I Do (But I Don't)

In spite of her incorrigible curly hair, Lauren Crandell is a neat-freak and organizational guru, qualities that make her the perfect wedding planner. But when two weddings in one day go haywire, and hunky firefighter Nick Corona comes to the rescue -- twice -- Lauren realizes there are a few important details in her own life she hasn't been tending to since her divorce. Namely, her sex life.

She lives lonely nights.

Sweet and sexy Nick seems hell-bent on fanning the flames between them, and Lauren definitely feels sparks flying. But she's scrambling to plan nuptials for her most challenging client yet -- a beautiful, cunning, and certifiable Psycho Bride. With the big day rapidly approaching, a series of misunderstandings, mishaps, and mistaken identities threatens to ruin not one, but two happily ever afters. But with her career and her love life on the line, the wedding planner just might learn that you can't plan everything, least of all true love.

Follows a divorced wedding consultant as she finds her professional and personal life turned upside down by her demanding boss, psychotic clients, and neurotic friends.

In spite of her incorrigible curly hair, Lauren Crandell is a neat-freak and organizational guru, qualities that make her the perfect wedding planner. But when two weddings in one day go haywire, and hunky firefighter Nick Corona comes to the rescue -- twice -- Lauren realizes there are a few important details in her own life she hasn't been tending to since her divorce. Namely, her sex life.

Sweet and sexy Nick seems hell-bent on fanning the flames between them, and Lauren definitely feels sparks flying. But she's scrambling to plan nuptials for her most challenging client yet -- a beautiful, cunning, and certifiable Psycho Bride. With the big day rapidly approaching, a series of misunderstandings, mishaps, and mistaken identities threatens to ruin not one, but two happily ever afters. But with her career and her love life on the line, the wedding planner just might learn that you can't plan everything, least of all true love.

Library Journal

Texas wedding planner Lauren Crandell is an expert at managing details and making brides happy, but her professionalism is put to the test when her boss assigns her the nuptials of Darla Tendaski. While Lauren's hands are full with the self-centered bride-to-be, her flaky sister crashes in her apartment, her meddling mother tries to orchestrate a reunion between Lauren and her ex-husband, and the handsome firefighter she just met seems to know the bride a little too well. Will Lauren ever get her personal life as well organized as her weddings? Lockwood's debut has all the ingredients of a good chick-lit novel: the slightly neurotic heroine, her over-involved mother, and a good-looking guy who seems to be interested in her but whom she figures would never give her the time of day, mixed in with witty dialog and humorous escapades. Fans of the women's contemporary romance genre won't be disappointed. With a warm and friendly writing style, this is recommended for most romance and popular fiction collections.-Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Cara Lockwood is also the author of I Do (But I Don't), which was made into a Lifetime movie, as well as Pink Slip Party and Dixieland Sushi, and Every Demon Has His Day, all available from Downtown Press. She was born in Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked as a journalist in Austin, and is now married and living in Chicago. Her husband is not a rock star, but he does play the guitar -- poorly.