Initial Impressions 3/24/14:Yay! Super cute. I had a lot of fun reading this one and definitely a different direction than Going Vintage (and now I need to read Sean Griswold's Head) but either way, lots of fun. I think I didn't love it as much but I loved the Vegas atmosphere and the respective chapel wars. Loved how it ended and I loved that things weren't picture perfect all the time. 
 Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I really loved GOING VINTAGE, the first Lindsey Leavitt book I had read (although not the first one she's written), so I was really excited when I saw promo for her newest book, THE CHAPEL WARS. The concept is way cute with two Las Vegas chapels duking it out to earn more business and heck, even STAY in business, especially in the case of Holly and her family's chapel once her grandfather passes away. 
 THE CHAPEL WARS didn't disappoint me in it cuteness. Holly was a great main character, balancing the line between kid and adult -- she's heavily invested in the family business of running the Rose of Sharon chapel and attending school and doing regular teenager-y things. When her grandfather passes away, she gets a big surprise about the chapel and ends up with even more weight on her shoulders, feeling personally responsible to save it from going out of business. 
 THE CHAPEL WARS was a lot of fun to read, but given that I had such a strong connection in GOING VINTAGE, it fell juuuust a bit shy of a new favorite for me. I really appreciated the strong family dynamics in GOING VINTAGE and unfortunately, Holly doesn't have that same luxury, especially with the one person in her family with whom she really connected -- her grandfather -- just recently passing. I know, I know, not fair to compare an author's previous book because it's an entirely different work, but the fact is that fans come to know that book well and there is a certain expectation established whether anyone intends it to be there or not! 
 The romance in this book was just plain fun. I loved the back and forth between Holly and Dax and how they came from different backgrounds and yet so much of their current situations overlap. They're both able to help each other through hard times while at the same time dealing with some pretty serious situations with their own family... And the fact that their families hate each other. It was a lot of fun to see these two kids try to work together and at the same time, stressful (but fun to read) because you just knew something was bound to explode if they kept on seeing each other! How very Romeo and Juliet! I really enjoyed the forbidden romance, though, and these two just fit together so well. 
 I loved the Vegas setting in the book! I went to Vegas for the first time -- oh my gosh, it was four years ago already! -- and I had a blast envisioning where these two chapels were in reference to the strip as well as a few references to the hotels and a smashing Ocean's 11/fountain at the Bellagio reference (LOVE). It was a very visually dynamic book and I had so much fun putting myself back in that setting! 
 THE CHAPEL WARS didn't skyrocket to an instant favorite but it was so much fun to read. Easy, breezy, and super cute with a romance to swoon for a family to root for. I definitely recommend this one!