Bride Needs Groom    by Wendy Markham Order:  USA  Can Warner, 2005 (2005) Paperback Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton In this 3rd in her Chickalini family series, Wendy Markham focuses on Dominic, who was also featured in her previous Once Upon a Blind Date. Dominic is still single and travels to Las Vegas on a business trip. On the plane, he encounters the most beautiful woman he has ever met, wearing a wedding dress. He cannot stop staring at her. Mia Calogera is on her way to elope with Derek, a man she has never met. She made contact with him through an online orchid-lovers' club. Mia is determined to get married, but not for love. She will lose her grandparents' inheritance if she does not wed by year end. Derek is her safety net to ensure that she keeps the same living standard she's had since her grandfather won the lottery. In the prologue, Mia and her best friend Lenore are told by a psychic that Mia will marry, within the year, a man whose name begins with a 'D' and ends with a 'K' sound - she thought Derek was that man. When Mia meets Dominic on the plane, she realizes that he may actually be the one the psychic predicted she would wed. In this romance filled with humor and slapstick, the plot proceeds with zany logic. Though the first half of the novel did not fully keep my attention, the second was much better, bringing in the Chickalini clan with their lovable Italian ways. While I didn't really care too much whether Dominic or Mia got married, I did enjoy meeting the Chickalini's. I fell in love with the family, including the patriarch, and would welcome more stories featuring them. One thing that Markham gets right is showing that family is important, and portraying the love that this huge clan exudes. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews