Wedding Issues

by Elle Evans

Competition for a bridal magazine cover unleashes frenemy mayhem and family sparring in this hilarious, frothy debut.

Olivia “Liv” Fitzgerald’s life is on ambition autopilot. The soon-to-be-lawyer has her life plan set and can talk anyone into anything. Well, almost anything. When her scheming aunt throws her cousin, Kali, into a competition for Southern Charm’s cover alongside Liv’s best friend, Leighton, all hell breaks loose. To save the day, Liv only has to:

a) Secure the Southern Charm cover for Leighton

b) Keep Aunt Charlotte happy—and keep Kali’s wedding running smoothly

c) Finish her final year of law school and nab a coveted NYC big law job

d) Win over the guy of her dreams

Easy, right? From engagement parties to rehearsal dinners, listeners will root for Liv as she balances her schemes, dreams, and double maid-of-honor duties.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Adult, Romantic

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Originally from Massachusetts, Elle now lives in Philadelphia, where she works in health care. She is recovering from a recent five-year stint in Nashville for graduate school, punctuated by sweet Southern hospitality and even sweeter iced tea. She enjoys caffeine, cocktails, and Crumbl cookies, although not all at once. She lives with her husband and their rescue pup Calypso, the first of their dozen dogs to be named after mythological characters. They are currently soliciting suggestions for their next dog’s name.

Elle Evans is a not-so-secret pen name. In real life, Elle isn’t Batwoman, but she does publish academic research papers about anesthesiology and value-based care. To protect readers from accidental boredom or unsolicited health care analysis, she writes commercially under a pseudonym.

Reviews

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars💐

“why should we need to tear one woman down to lift the other up?”

I was engrossed by this book, which is nothing short of a soap opera. Olivia, our female main character, was trapped in a very impromptu, and very unorthodox dilemma : organizing the joyous parts of two marriages as a maid of honor over the course of a year. but the situation started to narrow into a problem when the two brides to-be were "competing" for the same cover of the Southern Charm magazine and therefor she was sort of concurring against herself. with her socialist aunt’s threat over her future job on one shoulder and the promise she made her her best friend to prove herself to her parents on the other, she didn’t know who she should be more devoted to. all she knew was that both women deserved the spotlight. her best friend, a rising fashion icon with her new flourishing haute couture brand who epitomized the Southern belle. and her cousin, a climate activist who advocated for the LGBTQ+ community.

the book was utterly hilarious. from the very inventive ways Olivia’s aunt employed to sabotage her best friend’s wedding to the poor Liv trying to execute every manipulative move she has in her law books to try and appease both sides. it felt like a perfect 00’s movie with the hint of romance the narrative drawn as a slow burn. in the end, it was an enjoyable and amusing read. and after my previous heavy book, this plate cleaner was perfect!

many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️
I thought I was getting a cute wedding romance (my bad for not digging deeper), but instead got an overwhelming amount of grown women acting like petty 12 year olds. While I appreciated some of the themes this attempted to take on, I disliked the FMC & hated how these women all treated each other. I also REALLY wanted more romance. It was next to nonexistent 🥲
That said — if you want something dramatic, fluffy, outlandish, & soap-opera-y, this would be a great option for you. I went in with verrrry different expectations which is my fault!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super fun cross between Bride Wars and My best friends wedding that sees Olivia forced into taking on a maid of honor AND pre-wedding activity planner in order to help both her best friend AND her cousin compete for the cover of a bridal magazine.

Things go off the rails quickly as Olivia finds herself manipulating both brides and disappointing everyone, including her best friend, her best friend's brother who she's crushed on for years and it takes a big move to make it all better before she loses it all.

Great on audio narrated by Maria Marquis, this was a standout debut full of family drama and perfect for fans of books like Without a hitch or Piece of cake. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only/closed door

CW: ectopic pregnancy/abortion

[Kelly Pramberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read this book! The cover is gorgeous and inviting. The title is perfection. I absolutely loved planning my wedding and was so sad when it was over. I poured over details, kept a wedding binder, and wanted everything to be just right. This book has fun characters, a great Southern setting, and weddings and humor! Thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Books for the ARC. I have a feeling this will be super popular in 2024. Five stars.

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Zibby books for the gifted ARC.

A BIT TOO MUCH DRAMA.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

I went in with good hopes about this one. It sounded charming and humorous and full of hijinks. Buuuut I think those shenanigans crossed a line into the ridiculous and I was increasingly frustrated with what was happening.

There were some cute moments and I liked seeing Olivia work things out for her life. She gets walked all over a bit before finally apologizing and going after the things she want too. I wish the focus would have been more on Olivia and not the other two brides.

Also, to note, this isn’t a romance. It’s fiction with a tiny dash of romance. I really wish Will had played a larger role in the story too.

Overall audience notes:
- Fiction
- Language: low-moderate
- Romance: one fade to black

[Abby Greaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read!

If you love: magazines, southern life, family drama, bridal life, then read this!

Olivia is hoping to land her best friend the June cover of Southern Charm, a prestigious magazine that shows off one famous bride each June. Her best friend, Leighton is an influencer that is trying to start up her own clothing company and would kill to be featured to show her parents that her career is series. Olivia's Aunt Charlotte finds out that Olivia has a meeting with the editor of SC and decides that she needs to have her daughter on the cover. It would be the first queer couple that SC would ever have!

Charlotte tells Olivia that she will be her cousin's maid-of-honor, causing the magazine to show off both weddings, where they will compete for the front cover.

Who will win? Olivia's career is at stake!

Thanks to Libro.fm for the advanced listener copy!

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I always enjoy wedding stories as a setting in romances because they bring the drama and surprises, but I feel like the wedding competition events overshadowed the characters. The wedding competition for a magazine spread was engaging (it reminded me of Bride Wars) but Liv as the central character being torn between her best friend and family for the two weddings didn't really have the emotional weight I wanted. I honestly didn't really care about her friendship with Leighton and she readily admits she isn't close with her cousin Kali. So while the hijinks can be fun, the characters were a little flat.

[Leticia🌻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

The story revolves around Liv who has agreed to help her best friend win the cover for the bridal issue of the magazine, Southern Charm; while also dealing with her ambitious/manipulative aunt who wants her own daughter (Liv's cousin) to be also featured in the magazine.

Storyline was a bit slow at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Kaitlyn Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Main character Olivia is in over her head in this wedding planning drama packed novel. As a top level law student in her last year of school, Olivia is a busy lady already. BUT, then she becomes the maid of honor to her cousin and her best friend, who just so happen to be competing against one another for the cover feature of popular magazine Southern Charm. The queen of fixing things things she can help both brides and sway the cover edition, but as the stacks rise and relationships develop, Olivia realizes the cost of her lies and scheming. Following various wedding events of both brides, this was a quick read that keeps you laughing and shaking your head at the lengths Olivia will go for those she loves.

Personally, this was a fun novel and I feel in love with both brides, Leighton and Kali. They have SUCH different weddings and reasons for wanting the cover, but both are so genuine in their rationales. The event planning details were described beautifully! It was a bit predictable though, and I really wanted Olivia to end up with the other guy... There are also some situations where everything could have been resolved with a simple conversation, but I guess the dramatic reactions keep the plotline going!

Thank you Libby Book and author Elle Evans for this ARC!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was different from my usual reads. This book is a rollercoaster of drama with a fast-paced plot that keeps you hooked. The unexpected events kept coming, making me turn the pages faster than my usual reading speed.

Initially, I wasn't a fan of Olivia, the main character. However, as I reached the end, I got to know her better and gained a deeper understanding of her actions and the motivations behind them. It provided insight into why she did what she did for everyone involved.

The book's vivid descriptions skillfully captured the charm of hectic wedding preparations and simultaneous events.

If you appreciate a bit of competition within the family, rivalry, and a story of friendship, then you will love this book. Plus, if you enjoy drama and a fast pace, it's a perfect combination for an engaging read.

Thank you Zibby Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there’s one thing that’s always gonna make me want to read a book it’s if there’s a wedding involved so this one was a must for me. Not one, but TWO weddings AND some drama and scheming? Sign me up! If you’re a seasonal reader and want something light and fun this is perfect for this time of year. It’s witty, frothy and super entertaining with plenty of great characters and lots of wedding details.

[Chapters of Chase · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bride Wars meets My Best Friend's Wedding.
Thank you, Zibby Books, for the gifted copy of Wedding Issues {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Audiobook Narration: ☆☆☆☆
Pub Date: 4.2.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

I wanted to enjoy Wedding Issues badly; it had everything I enjoy reading about in a book - female friendship, family drama, and a little romance. But the characters were not for me as they felt one-dimensional. The only two I enjoyed reading about were Kali and Great (and I didn't see enough of them). Olivia was infuriating and so was her best friend Leighton. I had a difficult time with how privileged they both acted. I had high hopes that the ending would have some redeeming qualities for the characters, but it felt too forced and lacked authenticity.

💗 Female friendships
🤳🏼 Social media influencer
🙅🏽‍♀️ Unlikable characters
💃 Event planning
📖 Southern Fiction
💨 Rushed ending

If you're looking for a quick and entertaining read to throw into your beach bag this summer, Wedding Issues may be the book for you!

______


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[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liv wants nothing more than to carry on her father's legacy as a fantastic lawyer. Unfortunately, because of that, she's put in a terrible position of playing maid of honor to competing brides for the cover of a popular southern bridal magazine. She clearly favors her best friend and manipulates her cousin's events to be less appealing.
I liked so much about this book. It was the perfect drama I expected to play out and I loved the romantic subplot. It's my favorite thing when a love interest calls the other out on their idiocy instead of ignoring it in order to keep the peace.
The narrator, Maria Marquis, wasn't my favorite but I also didn't mind her. I actually think she'd be fantastic with historical fiction. Her voice lent a more serious air than I think this particular book needed.
Thank you to LibroFM for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

[Olivia Swindler · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has been in a lot of weddings, I was drawn to the premise of this book. It is a great lighthearted beach read. I listened to the audio in one day.

Thank you to libro.fm for my ALC

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Cute, fun, great Summer read!

Listened on audio and the narrator was fantastic! Thanks to @librofm and @zibbybookspublishing for the ALC!

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wedding Issues: A Novel
4👰👰👰👰
By: Elle Evans

This novel is such a light hearted and fun novel.
👰
Olivia life is chaotic. She is trying to find a job while finishing up law school. Her best friend Leighton is getting married and Olivia is trying to get her on the cover of Southern Charm.
👰
Olivia’s aunt Charolette finds out about the cover opportunity and wants her daughter Kali to have the cover.
👰
Let the games begin as it becomes a competition. Olivia persuades the magazine sees this as a unique opportunity. Olivia is now caught in the middle of this drama as her aunt talks her to being maid of honor for both.
👰
Can Olivia navigate family, friendship and a possible relationship?

Thank you Zibby Books for this advanced copy. This novel is out April2, 2024.

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spring has sprung, temps are rising, snow is melting, and flowers will soon be blooming. You all know what that means! Wedding bells will soon be ringing! Ha! Wedding Issues by Elle Evans is the perfect book to read leading up to wedding season. This one was an absolute delight, my friends! I must admit that I was a little hesitant to pick it up at first. I thought it might be a little too cheesy and/or fluffy for my liking. Boy, was I ever wrong. It had the perfect mix of everything I love: family drama, female friendship, romance, and SO many hilarious moments! It’s rom-com perfection. Oh, and the title of the book is very clever. Once you get into the story, you’ll realize just how genius it is.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Southern fiction with loads of charm
- Wedding planning and prepping
- Female friendship
- Shenanigans and sabotage
- Some (not so) friendly competition
- Bridal magazines
- Complicated mother/daughter relationships
- Rom-coms heavier on the com, rather than the rom
- Social media and influencer lifestyle
- LGBTQ+ representation
- Work/life balance

I have a feeling that I’ll see this one peeking out of many beach bags this summer. It’s so much fun. 4/5 stars for Wedding Issues! Grab your copy on release day, April 2nd!

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I unabashedly adore this book. It is COMPLETELY different than my own life: a young woman starting her career just happens to be the maid of honor for two people competing in a contest to earn a spot on the coveted cover of Southern Charm magazine. She’s from the South, crisscrosses from Tennessee to Georgia and surrounds herself with all things amazing. The exact opposite of me. So yes, I escaped my own reality to live in the cutthroat, yet incredibly funny, world of Olivia, her devious Aunt Charlotte, her family and friends and maybe even a love interest….or two. But what I didn’t expect was an incredible sense of I WANT THAT. I was so completely taken with each of the characters and wanted to literally walk into the pages and experience it all. This book made me think about my own life, the ways I try to control EVERYTHING and the reminder that there is always room for flexibility…the most magical things might happen there. So now, I’ve added visiting Tennessee and Georgia to my bookish bucket list, reminded myself that the little things matter to our life experience and pledge to go after them. This was an uplifting, funny yet complex, and all-in kind of book and since we are coming into the traditional wedding season, it’s perfect timing, too. Go read this!

[Dawne Mccurry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute romantic comedy that I really enjoyed.

Thank you Netgalley and Zibby Books for the chance to read and review this fun read.

[Leslie Hagel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wedding issues is a funny, smart coming-of-age story perfect for readers of Emily Henry or Christina Lauren.

Liv finds herself maid of honor for two weddings each competing for the bridal cover of a magazine. She tries to pitch her best friend for a magazine cover, then gets pulled into a family rivalry and now the two brides are competing for the issue. Liv prides herself on being able to talk anyone into anything, a trait she’s counting on for her future as a lawyer, so this task should be easy for her. What follows is a clever unveiling of engagement parties, cake tastings, wedding dress shopping and rehearsal dinners that will have you rooting for Liv as she balances all these demands.

Full of unique and crazy characters, this story sends the reader on a ride full of ups and downs as Liv learns about herself along the way. The representation of an LBBTQ+ couple, dysfunctional family dynamics and a forbidden love interest fill out the plot in this entertaining and fast debut novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Books for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

[Michelle Glogovac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elle Evans' debut novel is an absolute joy to read! A true romcom that I devoured quickly. I will say that I felt a bit anxious reading some of the mishaps that were happening which is great because it evoked the emotion that a reader should have when they invest themselves into the characters. I loved Elle's writing and felt I was experiencing exactly what the characters were going through in the moment.

This is a fun read that has twists which don't seem plausible and yet, you'll be wondering if some of these things could really happen...and I'm sure they could and probably have!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the surface this seemed like a perfect light and fun summer read. Books about weddings, engagements and romance are usually fantastic beachy reads. Perhaps I am just too old to understand and appreciate this story. Liv is a law student with an influencer best friend and a difficult aunt. When her best friend and cousin must vie for a coveted magazine spread through a wedding competition, Liv is forced to balance friendship vs family. This had so much potential to be funny and heart warming but missed both of those marks. I found Liv to be extremely immature and self-centered. She really only cares about the competition because the outcome could impact her post law school job.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Wedding Issues: A Novel
Stars: 4 X 5
Author: Elle Evans
Publisher: Zibby Books

Olivia “Liv” Fitzgerald is a driven young woman. She keeps her life structured and planned. She has one more year of Law School to complete. All is going well until her nasty aunt decides to play a game with Liv’s best friend Leighton and her cousin Kali. They are both contenders for the cover of Southern Charm Magazine. Liv wants to keep the Aunt Charlotte happy and doing her best to help with Kali’s wedding. Liv is also doing everything she can to ensure that Leighton gets the cover the magazine. It is a bit chaotic for Liv as she is trying to finish law school, be a great friend to Leighton and work diligently with Kali for her wedding. She has many engagements she has to attend. She had engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and so much more wedding planning to navigate. Liv does her best to balance it all together without going nuts. Liv goes through so much as she learns to navigate all of this. During this time she learns about true friendship, happiness, family dynamic and love.

If you have ever been involved in planning any part of a wedding, you will hugely relate to everything in this book. It was a great fun read.

[Ama · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't resonate with me at all. An unlikable protagonist, nearly-caricature portrayal of the evil nemesis, and the need for multiple clue-by-fours, make this a bit of a slog. Even more important - it is NOT a romance novel. General fiction? Yes. Romance. Not at all. Rather boring, actually.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two boys, two brides, one maid of honor, and a lot of drama. Wedding Issues is about a fast-talking, charismatic law student (Liv) who finds herself as maid of honor for two weddings that are competing for a bridal magazine cover: her best friend's wedding (Leighton) and her cousin's wedding (Kali). Olivia deals with competing priorities, a scheming aunt, and an off-limits crush while juggling graduate law school. The novel touches on themes of friendship, LGBTQ representation, messy family dynamics, generational tensions, and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment.

I love how the book really immerses us in the setting of Nashville, yet there is an element of New York in it that is unique. It also goes into depth on wedding planning and how much detail goes into weddings these days. The high society snubbing and wedding drama was fun to read. This fun, light, and entertaining book will make you laugh and is a perfect read for summer.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...

[Escape Into Fiction · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the book I thought it was. The ending was good, but I personally didn't enjoy the competition plot. I dislike "reality tv", and that's the vibe of the book, so this was a turn off for me...

[Jennifer Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all, Wedding Issues was such a fun read! I would best describe it as a cross between Bride Wars and 27 Dresses set in the South, where weddings always come with a side of drama!

Olivia “Liv” Fitzgerald, a third-year law student at Vanderbilt with the gift of being able to talk anyone into anything, has her sights set on a prestigious job in one of NYC’s prominent law firms. When her best friend Leighton, an influencer and aspiring fashion designer, gets engaged, Liv takes it upon herself to convince one of the editors of Southern Charm, a popular Southern magazine, to feature Leighton as the cover star of their popular bride issue. In a sick twist of fate, Liv runs into her over-the-top socialite aunt, Charlotte, who overhears Liv’s plans and schemes to pitch her daughter, Kali, also recently engaged, as the cover star. Trying to hold on to her carefully laid plans, Liv convinces the editor to have a competition where both brides compete for the cover. What she doesn’t plan is finding herself stuck in the middle as Maid of Honor in both weddings. While Liv tries to put Leighton first, Aunt Lotte makes it difficult when she threatens Liv’s career dreams with the outcome of Kali’s wedding. Chaos and sabotage ensue as Liv tries to talk her way out of the mess she finds herself in, save two weddings, and win over the guy of her dreams.

I LOVED Wedding Issues! This was a charming debut from author Elle Evans. I found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading it! Aunt Lotte…y’all, she is a character, and if you’re from the South, you know an Aunt Lotte! If you’ve ever been in a wedding, helped plan a wedding, or have gotten married, you will love this book! Or, if you love a good romcom, especially one filled with a heaping dose of Southern drama, I highly recommend adding Wedding Issues to your TBR!

[Novels Alive · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the calendar says it is April, the hottest beach reads are already hitting the shelves. Author Elle Evans sets the bar high with a main character determined to topple any obstacle in her path.

Even if that obstacle happens to be the Evil Empress, aka her aunt, all Liv Fitzgerald wants is to finish law school, get her dream job offer, and land her bestie on the front cover of an elite bridal magazine. Then she can drop the news about how she really wants to continue hooking up with her bestie’s off-limits big brother.

Wedding Issues takes all of Liv’s carefully laid plans and throws them into chaos. The cover spot she coveted for her friend, Leighton, also happens to be on Aunt Charlotte’s list for her daughter, Kali.

Liv finds herself serving as maid of honor for both weddings. With a competition underway for the coveted cover, she has to draw on her resources and navigate the snares set by Aunt Charlotte. With her friendship, her future job and her heart in the balance, disaster is only a step away.

Wedding Issues oozes high society snarkiness and good old-fashioned competition in a laugh-out-loud battle that takes wedding planning to a whole new level. ~ Amy for Novels Alive

[Jill Kennard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia takes the label “control freak” to a whole new level! Loved the behind the scenes look at wedding planning. The magazine cover contest took me back to the days I waited for that the next issue of Seventeen to come in the mail. Some pretty outrageous meddling by the evil aunt made for good entertainment, but honestly, most of us would sever those family ties. That was the only part I had difficulty choking down. But this book is a drama filled, guilty pleasure!! We all need those now and then.

[Jamie Kenney · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn’t great, it wasn’t horrible.
It was more of a dramatic friend’s story that wanted to be a romance. I wasn’t bored at any point & it did keep me involved. I just genuinely did not like the romance aspect they (what felt like) threw in there.

The beginning was better IMO. I enjoyed her bitchy aunt. I loved the sabotage. I really enjoyed the plot.

The ending just should have ended so so differently. It did not have to have the love story in it.

(I read this via audio book)