Rating: 79% | ★★★☆☆
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember. But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own. Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun. By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet. Non-Spoiler Review: Like a hug, The Wedding Season is warm and comforting. It reads like a rom-com movie rather than a rom-com book: it’s predictable in the best of ways but never overly simplistic, and Birchall's subtle humor is completely charming. Freya is a strong protagonist with a solid developmental arc, an incredibly human character the reader will root for all the way. The pacing of the novel, however, is quite slow, and the progression of the plot feels formulaic at times. The secondary characters, while all delightful, tend to blend into a monolith; I wasn’t completely sure how to differentiate between Freya’s friends. I also found myself comparing The Wedding Season to Bad Luck Bridesmaid, especially when considering the weaker plot lines centering on Freya and Jamie. But even these flaws are quite minor compared to the novel as a whole. This may not be the novel for someone who is looking for a little more emotional depth and heartache in their library, but it certainly is a good choice for a slow, relaxing rainy-day read. (I also can't express how wildly excited I was to see a National Treasure reference; sometimes it feels like maybe Freya and I are the only appreciators of this absolute powerhouse 2003 movie starring Academy-Award-winning actor Nicholas Cage. Thank you, Katy Birchall, for reminding me that it's time for a rewatch.) Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Wedding Season is out May 3, 2022.
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