Love is a Battlefield is a work of fiction in the chick lit, interpersonal drama and romantic comedy sub-genres, and was penned by author Whitney Dineen. Written as the first novel of the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers book series, this charming novel mixes humor and drama as two meddling mothers set their sights on getting their children together. Addison Cooper was intent on a luxury trip to the Cayman Islands, but instead, she ends up being called away and finds herself in the company of reclusive novelist Brogan Cavanaugh. So begins a raucous and highly amusing family drama about set-ups, family frustrations, and the question of whether mother really does know best.

Author Whitney Dineen has come up with an adorable concept for this new romance series, bringing family ties into the mix with disastrous, triumphant, and altogether hilarious results. The chick lit genre takes a deep dive into emotions with her well-rounded characters, who feel recognizable in their reluctance to change what they’ve set up in life themselves. I really enjoyed Brogan as a non-typical leading man, and the dialogue between him and Addison was so well developed that you felt really satisfied with where their relationship ends up compared to how it starts. It truly is a great journey in a well-planned plot of comedy events but peppered with real feelings that surprise you and pluck hard on the heartstrings. Overall, I would certainly recommend Love is a Battlefield to all fans of intelligent and heart-warming chick lit novels.

Addison is all excited about her upcoming trip to Grand Cayman but when her mom calls and tells her that she must immediately drop her plans and go to help her Aunt Ruby, the game is on. Brogan is worried when he calls his mother several times and she seems to be distracted and not her self-assured self so he immediately heads for home and a few weeks of vacation at the family resort. The families spent many summers camping together and Brogan and his brother loved nothing better than playing as many mean pranks as they could on Addison. Addison has never forgiven them for the awful things they did. She is angry and miserable, having had to give up her dream vacation, and then to find out Brogan is also visiting at his mother’s lodge. Fireworks quickly explode between them as Addison tries to survive in a small cabin with no bathroom, lights, or wi-fi service. While she tries to fix up the cabin to be rented as a glamping experience, Brogan is roughing it in a nearby cabin.

Love is a Battlefield (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Book 1) was such an enjoyable reading experience, I found myself staying up way too late – reading just one more chapter. When two long-time best friends decide to try to match up their children to get the grandchildren they so badly want, all becomes fair in love and war, truth and lies, and behind the scenes scheming. The results are humorous, hateful, romantic, and make for great reading while Ruby and Libby (the mothers) hope for love. Love is a Battlefield is a must-read because it is so much more than just chick lit. Whitney Dineen has been added to my list of favorite authors and I cannot wait until the next book in this series.