My Thoughts: I love wedding romances and am a big fan of Erin Nicholas and Kelly Jamieson, so when I heard that together with two other authors they were about to publish a wedding series I couldn’t wait for the release day to finally roll around. Well it has arrived and Jilted is here!

Jilted is the first book in the Promise Harbor Wedding series and it introduces both the setting and the characters: it is Josh and Allie’s wedding when the bride’s ex-boyfriend just storms in the church and spirits her away.

We see the story unfold mostly from Devon’s perspective, who is Josh’s ex-girlfriend and Allie’s ex-best friend. We learn that she still hasn’t gotten over her break up with Josh and it hurts so much to see him marry someone else, but as she doesn’t want anyone to think she is pining she’s attending the wedding to show everyone she is fine. Even though she is far from that. She just lost her dream job, the one she has been working for for years and after a month of unemployment and her rapidly dwindling savings she is desperate to find a job. So when she learns that the man who could hire her is vacationing on the island Josh and Allie would have spent their honeymoon she offers to go there and look for Allie. But she hasn’t counted on Josh taking her up on her offer and joining her in the honeymoon suite…

Devon and Josh have some loaded history: they practically grew up together with Devon having a teen crush on Josh, and then becoming sweethearts and lovers in college. However, when Josh wanted to come back to their hometown to take care of his family and Devon wanted to stay in Boston because of her work they parted ways and it crushed Devon. It has been more than a year and she still isn’t over it. Especially seeing the man she still has such powerful feelings for is about to marry her childhood best friend.

“I came to the wedding.”
“Yeah. You did. Oh Christ, Dev. I’m sorry.” Anger sizzled through her veins. You think of everyone else. You look after everyone else. Why didn’t you think about what that would do to me? To date my best friend. To marry her. She shoved at his chest, pushing away from him, tangling herself up in the covers.

My heart really went out to Devon. The poor girl really didn’t have it easy: she went through so many emotional abandonment that it is no wonder she is scarred and jaded. First it was her mom who left her when she was only twelve and never even bothered to check on her after, then the emotional abyss and neglect with her dad, who just didn’t know communication and showing his love for his daughter was indeed crucial for a child, then having Josh the love of her life leave her and see him get together with her own best friend. And as a final strike losing her job, which was her identity, personifying her dreams and goals for about the past decade. *sighs* She really didn’t have it easy.

And poor Josh, he must have suffered as well, but sadly we only got a couple of glimpses to see how their break up affected him:

“So, see? I had to come back to Promise Harbor. I told you I had to. And it…” He paused as if his throat might be closing up too. “It fucking killed me when you wouldn’t come with me, Dev.”

I missed seeing more of his point of view, I think it would have given us a rounder picture to see how their relationship ended and how it affected both of them. We got about 90% of Devon’s thoughts and how she was feeling, but I would have liked to get a better insight, a deeper understanding of Josh’s mind. I would have loved to read more about his emotions and longing, but he just suffered in silence and the reader only witnessed Devon’s pain.

Kelly Jamieson did a terrific job conveying the all encompassing sexual tension between Josh and Devon, the combustible sparks made my own skin prickle as I bit my nails impatient to finally see them give into their attraction.

The skin of his neck was right there, and she let her own lips touch it in the barest of kisses. But his body tightened. His hand slid into her hair and gripped a fistful of it, firm yet gentle, and he tugged her head back. She bit her lip and looked up at him. Her heart trembled at the heat and hunger in his eyes. Her stomach swooped, and she gulped a mouthful of air as his eyelids lowered over gleaming eyes and hers responded the same way. Josh gave a rough groan as he bent his head and kissed her, finally, finally, oh god, finally.

Verdict: Jilted nicely introduced the Promise Harbor Wedding series, giving a first glimpse of the characters who will figure in the four books. I expected a fluffy light and roses romance but Jilted is more bittersweet due to the hero and heroine’s history. They have shared a great love and with that a crushing  heartache before finding their way back to each other. If you don’t mind lots of heart-squeezing moments peppered in the sensual and sizzling scenes I am sure you will enjoy Jilted. And I most certainly cannot wait to read the next Promise Harbor Wedding books!

I give Jilted 4 stars!

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.