at the end of the aisle (ewww, not that way) is the foundation on which this book is built.

I won't give any spoilers here, but I think within the first few paragraphs of the book you will figure out the reason for the nonstart, even before the big reveal.

So a few years ensue. There is personal and professional growth of the jilted bride, her erstwhile groom and the BFF/Best Man of the Groom. Circumstances conspire for our not-bride-to-be to come home. Let the cast of quirk begin. There are relatives who behave (the younger relatives), there are siblings who overshare and never share, and grandparents who absolutely, positively hate each other. Having grandparents who divorced after 52 years of matrimonial hell, I did a lot of wincing and had some serious flashbacks that required chocolate to soothe me. Not everyone will have that kind of chocolate-seeking reaction. Some might even find them funny.

Anyway, on with the story. Not spoiling anything for anybody but those who don't actually know the title of the book, it is soon evident that the new Hero (with a capital H) will be the former Best Man. Our heroine Faith has issues with the Best Man, not the least of which is she blames him for the nonstart at the altar.

He is now the chief of police in this small town o' quirk. They are thrown together often and longingly. They give in to this passion a time or two before consummation. There is angsting, some gnashing of teeth, a big MIS and some sex, most of it behind closed doors.

What makes this different from the last few Higgins' books for me? You actually get to know the Hero. He is introduced. His back story is given. He is allowed a voice in the book. When I think back on Ms. Higgins' books (and more than a bit of time has elapsed since I have read the others; these are not reread books for me), I remember distant heroes who seem to have no more history or back story or personality than a lamp bought at Pier 1. Attractive, can be used in a variety of settings, will last for the long run, but nothing to distinguish them from any variety of attractive, reasonably affordable inventory there for the picking and in danger of being quickly forgotten and discarded once your tastes change.

The other different positive is our Faith has experienced life outside of small town quirk and survived and thrived and if she wants, she can go back again to the big city. But she doesn't necessarily want to. She can leave, and does, but her heart is in the small town, her family is in the small town and now she wants to be there, relationship issues or no.

It was a fun book for me. I enjoyed it. I didn't set it down to go make a smoothie and then forget to pick it back up. I read it in one weekend that was interspersed with an out-of-town trek to a junior high quiz bowl national championship and didn't bother to hide it from all the smarty-pants junior high kids I was surrounded by reading their Deliriums and Perks and Eleanor and Parks and Lincoln bios.

So onto the "issue" with the book. SPOILER ALERT: This spoiler is a situational spoiler, not one having to do with the main characters' HEA so I am not hiding it.

The dad of Ms. Jilted is a widower. The circumstances of his widowerhood are important to the story. A long time has passed since he lost his beloved wife. The family is afraid his current single status may be detrimental to their bottom line if he goes for a golddigger. So Ms. Jilted decides (again, for reasons explained in the book) to set her dad up with various women she has vetted. One woman she picks for him turns out to be transgender (again, if you can't figure this out before the big reveal, you aren't paying attention to the setup). The transgender character is referred to as a "he-she" at one point and there is a lot of flapping of wings and squawking about the near miss.

Well, I knew as soon as I read it, this would become an issue. This is where I am having a hard time figuring out my feelings. I am not going to say that some of my best friends are transgendered. I am not going to say I have intimate knowledge of the transgender world. I am not even going to say I understand transgender. I will say I need a "Transgender for Dummies" book, though.
I know "he-she" is offensive without any knowledge base. I would think most would understand that. What I do have a hard time with is how some are so up in arms over the author's treatment of this matter.

I do know a transgender female through my work. I know it was a difficult decision. I know that it was not a decision made lightly. But I also know this person totally understands and has empathy toward those who don't "get it." She doesn't expect everyone to openly accept her and her physical being, especially upon initial knowledge. She gets that this affects how she is perceived and accepted in the everyday world. Heck, her children love her and accept her, but they don't "get it," either. They just let her be her.
She knows this decision to have this surgery has/will affect every relationship, whether it is a relationship that will mature or it is a relationship that will remain forever inchoate once information is shared.

All of the above is really no more than my writing down all the ways my brain went with this scene. I understand if a reader is offended by the words chosen in a scene that the book didn't necessarily need to have. I understand there are a lot of people more enlightened, sensitive, aware than I will ever be that find this totally unacceptalbe. But I also understand that there are people who need time to think about the circumstance. Need to investigate if they choose to. Even Cher has a hard time with Chaz's decision (yeah, I went there).

So don't let this one scene impact your decision on whether to read this book. This scene is fairly well telegraphed. You can easily skip this scene and not have to deal with it. Or if you feel so strongly, then don't read the book. You won't be missing anything. It is fun and frothy, but there is no dearth of fun and frothy available on the market today.

PJV Quickie: An entertaining blend of humor and seriousness, The Best Man delivers what I’ve come to expect from a Kristan Higgins novel: great characters, a sweet story, some laugh-out-loud moments, and an ending that left me with a smile and a sigh.

Review
Faith Holland was left at the altar by the love of her life. And she couldn’t even be that mad at him; more…disappointed and sad. She had been dating Jeremy for eight years – since they were teens, and thought they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Her family vineyard and his family vineyard butt up against each other, and everyone assumed they’d make beautiful babies together – until Jeremy’s best man convinced him to acknowledge the truth he’d been trying to ignore: Jeremy is gay, and marrying Faith would not be fair to either Jeremy or Faith.

Levi Cooper spent his youth living on the wrong side of the tracks, but he’s been best friends with Jeremy ever since Jeremy moved to Manningsport. Levi knew right away that Jeremy was gay and didn’t care. Jeremy was a great football player and a great friend, and if Faith couldn’t see that he was gay, that wasn’t Levi’s problem…right? After high school, while Faith and Jeremy went off to college, Levi joined the Army and did two tours in Afghanistan before coming home to Manningsport. Now he’s Police Chief and after his mother died he also has the daunting task of being guardian to his teenaged sister.

Faith is now living in San Francisco, working hard at her landscaping business and making a name for herself, but her love life is in the toilet. She gets a call from her sister, telling her she needs to come home before her widower father marries a gold-digger. As she hurries back into town, the first person she sees is Levi…who gives her a ticket for speeding.
_________

I love Kristan Higgins’ books for so many reasons: her characters are engaging and relatable, I always laugh out loud several times while reading her books, and she drags your emotions through the wringer before the hero and heroine get their HEA. Let me just say this: Kristan Higgins writes sigh-worthy HEAs.

The Best Man is classic Kristan Higgins and fans won’t be disappointed. I loved Faith, she was dealt a severe blow when Jeremy left her at the altar, and she picked herself up and created a successful career. Her sadness and fear that she’ll never find a husband, or at least someone to love and share her life with felt true-to-life; not that she wanted someone to take care of her, but a partner to share with. Her continued love and affection for Jeremy led her to carry a grudge against Levi and she continued to blame him for the break-up.

The flashbacks to the past with Faith, Jeremy and Levi, growing up together and encountering all the prejudices and expectations that accompany small-town life gave such depth that I felt like I knew them and was an actual resident in the town. The feelings of inadequacy from high school carried into adult life and shaped their relationships with each other. Even though Faith and Jeremy couldn’t be together, their affection for each other was sweet and heartfelt.

Have I mentioned that The Best Man is laugh-out-loud funny? Because it is: from Faith’s bathroom rescue to the “Levi boredom scale” that she invented in high school to her sister’s “sexting” in an effort to keep her marriage fresh, The Best Man will definitely make you smile. Although there are some sad moments, there are a lot of side-stories that keep the reader entertained and lighten up the story. I enjoyed reading about the daily goings-on of a winery business and would love to visit a working winery if I ever get the chance.

In reading over my review, I don’t think I’ve done Levi justice: he’s a quiet character, honorable, maybe even a bit cantankerous. He has a hard time showing his feelings, but is an upstanding friend and tries to do the right thing. I don’t know about anyone else who’s already read The Best Man, but I liked him right from the beginning.

I think my only complaint is that Ms. Higgins uses quite a bit of gay stereotype – good dresser, has to imagine Justin Timberlake during sex – and one scene involving a transgender individual. I think The Best Man would have been just as entertaining without it.

Recommendations
Fans of Contemporary Romance, enemies to lovers, and romance set in a small-town.

I have mixed feelings with this ebook. This is the fitst time I read a book from Kristan Higgins. She is less racey than what I normally read. Slyvia Day style of writing is the complete opposite. (which I read alot of). I liked the story itself in this book, but the style of writing is a little boring to me, it takes a lot of words to get to the point. I found myself skipping parts of the book, which I normally don't do. But I will read the next book in the series "The Perfect Match" book 2.

I am going to be un-PC here and say it. Why do some romance authors feel the need to reveal their political leanings by adding hot,highly controversial or polarizing political and social agendas to their stories? I'd just like to read the story without the added reminders of the author's belief on such things. I get that Higgins is a liberal, Democrat. I don't care. Just tell the story without pushing a certain leaning on the reader. Higgins' earlier books had none of this.

Secondly, my parents just celebrated their 70th anniversary, so I was disturbed and depressed throughout the book to read Faith's grandparents' constant bickering and apparent mere tolerance of each other after 65 years together. If it was just humor and they actually loved each other deeply out of the public eye, it was never revealed.

Thirdly, this book had more sex than what Higgins' has done in her earlier books. I happened to like that she could write such emotional and touching romances without a lot of sex scenes. It made the relationships of her main characters seem deeper to me. Faith and Levi's relationship seemed shallow and only about sex for most of the book. I wish Higgins hadn't jumped on the bandwagon of pushing the sex limit, even though hers is mild compared to many others. I get that Shades of Grey was a big seller, but authors should write the way they do well and not have to try to reach for Grey standards.

Having said this, I enjoyed the humor and the romance at the end. But, like other reviewers, I felt Levi was a jerk for most of the book to Faith. He was, of course, redeemed at the end. The last 1/4 of the book was very moving and emotional. Something that Higgins does very well. She is a master at the dry and sarcastic humor. I like humor in my romances, so she keeps me coming back.

Because I like Higgins' humor and the emotional impact she writes well I continue to read her books, but I've stopped buying them. I get them from the library.

Lucy married the love of her life, then not even a year later she was widowed. It's been over five years now since her husband has died and when her niece is born and after getting a whiff of that yummy baby smell, she decides to start dating; she wants a family. The only trouble is she has to cut loose her best friend with benefits, Ethan, who just happens to be her brother-in-law.

This was the first book I have read by Kristan Higgins, but it won't be my last. This book tugged on all my heart strings and had me laughing out loud frequently. Several times I would find myself shedding a few tears, reaching for the Kleenex, and then in the next sentence I'd be laughing hysterically. I am sure my family thinks I am having some sort of breakdown. *grins*

It was a really fun book with extremely loveable characters. I would love to read more about Lucy and Ethan's friend, Paige, she was colorful and I think needs her own book. I really teetered between a 4 and 5 star rating, but in the end chose the 4 star as the struggle to happily ever after began to get a bit too frustrating to me. Definitely and enjoyable and highly recommended read!

Cherise Everhard, March 2010

Having read several of Kristin Higgins novels, I was sure I would love THE BEST MAN. I enjoyed it, but do not think it was her best novel. The main character, Faith, is easy to like as she is a friendly gal who is nice to everyone despite her coming from a wealthy family. She, like so many in these light romances, just seeks happiness, acceptance, and true love. Faith almost had that as she was about to marry her high school sweetheart Jeremy when her whole world came crashing down. When Jeremy, finally listens to his best friend, Levi, and admits that he is gay and can't go through with the wedding, Faith is left at the altar, literally. Humiliated and heart broken, Faith leaves town and heads to San Francisco where she should have been celebrating her honeymoon. Faith visited home only for holidays with no intention of ever returning full time. However, when she comes home in hopes of talking her widowed father out of marrying someone she sees as not good for him, Faith winds up staying on longer than she planned.

The last people Faith wants to see are Jeremy or Levi, who she likes to blame for breaking up the wedding, when all he had in mind was his friend's best interest. But as you may have guessed, Faith and Jeremy slowly start to exhibit an interest in each other, each in their own way. How it progresses is what the rest of the book is about and while you don't find too many surprises, Higgins still entertains readers with the delightfully funny situations as well as emotional attachments. Round that off with a precious pup and you have the makings of a light summer read that will entertain if nothing else. As I said, I have found other novels of Kristin Higgins to be a bit more substantial and satisfying, but THE BEST MAN is still a perfectly enjoyable summer beach read.

The Best Man is a cute story that had me laughing and wondering what would happen next. The story starts with the main character Faith being left at the altar due to a secret that Jeremy was keeping during their relationship. Faith and others in her town thought Jeremy and Faith had the perfect relationship. Faith leaves her small town living for a few years and then decides to return home. Faith has some issues in the beginning with dating, but pulls through later. This was an enjoyable story with some hilarious moments as well. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I picked this up because I'd enjoyed Too Good To Be True. Like Too Good To Be True, The Next Best Thing is a light-hearted tale easily devoured in the space of evening, featuring what I suspect are touchstones from other Higgins books: the daft but loveable family, the exasperating but loveable family, and the guy-next-door sort who slowly reveals himself to have additional charms and skills.

Lucy Lang, a young widow, decides to slowly slip back into dating, now that it's five years past her husband's death. Lucy's just seen her sister give birth to her first child, and she's feeling the pangs for the might-have-beens. Complicating matters are the elder generation of her female relatives--themselves all proud widows--and her fears about losing a second husband. Combine this with a small town, where everybody knows everyone's history, and Lucy's thrown into a lot of turmoil....and that may be blinding her to the potential of her best friend (and brother-in-law) Ethan. She and he have been "friends with benefits" for the last three years, but she's not convinced that Ethan's penchant for sky-diving and extreme sports makes him a good candidate for a nice safe husband. Plus she wants to go for a safe but not particular passion-inducing match.

The dialogue is where Higgins shines. That and portraying the small frictions of family life: living up to expectations, not stifling the people you love, learning to accept other people's choices and risks, figuring out how to compromise. I could completely relate to the slew of slightly off-kilter female relatives. (And I have to note that my sisters' experiences with giving birth, nursing their kids, and becoming first-time mums seems accurately captured in the character of Corinne.)

I enjoyed seeing Ethan and Lucy's journey from friends-with-bennies to a full-fledged relationship. I do feel that perhaps Lucy took LONGER than I thought she should have to figure out her love for Ethan, but I didn't question her initial issues or why she doesn't immediately leap for him. And while some folks seem to think Ethan could have been developed more as a character, I felt that he had an understated charm. Romance is so full of alpha males and Bad Boys and it was nice to see a guy who could both give the heroine some room and stand up for himself.

As I said, I read this in one night, and quite enjoyed it.

Ms. Higgins' romances are generally a step above the rest. However, I had a big problem with this one. I've worked with low-income teenagers for years, and they have little-to-nothing in common with the wimpy Levi.
His ambition is to go to college like his friends. So what does he do about it? Nothing, except ask his absentee father for $5000. When the man says no---big surprise---Levi gives up his dream and slinks off to join the military.

He had no alternative? Of course he did. Hundreds of thousands of students attend college with no help from their families.
They apply for financial aid.
They take out loans.
They get work-study grants.
They take their fathers to court for back child support.
And finally, they get JOBS! (Colleges are brimming with full-time students who also have full-time jobs.)

$5000 a year translates into $100+ a week. Spineless Levi could have purchased a snow shovel and a lawn mower and pulled in more than that. And what's with employment anyway? Most low-income kids go to work when they're 15 or 16 to help pay the bills. They don't whine about living in a trashy trailer; they do something about it. But 19-year-old, hunky, athletic, supposedly intelligent Levi just chooses to live off his poor mother.

What a loser.

Many young people have difficult lives. They don't need to read that doors are closed to them because they weren't born into money.

Lucy Lang's life is not going to plan. Rocked by the death of her beloved husband Jimmy, she's veered off the fast track to a promising career as a patissiere and fallen into the bosom of her boisterous mother and aunts- all widows themselves. Baking bread for her family's business isn't much of a life, but at least it fits in with Lucy's erratic sleep schedule - a bi-product of her grief.

Ethan Mirabelli was the only person Lucy could bare to be around after the accident. As Jimmy's younger brother, he understood her pain and always seemed to know the right things to do and say. Now, years later, she's looking for another shot at having a family -all she has to do is stop sleeping with Ethan and find a husband. She's looking for someone decent, who's not too good looking and who she won't fall in love with. After all, who could compete with Jimmy in her heart?

The Next Best Thing is less of a romance than many of Higgins' other works. It's more about a woman picking up the pieces of her life after suffering an awful tragedy. She's sick of being pitied, but with a mile long list of neuroses, it's easy to understand why her family and friends treat her with kid gloves.

As always, I enjoyed Higgins' trademark animal sidekick. Fat Mikey didn't have much to do with the narrative, but I liked his grumpy personality and the fact that he had been a gift from Ethan.

I loved that Lucy was a baker - I'm a baker myself, and I always love a heroine I can relate to. Word to the wise though; putting a hot loaf in a bread slicer is a recipe for disaster (Silly Lucy). For a similar reason - familiarity - I so enjoyed Higgins' description of what I like to call Italian-isms. I could picture my own Nonno every time she mentions `Italian sign language'.

He sighs, looks at the floor and folds his arms, Italian sign language for we got a situation here.

Higgins seems to have quite a knack for creating believable and heart-warming family dynamics in her work, and The Next Best Thing is no different. As with her earlier book Just One of the Guys, ethnicity has a lot to do with this. Readers are given a taste of both an Italian and a Hungarian family, and it's clear to see that both cultures have a predilection with family - something the author shares.

The only problem I had with this story would be that it seemed overly drawn out in the middle. I could have done with a less lengthy depiction of Lucy's angst, and to the same effect. Admittedly, this may be by design - allowing for a more believable epiphany moment at the end.

The Next Best Thing wasn't my favorite Kristan Higgins book. I'd advise starting on one of her other books - perhaps The Best Man or Too Good to Be True. Although I did enjoy this book, I'd hate readers to judge the entirety of Higgins' work on this sample and not read her others.

Just when I thought Kristan Higgin's books couldn't get any better, she comes up The Best Man. This romantic comedy is rich with setting--a winery, what could be nicer, with characters so real I felt I knew them. As the story flows, Higgin's peels away the layers of Faith and Levi's pasts, until she strikes bottom. She handles the issue of an ex-gay fiancé with diplomacy and understanding, and yes--love. By the time I turned the last page, I knew I would miss being part of the lives of Faith, Levi Jeremy, and the rest of the Holland family. Maybe she will write a sequel.

I got this book as a doorprize at a conference Kristan was keynote speaker at. I threw a handful of paperbacks in my suitcase to go on vacation with and this was the first one I read. I'm so glad -- it was my first Higgins readbut won't be my last. I loved Jeremy and Faith, but when the secret was revealed I started seeing the clues I'd missed. Levi was a hot ex-military cop and slowly but but surely the two of them became a good match. I love the sexual chemistry and the humor. 5 stars!

Great read! Laughed so hard my stomach hurt! And the H/h were great together. Have found this series more enjoyable reading in order -- started with nbr 4 which was so good went back and started with this one to go from start to finish. Did not find the series consistently good at least from my perspective. Nbr 2 and 3 featured couples that I thought maybe should not have gotten (back) together. Weird.

What a storyline! After years of dating the perfect man, Faith's fiancé stops the wedding to admit he's gay. She flees to San Francisco for several years until her family begs her to come home to help with their dad. She returns to her NY wine country home and vineyard and comes across the Best Man and the only person who knew that her fiancé had been gay all along. There are funny parts of the book and you know all along that these two will get together but watch the story unfold. Kristan Higgins books are always fun to read!

This is my first foray into romance novels, and unfortunately, I was utterly disappointed in it. This was not so much of a romance novel as much as a discovery about how dating a straight man is slightly more passionate than a gay man (but completely less romantic). That said, this is a quick little fluff book to read about how the heroine Faith learns how to move on from her first true love, who turned out to be gay and left her at the altar. She goes back to her hometown and sparks a romance (or more like a painfully awkward test run) with Levi, the town sheriff and quiet possibly the most moody, but handsome! guy there is. Frankly, that was about it. The love scenes were lackluster, and the overall story was really quite strained. While I enjoyed Faith's character, I didn't like her choices in the end, and I definitely did not like the guy she ended up with. I'm pretty sure there are better romance novels out there.

Kristan Higgins is a really good writer, there were some very touching moments in this book and the first person present tense really put you in the middle of the story.

The male lead in this story is practically perfect, to the point of almost not being believable. I felt really bad for him the way the protagonist hurt him over and over, not even realizing it because she was so caught up in her own issues. Don't get me wrong, I could relate to her and even felt bad for her. But the way she dealt with adversity, she was kind neurotic. And oh my goodness, I sure did get tired of all her crying! Otherwise, a good story.

I loved everything about this story! This book will make you laugh, cry, and feel good. The characters were well written. There were no moments when I thought, "That was stupid." This book was so real that I feel like I know all the people in the town. The H&h were perfect.

Best of all, Higgins didn't write the heroine doing something stupid or making a horrible choice just to keep the story going. HEA without having to be angry first.

There is a sweet love story here but it is buried under mountains of stuff going on and too many secondary characters. I found my self skimming through all the "widow" parts and just reading the hero and heroine part. I know a lot of people like it when the author mixes in a lot of other characters and I do if it is a few but not when there is more to their parts than there is the actual love story. Overall okay read but I wouldn't re read it like so many of my other books.

This may be my new favorite of this authors. I have read every single one of her boos and have a couple that I've LOVED and still think about but this one really touched me. I also really enjoyed that it was not told in first person POV, as she normally does. I LOVED hearing Levi's thoughts as much as Faith's. It was a wonderful book with flawed and very real characters over the time span of several years. I only wish we'd seen a bit more Faith/Levi in the present. I love you Kristan Higgins, keep up the wondeful work!

I go back and forth between loving Kristan Higgins's books and being really frustrated with them. I wish these books did not all follow the same predictable story line... we get a back story, the hero of the story makes an appearance, heroine makes some really stupid decisions, they get together, it all falls apart, and it's all fixed in the last chapter + epilogue. I have found myself skimming much of her recent books to get past the frustrating parts (which are the thought processes and interactions of the main character - in this case, Lucy).

I do have a hard time with first person narratives and in this book, I really wish I could have read a little of Ethan's point of view. I think it would have rounded out the story line and added so much. Overall, it's a decent book and I found myself crying at the end... I just also find parts of her books incredibly frustrating too.

I personally like a little more heat than this book generated (pink face here!), but the story line is superb as well as the sub-plots, which count more in the total point score.I don't want to read a story in which I don't become fully invested in the characters. I saw a lot of myself in Faith and a lot of my husband in Levi, so you could say this book made my marriage better. <3 I'm ready for stories from several of the non-protagonist characters, so I guess you could say I'm invested! Thanks, Kristan, for a great read, and have no doubt I'll be reading you a lot more.

This is a very pleasant book. IF you're looking for something easy to read, nice and light, this is a good book. IT is keeping my attention very well, which a lot of books do not. You like the characters very much. It does have a lot of flashbacks, but I'm finding it to still be an easy read. The authors puts in a lot of funny lines here and there, which are cute. It's nice that the heroine is not perfect but is someone you can relate to. I would recommend it as a nice comfortable read.

"The Next Best Thing," by Kristan Higgins, was a book that I was looking forward to reading, but just couldn't get past the 1st 100 pages. Lucy seems like a great character, but her aunts and mother, known as the Black Widows and all named after flowers (Daisy - Iris - Rose) stand like vultures around her. The Black Widows all lost their husbands, and now Lucy (mid-20s) is widowed, and she is one of them. Which means they rip out a whisker from her lip within the first 3 pages, while she's holding her brand-new niece in her sister's hospital room, and you want me to like them? Endear them to me. I get their craziness...but add Lucy's sister's paranoia of losing her own husband, it heaps too much drama and takes the focus away from the point of the story. Lucy, having been widowed for 5 years now is ready to start dating. Oh, and she needs to stop sleeping with her brother-in-law to make this happen.

Said brother-in-law, Ethan, was sweet and nice and your average guy, but I didn't feel a pull. His character fell a bit flat for me. Give me a reason to read on and chase this lovely man. Oh, first, you have to make him lovely and compelling. Their friendship at Johnson & Wales was nice, but he didn't convince me why he's this great guy for Lucy. I think Ethan's character could have been beefed up.

Higgins explores what it's like for a woman who has lost the love of her life to even consider dating again and does the story great justice with Lucy, the Black Widows, and the local bakery as a setting.

I just reviewed The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods, since I read it shortly before I read The Best Man. In a nutshell, I loved The Best Man almost as much as I did not like The Inn at Eagle Point. The Best Man is a pitch perfect example of the right way to blend romance and family drama. Highly recommend it and if you want to know more on my thoughts about this book, please see my review of The Inn at Eagle Point where I go into quite a lot of detail about both stories.

As usual Kristan did not disappoint! I had a hard time putting the book down. She has the talent of putting you into the town and develop characters that you can see and love. I tried but could not keep from laughing out loud. Highly recommend! Can't wait to see what else happens at Blue Heron Winery.

I've been putting off reading this because I know that Kristan Higgins' romances don't have the steam factor that I prefer. I admit that this was a big mistake. She writes a beautifully sweet romance, with a little bit of spice and lots of great humour. Add to that, a zany cast of quirky characters and you have a sure fire winner. Will be reading the next in this series right away.

This was my first book by this author. I enjoyed her writing style and this book brought a few tears, laughs and sighs which was a nice surprise. I look forward to reading more from her. ... on a side note however, I think some of her slang words (hemorrhoid was the one) was used a wee bit too much for me, kinda felt like she was trying to force a laugh.. which didn't happen. but just my opinion.

Higgins is a hit-and-miss author for me, and this one is definitely a hit. It tugs at the heartstrings and makes you want a guy like Ethan for yourself.

Others have summarized the plot, so I won't bother. Lucy's fear of commitment is a little overdone, and Ethan's willingness to wait for her is a bit unrealistic, but this isn't meant to be a serious, in-depth look at widowhood. Suffice it to say this is a "best friends" kind of romance, the sweet, slow realization that love comes in many forms. If you're looking for high drama, you won't find it here, though there are the requisite misunderstandings and bumps in the road.

The "Black Widows" (all the members of Lucy's family whose husbands died young) make for an engaging crew, though you do wonder how their store stays in business, given how rude they are to customers and how little attention they pay to food! The Mirabellis idolize their dead son, which is problematic but honest. It happens. The family relationships are complicated, and sometimes the secondary cast takes over, but those sections are infrequent and generally the romance proceeds at a good clip and carries the reader along.

Lucy, the main character here is a pastry chef, who works with her female Hungarian relatives in a bakery. She has been a widow for 5 yrs and ready to get on with her life... husband and babies. You can't help but like her, but at times want to shake her. She has been having sex with her BFF, Ethan, her deceased husbands brother for the last 2 years and loves it, in fact probably loves him but won't admit it even to herself. She has definite hangups and baggage about her deceased husband.

The other characters are actually more interesting, the Black Widow aunts especially. There is LOTS of witty dialogue here, but it adds some fun and diversity. I would have liked chapters written from each characters point of view. and more character development about Ethan.

The novel held my interest, anything revolving around a bakery I love, lol, and the "Hungarian cliches" were funny, I'd never heard them before and enjoyed that part of it. Predictable and frustrating at times, such as life can often be, but overall an enjoyable read. Not one I'd have to keep in my personal library.

I've read a lot of books lately that had me interested, but this love story had me crying, laughing and hoping. No other book moved me like this to the point I stayed up until 4:30am to keep reading. I'm happy to say I found a new author to put at the top of my list. Thank you Kristen, for writing a tale of love and grief and healing.

Once again Kristan Higgins writes a hilarious yet romantic tale. Right from the beginning you will find yourself giggling if not laughing out loud. There are plenty of touching moments too. Her books are not just about the main characters, the "supporting cast" is just as vital for the over all enjoyment. I highly recommend The Best Man as well as any other books by Kristan Higgins. You will NOT be disappointed.

The Best Man gave me a sense of coming home. It was like drinking hot chocolate in front of a warm fire on a cold winter's night, VERY SATISFYING! I was taken with Kristan Higgins' writing from the very first book I read. It always touches on every possible emotion and leaves me wishing the book would last longer. Faith and Levi are characters you will love. I love her writing and you can't go wrong with this book!

Kristan Higgins is a relatively new author for me, and this is only the second of her books that I have read. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is light hearted, but with depth, as well as being humourous yet poignant. The main characters are all believable - and I had many a giggle at the sub characters, especially the oldest sister, Pru. I really recommend this book as a lovely heart warming read.

Kristan Higgins always takes readers on a romantic, exciting adventure and THE NEXT BEST THING is no exception. I loved Lucy and Ethan and while there are plenty of lighthearted, fun moments, their romance was purely heartfelt and excellently written. I give my highest recommendation to all readers who enjoy contemporary romance. I've hoped for a long time that contemporary romance would make a strong comeback and with books like this, I can see that happening. Thank you, Ms. Higgins!

Lucy Lang had it all once...until a car accident took her husband. Now, she's just another in a long line of widows in her family, but rather than accept that fate, Lucy decides she wants to remarry and have children. If she's going to start dating, though, maybe it's time to call it quits on the booty calls from her dead husband's brother. She tells Ethan that part of their relationship is over, but then she becomes upset when Ethan backs off and no longer even seems interested in maintaining their longstanding friendship.

Ethan is a lovable hero who is always there for Lucy and I really liked the secondary characters. Lucy's friend Parker was my favorite, and I loved the Holy Rollers! The character I couldn't stand is Lucy. What a self-centered whiner! She spends five years clinging to memories of how perfect her life was for the few months before her husband died, and lamenting the fact that life threw a wrench in her plans. Though I can't claim to know the pain of widowhood, I have suffered a few devastating losses of my own, and about a third of the way through this book, I just wanted to slam Lucy's head in a car door. She's completely stuck on the Me Channel--all me, all the time--and has no compunction whatsoever about using other people at her whims. She wanders around thinking only about herself, and if someone else manages to enter her consciousness for a moment, it's to look down her nose at them. Her selfishness destroyed all the sympathy I developed for her in the beginning, and I found myself rooting for her nemesis, Doral-Anne. I agreed with Doral-Anne that Lucy DID NOT deserve Ethan. And not only does Lucy take Ethan for granted, she has no consideration whatsoever for the feelings of the other men she dates and dumps--one of them after she tells Ethan they'll give it a go, which makes her a cheater, too! I guess she doesn't need to worry about other people's feelings, since she's so much better than all of them. The way she treats the bread man is almost as bad as the way she treats Ethan.

Another thing that really got me about Lucy was her annoying baby fever. After her niece is born, she rhapsodizes constantly about the baby's perfection and how the mere sight of her makes Lucy yearn for a child of her own. Her four-year-old nephew does not inspire the same kind of feelings, however, which makes me wonder what these baby-crazed women do when their kids are out of diapers.

It's entirely possible that not all of this author's protagonists are so narcissistic and self-serving, but I just loathed Lucy. Instead of wanting a happy ending for her, I wished she would get hit by a truck. Despite this, I would actually consider trying another novel by Ms. Higgins because I really did like all of her secondary characters, and she did an excellent job of weaving all the elements of the plot neatly together. Lucy just seemed to ruin all her efforts.

Lucy Lang has been a widow for nearly six years and decides it is time to move on, however, it takes the entire book for her to do it. She constantly compares every situation to how life would be if her husband hadn't died. If only he hadn't died, she wouldn't be working in a bakery. If only he hadn't died, she would have a baby. If only he hadn't died, she could eat fancy desserts. Along with these comparisons, she watched her wedding video repeatedly throughout the book (including one time when she made her date watch it with her).
While I liked the idea behind the story, I got the feeling that Lucy was a lot of talk and no action. She kept saying she was moving on with her life without actually doing anything. I thought her new interest, Ethan, put up with more than he should have. For me the story dragged on when it could have be a fun and fast paced.

Kristan Higgins is a good romance writer - her characters are quirky without being unbelievably wacky, she's often funny, and her writing is crisp and clean. I didn't find Lucy's grief overdone, as some other reviewers have; I thought Higgins managed her transition back into the world of dating and moving on well.

But her dead husband's brother as the love interest really turned me off, especially since they had a "friends with benefits" relationship during her grieving process. It's perfectly legal, but it felt incestuous, and Ethan doesn't have enough of a personality for me to get why she was falling for him other than his connection to her husband.

If you're new to Kristan Higgins, check out Fools Rush In or Catch of the Day - they're a better example of what she's capable of, and Catch of the Day I actually found quite memorable in a genre that's designed to be disposable.

A confession: I've never yet read a Kristan Higgins book that hasn't done all three of these things a) made me laugh out loud 2) inevitably made me cry 3) made me turn back the pages for a reread the minute I flipped the final page. This one...this one...I want to say it's her best, although that's hard to do with Kristan Higgins because pretty much every book is her best. Levi is a hero to die for. Level-headed while smolderingly sexy, honest and honorable but with a bad boy edge...
it doesn't get much better than that. I loved the flashbacks to the teenaged boy who ached for the girl he couldn't have. I loved how he was truly a friend to Jeremy while wanting what Jeremy had (Faith) but couldn't truly want. And Faith...confused and vulnerable and scarred, but the one who shows up whenever her family is in chaos. Together they were just delicious. This hits all the high points of KH's best books: family closeness mingled inextricably with family eccentricity, no black and white in any relationship, a loveable animal, a setting so real its like a character of its own, and love scenes that make your toes curl. Levi and Faith's first is one of my most favorites of all of hers...it makes you laugh and wince and completely identify, while still being swept away. Bottom line: I don't know how you do it, Kristan Higgins, but you best yourself every time.

At First Sight: Faith Holland ran away from Blue Heron, her family's winery in upstate New York, after her failed attempt to marry her long-time boyfriend Jeremy in what was supposed to be the wedding of the century in their hometown.

Faith had her whole life planned next to Jeremy, someone who was kind and awesome and always made her feel special, but it all went south when Jeremy came out on the day of their wedding and basically left her at the altar.

In the years since, distance has given her a little perspective, not that she's ready to forgive the one person who caused all her heartbreak: Levi Cooper, Jeremy's best friend, who interrupted the wedding and sort of gave Jeremy the nudge he needed.

But when a family emergency prompts her to go back home for an extended period of time, there is no way she can avoid Jeremy, or Levi for that matter.

Levi grew up on the wrong side of the tracks of their small town - his father left when he was little, and his mom struggled to make ends-meet. He was more surprised than anyone when Jeremy picked him to be his best friend, but friends they were and have remained ever since.

He didn't mean to hurt Faith, he just wanted to keep his friend from making a mistake. And now he's happy living in town, being the police chief and dealing with all the disasters big and small of his town, even if half the people that now love and respect him don't remember how they thought he was bad news when he was growing up, just because his family wasn't rich.

He never really thought he would have to deal with Faith again - or Princess Super Cute as he and his high school girlfriend used to call her - but suddenly she's everywhere. And he's remembering that regardless everything else, there was always a small spark of chemistry between them... and that maybe said spark wasn't as small as they both would like to believe.

Second Glance: Oh, Kristan Higgins... I don't know what to do with you. The Best Man was a good book. It was pretty engaging, I like the setting and I actually really liked Levi and Faith too (though she could be a bit annoying quite often), but it wasn't great.

Part of it is, I think, because there is too much going on at the same time. We got the Levi-Faith attraction thing, Faith new friendship with Jeremy, subplot about older sister's sex life, subplot about Mr. Holland's dating an awful woman, subplot about Faith's grandparents hating each other, subplot about Levi's sister not adapting to college, subplot about Levi's ex, subplot about Faith's epilepsy and the death of her mom - and after a while the book starts to FEEL long.

If some of these things had been trimmed out the book would have flowed a lot better. While I was reading I kept thinking "Just wrap something up, already!" because there was just one thing on top of the other and the other and the other.

The final conflict kind of came out of nowhere too, and I was, like, oh really? seriously? two smart, grown up people are going to fight over THIS flimsiest of all flimsy excuses for a fight? And it's all going to be solved in the next twenty pages? Really? Can I haz Cheeseburger?

Lastly, while I liked Faith and Levi together, I kind of never really saw what they saw in each other other than sexually. I mean you get told they got this past history and whatever, but I have a really hard time believing these two are going to be together forever. And I'm realizing that I actually have that problem with about half of all the pairings in Kristan Higgins' books.

Bottom Line: The Best Ban is a pretty solid contemporary read, and if you like Higgins style - characters that are Super Quirky Just Because They Can!!!! - and the whole "It takes a village" approach to populating a book, then go for it, you won't regret it. If you're looking for something a little more streamlined, then look elsewhere. Points because the dog was adorbs, though!

I really enjoyed reading this, it was just a perfect, but not so perfect romance story. Most definitely funny, caught myself laughing out loud on more then one occasion. Sweet, cute, sad, sassy and full of love, laughter, silly mishaps, heartbreak, new friendships, family, friends, wine and wonder. Loved it!! :)

As others have mentioned, there is a lot happening here with tertiary plots and relationships, but I think that makes for a more realistic book. In real life, when we're falling in love or having relationship troubles, our family and friends still have their own stuff happening as well. I loved the characters in this book.

There were two things that bothered me about this book, though. One, the online dating disasters were a little over the top. Taken separately, one might make a nice apex for the dating subplot. Taken together, they were a bit much and made me feel like I was reading something geared toward a dumb audience. My other and much bigger issue is that a central plot device - the heroine's driving habits - is based on poor research on the part of Kristan Higgins. Epileptics cannot drive in the state of New York and in most other states because they could HAVE A SEIZURE AND KILL SOMEONE! If you're going to write an ailment into your novel, you need to know that issue inside and out because it makes every scene where she is driving or thinking about getting the ticket unenjoyable and even irritating.

Now, that being said, the book was still very good overall. If it weren't for the epileptic/driving thing, I would've said this was her best book.

First of all,I think Kristian Higgins is a fantastic romance writer. For me, what really set her apart from the other contemporary writers out is that she creates loveable "every woman" characters. I loved her casts of eccentric waitresses, late blooming doctors, school teachers, morticians, and women with boring office jobs finding love. I felt like I was reading about my friends or one of my cousins from my crazy family back east. Therefore, I just haven't liked her last few books as much as some of her earlier titles. She seems to be moving away from writing about average women to writing about women that few people would know. Case in point: This novel. You know, it is a really good contemporary romance novel. But it's not a great Kristian Higgins novel. On the positives, it feels like a travel novel, it's a nice love story etc. On the downsides-I didn't find the lead very believable, her family owns a winery and she runs an incredibly successful business before the age of 30? Also, I didn't get what the characters found attractive about each other or why they would stay together.

I really loved this book. I liked the way the author weaved the backstory throughout, revealing bits at a time. The story takes your emotions on a roller coaster with highs and lows throughout, eventually ending with happiness. It was a great read and I’d definitely recommend it.

This was my first book by this author. I enjoyed her writing style and this book brought a few tears, laughs and sighs which was a nice surprise. I look forward to reading more from her. ... on a side note however, I think some of her slang words (hemorrhoid was the one) was used a wee bit too much for me, kinda felt like she was trying to force a laugh.. which didn't happen. but just my opinion.

Higgins is a hit-and-miss author for me, and this one is definitely a hit. It tugs at the heartstrings and makes you want a guy like Ethan for yourself.

Others have summarized the plot, so I won't bother. Lucy's fear of commitment is a little overdone, and Ethan's willingness to wait for her is a bit unrealistic, but this isn't meant to be a serious, in-depth look at widowhood. Suffice it to say this is a "best friends" kind of romance, the sweet, slow realization that love comes in many forms. If you're looking for high drama, you won't find it here, though there are the requisite misunderstandings and bumps in the road.

The "Black Widows" (all the members of Lucy's family whose husbands died young) make for an engaging crew, though you do wonder how their store stays in business, given how rude they are to customers and how little attention they pay to food! The Mirabellis idolize their dead son, which is problematic but honest. It happens. The family relationships are complicated, and sometimes the secondary cast takes over, but those sections are infrequent and generally the romance proceeds at a good clip and carries the reader along.

Lucy, the main character here is a pastry chef, who works with her female Hungarian relatives in a bakery. She has been a widow for 5 yrs and ready to get on with her life... husband and babies. You can't help but like her, but at times want to shake her. She has been having sex with her BFF, Ethan, her deceased husbands brother for the last 2 years and loves it, in fact probably loves him but won't admit it even to herself. She has definite hangups and baggage about her deceased husband.

The other characters are actually more interesting, the Black Widow aunts especially. There is LOTS of witty dialogue here, but it adds some fun and diversity. I would have liked chapters written from each characters point of view. and more character development about Ethan.

The novel held my interest, anything revolving around a bakery I love, lol, and the "Hungarian cliches" were funny, I'd never heard them before and enjoyed that part of it. Predictable and frustrating at times, such as life can often be, but overall an enjoyable read. Not one I'd have to keep in my personal library.

I've read a lot of books lately that had me interested, but this love story had me crying, laughing and hoping. No other book moved me like this to the point I stayed up until 4:30am to keep reading. I'm happy to say I found a new author to put at the top of my list. Thank you Kristen, for writing a tale of love and grief and healing.

Once again Kristan Higgins writes a hilarious yet romantic tale. Right from the beginning you will find yourself giggling if not laughing out loud. There are plenty of touching moments too. Her books are not just about the main characters, the "supporting cast" is just as vital for the over all enjoyment. I highly recommend The Best Man as well as any other books by Kristan Higgins. You will NOT be disappointed.

The Best Man gave me a sense of coming home. It was like drinking hot chocolate in front of a warm fire on a cold winter's night, VERY SATISFYING! I was taken with Kristan Higgins' writing from the very first book I read. It always touches on every possible emotion and leaves me wishing the book would last longer. Faith and Levi are characters you will love. I love her writing and you can't go wrong with this book!

Kristan Higgins is a relatively new author for me, and this is only the second of her books that I have read. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is light hearted, but with depth, as well as being humourous yet poignant. The main characters are all believable - and I had many a giggle at the sub characters, especially the oldest sister, Pru. I really recommend this book as a lovely heart warming read.

Kristan Higgins always takes readers on a romantic, exciting adventure and THE NEXT BEST THING is no exception. I loved Lucy and Ethan and while there are plenty of lighthearted, fun moments, their romance was purely heartfelt and excellently written. I give my highest recommendation to all readers who enjoy contemporary romance. I've hoped for a long time that contemporary romance would make a strong comeback and with books like this, I can see that happening. Thank you, Ms. Higgins!

Lucy Lang had it all once...until a car accident took her husband. Now, she's just another in a long line of widows in her family, but rather than accept that fate, Lucy decides she wants to remarry and have children. If she's going to start dating, though, maybe it's time to call it quits on the booty calls from her dead husband's brother. She tells Ethan that part of their relationship is over, but then she becomes upset when Ethan backs off and no longer even seems interested in maintaining their longstanding friendship.

Ethan is a lovable hero who is always there for Lucy and I really liked the secondary characters. Lucy's friend Parker was my favorite, and I loved the Holy Rollers! The character I couldn't stand is Lucy. What a self-centered whiner! She spends five years clinging to memories of how perfect her life was for the few months before her husband died, and lamenting the fact that life threw a wrench in her plans. Though I can't claim to know the pain of widowhood, I have suffered a few devastating losses of my own, and about a third of the way through this book, I just wanted to slam Lucy's head in a car door. She's completely stuck on the Me Channel--all me, all the time--and has no compunction whatsoever about using other people at her whims. She wanders around thinking only about herself, and if someone else manages to enter her consciousness for a moment, it's to look down her nose at them. Her selfishness destroyed all the sympathy I developed for her in the beginning, and I found myself rooting for her nemesis, Doral-Anne. I agreed with Doral-Anne that Lucy DID NOT deserve Ethan. And not only does Lucy take Ethan for granted, she has no consideration whatsoever for the feelings of the other men she dates and dumps--one of them after she tells Ethan they'll give it a go, which makes her a cheater, too! I guess she doesn't need to worry about other people's feelings, since she's so much better than all of them. The way she treats the bread man is almost as bad as the way she treats Ethan.

Another thing that really got me about Lucy was her annoying baby fever. After her niece is born, she rhapsodizes constantly about the baby's perfection and how the mere sight of her makes Lucy yearn for a child of her own. Her four-year-old nephew does not inspire the same kind of feelings, however, which makes me wonder what these baby-crazed women do when their kids are out of diapers.

It's entirely possible that not all of this author's protagonists are so narcissistic and self-serving, but I just loathed Lucy. Instead of wanting a happy ending for her, I wished she would get hit by a truck. Despite this, I would actually consider trying another novel by Ms. Higgins because I really did like all of her secondary characters, and she did an excellent job of weaving all the elements of the plot neatly together. Lucy just seemed to ruin all her efforts.

Lucy Lang has been a widow for nearly six years and decides it is time to move on, however, it takes the entire book for her to do it. She constantly compares every situation to how life would be if her husband hadn't died. If only he hadn't died, she wouldn't be working in a bakery. If only he hadn't died, she would have a baby. If only he hadn't died, she could eat fancy desserts. Along with these comparisons, she watched her wedding video repeatedly throughout the book (including one time when she made her date watch it with her).
While I liked the idea behind the story, I got the feeling that Lucy was a lot of talk and no action. She kept saying she was moving on with her life without actually doing anything. I thought her new interest, Ethan, put up with more than he should have. For me the story dragged on when it could have be a fun and fast paced.

Kristan Higgins is a good romance writer - her characters are quirky without being unbelievably wacky, she's often funny, and her writing is crisp and clean. I didn't find Lucy's grief overdone, as some other reviewers have; I thought Higgins managed her transition back into the world of dating and moving on well.

But her dead husband's brother as the love interest really turned me off, especially since they had a "friends with benefits" relationship during her grieving process. It's perfectly legal, but it felt incestuous, and Ethan doesn't have enough of a personality for me to get why she was falling for him other than his connection to her husband.

If you're new to Kristan Higgins, check out Fools Rush In or Catch of the Day - they're a better example of what she's capable of, and Catch of the Day I actually found quite memorable in a genre that's designed to be disposable.

A confession: I've never yet read a Kristan Higgins book that hasn't done all three of these things a) made me laugh out loud 2) inevitably made me cry 3) made me turn back the pages for a reread the minute I flipped the final page. This one...this one...I want to say it's her best, although that's hard to do with Kristan Higgins because pretty much every book is her best. Levi is a hero to die for. Level-headed while smolderingly sexy, honest and honorable but with a bad boy edge...
it doesn't get much better than that. I loved the flashbacks to the teenaged boy who ached for the girl he couldn't have. I loved how he was truly a friend to Jeremy while wanting what Jeremy had (Faith) but couldn't truly want. And Faith...confused and vulnerable and scarred, but the one who shows up whenever her family is in chaos. Together they were just delicious. This hits all the high points of KH's best books: family closeness mingled inextricably with family eccentricity, no black and white in any relationship, a loveable animal, a setting so real its like a character of its own, and love scenes that make your toes curl. Levi and Faith's first is one of my most favorites of all of hers...it makes you laugh and wince and completely identify, while still being swept away. Bottom line: I don't know how you do it, Kristan Higgins, but you best yourself every time.