I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Accidental Runaway Groom is the second book in Carrie Ann Ryan’s Clover Lake series. In this series the McBride and Montgomery world collides. It delivers that familiar blend of small-town emotion, family dynamics, and slow-building tension. This ties both series together, giving readers exactly what they love
Accidental Runaway Groom gives us Sharp McBride and Jamie Montgomery’s story, and their first meeting is as unexpected as it gets. Jamie finds Sharp stranded on the side of the road on the morning of his own wedding. How he ended up there is the million-dollar question. A question he can’t answer, and that mystery sets the tone for everything that follows.
Since that first chaotic meeting, the two have grown closer through daily text messages. Six months later, Jamie returns to Clover Lake, and her arrival sparks an unexpected romance neither of them planned for. But with Jamie living in Denver and Sharp rooted in Wyoming, the distance between them becomes the first real test of what they’re building together.
The conflict in Accidental Runaway Groom is layered, and it goes well beyond the physical distance between them. After what happened with Sharp six months earlier, Jamie returned to town with a few people still whispering and labeling her a homewrecker. While this was far from the truth it still manages to linger. Their relationship grows in that uneasy space where they’re both craving something solid yet scared it might crumble under the weight of everyone’s opinions and their own doubts.
The pacing is steady and well-balanced. The author blends small-town interactions, family dynamics, and quiet emotional beats without ever letting the story drag. The unresolved questions around Sharp’s stranded wedding day add a subtle tension that keeps readers turning pages while allowing the romance to bloom naturally.
Overall, Accidental Runaway Groom is a heartfelt story. Sharp and Jamie’s connection is built on vulnerability and trust. Now while the distance and town gossip add real stakes, it only makes their romance feel more meaningful. This is a satisfying follow-up to the first Clover Lake book. It gives readers a mix of suspense, small-town charm, and slow-burning love that hits just right.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading