Review: Code Name Sapphire

Why, yes, I am here with another review of another historical fiction novel set during World War II! I’ve been chasing the high Pam Jenoff gave me with The Lost Girls of Paris since I read it back in 2019 (review here). I was hopeful Code Name Sapphire, which was published back in February, would live up to my high expectations but I was just a wee bit let down. I definitely enjoyed the read but it won’t be one I remember for a long time.

Here’s the book’s description:

1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.
Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Mateo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves?

I really enjoyed reading about another resistance network during World War II. One would think I would get tired of it but that hasn’t happened yet! I’m here for the abundance of WWII novels but I’m also here for the ones that give me something a little unexpected. Did this book give me something unexpected? I’m not totally sure. I think I liked having a viewpoint from a city other than London or Paris. I don’t forget, exactly, that other countries would have been involved in the war. I am well aware that “world” is in the descriptor for this particular war. But so much of the media I tend to consume (books, movies, TV) focuses on a small portion of the affected countries so areas like Brussels and what those residents had to deal with aren’t top of mind. It’s a sobering reminder that there weren’t many countries that escaped unscathed from WWII.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: not all historical novels with more than one point of view are created equal. Some have multiple characters who all add their own important piece to the overall narrative. And some…well, some feel like there’s not enough story for one character to stand on their own so a second (or third) character is created and their story is mashed in wherever it can fit. Sometimes that can work. I didn’t really find that it did with Jenoff’s latest novel, which was disappointing. Hannah’s storyline was the strongest but Micheline’s was the more intriguing one. Lily’s POV served to show how easy it would have been for the average citizen to bury their head in the sand during the war and not realize (or want to realize) what was happening all around them. It’s frustrating to read but partially because who can say for sure what they would do in that kind of situation? As I said, Micheline’s storyline was the one I was a little bit more interested in but there wasn’t as much to her POV as I would have liked. Perhaps it’s because there’s not as much research on women resistance leaders, particularly in Belgium, and Jenoff didn’t want to take too many liberties with historical fact? Even though I didn’t love the tri-POV, I can see what Jenoff was trying to do and I do think I got a slightly better grasp on what it would have been like for many different women in Brussels during the war.

Sure, I wanted to like Code Name Sapphire more than I did but I still think Pam Jenoff has written an interesting historical fiction tale. The true stories that inspired her are fascinating and make me want to read and watch more about it. I still consider that a win for a historical novel!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HTP/HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: For Twice in My Life

Does anyone else have a sort of rule for the authors you read who were good but not great? Do you always give them one more chance? Are you more likely to give them a chance if they’re, say, Canadian like you, or if the description sounds just too good to pass up? I didn’t love Annette Christie’s The Rehearsals (review here) but I enjoyed it enough so when I had the chance to review For Twice in My Life, I thought, sure! Why not? Ultimately it was another just ok book but it kept me interested enough to feel good about seeing it through to the end.

Here’s the book’s description:

Can one little lie lead to a big second chance?
Layla's chaotic life transformed when she met Ian Barnett. Ambitious, committed, and thoughtful, Ian has been everything she'd dreamed of, and she knows he'd say the same of her. So when he breaks up with her out of the blue, Layla is stunned. What went wrong?
But then, Layla gets a call from the local hospital. Ian's had a biking accident. He's okay, but he needs someone--his someone--to get him home safely. As it becomes clear Ian doesn't remember he ended things, it also becomes clear that the accident has given him a new outlook on life . . . and Layla a second chance to get things right.
That is, until Ian's younger brother comes to town. Matt is restless, unpredictable, and threatens to upset the careful balance Layla and Ian have rebuilt. As things get more complicated both at home and at work, Layla realizes she might lose her chance at real love--and real happiness--if she doesn't come clean about the stories she's been telling: to Ian, to Matt, to her family, and most importantly, to herself.

I’m not particularly drawn to amnesia plots and I really don’t like when the reader knows that the main character is lying to the other so this novel and I got off on the wrong foot. It had to work hard for me to get over how Layla was behaving and I was able to sort of-kind of get past it. Mostly because I felt that Ian hadn’t had a good reason for breaking up with her and I felt Layla deserved an answer. I wasn’t sure if she (or I, for that matter) was going to get that answer but I was willing to put in the work to find out.

The tension between Layla and Matt (and Ian) was…intense. There was a ton of angst and anger between them and it was hard to figure out why. Matt and Ian didn’t have a great relationship so Layla wasn’t open to seeing Matt in the best light, which, honestly, was kind of annoying. She should have given him a fairer chance to be a friend and a brother. And then she shouldn’t have fought the attraction the two of them had so hard. I get that that’s incredibly awkward but let’s perhaps take a look at your life and realize where you’re happiest and with whom, shall we?

I didn’t love compulsive shopping as a coping mechanism with Confessions of a Shopaholic and I didn’t like it with Layla, especially when right off the bat there’s a hint that she had some serious financial troubles. That storyline felt like it took forever to fully be revealed and I just didn’t buy how self-sabotaging Layla was being. Her mom finally sets her right at the end of the book but my heart was kind of breaking that Layla constantly felt like she was a screw up and that she had to change herself to fit into the world around her. Sure, we all battle with confidence sometimes, some people more than others, but it was hard to read about someone who just clearly couldn't see that she has far more worth than she thinks.

Annette Christie writes really emotional stories full of characters who aren’t perfect. For Twice in My Life, the characters were real and, quite honestly, a bit of a mess, but their emotions (and boy, were there a lot of emotions) were so strong and that really came through the pages. I wanted to really like this one and am bummed that I found it only ok but I’ll keep an eye on what Christie writes next. Maybe I’ll have to give her just one more chance.

*An egalley and a finished copy of this novel were provided by the Canadian distributor, HBG Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Lost English Girl

I’ve been reading Julia Kelly’s books since 2020 and I always eagerly await her latest release. This year she gave us The Lost English Girl, which was published back in March of this year. I know I’m going to get a well-researched and well-told story from Kelly and while this new one didn’t quite live up to my high expectations, I enjoyed it and was very invested in the characters and their lives as they tried to make it through World War II with as little hurt - emotional or physical - as possible.

Here’s the book’s description:

Liverpool, 1935: Raised in a strict Catholic family, Viv Byrne knows what’s expected of her: marry a Catholic man from her working-class neighborhood and have his children. However, when she finds herself pregnant after a fling with Joshua Levinson, a Jewish man with dreams of becoming a famous Jazz musician, Viv knows that a swift wedding is the only answer. Her only solace is that marrying Joshua will mean escaping her strict mother’s scrutiny. But when Joshua makes a life-changing choice on their wedding day, Viv is forced once again into the arms of her disapproving family.
Five years later and on the eve of World War II, Viv is faced with the impossible choice to evacuate her young daughter, Maggie, to the countryside estate of the affluent Thompson family. In New York City, Joshua gives up his failing musical career to serve in the Royal Air Force, fight for his country, and try to piece together his feelings about the family, wife, and daughter he left behind at nineteen. However, tragedy strikes when Viv learns that the countryside safe haven she sent her daughter to wasn’t immune from the horrors of war. It is only years later, with Joshua’s help, that Viv learns the secrets of their shared past and what it will take to put a family back together again.

Kelly’s latest few books aren’t for readers who want fast, action-packed historical fiction. Her books are quieter and focus on more of the day to day impact of historical events, in the case of The Lost English Girl it was World War II, instead of the flashy, big moments we all know about. I personally don’t mind that at all but I know some readers expect a faster paced historical fiction and I’d advise them to try other authors instead of Kelly.

Viv’s family drove me up the freaking wall. I cannot stand any story where the female main character is completely controlled by their family. It gets really hard when there’s a time or cultural difference and I try to keep my expectations in check but, oof, I struggled with this one. I hate that women had no powers, that they had to report to their father and then their husband, and that women like Viv, who found themselves unexpectedly pregnant, were shamed (hell, some women are still shamed nowadays). It enrages me, quite honestly. So, it’s no surprise I was totally rooting for Viv as she tried to make a life for herself and her daughter that didn’t include her parents. I desperately wanted her to succeed.

I had a feeling that this book was going to rip my heart out and it most definitely did. But I wasn’t as sure that Kelly would put it back together again. Eventually my assumption was proved correct and the characters had to work hard in the post-war chaos to put their family back to rights. (Is that vague? Good. I was trying to be. Read the book to see what I’m alluding to!)

The Lost English Girl isn’t just a book about how World War II affected the people of Liverpool. It’s about families - made and found - and motherhood. There’s pain and loss, of course, it’s a book set during war, but there’s hope, too. Julia Kelly has written another interesting and emotional novel and I’m already looking forward to what she writes next.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Late Mrs. Willoughby

Claudia Gray’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham was one of my absolute favourite books of 2022 (review here). All of Jane Austen’s characters together at a house party and a murder has to be solved? Oh, I was in. All in! I wasn’t sure how the second book in Gray’s series would be like but I’m thrilled to report that I absolutely adored The Late Mrs. Willoughby.

Here’s the book’s description:

Catherine and Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey are not entirely pleased to be sending their eligible young daughter Juliet out into the world again: the last house party she attended, at the home of the Knightleys, involved a murder—which Juliet helped solve. Particularly concerning is that she intends to visit her new friend Marianne Brandon, who's returned home to Devonshire shrouded in fresh scandal—made more potent by the news that her former suitor, the rakish Mr. Willoughby, intends to take up residence at his local estate with his new bride.
Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley are thrilled that their eldest son, Jonathan—who, like his father, has not always been the most socially adept—has been invited to stay with his former schoolmate, John Willoughby. Jonathan himself is decidedly less taken with the notion of having to spend extended time under the roof of his old bully, but that all changes when he finds himself reunited with his fellow amateur sleuth, the radiant Miss Tilney. And when shortly thereafter, Willoughby's new wife—whom he married for her fortune—dies horribly at the party meant to welcome her to town.
With rumors flying and Marianne—known to be both unstable and previously jilted by the dead woman's newly made widower—under increased suspicion, Jonathan and Juliet must team up once more to uncover the murderer. But as they collect clues and close in on suspects, eerie incidents suggest that the killer may strike again, and that the pair are in far graver danger than they or their families could imagine.

Normally I get kind of annoyed by amateur sleuths. There may be problems with police all over the place but they’re the ones who should, technically be investigating crimes. That’s probably why I don’t read a whole lot of cozy mysteries anymore - those “detectives” just get in the way of the professionals and I’m always worried about the consequences of their meddling. For some reason, though, that didn’t bother me with this book. Perhaps because it’s historical and today’s rigorous rules and laws don’t apply. I wasn’t as worried that Jonathan and Juliet were going to completely screw up the case. In fact, I had more faith in them than the local constabulary!

At times it seems like Gray was trying too hard to sound like Jane Austen and it came across as if someone had time travelled and was attempting to speak like the characters they’ve watched in movies. But it was a very minimal annoyance. I only mention it because I did notice it and think others would appreciate the heads up that the historical language may not be up to their standards.

Speaking of Austen, there weren’t as many of her characters in this novel, which was probably wise. There was no logical way for Gray to get them all together again so I was happy with how she managed to bring some characters together again. Austenites will appreciate hanging out with the whole crew from Sense and Sensibility but non-Austen readers shouldn’t be put off by reading about characters they’ve never met before.

Back to the mystery - I really wasn’t sure who the murderer was going to be and I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped when they were revealed. Gray had a number of red herrings that I totally fell for and I kind of appreciate that. I’m often more annoyed than proud of myself when I can see how a murder investigation is going to be solved. I like being led down winding paths of confusion so I’m shocked at the end when all is revealed!

I loved The Late Mrs. Willoughby and I already cannot wait for the next book in this series from Claudia Gray. Her mysteries are clever and I love being able to spend time with Jane Austen’s characters as Gray imagines them. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Jonathan and Juliet end up at Pemberley together next!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Review: After Anne

There's not much worse for a reader than picking up a book you end up not liking. I’ve gotten way better over the years of not finishing books that aren’t thrilling me and actually DNF-ed one the same week I was reading After Anne. Perhaps that’s part of why I kept reading Logan Steiner’s book. To put down two books in a row? Ugh, no fun. The other part was I just kept hoping the book would get better. And, I admit, I wanted to see how Steiner would end the novel. All in all - I should not have let my love of Anne of Green Gables and Lucy Maud Montgomery blind me and I shouldn’t have read this book.

Here’s the description:

As a young woman, Maud had dreams bigger than the whole of Prince Edward Island. Her exuberant spirit had always drawn frowns from her grandmother and their neighbors, but she knew she was meant to create, to capture and share the way she saw the world. And the young girl in Maud’s mind became more and more persistent: Here is my story, she said. Here is how my name should be spelled—Anne with an “e.”
But the day Maud writes the first lines of Anne of Green Gables, she gets a visit from the handsome new minister in town, and soon faces a decision: forge her own path as a spinster authoress, or live as a rural minister’s wife, an existence she once likened to “a respectable form of slavery.” The choice she makes alters the course of her life.
With a husband whose religious mania threatens their health and happiness at every turn, the secret darkness that Maud herself holds inside threatens to break through the persona she shows to the world, driving an ever-widening wedge between her public face and private self, and putting her on a path towards a heartbreaking end.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that I love Anne of Green Gables. It’s kind of cliche for a Canadian reader to adore the series but adore it I do. When I was asked to review a fictionalized story about the author and it was compared to Jennifer Robson's novels, well, how was a girl to say no? First of all, Steiner does not even come close to Robson. Second, I think this book was just too fictionalized. I know I wasn’t reading a real biography but something rubbed me very much the wrong way when I learned a large chunk of the book (which seemed to be pulled from/inspired by real journal entries from Maud) was totally and completely made up.

I’ve tried to really think about why I was uncomfortable with the way Steiner approached Maud’s life. There was a tiny part of me that didn’t love that it was an American author taking on a Canadian legend. I figured that was a little bit…ridiculous, not to mention unfair, so I worked to set that aside. But I really didn’t like how she opened the novel - with Maud’s son being called to her house after her death and him realizing it was very likely a suicide. Now, I knew that Maud had had her challenges with her own mental health, as did her husband. But I didn’t know her granddaughter had stated in 2008 that Maud had died by suicide. Though that's still up for some debate - no autopsy was performed and other family members seem to think it could have been an accident. Was I just assuming that this book would be as light and lovely as most of Maud’s own books were? Probably. Was I opposed to having a less than ideal truth be exposed about one of my favourite authors? No, not necessarily. I really do appreciate the honesty as we, as a society, need to be less focused on putting on a sunshine and rainbows front when in public. I’m glad to have learned more but I’ve already gone looking for more accurate resources than this novel because I don’t trust the fictionalized version. I must admit that maybe I was a little sad to have to read that Maud was driven to end her own life - I don’t wish that upon anyone, and especially not the creator of one of the most beloved heroines in literature.

The subject matter should have been a win for me and, as I’ve tried to outline above, it was not. So how about the writing? Well. That wasn’t great either. The novel takes place over a number of years and Steiner did not write in a linear manner. I actually have no idea how many time periods were mentioned and I did not enjoy all the time jumping. It was far too confusing and not done well.

Another reviewer on Goodreads mentioned that one should just read Maud’s own journals instead of this novel and I would have to agree. I think Logan Steiner’s heart was in the right place - at least I hope it was - but After Anne was a major miss for me. Hopefully her next novel is better but I’m not sure if I’ll be picking it up.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Review: The Fiancée Farce

I fell in love with Alexandria Bellefleur and her writing when I first read her novel Written in the Stars (review) back in 2020. I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, The Fiancée Farce, and I think it might be my new favourite of hers (or at the very least tied with Hang the Moon! (review)). I loved everything about it!

Here’s the book’s description:

Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They’ll never actually meet, so what’s the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes.
Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement.
Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather’s will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it’s a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout…

Fake dating (or fake engagement) tropes are, well, kind of ridiculous. How anyone ever expects them to work is beyond me but, damn, if I don’t love reading them. Stakes are high (would you agree to fake date someone if they weren’t?) and the tension is delicious. When will they realize they’re actually into each other? Will they have to come clean about it being a fake arrangement? Oh, the suspense!

Tansy and Gemma were absolute delights to read about. Each woman has their own chapters and I really enjoyed having a dual POV. Bellefleur’s done dual POV in all the other books of hers I’ve read and it really adds something special to the story because she does it so well. Both women are far more nuanced than you’d first expect and I love how the reader learns more and more about them as the story unfolds.

I had all the feelings while reading this one. There were swoony moments and there were steamy moments all balanced in an absolutely magical way. It wasn’t just the romance-y or lust-y feelings that came through the pages either. Neither woman has an ideal family life - found family is big in this book - and there were a few heartbreaking moments in this story as well. Knowing Tansy and Gemma had each other to lean on was so important - and so wonderful.

Plus, how great is it when one of the main characters runs a bookstore? I love bookish touches like that in novels and I know I’m not the only one. And the additional nod to romances with Gemma’s past as a romance novel cover model was too much fun. It made for a GREAT meet cute!

It’s always really hard to review a book I adored and The Fiancée Farce is no different. I loved Alexandria Bellefleur’s latest novel and I think all romance readers need to pick this one up. It’s funny, smart, sexy, and so well written. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book from Bellefleur!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Avon, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Pebble and Dove

Pebble & Dove, the latest novel from Amy Jones is, in a word, delightful. It’s an emotional family drama but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Pebble, referenced in the title, is a manatee, after all. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book and was a little sad when I finished and had to say goodbye to all the characters I had come to know over the course of the novel.

Here’s the book’s description:

This is the story of a family falling apart, only to be brought back together again by an unlikely champion--a 1,000-pound aquatic mammal named Pebble.
Lauren's life is a mess. She has a storage unit full of candles she can't sell, a growing mountain of debt, and a teenage daughter, Dove, who barely speaks to her. Then her husband sends her a text that changes everything. Eager to escape her problems, she drives herself and Dove south to her late mother's rundown trailer in Florida. While keeping her eccentric new neighbours at Swaying Palms at bay, Lauren begins to untangle the truth about her estranged mother. How did world-famous portrait photographer Imogen Starr end up at Swaying Palms? And what happened to her fortune and her photographs?
Meanwhile, Dove has secrets of her own. A mysterious photograph leads her to discover the abandoned Flamingo Key Aquarium and Tackle, where she meets Pebble, the world's oldest manatee in captivity. It is Pebble, a former star attraction, and her devoted caretaker, Ray, who will hold the key to helping Lauren and Dove come to terms with Imogen's unexpected legacy.
Darkly funny and sharply observed, Pebble & Dove is a moving novel about the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters, and learning how to choose between what's worth saving and what needs to be let go.

The premise for this book is, quite frankly, ridiculous. There’s a once famous manatee that everyone (but Ray) has forgotten about. Imogen has died and no one is dealing with it well - if they even knew about it. There are secrets upon secrets that shouldn’t be secrets but no one in this family understands how to speak to each other and feelings have been hurt a hundred times over throughout the years. But it all works, which shows how talented Jones is. She can take a concept that is bananas and turn it into something that is funny, emotional, and heartwarming all at once.

Lauren caused a few problems for me. But in such a way that, when I really thought about it, I realized that, no, she’s not actually problematic. She’s deeply human. We just don’t often read about these kinds of characters. There’s nothing really wrong with her - she’s just trying to make the best out of the life she feels has been thrust upon her. She felt that her mother didn’t love her so she overcompensated in her own life - while still never having the important conversations she should have had with her mother or her daughter. It takes a lot to realize when you’re really not OK and I was really, really glad with how the book ended up for Lauren. Things are still broken but you can see the path out of it. Jones doesn’t wrap everything up in a neat little bow (what kind of life is that?) but she leaves the reader with hope.

Dove was my favourite character in this story. I hurt when she hurt and I was so mad that her parents were so wrapped up in their own stuff that they couldn’t see what was going on with her. She’s 14 - she’s dealing with a lot and she’s no longer a kid but she’s not an adult either. She still needs more guidance and obvious love (even if she rolls her eyes at it) and she just wasn’t getting it - even though her parents truly do love her to pieces. She has such a huge heart and she’s a smart kid and I was left with the overwhelming feeling that she was going to do some amazing things in her life. I loved that feeling.

The story is told from multiple perspectives with some time lapses. Lauren and Dove are the main narrators and their present day stories move the plot along. Ray is telling his wife a story of his work at the aquarium and with Pebble. And there are a few chapters from Imogen’s perspective that help connect some of the dots Lauren and Dove are finding during their stay (escape) in Florida. It may sound confusing but Jones manages it wonderfully and each section plays an important role in the overall story.

Pebble & Dove is a beautiful and wonderful story that’s funny in all the right spots (and even some wrong ones but that’s what makes it right). I’m reminded every time I read one of Amy Jones’ novels (this is the third of hers I’ve read and I think it’s my favourite) how talented she is. You should definitely pick up a copy of Pebble & Dove as soon as you can!

*A finished copy of this novel was provided by Penguin Canada as part of their Penguin Reads program in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Wedding of the Season

I absolutely LOVED Lauren Edmondson’s debut novel Ladies of the House when I read it back in 2021 (review here). So, I had high hopes for her sophomore novel, Wedding of the Season. It didn’t quite live up to her first novel but it was still a really engaging read full of family drama and well-rounded characters.

Here’s the book’s description:

It's the wedding of the season and all of Newport is abuzz in this funny, joyous, whip-smart novel about two modern-day society families and the summer wedding that has the whole town talking...
Despite its beauty, Newport is a place Cass Coventry would prefer to forget. But after an extended absence, she’s back in her hometown to celebrate her sister’s engagement—even if she’s marrying into the family that famously stole the Gilded Age Coventry mansion out from under them a decade ago.
The moment Cass pulls up to the estate, she’s in for one surprise after another. The bride-to-be is hiding a big secret. Her mother has royal-wedding aspirations. And, when the date is set for only three months away, a local gossip blog makes the two families its new favorite subject.
It's not long before Cass's weekend in town becomes a full summer of frenzied wedding planning and society drama—but also idyllic sails, starry nights, and a former love. As the grand affair arrives, along with new truths about her family, Cass must finally face her own thorny past in Newport and decide how to honor the Coventry legacy in all its chaotic glory.

Wedding of the Season felt like a very gossip-y book - in a good way. Maybe that was because there was an anonymous gossip blogger writing about all the drama that was unfolding. But it was really quite delightful to sit by and read as Cass’ family’s secrets were revealed to the entire town. Who are also sitting by, absolutely delighted at the (further) fall from grace, and quite content to talk about the Coventry's behind their backs. And sometimes right in front of them. Scandalous!

I really liked Cass. She was flawed in a way that it would have been so easy to get frustrated with her and not care about her story but Edmondson made me care. She was a good person who had made some silly choices (ugh so silly) but it was nothing she couldn’t come back from. She was talented and cared about her family, as much as they infuriated her. She had layers which made her a really enjoyable main character to read.

I don’t know if it was because of Edmondson’s previous novel, which was a modernization of Sense and Sensibility, but I was totally getting Pride and Prejudice vibes from this one. Cass was a lot like Elizabeth, and her sister played the role of Jane, who is marrying the rich neighbour (“Netherfield Park is let at last!”). There’s a lot of pride and a hefty dose of prejudice throughout the book. Cass is convinced that her family is an embarrassment and she caused some of that embarrassment many years ago, which had her staying away from town for far too long. She was too self-absorbed to realize the pain she was causing and I found myself desperately hoping that she would figure it out and work to repair all the relationships she had been damaging by refusing to come home.

The setting of this book makes it a really enjoyable book to read in the summer. I really felt like I was in Newport, somewhere I’ve never been in my life. But I could really get a sense of the town and how it would have felt to grow up there, thanks to Edmondson’s writing.

Wedding of the Season may not have blown me away but I still very much enjoyed the time I spent reading Lauren Edmondson’s newest book. I’m really looking forward to reading whatever she comes out with next!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins/HTP Books, via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.*