“To Frankie, it was a literal circus. But there wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for the bride, including standing up for her best friend in a three-ring mess of a $350,000 wedding.”

Frankie’s loyalty is one of her strongest characteristics, and her emphasis on this point becomes a key aspect of her developing romance with Aiden. By mentioning this theme on the very first page, Score establishes its importance and equates loyalty with love. This point will be further developed in both a romantic setting and a family-based setting as the novel continues.

“Her hair was dark, thick, heavy with curls. Her body was lushly curved as highlighted by the simple gold slip gown she wore. Her wide mouth was curved in a generous smile as she laughed at something Pruitt said.”

While Aiden is described as dark, “aloof, and painfully beautiful,” Score takes more time to describe Frankie in such a way that she is clearly separated from the highly entitled people around her. This approach to description serves to highlight her uniqueness in this setting. While the other women have impeccably groomed hair and cold smiles, Frankie is portrayed as being far more genuine, down to earth, and empathetic. Her beauty is based on authenticity, and she therefore becomes a more realistic protagonist.

“I’m a Kilbourn. We’re not capable of feelings. Only beneficial mergers.”

With this self-deprecating comment, Aiden displays one of the chief faults of his own family dynamics, and Score uses this dialogue to adhere to the common romance trope that the characters lack some fundamental element that can only be supplied by their love interest.