A romantic comedy full of Southern sass and tradition.

Stood up on her wedding day, Penelope Hunter is shocked when three years later her ex and his new fianc come to her to help plan their upcoming wedding. Meanwhile she is helping her best friend Tucker Westbrook with his uphill campaign for sheriff, against an opponent determined to drag Tucker's name through the mud. Can they solve a mystery over 150 years old to clear his name and help win his bid for sheriff?

Penelope and Tucker have been best friends for as long as they can remember, they've been with each other through thick and thin. I loved their easygoing rapport, and how they just know each other so well, bringing out the best in each other. Aunt Shirley is a hoot, and I loved how she didn't wait for an adventure to find her, but sought them out herself. She says it like it is, but knows her timing too.

I really liked how Tucker has worked hard for all of his accomplishments, there are plenty of things that didn't come easily for him. I admired his work ethic, and how he is always there to stand up for PJ. I loved how Penelope is a normal sized girl, she is beautiful, but still worries about her weight and isn't super model thin. She is a brilliant event planner, and I loved her compassion for others.

Overall this was a completely enjoyable read, I loved the witty and humorous narrative that made me laugh out loud multiple times. Penelope and Tucker are a fantastic team, and I loved them together as they searched for treasure while keeping up their charade. I also enjoyed the historical storyline as well, following Caroline as she finds herself caught between new love and loyalty. Engaging with strong themes of faith, with great chemistry, colorful characters, and love!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Squueeeeepppp!!! I'm bedazzled by this friends-to-sweethearts romance!!! Besotted over Tucker. Besties-wannabe with Penelope and over the moon smitten with the way their story plays out. Plus there's a subplot via journal entries from one of Tucker's ancestors that leads to some genealogical intrigue and a potential treasure hunt. I mean, can it get any better than this? Only if the story lasted longer!

And this is the kind of romance you get to feel your way through because my emotions were on hyper-drive for the duration. Between Tucker's misguided idea that he has to prove himself in order to be worthy of love and Penelope's deep-rooted fears of being left behind -- well, these two had my tummy tied up in knots. And there are enough cantankerous sorts spewing angst along their path to keep me happily seething and eagerly looking for more than one comeuppance. :-)

But there's tons of lighter moments too. The easy camaraderie between these life long friends made my heart sing. And their inner dialogue as they become romantically enlightened is hysterical. Oh, the nerves and wariness and hope and botched moments. When I wasn't snickering I was swooning.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Amy Melissa Bentley who did an amazing job of conveying emotion and humour and the unique personalities of each character.

Well, I think A Dazzle Of Diamonds may be my favorite Liz Johnson book yet. Which, is saying a lot as I've loved the entire Georgia Coast Romance series from the very beginning.

The humor, the historical mystery, the family drama, and the best-friends-to-lovers romance, is perfect. A Dazzle Of Diamonds is charming, sweet, and definitely a little convicting as Penelope (PJ) and Tucker learn some valuable but sometimes difficult life lessons.

I also really enjoyed the historical sections of the story. Liz Johnson brought elements of the Civil War in Savannah, which was something I knew little about, to life. And besides, who wouldn't love a 150 year old mystery with family secrets and a lost Civil War treasure? I know I sure did!

If you are looking for a good beach read, or a stay-at-home story, or novel to entertain yourself while traveling, or if you are taking part in a summer reading program, A Dazzle Of Diamonds would be a perfect choice. Liz Johnson has you more than covered with this delightful book...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Penelope Hunter its trying to pave a new path for herself after her life fell apart with a botched wedding. Now an event planner, she seems to be making a way for herself. Until her ex-fiance and his new soon-to-be-wife walk in and want her to plan the venue for the wedding. To add on to that, she receives a call from one of her top clients that they are going to pull their reservation because of rumors circling about herbest friend, who is running for sheriff, and his family's loyalty to their great city of Savannah. While Penelope and Tucker, her best friend, try to clear his name and she tries to save her job, something else may be sparkling underneath that may catch them both by surprise.

Liz Johnson crafts a fun, loving story about friendship and what friends do for each other no matter what. This was a great reminder to stand by those you love. Liz did a great job weaving a multi-leveled story line that kept the reader intrigued enough to keep flipping the pages and whimsical enough to keep it light-hearted. With pulling in very minor characters from previous books, I liked how she threw nuggets to the reader about her previous stories and had those characters pop up in this book. You don't need to read the other books to understand this one, but you will gain a bit of backstory from the other characters who are minor in this book (but major in the other books). This is a fun, delightful read!

Revell Books sent me this copy to review in exchange for my opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

We begin with Penelope, who is an event coordinator. As she is in the process of trying to book some events to keep her boss happy her ex-fiance, Winston St. Cloud, and his new fiance, Emmaline Adams walk into her office. Penelope realizes right away that Emmaline has no idea that Winston even knows Penelope. Penelope decides to say nothing about it and obliges them by walking them through the services and facilities that are available. As they are moving through the process Tucker enters and Emmaline immediately assumes that Penelope and Tucker are dating, so begins the ruse.

Tucker served in the Middle East as a Marine but is now a civilian and owns a security company. He was recently coerced into running for county sheriff. His competition, who pushed him into it, is now running a full blown smear campaign against him and his family accusing them of being traitors to the South during the Civil War.

All of these things collide when Tucker and Penelope find themselves with a stack of old letters from Tuckers relative that hint of a secret treasure that has been stashed away since the Civil War. The curiosity and possible financial gain send them on the hunt for something that may or may not exist. As the allure of treasure takes hold it begins to change those who seek it. This journey could be the end of several important relationships, could stand in the way of their jobs and even affect the community they live in.

I loved the pacing of this story. I am drawn to the Christian aspect of these stories and how the hand of God is seen working in the lives of these characters. I enjoyed the use of letters from the past that were interspersed to help tell the story of Tuckers family history. The letters help engage the reader in the ancestral dynamic and possible treasure of those living in a time we struggle to truly understand. I am always a sucker for an epistolary novel. The story is a lovely melding of romance and adventure. There is plenty of drama, too. I have enjoyed the entire series and really love the way Johnson tells a story. This is the second series I have enjoyed by her and am looking forward to a third that is hinted at in the final end notes of this book. I hope you check out all three in this series, you will enjoy some great adventures along the way!