A Bouquet of Love (Weddings by Design #4) (2024)

About this book:

“She didn’t expect to fall in love—but roses aren’t the only thing blooming on Galveston Island.
Cassia Pappas has found herself in a nearly impossible situation. She wants to spend her time immersed in her new job at a Galveston Island floral shop, arranging blooms and brightening occasions with her lovely creations. But her huge Greek family–especially her father–has other ideas. They’ve all relocated to Galveston to open up a new family restaurant location on the Strand– directly across the street from the Rossis’ popular pizza place–and they want Cassia’s full participation.
To make matters worse, as Cassia is trying to develop a strong professional relationship with Galveston’s premier wedding coordinator, Bella Neeley, her own father is intent on stealing all of the Rossi family’s faithful customers. Not exactly the best way to get into Bella’s good graces!
Still, at least Alex, that hot delivery guy from the nursery, is always hanging around the flower shop . . .”

Series: Book #4 in the “Weddings by Design” series. Reviews of #1 Here, #2 Here, and #3 Here! (Does feature characters from the author’s previous series, “Weddings by Bella” and “Backstage Pass”.)

Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going; Talks about God; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessing over food; Mentions of thanking & praising God; Mentions of those, events, & places in the Bible; Mentions of churches/chapels, church going, worshiping, Sunday school classes, youth groups, sermons, services, pastors; Mentions of faiths & Christians; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of nuns, a priest, & a convent; A few mentions of miracles; A mention of a Bible study group; A mention of a godsend; A mention of guardian angels;
*Note: Mentions of a man looking like Adonis; A few mentions of a food being the devil’s food; A mention of dancing with the devil; A mention of a devilish grin; A mention of demonic spirits; A mention of thinking a family is evil; A mention of an evil look in someone’s eye; A mention of Zeus; A mention of a God-forsaken place.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘heck’, a ‘shoot’, two forms of ‘shut up’, and four ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Mentions of thinking a family is in the mafia, has machine guns, & mobsters (including a couple mentions of murders); Mentions of being killed (teasing, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of thinking someone was kidnapped; Mentions of hunting & hunters; A few mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of gossip; A mention of a machine-gun sound; A mention of an abusive father; A mention of a (historical) kidnapping; A mention of a bar;
*Note: Mentions of TV channels, celebrities, movies, & fictional characters; Mentions of singers & songs; A few mentions of a social media platform; A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of a designer.

Sexual Content- Cheek & hairline kisses, a nose kiss, a forehead kiss, not-detailed kisses, five barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and three border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss; Touches, Embraces, & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); a form of ‘babe’ and two forms of ‘hot’; A few mentions of seeing a couple kissing; A few mentions of married couples kissing; A couple mentions of a battle of the sexes; A couple mentions of a misunderstanding of thinking a girl is pregnant out of wedlock; A couple mentions of guys being called yummy; A mention of a woman “distracting” a man in historical times; A mention of a compromising situation; A mention of dressing like a Greek virgin; A mention of a “come hither” look; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mention of some women’s ample bosoms & weights; A couple mentions of a woman’s perfect figure; A mention of estrogen; A mention of an eating disorder.

-Cassia Pappas, age 23
1st person P.O.V. of Cassia
347 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
What a wild ride to finish off this series! It’s no secret that I love the name Cassia and I also love Janice Thompson books, so this book had the makings of a winner for me. I will admit that I did feel wore out at times with Cassia’s family and the feud, but I really liked the ending—even though it was bittersweet!

Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

First thoughts: I am a huge Janice Thompson fan and she did not disappoint. This one was so much fun!

A Bouquet of Love is part of the Wedding’s by Design series which is a spin off of Wedding’s by Bella series and Backstage Pass series and I do suggest that you start from the beginning even though you could read this one by itself. You get so much more out of it if you already know all the characters. Trust me they are a blast and you will love everyone of them!

So this one reminds a little of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s but not quiet as rough, but they are definitely a feuding. It is the Greeks vs. the Italian. Cassia Pappas and her family are new to Galveston Texas. They have come to open a Gyro restaurant called Super Gyros and it is right across the street from Parma Johns an Italian eater. Let the war begin!

Cassia’s father has forbid her or any other family member from talking to the enemy. They must stay away from the Rossi’s because they must just be evil, they are Italians. Her father has this idea of how his restaurant is going to be so much better that they will take all of Parma Johns customers.

Uncle Laz, whom you would know from any of the other books is the owner of Parma Johns and he has also forbidden his family from having anything to do with the Pappas.

The only problem with this is that the Rossi’s are everywhere. Bella owns Club Wed, Marcella owns the flower shop, Scarlett owns the Bakery and if they are not a Rossi, they are married to a Rossi or friends with a Rossi. They are super friendly and Cassia loves flowers that is what she wants to do not make Gyros. She gets a job at the flower shop before she realizes that it’s ran by a Rossi, now what is she suppose to do? Her brother hangs out at the baseball field and meets a real nice coach and starts helping him out before he finds out, he is a Rossi. Eva finds a friend in the girl that cuts hair at the salon and finds out she is a Rossi, even their mom makes friend with someone before realizing she is a Rossi. So now we have a lot of secret friends going on here because no one wants to let Babbas know that they are talking to the enemy. They are all really sweet down home people, but you just can’t tell a stubborn Greek man that. To him and his restaurant they are the enemy. It makes for a lot of laughs.

Meanwhile, Cassia meets Alex whose family supplies the flower shop with their flowers and they hit it off right away. Who wouldn’t love a Greek cowboy! I want one! His family is just as rambunctious as her family, so it was easy for them to get along. She has found the man of her dreams and he is Greek and loves flowers. Now if she can find away to end the feud between two families before it breaks up the family.

I loved Cassia she was so much fun to read about. She has this large Greek family and her father is so stubborn and his superhero costume to promote Super Gyros made me laugh. I don’t know if I could survive in a family like that as I only have one older brother. Cassia wants to do as her father wants her too and she really did try and stay away from the Rossi’s it’s just that God has other plans.

Alex, he was a sweetheart and a Greek Adonis disguised as a cowboy. He was such the southern gentleman and he even loved his big loud family even when they get all embarrassing. His family is just as fun as the Rossi’s and Pappas and most of them have been in previous books. Actually I think most of the secondary characters have been in previous books and it was so much fun to be with them all again. When you really love a series even if it’s split up into different series its fun to come back home to characters you have grown to love.

I so enjoyed this book as it just made me laugh and smile and sometimes after reading some books that can bog you down it’s real nice to just relax in a sweet romance with a lot of humor. I would recommend this to anyone who loves contemporary romances, and even though it’s a Christian romance, it doesn’t preach or anything it’s just a real down home sweet romance.

Okay, so I think you need to read: Weddings by Bella 1-3; then read Weddings by Design 1-4, then read Weddings by Bella #4. That is the timeline; they overlap.

The drama was a bit much as well as the secrets, but I love the Greek references. Also the faith and adorable romance. So good as always. Gonna miss reading Janice Thompson for a bit!

Cassia Pappas loves flowers. She loves to work with them and create beautiful bouquets of color and to figure out what blooms would make a bride's day extra special. Yet when her father moves their large family from California to Galveston to open his Greek restaurant, Cassia finds herself stuck in the shop assisting with the making of gyros. When she is given the opportunity to work in the flower shop that Bella Neely sends her brides, Cassia is thrilled. Especially when it puts her in close contact with handsome delivery man Alex Rigas. The problem? Cassia's father doesn't want her to work there. And then there's the war he has declared on the Rossi family because they own the popular pizza place Parma John's. Will the Greek/Italian feud be the end of the friendships Cassia has begun with Bella and the rest of the Rossi clan? And will Cassia and Alex find a way to bridge the gaps and find their happily ever after?

Whenever I see a Janice Thompson book appear in an email of review requests, I know that I HAVE to request it. Because I know that I will be in for a delightful funny read. And I'm never disappointed. This book was no exception. It was a delightfully funny read. As well as being a fast read. It it was one I didn't have to think deeply about while reading and I could really just sit back and enjoy the story.

I loved the humor in the book. I really enjoyed catching up with Bella and the gang and getting to meet more of the Splendora characters. One thing I did find interesting was that though Cassia wanted to live her own life, she loved her father too much to completely disrespect him or his plans. I loved, though, how when he finally realized what he was doing to his family that he really did try to change.

I enjoyed Alex as well. I loved how he fit right into the craziness that was Cassia's family.

I found this to be a very enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book by Janice Thompson.

I received the Kindle version of this book for free from Revell Books via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of romantic comedies, chick lit, Janice Thompson

Rating - 4 stars

Set against the backdrop of Galveston, Texas, "A Bouquet of Love" is a refreshing contemporary romance novel filled with humor and a delightful getaway writing that draws in the reader, looking for a fun romance novel that isn't racy, takes you into the world of wedding planning (and who doesn't love to plan a wedding) and hijinks of a girl lost in love.

There are just times when you want to read a novel that isn't serious and helps get your mind off the everyday world, and though I haven't read the other books in the series, I really enjoyed reading "A Bouquet of Love".

This was a big change in the usual type of books that I read and both the contemporary setting, the humor and mix in with talk of food (who doesn't love that), I really found the book to be a fresh change in pace.

The characters were funny and likable and toward the end of the book, it was easy to not only form an attachment to the cast of characters but get swept up in the story line.

Biggest thing is that the book did what it needed to do...it was fun. There were parts of the book, I found myself chuckling as if hearing a story being retold by an old friend.

The perspective, that the book was written from, was refreshing, written from a first person perspective, it really drew me in and the wackiness of what the main character, Bella, goes through, had me wanting to go back and read the rest of the series that I hadn't known, till now, existed.

Don't think that you need to...."A Bouquet of Love" felt like a book that you can read as a stand alone, but with enough enticement to go..."Oh, there's more!" and have you wanting to go back and find the rest of the books to read.

Refreshing, tender, fun and wacky, this was an absolute joy to read and review.

Another fabulous read from Janice! In this book we meet Casia Pappas and the rest of her zany Greek family. This was a fun read with all the characters we've grown to love from the Rossi family to Brock Benson. When the Pappas family opens their Greek food restaurant across the street from Parma John's you know a feud is bound to start between the Italians and the Greeks. What you don't expect is the hilarity as some of the families unite in friendship and conspire to end the feud between Uncle Laz and Babbas (Casia's father). Loved this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

I loved this story and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a fun, fast-paced love story with great principles mixed in. Read my full review on my blog.

This is a fun, romantic comedy about a Greek family. This is the first book I've read by Janice Thompson and it will not be the last!

Ah, Janice Thompson has done it again. I don't know what it is about this author, and this series, but it has completely won over my heart, and this latest installment did not disappoint. In fact, this may be one of my favorites. Favorite main character, favorite family, favorite swoony love interest.

I've mentioned before, in my review of The Dream Dress, how my favorite part of this series and Janice Thompson's books are the characters, the family, and this one was definitely no different. Babbas and his antics had me cracking up. I will say, I wish there had been some more on the sibling side. I don't think we ever heard the little brother's name until finally at the end, he was always just the younger brother, and I was confused for a while on how many of them there actually was. But other than that, I loved it. I will say, I think I have a weakness for anything Greek, so this was destined to be a sure favorite.

Alex...sa-wooon. Did I mention I think he's my favorite love interest so far? Well, he is. I did have the same issue that I've had with the other books, on how it seemed too insta-lovey. I mean, it wasn't the annoying kind of insta-love (insta-lust), but it did seem to move really fast. But whatever. The romance did seem more developed and substantial than in others, though.

And of course, the culture. Loved it. I loved the everyday family interactions, the "battle" between Babbas and Uncle Laz had me cracking up, and of course our lovely Splendora Sisters were back in action. My favorite Rossis were back, as well as Scarlet, Hannah, Gabi and yes, even Guido the parrot. Even Brock and some characters from Thompson's other series, Backstage Pass, (which I haven't read so wasn't too concerned with) made an appearance.

So yes, this book was everything I have come to expect from this series and this author. It made me smile, laugh, swoon. But, as I guess this is the last in this series, I neeeed her to write another spin-off. I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters!

This review first appears on my link text

Alex and Cassia were cute together, but they didn't really get very much alone time together in the novel to grow that romance. The novel focused more on Cassia's annoying and rude father 😒
Cassia supposedly loved flowers and spent most of the book not really doing anything special with them. In the previous books, the women's passion was much more obvious and huge part of their lives. Cassia let her dad control her life.
I think the good part of the story was the message that our behavior is a testament to our faith, and as Christians we should love, not hate our neighbors. Being part of a community is both work and rewarding. Nice ending, just wished for something more.

One of the best in this series!

I’d say it’s one of the best in this series if not my favorite of all of the books in this series! I really enjoyed this story and definitely laughed a lot, cheered a lot, and got all in to the story-ha! I’d definitely recommend this one too!

Good, funny read

A delightful read, full of fun and laughter.

A sweet, fun story. I enjoy Janice Thompson's writing very much. :)

Excellent as always.

In Janice Thompson's fourth novel in the Weddings by Design series, A Bouquet of Love, we meet Cassia Pappas. Poor Cassia has a problem. She calls him Babbas, and he's her father.

Niko Pappas uproots the family from Santa Cruz, California, and drops them onto the hot and humid island of Galveston, Texas. There, they are expected to work like fiends to make his sandwich shop, Super-Gyros, into the most popular eating spot on the island. Unfortunately, the Italian restaurant across the street interferes with his plans, so he goes to war with the Rossi clan, prominant in the previous books.

All Cassia wants is to return to California, open a flower shop, and get out from under her father's thumb. Then, along comes a gorgeous, half-Greek "cowboy," nurseryman (as in flowers) who may succeed in changing her mind about moving. There's no changing her mind about becoming free of her father's dominance---if she finds the courage to stand up to him. Ah, will Nikos suffer a family coup?

Written in first person, Ms. Thompson's novel is a delightful tale of what can happen when pride and competition rule someone's life. They generate tyrants who are unpleasant to live with---like Cassia's father. It also addresses the consequences that arise when people fail to stand up for themselves. God did not create us to be doormats. As Cassia says, "But the idea of doing what he tells me instead of what I want is eating me alive."

I found the romance in this book to be a little stronger than in the previous one, The Dream Dress. Like before, the chapters are headed with appealing quotes. These generally begin with "You might be Greek if ...," such as, You might be Greek if you think the intercom in Walmart is a family walkie-talkie.

This story is less about romance than family matters. Cassia's "voice" is engaging and her predicament something we can all relate to at one time or another.

Don't let the idea of Niko's bullying turn you off. I mean, how can you dislike a guy who advertises his business in a homemade superhero costume?

If you like romantic stories told in a lighthearted fashion with refreshing, sometimes off-the-wall, characters (like Niko), I believe you'll enjoy A Bouquet of Love.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the publisher, Revell, with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Janice Thompson in her new book, “A Bouquet of Love” Book Four in the Weddings by Design series published by Revell returns us to Galveston Island and into the life of Cassia Pappas .

From the back cover: She didn’t expect to fall in love–but roses aren’t the only thing blooming on Galveston Island

Cassia Pappas has found herself in a nearly impossible situation. She wants to spend her time immersed in her new job at a Galveston Island floral shop, arranging blooms and brightening occasions with her lovely creations. But her boisterous Greek family–especially her father–has other ideas. They’ve all relocated to Galveston to open up a new family restaurant located on the Strand–directly across the street from iconic pizza place Parma John’s–and they want Cassia’s full participation.

To make matters worse, as Cassia is trying to develop a strong professional relationship with Galveston’s premier wedding coordinator, Bella Neeley, her own father is intent on stealing all of the Rossi family’s faithful customers. Not exactly the best way to get into this former Rossi’s good graces!

Still, at least Alex, that hot delivery guy from the nursery, is always hanging around the flower shop . . .

There is a feud going happening on Galveston Island. Forget the Hatfields and the McCoys, this time it is the Greeks and the Italians. Talk about a food fight The Pappas family have opened up a Greek Restaurant right across from Parma John’s with the intention of putting them out of business. The Pappas do not like anyone Rossi but it is difficult to live on Galveston Island and not find something or someone Rossi. On top of all of that Cassia just wants to be a florist. And there is even a romance. Welcome back to Galveston Island and a whole new set of characters to go along with Bella and her Italian family from the Weddings By Bella series. This book is all about embracing who you are and who God called you to be. All the characters are likable and Ms. Thompson has a way of bringing you into the story and making the characters lives very real. Have fun by looking at the chapter titles they are all either Judy Garland movies or song titles.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsem*nts and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Bouquet of Love by Janice Thompson – A Book Review
This book might be for you if you enjoy reading a light romance. This book might be for you if the Hallmark Channel is your go to channel each evening. This book might be for you if you live in or love to vacation in Galveston. This book might be for you if the mere mention of the words gyro, tzatziki, or baklava make your mouth water profusely. This book might be for you if you grew up honoring your Italian or Greek heritage, or if you grew up in a big family of any heritage. This book might be for you if you are a Judy Garland fan. Finally this book might be for you if your life revolves around a family business.
Ms Thompson introduces each chapter with humorous, “You might be Greek if…” statements. The story itself focuses on the common ground among people and people groups rather than the attributes that set them apart. It is a story of two families, one Italian and one Greek, with competing restaurants, and with warring patriarchs who seek to provide for their large families. It is a story of the women of the families who build relationships and bridges. To quote one wise woman, Helena Pappas, “What ever happened to winning people over with love? With real relationships? This is what being a Christian is all about.”
It is also a story about recognizing and using our God given gifts and passions, and both encouraging and allowing others to do the same. This lesson is especially focused on parents as they prepare their fledglings to fly the nest rather than tethering them there. It’s about roots and wings.
With such serious themes, readers can be grateful to Ms Thompson for skillfully including humor reminiscent of the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Personally I found it to also be reminiscent of large Italian family gatherings I’ve attended, lots of love, lots of food, and lots of noise.
While I prefer romance to serve as a subplot within a mystery, historical or science fiction novel, I did enjoy this novel that relied heavily on the wedding theme of the series of which it is a part. I found it well written, amusing and entertaining, but just because of my own reading preferences, would not want a steady diet of this type of story.
I thank Revell Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing A Bouquet of Love for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

I want to start of by saying that I'm a huge fan of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was fun, had a sweet romantic comedy, and was about family. What does this have to do with A Bouquet of Love? Well, I will tell you, if you LOVED My Big Fat Greek Wedding like I did, you will love A Bouquet of Love by Janice Thompson. Why you ask? It has the same component as the movie. A big, loud, Greek family that owns a restaurant, a sweet love story, with a dash of comedy mixed in.

There is more to story then that, of course. I was going in expecting the typical romantic story, but what I ended up reading was really more of a family trying to find their way. Older kids wanting to branch out, but also trying to honor their parents, but not knowing what that really meant, but still trying to be respectful to their parents wishes. But when situations make it hard to follow an order, it's where things get sticky.

Don't get me wrong, there is a sweet romance to this story. It was a refreshing one too. There was no angst between the couple when they finally got together, they meshed well and really allowed each other to shine in what they did best and the best thing, Alex and Cassia each shared a love for flowers, so they had a common ground between them that allowed their romance to blossom (no pun intended).

Cassia had to walk a fine line with her desires for herself. Because of that, she first comes off as a little wishy-washy, but as you get to know her and see things through her eyes, things become clear and you hope for her to achieve what she wants. The best part about Cassia, that she does her best to be honest about her job and to be respectful to her demanding father. His demands were a little far fetched, so I think how Cassia handled things was pretty spot on to anyone who has been stuck in that kind of situation.

Thank you to the Revell Reads Blog Tour, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This review was originally posted @ http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot....

As seen on my blog:

Hey, Folks!

Do the woes of your week leave you in need of a light hearted chuckle? Janice Thompson's romantic comedy novels may be just the ticket to snap you out of your funk. I was given her latest, "A Bouquet of Love," as part of the "Revell Reads" review program. The publisher furnished me with this title in exchange for a post containing my up front opinion and nothing more. This book is the fourth outing in the "Weddings by Design" series.

In this installment, we meet Cassia Pappas, a young with a dream to use floral arrangements to enhance important events in people's lives. When she moves to Galveston with her large family, it looks like she might finally get a chance. Will her obligation to pitch in at her father's restaurant rob of her of the opportunity to pursue a position at a flower shop, taking with it her shot at true love? Can our heroine trust God to orchestrate a happily ever after for her like the ones she's glimpsed in Judy Garland films?

This piece is refreshing change from my usual fare. If you enjoy your heart pounding romance laced with a liberal dash of laughter, you should check this one out. While it has a fanciful feel, this tale contains a subtle foundation of substance seamlessly woven in. You will get a substantial dose of Christian principles, almost without realizing it. I found this story suitable for general audiences, but it will probably appeal most to women twelve years and over. "A Bouquet of Love" can certainly be seen as stand alone entertainment, but if you would like to start at the beginning, the series was released in the following order:
Picture Perfect
The Icing on the Cake
The Dream Dress
A Bouquet of Love
My rating is a hilarious five out of five stars, so feel free to treat yourself today. You can find this work and all of its companions at your favorite retail spot tomorrow, August 19th. I hope to be able to tell you more about this incredible storyline in the future. Until we meet again...
Happy Reading,
Carolyn

A Bouquet of Love is the fourth book in Thompson’s Weddings by Design series. The main character is Cassia Pappas, the oldest daughter in a populous Greek family. Cassia is stuck–she feels tethered to her father by his apron strings and thinks she’ll never break away from the family business, Super Gyros. Loneliness plagues Cassia even though she is constantly surrounded by family. The family’s relocation from California to Galveston, Texas, was not something she saw coming, but it could turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to the Pappas family.

I first fell in love with Janice Thompson’s work when I happened upon a book called White as Snow. I enjoyed it immensely, and I’ve been keeping an eye on her work ever since. I haven’t read any of the other Weddings by Design titles, but I plan to in the near future. It usually takes me awhile to get into a book, but this one was different! I felt like I knew who Cassia Pappas was from the first sentence. I realized I was reading faster than usual, and that was because I just knew Cassia was a fast talker with a big personality. I rooted for Cassia from the beginning, and I loved the supporting characters as well. As a Texan, I thought a few things were overexaggerated, but that’s to be expected. Babbas and Laz are characters in every sense of the word, and Thompson wrote them so well! Cassia has a fondness for Judy Garland, so each chapter title is a Judy Garland song. The beginning of each chapter also has a ‘You know you’re Greek if…’ line, which I found highly entertaining and believable! Thompson’s series are a bit interconnected–this book is all about the Pappas and the Rossis. Characters from her ‘Weddings by Bella’ and ‘Backstage Pass’ series are also abundant in A Bouquet of Love. I really enjoyed this story. I recommend it for fans of christian fiction, christian romance, and family stories.
*I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads in exchange for an honest review.

A BOUQUET OF LOVE was a light, quirky romance set amongst a family feud rivaling the Hatfields and McCoys.

Flowers are Cassia Pappas’ life. She dreams of being a florist. A dream that will never be realized if her father has anything to say about it. Niko Pappas runs his family Gyros business with an iron fist and demands nothing but loyalty from his family. And loyalty to Niko Pappas means no fraternizing with anyone in the Rossi clan. That becomes increasingly difficult since the Rossi family has their hands in just about every business at Galveston Island.

When Cassia does the unthinkable and secretly gets a job at the local florist owned by a Rossi family member, she hopes to ease her father into the idea of her working somewhere besides the family restaurant. When she meets Alex, the local flower supplier, she is more than smitten. She and Alex immediately hit it off. But when Cassia finds out he too has close relations to the Rossi’s, she is sure her father is going to disown her . . . if he doesn’t kill her first. What follows is a cavalcade of characters from both the Pappas and Rossi clans trying to nurture relationships without the family patriarchs finding out.

A BOUQUET OF LOVE was just a bit too quirky and chaotic for me. I need to clarify that my genre of choice is action/suspense/romance so I am sure that has a lot to do with why A BOUQUET OF LOVE didn’t hold my interest. The story of the feuding families definitely overshadowed the budding relationship between Cassia and Alex, making their storyline feel more like a filler than the focal point. But that’s just my opinion. Anyone who likes slapstick comedy and cozy stories would probably appreciate A BOUQUET OF LOVE. It just wasn’t my piece of cake, or should I say Baklava.

Book provided for review purposes.

Available August 2014 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Bouquet of Love
Weddings by Design volume 4
By Janice Thompson

A Bouquet of Love is the fourth book in the Weddings by Design series.

Cassia Pappas and the majority of the Pappas family have just moved to Galveston from Santa Cruz, California, to open a Gyro shop. But as they say the best made plans of mice and men soon go awry and Cassia's father choice location is across the street from Parma John's.

Parma John's means that the Rossi family and the Pappas family are about to go to war for Parma John's costumers. Of course the Rossi family has no idea about the whole war over customers thing that is brewing across the street.

Cassia meanwhile has a dream that doesn't include throwing sandwiches together for the rest of her life - she wants to open her own flower-shop, creating arrangements and getting lost in the heavenly scent of said flowers. But with a father who can't see past his own dreams how is her going to come true?

With the help of Bella Neeley (who is with the enemy as she is married into the Rossi family) Cassia just might might see her dream come true. And there just might be a romance in her future too. And Alex Rigas from the local nursery just could be Cassia's at first sight guy.

A Bouquet of Love brings all your favorite Wedding by Design characters back for more romance and family troubles. Not everyone loves the Rossi family and a feud is brewing on the horizon unless Cassia and her new friends can show her father that Galveston can support both businesses.

This is an enjoyable delight to read and I love Cassia's choice in songs to hum and the trolleys just suit the whole Meet Me in St Louis movie reference that is found throughout. If you love light-hearted reading with happy endings you won't be disappointed.

I was provided a copy of this title through Revell's blogger program in exchange for my honest review.

When I'm looking for a hilarious yet touching read I turn to Janice Thompson's work. She's sure to delight all of her loyal fans with this newest peek into the beloved yet wacky Rossi family. This time around there is a new family on the block. If you thought the Rossi clan was over the top, just wait until you get to know the Pappas family. The Pappas family has moved to Galveston and set up their Greek restaurant directly across the street from Parma John's. Let the rivalry begin!

The storyline this time around centers on Cassia Pappas and her big Greek family. Cassia loves flowers and even went to school to learn floral design, but her father has other plans for her. He thinks she should be a good Greek daughter and stay and help run the family business, Super Gyros. In an impulsive moment Cassia applies for and gets a job at Patti-Lou's Petals. Unbeknownst to her at the time, the flower shop is owned by the rival Rossi family. The problem is she likes them and wants to continue on. How in the world is she going to convince her Babbas to give his blessing?

While I think you would benefit from reading the whole series and perhaps even going back and reading the beginning series, Weddings by Bella, you can just snatch this book up and read it on its own. All the zany characters are included and the shenanigans of the Rossi family are now being topped by the Pappas family. What more could you want for a lazy afternoon's entertainment?!!

This story is full of fun. The characters are at times annoying yet moments later endearing. Once you begin reading about them you are going to wish you could meet them in real life. Or maybe you already have . . . after all don't we each have that crazy relative in our lives that we just can't live without? If you've got a quirky family that you love, I think you're also going to love the Rossi and Pappas families.

I was provided with a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

This is a funny book! It’s great summer reading when you just need to relax and laugh a bit.

Niko (Babbas) leads his family from Santa Cruz, California to Galveston Island, Texas, to open a restaurant “Super Gyros.” This is the same kind of loud, passionate Greek family immortalized in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Now imagine that that this restaurant is right across the street from Parma John’s, owned and run by an equally loud, passionate Italian family. The fight for customers and family and cultural pride is on.

This book is full of fun characters. Niko is a domineering dad who thinks pizza is the devil’s food. He wants all of his children to work in their family business and doesn’t seem to see what they really care about. Cassia, his daughter, wonders how she’ll ever find a guy who’d “brave a relationship with a girl whose father ran around in a superhero cape and matching tights to promote his business” (location 37). Other favorite characters return from earlier books in the series like Aunt Twila and the whole Rossi clan.

This book is all about family relationships and caring for one another. There’s lots of growth, humor, love. Dreams are realized, frustrated, and sometimes fulfilled.

Even if my family isn’t quite as crazy as the ones in this book, there was still a lot to relate to. I felt like I was part of this family. I felt their joys and their sorrows and that’s what good books are meant to do, isn’t it. They make us feel and experience new things and situations we’ve never encountered. We learn right along with the characters. It’s a very cool thing.

I always enjoy a clean book that makes me laugh. If you do too, this book is for you. You can also read more about the Rossi family in earlier “Weddings by Bella” books.

Weddings by Design” books
1.Picture Perfect
2.The Icing on the Cake

A Bouquet of Love
By Janice Thompson
Rating: 4/5
Book 4 of Weddings by Design series
Revell – Fiction / Contemporary Romance

After her large Greek family moved from Santa Cruz, California to Galveston, Texas, to open up another restaurant, Cassia Pappas lands her dream job in a flower shop owned by the Rossi family, her family restaurant’s competition. Being part of the family restaurant has always been a part of her life, but Cassia’s love for flowers and floral design has her excited to go to work. Meeting a Greek Adonis named Alex Rigas doesn’t hurt either. Since Alex’s family grows and supplies the flowers for the shop, he and Cassia are constantly thrown together, and they cannot deny the attraction to each other. Will her overbearing and controlling father find out about her friendships with the Rossis? Can she help her father see the truth about how similar they all are?

I’ve been a fan of Janice Thompson for a while and this story did not disappoint. I loved the floral design angle because I grew up wanting to work with flowers. I loved all the fun and quirky characters. The characters are endearing and hilarious. I loved getting to catch up other characters from her previous books too. She’s created such a fun world and even makes me want to go visit Texas – a place this California girl has never been. I also enjoyed the Judy Garland thread throughout the story – such a refreshing perspective. As I read the book, I thought the story read like a movie – after reading that Thompson is a screenwriter, my reaction made a lot of sense.

I definitely recommend this book to those who love romantic comedies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and love to smile/laugh their way through books.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review.

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Future readers, beware: reading A Bouquet of Love left me badly craving a gyro. Actually, with all the talk of delicious smells and tastes of both Greek and Italian food, my mouth just never stopped watering… and I loved every bit of it.

Janice Thompson’s A Bouquet of Love is a fun, zany story of the wacky, My-Big-Fat-Greek-Wedding-esque Pappas family determined to start a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque family feud with the Rossis. Cassia Pappas, the lovable and “normal” main character, naturally becomes caught in the middle, deciding whether to honor her family as any good Greek girl should or follow her God-given passions and dreams. As Cassia struggles with her choices, the cast of quirky and humorous characters surrounding her creates many laughable, albeit semi-exaggerated and slightly preposterous, situations in the escalating feud. This book is lighthearted and charming, and I don’t think there was a single chapter in which I did not laugh out loud.

A Bouquet of Love is the fourth installment in Thompson’s Weddings by Design series and includes a host of familiar characters from many of Thompson’s previous novels. Yet, it is perfectly understandable and enjoyable read on its own. It’s a delightful story, sure to entertain fans of Janice Thompson or simply the genre of romantic comedy. Don’t hesitate to join in the Pappas-Rossi shenanigans and pick up a copy of A Bouquet of Love today.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of A Bouquet of Love and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Janice Thompson is one amazing author! She makes me laugh, makes me cry and makes me wish that I could meet these crazy but lovable characters in her books. The Weddings by Design series has been so wonderful and I always look forward to reading what happens next in the lives of the Rossi family as well as the other characters who are lucky enough to cross path with this remarkable family.

In A Bouquet of Love, Cassia and her family have moved to Texas to open a Greek restaurant, which happens to be directly across from Parma Johns, the restaurant owned by Uncle Laz. Needless to say when you put two very competitive heads of the family against one another, one Greek and one Italian, tempers flair and a competition to be the best ensues. This book is filled with so many humorous one liners and I found myself laughing out loud while reading it. I love the dynamics of these two families. They are loud and sometimes wacky but they love one another and look out for one another. There is a sweet love story between Cassia and Alex, who find one another in the midst of their passion for flowers. Cassia is tested to see whether or not her family is more important or her new job and possible love. In the end she finds that she can have both.

I truly loved this book and all of the books in this series, as well as some of the other books that Janice has written, such as the Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series. You don't have to read them all to understand the Weddings by Design series but you really don't know what you're missing if you haven't read them. Janice has such a great sense of humor and a gift for developing stories about family. You won't be disappointed if you read any of her books. She is very talented woman.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Christian romance :)

If you enjoyed the movie you will LOVE this book. Even if you didn’t see the movie if you like stories about strong families, romance, and that will make you laugh out loud then you need to pick up this book.

This is the second book by Janice I have read and the second on in this series I have read, but it is the fourth volume in Weddings by Design. Although it is a series and there are repeat characters the main characters are new and you can read it as a stand alone. So have no fear if you haven’t read anything else in this series.

Cassia is a fun character, trying to make her family happy but also wanting to follow her dreams. She struggles with letting people know who she really is because her dad is making things difficult in the neighborhood, especially with the Rossi family, who happens to own the flower shop Cassia gets a job working for. When Cassia meets the Rossi’s she sees they really aren’t the enemy and very nice people but she can’t tell her dad that.

There were times I just wished she’d spit out the truth and tell people she belonged to the new Greek family, but honestly if she did that too soon it would’ve lost some of its tension.

Alex seems to be perfect for her, a nice, part Greek guy. It’s interesting being in first person because we don’t really see Alex’s weaknesses and he almost seems too perfect. But isn’t that the why it is when you first meet someone, they put their best foot forward and they seem perfect. So because we aren’t in Alex’s head we only see him how Cassia sees him, which is very nice :)

Definitely a fun read with a great message, hope you get a chance to read this one.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.