Reviewer: Tracy The Week Before the Wedding by Beth Kendrick
Publisher: NAL
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Format: Print ARC
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After enduring a chaotic childhood, Emily McKellips yearns for a drama-free life, complete with a white picket fence. Her dreams are about to come true: She has a stellar career, a gorgeous house, and a fiancé any woman would die for. But as friends and family arrive in picturesque Valentine, Vermont, for her wedding, an uninvited guest shows up.
Ryan is Emily’s first husband from a disastrous starter marriage. They wed on a whim, only to discover that combustible chemistry couldn’t ensure a happily ever after. But Ryan is no longer the headstrong boy she left behind. He’s now a successful film producer who just happens to be scouting a resort in Valentine with his adorable retriever in tow.
As the bridesmaids revolt and the mothers of the bride and groom do battle, Emily is surprised to discover new sides of both her ex and her fiancé. She thought she had life and love all figured out, but the next seven days might change her mind—and her heart.
Emily and Grant, her fiance, are at a quaint inn in Valentine, Vermont. It’s been tradition in Grant’s family for important events to take place. It’s only been 2 months since Grant proposed and Emily is so excited to be finally marrying the solid, dependable and stand-up surgeon. Her upbringing was a bit…scattered and she has been longing for stability ever since. She loves her mother but she’s always longed for the perfect traditional family and thinks she can get it with Grant.
The problems start almost immediately when her mother shows up. Georgia isn’t the staid, let’s-plan-an-ice-cream-social-for-the-bachelorette-party type. She wears slinky dresses and embraces her youth buy constantly dating. Emily is a bit embarrassed as Grant’s mother Bev is the type that thinks that excitement is staying up past 10pm.
Then Emily’s ex-husband Ryan shows up. Turns out he had gotten the information from Emily’s sister and maid of honor and showed up to try and talk Emily out of marrying Grant. He has a crazy way of doing though that’s kind of charming and unintrusive.
During the festivities Grant is called away to the hospital and this leaves Emily to doubt her decision about marrying the perfect man.
This was a very cute book about a woman who truly doesn’t know what she wants. It seems like someone in their 30’s should know what they want, especially a week before they get married, but she really didn’t. She gets so confused when her ex-hubby shows up and she realizes that she still has feelings for him.
I really liked Emily even though I thought she was a bit indecisive. I understood her desire for security but felt she should have examined her feelings a lot closer before agreeing to Grant’s proposal.
Grant, I thought, was a man who should NOT have been even thinking about marriage as he was so involved in his work. His work truly was his mistress.
In the end I thought the story was sweet and ended well. A nice bit of entertaining fluff that was worth taking the time to read.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
