Cancel the Wedding

by Carolyn T. Dingman

A heartfelt fiction debut that will appeal to fans of Emily Giffin’s Southern charm and Jennifer Weiner’s compelling, emotionally resonant novels about the frustrations of blood ties, Cancel the Wedding follows one woman’s journey to discover the secrets of her mother’s hidden past—and confront her own uncertain future.

On the surface, Olivia has it all: a high-powered career, a loving family, and a handsome fiancé. She even seems to be coming to terms with her mother Jane’s premature death from cancer. But when Jane’s final wish is revealed, Olivia and her elder sister Georgia are mystified. Their mother rarely spoke of her rural Southern hometown, and never went back to visit—so why does she want them to return to Huntley, Georgia, to scatter her ashes?

Jane’s request offers Olivia a temporary escape from the reality she’s long been denying: she hates her “dream” job, and she’s not really sure she wants to marry her groom-to-be. With her 14-year-old niece, Logan, riding shotgun, she heads South on a summer road trip looking for answers about her mother.

As Olivia gets to know the town’s inhabitants, she begins to peel back the secrets of her mother’s early life—truths that force her to finally question her own future. But when Olivia is confronted with a tragedy and finds an opportunity to right a terrible wrong, will it give her the courage to accept her mother’s past—and say yes to her own desire to start over?

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Southern, Contemporary, Book Club, Mystery

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2014

About the author

Carolyn Dingman grew up as a nomadic military brat often making up stories that the adults referred to as "lies." She is now a grown-up and hardly ever lies anymore unless she's writing fiction where it is considered socially acceptable. She studied Architecture at Clemson University which in no way prepared her for a career in writing. Her first novel is called, CANCEL THE WEDDING (HarperCollins, August 2014.)

Carolyn lives in Atlanta with her husband and two girls. She volunteers too much, eats too much chocolate, and prefers beer over wine.

Reviews

[Twobusy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look: I'm a guy. Which essentially means that - by default - I'm not the target audience for the whole chick-lit vertical that Cancel the Wedding is supposed to fit into. I mean, this is the kind of thing my eye automatically tends to skim past in bookstores: a novel about daughters and their mothers and hidden secrets from the past coming to light and maybe a possible love interest and everyone involved has all of these feeeeeeelings that they need to express and... well, it's really not my thing.

Except.

Carolyn Dingman? She's a really gifted writer, blending the ability to develop realistic and memorable characters with a sharp and truly wicked sense of humor. With Cancel the Wedding, she applies these skills to take what could have easily been a pretty cut-and-dried genre exercise and transforms it into something totally enjoyable -- the kind of thing you actively want to come back to after you put it down, simply because you're having so much fun reading it.

I know -- it surprised the hell out of me, too. I won't try to describe what happens in the novel plot-wise, because a lot of the other reviewers here have already done that better than I could. Instead, I'll throw an RIYL at you, and let that tell the story: Cancel the Wedding, to me, came off as a kind of hybrid of the early Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum novels and that Reese Witherspoon movie "Sweet Home Alabama" -- 400ish pages of totally charming, engaging and often very, very funny writing that, in the end, is almost impossible not to like.

Recommended, without reservation.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still can't believe CANCEL THE WEDDING is a debut novel by Carolyn. She pulled me right in from the very beginning and never let me go. Even after I was finished reading, I found myself thinking of Georgia and her mom. CANCEL THE WEDDING is about much more than a runaway bride. It is about a daughter uncovering her mother's past while trying to figure out her own future

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this book.
On the one hand, I enjoyed following Olivia and her niece Logan as they try to unearth the mystery of Olivia's mother, who had requested that her ashes be scattered in a lake in Huntley GA. I did liked Olivia's journey of self discovery as she sought to uncover her mothers secrets.
On the other hand, I thought there was quite a couple of story lines that were not pertinent to the story and could have been left out of the book altogether.
I thought this was just an "ok" read; parts of it were extremely predictable, but there was 1 surprise I did not see coming. I was tempted a few times to put it aside, but it did keep me interested enough to read to the end to see the final results. This was a debut by this author, and I would read another of her books.

[Carmen Slaughter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a nutshell: A woman dies and her two daughters are given the task of spreading her ashes in a small Georgia town. One of the daughters is unsettled in her career and her relationship so she goes to the town to try and figure out why their mother left those specific wishes. That's when she discovers they never really knew their mother at all. This book deftly creates a mash-up of several of my favorite plot devices: relationship drama, coming of age, family secrets revealed, and historical fiction weaved into present day setting.

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!

I enjoyed this so much. It was kind of a dual timeline story, but more that of a daughter discovering parts of her mother's past that she had no idea about. The overall story was fairly light and romantic, but with heart-tugging and sad looks into the past. I loved the story arc and characters, but especially the sweet romance between Olivia and Elliott. Cancel the Wedding left me feeling thoroughly happy and complete, but still wanting more of such fabulous storytelling.

I read and listened interchangeably, but spent most of my time listening to its wonderful audio production. I'm familiar with this narrator and she's quickly become a favorite.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

4.5 stars

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Harper Paperbacks via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is August 5, 2014.

This is the type of read that is right up my alley. A mystery from the past being solved in the present day. This book is slightly different than most of this genre that I have read that with the exception of the first chapter it is told entirely in the present day and the story is unraveled through clues found in the present.

I am a sucker for a tragic love story and this book delivers. As we learn more about Janie's past I became more hooked. I could not wait to find out what happened with George and Oliver even though I knew the outcome could not be good.

Another strength in this book was the story-line and relationships in the present day. I really enjoyed the interactions between Olivia and her fourteen year old niece. It added an additional element that kept the story ticking. And then there is Elliot. I could write forever about him but I won't. He had me at hello and I just loved him. The additional conflict that he created by his presence in Olivia's life as she was dealing with her current issues added another layer to the story. Did I mention that he was totally dreamy? Not necessarily in the physical aspect but his personality. He was the perfect male. I fell in love with him.

Overall I really liked this story. I found myself ignoring all the things on my to do list in order to finish this book. Before starting this story I had pre-judged it to be a fluff story but it had so much more to it. I will be recommending this to everyone.

[Kim Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy Going Story With a Touch of Mystery

This book has an easygoing flow to it. The storytelling has a touch of whimsy, humor, romance, heartbreak, and a mystery too. The characters are well defined and you grow to like them. The humor and the mystery are the glue of the story. I enjoyed a lot about the book except for the title. It has such little significance to the story and really doesn't define the meaning of the book. It a story of discovery and 'cancelling a wedding' is a byproduct. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story of a pair of grieving sisters unraveling the mystery of why their Mom wanted her ashes spread in a place they knew nothing about. A beautiful relationship builds between one of the sisters and her niece, as they work together on the mystery. Love unravels and unfolds in this story of mystery, along with an amazing act their father did for their mother. This was one of the better stories I've read in a while -- 8 out of 10.

[Taylor Ronnei · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to cancel this book. (I know this isn’t an original phrase and the term “cancel” is overused these days, but I can’t help it.) This story of a young women looking to find out the mysteries of her mother’s childhood just did not interest me. Furthermore, I think the love interest plots were so unrealistic and terribly frustrating. I digress. In summary, a big disappointment. :(

[Magpie67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your atypical romance nor wedding... in fact the title doesn't even pertain to the main character, but clearly you understand where and when it was the perfect title to use. Some things change and some things recycle itself. Olivia and Georgia need to follow their mother's wishes with her ashes, the plan is to wait a bit before heading to the hometown neither girl is aware of... until a wedding date is pushed upon Olivia. Not sure she is ready for marriage to this man or anyone, she makes a rash decision to head down to Huntley, Georgia with the remains and her niece. When she arrives the mystery of her mother's past is so alluring; she joins up with the local newsman to trace back her mother's past and gains a new perspective about herself, her career, and her future.

Beautiful story, fans of The Orphan Train and What She Left Behind will enjoy this historical fiction of a modern day tragedy that Olivia and Georgia's mom left when she headed north. Carolyn swept me up with this title right into the digging up history, using the library and the city census plus all the maps. I think I would have liked more at the end... a smaller synopsis of their mother as she met her next love and started her new beginnings.

[Mirna Yasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
Not a 4, because the first half was cringy and slow but the second half is so unpredictable and emotional, I loved it❤️

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only criticism about this book is the title! It leads you to believe this is a light chick-lit read only good for the beach, but it's so much more than that! I haven't felt this emotionally connected to a novel in a long time. The book follows Olivia on a quest through small-town Georgia to uncover many secrets her mother never revealed during her lifetime. You meet several amazing characters that truly bring this book to life.

It's hard to believe this is Carolyn Dingman's debut novel. She had me laughing and crying. This book pulled at my heartstrings and had me so engaged that I was reading as quickly as I could so I could uncover the next twist. Carolyn wrote so beautifully and wove a wonderful tale of love, loss, and love again. She gave you little details to lead you in the right direction, but you never knew how all of the piece would come together or how they story would end. It offers the perfect amount of romance, friendship, and mystery to hold your interest. I was hooked until the very last page. I highly recommend this book - I can't believe more people aren't reading it!

[Karen Wahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio along with reading on my Kindle. The story was a combination of a woman figuring out who she was after a major loss, solving a mystery regarding her mother, sisterhood and yes some romance. I loved the characters and was sad to say goodbye. Cannot believe first book by the author. Kudos to her!!

[Julie Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Fun read!

[Diane Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the type of book reader who doesn't really give books a chance. If I'm not enjoying it by 20 pages in, I put it down and never pick it up again. This one? I NEVER put down! I spent three days doing nothing but reading this story of self-discovery, family, and love because I enjoyed it so much. By the end, I wanted to move to the town in which it's set! She had me early and kept me there. That's my favorite kind of book!

[Bette Stanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Ms. Dingman’s that I’ve read. She has a style that flows from one scene to another seamlessly with refreshing characters and filled with small, unexpected turns of events. Dingman has the ability to develop her characters into people you feel you truly know, their wit is sometimes wicked. While it wasn’t a book I absolutely could not put down, it was one that I looked forward to spending time with. It isn’t that I had to keep reading because I had to find out exactly what was going to happen, it was rather that I wanted to make sure it was going to turn out as I thought. Cancel the Wedding is a totally charming, engaging, and often really funny read that will have you laughing one minute and almost crying the next….but you won’t get emotional whiplash. Great debut novel, Ms. Dingman!

[Rose Grabowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good. I randomly picked it up expecting a rom com, but it was far from that. This was the fascinating story of two daughters fulfilling their late mothers request to scatter her ashes in the small town she has told them little about. The older daughter is unable to go so Olivia takes her 14-year-old niece on an epic road trip that will change their lives. Olivia is at a crossroads with her own life so it's a good time to take a break. She hates her job and is ambivalent about her fiancée. What they find out in this small town is the tragedy that was her mother's earlier life, they solved a mystery, and gave their mother the happy ending she never had in life. This author has not written her second book yet, but I am here for it.

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute story and was definitely better than most chick-lit but I felt the characters were a bit shallow (I really need likeable characters to love a book) and I felt there was too much "Oh no, what should I do?!" throughout the story that made it drag for me. That said, there was a fun mystery and twist to the story. Good beach or pool reading, when you just want something fun.

[Anna Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the fact that this book was about a small town that was eventually devoured by a river turned lake drew me in early on since I am familiar with the creation of Lake Ouachita and the towns affected by that. But the story line was realistic and kept me drawn in and wanting to see how it all wrapped up. I’d recommend this one to anyone - not much romance, more family/relationship drama.

[Irene Bue · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 if not a 5. I couldn't wait to get back to it!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I found myself wanting to be able to go back and read, just to know what came next.

[Mary Barker Cruse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book with an interesting little mystery that kept me going! Nice and clean, nothing dark and sinister.

[Lisa Matheny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her first book? Are you kidding? Hopefully, no, FACTUALLY, not her last book.

[Mila Cutteridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about Olivia, who ventures out with her 14 year old niece, Logan to her mother's old hometown to scatter her ashes per her wishes. Olivia's mother never talked about her hometown, so before Olivia honors her mother's wishes, she goes on a fact finding mission to find out about her mother and her family history.

This story gives me major Karen White vibes. Southern flare along with a little mystery! This kept me engaged as I wanted to find out more about Olivia's family history and just why her mothers wishes were so specific.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cancel The Wedding was a women's fiction / chick lit / mystery that involved Liv going back to her mother's hometown to find out why her mother wanted to be buried there. Because Liv was especially eager to escape her own romantic issues she spent a month in the small town she'd never heard of digging into her mothers past. Her niece Logan tagged along and also helped with the search.
After Liv met Elliot she seriously began to reconsider her engagement to Leo back home. Elliot's feelings for Liv promoted him to help her with the search and also gave her access to the local townspeople. Their relationship developed really well and was more involved than what could be expected from a cheesy romance novel. Much of the plot revolved around Liv digging into her mother's past and dodging Leo's calls.

Liv was an okay character, but she wasn't someone I especially liked. She knew she wasn't in love with Leo yet was unable to break off the engagement. I thought that was very unfair to both Leo and Elliot, although I suppose that was the point. Her indecision created a pivotal point in the plot.

Some of the elements in the towns history were rather odd, a flooded town, a fire, mysterious deaths, and grave robbing. The search into Liv's mother's past life went on bit too long and then turned into scenes straight out of a horror movie. Liv's mother was given several chapters where she was the focus. Those helped to explain her youth and her burial request but I didn't think that story was all that strong.

Overall, this was a good chick lit beach read. It was pure entertainment with characters who were passionate and realistic.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what it is, an entertaining novel that is perfect for a summer time read. You'll want to pack up and head to the lake as you read it. I liked the characters, liked the setting, liked the romance, and liked the mystery.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe this is a debut novel. I'd give it six stars if I could.

[Aislynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia’s life isn’t quite as perfect as you would think. She on the surface has the ‘dream job’ but isn’t really happy with it. She’s engaged to a nice man, but can’t get herself to set a date for their wedding. When her Mother passes away and stipulates she wants her ashes scattered in a place they’d never heard her talk about, she decides to go find out more about her Mother. Tagging along with Olivia is her young niece Logan. They find themselves in the small town in Georgia – Tillman, which isn’t at all what they expect.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the mystery of Huntley and what happened to Olivia’s Mother early on her life. As they piece together the story from newspaper articles, the local people and exploring the area, she learns so much about who her family is and how the events shaped her Mother. With Emory’s help she finds much more then she ever expected.

Would I recommend this book? Most definitely, and I have! I’ve always been a fan of mystery novels and especially ones that include family history! This is one of those books that you can’t put down. The story draws you in and keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Would I read more by this author? Easily! I can’t wait to see what stories this debut author comes up with next. Carolyn has a great style and I thoroughly loved this book. I eagerly await her next book!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

cancel the wedding
by
carolyn dingman




My " in a nutshell" summary...

Olivia and her niece Logan are going to Huntley, Georgia to dispense with Olivia's mother's ashes. Olivia and her sister Georgia know nothing about why their mom wanted this done. Olivia is engaged to Leo but unhappy. She is hoping for space and time to help with her Leo issues.

My thoughts after reading this book...

Sigh! I have much sweet love for this book. It's kind of sugary, a bit mysterious and tons of fun. Olivia takes a leave of absence from her job to carry out her mother's wishes. While she is in Huntley...she learns about her mother's past life...the life that her mom never ever talked about. She meets and instantly feels a connection with Elliot...and her life changes dramatically.

What I loved about this book...

The characters were interesting and believable, the setting was lovely, the mysterious aspects were just right...this was a truly lovely book. The conflict and resolution that Livi had with her fiancée Leo was just tense enough. I loved her relationship with her niece. I loved that her sister tried to be the voice of reason. Of course...I loved the way this story ended. It was fun and just a bit sad and a wee bit magical!


Final thoughts...

There is nothing heavy handed in this book. It was a purely pleasurable fun book and I enjoyed reading it. It's romance but it there is so much more to it than just romance!

[BookMaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll Laugh, You will Cry, Then Smile at the Perfection

Olivia has decided to go to her Mom's hometown to explore her childhood. Her mother never talked about her childhood, but left a strange last request: that 1/2 of her ashes be spread out on a gravesite listed as 32b in her hometown, and the other half to be spread out on the lake. Olivia took her 14 year old niece, Logan, with her. Logan's mother, Olivia's sister, Georgie, would meet them there later. Olivia needed a respite from her life. She needed some space from her live-in fiancé and from a job she hated. Olivia went to get to know who her mother was as a child, and ended up knowing her mom better, but also herself. Olivia's journey is fun, full of love, mystery and some tragedies, too, but there is always lots of love and support from many interesting side characters.

Some books make you want to rush through each page to find out what happens at the end. This book makes you want to savor each word, each page. You never want it to end. You want to spend time with each and every character, you want to visit each place and linger. This writer grabs your heart from the first page, and takes you on a journey of love in all its forms. To me, this book is perfect. The plot line moves you evenly along, making you love every moment. So hope this wonderful new author has another book for us soon.