Mobility Mom Book Shelf: Don't Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole

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Don’t Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole was everything I could’ve hoped for — raw, emotional, and utterly addictive. Listening to the audiobook version took the story to a whole new level, and I’m so glad I experienced it this way.

Book Description

I guess you could say I was a damsel in distress, and he was my knight in shining armor. But more accurately, I was a girl with a lot of bad luck, and he was a guy with a lot of muscles and tattoos.

Jude “Lucky” Lucketti wasn’t just a sexy, brooding construction worker. He was my own personal hero who seemed to be in all the right places at the right times. Like when my car broke down and I needed a ride home, and when I face planted on the sidewalk right in front of him and had to be taken to the emergency room.

Those weren’t exactly my best moments, but they were his.

We became friends, and it didn’t matter that he was sixteen years older than me. We had a lot in common—like our love of old rock music and vintage fast cars, and our painful pasts that made us leery of love and relationships.

When he approached me with a crazy idea to help me out with my many problems, I couldn’t say no. He offered me a lifeline.

The arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A marriage on paper and a safe place to live—nothing else.

It should’ve been easy, but it wasn’t. Because here I am, eighteen years old and married to a man I was never supposed to fall in love with. And now, I really don't want that divorce we agreed to.

We had just one rule—no kissing the bride. But we broke that rule, and it sealed our fate forever.

About Carian Cole

I have a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles and of course, the sweet girls that try to tame them and win their hearts. A portion of my royalties is donated to various pet rescues.

Born and raised a Jersey girl, I now reside in beautiful New Hampshire with my husband and our multitude of furry pets and spend most of my time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

My Thoughts

The story follows Jude, a rough-around-the-edges mechanic in his thirties, and Skylar, a free-spirited, struggling young woman in her late teens. Their worlds collide when Jude offers Sky a ride, and from that moment on, their connection becomes undeniable. What I loved most about this story was how Carian Cole approached the age-gap romance — it never once felt forced or cringy. Instead, it was beautifully raw, slow-burn, and filled with genuine emotion.

The narrators absolutely nailed it. Joe Arden as Jude? Perfection. His deep, gruff voice brought Jude’s character to life in the most heart-throbbing way. And Meg Sylvan as Skylar captured her innocence, sass, and vulnerability so perfectly. Their chemistry in the audio was off-the-charts, making it impossible to hit pause.

What really sets this story apart is the depth of the characters. Skylar is dealing with so much — a toxic home life, an eating disorder, and trying to find her place in the world. Jude is her unexpected safe haven, and the way he protects and cares for her had my heart melting. It’s not a story about saving someone but rather about two broken people finding solace in each other.

The slow-burn tension had me on edge the entire time. Every stolen glance, every touch, and every unspoken moment was laced with so much chemistry. And when things finally did heat up? Whew — worth the wait.

This audiobook isn’t just a love story — it’s about healing, finding light in the darkness, and loving someone despite the odds. Carian Cole delivered a beautifully messy, heartfelt romance that left me in a complete book hangover.

If you haven’t listened to Don’t Kiss the Bride yet, do yourself a favor and grab the audiobook. You’ll laugh, cry, swoon — and fall completely in love with Jude and Sky.

5/5 stars — and I’d give it more if I could.