Review of Mail Order Groom by Cindy Flores Martinez w/a Rafflecopter e-book giveaway!

Synopsis –

 

Mail-Order Groom, a debut romantic comedy novel by Cindy Flores Martinez, was inspired by the author’s own Polish ancestry and is based on her screenplay and movie project of the same title, which she shopped around Hollywood, New York, and other parts of the world.

A sweet romance about an American woman who marries a stranger from Poland after her fiancé leaves her right before the wedding.

Lisa is about to marry her first real love and have the wedding of her dreams, but her world is shattered when she finds her fiancé, Jeff, in the arms of another woman. When he calls the wedding off, Lisa is heartbroken.

In a twist of fate, she meets Krzysztof Zielinski from Poland on Mail-Order-Grooms.Com. He needs to marry an American woman so that he can stay in America, and he’s willing to pay money for it. His reason for needing to stay is what tugs at Lisa’s heart and convinces her to say “I do” to him. After all, it’s going to be strictly a business deal. She won’t even have to live with him, and marrying another man would be the perfect revenge on Jeff.

Lisa races to the altar with her stand-in groom, but she soon learns that she actually does have to live with him. Things become even more complicated when she finds herself falling for him, and he’s not planning to stay in America forever. Will Lisa’s heart break all over again or will she find love and happiness in the end?

Buy Links –

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IBD5THC

Goodreads Book Link – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20798413-mail-order-groom?from_search=true

EXCERPT #1

 

“Lisa?” Mom, AKA Helen, strode toward me boasting a pale pink mother-of-the-bride dress, matching clutch bag, and stylish blonde hairdo. “I didn’t realize you were already here.”

 

Dad, whose name was Harold, looked spiffy in a suit and tie.

 

My heart leapt at the sight of them.

 

Mom’s face was seized by awe. “Oh, Lisa, you look…” Her radiant stare devoured my dress.

 

“Stunning.” Dad was equally engulfed.

 

I fumbled with my bouquet. “Thank you.” They hadn’t seen my dress before except in a blurry picture that I had sent them on the day I bought it. I had wanted it to be a surprise to everyone. “You both look good too.” I admired them from head to toe.

 

Mom’s eyes grew misty. “I mean it, honey. I don’t think I have ever seen you look as beautiful as you do right now.”

 

Dad nodded, unable to speak.

 

Why did they have to pick that moment of all moments to be such wonderful parents?

 

“So, what’s going on?” asked Mom. “What did you mean when you said you weren’t going to marry Jeff? You were only kidding, right?” The worry lines on her forehead rivaled the worry in her voice.

 

Dad shot a confused glance toward the empty seats in the sanctuary. “Where are all of his guests?”

 

Chloe squished her thick eyebrows together. “You’re not going to marry Jeff?”

 

Zoey spotted Krzys waiting where Jeff was supposed to be. “Who is that man in there?”

 

I took a deep breath and mustered courage. Even though I had already told Mom and Dad what I was about to say over the phone, saying it face to face seemed so much more difficult. “Mom, Dad,” my heart started beating faster, “it’s like I told you before, I’m not going to marry Jeff today. I’m going to marry a man named Krzysztof Zielinski instead.”

 

Silence hung in the air.

 

Mom and Dad let out hearty laughs, and Chloe and Zoey giggled and snorted.

 

I stood there, agape. When I had imagined telling my parents that I had switched grooms at the last minute, I had pictured a hysterical mother and an arguing father, and maybe even being hauled away to an insane asylum. But total denial? I was caught off-guard by their reactions. I understood, though. I couldn’t believe it was happening myself.

I have to admit that this is tough review for me to write.  Normally, I don’t have this problem but today I do.  While I adored Ms. Martinez’s voice and the book itself, I was looking for more of an emotional connection between Lisa and Krzys.  I finally got it…at the end of the book but I was looking for it more towards the middle to the end.

Marriage of Convenience is one trope that I love to bits.  Ms. Martinez nailed it but with a twist.  Normally you hear of women needing to get married to stay in America but this one had the man needing the green card.  Oh.my.word…this book had me in stitches most of the time.  From the actual wedding to the party in Lisa’s backyard with all of her Polish relatives…LMAO was more true to form.

Ms. Martinez definitely has the knack for romantic comedy.  Her dialogue between Lisa and Krzys is spot on with the lack of communication, mixed signals and misunderstandings.  But that said, I didn’t feel that spark between them until the very end.  Maybe it was just me but I didn’t buy them until the end as a couple.  Kryzs said it best when he called himself a coward and he was in some ways.  I understood Lisa a whole lot better.  The scenes between her and Jeff were great.  Not hateful but emotional and bittersweet.  They both had growing up to do and it just wasn’t going to be with each other.

Overall, I recommend Mail Order Groom.  Its a sweet, laugh out loud funny story that made me hungry.  Oh yes…there is food in the book.  Lots of Polish food.  😉

 

 

Author Bio and Links –

 

My name is Cindy Flores Martinez. I was born and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles. I have an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Screenwriting. I have been a screenwriting instructor, screenplay consultant, script reader, and screenplay collaborator. My debut novel, Mail-Order Groom, which was inspired by my own Polish ancestry, started out as a screenplay and movie project.

I spent years shopping it around Hollywood, New York, and other parts of the world and had two well-known actors, one of them Academy Award nominated, interested in portraying the lead character’s parents. After not finding the success I wanted, I officially canceled my film production company in November of 2009 and embarked on the journey of turning my screenplay into a novel.

Links –

 

Website – http://www.cindyfloresmartinez.com/

 

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AuthorCindy

 

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cindy.floresmartinez

 

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7833897.Cindy_Flores_Martinez

 

 

Giveaway – Ebook of Mail Order Groom
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