Love on a Deadline (A Year of Weddings Novella) by Kathryn Springer

Meet the people who make it all happen—the planners, the photographers, the musicians who have helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples—as they find their own happy endings in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.

MacKenzie “Mac” Davis left her hometown of Red Leaf, Wisconsin, to pursue a degree in journalism. But when her dad, the town’s beloved Coach Davis, suffers a mild heart attack, Mac returns home to help out. She takes a job at the weekly newspaper but instead of covering serious topics, her editor wants her to write about social events—like the garden club’s flower show and the historical society’s afternoon tea. Mac knows it’s no way to earn her father’s respect—or the attention of one of the newspapers she hopes will hire her when she leaves Red Leaf.

When Hollis Channing, Mac’s high school nemesis, returns to Red Leaf to marry her celebrity fiancé, the editor asks Mac to cover the big event—and all the festivities leading up to—for the newspaper.

The last thing Mac wants to do is reconnect with the person who made her life miserable when she was a teenager . . . unless it’s spending time with Ethan Channing, the bride’s older brother—and Mac’s first crush.

Mac is no longer the awkward girl who wore the school mascot costume to the Homecoming dance but she realizes something hasn’t changed. Her feelings for Ethan.

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This book is part of the Year of Weddings Novella Collection.  I picked it up on NetGalley because I've always enjoyed reading these kind of books.  Each month a new novella is released based on a common theme.  This series involves people who make weddings happen- the planners, photographers, musicians etc..  These books are stand alone and do not depend on any of the others.

MacKenzie was such an easy character to like.  I loved her sense of loyalty and devotion to her dad.  She leaves the life she has created post college and the future she had planned to move home and watch over her dad.  It's not necessarily what she wanted but she is determined to make the best of it.  She takes on the less than stellar job at the local newspaper but longs for more.  MacKenzie really wants to make it big in the world of journalism.

For me, Mackenzie stole the show but the other characters in this book brought depth and color.  I really liked Ethan and his devotion to his family.  He works hard to stand by them and make them happy.  He is an easy going guy and he is very interested in MacKenzie- all grown up and looking good.

I really liked the idea that people can change and you should be careful about judging situations and people by only what you can see.  Chances are if you really knew them, and their story, you would feel differently.  Mac learns this throughout the book and it was very satisfying.

Overall, a great book and I really enjoyed reading it.  It is clean- no swearing or sexual situations.  Light Christian Fiction.