Runaway Bride, Rainstorm Escape

In a swirl of silk and panic, Vivi Newport bolts from the altar, leaving behind a life mapped out by others. The rain-soaked Seattle night mirrors her turmoil as she ditches the seven-carat ring and dives into the first available SUV—driven, fatefully, by Trey Hartley, her brother-in-law's best friend and a man whose presence has always unsettled her. The escape is impulsive, desperate, and exhilarating, setting off a chain reaction that will upend not only her own future but the carefully constructed alliances of two powerful families. As the wedding music fades behind her, Vivi's heart pounds with the terrifying freedom of her choice, and the first glimmer of hope that she might finally live for herself.

The Getaway Driver's Dilemma

Trey, ex-military and now a hockey player, is stunned when Vivi climbs into his car, drenched and breathless. Despite his own complicated past and a strict code of honor, he can't turn her away. Their chemistry is immediate, electric, and undeniable, but both are wary—Vivi of repeating old mistakes, Trey of letting anyone close. As they navigate the city, picking up his niece Adeline and dodging the fallout, Trey's protective instincts war with his growing attraction. For Vivi, Trey's raw authenticity is a stark contrast to the polished, transactional world she's always known. In the close quarters of the SUV, a new kind of intimacy begins to take root.

Nanny for a New Life

With her company's board suspending her and her engagement in shambles, Vivi is adrift—until she steps in as a temporary nanny for Adeline, Trey's orphaned niece. The arrangement is practical, but quickly becomes personal. Vivi finds unexpected joy in the rhythms of family life: ballet buns, school pickups, and bedtime stories. Trey, meanwhile, is forced to confront his own vulnerabilities as he watches Vivi bring warmth and stability to his home. Their connection deepens, but both are haunted by the ticking clock—Vivi's forced leave is temporary, and the specter of her arranged marriage looms.

Boardroom Betrayals and Broken Trust

The board of Newport Staffing, now controlled by Holiday Industries, freezes Vivi out, stripping her of her CEO role and even her company car. The merger that was supposed to secure her legacy becomes a weapon against her. Genevieve Holiday, her would-be mother-in-law, orchestrates a campaign of control, demanding Vivi maintain the engagement's public image. As Vivi fights to protect her employees and her own sense of self, she realizes how much she's sacrificed for approval—her father's, the board's, and society's. The cost of her ambition becomes painfully clear.

The Arrangement Unravels

Jameson, Vivi's fiancé, flees to Greece with the wedding planner, leaving Vivi to face the fallout alone. The board's ultimatum is clear: marry Jameson in two months or lose everything. Genevieve's machinations intensify, and Vivi is forced to wear the engagement ring in public, maintaining the illusion of a perfect match. Meanwhile, her growing feelings for Trey—and the family they're building with Adeline—make the prospect of returning to her old life unbearable. The tension between duty and desire threatens to tear her apart.

Hot Cocoa and Heartbreak

In Trey's kitchen, over hot cocoa and pancakes, Vivi finds a sense of belonging she's never known. The trio—Vivi, Trey, and Adeline—settle into a routine that feels like home. Yet, the specter of the engagement and the company's fate hangs over them. Trey's trauma from his military past surfaces in quiet moments, and Vivi's own wounds—her need for approval, her fear of abandonment—are laid bare. Their intimacy grows, but so does the fear of what they stand to lose.

The Dance of Denial

The chemistry between Vivi and Trey becomes impossible to ignore. A stolen kiss on her doorstep leads to a night of passion, but both are quick to retreat, citing Adeline's well-being and the impossibility of their situation. The boundaries between employer and employee, friend and lover, blur. Each tries to convince themselves that what they have is temporary, a distraction from the real world. But the heart wants what it wants, and denial only fuels the fire.

Helicopter Nights, Rooftop Confessions

In a grand gesture, Trey takes Vivi on a nighttime helicopter ride over Seattle, sharing the part of himself he's kept hidden—the pilot, the soldier, the survivor. On a rooftop picnic, under the stars, he confesses the pain of losing his best friend in combat and the weight of responsibility he carries. Vivi, in turn, reveals her own scars. Their vulnerability cements their bond, and for the first time, both allow themselves to imagine a future together. The city lights below are a promise of new beginnings.

The List on the Fridge

Back at home, Vivi and Trey's relationship deepens. A dry-erase board in the kitchen becomes a battleground of reasons to marry Jameson versus reasons to stay with Trey. As the days pass, Trey's list grows—small, heartfelt reasons that speak to real love, not obligation. Vivi's own feelings crystallize: she loves Trey, and the life they've built together is the one she truly wants. But the outside world is closing in, and choices must be made.

The Return of the Groom

Jameson's return to Seattle throws everything into chaos. The board and Genevieve demand a public reconciliation and a wedding in France. Trey, seeing the writing on the wall, steps back, telling Vivi to do what's best for her future. The pain of letting go is mutual, but both believe it's the right thing. Adeline, caught in the crossfire, pleads with Trey not to give up on love. The family they've built is on the verge of collapse.

Choosing the Wrong Last Name

As wedding plans ramp up, Vivi is forced to play the part of the blushing bride, donning the Holiday ring and attending fittings. The media spins a fairytale, but inside, Vivi is unraveling. She watches Trey and Adeline from afar, aching for the life she's leaving behind. The cost of choosing duty over love becomes unbearable, and the list on the fridge—now with "I LOVE HIM" scrawled in bold—haunts her every step.

The Library Hiding Place

Overwhelmed by the changes and feeling abandoned, Adeline disappears. The search is frantic, with Trey and Vivi joining forces to find her. They discover her hiding in the library, the place she feels safest. In the quiet stacks, Vivi and Adeline share a heart-to-heart about love, loss, and the meaning of family. Trey arrives, and the three are briefly reunited, but the moment is bittersweet—Vivi still feels trapped by her obligations.

The Power of Letting Go

Believing he's holding Vivi back, Trey tells her to go—back to Jameson, back to the life she was raised for. The act is one of love, not resignation. He wants her to have everything she deserves, even if it means losing her. Adeline, devastated, accuses Trey of giving up too easily. The pain of letting go is palpable, but both Trey and Vivi believe it's the only way to protect each other from future regret.

A Father's Redemption

In a surprising turn, Vivi's father Conrad intervenes—not to control her, but to support her happiness. He helps Jameson close a crucial business deal, freeing both Vivi and Jameson from the arranged marriage. For the first time, Vivi sees her father not as a puppet master, but as a man capable of change. The healing between them is tentative but real, and Vivi is finally able to let go of the need for his approval.

The End of Arrangements

Jameson confesses that he's fallen for Natasha, the wedding planner, and has no intention of marrying Vivi. The engagement is called off, and the boards are placated by a successful business merger. Vivi is free—free to choose her own path, free to love without strings. The relief is overwhelming, but so is the fear: after everything, will Trey still want her?

Home Is Where You Stay

With the engagement over, Vivi rushes to Trey's house, confessing her love and asking for a second chance. Trey, who has never stopped loving her, welcomes her home. Adeline, overjoyed, declares that their family is finally complete. The trio settles into a new rhythm—one built on honesty, trust, and unconditional love. The house that once felt temporary is now a true home.

The Proposal in the Kitchen

Months later, as they pack up Vivi's old townhouse, Trey proposes in the kitchen, using the dry-erase board that once held their lists. The proposal is simple, heartfelt, and perfect—just like their love. Vivi says yes, and the family they've built together is made official. The ghosts of the past are finally laid to rest, and the future is wide open.

A New Family, A New Name

On a sunlit day, surrounded by friends and family, Vivi and Trey marry—not for business, not for optics, but for love. Adeline stands by their side, the final piece of their family puzzle. The ceremony is intimate, joyful, and entirely their own. As they exchange vows, Vivi knows she's exactly where she's meant to be—home, at last, with the people she loves most.

Characters

Vivi Newport

Vivi is a self-made CEO who built her company from the ground up, always striving to prove herself worthy of the Newport name she inherited from her stepfather. Raised in a world of privilege but haunted by abandonment and the need for approval, she's fiercely independent yet deeply lonely. Her engagement to Jameson is a calculated move to secure her company's future, but it comes at the cost of her own happiness. Through her journey as Adeline's nanny and her growing love for Trey, Vivi learns to value authenticity over optics, and to choose love—even when it means risking everything she's worked for. Her arc is one of self-discovery, healing, and the courage to claim the life she truly wants.

Trey Hartley

Trey is a former special forces pilot turned professional hockey player, carrying the scars of war, loss, and a childhood marked by instability. He's fiercely loyal, protective to a fault, and struggles with feelings of unworthiness. Raising his niece Adeline after his brother's death, Trey is both a guardian and a man searching for his own place in the world. His relationship with Vivi challenges him to open up, confront his trauma, and believe he deserves happiness. Trey's journey is about learning to let love in, to trust that he can be enough, and to build a family not defined by blood, but by choice.

Adeline Hartley

Orphaned young, Adeline is wise beyond her years, having lost both parents and watched her uncle struggle to fill the void. She craves stability and love, and quickly bonds with Vivi, seeing her as the missing piece in their family. Adeline's innocence and honesty often cut through the adults' denial, pushing them to confront their feelings. Her running away to the library is a pivotal moment, forcing Trey and Vivi to realize what truly matters. Adeline's arc is about finding her place in a new family, and her presence is the glue that holds them together.

Jameson Holiday

Jameson is the heir to the Holiday fortune, raised to believe in duty over desire. His engagement to Vivi is a business transaction, but he's not without depth or feeling. When he flees to Greece with Natasha, he's both escaping and searching for something real. Ultimately, Jameson's arc is one of self-liberation—choosing love with Natasha over family expectations, and helping Vivi break free as well. He's a mirror for Vivi, showing what life looks like when you follow the script versus your heart.

Genevieve Holiday

Genevieve is the architect of the Holiday dynasty, orchestrating marriages and mergers with ruthless efficiency. She's both a villain and a victim of the system she upholds. Her relationship with Vivi is fraught—part adversary, part reluctant ally. Genevieve's arc is about maintaining control in a world that's changing, and her eventual acceptance of Vivi's choices signals a shift in the old guard.

Conrad Newport

Vivi's stepfather, Conrad, is a man who's made mistakes—controlling, emotionally distant, and obsessed with legacy. His intervention in Greece is a turning point, showing that he's capable of change and genuine love. Conrad's arc is about redemption and the healing of old wounds, allowing Vivi to finally let go of her need for his approval.

Isla Newport

Isla is Vivi's half-sister and closest ally, having navigated her own arranged marriage and found happiness on her own terms. She's the sounding board for Vivi's doubts and the push she needs to choose love over duty. Isla's presence is a reminder that family is what you make it, and that happiness is worth fighting for.

Natasha

Initially a casualty of Vivi's runaway bride act, Natasha becomes a key player in Jameson's liberation. Her relationship with Jameson is a slow burn, built on mutual respect and shared trauma. Natasha's arc is about reclaiming agency and finding love where she least expects it.

Martin Howard

The interim CEO who seizes power in Vivi's absence, Martin is a symbol of corporate greed and the dangers of losing sight of people in pursuit of profit. His downfall is swift and satisfying, a reminder that true leadership is about more than the bottom line.

Callum Lawson

Trey's old military buddy, now running a security firm, Callum is the behind-the-scenes force who ensures Vivi's safety and helps Trey navigate the complexities of civilian life. He's a symbol of the found family that supports and sustains the main characters.

Plot Devices

Arranged Marriage as Social Contract

The central plot device is the arranged marriage between Vivi and Jameson, designed to secure a business merger and maintain family legacies. This device serves as both a prison and a crucible, forcing Vivi to confront what she truly values. The tension between duty and desire is heightened by the ticking clock of the board's ultimatum, and the public performance required by Genevieve and the media. The eventual unraveling of the arrangement—through Jameson's own rebellion and Conrad's intervention—subverts the trope, allowing for genuine love to triumph.

The Runaway Bride

Vivi's flight from her wedding is the inciting incident, setting off a domino effect that disrupts not only her own life but the carefully constructed alliances of two powerful families. The act of running is both literal and symbolic—a rejection of a life lived for others, and the first step toward self-actualization. The motif recurs throughout the novel, as characters are forced to confront what they're running from and what they're running toward.

Found Family and Domestic Rituals

The heart of the story is the makeshift family formed by Vivi, Trey, and Adeline. Domestic rituals—making hot cocoa, braiding hair, movie nights—become acts of healing and belonging. The contrast between the cold, transactional world of boardrooms and the warmth of home underscores the novel's central theme: that true happiness is found in authenticity and connection, not in status or wealth.

Lists and Symbols

The running lists on the fridge—reasons to marry Jameson versus reasons to stay with Trey—serve as a tangible representation of Vivi's internal conflict. The act of adding, erasing, and rewriting becomes a way of processing emotion and charting growth. Other symbols, like the engagement ring, the Range Rover, and John's dog tags, carry layered meanings, representing both the burdens of the past and the promises of the future.

Dual Timelines and Perspective Shifts

The narrative alternates between Vivi and Trey, allowing readers to experience both the external events and the internal emotional landscapes of the protagonists. This structure deepens the psychological realism, highlighting the ways in which miscommunication, trauma, and longing shape their choices.

Foreshadowing and Parallelism

The novel is rich with foreshadowing—Vivi's initial escape in the rain is mirrored by Adeline's later disappearance, both acts of running toward safety and love. The parallel arcs of Vivi and Jameson, both seeking freedom from family expectations, reinforce the theme that true happiness requires courage and self-knowledge.

Analysis

Bottle Rocket is a modern romance that deftly interrogates the tension between duty and desire, legacy and authenticity, and the meaning of family in a world obsessed with optics and power. Through the lens of Vivi's runaway bride act and the subsequent unraveling of her carefully constructed life, Kenna King explores the cost of living for others and the courage required to claim one's own happiness. The novel's emotional core is the found family formed by Vivi, Trey, and Adeline—a trio bound not by blood, but by choice, healing, and unconditional love. The use of domestic rituals, lists, and symbols grounds the story in the everyday, making the stakes feel both intimate and universal. The alternating perspectives allow for a nuanced exploration of trauma, vulnerability, and the slow work of building trust. Ultimately, Bottle Rocket is a celebration of second chances, the power of letting go, and the radical act of choosing love over fear. In a world that rewards performance and punishes authenticity, King's message is clear: happiness is not found in boardrooms or arranged marriages, but in the messy, beautiful work of building a life—and a family—on your own terms.

Last updated: January 5, 2026