Don't Kiss The Bride - Carian Cole ****.5/5

So this is an age-gap, marriage of convenience novel, and this is my first age gap novel, well because it's not a genre that i'm interested in reading, but i might read more from the trope after this.

Jude is a 34 years old (almost Skylar's mother's age!!) worker, who was constructing the building next to the school of Skylar, an 18years old, and that's how they met. Long story short, Skylar's mother was a hoader and her father abandoned them when he couldn't take it anymore. Skylar couldn't access to any other parts of her house because her mother had packed stuff on piles, and she was confined to her room with Gus, her cat. She got sick, and Jude gave her a way out by proposing to marry her, as then she'll be included in his health insurance so she doesn't have to worry about money, and she can live with him without worrying about anything. Premise was they were not supposed to kiss and have any feelings towards each other except a friendship, and once Skylar gets on her feet after a year, they would divorce and go their separate ways. But, the fact that they would end up together was indeed foreshadowed when they accidentally kissed during the intimate wedding ceremony in their backyard, because they were not supposed to kiss at all.

Jude is a tattooed sexy hot man, but he's very vulnerable due to his past experiences. He's a very caring man and always thought of being there for Skylar, whom he called "Sparkles", and did his best to make sure she felt comfortable. He was always there for her when she got sick, and when she needed someone to be there for her. He took care of her expecting nothing in return.

Jude always tried to make sure he wouldn't cross the line with Skylar when she's living with him, because he knew she's just a kid and he was 34 years old and way too old for her, and to play around with her, because in the end she would get hurt, and that wasn't a part of the plan when he proposed to marry her.

Even when he was tired after working all day, whenever Skylar asked, he would hang out with her, specially if she had a bad day or was struggling with everything.

This was such an heart-warming age gap novel for me, and although there were spicy scenes that i felt uncomfortable reading because of the age gap, honestly this was such an heart-warming read. Jude clearly depicted how much he knew, how everything would be bad for Skylar and will have a negative impact but, he also knew she has an important place in her heart.

This quote, it's just everything and the fact that even he's not allowed to hurt her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The most important thing in the novel, is although there is an age gap, Jude and Skylar are in fact similar. Although they haven't experienced the same things, their feelings are same. They both have same kinds of past experiences and they both tried to keep their distance. Skylar knew Jude doesn't commit, and Jude knew if they start something it's gonna hurt them both and, he dragged it when Rebecca pointed out that what he's doing is gonna end up hurting her, he kept his distance because he wanted to protect her and take care of her not hurt her.

Jude didn't commit, but he wanted to do it with Skylar, because he knew what he has with her is not something he ever wanna let go.

Absolutely loved when he said this!!!

The fact that, Jude though how Skylar was taking care of him after he fell and hit his head, was "intimate in a way that far surpassed sex", was literally the best, because he showed sex is not everything between a relationship!!!!

The proposal scene!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Jude finally decided to convert their "fake marriage" into a real one!!!

Jude didn't want to have children, but he wanted to compromise with Skylar if she wants children!!!!

The best quote to end the novel, that began with a fake marriage.

Skylar, is a teenager but i felt like she acted like an adult, because her life experiences made her grow up faster than she wanted. She knew what to do with her life and she was willing to be with Jude, even when there was an age gap. She didn't let the age gap get in between them, and whenever Jude mentioned it she got mad. She always said what was on her mind, and whenever Jude said something, or shut her down, she always talked with him first and tried to see what's the problem and how to solve it.

I absolutely loved Megan's character and how she didn't judge when Skylar revealed the truth about her family. She was filling to let her best friend stay with her, and was always there for her when the other students made it hard for Skylar, when the truth about her marrying an older guy spread out. I loved how she helped Jude to get together with Skylar and even with the proposal!!!

I also absolutely loved Aunt Suze and Uncle Ali, and how they hyped up Jude and Skylar to get together and make their marriage real!!! i wish I had relatives like that!!!!

Overall, this book is 542 pages, and I definitely struggled because i thought in some parts it was dragging, but it was honestly a heart-warming story about two people, broken because of their past experiences, finding each other and the struggle to make their relationship work because of their age!! I 100% recommend this one, because this made me emotional, mad, sad, happy and cheerful!!!!!