Book Review: "Altar-ed Plans" by Rebecca Cornish Talley

By Nichole Giles

The Blurb:

The perfect day. The perfect marriage. The perfect groom. What could go wrong?

Caitlyn has been preparing for her perfect wedding all her life. But when her fiancé abandons her at the altar, Caitlyn vows she’ll never love again.

Going to BYU doesn’t make that easy, however, and avoiding all social contact can only last so long. When her bishop calls her to be the “mom” of her family home evening group, Caitlyn is suddenly thrust into surprising circumstances that leave her flustered—the attention of two unwanted suitors.

Travis, the FHE “dad,” has plans to woo Caitlyn by using his cowboy charms, while Chase has his own ideas for dating her. Will Travis or Chase change her mind about love? Or will it be de¢ja¢ vu?

Follow Caitlyn through all the flirtatious looks, dates, ex-girlfriends, and unexpected surprises. Altared Plans is a light-hearted romance that is sure to please.

My take:

Every little girl spends at least half of her growing-up years dreaming of the perfect wedding. And of course, not only does that include the perfect dress, flowers, cake, and reception venue, but most importantly it means that we have, in fact, found the perfect groom.

What we don’t dream about is having that groom ditch us on the day we’ve spent our whole life waiting for without even bothering to show his face to tell us goodbye. So, right off the bat I had sympathy for Caitlyn.

This story was fun, easy to read, and romantic in the end. Plus, the guys in it are the yummy type we all dream about…I mean, dreamed about…when we were still young, single, and dating. But not now. Not if we’ve been married for seventeen years with a bunch of kids, a house and two dogs.

Anyway…I was lucky enough to interview the author, Rebecca Cornish Talley, who I’m now sure will turn the subject away from married women dreaming and tell us some really important information.

Hi Rebecca. I’m so glad you’re willing to join me today. I only have a few questions, then I’ll let you get back to writing your next best selling book.

NG: What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? (Today, my new favorite is Ben and Jerry’s Key Lime Pie)

RT: That's easy, Chocolate Seduction. Doesn't that just sound delicious in a "you shouldn't be eating this" kind of way?

NG: Who is your favorite author? (Besides yourself or me.)

RT: That's really hard because I love so many authors. I guess I'd go with Jerry Spinelli since he wrote my all-time favorite book, "Stargirl."

NG: What is your most favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?

RT: I love to play with my family. My favorite activity is playing with my family at the beach, building sandcastles and swimming in the ocean. Of course, I live in CO so we only get to the beach every year or so, but I love to do that with my family. I'd say that doing anything with my family is my favorite thing to do when I'm not writing. My kids love to make up songs and plays and then perform them in front of the fireplace and I really enjoy watching them do that. And, I love chasing my 3-year-old around the house and hear him squeal with giggles when I catch him.

NG: If you were an animal, what kind would you be and why?

RT: I would be a horse because horses are so majestic, strong, and beautiful. Horses have a certain mystique about them. I love their sleekness and the way their coats shine in the sunlight. I love how they smell and their graceful movements. Yep, I'd be a horse.

NG: Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?

RT: Diamonds. I love how they shimmer in the light.

NG: Name one or two power snacks that keep you going as you write.

RT: I eat almonds while I'm writing because they give me brain power (or so I believe).


Thanks so much for your time, and for writing such an enjoyable book. And also for sharing your most intimate secrets with us. These are things every reader needs to know about their favorite author.

And now, back to work on your next novel.

To learn more about Rebecca Cornish Talley and her work, click here.

To buy a copy of “Altared Plans,” click here.