"delightful middle age women's fiction"

The four women are getting together because Elaine is marrying for the second time and wants her college pals (Jo, Sarah, and Lily) as her bridesmaids. The trio detests the wedding dress that might look great on a teen bride, but horrendous on a forty-three year old mom. As they continue to discuss the woeful selections for a mature second time bride, the quartet form a wedding planner partnership Second Chances to insure that older brides obtain a first class reception.

At the same time that the four women meet, Buzz magazine editor John Benson assigns writer turned Professor Arthur Kennedy to do a column called Real Women. Arthur reluctantly agrees only because his friend John needs his help to save the magazine.

As Second Chances gets off the ground, the intelligent Jo struggles to hide her hurt and embarrassment from the deception of her lover Brian, who cost her the upper crust Boston lifestyle she had grown accustomed to living. Arthur meets Jo and is immediately attracted to her. As they fall in love, Arthur realizes hiding his column from her could prove costly since male deceit haunts Jo.

ONCE UPON A BRIDE is a delightful middle age women's fiction story that stars a fabulous cast that insist life is still exciting in your forties. The story line contains several subplots involving the four female friends, but mostly centers on Jo, a deep and hurting protagonist with trust troubles following her father's desertion as a child and her lover's betrayal as an adult. Jean Stone provides a wonderful contemporary tale starring mature characters looking to regain the magic.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 26, 2005

Summary

Can love, romance, and marriage really be better the second time around? That's what four best friends are about to find out in Jean Stone's sexy, smart, and poignantly funny new novel about saying "I do" all over again. It's an idea just crazy enough to work--a wedding-planning business tailored for second weddings run by four single best friends who've loved, who've lost, and who are ready to start again. A successful Boston publicist, Jo Lyons has returned to West Hope after a devastating breakup left her career and her heart broken. Now she'll try to pick up the pieces among the three women she knows best. Lily, the fun- loving, free-spirited eternal optimist. Sarah, the strong- willed unconventional artist. Elaine, the would-be domestic diva. It's Elaine's upcoming second marriage that will be the inspiration and test model for their new business, Second Chances. For Jo it just may be an unexpected second chance of a different, far more romantic kind, but only if she's willing to give love--and life--another try.