Wooing Cadie McCaffrey | Book Review
Stop everything! Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner was released to the world this past Tuesday, and it is my new #1 favorite romantic comedy!
Back Cover
After four years with her boyfriend, Cadie McCaffrey is thinking of ending things. Convinced Will doesn't love her in the "forever" way she loves him, Cadie believes it's time for her to let him go before life passes her by. When a misunderstanding leads to a mistake, leaving her hurt, disappointed, and full of regret, she finally sends him packing.
But for Will, the end of their relationship is only the beginning of his quest to figure out how to be the man Cadie wanted him to be. With the dubious guidance of his former pro-athlete work friends and tactics drawn from Cadie's favorite romantic comedies, Will attempts to win her back. It's a fool-proof plan. What could possibly go wrong?
My Thoughts
The book blurb says it all! I loved literally everything about this story. It made me snort laugh from the first paragraph... and then surprised me and moved me and pulled me deep into Cadie and Will's lives. And the ending... y'all. It's swoon-worthy.
"By the time I turned thirty, I was absolutely convinced that meet-cutes were a thing of legend. Enter Will, stage left." - Cadie McCaffrey
I will forever maintain that real life is more romantic than fictional heroes and heroines, and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey captures that real-life feeling. Real life is messy. People make mistakes -- big ones. But real life is also hilarious, and joyous, and full of moments, big and small, that take your breath away.
Cadie and Will stole my heart. I was cheering for them the whole time, and their misunderstandings didn't irritate me like some novels (see my rant on the subject here), because they genuinely have a lot to work through. Poor Will's first efforts to woo the woman he loves are adorable. I liked how this book isn't about two people falling in love -- Cadie and Will already love each other and have been together for four years. It's about two people working through things and coming to a deeper understanding of what love is.
"How many times -- you know, according to proper romance movie etiquette -- should a guy put his heart on the line and allow it to be smashed to smithereens before he finally gives up?" - Will Whittaker
I wish I could meet Cadie's friend Darby in real life! Goodness, but I loved her no-nonsense spunk. And Kevin and Ellis, the sports network boss and bigger-than-life pro-athlete with a fondness for chick flicks made me laugh so many times.
But don't be fooled. Underneath the romance movie references and oh-so-witty dialogue, this grown-up book tackles messy issues with grace and honesty -- topics that are often swept under the rug in Christian circles. Pepper Basham already said it best, so I'm going to quote her: "Don't let the lighthearted tone deceive you. Turner hides a deep-hearted story about how selfishness, guilt, and misconceptions discolor our views of love and of God, which then leads us into all sorts of self-sabotage and heartache."
The book ticks all the boxes for me -- humor, heart, lovable characters, and thoughtfulness that lingers after the last page.
Oh, and the significance of the daisies and empty ring box in the book photo? Order your copy here** right now and find out!
5 stars, if you didn't guess. ;)
*I received a copy of this book from Revell Books (a division of Baker Publishing Group) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.*
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