By Proxy

Heart of Montana #1

by Katy Regnery

A favor for friends...

Stubbornly small-town Jenny Lindstrom has misgivings when she promises to stand proxy in her best friend's wedding - misgivings that are fulfilled when tall, handsome Sam Kelley walks into the courthouse an hour late. In order to keep her promise, an afternoon favor turns into a weekend of startling but undeniable attraction, threatening the well-ordered world that keeps her heart at arm's length from any more pain.

...turns into a whirlwind romance!

Sam's plan is to fly to Livingston, Montana, take wedding vows on behalf of his favorite cousin, and return to Chicago as quickly as possible. But his plan is turned upside-down when he must spend a weekend with Jenny in Gardiner in order to keep his promise. He doesn't want to fall for the prim, proper schoolteacher whose small-town life seems to him like selling out, but the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to say good-bye.

When a city boy and a country girl come together for a double proxy wedding, the unexpected gift is true love.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Holiday, Adult, Chick Lit

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2013

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery has a heart for smart romance featuring strong women and decent men. Almost exclusively self-published, Katy claims authorship of over 60 titles, including three RITA® finalists. Translated into French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Turkish, Katy has sold over 1.8 million books worldwide.

Reviews

[Alp · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Sweeeeeeeet!

This was a very lovely read. I love Katy Regnery's writing style and her characters always brighten up my day. Sam was utterly endearing and Jenny, as a character, didn't fail me. I was impressed by how true to life these two main characters were. They were both imperfect. Of course, they made some mistakes saying something they later regretted. They also unintentionally hurt each other's feelings, but they were brave enough to admit it and tried to make things right.

The further I read, the more this couple grew on me. There was some pleasant banter between them which I found really amusing. The chemistry between them was fairly obvious and it was lovely seeing them happy together. They were so natural in each other’s company, no game playing and no pretending.

However, I had a few complaints about this one. The story moved more slowly than I expected and there wasn’t much happening here. Mostly, there were the endless stream of thoughts that went on and on in their heads, which was a bit boring for me at times. But somehow, as a cheese lover, I was pleased with how they worked things out and a sweet ending as well.

By the way, this book wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be, yet it was enjoyable overall. If you’re in the mood for a fluffy clean romance, then this one is for you.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Proxy is book one is the Heart of Montana series by Katy Regnery. This is my first book by Ms. Regnery. And I really, really enjoyed it. It won’t be my last. Even though this is a romantic Christmas story, I found the writing to be poetic and lyrical. I loved her vivid descriptions.



Jenny Lindstrom is most definitely a small town girl. She grew up in Gardiner, Montana, only leaving to attend college in Great Falls. She loved Great Falls and planned to stay after graduation to start a career as a school teacher. But, her mother became ill and soon passed away so Jenny went back home to her father and three brothers. I found Jenny to be somewhat naïve, as far as romance goes anyway. Her beliefs are very old fashioned. She has not even seriously dated. But on the flip side, she’s a tough 24 year old girl. How could she not be being the youngest with three older brothers? So she is somewhat hesitant to help out her best friend who is currently deployed to Germany. Her friend’s fiancé is also deployed to Afghanistan and they want/need to get married. So they have asked the two most important people in their lives to stand proxy for them. Jenny always thought the only time she would say those words, I Do, would be at her own wedding. But her friend needs her and she will not let her down.



Sam Kelley is the complete opposite to Jenny. He is an investment banker and lives the high life in Chicago. He has a fancy apartment, goes to all the hottest clubs and restaurants, dates famous women, and loves his life. He works hard and plays hard. His cousin has asked him to fly to Montana to stand proxy for his wedding. Sam and his cousin are very close so he does not hesitate. But when he walked in to the courthouse and first laid eyes on Jenny he couldn’t be more surprised. He was also an hour late and the judge did not wait for him. So Sam is forced to spend the weekend in Montana to wait for Monday to keep his word to his cousin. His first impression of Jenny was snippy and bitter. She was so frustrated with him for being late. But, the more time they spent together, the more he realized he was wrong.



“No one had ever gotten under his skin as fast as Jenny did today. How was it possible? He’d only met her six hours ago? It felt like he’d known her far longer. She was totally and completely genuine.”

“She is not for you, man. She’s not for you.”

As the weekend went by, Sam was forced to take a good look at his own life in Chicago. He was forced to re-evaluate everything he thought was important. The more he got to know Jenny, the more he realized how special she was. But his life is in Chicago, not in this tiny little town. Could Jenny ever leave and move her life to Chicago? He kept telling himself it would never work but his heart said something else.



As their weekend drew to a close, their lives and hearts were forever changed. Could they ever find a common ground on which to explore their feelings for one another?



I think what I loved about this book is that no matter how worldly Sam thought he was, when it came right down to it, that’s not at all what his heart wanted. He wanted what his parents had, a best friend, a love to last a life time. Not fancy dresses, a life in the public, but a home, children, the whole white picket fence deal. So even though I have never heard of a double proxy wedding, I found this book to be really sweet and refreshing and a perfect Christmas time read.

[Katy Regnery · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I loved writing this book! I hope you enjoy reading it!!***

[Melody Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was charming, sweetly romantic and I loved the representation that love does not take years, or a specific amount of time. It happens when it happens.

Jenny Lindstrom is small town school teacher who has promised to stand in as proxy for her best friend's marriage while she is away in the military.

Sam Kelley has agreed to take wedding vows for his favorite cousin while he is in Afghanistan and Sam plans to fly back to his home in Chicago immediately after the ceremony.

Through a twist of fate the ceremony has been delayed for a couple of days and Jenny feels it is her place to entertain Sam over the long weekend. To give him a taste of small town Montana. Wow do the sparks fly and fast!

There was one thing I did not care for and it is pretty typical me. Sam had dated a beautiful, fashionable woman who was a self-serving b$!ch. She cared for no one but herself. When our heroine finds this out she is hurt because he lived with the ex and h is very, very old fashioned. We hear about this ex-girlfriend all throughout the book. So many comparisons were made and he thought too frequently about his relationship with the ex even though he didn't want her back! It was too much for me. There was also a pretty long separation of sixty pages and he does go out with a friend and they met dates but he didn't do anything with them. He couldn't because he loved the heroine but just didn't realize it yet!

I highly recommend this book. It is a quick and enjoyable read. I have read it three times and don't plan on reading it again.

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new blogger imagine my excitement when my first review request from an author comes through my email. It also just so happens that the description of the book includes my two favorite things, Romance and Christmas. Oh did I mention it features a military couple, which is obviously close to my heart because I am an Army spouse. I'll admit I was nervous because what if this book is bad and I can't give a new author love? I love giving love....
Now imagine me as I do a happy dance because the book turns out to be anything but a disappointment!! Yay!!
I love a well-written sweet romance and this is definitely that.
Sam & Jenny meet under strange circumstances but are instantly drawn to one another. They end up having to spend the weekend together but quickly decide to make the best of it. They both realize pretty quickly that the weekend just might not be enough but neither of them is willing to give up their lives in very different cities. Sam can tell that Jenny isn't completely happy in Gardiner but she lets him know pretty adamantly that she isn't meant for big city living and doesn't want to leave her family behind. Sam sees this as a declaration that they simply aren't meant to be. After a heated argument they part ways. Will the love they've discovered with each other be enough to sacrifice their old lives or are they destined to give up on the most real thing they've ever had?
I'm looking forward to the next books in this series. I'd love to read more about Lars, Erik and Nils (& Maggie) and maybe even an HEA for Paul? *hint*
If you love sweet romances set in small towns (ie Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis, Fools Gold series by Susan Mallory, Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs) then this is the book for you.
PS. I LOVE the cover!

*I received and ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Huseina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noen elsket meg en gang. Jeg er velsignet.. someone loved me once. I am blessed.

By proxy, by far is one of the most sweetest books I have ever read.. I am a hopeless romantic so reading this book was really lovely...

I loved how the story was written, the sweet pure romance.. the story is set in a small town in Montana where the main characters meet while marrying each other as proxy.. Well I never knew we could get married with double proxy or even a proxy for one.. but yeah, it's legal in Montana... I really loved the characters.. Jenny is the 4th and youngest in her family with three older brothers.. she is a science teacher, hates drinking but drinks Glogg on Christmas, is fun loving, honest, fierce, sweet, selfless, gets mad wen someone is wrong, blushes all time, but also has a backbone.. And then there is Sam, again the youngest with two elder sisters from Chicago, the partygoer, big city playboy but in reality a small town guy at heart... he is sweet, understanding, likes to tease, and is also considerate about others feelings and a really charming man..

By Proxy is a really sweet and pure romance and I would highly recommend it to all of you.. The small town and a sense of community shown makes you want to be a part of it all... I can't wait to start reading the other books in the series...

[Tina "IRead2Escape" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Hotness Rating 1 out of 5

By Proxy is the first book in the fun and sweet Heart of Montana series by Katy Regnery. If you're looking for a touching story of self sacrifice and the joys and heartbreaks of falling in love this is the book for you.

Jenny Lindstrom has always been willing to give up her own wants to help those she loves. After college she left the small town and teaching position she loved to care for her sick mother. After her mother died she continued on in her small hometown, so that her brothers and father wouldn't be alone. So, when her best friend asked her to stand in for her as the bride in a civil ceremony she readily agrees. The small town they are from is one of the few places left that allows another man and woman to stand in for the bride and groom if they aren't able to be there. The proxy bride and groom say the "I do's" and go through the motions for the happy couple. Jenny knows she is just a place filler and she is doing a good thing for her friend, who is in the military and stationed far away, but it breaks her heart to take vows that she takes so seriously in someone else's stead. Not to mention, the guy that will be taking the vows with her is a complete stranger.

Sam Kelley has always been very close to his cousin, so when he was asked to stand in for him as his proxy he would've moved heaven and hell to do it. And it looks like he just may have to. Everything is going wrong. Due to the weather he shows up at the courthouse only to be greeted by the prickly proxy bride. To make matters worse, because of his late arrival the justice of the peace has left for the weekend and they will have to reschedule the ceremony for Monday. Now, what was supposed to be a quick trip and then back to his big city job is going to take up an entire weekend and Monday and he's managed to tick off the woman he's standing with on top of everything else. A woman that has caught his attention and interest from the second she bumped into him.

I enjoyed how Sam and Jenny started off on the wrong foot and worked so hard to overcome their rocky beginning. It was so fun to see Jenny finally learning to think of herself with the help of Sam and Sam learning what's really important in life by seeing the world through Jenny's eyes.

This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.

You can find this review and others at http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com and http://tinar1121.blogspot.com

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit I am a hopeless romantic, so I loved this book! By Proxy is the first book of the Heart of Montana series by Katy Regnery. I was approached by Katy for a review and I have to be honest I was very nervous. I'm a new blogger so I was really surprised to receive her email, but the synopsis intrigued me. The story about 2 strangers coming together to be proxies for a wedding is original (and to be honest I had no idea this can be done!).

But what I really loved about this book is the characters. Jenny Lindstrom is devoted to her family and her job as a school teacher. She is the only female in her family, but even though she has been surrounded by males her entire life she feels uncomfortable with men. I identified with Jenny right away because I felt the same way, even though my older brother's friends were constantly around. When Jenny is waiting to take the vows she looks at her life and realizes that she may never find her true love. At that moment my heart ached for Jenny, and I just had to finish this book to make sure she had a happy ending! And then we meet Sam Kelley, the handsome hot shot from Chicago. Sam appears to be a big city partying playboy, but deep down he's the small-town boy. After spending some time with Jenny, Sam realizes his life in Chicago maybe flashy but it's lonely. They may come from different worlds but they both need and want the same thing - to be truly happy and to be loved. From the moment they meet there is an attraction, which they try to deny. But soon Jenny and Sam can't fight it, but there is the fact that Sam will have to go back to Chicago. I loved that Sam wasn't a cocky and aggressive suitor. He took Jenny's feelings into consideration, which I thought was sweet and charming!

By Proxy is a sweet romance and I highly recommend this book! This series is set in a small town filled with fun and lovable characters. I can't wait for the next book in the series, which I am hoping it will be about Nils (Jenny's brother) and Maggie. Fans of Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series or Marie Force's McCarthys of Gansett Island series should definitely check out this series. And if you aren't a fan you should still check out By Proxy! Take a break from stories of the fast paced cities and visit a series with a small town setting. The close friendships and sense of community will make you wish you lived there!

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of "by Proxy" by Katy Regnery. It was a pleasure reading it. I hope you enjoy my review, and read the book! It comes out on September 25th. If you like sweet romances with a bit of snappy interaction, you will love it.

There are some really strange laws in this country of ours. Did you know that, in the state of Montana, it is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone? And it is illegal for a man and a woman to have sex in any other position other than missionary style? I don’t know which of those laws disturbs me more.

Then there is the Montana “Marriage by Proxy” law. There are even companies whose sole purpose is to arrange these proxy marriages. Hum? A ‘proxy marriage’? Yep! If you and your sweetie are military personnel stationed overseas, one or both of you can have a ‘stand-in’ for your wedding.

In Katy’s new book, “By Proxy” this odd little law leads to a funny, touching and lovely little tale set in beautiful Montana, on the edge of Yellowstone National Park. Kristian is posted in Afghanastan, while his fiancée Ingrid is posted in Germany. A weekend leave leaves Ingrid ‘in the family way’, a condition that has both families up in arms, and makes a quick wedding rather imperative. Bring on Jenny, Ingrid’s best friend, and Sam, Kristian’s cousin, and let the fireworks begin!

I truly enjoyed this sweet little book. Jenny is a lovely young schoolteacher, a small town girl with three big brothers and a heart as big as the state she lives in. Sam however, is a hard drinking, hard partying city-boy. And when a storm, a plow and a missing judge bring on a weekend with Sam stuck in the tiny town of Gardiner, what happens is a truly funny and touching story.

This is a light, fun read that I truly enjoyed.

__________________
I was asked by the author to review this book. This in no way affects my review of this or any other book in the series. Opinions are my own.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Lindstrom lives in Gardiner, Montana. She loves her small town life and would do just about anything for her cousin Ingrid including getting married by proxy. Sam Kelley was asked by his cousin Kristian to be his stand in for by proxy. Little did either Sam or Jenny ever think that love was in their future. Sam is blown away by Jenny's easy going, stands up for herself, and gentle manner. Jenny doesn't know how to explain what she feels for Sam. Jenny uses her family as a shield to hide from her heart. Can only three days be enough to fall in love? Yes they can! Can either Jenny or Sam admit their feelings? Can either of them make bold moves for one another? Your answers await you in By Proxy.

I'll be honest I didn't know a thing about getting married by proxy until I read this book. This is wonderful and endearing story about how fate/destiny takes control and all you can do is hang on for the ride. I could see both sides of the coin in Sam and Jenny relationship. I will definitely continue reading more of this author's work.

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe I asked myself the same publicly on Facebook. The big question of what to do when you're torn between being honest - which is a big must for me - and nicer than you should to avoid hurting the author's feelings. This is not something that happens to me often, and I certainly don't enjoy it, but the truth is something I greatly value in my reviews, and I can't lie without getting out of line. I'm not that good of an actress, sorry.



So, with that cleared, let's talk about this book, ok? At first glance, it seems like a nice, cozy Christmas read. The cover is sweet and romantic, making you long for some loving of your own - the kind of loving that needs no more than a hug in the snow, while you and your significant other are all bundled up and flushed from the cold. The blurb itself shows a unique plot, and supposedly strong 3D characters - hell if I don't find the idea of falling in love after being needed as proxy with the other "unfortunate" soul that has to do this with you pretty awesome! - and an amazing setting to get this all to work out - I blame Nora Roberts for my obsession with small towns in the countryside, and I'm not even a US citizen! And the book is the first of a series where most of the participants of the main couples know each other - another NR favorite I picked up over the years, which had me actually praying to God to win this particular ARC (yes, I went as far as pray to get a book, I was this hooked).

And then it all fell to pieces...

Ingrid and Kristian wish to get married, but, due to their current jobs and locations, they can't be present to their own wedding. This is where our main couple, Sam Kelley and Jenny Lindstrom, step in. These two have to act as proxies in their loved ones' wedding ceremony. But fate makes it so that Sam is late, and they have to wait a full weekend before trying again. A weekend that will be unforgettable - and eye-opening for both of them.

Alright...



This is a strong, EXTREME case of "heroine destroys the whole story"! There! I said it! (God, it makes me feel even worse, but it needed to be said - as well as the rest of what's coming...)

Jenny Lindstrom is the first main character we get to meet. At first glance, she's just a pretty country girl. With just a bit prejudiced and assumption-happy personality on the side to spice her up. Many heroines have started with even less than that and got to rise higher. But... she didn't. All through the book, no one, Not. Even. A. Single. Person, called her out on her bullshit - I'm way past caring for the swear words in her case, and trust me, I had even worse ones in mind! -, while only Maggie and ol' man Carl (maybe even Paul a bit) did a too-polite job (unnecessary, if you ask me, someone HAS to give her a reality check and a lesson in manners SOMETIME in her vain life!) of telling her she was wrong on her views. From the very start, she was prejudiced against Sam simply because he was from the "big city". On their first date, there was actually a part where she - openly to the reader through her thoughts - wished he would snap at the environment around him so that she would prove her theory of him being a snob. Hell, her prejudice even reaches the poor waitress! To my defense, I don't find what Jenny described from Tess's past acceptable, but you don't see me sharpening the rock I'll throw to her in an unjustified act of supposed superiority. She hated having the tongue of that guy from her college days in her mouth and actually got traumatized (seriously, on the 5th date?!), but she was perfectly fine with Sam's on their first kiss. And of course, whenever Sam would try to defend himself or his lifestyle, or say something she didn't agree with - or, heck, even use her own words about her father, but, oh, sorry, no one should call her *heart* Papa *heart old-fashioned but HER - she would get all stiff and snap at him like a ruffled terrier - you know, the one with the annoying, high-pitched bark that makes you wish you could just kick it to hell and back? Let's not forget the fact she took her anger or emotional stress out on poor Sammie boy, and she expected him to take it like a pro!



Speaking of Sam and defending himself, yes, it did spoil the fun for me. Here we have a classic case of a flirty, teasing, humoristic male that gets out of his way to please and respect the woman he just fell in love with - I'll ignore the fact it was too fast to be considered love, because, duh, romance and all that, it's supposed to be this way. And the main heroine turns him into a shadow of himself! He always had to take her shit and not complain, his own stress and problems - or the job he had actually worked hard to get and keep - never mattered, and he was the one apologizing most of the time - and even when he didn't, he would immediately forgive Jenny, thinking how wonderful it was of her to suck it up and apologize so easily. Ummm, I'm sorry, sir? Yes, you there, the adorable ginger-blonde with the amazing smile and the grin-worthy lines? If someone finds it so easy to say they're sorry after doing all the next things one after the other:
- act like a snob because of your lifestyle and place of living,
- research your past through GOOGLE of all things and then treat you like scum without even wondering if, hey, it's online social media, is any of this even TRUE?,
- and many other things I'd rather not list but surely insult you both as a male and as a human being, then... newsflash, pretty boy: she doesn't know what sorry stands for anymore. She has used it so many times, and she knows she will always get away by using it, she doesn't even care anymore if she throws it here and there to keep her bitchy act. That and crying (every few pages!)...

Can you imagine? A woman who is described by EVERYONE in the book as perfect in looks and heart, is nowhere NEAR that in reality, yet no one sees that and they actually keep coddling her and keeping her sheltered - resulting in her bubble getting even thicker and harder to burst!



As you can see, the main heroine brought a story that had great potential very low. She practically destroyed the whole thing for me. I was so happy to get my hands on the book, and I ended up rushing through the story to get it done - I can't remember the last time I did that for any reason other than no time to spare and anxiety to finish a story before a deadline, so it doesn't make me feel any good about it. Or my hateful rant.

The only reason I'm not giving this one star - or that I didn't leave it in the DNF state - was that I kept reminding myself that it would pass, that Tess's story comes next - that and the fact the Lindstrom BROTHERS seem delicious both in appearance and personality and I can't wait to read about them. Or Paul - who was another man unfairly drawn to Jenny and SHOULD get his HEA merely for putting up with her on a daily basis.

Once again, I want to make sure anyone who reads this doesn't mistake it for a mere hateful rant. It was not intended before I started reading the book, and I really tried to like it, but when a character that you can't help but read about - in other words, one of the main ones - keeps popping up on the page and never gets anywhere near character growth, there's only so much I can do...



***I was given a review copy from a LibraryThing Member Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

Find this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/

[Krystle ~A Booknatic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had won an ARC of 'By Proxy' thru a Giveaway the author had on her blog, and I'm really glad I did. This is one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time. I could tell by the cover, I was going to love it. 'By Proxy' is Katy Regnery's debut novel and to me, she nailed it. I can only hope that if by some chance when I take that big leap and decide to put what's rolling around up in my brain to paper. That I succeed as well as she has.

Now, I actually have never heard of getting married by proxy, and find the whole process very interesting. I love the reasons of why the main characters of the book do it to help their loved ones out since they can't do it themselves due to both of them being in the service. That's very cool. Sure it would be weird, especially if you had to give someone else's vows to a complete stranger like Jenny and Sam, but I guess I'd do it.

The story is set mostly in a one horse town of Gardiner, Montana, where Jenny Lindstrom resides near her 3 burly Swedish brothers and her beloved papa. Her mother fell ill due to Cancer a few years back while Jenny was finishing college up in Great Falls, Montana. Her plans to stay after college in the small city to start a life of her own changes to her going home and being with her mother for her final weeks, then when she passes she decides to stay near her brothers and father. The author does a great job by making Jenny into a selfless, goodhearted, strong woman. A great character, all thru the book. She's someone you would be proud to call your friend, sister, or daughter.

While reading the book, I could have sworn that Ms. Regnery basically wrote the character about me. I identified so much with Jenny, it was unreal. From her love of Christmas and all it has to offer, the passion she has for her family, her love of dogs, and how she'd rather be in a small town than live in a bustling city. Her apartment even sounded like my style with the “Homey/Cozy” feel it had. I really adored Jenny's character. I also liked how she wrote her Hero Sam. Yes, he is an urban dwelling, womanizing, busy guy back in Chicago, but when he arrives in Montana and meets Jenny for the first time.... He leaves the city boy home and arrives the man he truly is. The man who realizes that the life he thought he wanted back in the Chicago, isn't what he wants at all after meeting Jenny.

Throughout the book, Jenny has a lot of revelations about herself, but Sam, also has some revelations; from having spent a lot of his childhood in Montana with family, his feelings for the state are reignited after spending a long weekend there with Jenny. Although Gardiner would be too small and offer no work for what he's both qualified for and accustomed to, there are bigger cities that the state has to offer, and love opens his eyes to this fact.


There are a lot of times that the book had me giggling, but the scene where Jenny makes Sam a crazy breakfast, had me ROLLING!!! I wanted to high five her, that was awesome and very clever. LOL..

I rooted for Jenny and Sam thru the whole book and I love how it ended, I'm sure I had a huge smile on my face! By Proxy is very, very sweet!! From the looks of the epilogue, looks like maybe Erik's story may be next? :)

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Proxy is the first book in Katy’s Heart of Montana series, following the Lindstrom siblings. I read number 2 first and I absolutely fell in love with it, so I had to buy the first one of the series and I fell in love with this one as well.

Jenny Lindstron is the youngest of 4 children, she has three older brothers. We all get to know them in this story, but the all get their own story as well.
Jenny is a typical girl next door type, working hard as a teacher at her high school, committed to her family and does a lot of work for church.
She promised her best friend Ingrid to stand proxy for her wedding and at the appointment the guy is one hour late.

What a good start!!!

Sam is the proxy for his cousin Kristian. He is gorgeous and he lives in Chicago.
Their rocky start turns into lively conversations and also a little flirting. The fact that they were attracted to each other was obvious for me from the start and the way they treated each other made it clear, although they really tried to deny it at first.

Their scenes are so adorable and catchy. Katy found a great way to describe the surroundings and the feelings, the whole story felt so real.

They both new that after the weekend they would go their separate ways again. They still connected on a deep level and learnt a lot about each other.

Only when they are not together anymore they seem to realise what they really want. It was a great adventure and ride with them and reading about their emotions.
Both characters are narrating and taking turns with it, which was great, because we got inside to both their feelings. The writing is full of real emotions and so much depth.

Jenny’s brothers and her Pappa were mentioned a lot of times and I loved getting to know them better, especially after knowing that they all get their own story. It’s great how protective Nils, Lars and Erik are of their little sisters and they were still encouraging her to listen to her heart.

„Listening to your heart“, that’s what this story is all about. Sometimes you need longer to realise that and you might need some help with it as well. And distance. The heart knows what it wants, but it’s not always easy to discover that for yourself.

What an amazing story, with a sweet ending and a great epilogue. I know I read Midsummer Sweetheart already, but I had to read it again after this story, because it’s the next part oft he series following Erik Lindstrom. It was wonderful reading it a second time, I enjoyed it even more, with all the background information I had now.

An amazing series written by a wonderful and talented author, can’t wait for more!!!

[Shreya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 Sweet Sweet Stars!

The blurb:
A favor for friends...

Stubbornly small-town Jenny Lindstrom has misgivings when she promises to stand proxy in her best friend's wedding - misgivings that are fulfilled when tall, handsome Sam Kelley walks into the courthouse an hour late. In order to keep her promise, an afternoon favor turns into a weekend of startling but undeniable attraction, threatening the well-ordered world that keeps her heart at arm's length from any more pain.

...turns into a whirlwind romance!

Sam's plan is to fly to Livingston, Montana, take wedding vows on behalf of his favorite cousin, and return to Chicago as quickly as possible. But his plan is turned upside-down when he must spend a weekend with Jenny in Gardiner in order to keep his promise. He doesn't want to fall for the prim, proper schoolteacher whose small-town life seems to him like selling out, but the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to say good-bye.

When a city boy and a country girl come together for a double proxy wedding, the unexpected gift is true love.

Review to come soon. :D

[Maggie2u2000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A pure romance book. There are NO steamy scenes in this book. A great story, very clean book. So if you need a clean romance book to read or recommend to someone. This would be a great find.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and heart warming!

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[UltraMeital · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully sweet story! Though I've read MOST of Katy's work this is the only series left on my list and it's actually the first books she published. It felt different from everything else I've read by her, I"m not sure if it's the setting, the characters or what exactly but there was a sort of innocence and small town wonder I really enjoyed reading. Also, it's been awhile since I read such "low steam" novel and I gotta say, I didn't really feel it was missing. I didn't "need" it to feel Jenny and Sam's feeling for one another and though the romance part was quite short (in time), I could totally see why and mostly how they fell for one another.

I'll start by explaining the "By Proxy" idea.. We get an explanation in the end of the first chapter but I was so puzzled by the whole thing I better explain it so you won't get confused as I was in the beginning. Jenny's best friend Ingrid, and Sam's cousin Kristian - BOTH serve in the army. But though they are a formed couple they serve VERY far away from one another. When a short vocation results in an upcoming baby, they decide to get married. But how do you get married when you're not even in the same continent? - By Proxy.. In Montana it's possible to get married with Proxies, which means there are two people who say the vows FOR the true couple who are unable to attend the ceremony together in the same place. THIS is how Sam and Jenny meet, they are suppose to say wedding vows FOR Ingrid and Kristian. Totally Bizarre. I got why Jenny wasn't hot on the idea, there is something a little bit upsetting about it. Sitting in front of a person you don't even know, saying vows for people who aren't even there. ALMOST getting married with a person you don't even know, while not getting married AT ALL. For Jenny there's also the part she sees this ceremony as a "one time deal", something she would say once in her life to the man she will spend the rest of her life with, and so saying it beforehand doesn't feel "right". Sure she'll do this for Ingrid, but inside she so wishes she could avoid this whole situation.

Sam and Jenny start on the wrong foot when he is so late to the ceremony the judge left for the weekend leaving them with the only option of rescheduling for Monday. It's not what either of them wanted. Sam has a life FAR FAR away in Chicago and Jenny would gladly put this whole experience behind her - the sooner the better, and not miss any more days at school (she is a high school science teacher). So now they are stuck together for the weekend. Yeah I guess Sam could have stayed away from her the whole time but he decided to offer his apology for being late with dinner. They spend the whole weekend together and since it's nearing Christmas there is a lot of festivities in the small town Jenny and her family lives in.

It was beautiful experiencing the small town of Gardiner, a little bit like Sam did, in a small wonder. The sweet caring people, the feeling of community. A cold place with the warmest atmosphere. Jenny, not just as a teacher is well loved and respected. She has three older brothers she calls "the boys", and they couldn't be farther away in person - three HUGE scandinavian protective guys. Sam was intimidated at first glance but once he got to know them a little bit they seem like a happy and mostly loving bunch. Jenny is the glue in the family. She left for a while for college but she came but when her mother was sick and never left after that. She had other dreams, but staying with her family was the only option she could think of after everything they went through with her mother's passing.

Sam is a big city guy, even though his mother is originally from a small town in Montana (a few hours away from Gardiner). He LOVES Montana, it's a beautiful place which calms him and makes him happy, and yet he can't possibly make a life in such a small town. He works in finance, he is good at what he does, and the high profile company he works at expects him to put up an appearance, go to galas, charity events etc, and it's even better when he had Pepper, the celebrity "knock-out" he used to date.

So though the attraction between them burns, they can't find a way to make a life together and so they have a lot of warm-cold moments where there are not sure what to do. It's so very hard NOT to fall for one another when Sam is such a wonderful caring guy, and Jenny is the most genuine sweet and yet courageous girl. Everything about each other appeals to them, except for the place they live in. They are both frustrated. Don't know what to think and especially what to DO. Jenny is SO small world, and Sam is SO big world. Their worlds just doesn't collide.

I enjoyed this story SO MUCH. Jenny might be inexperienced with guys, but once she felt a little more herself around Sam we saw the sweetest girl. She is the rock of her family, she is loved by her community and it's not wonder why with such a big heart. She put herself on the side for her family, and now that Sam is in front of her, she isn't sure how or if she could have him. She can't see herself leaving Gardiner and he can't possibly live here. She wants him, she is overwhelmed by him. Sam on the other hand is struck by how Jenny is everything he wants and needs. After he and Pepper broke up he knew what he DIDN'T want, but he hadn't a clue what he actually does. His life in Chicago might be shallow but it's HIS life, it's everything he worked to become and he is proud of the place he got himself into. Though he loves Montana the small town of Gardiner has nothing to offer him, what would he do here? They both struggle so much with wanting and even needing each other and seeing if it's actually possible to HAVE one another. It's easy to see a possibility for them as the story progressed but they both have A LOT of thinking to do before either of them does any big step towards the other. For me it felt much more realistic, especially since they spend a short time before they realized how much they want to make it work.

There is so much more I could say about this story, not to mention the side characters we're going to meet in the next installments. Mostly Jenny's brothers but also her dear friend Maggie and the principal of the school she teaches in. I really enjoyed my time in Gardiner so I can't wait to delve into the next one.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

More Reviews HERE

[Venessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pov: male & female

Main characters: Sam & Jenny

Minor characters: Paul (her family friend/principal); Nills, Erik & Lars (her brothers), Maggie (her friend)

My thoughts:

I really loved this one. I loved that even though the story takes place mainly over 4 days it felt much longer. I never felt like they were moving too fast into love, and the characters themselves acknowledged the speed of their relationship and it was a big cause of hesitancy.

Again the author put small moments that are really descriptive and put you in the characters feelings. There was a moment when Jenny put on one of her mom's old jackets and hugged herself because that's the only way she'd ever feel her moms hugs again. It was such a small simple moment but it was so beautiful I know it'll stick with me for a long time.

I loved how the rest of the characters are integrated into this story without overpowering it. I know she has 3 older brothers, but in her story they don't play a real big part and pull from Sam and Jenny. I know they exist and I like them, but they were never a distraction. Same for Paul.

I loved this story and it's bittersweet that now I only have 3 left.

Synopsis:

Jenny is the only daughter, and youngest, in a family of four. She grew up in a small town in Montana.

She moved away for college and fell in love with the city and decided to stay. Her dad and brothers didn't want her so far away but her mom was her advocate.

She was very inexperienced with men and never had a boyfriend.

Her mom got cancer and against her wishes Jenny's brothers brought Jenny home. Her mom passed quickly and Jenny decided to stay in her small town to be with her family.

Her best friend Ingrid was in the military and met a guy. She got pregnant and they wanted to get married, but were stationed in different countries. Ingrid found out in Montana 2 people can get married by proxy, by having 2 stand-ins. Ingrid didn't want strangers reciting her vows so she asked Jenny.

Sam was raised in Chicago. His mom was from Montana and he and his family went back twice a year to visit her sister. He was very close to his cousin Kristian.

He worked in finance and worked his way up to Vice President. He dated a local news anchor and they were a minor celebrity couple. He was in a serious accident and was hospitalized. He called his girlfriend and she didn't come until after a party.

As he healed he realized she wasn't the right one for him and they broke up.

Kristian got Ingrid pregnant and wanted to marry her. He asked Sam to be his proxy.

Sam was stuck behind a snow plow and got to the courthouse over an hour late. Jenny had been waiting the whole time. He jokes and teases her but she's having none of it.

She was on edge because she felt uncomfortable saying marriage vows when it's not her wedding and was short with him for being late. Good looking men make her uncomfortable so she was standoffish.

The judge left early so they had to reschedule their appointment for the following Monday.

Sam apologizes and Jenny accepts. He offers to buy her dinner. He thinks she's cute. She's attracted to him but knows he's a city boy.

He follows her back to her town and checks into a hotel nearby. They have dinner and have a nice time. They like each other more and more as the night goes on. They realize they misjudged each other.

He promised not to tease her but when he walks her home to write an email to Ingrid and Kristian he makes a joke. She makes him help her set up a booth for the town Christmas Stroll as punishment.

He keeps comparing her to his ex and realizes how much better and kinder Jenny is.

She tells him saying vows makes her uncomfortable because she only wanted to say them once in her life. He thinks it's selfless of her to do it even though it bothers her.

At his hotel he tries to remind himself that they're so different and wouldn't work together.

The next morning she googles him, hoping to find something that will make her like him less. She finds tons of photos of him and his ex. She googles his ex and sees she's a sophisticated beautiful woman and feels inadequate. She sees the last photo was recent and thinks he's attempting to cheat on his girlfriend with her.

He comes over and she accuses him of cheating. He laughs and tells her he and his ex broke up weeks before, right after the picture she saw.

He tells her his ex was shallow and how he broke up with her after his accident. He tells Jenny she has nothing to be jealous of. She apologizes for jumping to conclusions and asks what does she owe him in return. He asks her to be his date for the town Christmas stroll.

They go to her school to get the supplies and bump into the principal Paul. Sam can tell immediately Paul likes her and dislikes him. Paul has Sam move the supplies alone and takes Jenny to his office.

Paul is best friends with her brother and she thinks of him like family. He asks about Sam and she explains he's just in town for the weekend doing something for Ingrid.

Paul is relieved and confesses he has feelings for her. She tells him she thinks of him like a brother. He's hurt but tells her if things don't work out with Sam he's still around. She tells him there's nothing between her and Sam.

Sam overhears and is hurt she said there's nothing between them. He realizes Paul would be perfect for her.

He's irritated and tells her he overheard what she said. But that he was jealous of Paul for taking her away. She tells him she doesn't think of Paul that way. He's relieved.

Paul called her brothers and they all show up to check out Sam. They all go to lunch. While she's gone her brothers interrogate him. They tell him Jenny went to school in Great Falls, near his extended family, and how much she loved it. That she took a job up there but left when her mom got sick.

Sam picks up on Nills crush on Maggie.

At the Christmas Stroll he starts to wonder if she'd come to visit him in Chicago. He starts to hope he could get her to like it and stay.

They kiss.

They bump into Paul on the stroll and Sam doesn't view him as a threat anymore. Paul tells him not to hurt her. Sam knows he'll hurt her when he leaves even though he doesn't want to. Paul sees and tells Sam he'll be there to pick up the pieces when he's gone.

They talk about his family and he shows her his nieces and nephew. He can't help but picture her holding their kid.

They talk about their Christmas traditions and his feel shallow next to hers. She mentions she gets a Christmas break and he thinks that would be a perfect time for her to visit him.

She asks if he wants kids and he blurts out he does with her. She knows he misspoke but she can't help but imagine a baby that was theirs.

When he walks her home they kiss again and get carried away. She invites him over but he knows he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her and declines. He knows she's inexperienced and doesn't want to push her.

He asks to spend the next day with her and he meets her at church. He meets her dad.

They visit the park and it's bittersweet. He tells her how his parents met and fell in love. She asks how his mom could leave her family and he explains they were so in love she just wanted to be near his dad.

He tells her he's falling for her and wants to see more of her. He asks her to go to Chicago to visit. She tells him there's no point. That it would be leading them both on when they know she can't leave home.

He gets upset and tells her she wanted to live in Great Falls. She tries to explain how she would get swallowed up by the big city. She tells him she can't go and he tells her she won't.

She asks him if he could see himself leaving Chicago for her town. He thinks that's crazy. She knows and tells him he's choosing not to leave his home just like she is.

They part upset.

She realizes they wouldn't budge for each other so it can't have been love.

He knows he couldn't make a life in her town. That he's be giving up his dreams like she did.

They meet at the courthouse the next day and do the proxy wedding. When it's done he grabs her and kisses her.

He asks her to come to Chicago but she tells him she doesn't belong there. She asks him to stay in Montana but he tells her his life is in Chicago. That he couldn't possible stay in Montana.

She gets defensive and they argue. She calls his life shallow. He tells her she's just scared to move forward.

He goes back to Chicago and is miserable. He looks for her everywhere. He starts to hate Chicago. Weeks pass and his boss tells him to take extra time off for Christmas to reconsider his job.

He goes to his moms house and spends time with his sisters. He realizes he's in love with Jenny and wants her back. He tells his mom about her and his mom tells him she never loved Montana. That she loved her sister, but she was glad to leave. That he's the one who loved it there.

He decides to beg Jenny for forgiveness. He sets up an interview in Great Falls and decides he can live there and see Jenny on the weekends. He hopes he can convince her to be with him there.

He emails Kristian and tells him everything.

Jenny is miserable without him. Paul talks to her and tells her she doesn't need to be in their town. That she should move forward with her life.

She realizes she loves him and wants to be with him. She decides to go to Chicago and beg him to take her back. She tells her dads and brothers. Her dad tells her he understands and that she has his support.

Her brother Erik tells her he's glad she's going. That he knows the town isn't for both of them. That seeing her move forward is making him hopeful for himself.

Ingrid emails her and tells her about Sams email. She mentions he's going to be in Great Falls.

Sam has his interview and it goes great. He sees a ring in a shop and knows it's meant for Jenny.

Jenny shows up at his hotel. He's shocked to see her.

They apologize to each other and she tells him she's willing to move to Chicago for him. He tells her he's moving to Great Falls for her.

He proposes and she says yes.

2 years later they're married and have a baby on the way. They live in Great Falls and Erik moved in with them. He's moving out and is skeptical of love. But he's happy for Jenny.

[Lydia's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light, sweet, and beautifully romantic. By Proxy is the perfect read for the Holidays! It made me want to curl up on my couch with a warm blanket, surround myself with a bunch of soft pillows, and drink hot chocolate while reading. And I did! Well, minus the hot cocoa since I'm a bit lazy and once I started reading this book, I didn't want to stop. I found myself smiling throughout the entire story line. My heart was happy. To me, this is what a true romance novel with a touch of sexy looks like.

"...a double proxy marriage actually existed. It sounded like the implausible plot of a bad movie: two people who couldn't be at the same place at the same time could be married legally if they designated two other people -- proxies -- to take their vows for them. (...) Apparently it was a completely legitimate, little-known legal loophole that exists only in Montana, almost exclusively utilized by servicemen and women -- like Kristian and his fiancé Ingrid -- deployed in two different parts of the world."

Jenny was the type of girl that always put everyone's needs before hers. She loved her family dearly, so when her mother passed away, she moved back home to be with her brothers and father. She created a new life for herself there and she was with her family, so what more could a small-town, country girl want, right? Wrong. Jenny was also the type of girl that kept her promises. When Ingrid, who was working in a Military hospital in Germany, asked her to be her proxy, Jenny didn't think twice about it. It was her best friend, after all, who was asking.

Sam, a very handsome, hard working finance big-shot and city boy, loved his cousin like a brother. When Kristian, a soldier deployed in Afghanistan, asked him to be his proxy, Sam booked a flight and made plans to go to Montana. Chicago was Sam's life -- the parties, expensive suits, and rubbing elbows with big time millionaires. But a trip to a small town, to take vows for his cousin, was not a problem for Sam. He would do just about anything for Kristian.

The courthouse -- what brought a city boy and a country girl together, in more ways than one. Jenny and Sam got off on the wrong foot. They both expected someone else (physically) and simply put, they misjudged each other. But that quickly changed. What they thought was a one-day favor, turned into an entire weekend.

"The heart wants what the heart wants. Beyond common sense. Beyond higher reason. Beyond all material and emotional considerations that should make the heart give up its longing."

Throughout the weekend, feelings emerged. What started off as a crush turned into something more. Two completely different worlds coming together. Two very stubborn people that needed to work through their own little issues, started opening up to the possibility of love.

The way Katy Regnery wrote this story line, which flowed flawlessly, allowed me as a reader to feel everything these characters felt. The setting description was amazing, too! I felt like I was literally there in Gardiner, Montana, walking alongside Sam and Jenny... falling in love during the best time of the year. Christmas time. The secondary characters, Jenny's protective brothers, were very well developed and I'm honestly looking forward to reading their books.

I swear, this book was beautifully written. Like I mentioned earlier, my heart was happy, it really was. I had a permanent smile on my face from beginning to end. If you're looking for a heartwarming romance, "By Proxy" is the book for you!

***A copy of "By Proxy" was provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks

[Janell Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Montana, people who can’t physically be present for their wedding can appoint proxies to take vows for them. In this book, the lovebirds are in the military, stationed apart from each other, and they want to get married ASAP because the woman is pregnant and they want to be somewhat traditional. Enter the bride’s best friend, Jenny, and the groom’s cousin, Sam, to take care of things.

Jenny is a small town science teacher who goes to church and doesn’t drink. She’s close to her three brothers, she has a new puppy, and she is beloved by the town. Sam is from Chicago, and he’s a rich investment banker who schmoozes clients at fancy parties and dates sexy, shallow women. Their first impressions of each other are just that superficial.

A snowstorm makes Sam late for the fake wedding, and the judge has left town for the weekend, so Sam has to stick around for three days. He invites Jenny out to dinner, and he is pretty much blown away by how genuine, sweet, wholesome and beautiful she is, the exact opposite of the type he’s used to.

I was wary of how this book would shake out. They only had three days, and I didn’t think their romance would be believable. Especially when, after their dinner, they separately relive their every interaction, hitting the reader over the head with how much they noticed and appreciated about the other.

But then, somehow, they keep being honest and gentle with each other, and they start to like each other, even though they know nothing can happen. Jenny is innocent as can be — she was shy in high school, and had one boyfriend who shoved his tongue down her throat and grabbed her breast before she kneed him in the crotch. But when Sam kisses her, and sucks on her tongue, she feels things down below for the first time and she likes it.

This is a sweet book, meaning no sex. But I appreciated how Jenny recognized her response to Sam, how she knew that he had awakened her sexually. Also, even though Jenny goes to church, this isn’t a bible-thumping, God-fearing book. Jenny quotes Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis, instead.

Things really picked up for me when Jenny and Sam were separated. Jenny didn’t want to leave her family, Sam didn’t want to leave his career, they didn’t think anything could work between them. But as time passed, their feelings for each other became so clear that their previous lives didn’t seem worth fighting for. The author did a great job of showing how Sam and Jenny changed for each other. They each decided, on their own, to make sacrifices.

I loved this conversation between Jenny and her Pappa:

“I love him, Pappa.”

“Yep.”

“I have to go to him.”

“Yep.”

“Chicago.”

“Yep.”

I have a mini rant here: Sam compares Jenny to his past girlfriend and notes the difference that Jenny doesn’t know she’s beautiful (like the song!), which makes her better. This calls to mind one of those “Dear Teenage Girls” letters I’ve read recently, about the mixed messages that girls get. They should be pretty, but they shouldn’t work to be pretty, but they shouldn’t be ugly, and they shouldn’t act like they know they’re pretty. I guess it works to get guys, because fictional Sam certainly bought it. But it made my eyeball twitch just a little bit.

Overall, the small town was cute, the Norwegian phrases were great details, and by the end of the book I was reading fast, desperate for Sam and Jenny to get back together, and totally believing in them.

Rating: B+

This review originally posted on Red Hot Books: http://redhotbooks.com/2013/09/review...

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars -- *sigh* And so my reading slump continues. Which is weird, b/c I thought this would be a sure thing since I love other works by this author. I will definitely be taking the rest of this series off my wishlist, just in case....

I probably should have DNF'd this one from the first moment our heroine acted all judgey and rubbed me the wrong way. But there were parts of the romance I was enjoying, and I wanted to see if she would grow up a bit. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen. And then I thought about DNFing it at 60% when she was getting beyond judgey mcjudgerson and I still didn't...I definitely regret that.

So yeah. My main issue was with Jenny. And it was a huge issue. Sam kept talking about how kind she was, but she was only kind to *her* kind of people. I mean, the guy has one beer with lunch and she gives him a dirty look and then says "men will have their vices"?? It wasn't in a playful manner either. She was really put out and just put up with it barely. Sam was always feeling guilty for the life he led. It would be one thing if he just wasn't happy with that life anymore (which he wasn't), but she actually made him feel bad for his previous choices. For someone who is supposed to be so kind hearted and religious, that was awfully mean. Example #2 -- she was disgusted and heartbroken when she found out he lived with Pepper. He's a 29 year old man who was in a relationship!!! For realz??? And then there was how she treated Tess (who granted, was making moves on Sam while he was with her, but holy hateful). It just felt like everything about Sam and his lifestyle was wrong and evil and her only issues were supposedly her fear of leaving her family...because apparently no one else saw the other flaws in her character.

I just kept waiting for them both to grow up. I understand that they were going to fight and have differences, but the way they argued was so selfish and immature...I guess I just wasn't expecting that. Or at least it would have been nice to see some growth.

And it wasn't just Jenny that felt judgmental and holier than thou....the whole book had a judgmental feeling towards "big city life" and non-pure relationships. I don't mind if that's not who *you* are, but I enjoy all kinds of romance stories, and I don't appreciate being made to feel as though others are wrong.

My other main issue was the hugely drawn out ending. It felt very repetitive and contained a lot of rehashing of the previous story from both of their perspectives. It really wasn't necessary, and made the book feel ridiculously long and boring. Combine that with the judgemental feel of the book, and it just was a recipe for badness for me.

And there's my not so nice review. I hate reviewing books I don't enjoy....it makes me feel like a mean person, and I don't want to be a mean person. Obviously I am in the minority in this opinion, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But if you start feeling disgusted with Jenny like I was, then take my advice and DNF. It doesn't get better enough to make the little bits of fun and romance worth it. (At least in my opinion).

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**

First, I would like to say how much I love this cover! Maybe I'm just a sucker for blue (and Christmas!), but I think it fits the book perfectly-- festive and oh so cute! When I was first approached by the author to review By Proxy, I knew I had to give it a shot. First of all, the concept was something completely different-- and, honestly, centered around something I had never even heard of before: a double proxy wedding.

For those of you saying "huh?" like I did, here is the definition according to Wikipedia: "A proxy wedding or (proxy marriage) is a wedding in which the bride or groom (or both) is not physically present, usually being represented instead by another person. If both partners are absent a double proxy wedding occurs." This actually very interesting to me, and I can see how, in some instances, this practice can be extremely helpful-- with military couples (which is true for this novel), for example. But, despite that, it just screams impersonal to me. Oh well, to each their own! Obviously they don't do this by choice.

Now that I've sufficiently veered off course, I'll get back to what I thought about By Proxy! I will admit that this story was a bit difficult for me to get into in the beginning. I was having a very hard time connecting to the characters and had my fingers crossed tightly for something exciting to happen. After pushing through the first parts of the book, though, I had a much easier time and ended up really enjoying the story.

Jenny, a teacher, is exactly as the blurb depicts her: stubbornly small-town. But she's also very sweet, and has a heart of gold. But those things definitely don't mean that she isn't tough. Being the baby of the family with three older brothers, she definitely knows how to stand up for herself. When she meets Sam, who makes them late for their appointment and doesn't make a good first impression at all, she writes him off as an arrogant man who has no respect for her down-home lifestyle. And while Sam does seem to look down on life in a small down, it turns out that he truly appreciates it at heart. Originally, I found the two main characters to be pretty judgmental of each other, feeding into stereotypes. But once the story really got moving, I was hooked and found I really enjoyed their interactions with each other. There were laugh-out-loud moments for me, and this story turned out to be extremely heartwarming.

In the end, I found this novel to be completely charming and so sweet. I became quite attached to the characters and found myself really invested in how their story would play out. I loved that the basis of this story was something new and different. And by pairing all of the sigh-worthy, romantic moments with Christmas and the holidays, Katy really gives us something magical. If you're a sucker for Christmas stories and books about finding love in the most unexpected of places, this one needs to go on your list!

[Delilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.**

Looking for a sweet romance that will make your heart pitter patter? I recommend reading Katy Regnery's debut novel, By Proxy. This book had me cheesing and gushing the whole way through. And it surely brought the holiday spirit back into my life.

The synopsis does a fabulous job of explaining what the story is about. It's essentially a story about instalove during the holiday season. Honestly, I feel like I have seen many stories like this before, especially on Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel during the holiday season. However, I still enjoyed it every much. I am a sucker for stories likes these. And it really helped that there are a lot of "Eeeee!" and "Awwwww!" moments in this book. I love-love-loved the fun banter between the characters!

I learned a lot while reading. For example, I now know what a double proxy marriage is. I don't know about you, but I don't know anything about Montana other than the fact that it's a state in the United States. I loved how the story is set in Montana. Ms. Regnery has a way of describing things that made me feel as if I was actually living in the small town of Gardiner during the wintertime. Because of this book, I definitely want to visit Montana someday!

I feel what drew me in the most to this book are the characters. First, there's Jenny Lindstrom. She's a small-town girl who teaches high school in the same town that she grew up in. She is described as a schoolmarm. She takes pleasure in the simple things in life, and her loved ones are her first priority. I admit it; I wasn't interested in Jenny's character at first. I found her boring, afraid to take risks, and weak. However, that all changed as I continued through the novel. I found out what Jenny's fears are and how they prevent her from moving forward. I learned about the risks she took for her family and friends. Jenny is just a sincerely sweet person who has a heart of gold. She's pure. She's not loud nor does she cause drama. I love me some feisty, hyper-sexualized, eccentric, and broken heroines. It's what I am used to reading. However, I realized that it was nice to have a change for once. Jenny is grounded and stays true to her beliefs. I highly admire and respect her for it. There's absolutely so many things to love about her!

Then there's Sam Kelley, a hot successful businessman who has quite a reputation back home in Chicago. What I loved about Sam is that he was able to finally realize what he actually wants in life. I enjoyed watching him see that it's not about the flashiest things in life that are important. Living in a big city and being vice president at the firm he works in are not important. Life is about what makes one truly happy. Life is about following one's heart.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. The story is entertaining. The connection between Sam and Jenny is amazing, and watching the two fall in love was ridiculously cute. I cannot wait to read the next installment of this series! Bravo, Ms. Regnery! 4 stars!

[Jenny - Book Sojourner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 Stars

This is a very sweet and charming romance, and the perfect read for getting in the holiday mood, or really any time throughout the year to be in the mood for falling in love. I didn't know what to expect from this novel, as I knew nothing of the author or her style, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

As for the storyline, it seemed completely plausible to me. Maybe some won't, but I totally bought into this story. And I fell in love a little bit, too. The author made me believe in falling in love quickly, though I wouldn't categorize this as love-at-first-sight. I loved that the story initially revolves around the concept of a proxy marriage, or in this case, a double proxy marriage. I'd never heard of this, and I find it fascinating (and so relevant with all our overseas military). Then following along with this couple as they discover who each other are, as well as who they themselves truly are at a deeper level, and not just what they project on the surface, was really well done. The flow of the story and action kept me completely engaged, and I was eager to see how things would turn out. Throw in the joy of the Christmas season, a small Montana town, a bunch of big, blonde Swedish/ Norwegian brothers, and of course, the personal stories of our hero and heroine, and you've got the makings of the perfect read for sitting by a fire, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, sipping cocoa.

As for the characters, I genuinely liked Jenny and Sam. They were not perfect, and fought against preconceived notions and expectations - city boy, country girl. But the connection between them was genuine. It was refreshing to read about characters who could be honest, even if it embarrassed them. No games were played or ploys were used. It was a relationship based on honesty, respect, mutual admiration, genuine care, friendship, attraction, and even laughter. I love that they were able to grow and change and improve themselves after just knowing the other for such a brief period of time. The impact was obvious. The time to self-reflect and dig deeper, do some soul-searching was perfect. I was worried things would go too perfectly, and I'm glad they had to look at so many things that the reader would be wondering and questioning. Also, while there is physical attraction and sexual tension between Jenny and Sam, I would qualify this as a pretty clean romantic read.

Bottomline: This is a sweet, charming, romantic read that completely hooked me, making me fall in love with the characters, the setting, and the beauty of finding that special someone to fall in love with. This is the first book of a new series, Heart of Montana, and considering I love all the characters we are introduced to, and loved the writing, I am definitely looking forward to more.

[Branwen Sedai *of the Brown Ajah* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenny and Sam are doing their two friends a huge favor by standing in place for them for their wedding vows since they are both in the army. This is called a by proxy, and only exists in the state of Montana. But when Sam is late and the judge leaves early for the day, Jenny and Sam are stuck for the weekend, they find that the more time they spend together the closer they become. But what is going to happen after Monday and Sam has to go back to his life in Chicago?

My feelings sort of went up and down while reading this book, but in the end I definately enjoyed it too much overall to let the little things bother me too much.

So the good things first.

This book is a complete love song for Montana. Which is awesome. The author clearly did her research and seemed to know the area inside and out. The descriptions were perfectly done, full of images that will stay with me I'm sure for some time to come. I experianced such wonder and awe to experiance the Christmas season in the small town of Gardiner. I fell completely head over heels in love with the town and its charming inhabitants. Even though I have never been there I have always loved Montana so this book was so great in that regard.

I also really liked the writing style and the way in which the character's love story was handled. It could have easily fallen into the corny insta!love that occurs in so many novels, but it didn't. The romance felt real and I really can't say enough about how much I loved the fact that they addressed the fact that yes people can fall in love within a period of a few days. It wasn't insta!love, because you could actually see the mutual affection and emotion that grew between the two of them. But I myself am a big believer that time does not really have a big effect on how love works so I was pleasantly surprised to see the way that was handled in this story.

Now the main thing, actually the ONLY thing that bothered me about this book was the female protagonist, Jenny. I don't know why, but in many parts of the book she just plain annoyed me. I feel like she was TOO MUCH of a caricature of that good ole country girl. Super close to family/community, huge churchgoer, doesn't curse, doesn't drink (alot), and lets not forget virginal. She just acted like such a snit at times that it really got on my nerves, unfortunately. She felt more like a seventeen year old than a twenty four year old and I found myself back tracking to make sure I had gotten her age correct. Don't get me wrong, I did like her, she just sort of annoyed me at times. I like my female protagonists sassy and quirky and already knowing how to handle themselves around men, and Jenny definatley did not fit any of those characteristics.

But overall this is a really really sweet love story that is perfect to read around this time of year.

[Tami Talbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered this ARC in exchange for an honest review. As those of us who are asked to read and review books know, some stories can be more difficult to get through in order to write a review. That is definitely not the case with By Proxy. This is a very sweet and romantic love story with characters that are easy to like right from the beginning and continuing on through the last page.

Jenny Lindstrom is a beautiful, sweet and innocent country girl who was born, raised and lives in a small town in Montana. Despite her simple upbringing, Jenny is a strong woman. She is a high school science teacher and would pretty much do anything asked of her, especially if it was for her family or her best friend, Ingrid. But when she is asked by Ingrid to act as her proxy to say her wedding vows, she reluctantly agrees because she feels very uncomfortable saying vows with a complete stranger. However, when the proxy for Ingrid's fiancé, Sam, steps into Jenny’s life, what she finds is the "handsomest man she has ever seen."

Sam Kelley was raised and lives in Chicago working for a financial investment firm. He is very successful in business, but he lives a somewhat shallow personal life, although he doesn’t realize it. When he is asked by his cousin and best friend, Kristian, to act as proxy on his behalf, Sam decides he can quickly make the trip to Montana, say the vows and return to his life in Chicago where he prefers to be. But when unforeseen weather delays his plans, Sam’s only alternative is to remain in Montana to fulfill his promise. What he doesn’t expect is how quickly he is swept into Jenny’s world, and he begins to discover a striking and special young woman so different from the shallow and self-centered women with whom he has been acquainted in Chicago.

When Jenny realizes the deep love she feels for Sam, she is left with making the decision of whether to let that love go or to make changes in her life. Sam must also rethink his life and decide whether he should continue trying to convince Jenny to leave Montana or whether he can live in a small town to forever be with the woman who has captured his heart.

As I read By Proxy I found myself wanting to turn to the last page just so I would know how it ends. I loved Jenny and Sam as well as the surrounding characters and also loved the writing style of Katy Regnery, getting to enjoy the story from both character's points of view. There was such magic and chemistry between them that I really didn't want the book to end. I hope Ms. Regnery considers the possibility of a sequel so we may enjoy more of these characters in the future.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appeal Characteristics: Norwegian culture, Montana/Nature, sexual tension, small town living,
Rating: 4 stars
Heat: 1

What I liked: It's been a long time since I've read a cozy romance. I consider a romance book cozy if there is that unresolved sexual tension----or the characters do not consummate their love before their vows. Thankfully, the characters were appealing, that I wasn't that disappointed in the lack of sexual details. The pace and overall plot schematics was essentially formulaic to most romances, and again it did not detract again from the book's overall presentation. Double Proxies was definitely an interesting concept and I figured it a bonus that I learned something new.

What I didn't like: The portrayal of stereotypical big city life. While I do acknowledge it is not for everyone, the naive assumption from Jenny (which did not fit her background story of living the Montana big city life) with all the celebrity gossip going around the world today----that a socialite makes you the world's best humanitarian



Furthermore, Sam's POV big city girls are *vain shallow creatures,* and going back to this naturist spot will teach big city boys (who aren't content with life) that they will find honest wholesome creatures---



As a former Chicago native, I felt that some of the nuances this book described of their characters insecurities just perpetrated big city life vs. little city life. Maybe because I grew up with it, but I felt big cities: LA, NYC, Chicago----we like fashion because we want to look good. I've met small town girls and big city girls who neither care about the latest styles or have either had bad/great fashion sense---I personally feel with the Internet culture & globalization---you can fairly keep up with the fashion world if you want.



I think I just do not get why small towns are seen as these almost savior tropes and city life is the big bad wolf---while either life may not be for suitable for the person, I think some of the stereotypical big city problems were quite antiquated.

In the end, the characters were likeable, and the issues they were dealing with were quite realistic. It was a quick, enjoyable read!

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel by Kate Regnery takes us into the "Heart of Montana" (as the series is called) and introduces us to the close knit Lindstrom family of Gardiner Montana. This is the story of Jenny, a schoolteacher with dreams of a life bigger than her current circumstances and Sam, a businessman from Chicago who has come to help his cousin marry "by proxy" in a Livingston Courthouse with Jenny doing the same for her cousin, both of whom are military personnel overseas. They are two strangers who meet in a way neither would have ever expected - and who don't quite know how to say goodbye.

I confess that this story had a rocky start for me. I found Jenny's character in the first quarter of the book to be emotionally wishy washy, switching back and forth from anger to pride to humour all in the same scene. She seemed to get shocked easily and was more innocent than I would expect of a woman her age. Sam on the other hand I liked, except for the internal musings which I found too exclamatory (like he was being constantly shocked by his own thoughts!). Also there were a fair amount of religious (Christian) references which I found a bit out of place for a contemporary romance and more what I would expect in an inspirational romance. (In fact, the author's recent blog posts indicate that she also wasn't sure which direction to head with the series and decided on the more secular route, although I still found this book would have easily fit in the IR world with a few minor tweaks).

That being said, as I continued reading I found myself invested in the story. I wanted to know what was going to happen, how the characters could possibly find their happy ending with their different homes and lifestyles being so prominently part of the story. By halfway through I was completely hooked and absorbed the rest of the book in one afternoon.

This is a "sweet" romance, meaning "closed door" bedroom scenes, in keeping with Jenny's Christian character - yet the author still wrote believable sexual tension (particularly from Sam's 3rd person point of view) through much of the story, making the attraction between Jenny and Sam very potent and "page turnable"!

My overall feeling at the end of the story was one of contentment. This heartwarming and gentle romance had a very satisfactory happy ever after ending. I was delighted to discover that Jenny's brothers and other secondary characters will be featured in upcoming series books (2 out at time of this review, and 2 more books expected in 2014). With a start like this, it looks to be one of my favourite series of 2014. 4 highly enjoyable stars!