Amy Clipston is one of my must-read authors and this book did not disappoint. I loved everything about it. Especially all the roller skating talk.

With This Ring by Amy Clipston
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Genres: Christian | Contemporary Romance
Pages: 320
Format: ebook – NetGalley
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Say “I do” to this sweet romance from bestselling author Amy Clipston, who “writes with warmth and heart” (RaeAnne Thayne). Dakota Jamison spends her days making brides’ dreams come true. But when will the time finally come for her own storybook ending?

Dakota thought she had left her dreams of happily-ever-after behind, along with the pain of a broken engagement to her high school sweetheart, Hudson. Now, as the proud owner of Fairytale Bridal Shop in the picturesque town of Flowering Grove, she’s built a life and a business on helping brides find their perfect dress for their own fairytale weddings. But running a small business is not for the faint of heart, and when her ex-fiancé unexpectedly returns to town with a mission—to put a stop to his sister’s wedding—Dakota’s problems go from bad to worse.

Hudson Garrity should be living his dream. After selling his software company, he’s single, handsome, and rich, but an unexpected call from his baby sister has him flying down to his hometown, determined to protect Layla from yet another big mistake. Though he’s single-minded in his effort to derail the nuptials, he instead finds himself thrown into family chaos and roped into helping his sister with her plans . . . bringing him once more into contact with Dakota Jamison, the one who got away.

For Hudson, coming home means revisiting his painful childhood, repairing a strained relationship with his sister, and coming face-to-face with the woman he never stopped loving. For Dakota, it means confronting the tender memories she buried deep within her heart. As Layla’s wedding date draws close, the two reunited lovers begin to question if what went wrong between them really happened the way they remembered it at all. Will they continue believing the lies they’ve told themselves, or will they remain forever entangled in the threads of what could have been?

My Review and Reflections

Dakota Jamison owns Fairytale Bridal Shop in Flowering Grove, North Carolina. Despite her insurmountable challenges and the fact that she’s been nursing a broken heart for seven years, she’s determined to make things work. Hudson Garrity left Flowering Grove to pursue a career in New York. When his sister’s upcoming wedding coincides with the sale of his company, he tells his business partner he’s going back home for three months before they start their next venture. Hudson soon discovers that the Airbnb is next door to Dakota, the woman who called off their engagement seven years earlier and ended his hope for love.

This book had me hooked from the start, with its charming small-town setting, a bridal shop, a roller rink, and Dakota’s love for both. The fact that Dakota was hurting from the loss of Hudson seven years earlier and Hudson was feeling the same way, was intriguing. I kept asking myself, “Why are they not together?”

I was drawn to Dakota’s personality, straight away. I mean, any character who roller skates for fun, has the heart of this roller girl. Hudson was harder to figure out. His need to control everything around him while at the same time having a very loving heart smacked of childhood trauma. I wanted to love him and shout at him to just let it go all at the same time.

There is so much chemistry between Dakota and Hudson but they both fought it. Living in the past was keeping them in some sort of odd limbo. Hudson’s sister and aunt, along with Dakota’s friends and family, all had different opinions about what should or shouldn’t be happening between the two of them.

This book is everything a contemporary romance should be. Fun, sweet, and melt-your-heart good. Amy Clipston fans as well as those who enjoy small-town romance with true-to-life questions and happy endings will not be able to put this down.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.