Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Recently, I seem to be able to make more time than normal for reading. One of the places that I have been spending time reading is on the deck, while watching the kids play in the back yard. We have had some great weather for sitting outside and reading in the afternoon (the deck is conveniently shaded in the afternoon - it gets the morning sun). This past week, I spent some of my time reading Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade.

The story starts with a look back at the weekend that Ty and Celia got married in Vegas, five and a half years ago. After the first two chapters share the details of the weekend, the story quickly jumps back to the present day, where Ty once again finds himself in Vegas, this time for a bachelor party and we learn that Celia is working and raising a daughter in Oregon. Inspired by seeing the chapel where they were married, Ty looks up Celia and heads to town to visit her. She assumes that he is finally coming to ask for a divorce, but when he learns that he is a father, things begin to change.

The story that unfolds is heartwarming. Becky Wade does a great job of developing the characters and pulling you into their lives. The characters were so realistic. They were selfish and struggle to forgive. They run from God when they most need Him and only realize that He was there all along, once they finally return. I enjoyed that Celia is a strong, proud woman who wants the best for her daughter and does her best to protect herself and her daughter from Ty. I loved how Ty did his best to take care of his daughter, and her mother, not seeking anything in return and doing some of it without them knowing. I found myself rooting for them to really see what they have and to make it something more before it slips away.

This is the first book that I have read by Becky Wade, but it turns out that she has other books and that this novel is the second Porter Family Novel. Since I enjoyed this novel so much, I am already planning to find a copy of the first book in the Porter Family Novel series, so that I can catch up on Meg and Bo's story - characters that I met in this book.

About the book:

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school---irresistible. When their paths cross again after college---still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he's known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and one adoring (and adored) cavalier spaniel. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards. Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance, Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!

Becky can be found at: website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

You can find more on this book, on the blog tour home page.
No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.