Up To I Do Release Day

Happy release day to one of my favourite authors! Today is the day Samantha March's FOURTH book, Up To I Do, is published! Yay!

I had the opportunity to beta-read this one a few months ago and it's so exciting that it's finally out in the world! 

Here's the synopsis of this new book:

Emerson Sinclair, twenty-seven year old hotel heiress, has said yes. With just over a year to plan her extravagant, over the top nuptials to Logan Worthington, it’s all hands on deck with the wedding plans. A Sinclair marrying into the Worthington family is the talk of their small New Hampshire town, and ideas include filming the wedding for a TV segment. But as the items get checked off the list, plans start to go ... not as planned. From not getting a designer dress to a selfish bridesmaid and unaccountable best man, Emerson is afraid her wedding will be more a joke than anything.
When both her mother and sister seemingly begin to lose interest in her wedding plans in favor of their own personal lives, Emerson fears her big day will turn into the forgotten wedding. With the pressure to pull off a beautiful and elegant event that everyone expects from their respectable families, Emerson starts to forget the reason why she is saying I Do in the first place.

Doesn't it sound like fun? This is the first time March has written a chick lit book (her others are more women's fiction) and I think she does a pretty damn good job. (I'll have a review up soon once I have the chance to go through the final copy.)

A promo isn't a promo without a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Please note that I'm not entirely sure if the giveaway is international. Canada doesn't even have half the stores! Due to a family emergency, Samantha wasn't immediately available for me to doublecheck. For my Canadian friends, enter away and we'll work something out if you win!)

Interested in getting the book? (You should be.)
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
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And don't forget to add it to your Goodreads list!

About the Author

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all-around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up-to-date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and beauty related. In 2011, she launched her independent publishing company, Marching Ink, and has four published novels—Destined to Fail, The Green Ticket, A Questionable Friendship, and Up To I Do. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Samantha lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla puppy.

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Review: The Marrying Type

There was a moment after finishing my event management post-grad program that I considered getting into wedding planning. It was a brief moment. I realized I just wasn't cut out for dealing with the brides nor did I want to give up every summer weekend. But that doesn't mean I'm not still interested in the whole wedding thing. So, when Laura Chapman asked if I would review her latest novel, The Marrying Type, I jumped at the chance to see what one of my favourite authors would do with the popular wedding planner story.

Here's the synopsis:

Always the wedding planner, never a bride, Elliot Lynch is famous for orchestrating the splashiest weddings in Charleston, South Carolina. When her father’s sloppy management practices leave them on the brink of bankruptcy, Elliot will do whatever it takes to save the family business. When asked to appear on “The Marrying Type,” a reality TV show about the people behind the scenes as couples exchange I dos, she says yes to the invasion of privacy (and the hefty paycheck that comes with it).
With a camera crew capturing every detail of her life, Elliot faces her most challenging contract yet: planning a wedding where her ex is involved in every part of the process. Add in a lazy assistant, liquor-loving bridesmaid, and rival planner encroaching on her turf, and Elliot’s wedding season goes from high-end to high-stress.
Forced to confront her past, Elliot must live out her troubled present on national TV if she has any hope of saving her future.

There is so much going on in this book but that is what makes it so good. Chapman expertly weaves together every storyline and everything flows and fits together perfectly. Yes, there is a drunk, out of control bridesmaid and a reality TV show and family drama and an ex who is back in town BUT The Marrying Type would not be the amazing novel that it is if any one of those elements had been left out. It's wedding season in the south. Of course it's crazy! :)

I loved Elliot. She's one of those characters who is just flawed enough at the beginning of the story that she's not annoying and you know she's going to get herself on the right path by the end. It's not that she was imperfect, exactly, it's just that she was totally realistic. She had her issues and hang ups like anyone else does and that was refreshing. I really enjoyed reading about her life and I was rooting for her throughout the entire novel.

I can't finish this review without mentioning the romance in this novel. Even though I knew Elliot's ex, Eric, would be showing up (thanks to the synopsis) I had no idea how or when he would arrive back in Elliot's life. I was constantly surprised by what happened in their relationship and I loved that. They had some major obstacles to overcome but I really wanted a Happily Ever After for the two of them because they just seemed so perfect together!

Fun fact: The Marrying Type is a bit of a modern take on Jane Austen's Persuasion. I absolutely loved that. It's a bit of a subtle homage but Chapman does an amazing job of updating the classic story while still making this novel all her own. And if you haven't read Persuasion yet, get on it. *makes note to reread the novel as soon as possible.*

I loved loved loved The Marrying Type. I actually read it while on vacation on a cruise ship and I hate that I couldn't tweet or message Laura to tell her how much I was loving it! It's such a great story about a twentysomething wedding planner trying to figure out her career and solve all her family's problems. Bonus, there's an amazingly sweet love story too! So far I've loved everything Laura Chapman has written and I absolutely cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All reviews are honest and my own.*

Review: Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched

I read Kim Barnouin's first novel, Skinny Bitch in Love, last summer and absolutely adored it. I was thrilled when I learned there was going to be a second book in the series. I finally got around to reading Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched last week (well after the publication date of  May 6) and I loved it. I think I liked the first one more but this second installment was really enjoyable.

Here's the synopsis:

For the second time in just a few short months, Clementine Cooper's professional reputation hinges on one restaurant review. Clementine's No Crap Cafe is poised to score the Holy Grail of publicity - a mention in the New York Times Sunday travel section - if Clem's veggietastic lasagna can bowl over the food critic.
Clem has no time for distractions. Or surprises. But when her meat-eating millionaire boyfriend Zach Jeffries shocks her with a sweet and romantic marriage proposal, of course she says yes! Now she has to plan the most important menu of her life while fending off her domineering future mother-in-law's extravagant plans for the wedding.
As if there wasn't enough on her plate, Clem decides to open a second restaurant on her parents' farm,Clem's No Crap Outpost, against Zach's advice. Just when she needs his support the most, Zach grows distant. The only person who really seems to understand is Clem's friend and biggest competition, the cute vegan chef Alexander Orr. Putting out fires in the kitchen is easy, but in her relationship? Suddenly, her time with Alexander feels...hotter...than usual, and Clem starts to wonder if the charming carnivore she's engaged to is really the man she should spend her life with.

One of my problems with this book was that it seemed like Simon & Schuster really rushed it to publication. On the minor end: there was one word that were only half italicized (perhaps because there was emphasis on the one part but why have the whole word be italicized in every other mention of it?) and another that had missed the first letter being italicized. There were other, more troublesome, issues, too. There seemed to be quite a bit of repetition. I expect there to be some information given in the second book of a series that I already know because I read the first book. But what I don't expect, or want, is that information told to me again...and again. There was something to do with Alexander (silly me didn't note the page number) that was mentioned at least twice throughout the novel in almost the exact same way. Finally, I had a really hard time following the time line of this novel. Sometimes it was very clear when weeks went by but other times (especially for the epilogue), I had zero idea when it was taking place. I think that contributed to the rushed feeling I had. Those are some specific(ish) examples but, as a whole, I felt the story to be a bit rough and I think the author and editor(s) needed to spend more time on it.

Enough negativity! I really did like this book. I liked it because it's full of a great cast of characters. Clem, our heroine, isn't going to be for everyone. Not just because of her personality (she can be stubborn and mouthy) but because of her age, which, I suppose, plays a large part in her personality. She's, I think, 25 and I know some people might find that they can't relate to her (just like I can't really relate to the mom characters I read). I like that her BFF, Sara, was still very involved in her life. As much as I wanted to strangle Dominique, Zach's mother, I liked that she was a good match for Clem. They're a similar type of woman, strong and used to getting what she wants, and I'm happy with how their relationship ended up. I adored Keira, Zach's step-sister. She was around 19 or so, and had a great personality and was just so much fun to read about. I'm also glad Alexander was around a little bit in this book (even if I'm not totally sure it was necessary) as I have a bit of a soft spot for him! Oh, and I loved Aunt Jocelyn just as much as Clem did. She was the older, wiser, confidante Clem needed and she had a fabulous personality.

I liked the behind the scenes look at the restaurant industry in this book. It was fun to read about Clem working in and running her restaurant's kitchen (though, my god, do I hate the name Clementine's No Crap Cafe). I suppose I liked it, in part, because I always enjoy reading about jobs and such that I have no experience with. I hate cooking. I can make enough so I don't die but I just don't enjoy it (though I will happily make a cake or muffins) so reading about a bunch of characters who live to make food for themselves and others was neat.

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched was a really fun, perfect for summer, chick lit novel. Kim Barnouin has written a great second novel in her series that was enjoyable, even if I liked the first one more. If you like food, weddings, and chick lit, check this one out!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Top Ten Tuesday: Here Comes the Bride

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday has us listing our favourite books with a certain setting. My first thought was to do a geographical location and pick Canada but then I realized I could have a little more fun and make my list more abstract. I decided to list ten of my favourite books that feature weddings! It is wedding season, after all. (Seriously...is everyone else's Facebook timeline exploding with wedding pictures and engagement announcements right now? Or is it just me because I'm 26 and at the age where everyone is getting married?). Anywho. I picked these ten books because I've read them (there are obviously many others out there). I've reviewed almost all of them so the links lead to my reviews. Did I miss any of your favourites?

Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating this week!

Bride Quartet - Nora Roberts
This is probably my favourite all about weddings book. I loved loved loved this series. It was sweet and fun and I loved reading about the four friends that planned weddings. And the covers are gorgeous, too!

Wedding Season - Katie Fforde
I adored this book that features a wedding planner.

Nearlyweds - Beth Kendrick
I loved this book about three couples that weren't technically married. Talk about a paperwork screw up!

Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger - Beth Harbison
This is another one where the main character doesn't actually get married but she does work in a wedding dress shop and designs and creates dresses. And she does attend a wedding at the end.

When Girlfriends Chase Dreams - Savannah Page
I love the When Girlfriends... series and I liked reading about Claire and was happy she was finally getting married.

Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan
Anyone who knows this book is probably wondering why I put it on the list. The wedding isn't really the main point of the story but it is the reason Nick brings his girlfriend Rachel to Singapore. Plus the wedding (and bachelor/bachelorette parties) are so ridiculously extravagant that it's so much fun to read about. Amazing novel.

Arranged - Catherine McKenzie
One of my favourite books ever, Arranged takes a different look at a wedding as the main character ends up using an arranged marriage service. This is a fabulous novel that I highly recommend.

All At Sea - Heather Wardell
In this novel, the main characters are to marry on a cruise ship after only a few months of dating. But what happens when the bride to be has already dated the groom's brothers?

Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella
Imagine getting married and then having anything and everything go wrong so you can't enjoy your wedding night to the full extent? I'm sure that would be quite frustrating. This novel is classic Kinsella and so much funny ridiculousness ensues.

The Wedding Beat - Devan Sipher
I'm sure you're familiar with the movie 27 Dresses, yes? So you know the character played by James Marsden, The New York Times wedding beat reporter. Turns out he's based on a real guy - Devan Sipher. This novel is loosely based on his experiences and follows a wedding reporter on his various adventures.

CLP Blog Tour: When Girlfriends Chase Dreams

Today is my first stop on the CLP Blog Tour for When Girlfriends Chase Dreams by Savannah Page. I was so excited to take part in this tour because I loved the previous When Girlfriends... books that I had read (see my other reviews here and here) and looked forward to reading Claire's story. I ended up not loving this one quite as much as the others but it was still a really fun read.

Here's the synopsis:

Claire Linley is finally a bride! After nearly ten years with her college freshman sweetheart, Claire is going to become Mrs. Conner Whitley. She's got her bridal magazines, is the biggest Martha Stewart fan, and subscribes to all the major wedding blogs. She's been dreaming of this moment for years! How could planning her dream wedding be anything but perfect?
The easy-going and bubbly type, Claire will obviously have a blast planning, and with her fantastic group of girlfriends-made-bridesmaids she just can't go wrong. Whether it's wedding gown shopping, makeup trials, or cake-tasting, Claire's friends are there in a pinch.
But how big does the pinch get? All Claire wants to do is get married, but at every turn something seems to go awry and she's starting to lose it. How is a girl supposed to remain cool and collected when the pricey dream wedding planner isn't turning out to be so dreamy? When DIY projects and the perfect venue are going up in smoke? How is Claire supposed to marry Conner when the special day that's supposed to join them together, forever, is slowly tearing them apart?
This is the charming story about how sometimes the biggest events in life are defined by the smallest acts of kindness and love. It's a love story about dreaming large, loving deeply, and, in the end, truly having the happiest day of your life, no matter what happens (or doesn't). About what happens when girlfriends chase dreams.

I've probably said it before but I'll say it again...wedding stories make for great chick lit novels. There's so much going on and so many elements to a wedding, and planning for one, that can really make for an entertaining story. I was thrilled that Claire was finally getting married (she had been nagging her boyfriend for awhile) and wondered what sorts of things could happen in the planning process. Little did I realize that Claire was going to have one hell of a time trying to plan her wedding. I felt so sorry for the poor girl! I swear, everything that could have went wrong, did. Disagreements with her parents (who are paying for the wedding...lucky girl), DIY disasters (oh the hilarious imagery in a scene with her dog), constant fighting with the groom, dress issues, a car that's constantly having problems (not really a wedding issue but it was a problem that came up way too often), and a wedding planner who's more interested in looking flashy than actually doing any work. And therein lies my issue with the book. There were just too many things going wrong. I understand a few hiccups here and there but I think there were just too many issues Claire had to face that really took away from the story.

Claire herself was another little nuisance for me. I couldn't understand why she was putting so much stress on herself about certain things, especially when it came to all the crafts she just had to do for the wedding. Full disclosure: I've never planned a wedding so I don't know exactly what it's like but after reading this book I'm considering eloping when it's eventually my turn (and if my boyfriend is reading this: keep breathing and focus on the word eventually!). There were also times when she seemed to be completely clueless to the needs of Conner, her fiance, and nags at him instead of trying to find ways for him to be involved. She also constantly bothered Sophie, one of her girlfriends and also her maid of honour, about Chad, Conner's best man and friend to all the girls. The two had hooked up years ago and Claire just couldn't stop pestering Sophie about whether or not they were getting back together. I mean, I do think they eventually will once the series is concluded but to always bring it up to one of your best friends who clearly doesn't want to talk about it? Irritating. Claire really is a sweetheart though and I was rooting for her even when she was annoying me - a lot like how I feel about Sophie Kinsella's characters.

One of my favourite parts of this book actually didn't have much to do with Claire. I was so happy to read that Sophie was finally opening her own cafe. The scenes that took place in The Cup in the Cake helped me feel like I was really there. What also helped was the fact that all the design elements were detailed as the decisions were being made - paint colour, china patterns, seating, and so on. Now I really want to find a little cafe like this in my city!

I know it may seem like I wasn't overly thrilled with When Girlfriends Chase Dreams but I did like reading Claire's story and getting to know all the girls a little bit more. I'm excited that Savannah Page will be writing Emily's story next because her story could take us places other than Seattle. So much potential! If you're looking for a good and fun series about a group of fabulous girlfriends, make sure you check out book one (unlike me who unknowingly read book two first), When Girlfriends Break Hearts!

Check back on Thursday for a guest post from Savannah, and Friday for the Q&A I did with her.

Happy reading :)

CLP Blog Tour: Bouquet Toss

Welcome to my stop on the CLP Blog Tour for Melissa Brown's novel Bouquet Toss. I'm happy to kick off the tour with my review of this sweet and sad novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Ever since Daphne Harper graduated from college, all of her friends have fallen in love, become engaged and walked down the aisle. Be it a blessing or a curse, Daphne (a hopeless romantic and perpetual single girl) catches the bouquet at every single wedding she attends.
Daphne’s love life is a mess. Her first love, Mayson, haunts her heart and keeps her from pursuing happiness with any man who comes along. As she struggles to move on from the one who got away, Daphne wonders if she will ever break her curse and find her happily ever after.

I found that this novel was a lot heavier than I was expecting and I think that might be what I struggled with when it came to reading it. Daphne has to deal with a lot (way more than anyone should have to) and at times I felt like there was just too much going on. I understand what Brown was going for and I enjoyed the story but I think the storyline needed to be tied together just a little bit tighter.

That sounds really negative, doesn't it? I really did enjoy reading this book. In fact, I read it in virtually one sitting on New Year's Day! Daphne had some hilarious dates (it's a little sad that those kind of men really are out there!)  and she has wonderful friends (even if I wanted them to be a little more three dimensional). Minor spoiler but not really - I'm so glad Daphne got a happy ending. I don't think I would have been able to handle it if she hadn't! She deserved happiness and I'm happy she found it.

Overall, I liked Bouquet Toss but I didn't love it. I think others would probably really enjoy it. Melissa Brown has written a sequel, Champagne Toast, that I will probably pick up one of these days simply because I'd like to see what happens with some of the characters. Make sure you keep checking the main tour page to see what others have to say about this novel. And stay tuned for a guest post from Melissa herself coming up later in the week.

Happy reading :)

Just Finished: Something Borrowed, Something Blue

I tend to enjoy a good wedding story. I feel like they provide all the necessary tension for good chick lit/romance without needing to add ridiculous plot twists. Besides, reading about weddings is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than attending them! When I found out I was one of the winners from the Still Moments Publishing Halloween blog hop, I decided to choose one of their wedding anthologies for my prize. Something Borrowed, Something Blue stood out for me and it ended up being a very enjoyable read.

Here's what the four stories are about:

Always a Bride by Darlene Henderson
Alex has walked down the aisle a hundred times in as many wedding dresses, she is “Always a Bride” but somehow she's still single. When her high school sweetheart, Harvey shows up will Alex’s walk down the aisle finally end at an altar?

Sleepless in St. Lucia by Denise Moncrief
Elise Cameron thinks the hardest thing she’ll ever have to do is watch her best friend, Trish, marry the man of Elise’s dreams. When her high school crush, Ryan Morgan, shows up at Trish’s wedding to be the best man, Elise and Ryan have to confront some old misunderstandings to find their own happily ever after.

The Ring Toss by Liv Rancourt
A last minute switch lands Mack in a long white dress, but can she commit?

An Island Wedding by Tudor Robins
When Jessa’s best friend calls off her wedding at the last moment will it be a case of “nearly a bridesmaid, never a bride?” Or will Jessa manage to stop worrying about other people’s weddings long enough to land her own true love?

Each of the four stories had something that I really liked. I think my favourite was Always a Bride and the second chance that Alex and Harvey got. It was fun to read about Elise in Sleepless in St. Lucia as her idea about Ryan completely flipped around. The Ring Toss had an adorable twist in an unlikely situation. I loved reading about Jessa as she finally realized that what was in front of her was the best thing for her in An Island Wedding.

I do have to say that The Ring Toss was a wee bit confusing because it was hard to keep track of all the characters. They were being referred to as their actual names as well as the names of the characters they were playing in the play. See, I can't even explain the confusion without confusing you! :) It wasn't a huge deal but I do wish that story had been written just a little bit differently. It does win for the best twist of the four stories, though!

Short story anthologies are always tough to review since there's not a lot of content to review on and I don't want to inadvertently give something away. So. I'm not going to say too much more. I think Something Borrowed, Something Blue was a really sweet and entertaining read. Was it my favourite anthology? No, but I still enjoyed reading all of the stories. If you're looking for some cute wedding themed stories, pick this one up!

Happy reading :)

Just Finished: All At Sea

It should come to no surprise to regular readers of this blog that I love Heather Wardell and all of her novels.  I was more than happy to agree to review her latest, All At Sea. As usual, her novel didn't disappoint! I devoured this book in three sittings...er...well, two sittings and one gym workout! It was one of those books that I couldn't wait to finish but I also didn't want it to end. Hallmark of a good story!

Here's the synopsis:

Melissa and Owen met on New Years' Eve and he proposed on Valentine's Day. Now it's March, and they're about to set sail on a two-week Caribbean cruise - and get married on the last day at sea. Though their relationship's moving fast, Melissa's wanted to be married for years and she knows the smart stable Owen is a great catch so she's sure they'll be fine.

At least, she's sure until she meets his brothers on the cruise and discovers she's dated both of them: Austin, the fun-loving flirt whose kisses still haunt her dreams, and Nicholas, the sweet horror movie fan whose lack of ambition upset her in ways she still doesn't understand.

Melissa expected to spend tons of time onboard with her fiancé, but he instead spends nearly his every waking moment in the casino displaying a previously unseen love of gambling. This surprise, and the time she spends with Nicholas and with Austin, makes her question everything she thought she wanted.

Her relationship with Owen was just fine before, but suddenly 'just fine' doesn't seem good enough to keep a marriage alive for a lifetime. Melissa has two weeks to decide: stay with Owen or jump ship.

As per usual, Heather created some exceptional characters. I was so invested in Melissa's story and was so worried about how things would turn out. Would she go through with the wedding? Would she be true to herself? It actually felt like I was going through this right along with her. That is how emotionally involved I was.

I also loved her friends. Wendy and Mark were so funny and so cute together. Wendy knew just what to do for Melissa when she wasn't sure herself and knew she couldn't keep quiet when her best friend was in such turmoil. I also thought that Austin was hilarious. I'm realllly hoping Heather decides to write a book that features him sometime in the near future :) All of the supporting characters really added to my enjoyment of this novel.

What made this book a little more fun for me was being able to recall my own time on a cruise ship. My sister and I went on our very first cruise in February and had a great time. I thought about where the quiet pool was on our ship, as well as the casino (no, we didn't go in there), and the towel animals that were left in our room. I just found that it was nice to have a personal experience with a cruise to help me enjoy the story just a little bit more. Not that you can't enjoy it if you've never been on a cruise! It just heightened the fun of it for me :)

Side note: I love that Heather was able to get the words "polar bear" into a novel that takes place on a cruise ship. She makes sure to slip it in in every one of her books and I love finding it!

Read All At Sea...seriously. It's wonderful. If you really want to get hooked, go back to the beginning of Heather's Toronto Series and read Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo (bonus - you can get it for free for your ereader! Click that link to get it for your Kindle). Characters from one book pop up in another and you'll enjoy the novels more fully if you understand the backstories. Heather has ten novels released now and I've read six of them. I wish I had the time to cuddle up with the remaining four over the Thanksgiving weekend (which, by the way, is this weekend for myself and my fellow Canadian readers). If only life didn't get in the way of reading time... :)

Happy reading and happy Thanksgiving!

July Chick Lit Challenge Read #2: The Singles

I had heard lots of good things about The Singles by Meredith Goldstein and it had gone on my short list for books to purchase with a gift card I got for my birthday. Since there were about 5 others on that list and the gift card was not enough to cover two fully, let alone 5, I was very happy when I found this book at the library. I was even happier when I ended up really enjoying it!

Here's a short and sweet synopsis:

Beth “Bee” Evans’s first vow as a bride is that everyone on her list be invited to bring a guest to her lavish, Chesapeake Bay nuptials. When Hannah, Vicki, Rob, Joe, and Nancy one by one decline Bee’s generous offer, the frustrated bride dubs them the “Singles,” adrift on her seating chart as well as in life.

I love chick lit books that are centred around weddings but don't necessarily focus on the wedding itself. These (usually lavish) events provide such excellent self-made drama, which is probably why I like them so much. Weddings are one of the most emotional events that the general public attends regularly. In this book we don't really learn a whole lot about Bee, the bride, other than what's revealed in flashbacks. We know even less about the groom. I'm not even sure I could tell you his name! But that's what made this book interesting. The drama came from the guests and their relationships with each other instead of what's happening between Bee and her fiancé.

The only little teeny negative I have is that there were so many characters that I didn't feel like I learned enough about them. Joe and "Nancy" (who was actually her son Phil - she was unable to attend the wedding so he was filling in for her) weren't entirely necessary. I enjoyed learning about their back story and they each played a role in helping Vicki and Hannah, but when we flipped to their stories it took away from learning more about those ladies.

Speaking of Phil, he provided me with a chuckle early on in the book. We learn that he's high up in security at Camden Yards, the ball park where the Baltimore Orioles play. He runs through a few examples of disturbances he would normally have to deal with and during that he mentions all the other teams in the AL East - Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, and - drumroll please - the Toronto Blue Jays! As a Jays fan, I have to tell you that it's not often I get to read about my team in a novel. Yankees and Red Sox (ugh and ugh) get mentioned all the time but it's usually like the lone team up in Canada doesn't exist. So. I thank Meredith for being a fan of teams in the AL East and including my fave ball team in her novel :) (And for responding to me on Twitter about this same topic!)

Anyway. That's a bit off topic but I needed to discuss it :)

This novel was funny without being a comedy, and emotional without being too drama-filled. In the course of a weekend wedding, everyone seems to realize what has been wrong in their life and what they need to do to fix it. I liked that the characters all had their own unique quirks. It made for some interesting and amusing situations.

Overall, I highly recommend The Singles by Meredith Goldstein. It had just the right amount of humour and drama and I found it incredibly enjoyable.

Happy reading! :)

July Chick Lit Challenge Read #1: The Wedding Beat

What better time to read about weddings than the summer? I decided to read The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher for my July Chick Lit Plus Challenge read. I had heard great things about this book and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! Also, as a fun aside, this was one of the first books I got from my new library - three cheers for public libraries! :)

Here's the synopsis for this book:

Sometimes the best man isn't even in the wedding party...
Gavin Greene is a hopeless romantic. He's also a professional one: he writes the wedding column for a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, covering spectacular parties from coast to coast. But there's a thin line between being a hotshot reporter on assignment...and being a single guy alone on a Saturday night at someone else's wedding.
Everything changes on New Year's when Gavin meets Melinda, a travel writer with enchanting dimples. A moonlit stroll across a Manhattan rooftop seals the deal. Until an Aussie with attitude swoops in and whisks her away before Gavin gets her number.
Gavin crisscrosses New York City to find her again. And he learns that there's something worse than losing the woman of his dreams: Having to write an article about her wedding.

What interested me most about reading this book was finding out what it was like to read a chick lit-esque novel that was narrated by a male. Turns out it was pretty neat! I think Sipher is a little bit of a romantic, though I knew he wrote the Vows column for The New York Times so it shouldn't have been that surprising! It was fun to see a guy pine over and then obsessively search for a woman he met briefly at a party. Turns out guys can act just as nutty as females when it comes to dating :)

I think I wanted this book to be a little bit longer. It was just under 300 pages and I think I needed just a bit more. I believe part of that desire comes from the fact that I wanted the ending to be written a little bit differently. Don't get me wrong, I like how it all turned out for Gavin but it left me wanting more, and not in a good way. It was sort of "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy has to write about girl's upcoming wedding, are boy and girl going to get together?, question answered, and done. There was no explanation as to how the question was answered. I feel like I was left to make too many assumptions and that was a bit unfortunate.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Wedding Beat. I think Devan Sipher did an awesome job of creating a story that gave me just enough romance and amusement. I definitely recommend this one, especially for a summer read. What better time to read about weddings than the summer?

Have you read this one? What did you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading :)

July Chick Lit Review: Wedding Season

No, you're not experiencing déjà vu. This is a different book from last month's review, just with the same title! However, I was incredibly upset and confused when I realized...I had already read this book! What the heck? I've been trying to figure out when or why I would have read it before now and just can't do it. I therefore must conclude that I've lost my mind :) That's the only reasonable explanation, obviously.

I know it probably seems like a bad thing that I read a book and didn't remember it, but I did enjoy this book. I must say though that I liked last month's Wedding Season more than this month's but they had completely different takes on weddings. Last month the book focused on a wedding planner (a job that I can't decide if I would love or not) who had two weddings to plan on the same day, one of which was her sister's. This month the novel was about a woman who had to attend or be in seventeen weddings in six months. Can you imagine??? I think I would go nuts...not only the stress of being in a ton of weddings and making decisions but all the money...oh boy. Two weddings in one summer was enough for me.

Now, I will give you the synopsis from Goodreads...

Seventeen weddings. Six months. Only the strong survive.

Joy Silverman and her boyfriend, Gabriel Winslow, seem perfect for each other. Living together in New York City, they have everything they want and everything in common--most important, that neither one wants to get married. Ever.

But when Joy finds herself obligated to attend seventeen weddings in six months (including those of her father, mother, younger brother, and five of her closest girlfriends), the couple is forced to take a new look at why they're so opposed to marriage when the rest of the world can't wait to walk down the aisle. As the season heats up and the pressure mounts, Joy must confront what it means -- and what it costs -- to be true to one's self.

A witty, wicked comedy of manners in the satirical tradition of Jane Austen and Evelyn Waugh, Wedding Season is an intelligent, laugh-out-loud funny examination of friendship, faith, integrity, and the ideas and institutions that bind us together, shape our lives, and define who we are.

The synopsis mentions one of things that I wanted to comment on...this novel has a very Jane Austen type feel to it. It's hard to really describe but it really is a "comedy of manners" that the cover says it is. Joy is also very clever and critical of her society's norms - which is quite similar to Elizabeth Bennet from Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Joy can't understand why her friends all want to get married. She doesn't see the point if you can be just as happy without that piece of paper. Elizabeth can't understand why her friends would marry just to marry and be secure. She wants to marry someone she loves and respects. (Imagine not having that choice? It seems like such a no brainer now but women didn't always have that choice.) Can anyone else see the similarities or am I stretching with the comparison?

The book isn't very character driven which I didn't love. Ironically, there were a ton characters so I think I just didn't get a good sense of any of them. I actually found myself pretending that some characters didn't exist. Is that wrong? They just didn't add anything to the story and they bothered me. The last few books that I've read had main characters that were just so vivacious and likable and I found it hard to really connect with Joy. She was so set in her ways that marriage was evil and everyone who got married was stupid that it bothered me. Also, she had suspicions that her boyfriend was fooling around with another woman but didn't approach him about it. It was also obvious that he wasn't doing anything, at least it was to me. But maybe that was because I had already read the book... :)

The ending of this novel is a little surprising because it's not a typical happily ever after. I loved that, once I got over the fact that things weren't all wrapped up in a pretty little package. Even though things don't seem to be "perfect" at the end, Joy grew as a person and I think that's the most important thing.

Overall, I liked the book but I didn't love it. It's clever and real and has quite a few laugh out loud moments. (Joy's aunt's bachelorette party is pretty amusing). Has anyone else read this one? What did you think of it? I wish I liked it more, but you can't love everything! I would still recommend this novel for a fun summer read - it is wedding season after all!

Happy reading :)

June Chick Lit Review: Wedding Season

Ah, wedding season. While I have not had too many weddings to worry about yet I know the time is coming when I will have quite a few to attend in one year. I've already been in two weddings in one summer (sidenote: my profile picture is from my boyfriend's brother's wedding) and, let me tell you, it is not a very fun experience. Especially when you're unable to find a job right after graduating university. Woohoo! But I digress. This post is actually all about the wonderful novel Wedding Season by Katie Fforde that I read for my June Chick Lit Challenge Review. (Another fun sidenote: this was the last purchase I made with my discount at the bookstore!)

Let's start off with the synopsis from Goodreads:

Sarah is a wedding planner hiding a rather inconvenient truth—she doesn’t believe in love. But as the confetti flutters away on the June breeze of yet another successful wedding season she finds herself agreeing to organize two more events, on the same day, and only two months away. And while her celebrity bride is all sweetness and light, the other bride, Sarah’s own sister, quickly starts driving her crazy with her high expectations and very limited budget. Luckily, Sarah is aided in her seemingly impossible task by two best friends, Elsa, an accomplished dress designer, and Bron, a multitalented hairdresser. All three are very good at their jobs, but romance doesn’t feature very prominently in any of their lives. As the big day draws near, every moment is spent preparing for the weddings, and they certainly haven’t got any time to even think about love; or have they?

 I don't think this synopsis does the book justice quite honestly. It's about so much more than Sarah and the two weddings she is planning. Elsa and Bron each have a story to tell too. I loved this book, and not only because it featured a wedding planner (more on that later).

While the story does focus on Sarah, I appreciated that Fforde allowed for development of both Elsa and Bron. It seemed so natural for the three of them to become close friends as well as having a working relationship. The three women all have a somewhat negative view on love and relationships. Sarah is completely cynical and has given up on finding someone. Elsa is so shy and quiet and she doesn't really think she deserves a relationship. Bron is with a man who doesn't appreciate her and she's struggling to find herself again. I think Elsa was my favourite of the three and I think it's because she has the best "growth" story. I liked how each woman changed for the better and also, how she helped the other two evolve.

As I mentioned earlier, I really liked that this novel was all about planning weddings. Give me a book, tv show, or movie that is about wedding planning and I am one happy girl. It's not because I'm obsessed with planning a wedding for myself (thinking about getting married right now freaks me out, quite honestly) but because I enjoy planning events and think that weddings would be so much fun. Yes, I know it would be unbelievably stressful and brides are not always the best to deal with (I mentioned weddings are stressful, yes?) but they're the kind of events that have a lot of love, a purpose, and one hell of an awesome party. One major downside (and quite possibly the reason I haven't pursued wedding planning as a career): working weekends!

This is the kind of book that you know going into it that the main character(s) will end up with a man. And that's ok. I don't mind that chick lit books usually follow a typical formula, as long as the author does something new and fun with it. Fforde did that. When all the men were introduced, I knew which one ended up with each woman but I had no idea how they were eventually going to get together. That's what made this novel fresh - the common chick lit devices were used but Fforde put her own twist on it.

I highly recommend this novel - especially for a summer read. Anyone who has been in, attended, or planned a wedding will see the humour in it and will be able to identify with the story. Everyone else will enjoy it just as much as there is so much else going on outside the weddings. A quick check on Goodreads and I can see that Katie Fforde has many other novels. I think I'll have to find room for a few more of hers on my to-read pile! Happy reading :)

Currently Reading: Happy Ever After




I am so happy to finally be reading this book. It's been out since November and every shift I worked it would taunt me. I held off buying it though because I thought it'd be pretty silly to buy the fourth book in a series when I didn't own any of the others. I vowed to be patient and wait for it from my lovely local library (hey, look at that unintentional alliteration!). Actually, my mom got it from the library and I borrowed it from her. This means that I have to have it done by the end of tomorrow so I can give it back to her and she can have the time to read it. An attainable goal I think, as I am currently on chapter eleven, page 162 of 355.

The only thing I knew about this series when it first came out was that the first book had an absolutely gorgeous cover. That and it was another book in a long line by Nora Roberts. I never had a huge problem with Roberts, as I knew my mom read them and I know she doesn't read mindless romance novels (and there are many of those!). Within the next year the next three books in the series were released, all with beautiful covers as well - though my favourite is still the first one!

When I moved back home for the summer my mom mentioned a series of books that she thought I would really like, but she couldn't remember what they were called or who wrote them. She hadn't mentioned them to me when she was reading them because I was in school and had less than no time to read for fun. We eventually figured out what they were and I read the first one I was totally hooked.

This series is about four women who are such good friends they may as well be sisters. My favourite part of the whole series? That they own a wedding planning company. Why was I particularly drawn to that aspect? A bit of background on me - I took an event management course last year and toyed with the idea of working for a wedding planner but I ended up taking the fundraising route instead, almost by accident. So, I'm not just one of your average females who are drawn to stories and movies about weddings, but I actually really enjoy the planning aspect of it and the work that goes into making a bride's day perfect.

Each book is focused on a different character, and each one of them is responsible for a different aspect of a wedding. Mac the photographer was first in Visions of White, Emma the florist came next in Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment focused on the baker and cake artiste Laurel, and finally Happy Ever After was about Parker who was the one who looked after all the other necessary details. Did you notice that the titles allude to the job of the character? Cute, isn't it?

As with most romance novels, at the end of each story the main character ends up with a wonderful guy - of course after some sort of issue. I know the formula for these kinds of books and movies, and I'm ok with that. I like seeing how the writer makes the journey to the official relationship or engagement different than all the other stories out there.

What makes these books a little different is that it's not just about the men or falling in love. These women have been friends since they were children and playing Wedding Day in their backyards. They love and respect each other and that comes through in the stories. It makes me think of the relationships with my own friends and how lucky I am to have some of them who know me so incredibly well.

Overall, I would definitely recommend these books. If you like romance - read them. If you like weddings - read them. If you like reading about female friendships - read them. They're sweet, and light, and perfect for a weekend read.

Now, enough writing about this book and more reading it! :)