Valentine Dmitriev, Wedding Belle

Wedding Belle

Valentine Dmitriev

Five Star, October 2006, $25.95

ISBN: 1594145210

In Seattle, Ariel Barton runs Haven House, a shelter for battered women, but needs funds to repair the facility before the city condemns the building as unsafe. Her Uncle Phin controls her trust fund since her parents and grandma died years ago in an accident; he refuses to release any money unless she marries. His choice is law firm partner Cyrus Capp.

After an unsuccessful meeting with her Uncle, Ariel notices a homeless man and his dog. She helps him, starting with obtaining his medicine and gives him a place to stay that includes his canine Rufus. When he cleans up she realizes this is Dane Garrison, not Dave Gannett as he claimed; she still remembers his kiss from college that made her realize he is the one for her. When her uncle dies, his will gives her one week to marry or else she will never receive her inheritance. She offers Dane a marriage in name only, but he refuses, though he loves her. Instead Dane needs to prove his innocence of a charge of sexual assault before he will propose a real marriage to his beloved.

Though things wrap up too easily, WEDDING BELLE is a fascinating contemporary romance starring a caring female and a downtrodden male. The storyline is driven by these two characters, though a strong secondary cast augments the fine storyline by either encouraging or nuking the relationship between Dane and Ariel. Readers will enjoy this fine tale that highlights the serious issue of the homeless as Ariel needs to help, while officialdom and her Uncle prefer they be swept away under a bureaucratic rug.