The Royal Wedding, A Crown Jewels Romantic Comedy, Melanie Summers and MJ Summers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: women's fiction, Romance
Well, much to my surprise I loved book one. I thought I'd like it but that it would be chic-lit fluff, fine for when i want something easy between heavier reads.
It actually had far deeper content than I expected along with some cracking characters and great humour and that's carried across really well into book two.
When I see the words irresistibly funny, laugh out loud, you will love this book, I'm wary, its so often a cover for a story that to me is brash and in-your-face comedy, and I just don't like that. I feel its a bit of a step up telling me I will laugh, find the story funny etc.
I can say I did find both these novels really good with some well placed humour that was perfect within the story arc, that doesn't mean everyone will laugh though....
On that subject, cheese Overload.
It was funny the first couple of times, began to grate (unintended that, honest!!) after the sixth or so, and by the end of book one I was gritting my teeth every time that came up - sadly book two had even more cheese humour, but for me it was something that let the story down, overdone, felt forced :-(
Luckily that's a minor point, and the story moves on quickly from engagement to wedding plans.
Poor Tessa, a foot in two world, her freinds and family feel she's changing, the Royals who don't like her don't feel she can ever change enough to fit in.
She wants to do her best for Arthur, to make him proud, and yet she's been brought up to be independent.
Whatever she does is wrong for someone.
Throw in those who feel she's gone over to the Dark Side, the anti-monarchy crowd, who tear at her for what they see as abandoning her stance, those who feel she's a gold digger v those who feel by keeping her job she's wasting her time and taxpayers money, as she needs a bodyguard there, and of course the Twitter Campaign, from the #Brookeisbest guys.
They are vicious, pull down what she does, whats she wears, what she says - all that get's done by the media too, and the poor girl isn't feeling great. She's really under Trial by Media, with everyone feeling they know whats best, whats wrong, what she should be doing and are telling her loudly via the Press and the Internet.
Its a huge stress on a couple in love. wedding planning is stressful anyway but on the scale of a Royal wedding??
Her friends; I kind of understood how they felt and yet couldn't really see what else she could do. Ditto her parents involvement in the wedding - love how Reuben whips out his cheque book whenever money comes up and Arthur tactfully persuades him they need to share the bills....
I know her mum has dreams of her only daughter's wedding, but really its Tessa and Arthur's wedding, and she's a bit of a steam roller over what Tessa actually wants. ( I'd hate the bridal shower games she has planned too - I was cringing just reading them - do people really do that?)
That taking over, conflict of what bride and groom want v what parents want happens so many times, not just royal weddings but everyday ones, where the day gets high-jacked by proud parents. Sadly in Tessa's case its not just family and freinds who'll see when it goes wrong, but the whole world. No pressure then.
I love the cast, Tessa's brothers and wives, and the kids, Arthur of course, his Gran, wonderful lady, I want to be her when I'm that age. Then there's those who don't like Tessa, the King, Arthur's sister, and Brooke, who seems to be wishing Tessa and Arthur well, offering help sweetly, but we know she's likely only paying lip service and wants Arthur herself. She's been his friend for a long time, and he can't believe she wants to be anything more - men are like that aren't they? Tessa can see through her though, but there's nothing she can do, just try to prove herself a fit bride, future Queen, and sadly her past means she's starting from a long way back.
The wedding planner, Sebastian ( Baz, everything gets shortened or Acronymed (?) as he hasn't time for full words....he was a real star, and I'm sure there are many like him in real life.
It made for a fun read once more, a book I really enjoyed that was light and easy to read but which brought in some serious issues.
Stars: five, a fun finish to the story that had me smiling at times, furious at others and so pleased at the way it finally worked out.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers