No matter what my age I still love fairy tales. While not truly a direct variation of Cinderella, Wedding Magic had enough similarities to the tale to capture my attention, then Ms. Coughlin’s charming plot and characters did the rest.

As the designer and owner of an exclusive dress shop, Wedding Magic, Sophia Bennett’s mother taught her the importance of listening to the small things that a bride says for clues on how to make the bride feel special. When Sophia is eleven her mother dies, and an acquaintance and local wedding planner moves in swiftly. Before Sophia has time to come to terms with her mother’s death, she has a stepmother and two stepsisters.

Now, her stepmother and father have retired, and Sophia’s role in the business is more of the behind-the-scenes co-ordinator, solving problems, diverting calamities and keeping everything running smoothly. Even with their weddings by the number, Sophia always re-arranges her schedule to make sure she is available for the wedding consultation, looking for the small thing to make the bride’s wedding day special. Her stepsisters provide the visible front office showmanship. They even have a team name, the Divas and the Drone.

One day, a potential bride gets lost and stumbles into Sophia’s office. She sees the framed watercolor of a local Newport estate, Ange de la Mer, and recognizes it as the inspiration for the Princess House, the castle for a much-loved childhood storybook. So the bride requests that Sophia contact the owner, seeking permission to hold the wedding there.

Initially Owen Winters, an elusive author of sushi western graphic novels, and former special-ops Ranger, shuts Sophia down, but strange things have been happening at the house, and her mention of The Princess House, his daughter’s favorite book, causes him to wonder if it is some type of sign. Knowing that the only way to find out is to agree to the wedding he signs her contract. Three days later the Divas show up at his house, and Owen threatens to kill the deal if Sophia doesn’t supervise the event, thus pushing her from the back offices into the limelight.

While Owen suspects something strange is going on at his house, Sophia doesn’t have a clue about the challenges she will soon face. The ghost of the deceased previous owner has her own reasons for not permitting the wedding to happen in the home that she still considers hers, so even with Sophia’s extraordinary organizational skills problems start immediately. Soon Owen is demanding that she stay on site to prevent further crises, making it easier for the attraction between them to grow.

In less than capable hands this plot would be too cutesy, but Ms. Coughlin pulls it off. Wedding Magic is appealing, sweet, and delightful. I tend to enjoy the more confident heroines but Sophia’s growth from the drone to a woman secure in her own right is satisfying, as is Owen’s journey from self confessed cynic to a man in love. Each has faced challenges and heartache in the past, which adds some emotional substance to this light-hearted tale.

If I have one criticism, it centers around Owen’s former career. Not all heroes need to be former military special forces. Still, that is a small part of the story, easily overlooked. If you are as much a fan of whimsical stories as I am, then you will find plenty to enjoy in Ms. Coughlin’s Wedding Magic.