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The Perfect Wedding #1
The Perfect Wedding
Weddings should be perfect, except some turn into devastating tragedies…
Amelia and Lachlan are celebrating the happiest day of their lives at their dream cliffside wedding when an anonymous letter arrives, followed by a series of unsettling events that refuse to be ignored. By midnight, Lachlan has vanished.
The next morning, Amelia makes a discovery so horrifying it shatters everything she believed about their wedding night, and convinces her this was no accident.
Haunted by unanswered questions, Amelia becomes desperate to uncover what really happened. As she digs into the past, long-buried secrets begin to surface, and the truth proves far more dangerous than she imagined.
With the threat closer than she ever expected, Amelia will do anything to protect her family. But as suspicion turns toward the wedding guests themselves, she must ask—will the truth be uncovered…or stay buried forever?
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the ARC! (I LOVE unsolicited arcs, but am noting that I didn’t apply for this one***)
Well. I hate to say it… but this was, genuinely, atrocious. Here’s why:
- The writing felt like the first draft of someone’s first book, yet also completely lacked humanity;
- People do not talk the way these characters do. The dialogue felt oddly formal yet undercooked at the same time.
- There were many continuity errors, like switching from a week past the murder to a day
- I fail to see what the point of the first half of the book was. There were SO MANY overkill descriptions of this luxury wedding (luxury, LUXURYYYY) and over the top details about the dancing and the decor (“costal” decor, icymi) and this went on for chapters and chapters and nothing else was happening
- There were instances of blatantly incorrect phrases littered through out this book: ‘too much things’ ‘not the baddest thing’ and many cases like that. and like… in my experience these are all things that autocorrect fixes for you??? so i don’t know how they made it into the ARC copy?
- The grief representation was perhaps the worst i’ve read in a book, ever. I don’t even wanna talk about it or get into it just trust me if you are grieving or have experienced grief this depiction is almost laughable, the kind of laugh where you’re also dying inside
What I’ve learned additionally that made me dislike this book enough to leave a detailed review:
- I learned this book was rushed to be finished by the self imposed deadline from the author’s threads which makes me think that a final round of edits was skipped in favour of rushing to publication. Or any round of edits, at that. Which just feels like disrespect for your readers time and money.
- I’m really quite done with the marketing of this book as having ‘psychotically insane characters’. I KNOW IM ABOUT TO SOUND LIKE THE FRIEND WHO IS TOO WOKE BUT BEAR WITH ME I HAVE A GOOD POINT I SWEAR: I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘psychotically insane’ as someone who has experienced psychosis and who has had the word insane and psycho used in an ableist way against me due to experiencing psychosis, ‘psychotically insane’ and ‘psycho’ being used so heavily in the marketing of this book put a bad taste in my mouth, but I was accepted for an ARC before I saw all that, so I followed through on reading this anyway. To be clear, I don’t think using the word insane is a slur unless it’s being used AS one within context, what put me off about this was the combination of ‘psychotically’. SMALL grievance, but it was just icky.
I thought this would naturally be better than the author’s other book as author’s grow with each book, but it had the same issues affecting its quality: rushed, not edited, not beta read, more time spent on (bad) marketing than on the content of the book and last, but not to be underemphasised, the author’s questionable threads presence.
***I didn’t apply for this ARC, and am assuming I was sent it because I was on the author’s ARC team for their debut? I am unsure if this was a mistake? I’ll NEVER complain about an unsolicited ARC though, so I read it!
Well. I hate to say it… but this was, genuinely, atrocious. Here’s why:
- The writing felt like the first draft of someone’s first book, yet also completely lacked humanity;
- People do not talk the way these characters do. The dialogue felt oddly formal yet undercooked at the same time.
- There were many continuity errors, like switching from a week past the murder to a day
- I fail to see what the point of the first half of the book was. There were SO MANY overkill descriptions of this luxury wedding (luxury, LUXURYYYY) and over the top details about the dancing and the decor (“costal” decor, icymi) and this went on for chapters and chapters and nothing else was happening
- There were instances of blatantly incorrect phrases littered through out this book: ‘too much things’ ‘not the baddest thing’ and many cases like that. and like… in my experience these are all things that autocorrect fixes for you??? so i don’t know how they made it into the ARC copy?
- The grief representation was perhaps the worst i’ve read in a book, ever. I don’t even wanna talk about it or get into it just trust me if you are grieving or have experienced grief this depiction is almost laughable, the kind of laugh where you’re also dying inside
What I’ve learned additionally that made me dislike this book enough to leave a detailed review:
- I learned this book was rushed to be finished by the self imposed deadline from the author’s threads which makes me think that a final round of edits was skipped in favour of rushing to publication. Or any round of edits, at that. Which just feels like disrespect for your readers time and money.
- I’m really quite done with the marketing of this book as having ‘psychotically insane characters’. I KNOW IM ABOUT TO SOUND LIKE THE FRIEND WHO IS TOO WOKE BUT BEAR WITH ME I HAVE A GOOD POINT I SWEAR: I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘psychotically insane’ as someone who has experienced psychosis and who has had the word insane and psycho used in an ableist way against me due to experiencing psychosis, ‘psychotically insane’ and ‘psycho’ being used so heavily in the marketing of this book put a bad taste in my mouth, but I was accepted for an ARC before I saw all that, so I followed through on reading this anyway. To be clear, I don’t think using the word insane is a slur unless it’s being used AS one within context, what put me off about this was the combination of ‘psychotically’. SMALL grievance, but it was just icky.
I thought this would naturally be better than the author’s other book as author’s grow with each book, but it had the same issues affecting its quality: rushed, not edited, not beta read, more time spent on (bad) marketing than on the content of the book and last, but not to be underemphasised, the author’s questionable threads presence.
***I didn’t apply for this ARC, and am assuming I was sent it because I was on the author’s ARC team for their debut? I am unsure if this was a mistake? I’ll NEVER complain about an unsolicited ARC though, so I read it!
April 18, 2026
ARC REVIEW!
I was so excited for this cause it was my first thriller ARC but it just didn't work for me🥲
the first half felt really slow and overly detailed, especially with wedding stuff. it got repetitive at times and i kept waiting to be thrilled but it never came until a liiitttllleee in part two! part two picked it up a little but i was already struggling to read it by then.
the writing style felt a little off. the dialogue didn't sound very natural and came across as overly simple or unrealistic at times which pulled me out of the story. some of the character reactions felt dramatic in a way that didn't match the situation..and the pacing of emotional moments felt rushed (for grief) and hard to connect with.
i really wanted to love this one but it just didn't deliver the suspense and emotional depth i was hoping for😪
notes i jotted down while reading:
•the language seems a little off like...too plain? "thanks again for saving me from getting assaulted or god knows what he would've done to me" ... idk it just seems like not actually what people would say. maybe that's just me
•"i always knew he was a humorous guy with a great sense of humor"....okay
•these people are dramatic asf. "given the dire circumstances" and it's just him needing to talk about the fireworks.....and then you told your wife to go and rest and now assume she's missing when you can't find her in the singular room you looked in?
•these people are DUMB! telling amelia to calm down literally 3 hours after finding her husbands DEAD BODY! HELLO?
•i'm on ch 46....what if it was amelia's sister??
•"i need your phone to call 911 to save our lives"....girl nobody talks like that
I was so excited for this cause it was my first thriller ARC but it just didn't work for me🥲
the first half felt really slow and overly detailed, especially with wedding stuff. it got repetitive at times and i kept waiting to be thrilled but it never came until a liiitttllleee in part two! part two picked it up a little but i was already struggling to read it by then.
the writing style felt a little off. the dialogue didn't sound very natural and came across as overly simple or unrealistic at times which pulled me out of the story. some of the character reactions felt dramatic in a way that didn't match the situation..and the pacing of emotional moments felt rushed (for grief) and hard to connect with.
i really wanted to love this one but it just didn't deliver the suspense and emotional depth i was hoping for😪
notes i jotted down while reading:
•the language seems a little off like...too plain? "thanks again for saving me from getting assaulted or god knows what he would've done to me" ... idk it just seems like not actually what people would say. maybe that's just me
•"i always knew he was a humorous guy with a great sense of humor"....okay
•these people are dramatic asf. "given the dire circumstances" and it's just him needing to talk about the fireworks.....and then you told your wife to go and rest and now assume she's missing when you can't find her in the singular room you looked in?
•these people are DUMB! telling amelia to calm down literally 3 hours after finding her husbands DEAD BODY! HELLO?
•i'm on ch 46....what if it was amelia's sister??
•"i need your phone to call 911 to save our lives"....girl nobody talks like that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2026
ARC Review
I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately it fell flat to me, and I ended up not finishing it. The plot and setting were great. Unfortunately, the dialogue was clunky and unnatural, as well as repetitive at times. The pacing was slow, and the writing felt a bit juvenile.
I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately it fell flat to me, and I ended up not finishing it. The plot and setting were great. Unfortunately, the dialogue was clunky and unnatural, as well as repetitive at times. The pacing was slow, and the writing felt a bit juvenile.
May 28, 2026
I really wanted to like this and give a good review . I couldn't get past the immaturity of it. Truth or Dare at a college party was the downfall for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2026
The plot was relatively predictable and the writing itself could use some editing. There were a few instances where I questioned if this was written by AI because it made no sense?
May 10, 2026
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my review. I apologize for being late with it, but life happens, and it’s happened quite a bit over here. On to the important part.
I was super excited when I signed up for this because I love a good thriller/mystery. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. I don’t know if the story is good because the writing is distractingly bad. It was uncomfortable to read. NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT!!! “I would not sit here and let him attack my mother in such devious and disgraceful words. “How dare you speak about my mother like that! You are despicable, evil, and revolting.”” What college-age male in the 21st century speaks like that? A robotic version of Sheldon Cooper, maybe. And all the dialogue and scene-setting is like that. Every scene, every character, every conversation.
Look, writing a book is fucking hard. Putting your heart and soul into your work and sending it out to the world is terrifying. Please, for the love of Cthulhu, read your book before you publish it. Actually sit down and read the entire thing. It’ll help you catch a lot of things that spell check misses. Read the dialogue out loud. Have someone read it out loud to you. Is the cadence good, does it flow well, does it make sense, did you remember that real people use contractions when they speak? Word count isn’t going to matter if no one can get through it.
I was super excited when I signed up for this because I love a good thriller/mystery. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. I don’t know if the story is good because the writing is distractingly bad. It was uncomfortable to read. NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT!!! “I would not sit here and let him attack my mother in such devious and disgraceful words. “How dare you speak about my mother like that! You are despicable, evil, and revolting.”” What college-age male in the 21st century speaks like that? A robotic version of Sheldon Cooper, maybe. And all the dialogue and scene-setting is like that. Every scene, every character, every conversation.
Look, writing a book is fucking hard. Putting your heart and soul into your work and sending it out to the world is terrifying. Please, for the love of Cthulhu, read your book before you publish it. Actually sit down and read the entire thing. It’ll help you catch a lot of things that spell check misses. Read the dialogue out loud. Have someone read it out loud to you. Is the cadence good, does it flow well, does it make sense, did you remember that real people use contractions when they speak? Word count isn’t going to matter if no one can get through it.
September 5, 2026
I am truly grateful to any author who slides into my DMs to request a book review. It's an honor to be part of their journey, and I can't fully express my appreciation.
This story unfolds in three parts, showcasing various points of view from Lachlan, Amelia, and Joyce. We first meet Lachlan and Amelia during a cliffside wedding celebration, where we learn how their love story began. Joyce’s narrative intertwines with theirs, revealing the connections among the characters, even when they're unaware of them.
On the day of the wedding, a letter arrives that sets off a chain of unexpected events. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect with the characters. They seemed to lack maturity and confidence, and their dramatic tendencies were a bit overwhelming. For instance, Amelia, on her wedding day, couldn't locate her fiancé and spun an entire scenario in her mind about him disappearing, when in fact, he was just "mingling" with guests. Some moments felt overly dramatized, which only highlighted their immaturity.
On a positive note, the wedding venue was beautifully described, creating an atmospheric and unique setting that I could visualize thanks to the vivid imagery. The plot was a brilliant idea, packed with twists that ranged from easy to guess to more surprising ones. However, the medical details woven throughout, thanks to Amelia being a doctor, felt a bit excessive and disrupted the flow of the narrative.
The pacing was uneven, and the ending felt somewhat rushed. Nonetheless, I appreciated the clever reasons behind everyone's actions when everything came together. While this book didn't resonate with me, I encourage you to give it a shot; it might just become your favorite. If you enjoy wedding thrillers with complicated family dynamics, well-crafted twists, and morally ambiguous characters, this book could be right up your alley. Themes of joy on what should be the happiest day of their lives, grief, deception, justice, long-simmering revenge, and both accidental and intentional deaths prevail throughout. The takeaway? Turns out blackmail is basically a one-way ticket to becoming a cautionary tale. So, the moral of the story: keeping your mouth shut about what you know beats becoming a permanent fixture on a true crime podcast! Ha!
Thank you, Jayde Collins, for the gifted DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story unfolds in three parts, showcasing various points of view from Lachlan, Amelia, and Joyce. We first meet Lachlan and Amelia during a cliffside wedding celebration, where we learn how their love story began. Joyce’s narrative intertwines with theirs, revealing the connections among the characters, even when they're unaware of them.
On the day of the wedding, a letter arrives that sets off a chain of unexpected events. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect with the characters. They seemed to lack maturity and confidence, and their dramatic tendencies were a bit overwhelming. For instance, Amelia, on her wedding day, couldn't locate her fiancé and spun an entire scenario in her mind about him disappearing, when in fact, he was just "mingling" with guests. Some moments felt overly dramatized, which only highlighted their immaturity.
On a positive note, the wedding venue was beautifully described, creating an atmospheric and unique setting that I could visualize thanks to the vivid imagery. The plot was a brilliant idea, packed with twists that ranged from easy to guess to more surprising ones. However, the medical details woven throughout, thanks to Amelia being a doctor, felt a bit excessive and disrupted the flow of the narrative.
The pacing was uneven, and the ending felt somewhat rushed. Nonetheless, I appreciated the clever reasons behind everyone's actions when everything came together. While this book didn't resonate with me, I encourage you to give it a shot; it might just become your favorite. If you enjoy wedding thrillers with complicated family dynamics, well-crafted twists, and morally ambiguous characters, this book could be right up your alley. Themes of joy on what should be the happiest day of their lives, grief, deception, justice, long-simmering revenge, and both accidental and intentional deaths prevail throughout. The takeaway? Turns out blackmail is basically a one-way ticket to becoming a cautionary tale. So, the moral of the story: keeping your mouth shut about what you know beats becoming a permanent fixture on a true crime podcast! Ha!
Thank you, Jayde Collins, for the gifted DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 2, 2026
I hated this book!
It honestly felt like I was reading the school assignment of a 12 year old girl.
The writing was terrible, it was like she didn't know how people talked, some of the conversations were comical even though there were very serious things happening.
43% of the book was just the wedding day, I really did not care to read about (what felt like) 17 surprise dances.
The amount of mistakes in book made it very hard to read, I understand authors make mistakes but every couple of pages had alot of mistakes. It was a disaster.
The "twist" wasn't even a twist at all. It's safe to say that this is the worst book I have ever read.
It honestly felt like I was reading the school assignment of a 12 year old girl.
The writing was terrible, it was like she didn't know how people talked, some of the conversations were comical even though there were very serious things happening.
43% of the book was just the wedding day, I really did not care to read about (what felt like) 17 surprise dances.
The amount of mistakes in book made it very hard to read, I understand authors make mistakes but every couple of pages had alot of mistakes. It was a disaster.
The "twist" wasn't even a twist at all. It's safe to say that this is the worst book I have ever read.
May 1, 2026
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release date: May 1, 2026
The Perfect Wedding by Jayde Collins
Happy release day—and genuinely, thank you for the ARC. You already know I’ll show up for a wedding, especially if it promises drama dressed in expensive fabric and emotional damage.
So… let’s not dance around it.
This review fought me. Hard.
Because here’s the thing: this book is good. Like, annoyingly good in places. The writing? Solid. Intentional. The kind where you don’t just read emotions—you absorb them. I could see the venue, feel the tension, practically sip the champagne while side-eyeing everyone like I belonged there. The love? Intense enough to make me question my life choices and slightly fear for my Kindle’s safety.
But.
And it’s a big but.
This book is split into two parts, and the first half? Nearly lost me. Not because it’s bad—because it’s a lot. Every detail of the wedding is laid out like it’s evidence in a trial. For some readers, that’s immersion. For me? That’s me checking how many pages are left while contemplating a snack break and a small existential crisis.
Slow burn and I have a complicated relationship. By complicated, I mean we actively avoid each other. I have the patience of a caffeinated toddler and a brain that craves chaos, tension, something happening. This part? It lingers. It takes its time. It enjoys taking its time.
I do not.
But then—the second half.
And suddenly I’m locked in.
Somewhere along the way, my inner detective packed her bags and went on vacation, because I did not see that coming. At all. And I love that. It wasn’t about the obvious “who”—it was about the why. The unraveling. The emotional gut punches. The betrayal that actually lands. The kind of hurt that sits heavy in your chest instead of just passing through.
That part? Yeah. That part had me front row, no escape, fully invested.
So here we are.
Three and a half slightly sleep-deprived, mildly impatient, but ultimately satisfied stars. Because while the first half tested my will to continue existing, the second half made sure I didn’t regret it.
This is one of those books that will absolutely work for a lot of readers—especially if you love slow burn, detail, and that drawn-out tension before everything inevitably goes wrong (because let’s be honest… it always does).
So grab your blanket, pour yourself something nice, and settle in.
Just… don’t trust the wedding.
Because when everything looks this perfect?
Yeah. That’s usually where it starts to crack.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release date: May 1, 2026
The Perfect Wedding by Jayde Collins
Happy release day—and genuinely, thank you for the ARC. You already know I’ll show up for a wedding, especially if it promises drama dressed in expensive fabric and emotional damage.
So… let’s not dance around it.
This review fought me. Hard.
Because here’s the thing: this book is good. Like, annoyingly good in places. The writing? Solid. Intentional. The kind where you don’t just read emotions—you absorb them. I could see the venue, feel the tension, practically sip the champagne while side-eyeing everyone like I belonged there. The love? Intense enough to make me question my life choices and slightly fear for my Kindle’s safety.
But.
And it’s a big but.
This book is split into two parts, and the first half? Nearly lost me. Not because it’s bad—because it’s a lot. Every detail of the wedding is laid out like it’s evidence in a trial. For some readers, that’s immersion. For me? That’s me checking how many pages are left while contemplating a snack break and a small existential crisis.
Slow burn and I have a complicated relationship. By complicated, I mean we actively avoid each other. I have the patience of a caffeinated toddler and a brain that craves chaos, tension, something happening. This part? It lingers. It takes its time. It enjoys taking its time.
I do not.
But then—the second half.
And suddenly I’m locked in.
Somewhere along the way, my inner detective packed her bags and went on vacation, because I did not see that coming. At all. And I love that. It wasn’t about the obvious “who”—it was about the why. The unraveling. The emotional gut punches. The betrayal that actually lands. The kind of hurt that sits heavy in your chest instead of just passing through.
That part? Yeah. That part had me front row, no escape, fully invested.
So here we are.
Three and a half slightly sleep-deprived, mildly impatient, but ultimately satisfied stars. Because while the first half tested my will to continue existing, the second half made sure I didn’t regret it.
This is one of those books that will absolutely work for a lot of readers—especially if you love slow burn, detail, and that drawn-out tension before everything inevitably goes wrong (because let’s be honest… it always does).
So grab your blanket, pour yourself something nice, and settle in.
Just… don’t trust the wedding.
Because when everything looks this perfect?
Yeah. That’s usually where it starts to crack.
Read
April 25, 2026The Perfect Wedding had such an interesting concept, especially with the setting and overall context of the story. A wedding mixed with mystery? It definitely had a lot of potential.
But honestly… I expected so much more from it.
The biggest issue for me was the pacing. Up until around 46% of the book, the story mainly revolves around the wedding itself — and I mean everything. The full event is described very step by step, which at times felt a bit too long and dragged out for me.
There were multiple moments where I thought, “okay, now we’re getting into the murder and the mystery”… but it just kept being delayed. That made it a bit frustrating, especially since that’s what I was most interested in.
I also found the timeline a bit confusing at times, which made it harder to stay fully immersed in the story.
That being said, the idea behind the book is definitely a good one, and the setting had a lot of potential. I just wish the balance between the wedding and the mystery had been handled differently.
But honestly… I expected so much more from it.
The biggest issue for me was the pacing. Up until around 46% of the book, the story mainly revolves around the wedding itself — and I mean everything. The full event is described very step by step, which at times felt a bit too long and dragged out for me.
There were multiple moments where I thought, “okay, now we’re getting into the murder and the mystery”… but it just kept being delayed. That made it a bit frustrating, especially since that’s what I was most interested in.
I also found the timeline a bit confusing at times, which made it harder to stay fully immersed in the story.
That being said, the idea behind the book is definitely a good one, and the setting had a lot of potential. I just wish the balance between the wedding and the mystery had been handled differently.
June 19, 2026
"The Perfect Wedding" demonstrates considerable promise. As a debut independent author, Jayde Collins shows potential for growth. While certain instances of dialogue and internal monologue were occasionally repetitive or incongruous, I am confident that with further development and editorial refinement, Collins will achieve her full potential..
May 11, 2026
The plot twists and the plot were great! However, I found it difficult to enjoy the book due to the writing style.
May 22, 2026
Good read
To me it was more of a romance than anything. It was still a good book. Kept me interested and turning pages.
To me it was more of a romance than anything. It was still a good book. Kept me interested and turning pages.
May 28, 2026
I couldn't with the writing 😭 very childish
October 2, 2026
With what is meant to be a day full of happiness and love, there are some very suspicious things occurring with our bride and groom. This multi-POV story takes you on a bit of a ride, with two parts of the story taking place alongside a few flashbacks to the characters in their youth.
The first half of this book is a steady, slow pace that allows you to get to know all the characters involved in the bride and groom’s big day. There are tons of reasons to get to know these key characters, especially for the second half, when everything erupts unexpectedly and you’re just as shocked to learn the outcome of the characters’ fates and their losses.
This story was a bit slow to get into, but once I got to that second half, it really took off. I was intrigued enough to keep with the story, and the plot twist was not one I saw coming, making this one pretty memorable in the end.
If you don’t mind a slower build-up leading to a pretty steep drop in the plot, this one could be for you. Besides the slow pace at the start and the often confusing transitions during the flashbacks, this one still delivered a memorable punch at the end that made it worth checking out.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book so I may leave my honest review.
The first half of this book is a steady, slow pace that allows you to get to know all the characters involved in the bride and groom’s big day. There are tons of reasons to get to know these key characters, especially for the second half, when everything erupts unexpectedly and you’re just as shocked to learn the outcome of the characters’ fates and their losses.
This story was a bit slow to get into, but once I got to that second half, it really took off. I was intrigued enough to keep with the story, and the plot twist was not one I saw coming, making this one pretty memorable in the end.
If you don’t mind a slower build-up leading to a pretty steep drop in the plot, this one could be for you. Besides the slow pace at the start and the often confusing transitions during the flashbacks, this one still delivered a memorable punch at the end that made it worth checking out.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book so I may leave my honest review.
April 21, 2026
I had a hard time getting through this one. I wanted to love it and I tried. It had potential to be great but fell flat :/ the overuse of words and repetition really just did me in. The way the characters interacted with each other is not natural. Overly explaining things to each other and over dramatizing graphics. I feel like if it was edited more it could be a great little thriller.
April 28, 2026
ARC Review, possible spoilers
I was really excited about this book, but it honestly seemed laughable, unbelievable, and childish. The characters were all pretty dumb and overly animated. The dialogue was off, not relatable, and seemed more robotic than personable. I almost DNF several times, but I’m a trooper! There were way too many random flashbacks. Some made sense, but others just seemed like page fillers. I skimmed a lot since there was a lot of fluff added in, TONS of repetition, and just boring details. The characters seemed like they hated each other with a passion for dumb reasons and then turned around and loved them again, the plot could have been good, but it just seemed laughable rather than shock-factor the way it was discovered.
Usually when receiving an ARC, I try to send the author edits on grammar, plot issues, etc, but there was just too much even from the get-go to sit down and screenshot/send.
I was really excited about this book, but it honestly seemed laughable, unbelievable, and childish. The characters were all pretty dumb and overly animated. The dialogue was off, not relatable, and seemed more robotic than personable. I almost DNF several times, but I’m a trooper! There were way too many random flashbacks. Some made sense, but others just seemed like page fillers. I skimmed a lot since there was a lot of fluff added in, TONS of repetition, and just boring details. The characters seemed like they hated each other with a passion for dumb reasons and then turned around and loved them again, the plot could have been good, but it just seemed laughable rather than shock-factor the way it was discovered.
Usually when receiving an ARC, I try to send the author edits on grammar, plot issues, etc, but there was just too much even from the get-go to sit down and screenshot/send.
July 15, 2026
Some of the writing and the way the characters spoke was a bit weird to me. Overall a good read though.
May 4, 2026
Thanks to BookFunnel and Jayde Collins for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.
The basic premise is a cliff side wedding that has an unexpected turn. Sold as a thriller. Okay, the premise sounds interesting.
The first 50% of the book is all about the perfect wedding (told in the form a romance tale). At the 50% mark is when it switches to thriller mode. The groom is found dead at the bottom of a cliff when his new bride goes for her morning run. The investigation turns up a possibility of a serial killer amongst them, until the real killer is exposed.
The execution is off. It’s reads like a romance novel from the 1970s. The prose is overly flowery. The dialogue doesn’t feel natural. Some of the details that exist to create tension is over sold. The thriller concept of “show, don’t tell” is flipped. The reader is told what to think. No intuition needed.
I commend the author. Crafting a novel is no easy task. Getting it published is even harder. I realize my copy is not a final edit. That said, I hope she has access to a developmental editor. The plot has merit. It needs more development and fine tuning. Less lovely wedding and unnatural dialogue, and more chill, thrill, and threat.
The basic premise is a cliff side wedding that has an unexpected turn. Sold as a thriller. Okay, the premise sounds interesting.
The first 50% of the book is all about the perfect wedding (told in the form a romance tale). At the 50% mark is when it switches to thriller mode. The groom is found dead at the bottom of a cliff when his new bride goes for her morning run. The investigation turns up a possibility of a serial killer amongst them, until the real killer is exposed.
The execution is off. It’s reads like a romance novel from the 1970s. The prose is overly flowery. The dialogue doesn’t feel natural. Some of the details that exist to create tension is over sold. The thriller concept of “show, don’t tell” is flipped. The reader is told what to think. No intuition needed.
I commend the author. Crafting a novel is no easy task. Getting it published is even harder. I realize my copy is not a final edit. That said, I hope she has access to a developmental editor. The plot has merit. It needs more development and fine tuning. Less lovely wedding and unnatural dialogue, and more chill, thrill, and threat.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The premise of this story is a good one, it was just not properly executed.
Books are usually written with normal speech in mind (unless you are writing a period piece, which this is not). The way this is written, is like no speech I have ever heard used in normal every day life. It is almost an awkward formal, with a touch of juvenile, way of speech. That is the best way I can describe it.
There are issues with the use of improper tenses of words and the use of plurals.
Random flashbacks are dropped in, only a few making sense later on in the story. Why are the flashbacks all of horrible things?
Overuse of the words “glistening” and “saunter.” Everyone’s eyes and faces were glistening and they were sauntering everywhere. There were times that using anything else would have been better. I wouldn’t be sauntering anywhere after a murder.
It feels like the author went through the synonym website to find words and this did not always work well. There is also excessive use of adjectives. It feels like the author was trying too hard and it breaks the flow of the story.
I loathe how Amelia calls Lachlan, Lachie. Any other nickname. This is the cringiest one possible, especially given that he is a medical doctor. Giving this nickname to him shoves him into a juvenile category that doesn’t fit.
After Lachlan gets the strange message and heads upstairs, why does he immediately think he is going to be assaulted or kidnapped? It is his wedding day. Why these thoughts?
Why the need to detail all the horrors of an ER in the vow scene? It takes away from what is supposed to be a beautiful, loving, and romantic moment. It mentions she had hidden her vows and then goes far off course in flashbacks and random confusing thoughts. Then you get thrown back into traditional vows. After those go through you are left wondering why she didn’t say her vows. Then surprisingly you finally get the vows after they have been pronounced husband and wife. The flow of the ceremony is off, which throws the reader off.
The kiss. It turned my stomach to read “the warmth and tingling sensations come back as we lick each other’s lips.” What did I just read?? That is not a kiss, and certainly not something you do in front of an officiant and your wedding guests.
Claire the cousin shows up and Amelia has never met her. That isn’t unusual as it goes with weddings. There may be some family members of your spouse that you have never met. It is made out to be so very weird and mysterious, and “the only way I will know the truth is by talking to Lachlan.” It is making it out like he lied about a cousin coming to the wedding that she didn’t know. I don’t understand this at all. Obviously I know what the story is behind Claire and Lachlan by the end, but my comments on this still stand. It is weird to be so immediately suspicious.
Then we have the scene with Amelia’s mother’s speech. The perspective of Lachlan follows. His inner thoughts go on about how he has always wanted to know what she was like as a little girl. How has that never come up before this day? Like her mother has never told stories about her as a young child? That just comes across as so very odd to me s leaning about your partner, even as a child is an organic part of building a relationship.
Now the dinner scene. Things, from how it is described, are going well. The guests enjoyed the vows and the first dance. But as Amelia sits down, she thinks, “but something about the way the guests are moving, the quiet glances, makes my chest tighten.” Why? Where does this come from? Why are you looking in suspicion of your guests thinking something is wrong and they all see it, but you don’t know why? Again, this takes me out of the story.
The MOH speech. This was actually flowing well and I was pleasantly surprised. And then the shoe dropped. Amelia’s perspective: looking at Lachlan and his rosy (strawberry) cheeks during a point in the speech. “I’m not sure if that is from embarrassment or attraction for Summer.” What? Completely taken out of the story once again, because where did that thought even come from? What is really going on here?
Why do they both keep revisiting old, horrid memories in their minds, on their wedding day? Who does that???
A rattlesnake sucked the blood out of Amelia when she was younger? That is wholly inaccurate. They bite and can inject venom, but they don’t suck the blood out of anything. You also wouldn’t get stitches, let alone 11 of them! Then it is randomly mentioned that Amelia has cardiomyopathy, but only the vision of snakes in the sky makes her think of it? Not running around earlier searching for her groom? Or during the bouquet fight? Or after the death of her husband? Or when Claire accuses her of murder? Or at the climax of the story?
Lachlan comes back in from talking to the pyro guy, talking with Summer, and immediately believes Amelia is missing because he doesn’t see her? He told her she should rest. He didn’t think that perhaps she was in her room? And it is dire circumstances? Why? The level of overdoing things in this story is frustrating as a reader. It takes you out of it each time because it isn’t reasonable or believable.
The unnecessary random filler is overdone. “I drive with the maximum legal speed that’s allowed on these roads.” Things are over explained in a way that, once again, takes you out of the story.
When Amelia is being questioned by police and it says her mind is spinning with all the questions the detectives have asked, but then her internal dialogue says that she hopes there aren’t a myriad of questions. She was already questioned and her mind was spinning with all of the questions, so the second part doesn’t make sense.
Sometimes the phrasing of things is just off and could use a bit of a rework to make the flow better. (“Large metal gurneys in an array” vs. “an array of large metal gurneys, for example.”)
Seeing a dollhouse like your childhood one, but then begin to think there is something sinister about it? Where does that even come from? Racing cars with your nephew turns into a memory about how horrible your dad is? I don’t understand the terrible thoughts that are always being brought. Why are you even thinking like that when you just found your husband murdered? It doesn’t make any sense.
Insomnia is wrecking Amelia’s mind, but her eyes are heavy and she falls asleep. That is contradictory.
Some things are just unrealistic. When Amelia wakes from her nightmare and sees a snake in her room. Her yelling for help is valid. Her yelling out “It’s slithering toward me!” is not. There is no person that would ever yell that exact phrasing in the same situation. It is comical, but not in a good way.
Amelia goes downstairs and Summer and Ashley are talking. Summer has “a small smile” on her face and Amelia immediately thinks they are laughing over a joke, and that the joke must be about Lachlan. Again, with the heavy suspicion out of no where. It might be more believable if Summer had a big smile on her face and was laughing aloud, but I wouldn’t immediately assume it was at Lachlan’s expense. Giving only a small smile in conversation would not be inappropriate.
When the snake wrangler comes and they go upstairs, it is described as “to my room where the rattlesnake is slithering in.” The rattlesnake was already in the room, hence the reason the wrangler was there. It was not, at that moment, slithering into her room. In fact, they could not find it. That leads to another issue. The wrangler must not be able to do his job well.
“My nerves are frying within me.” The word should be “frayed.” It could simply say “my nerves are frayed.”
“I drive to the station with mom, her eyes in a glimpse of doubt and fear.” It should be “I drive to the station with mom, catching a glimpse of doubt and fear in her eyes.”
Joyce is interviewing Amelia’s mom, who gets emotional. Joyce’s inner dialogue states “driving me emotional as well.” Joyce is a detective. She should not be getting emotional during an interview. She is a professional. Also, realistically she would not have been allowed to be on the case since she was at their wedding, let alone allowing her to be the lead detective.
“It seems obvious she is trying to murder us with her weapon.” “With her weapon” should just be eliminated. It stands out as odd. That isn’t how one would think in a situation like this.
When Amelia shoots Joyce, it states “the bullet lands on her abdomen.” A bullet doesn’t “land” on someone. It pierces their skin, lodges into their body.
In the EMS, the first responder asks Amelia, “Can you feel your ties? Wiggle them for me.” They are toes. Not ties.
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Books are usually written with normal speech in mind (unless you are writing a period piece, which this is not). The way this is written, is like no speech I have ever heard used in normal every day life. It is almost an awkward formal, with a touch of juvenile, way of speech. That is the best way I can describe it.
There are issues with the use of improper tenses of words and the use of plurals.
Random flashbacks are dropped in, only a few making sense later on in the story. Why are the flashbacks all of horrible things?
Overuse of the words “glistening” and “saunter.” Everyone’s eyes and faces were glistening and they were sauntering everywhere. There were times that using anything else would have been better. I wouldn’t be sauntering anywhere after a murder.
It feels like the author went through the synonym website to find words and this did not always work well. There is also excessive use of adjectives. It feels like the author was trying too hard and it breaks the flow of the story.
I loathe how Amelia calls Lachlan, Lachie. Any other nickname. This is the cringiest one possible, especially given that he is a medical doctor. Giving this nickname to him shoves him into a juvenile category that doesn’t fit.
After Lachlan gets the strange message and heads upstairs, why does he immediately think he is going to be assaulted or kidnapped? It is his wedding day. Why these thoughts?
Why the need to detail all the horrors of an ER in the vow scene? It takes away from what is supposed to be a beautiful, loving, and romantic moment. It mentions she had hidden her vows and then goes far off course in flashbacks and random confusing thoughts. Then you get thrown back into traditional vows. After those go through you are left wondering why she didn’t say her vows. Then surprisingly you finally get the vows after they have been pronounced husband and wife. The flow of the ceremony is off, which throws the reader off.
The kiss. It turned my stomach to read “the warmth and tingling sensations come back as we lick each other’s lips.” What did I just read?? That is not a kiss, and certainly not something you do in front of an officiant and your wedding guests.
Claire the cousin shows up and Amelia has never met her. That isn’t unusual as it goes with weddings. There may be some family members of your spouse that you have never met. It is made out to be so very weird and mysterious, and “the only way I will know the truth is by talking to Lachlan.” It is making it out like he lied about a cousin coming to the wedding that she didn’t know. I don’t understand this at all. Obviously I know what the story is behind Claire and Lachlan by the end, but my comments on this still stand. It is weird to be so immediately suspicious.
Then we have the scene with Amelia’s mother’s speech. The perspective of Lachlan follows. His inner thoughts go on about how he has always wanted to know what she was like as a little girl. How has that never come up before this day? Like her mother has never told stories about her as a young child? That just comes across as so very odd to me s leaning about your partner, even as a child is an organic part of building a relationship.
Now the dinner scene. Things, from how it is described, are going well. The guests enjoyed the vows and the first dance. But as Amelia sits down, she thinks, “but something about the way the guests are moving, the quiet glances, makes my chest tighten.” Why? Where does this come from? Why are you looking in suspicion of your guests thinking something is wrong and they all see it, but you don’t know why? Again, this takes me out of the story.
The MOH speech. This was actually flowing well and I was pleasantly surprised. And then the shoe dropped. Amelia’s perspective: looking at Lachlan and his rosy (strawberry) cheeks during a point in the speech. “I’m not sure if that is from embarrassment or attraction for Summer.” What? Completely taken out of the story once again, because where did that thought even come from? What is really going on here?
Why do they both keep revisiting old, horrid memories in their minds, on their wedding day? Who does that???
A rattlesnake sucked the blood out of Amelia when she was younger? That is wholly inaccurate. They bite and can inject venom, but they don’t suck the blood out of anything. You also wouldn’t get stitches, let alone 11 of them! Then it is randomly mentioned that Amelia has cardiomyopathy, but only the vision of snakes in the sky makes her think of it? Not running around earlier searching for her groom? Or during the bouquet fight? Or after the death of her husband? Or when Claire accuses her of murder? Or at the climax of the story?
Lachlan comes back in from talking to the pyro guy, talking with Summer, and immediately believes Amelia is missing because he doesn’t see her? He told her she should rest. He didn’t think that perhaps she was in her room? And it is dire circumstances? Why? The level of overdoing things in this story is frustrating as a reader. It takes you out of it each time because it isn’t reasonable or believable.
The unnecessary random filler is overdone. “I drive with the maximum legal speed that’s allowed on these roads.” Things are over explained in a way that, once again, takes you out of the story.
When Amelia is being questioned by police and it says her mind is spinning with all the questions the detectives have asked, but then her internal dialogue says that she hopes there aren’t a myriad of questions. She was already questioned and her mind was spinning with all of the questions, so the second part doesn’t make sense.
Sometimes the phrasing of things is just off and could use a bit of a rework to make the flow better. (“Large metal gurneys in an array” vs. “an array of large metal gurneys, for example.”)
Seeing a dollhouse like your childhood one, but then begin to think there is something sinister about it? Where does that even come from? Racing cars with your nephew turns into a memory about how horrible your dad is? I don’t understand the terrible thoughts that are always being brought. Why are you even thinking like that when you just found your husband murdered? It doesn’t make any sense.
Insomnia is wrecking Amelia’s mind, but her eyes are heavy and she falls asleep. That is contradictory.
Some things are just unrealistic. When Amelia wakes from her nightmare and sees a snake in her room. Her yelling for help is valid. Her yelling out “It’s slithering toward me!” is not. There is no person that would ever yell that exact phrasing in the same situation. It is comical, but not in a good way.
Amelia goes downstairs and Summer and Ashley are talking. Summer has “a small smile” on her face and Amelia immediately thinks they are laughing over a joke, and that the joke must be about Lachlan. Again, with the heavy suspicion out of no where. It might be more believable if Summer had a big smile on her face and was laughing aloud, but I wouldn’t immediately assume it was at Lachlan’s expense. Giving only a small smile in conversation would not be inappropriate.
When the snake wrangler comes and they go upstairs, it is described as “to my room where the rattlesnake is slithering in.” The rattlesnake was already in the room, hence the reason the wrangler was there. It was not, at that moment, slithering into her room. In fact, they could not find it. That leads to another issue. The wrangler must not be able to do his job well.
“My nerves are frying within me.” The word should be “frayed.” It could simply say “my nerves are frayed.”
“I drive to the station with mom, her eyes in a glimpse of doubt and fear.” It should be “I drive to the station with mom, catching a glimpse of doubt and fear in her eyes.”
Joyce is interviewing Amelia’s mom, who gets emotional. Joyce’s inner dialogue states “driving me emotional as well.” Joyce is a detective. She should not be getting emotional during an interview. She is a professional. Also, realistically she would not have been allowed to be on the case since she was at their wedding, let alone allowing her to be the lead detective.
“It seems obvious she is trying to murder us with her weapon.” “With her weapon” should just be eliminated. It stands out as odd. That isn’t how one would think in a situation like this.
When Amelia shoots Joyce, it states “the bullet lands on her abdomen.” A bullet doesn’t “land” on someone. It pierces their skin, lodges into their body.
In the EMS, the first responder asks Amelia, “Can you feel your ties? Wiggle them for me.” They are toes. Not ties.
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
August 2, 2026
This book would’ve been more bearable if I drank every time a character mentioned they work in a hospital 🥱
Review of advance copy received from Author
When you find your person, everything in your life clicks. When it's time to take it to the next step, it can be a joyous occasion, while all events leading up to it may give a headache. Everyone dreams of their ideal wedding, with hopes everything goes off without a hitch. But what happens when what is supposed to be the happiest day of your life is struck with tragedy. Instead of reminiscing on the joyful day are spent woefully remembering the tragic events that took place. Lies, deceit, and tragedy all come together in Jayde Collin’s The Perfect Wedding.
Amelia and Lachlan have been together for years, working hard in their respective careers to have the wedding of their dreams at a Californian mansion built on a seaside cliff overlooking the ocean. The dream guy, the dream job, the dream wedding. Everything is planned, and all they have to do is enjoy. As the day goes on, little things keep happening, but it’s enough to push them aside. The next day, tragedy strikes as Amelia stumbles upon her husband’s now dead body at the bottom of the cliff. In less than 24 hours, they went from writing their vows to writing a eulogy. Now, the hunt is on to figure out what happened. Everyone is a suspect. And there’s a possible serial killer lurking nearby at this very wedding. The clock is ticking.
Before I begin, I will mention that there is mention of sexual abuse in the story. If that triggers you, please read a different novel. It was a fun read trying to figure out what was going on throughout the story. Everyone has a secret, and the only way the truth comes out is if death is involved. Trying to figure out who is doing what and what secrets that have are always the fun part when reading mysteries, and I'll admit I wasn't able to guess the outcome. There were a lot of guesses with which character is orchestrating everything, but that's the fun when reading mysteries. Each character adds a small piece to the overall puzzle.
That being said, I think if the execution were better, more people would be hooked to the story. There were points I started to feel for the characters and what they went through, but I wasn’t too emotionally attached to them as I wanted to be, but perhaps that's because I read a lot of romance, romantasy, and fantasy. The writing style may seem very easy for some and explain a lot of what is happening, but I took that as the author either being neurodivergent or is surrounded by those who are and are appealing to their brain’s chemistry.
Still, I enjoyed going on this journey and trying to figure out what was happening, and what happened in the past that all of these invisible strings are pulling them together.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Jayde Collins for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
Amelia and Lachlan have been together for years, working hard in their respective careers to have the wedding of their dreams at a Californian mansion built on a seaside cliff overlooking the ocean. The dream guy, the dream job, the dream wedding. Everything is planned, and all they have to do is enjoy. As the day goes on, little things keep happening, but it’s enough to push them aside. The next day, tragedy strikes as Amelia stumbles upon her husband’s now dead body at the bottom of the cliff. In less than 24 hours, they went from writing their vows to writing a eulogy. Now, the hunt is on to figure out what happened. Everyone is a suspect. And there’s a possible serial killer lurking nearby at this very wedding. The clock is ticking.
Before I begin, I will mention that there is mention of sexual abuse in the story. If that triggers you, please read a different novel. It was a fun read trying to figure out what was going on throughout the story. Everyone has a secret, and the only way the truth comes out is if death is involved. Trying to figure out who is doing what and what secrets that have are always the fun part when reading mysteries, and I'll admit I wasn't able to guess the outcome. There were a lot of guesses with which character is orchestrating everything, but that's the fun when reading mysteries. Each character adds a small piece to the overall puzzle.
That being said, I think if the execution were better, more people would be hooked to the story. There were points I started to feel for the characters and what they went through, but I wasn’t too emotionally attached to them as I wanted to be, but perhaps that's because I read a lot of romance, romantasy, and fantasy. The writing style may seem very easy for some and explain a lot of what is happening, but I took that as the author either being neurodivergent or is surrounded by those who are and are appealing to their brain’s chemistry.
Still, I enjoyed going on this journey and trying to figure out what was happening, and what happened in the past that all of these invisible strings are pulling them together.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Jayde Collins for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Perfect Wedding by Jayde Collins is a deeply intriguing and heartbreaking mystery that offers a fascinating look at the intersection of narrative style and neurodiversity.
At its core, this is a sad and gripping story that keeps you hooked as you try to uncover the truth behind a sudden, brutal turn of events. However, the experience of reading it will vary wildly depending on the reader. For those who are neurotypical, the writing may occasionally feel overly descriptive, repetitive, or unnecessarily explained. There are moments when the dialogue and internal pacing might prompt an eye roll or a feeling that the narrative is lingering on details that don't need to be voiced.
For neurotypical readers, the book might come across as overly descriptive, somewhat repetitive, and even annoying in certain sections. I experienced similar frustration at first, but then I began to recognise certain patterns. As a parent and partner to autistic family members, I had a lightbulb moment: either the author is neurodiverse, or they have neurodiverse individuals in their life, which would explain the need for such an elaborate descriptive style.
Yet, there is a brilliance to this approach for those who need it. The delivery is remarkably "autism-friendly," providing a level of sensory and situational detail that allows readers to picture every scene clearly without needing to fill in the gaps.
It is a book that demands we accept that the world is experienced differently by everyone. While the style wasn't 100% for me personally, I recognise the immense value in this delivery. It is a compelling, emotional story that earns a solid 4 stars for its unique and inclusive approach.
At its core, this is a sad and gripping story that keeps you hooked as you try to uncover the truth behind a sudden, brutal turn of events. However, the experience of reading it will vary wildly depending on the reader. For those who are neurotypical, the writing may occasionally feel overly descriptive, repetitive, or unnecessarily explained. There are moments when the dialogue and internal pacing might prompt an eye roll or a feeling that the narrative is lingering on details that don't need to be voiced.
For neurotypical readers, the book might come across as overly descriptive, somewhat repetitive, and even annoying in certain sections. I experienced similar frustration at first, but then I began to recognise certain patterns. As a parent and partner to autistic family members, I had a lightbulb moment: either the author is neurodiverse, or they have neurodiverse individuals in their life, which would explain the need for such an elaborate descriptive style.
Yet, there is a brilliance to this approach for those who need it. The delivery is remarkably "autism-friendly," providing a level of sensory and situational detail that allows readers to picture every scene clearly without needing to fill in the gaps.
It is a book that demands we accept that the world is experienced differently by everyone. While the style wasn't 100% for me personally, I recognise the immense value in this delivery. It is a compelling, emotional story that earns a solid 4 stars for its unique and inclusive approach.
Review of advance copy
OMG, not expecting what happened….but OMG SOOOOO GOOD! This is a murder mystery and each character you meet in the book makes you wonder if they are who they seem to be. There are a few trigger warning that someone might want/need to be read before diving into the story.
Really enjoyed reading the story about Amelia and Lachlan, and their perfect wedding day, and being introduced to them in each chapter, either with a present POV or a past POV. We know that they both met each other in Junior Year at College, and they were inseparable through the time, they supported each other through thick and thin. We also learn that Lachlan and his brother (Jackson) are the only survivors from his immediate family, and we know Amelia has her mom and sisters in her corner.
The book is divided into “Parts”, Part 1, is the first day Amelia and Lachlan will be getting married, they talk about their experiences that led them to this spot in their lives and share heartfelt vows, but only after there are some strange things that happen (a mysterious message is given to Lachlan) and then later during the fireworks. Part 2 is the second day of the wedding, and we are now following the aftermath of what has happened….there are fingers pointed and harsh words are said by various people. Part 3 is a few days after the wedding, where things start to wrap up and we can then tie everything together (where things, people and paths fit in with each other).
I was part of the ARC team for this particular book, and I am under no way influenced by anyone to write this review, it is my own personal opinion.
Really enjoyed reading the story about Amelia and Lachlan, and their perfect wedding day, and being introduced to them in each chapter, either with a present POV or a past POV. We know that they both met each other in Junior Year at College, and they were inseparable through the time, they supported each other through thick and thin. We also learn that Lachlan and his brother (Jackson) are the only survivors from his immediate family, and we know Amelia has her mom and sisters in her corner.
The book is divided into “Parts”, Part 1, is the first day Amelia and Lachlan will be getting married, they talk about their experiences that led them to this spot in their lives and share heartfelt vows, but only after there are some strange things that happen (a mysterious message is given to Lachlan) and then later during the fireworks. Part 2 is the second day of the wedding, and we are now following the aftermath of what has happened….there are fingers pointed and harsh words are said by various people. Part 3 is a few days after the wedding, where things start to wrap up and we can then tie everything together (where things, people and paths fit in with each other).
I was part of the ARC team for this particular book, and I am under no way influenced by anyone to write this review, it is my own personal opinion.
August 23, 2026
• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 4✨
• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
• Wedding Gone Wrong
• Murder Mystery
• Secrets & Betrayal
• Love Triangle
• Dark Secrets
• Revenge
• Psychological Thriller
• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Amelia and Lachlan’s dream wedding takes a completely dark turn when Lachlan is found dead after their wedding, leaving Amelia heartbroken and surrounded by secrets. As the investigation begins, more shocking truths come out about Lachlan, Claire, Joyce and the people around them. Affairs, revenge, hidden pasts and dangerous secrets slowly come together, leading to a twist I honestly did not see coming.
I really enjoyed how the story kept giving little pieces of information and made me question almost everyone. The mystery kept me curious, and the twists definitely made the second half more interesting. I also liked how the story slowly connected the different characters and their secrets instead of revealing everything at once.
I did get a little confused in a few places because there were so many secrets and revelations happening together, but it did not take away too much from my reading experience. The whole wedding-to-murder setup was really interesting, and the final revelations made so many earlier moments make sense.
The ending gave me so many mixed feelings, and I definitely want to know what comes next for Amelia. Overall, this was a fun and suspenseful read with plenty of drama, secrets, betrayal and unexpected turns.
Thank you so much to the author for the book, and now I am so excited to read Book 2. 🥹💗
• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
• Wedding Gone Wrong
• Murder Mystery
• Secrets & Betrayal
• Love Triangle
• Dark Secrets
• Revenge
• Psychological Thriller
• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Amelia and Lachlan’s dream wedding takes a completely dark turn when Lachlan is found dead after their wedding, leaving Amelia heartbroken and surrounded by secrets. As the investigation begins, more shocking truths come out about Lachlan, Claire, Joyce and the people around them. Affairs, revenge, hidden pasts and dangerous secrets slowly come together, leading to a twist I honestly did not see coming.
I really enjoyed how the story kept giving little pieces of information and made me question almost everyone. The mystery kept me curious, and the twists definitely made the second half more interesting. I also liked how the story slowly connected the different characters and their secrets instead of revealing everything at once.
I did get a little confused in a few places because there were so many secrets and revelations happening together, but it did not take away too much from my reading experience. The whole wedding-to-murder setup was really interesting, and the final revelations made so many earlier moments make sense.
The ending gave me so many mixed feelings, and I definitely want to know what comes next for Amelia. Overall, this was a fun and suspenseful read with plenty of drama, secrets, betrayal and unexpected turns.
Thank you so much to the author for the book, and now I am so excited to read Book 2. 🥹💗
Review of advance copy received from Author
"ARC" Book Review
Release date 1st May
The Perfect Wedding
By Jayde Collins
My rating ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A truly gripping thriller by Jayde Collins that drew me in and held me engrossed in this tragic story of deception, murder and threat.
It's Amelia and Lachlan's happiest day of their lives, their wedding day, the ceremony being held at a cliffside venue for the perfect wedding.
When the couple receives an anonymous letter, followed by a series of disturbing incidents that can't be disregarded.
Amelia wakes the next morning to find Lachlan missing and in her search, she makes an horrific discovery, she is distraught and what she believed to be her perfect day is fractured, and she is convinced this is no accident.
Amelia is out to get answers and determined to find who's responsible for what's happened.
The more she delves, the more the questions go unanswered, dark secrets from the past are being uncovered, and the more danger she is finding herself in, the threat getting closer.
Will Amelia be able to protect herself and her family, which she is determined to do at all costs?
I absolutely loved this book, I could feel the suspense building slowly at first, then accelerating to a tense and unexpected surprise ending.
The narrative and characters are exceptional and exciting, a real page turner, I didn't want to stop reading this book, I enjoyed the pace of this thriller, an incredible novel by Jayde.
Release date 1st May
The Perfect Wedding
By Jayde Collins
My rating ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A truly gripping thriller by Jayde Collins that drew me in and held me engrossed in this tragic story of deception, murder and threat.
It's Amelia and Lachlan's happiest day of their lives, their wedding day, the ceremony being held at a cliffside venue for the perfect wedding.
When the couple receives an anonymous letter, followed by a series of disturbing incidents that can't be disregarded.
Amelia wakes the next morning to find Lachlan missing and in her search, she makes an horrific discovery, she is distraught and what she believed to be her perfect day is fractured, and she is convinced this is no accident.
Amelia is out to get answers and determined to find who's responsible for what's happened.
The more she delves, the more the questions go unanswered, dark secrets from the past are being uncovered, and the more danger she is finding herself in, the threat getting closer.
Will Amelia be able to protect herself and her family, which she is determined to do at all costs?
I absolutely loved this book, I could feel the suspense building slowly at first, then accelerating to a tense and unexpected surprise ending.
The narrative and characters are exceptional and exciting, a real page turner, I didn't want to stop reading this book, I enjoyed the pace of this thriller, an incredible novel by Jayde.
April 29, 2026
I appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy courtesy of the author and provide my honest thoughts.
Amelia and Lachlan gather their closest friends and family for a two-day, picture-perfect, fully customized wedding celebration.
But when the groom receives a mysterious anonymous letter suggesting he may not know his bride-to-be as well as he thinks, the cracks begin to show. What follows is a slow unraveling—where carefully curated appearances give way to something much more fragile, all tied back to one fateful night from the past.
What I liked:
* The writing is very descriptive, especially when it comes to the wedding details—you can really picture the setting and atmosphere.
* Once the story moves into the heart of the plot, things take a more intriguing turn and the tension starts to build in a way that kept me engaged.
What didn’t fully work for me:
* The pacing felt a bit slow at the start, with a lot of time spent on the wedding setup before the story really gets going (closer to the 30–40% mark).
* I found myself wanting a bit more depth in both the dialogue and overall plot development.
* At times, some character reactions and interactions didn’t feel as natural or fully fleshed out as I’d hoped.
Overall, this was an interesting premise with some compelling twists, but I was left wishing for a bit more development to really bring it all together.
Amelia and Lachlan gather their closest friends and family for a two-day, picture-perfect, fully customized wedding celebration.
But when the groom receives a mysterious anonymous letter suggesting he may not know his bride-to-be as well as he thinks, the cracks begin to show. What follows is a slow unraveling—where carefully curated appearances give way to something much more fragile, all tied back to one fateful night from the past.
What I liked:
* The writing is very descriptive, especially when it comes to the wedding details—you can really picture the setting and atmosphere.
* Once the story moves into the heart of the plot, things take a more intriguing turn and the tension starts to build in a way that kept me engaged.
What didn’t fully work for me:
* The pacing felt a bit slow at the start, with a lot of time spent on the wedding setup before the story really gets going (closer to the 30–40% mark).
* I found myself wanting a bit more depth in both the dialogue and overall plot development.
* At times, some character reactions and interactions didn’t feel as natural or fully fleshed out as I’d hoped.
Overall, this was an interesting premise with some compelling twists, but I was left wishing for a bit more development to really bring it all together.
September 1, 2026
If you enjoy a mystery that takes its time, with a wedding at the center and plenty of attention given to the characters, relationships, and setting, *The Perfect Wedding* might be a good fit for you. There is a lot here that I think w ill appeal to readers who enjoy getting fully immersed in the world around a mystery.
I really liked the idea behind this one. A wedding, a mystery, and the larger context surrounding the characters gave the story a lot of potential. I also appreciated the themes the book was exploring and was interested in seeing how the mystery would unfold.
For me, though, the pacing became the biggest issue. Up until around 46%, the story is very focused on the wedding itself... found myself waiting for the murder and mystery to really take over. There were several points where I thought, okay, now we're getting into it... and then the mystery would be pushed back again. Since that was the part of the story I was most interested in, I struggled to stay invested when it kept getting delayed.
I do think there is a good idea here, and I appreciated the themes and the potential of the setting. I just wanted a different balance between the wedding and the mystery, and ultimately this one didn't work as well for me as I had hoped.
For readers who enjoy a slower-paced mystery, lots of wedding details, and spending time with the characters and relationships before the mystery really takes center stage, this may be one to pick up.
I really liked the idea behind this one. A wedding, a mystery, and the larger context surrounding the characters gave the story a lot of potential. I also appreciated the themes the book was exploring and was interested in seeing how the mystery would unfold.
For me, though, the pacing became the biggest issue. Up until around 46%, the story is very focused on the wedding itself... found myself waiting for the murder and mystery to really take over. There were several points where I thought, okay, now we're getting into it... and then the mystery would be pushed back again. Since that was the part of the story I was most interested in, I struggled to stay invested when it kept getting delayed.
I do think there is a good idea here, and I appreciated the themes and the potential of the setting. I just wanted a different balance between the wedding and the mystery, and ultimately this one didn't work as well for me as I had hoped.
For readers who enjoy a slower-paced mystery, lots of wedding details, and spending time with the characters and relationships before the mystery really takes center stage, this may be one to pick up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ARC Honest Review ✨
The ending kinda had me shocked on who done it, I typically can predict it but this one was unexpected! I love a book I can be shocked with.
This book was a little hard to digest, the writing wasn’t very smooth for example
“I love you, too. I guess we are officially fiancés now, and I can’t wait to show this beautiful diamond ring to all my friends, family, and colleagues.”
⬆️ it just doesn’t sound like a happy woman, more like a business letter.
The whole first half of the book felt like filler chapters. We didn’t need to read about over exaggerated details of this luxury wedding with hardly any conflict. Why did we have so many chapters of dancing and details of “costal” decor.
I also didn’t love the “I feel like something bad is about to happen” at the end of every few chapters.
A little editing error - chapter 50 & 53
It switches from a week past murder to the next day. More than once. So I was little confused on timeline.
Overall a decent book, if it started out at the middle and just had a few chapters flash back or something, I would have enjoyed it wayyyy more. All the wedding chapters just felt like too much.
Still, it was unpredictable and I sat down and read page 30-340 in one day!
The ending kinda had me shocked on who done it, I typically can predict it but this one was unexpected! I love a book I can be shocked with.
This book was a little hard to digest, the writing wasn’t very smooth for example
“I love you, too. I guess we are officially fiancés now, and I can’t wait to show this beautiful diamond ring to all my friends, family, and colleagues.”
⬆️ it just doesn’t sound like a happy woman, more like a business letter.
The whole first half of the book felt like filler chapters. We didn’t need to read about over exaggerated details of this luxury wedding with hardly any conflict. Why did we have so many chapters of dancing and details of “costal” decor.
I also didn’t love the “I feel like something bad is about to happen” at the end of every few chapters.
A little editing error - chapter 50 & 53
It switches from a week past murder to the next day. More than once. So I was little confused on timeline.
Overall a decent book, if it started out at the middle and just had a few chapters flash back or something, I would have enjoyed it wayyyy more. All the wedding chapters just felt like too much.
Still, it was unpredictable and I sat down and read page 30-340 in one day!
September 13, 2026
Thank you to the author for the free eARC. I sincerely hope she never reads this review, which is my honest opinion.
Rating: 1/5 stars
Amelia and Lachlan have a seemingly perfect wedding, until tragedy strikes on the very same night.
This is the worst book I’ve ever read and it isn’t even close. The writing is borderline nonsensical throughout, with so many repetitive lines and phrases. Every single person accused of murder is alleged to have committed “a cruel and heinous act,” but in fact EVERY act is apparently “cruel and heinous” whether it rises to the level of murder or not. The plot was inane, and while I didn’t exactly predict the twist, that was only because nothing made sense so I could not possibly have anticipated anything that would happen. The characters were one-dimensional in the extreme, and to call them cardboard would actually be an offense to cardboard.
Without question, this was the most painful reading experience of my entire life, and needlessly graphic rape and child abuse scenes did not help matters. I am so glad it’s over.
CW: Death, including death of parent and child death; murder; rape/sexual assault; violence, including gun violence; child abuse/physical abuse; alcoholism/addiction
Rating: 1/5 stars
Amelia and Lachlan have a seemingly perfect wedding, until tragedy strikes on the very same night.
This is the worst book I’ve ever read and it isn’t even close. The writing is borderline nonsensical throughout, with so many repetitive lines and phrases. Every single person accused of murder is alleged to have committed “a cruel and heinous act,” but in fact EVERY act is apparently “cruel and heinous” whether it rises to the level of murder or not. The plot was inane, and while I didn’t exactly predict the twist, that was only because nothing made sense so I could not possibly have anticipated anything that would happen. The characters were one-dimensional in the extreme, and to call them cardboard would actually be an offense to cardboard.
Without question, this was the most painful reading experience of my entire life, and needlessly graphic rape and child abuse scenes did not help matters. I am so glad it’s over.
CW: Death, including death of parent and child death; murder; rape/sexual assault; violence, including gun violence; child abuse/physical abuse; alcoholism/addiction
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