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The Summer Wedding
The hotly anticipated wedding of Iris Devonshire, ravishing teenage daughter of celebrity couple Mia and Leo, is to be held in the gardens of their grand Palladian pile alongside the Thames. But Mia and Leo worry that she's rushing into the marriage. Just ask their best friends since college, Simon and Laney de Montmorency, whose relationship is on the rocks again - and they've already married each other twice.
On the big day, Iris's hellraiser fiancé Dougie Everett is not the only one flying high. As Iris rides up the aisle on a white stallion, a hot air balloon appears over the woods, heading straight for the ceremony. Its arrival is about to transform the lives and loves of some of the wedding guests for ever.
The Summer Wedding is a sizzling summer comedy set against the beautiful backdrops of the Chilterns, Spain, Africa and LA.
On the big day, Iris's hellraiser fiancé Dougie Everett is not the only one flying high. As Iris rides up the aisle on a white stallion, a hot air balloon appears over the woods, heading straight for the ceremony. Its arrival is about to transform the lives and loves of some of the wedding guests for ever.
The Summer Wedding is a sizzling summer comedy set against the beautiful backdrops of the Chilterns, Spain, Africa and LA.
584 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2013
29 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 13, 2019
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
I didn’t like this book very much. What started off as an engaging read, transpired into a book full of irritating characters, exaggerated flamboyancy, and a plot that was struggling to maintain my interest. My Fiona Walker reads have been rather hit and miss and, for me, this was definitely a disappointing offering.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
I didn’t like this book very much. What started off as an engaging read, transpired into a book full of irritating characters, exaggerated flamboyancy, and a plot that was struggling to maintain my interest. My Fiona Walker reads have been rather hit and miss and, for me, this was definitely a disappointing offering.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
July 8, 2013
'This is a ridiculous book', I found myself shouting as I ploughed through to it's unbelievable end. The first chapters were great though, with the main characters written as believable and rounded people, however they then transformed into smug, over emotional caricatures and happy though I was that they got their happy ending or their just deserts, dependent upon hero or rogue status, I can't help feeling that lost inside this over long melodrama, a better book was fighting to get out. This is a book for the beach or aeroplane, it passes the time.
July 1, 2016
I grabbed this to take with me on vacation for no other reason than to get it off the TBR shelf it had been sitting on for years. I had pretty low expectations but it was actually a pretty easy going poolside companion. It's definitely Brit chick lit but of the good natured, warm hearted kind that owes much to Jilly Cooper. It was about 100 pages too long but I appreciated that the author didn't feel the need to repeat herself every five pages, who wrote or even just inferred something once and trusted her reader to remember it. left it to me to figure out how a character felt at any given time and didn't spoon feed anything to me. I also laughed out loud a handful of times. I've got quite a few of this author's older books on my kindle from when they were free or 99p. I'm looking forwards to checking them out.
June 18, 2013
The best fun I've had since I discovered Jilly Cooper!
December 2, 2024
DNF. Quand il ne s'est toujours absolument rien passé au bout de 100 pages - au sens où les personnages principaux dont le mariage est l'objet du titre ne sont même pas encore NÉS - ça va 2 minutes, je veux bien un prologue pour connaître les parents mais 300 pages d'exposition dans le PASSÉ qui n'ont pas la moindre utilité (qui en a qqch à faire des années de fac parfaitement classiques des parents de personnages qu'on a même pas encore rencontrés, sérieusement ?)... Clairement une quatrième de couverture et un titre mensongers. RIP ma petite romance de décembre T_T
C'est bien écrit cela dit donc pourquoi pas un autre livre de cette autrice.
C'est bien écrit cela dit donc pourquoi pas un autre livre de cette autrice.
June 23, 2013
50 shades of what??? Fiona Walker can write a funny book that also happens to have a storyline, likeable characters and lots and lots of sex you can believe in :)
April 26, 2020
It takes a lot for me to truly dislike a book. This book was honestly one of the worst things I’ve read in a long time.
It started off quite promising, the first 80 pages or so I quite enjoyed. 4 students who meet at university, two get together and act like typical teens, one is in a long distance relationship and the other fancies the girl in the long distance relationship. Sounds a good story.
The bit I hated about it was how dramatic they all were, their over use of “artistic” puns, use of Latin with no translation and honestly bringing politics into a love story and openly saying how they’re Tories, just woeful writing.
Then after being in 1991 for 80 odd pages it flips 20 years into the future. You learn all about their privileged life, living like massive tories yet claiming they have all these problems. It’s not relatable to the average reader it’s truly ridiculous writing. I got to about 200 pages in and I was just like “what is the story here?” It’s such a long book almost 600 pages and I honestly can’t understand why. You could easily condense the story by half and it would have been a much better read.
There is so much drivel about horses and SO MUCH detail about every little thing. I read 200ish pages as I said and ended up skipping to the last 5 chapters so I could see what happened. Totally and completely expected ending which I could have gotten from reading the first 80 pages.
Will definitely not be attempting to read again.
It started off quite promising, the first 80 pages or so I quite enjoyed. 4 students who meet at university, two get together and act like typical teens, one is in a long distance relationship and the other fancies the girl in the long distance relationship. Sounds a good story.
The bit I hated about it was how dramatic they all were, their over use of “artistic” puns, use of Latin with no translation and honestly bringing politics into a love story and openly saying how they’re Tories, just woeful writing.
Then after being in 1991 for 80 odd pages it flips 20 years into the future. You learn all about their privileged life, living like massive tories yet claiming they have all these problems. It’s not relatable to the average reader it’s truly ridiculous writing. I got to about 200 pages in and I was just like “what is the story here?” It’s such a long book almost 600 pages and I honestly can’t understand why. You could easily condense the story by half and it would have been a much better read.
There is so much drivel about horses and SO MUCH detail about every little thing. I read 200ish pages as I said and ended up skipping to the last 5 chapters so I could see what happened. Totally and completely expected ending which I could have gotten from reading the first 80 pages.
Will definitely not be attempting to read again.
September 11, 2018
Love me a Fiona Walker novel. Like most of hers it was a big read, lots of characters all with their own story. Lots of horses, lots men.
Potential Affairs, lovers, fake marriages, unknown fathers, big events, and balloons all feature heavily in this story. But essentially its about two couples, lost love and reuniting that lost love, and will it repeat for the next generation?
I didn’t quite understand the end though - was there another baby? And I had forgotten about the ‘age’ of Dom, due to being born at the end of Feb, and only having a b’day every 4 years. So the 12 year old to receive a wedding proposal confused me for a few minutes.
Potential Affairs, lovers, fake marriages, unknown fathers, big events, and balloons all feature heavily in this story. But essentially its about two couples, lost love and reuniting that lost love, and will it repeat for the next generation?
I didn’t quite understand the end though - was there another baby? And I had forgotten about the ‘age’ of Dom, due to being born at the end of Feb, and only having a b’day every 4 years. So the 12 year old to receive a wedding proposal confused me for a few minutes.
November 6, 2020
I had forgotten how much I had missed Fiona's books. This is the second one I've read this year and although it takes a while to get the rhythm of the characters and who's who, I loved it.
However, my picture of the characters was Dom with a Billy Idol (80s) hair do and sneer and Laney kind of Miranda Hart-ish, which I'm sure wasn't the intention.
That said, as usual Fiona has put references in the book of previous books, which, if you've read other books by her, you will pick up on quite easily.
Enjoyable romp.
However, my picture of the characters was Dom with a Billy Idol (80s) hair do and sneer and Laney kind of Miranda Hart-ish, which I'm sure wasn't the intention.
That said, as usual Fiona has put references in the book of previous books, which, if you've read other books by her, you will pick up on quite easily.
Enjoyable romp.
April 22, 2024
So this book started off okay, a bit full on with the characters but then when it skipped most of their lives, it got boring real fast. Everything seemed a bit OTT and ridiculous, and the characters were all annoying. Didn't like the storylines and was glad to finally be finished it.
January 11, 2018
I thought this book was lots of fun. Very entertaining.
December 12, 2018
Audiobook
I’ve forgotten about FW, it’s been ages.
I’ve forgotten about FW, it’s been ages.
May 30, 2019
Didn't quite connect with this book somehow!! But I did enjoy the last few chapters.
November 21, 2020
This book is very long winded, it does go on a bit. I can’t say I really enjoyed it. There’s so many different story lines it was hard to keep up.
April 9, 2021
Fun fluff read but not her greatest- too many painful puns- French Relations remains my all time favorite of hers.
June 5, 2022
Perfect fluffy well written chick lit
December 23, 2023
Although I gave this 3 stars it was a pretty boring read.
April 4, 2024
I enjoyed this but it was very long!
July 20, 2013
What a disappointment!! Fiona Walker - what happened?! Having read all of Ms Walker's books I am generally an avid fan. Yes, at times she has a tendency to waffle or leave loose ends but generally they make for good, fun reading.
This book however was horrendous! I can only think her publishers accepted it based on the fact she has published previous novels, and that her editor barely skimmed the pages! The plot was ridiculous and made no sense at several points, the characters were hard to get to know or like, and the way she attempted to force and shoehorn horses into this story was cringeworthy. Yes, we all know Ms Walker likes her equines, but in previous novels they have been a nice aside, happily cantering around and slipping in and out of the story with fluidity. Here she seems to make such a big issue of jamming them in it became embarrassing to read! When you take into account her own partner's love of Iberian horses then you can understand why she went down this route, but to be honest she should stick to what she knows!
There were so many loose ends that she tried to tie up far too quickly in my opinion, as well as side-stories that never came to anything, and chapters where you felt a story was going to develop only to be cut short. It was as if she was writing this with something else on her mind at all times. I do not believe that this was written with the same commitment and compassion that she has given to her other novels.
If you are a Fiona Walker fan, I would advise you avoid it at all costs as you will be sorely disappointed. If you have never read her work, please do not judge her by this! It is a bitter disappointment.
I am hoping that if she does continue writing she loses her complacency and puts more effort into the next novel. This was just pure drivel.
This book however was horrendous! I can only think her publishers accepted it based on the fact she has published previous novels, and that her editor barely skimmed the pages! The plot was ridiculous and made no sense at several points, the characters were hard to get to know or like, and the way she attempted to force and shoehorn horses into this story was cringeworthy. Yes, we all know Ms Walker likes her equines, but in previous novels they have been a nice aside, happily cantering around and slipping in and out of the story with fluidity. Here she seems to make such a big issue of jamming them in it became embarrassing to read! When you take into account her own partner's love of Iberian horses then you can understand why she went down this route, but to be honest she should stick to what she knows!
There were so many loose ends that she tried to tie up far too quickly in my opinion, as well as side-stories that never came to anything, and chapters where you felt a story was going to develop only to be cut short. It was as if she was writing this with something else on her mind at all times. I do not believe that this was written with the same commitment and compassion that she has given to her other novels.
If you are a Fiona Walker fan, I would advise you avoid it at all costs as you will be sorely disappointed. If you have never read her work, please do not judge her by this! It is a bitter disappointment.
I am hoping that if she does continue writing she loses her complacency and puts more effort into the next novel. This was just pure drivel.
July 15, 2014
Sorry but this was so bad that I couldn't even finish it. I lost interest before the 10% mark and even up to that level I was hoping for some point to the narrative. It starts with the meeting of four friends at university, all enrolling on a drama course, and basically it sounds like a group of silly melodramatic and pretentious individuals sparking supposed "witticisms" off each other. The dialogue is so badly written and stilted (whilst clearly trying to be clever)it's embarrassing. The graphic and constant sex scenes are overdone, coarse and repetitive. There didn't seem to be any point to them; what were they trying to depict? I believe that the story followed the characters through to adulthood, but none of them were engaging and I had no interest in what happened to them. At that point I abandoned ship.
July 11, 2014
Fiona Walker used to be among my favourite authors, but I just couldn't get into this one at all. There was just sooo much exposition at the beginning and just as it was over, there was a time jump and it all started all over again. It took me about 300 or 50% to get into the story at all and even then I couldn't really care about the characters, there were just too over the top to be relatable. And the big final showdown was just downright ridiculous.
November 3, 2013
This is the first novel I have read by Fiona Walker,I found it to be a light hearted chick-lit with some great characters. Although drawn out in some parts of the story line it was quite an easy read. Really enjoyable for the most part. If you enjoy being whisked away to England, Spain, Africa and LA,with romance and sex then this book is for you.
October 26, 2014
I have never read a Fiona Walker novel which I have disliked so much. It took me forever to read, the storyline went on for far too long finishing with an unbelievable ending. I wanted to bang characters heads together, they were so infuriating! Such a shame really because I usually enjoy novels written by Fiona Walker!
August 2, 2013
Ridiculous book. I'd invested a lot of my holiday time reading it so ploughed on through to the silly end but ended up speed reading just to be done with it. Utterly unbelievable. I'm all for escapism but this was awful. Sorry Ms Walker.
August 11, 2013
Couldn't finish the book huge disconnect between past and present, the book delves too deeply into the past giving the impression of things happening in the present and suddenly makes an about face to the real present and I thought omg can't read this any more.
September 16, 2013
Back quite a lot of books ago Fiona walker was my favourite author. Kiss chase is still one of my favourite books of all time. But her last few books just haven't worked for me. This was the best in a while but quite drawn out and I lost interest so skipped to the end to find out what happened.
December 8, 2013
Very disappointing book and a tough read. I contemplated giving up many times but for some reason kept going as I used to enjoy Fiona walkers books. There were no likeable characters and it was hard to get into. Sorry Fiona - won't be reading anymore of your books.
April 20, 2014
Despite bad reviews I started this and finished it quickly. It's a daft book but an easy read. Nowhere near as good as Fiona Walker's early books (French Relations and Kiss Chase remain 2 of my favourite reads ever), however I enjoyed it.
July 1, 2014
As an avid fan of Fiona Walker, I have to say I was very disappointed in The Summer Wedding. It was a hard book to get into and to keep interested in. Usually with Fiona's books I can't put them down and regularly reread them, but I doubt will be picking this one up again. Shame.
July 1, 2013
A bit predictable but an easy read which is great for the beach and holiday as you do not need to think too much. Chick Lit at its best
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews