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The Wedding that Changed Everything
Love happens when you least expect it…
Emily Atkinson stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago! She’s fed up of dating frogs in order to track down her very own Prince Charming, despite the best efforts of her matchmaking best friend…
But now she’s been invited to the wedding of the year at the enchanting Durban Castle, and perhaps bumping into a knight in shining armour isn’t as far away as she thought!
Will Emily survive the wedding and walk away an unscathed singleton – or finally find her own happily-ever-after?
356 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 7, 2018
136 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Joyce
23 books141 followersI'm a writer of romantic comedies who lives in Manchester with my husband and our two daughters. I've been scribbling down bits of stories for as long as I can remember, graduating from a pen to a typewriter and then an electronic typewriter. And I felt like the bee's knees typing on THAT. I now write my books on a laptop (which has a proper delete button and everything).
You can keep up to date with my books by subscribing to my newsletter. The newsletters are packed with book news, exclusive content and giveaways. Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/310b4ee4365f/jenni...
You can keep in touch with me on Twitter and Instagram (both @writer_jenn) or by liking my Facebook page www.facebook.com/jenniferjoycewrites
You can keep up to date with my books by subscribing to my newsletter. The newsletters are packed with book news, exclusive content and giveaways. Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/310b4ee4365f/jenni...
You can keep in touch with me on Twitter and Instagram (both @writer_jenn) or by liking my Facebook page www.facebook.com/jenniferjoycewrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 31, 2018
The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce is a contemporary romance read that was full of laughs from the very first page. The lead character, Emily, is one that is full of snappy comebacks as she navigates the waters and tries to avoid her best friend’s attempts at matchmaking.
Emily and Alice have been roommates since college and now that Alice has found the man who she believes is the one she is determined that Emily needs to do the same. Emily however is a bit jaded on the whole happily ever after theory and isn’t looking for love but when the pair are invited to attend Alice’s sister’s wedding at Durban Castle Alice sees her matchmaking chance.
I have to say that from the opening pages of The Wedding that Changed Everything I knew that I was going to love Emily and her spitfire attitude mixed with her loyalty to her friend. The story was full of great moments to make a reader laugh even before the matchmaking could begin.
Once the book got going and really started building up the characters and setting I found myself completely engaged in the story. There was a whole other side to Emily that we got to know and feel for as her story is told and then on top of that a lovely little romance blooming amidst the crazy antics of the two best friends at the wedding. Definitely a book that I enjoyed and would look for more from this author in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Emily and Alice have been roommates since college and now that Alice has found the man who she believes is the one she is determined that Emily needs to do the same. Emily however is a bit jaded on the whole happily ever after theory and isn’t looking for love but when the pair are invited to attend Alice’s sister’s wedding at Durban Castle Alice sees her matchmaking chance.
I have to say that from the opening pages of The Wedding that Changed Everything I knew that I was going to love Emily and her spitfire attitude mixed with her loyalty to her friend. The story was full of great moments to make a reader laugh even before the matchmaking could begin.
Once the book got going and really started building up the characters and setting I found myself completely engaged in the story. There was a whole other side to Emily that we got to know and feel for as her story is told and then on top of that a lovely little romance blooming amidst the crazy antics of the two best friends at the wedding. Definitely a book that I enjoyed and would look for more from this author in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
February 2, 2018
*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Emily Atkinson is a history teacher and has had enough of men. She doesn’t want to go on date after date, but her best friend Alice has a different plan. She is also looking for men and Emily’s perfect match.
Alice herself has a boyfriend (Emily’s teacher colleague), but her family doesn’t know. Kevin had to hide several times already and she just can’t tell them, because she knows they won’t approve. When her sister gets married, she takes Emily as her plus one. Kevin is of course not happy with this situation and nor is Emily. It means there will be lots of single men around and Alice will do her best to play cupid.
The wedding takes place at Durban castle, a fabulous location and Jennifer Joyce captured it beautifully. There are lots of activities for the guests and it’s so much fun to read about them and see Emily being part of them. Of course there are several potential love interests there too. Archie and Tom were the most interesting ones and Emily definitely had chemistry with one of them. No I’m not telling you which one… read the book!
The banter between them was great and I liked him as a character. All the characters were very well lined out and had their own story to tell.
The fresh, modern and cute writing was the perfect mixture and the book has wonderful humour. It’s an easy read, with so many fantastic elements. The storyline flows beautifully and has a lot of sparks.
Emily Atkinson is a history teacher and has had enough of men. She doesn’t want to go on date after date, but her best friend Alice has a different plan. She is also looking for men and Emily’s perfect match.
Alice herself has a boyfriend (Emily’s teacher colleague), but her family doesn’t know. Kevin had to hide several times already and she just can’t tell them, because she knows they won’t approve. When her sister gets married, she takes Emily as her plus one. Kevin is of course not happy with this situation and nor is Emily. It means there will be lots of single men around and Alice will do her best to play cupid.
The wedding takes place at Durban castle, a fabulous location and Jennifer Joyce captured it beautifully. There are lots of activities for the guests and it’s so much fun to read about them and see Emily being part of them. Of course there are several potential love interests there too. Archie and Tom were the most interesting ones and Emily definitely had chemistry with one of them. No I’m not telling you which one… read the book!
The banter between them was great and I liked him as a character. All the characters were very well lined out and had their own story to tell.
The fresh, modern and cute writing was the perfect mixture and the book has wonderful humour. It’s an easy read, with so many fantastic elements. The storyline flows beautifully and has a lot of sparks.
February 26, 2018
Being down with the flu, I wanted to read an extremely light feel good book, but I had a condition, the main character should not a dumb, simpering teenagery character. And I am glad to say that this book ticks all my boxes.
Alice and Emily, BFF, share a home, when Alice's wicked stepmother invites Emily to Alice's sister's wedding. Since her break up and her mother's death, Emily has had some knocks in life. Not believing in HEA (happily ever after), she is single by choice. So Alice considers it her moral duty as a friend, to hook Emily up with a series of unwanted dates. And this wedding too continues to be a venue for matchmaking...
This is my first book by Jennifer Joyce, and I was happy to read about Emily, a teacher and quite a sensible woman, happy with her choices. I liked that she is portrayed as a strong woman, hates being a damsel in distress, and does not need a man to feel complete. Though quite cynical about love, there is a story to back that up. I found her quite amusingly sarky in some of her comments, and I couldn't help but smile at quite a few scenarios written in the book.
The wedding held in a Castle has a week long pre-wedding events, and some of them were quite new to me and they were cutely quirky. Being a feel good book, there is a hint of romance with either Tom and Archie. But that is not the main theme of the story. It was fun to see Emily hiding from Alice to avoid matchmaking, getting lost in the woods once or twice, landing behind the rose bushes, battlling the bee, finding herself in unbelievably funny twists.
I still don't like books which talk about bodily sounds, I don't find such stuff funny. So that put me off in a couple of areas. Also I found Emily vacillating unnecessarily instead of bring upfront, as she is portrayed. But leaving that aside, it was a pleasant fast 3 hour read from start to finish.
A book like this, lifts up the weary heart, brings a smile, and is easy to read and love.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher HQ Digital, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Alice and Emily, BFF, share a home, when Alice's wicked stepmother invites Emily to Alice's sister's wedding. Since her break up and her mother's death, Emily has had some knocks in life. Not believing in HEA (happily ever after), she is single by choice. So Alice considers it her moral duty as a friend, to hook Emily up with a series of unwanted dates. And this wedding too continues to be a venue for matchmaking...
This is my first book by Jennifer Joyce, and I was happy to read about Emily, a teacher and quite a sensible woman, happy with her choices. I liked that she is portrayed as a strong woman, hates being a damsel in distress, and does not need a man to feel complete. Though quite cynical about love, there is a story to back that up. I found her quite amusingly sarky in some of her comments, and I couldn't help but smile at quite a few scenarios written in the book.
The wedding held in a Castle has a week long pre-wedding events, and some of them were quite new to me and they were cutely quirky. Being a feel good book, there is a hint of romance with either Tom and Archie. But that is not the main theme of the story. It was fun to see Emily hiding from Alice to avoid matchmaking, getting lost in the woods once or twice, landing behind the rose bushes, battlling the bee, finding herself in unbelievably funny twists.
I still don't like books which talk about bodily sounds, I don't find such stuff funny. So that put me off in a couple of areas. Also I found Emily vacillating unnecessarily instead of bring upfront, as she is portrayed. But leaving that aside, it was a pleasant fast 3 hour read from start to finish.
A book like this, lifts up the weary heart, brings a smile, and is easy to read and love.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher HQ Digital, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 17, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding That Changed Everything, it was entertaining from cover to cover in this book that could make the hardened of hearts potentially believe in love or fairy-tales.
For our main character Emily stopped believing in Prince Charming when she was a child and is utterly fed up of being sent out on dates thanks to her best friend, Alice. Alice agreed that if Emily comes with her, to her sister's wedding and puts up with one week of intense searching for Prince Charming that Emily can live her life without interference.
What Emily wasn't expecting was just how magnificent Durban Castle is, and how much she may genuinely start to like one of the men she meets over the course of the week long wedding.
I loved reading about all the different activities planned for the guests, the games on the lawn were funny, the treasure hunt was exhaustingly competitive, and the karaoke sounded a lot of fun.
I loved seeing as the week go on, just how true the title is, that the wedding really does change everything, for a large number of the guests. There is a big family misunderstanding that is causing tension between Alice, her sister, her stepmom and her boyfriend, and I loved seeing how that was all going to resolve itself over the course of the story.
Jennifer Joyce has written a really enchanting, sweet book that is full of humour, some mystery, romance, getting lost (just try and keep count how many times Emily gets lost!), and plenty of potential Prince Charmings!
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
For our main character Emily stopped believing in Prince Charming when she was a child and is utterly fed up of being sent out on dates thanks to her best friend, Alice. Alice agreed that if Emily comes with her, to her sister's wedding and puts up with one week of intense searching for Prince Charming that Emily can live her life without interference.
What Emily wasn't expecting was just how magnificent Durban Castle is, and how much she may genuinely start to like one of the men she meets over the course of the week long wedding.
I loved reading about all the different activities planned for the guests, the games on the lawn were funny, the treasure hunt was exhaustingly competitive, and the karaoke sounded a lot of fun.
I loved seeing as the week go on, just how true the title is, that the wedding really does change everything, for a large number of the guests. There is a big family misunderstanding that is causing tension between Alice, her sister, her stepmom and her boyfriend, and I loved seeing how that was all going to resolve itself over the course of the story.
Jennifer Joyce has written a really enchanting, sweet book that is full of humour, some mystery, romance, getting lost (just try and keep count how many times Emily gets lost!), and plenty of potential Prince Charmings!
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
February 8, 2018
Three and a half stars.
Emily Atkinson is dragged to her best friend Alice's big sister Carolyn's wedding as her plus one. Emily and Alice are total opposites, Alice is a true romantic whereas Emily's mother's revolving door of men after her father left has made Emily cynical about men and relationships. Her mother's death two years ago hurt Emily irreparably, she dumped her long-term boyfriend and has refused to enter into any more relationships. Since then Alice has been forcing her to date guys but Emily finds a reason to dump every one of them after only one or two dates - although to be fair most of the reasons seemed pretty good to me!
Carolyn's wedding is a week-long affair at Durban Castle, which is owned by an uncle and where Alice and Carolyn spent many glorious holidays as children with their cousin Archie and Tom, the gardener's son. Until it all went wrong. Now Alice is estranged from her absentee father, loathes her step-mother Francelia, and is hiding her boyfriend Kevin from all of them.
Alice is determined that Emily will find her Prince Charming at the wedding and extracts a promise that Emily will seriously consider all the single male guests, in return if she doesn't find anyone Alice will stop forcing her to go on dates when they get home.
Unfortunately Alice's rose coloured spectacles are so thick that she couldn't identify a 'normal' guy if she tried and Emily is forced to fend off married lechers, cravat-wearing art bores and men who wear shoes without socks. But Alice's cousin Archie is handsome and charming, if a little over-eager, it wouldn't hurt to pretend she likes him, would it? The one man she can't stand is Tom. Now the gardener at the castle, his grumpy demeanour and refusal to reconnect to his childhood friends irritates Emily beyond reason. AND he keeps rescuing her when she gets lost in the grounds. Odious, sneering man.
But as the group activities organised by Carolyn, including karaoke, lawn games, treasure hunt and quiz take place Emily discovers things are not always as they seem, maybe she can tell someone about her miserable childhood and maybe, just maybe, she could fall in love?
This was a slow burner for me. Alice fell into that category of friends that I cannot stand, the clueless friend who thinks they know best but then set you up with the dregs of society, men who have no personality, no manners, no social skills. Also Emily's inability to find her way anywhere and constantly getting lost was also a bit tiresome. But then some of the events of the past that led to the childhood friendships falling apart start to emerge and the plot got interesting. By the end I was sorry it had ended!
Overall, an enjoyable romance set in the English countryside at a fancy Castle wedding.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Emily Atkinson is dragged to her best friend Alice's big sister Carolyn's wedding as her plus one. Emily and Alice are total opposites, Alice is a true romantic whereas Emily's mother's revolving door of men after her father left has made Emily cynical about men and relationships. Her mother's death two years ago hurt Emily irreparably, she dumped her long-term boyfriend and has refused to enter into any more relationships. Since then Alice has been forcing her to date guys but Emily finds a reason to dump every one of them after only one or two dates - although to be fair most of the reasons seemed pretty good to me!
Carolyn's wedding is a week-long affair at Durban Castle, which is owned by an uncle and where Alice and Carolyn spent many glorious holidays as children with their cousin Archie and Tom, the gardener's son. Until it all went wrong. Now Alice is estranged from her absentee father, loathes her step-mother Francelia, and is hiding her boyfriend Kevin from all of them.
Alice is determined that Emily will find her Prince Charming at the wedding and extracts a promise that Emily will seriously consider all the single male guests, in return if she doesn't find anyone Alice will stop forcing her to go on dates when they get home.
Unfortunately Alice's rose coloured spectacles are so thick that she couldn't identify a 'normal' guy if she tried and Emily is forced to fend off married lechers, cravat-wearing art bores and men who wear shoes without socks. But Alice's cousin Archie is handsome and charming, if a little over-eager, it wouldn't hurt to pretend she likes him, would it? The one man she can't stand is Tom. Now the gardener at the castle, his grumpy demeanour and refusal to reconnect to his childhood friends irritates Emily beyond reason. AND he keeps rescuing her when she gets lost in the grounds. Odious, sneering man.
But as the group activities organised by Carolyn, including karaoke, lawn games, treasure hunt and quiz take place Emily discovers things are not always as they seem, maybe she can tell someone about her miserable childhood and maybe, just maybe, she could fall in love?
This was a slow burner for me. Alice fell into that category of friends that I cannot stand, the clueless friend who thinks they know best but then set you up with the dregs of society, men who have no personality, no manners, no social skills. Also Emily's inability to find her way anywhere and constantly getting lost was also a bit tiresome. But then some of the events of the past that led to the childhood friendships falling apart start to emerge and the plot got interesting. By the end I was sorry it had ended!
Overall, an enjoyable romance set in the English countryside at a fancy Castle wedding.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 19, 2018
I love this author and she certainly never let me down at all. The book was so Devine from page one and had you hooked in straight away and you just want to keep reading to find out what will happen at the end. A very easy read and full of friendships and romance and families along with a wedding. Perfect book for curling up and having a laugh.
Emily hasn't had a boyfriend for some years and she has learnt her ex is happy in a new relationship but she can't move on and her friend is set to match her up with Prince Charming but wonders if she can as she's noticed that her dates only last at least three dates. She's asked to the wedding of the year her friends sister and she's really not sure as her friend says it will be perfect for finding the one for her. She only agrees to go so she can prove mr right isn't out there and she can get on with her life. The wedding is a week long at a beautiful setting a castle and while her friend thinks she's found mr right for Emily she's not sure and the more she gets chatting to the gardener at the castle does she think she has found the love of her life but has she left it to late or can she work things out.
A devine read has you hooked from page one loved it so much.
Emily hasn't had a boyfriend for some years and she has learnt her ex is happy in a new relationship but she can't move on and her friend is set to match her up with Prince Charming but wonders if she can as she's noticed that her dates only last at least three dates. She's asked to the wedding of the year her friends sister and she's really not sure as her friend says it will be perfect for finding the one for her. She only agrees to go so she can prove mr right isn't out there and she can get on with her life. The wedding is a week long at a beautiful setting a castle and while her friend thinks she's found mr right for Emily she's not sure and the more she gets chatting to the gardener at the castle does she think she has found the love of her life but has she left it to late or can she work things out.
A devine read has you hooked from page one loved it so much.
February 24, 2018
All reviews can be found on my blog thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com
I really, really enjoyed this book. Much like Jennifer's first novel I've ever read, the story drags you in and I loved every second. It was interesting and eventful from start to finish. I was hooked from the first page!
The story follows main character Emily, on her journey to keep as far away from love as possible! Even though she tries her best to stay single, her best friend Alice has other ideas. When Emily is invited to Alice's sisters wedding, Alice is over the moon and Emily is not. This means that Emily now has to put up with Alice's matchmaking efforts - and being hit on by a man with a pregnant wife was not what Emily was expecting! However, as the journey goes on. Emily soon opens her heart to someone she least expected and in my opinion, she chose the right guy!
I adored the location the story was set in, Durban Castle sounded magical and I felt like I was there next to Emily, a proper part of the story. The week before Carolyn's wedding was certainly eventful but I really enjoyed reading about said events and all the hilarious aftermaths that took place! My favourite night being karaoke night! I found myself really warming to all the characters in the book, especially Emily and Tom and was so, so pleased with the ending. I was sad when this book was over!
If you didn't believe in love before this book, then you will now. It's a lovely romance story with some serious laugh-out-loud moments. Overall, another amazing story written by the very talented Jennifer Joyce. If I could give this story more than 5 stars then I would!
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publishers for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.
I really, really enjoyed this book. Much like Jennifer's first novel I've ever read, the story drags you in and I loved every second. It was interesting and eventful from start to finish. I was hooked from the first page!
The story follows main character Emily, on her journey to keep as far away from love as possible! Even though she tries her best to stay single, her best friend Alice has other ideas. When Emily is invited to Alice's sisters wedding, Alice is over the moon and Emily is not. This means that Emily now has to put up with Alice's matchmaking efforts - and being hit on by a man with a pregnant wife was not what Emily was expecting! However, as the journey goes on. Emily soon opens her heart to someone she least expected and in my opinion, she chose the right guy!
I adored the location the story was set in, Durban Castle sounded magical and I felt like I was there next to Emily, a proper part of the story. The week before Carolyn's wedding was certainly eventful but I really enjoyed reading about said events and all the hilarious aftermaths that took place! My favourite night being karaoke night! I found myself really warming to all the characters in the book, especially Emily and Tom and was so, so pleased with the ending. I was sad when this book was over!
If you didn't believe in love before this book, then you will now. It's a lovely romance story with some serious laugh-out-loud moments. Overall, another amazing story written by the very talented Jennifer Joyce. If I could give this story more than 5 stars then I would!
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publishers for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.
January 29, 2018
What a wonderfully delightful read. I love books with a wedding and this one was the stuff of dreams!
Emily has had a tough time and is keeping all relationships at arms’ length. Her friend is determined to get her settled down- despite keeping her own boyfriend secret from her family.
When Alice’s sister is getting married at a castle , the guests are invited for a whole week of celebrations and Alice sees this as the perfect way of finding Mr Right for her friend.
I loved all the characters- I felt like I really got to know them. The whole wedding build up was perfect- I loved the sound of all the activities although I’d have probably have been hiding in the library for some of them. It sounded like the perfect break away with a pretty wedding to look forward to at the end of it.
There are sparks of romance and also some characters to avoid! I could quite easily have sat down to breakfast- they sounded delicious. I adored Jennifer Joyce’s previous books and she has a marvellous way of making the food described in her books sound so tempting that you have to have something handy to eat!
Emily has had a tough time and is keeping all relationships at arms’ length. Her friend is determined to get her settled down- despite keeping her own boyfriend secret from her family.
When Alice’s sister is getting married at a castle , the guests are invited for a whole week of celebrations and Alice sees this as the perfect way of finding Mr Right for her friend.
I loved all the characters- I felt like I really got to know them. The whole wedding build up was perfect- I loved the sound of all the activities although I’d have probably have been hiding in the library for some of them. It sounded like the perfect break away with a pretty wedding to look forward to at the end of it.
There are sparks of romance and also some characters to avoid! I could quite easily have sat down to breakfast- they sounded delicious. I adored Jennifer Joyce’s previous books and she has a marvellous way of making the food described in her books sound so tempting that you have to have something handy to eat!
March 16, 2018
Again a 4.5 star read! This is my third Jennifer Joyce and this is tying for the top spot along with a Beginner's guide to Salad. I liked this wedding story a lot better than The Wedding Date, why, because this is the first book among the three I've read where the author has given sufficient time for the main romance to blossom. There is proper character development, decent enough back stories, and even within the one week duration which is a lot less time in normal circumstances there are so many things happening that you feel happy for the characters you've invested in!
I love me a grouchy leading man, those are my best kind of heroes. I am not a fan of alpha Marty Sue type male characters. I like them flawed and seemingly curmudgeon. Those are the most delightful ones to read, since they almost always turn out honest, loyal and wonderful! :) Like I said, despite the synopsis hinting a potential number of suitors and we do get to see many of them, there was good pay-off in this one, although the last few back and forth events could have been avoided. We understood that they both had misgivings but it felt a little repetitive.
Emily is snarky, sarcastic, witty and the one liners in the book are simply the best. There's enough drama happening in the wedding week for us to remain entertained. I liked the reminiscing and friendship of four characters (Alice, Archie, Carolyn and Tom), their antics, the lawn games and also the vivid descriptions of the castle and the woods (made me feel very Forbidden Forest like :) ) and special mention to Old Rusty! I would have wished for Kevin to have made an appearance a lot earlier, but better late than never, I suppose. The back stories are not original by any measure, but by the time the author gets to that, you care about protagonists enough that you feel for their past. The things unraveling in a castle setting is symbolic of Emily's childhood love for fairy-tales including even a villainous character you would love to hate! :) She is nevertheless strong, independent and feisty and her realization that she could open herself to true love is probably the most fulfilling.
The author is slowly becoming an auto-read because I enjoy her humor so much. A lot of things are forgiven by me if a book makes me laugh! This one does so winningly.
I love me a grouchy leading man, those are my best kind of heroes. I am not a fan of alpha Marty Sue type male characters. I like them flawed and seemingly curmudgeon. Those are the most delightful ones to read, since they almost always turn out honest, loyal and wonderful! :) Like I said, despite the synopsis hinting a potential number of suitors and we do get to see many of them, there was good pay-off in this one, although the last few back and forth events could have been avoided. We understood that they both had misgivings but it felt a little repetitive.
Emily is snarky, sarcastic, witty and the one liners in the book are simply the best. There's enough drama happening in the wedding week for us to remain entertained. I liked the reminiscing and friendship of four characters (Alice, Archie, Carolyn and Tom), their antics, the lawn games and also the vivid descriptions of the castle and the woods (made me feel very Forbidden Forest like :) ) and special mention to Old Rusty! I would have wished for Kevin to have made an appearance a lot earlier, but better late than never, I suppose. The back stories are not original by any measure, but by the time the author gets to that, you care about protagonists enough that you feel for their past. The things unraveling in a castle setting is symbolic of Emily's childhood love for fairy-tales including even a villainous character you would love to hate! :) She is nevertheless strong, independent and feisty and her realization that she could open herself to true love is probably the most fulfilling.
The author is slowly becoming an auto-read because I enjoy her humor so much. A lot of things are forgiven by me if a book makes me laugh! This one does so winningly.
May 3, 2018
Emily has always been reluctant to "let people in" and the death of her mother has exacerbated the condition. She pushed away her long term boyfriend, Edward, and her flatmate Alice is determined to find her the right man. When Alice wangles Emily an invitation to a family wedding at Durban Castle Emily agrees to let her matchmake for the week of the festivities and then let it drop. Cue a series of misunderstandings about men and a revelation of a secret. Pretty much standard fare really. Either I read too much of this kind of thing or there really are no shocks here with everything being flagged up well before it happens.
The characters are okay. Maybe the best one is the incorrigable Archie who does manage to confuse both on the page and off as he very much works to his own agenda. There is a stab at genuine depth with both Emily and Tom but it never really comes off and I was pretty much apathetic to the both of them. Everyone else is really just filler and fluff with Alice, Carolyn and Francelia being extremely one dimensional stereotypes. However, the fact I can remember their names a couple of days after finishing the book does mean that they are memorable in their lack of complexity and as I sometimes struggle to remember main protagonist names on the day of finishing that means there must be something right about them.
The plot trots along on it's merry way with the setting being more interesting than the machinations of the various people involved. The options for misunderstanding and revelations about the past are flagged up in almost neon lights so it doesn't really have a page turning factor to it. You do want to keep reading though as it is quite tender and life affirming in it's cliches.
Not a book to set the world on fire but a perfect holiday read that will leave you feeling quite content and not feeling as though you have wasted your time reading it.
The characters are okay. Maybe the best one is the incorrigable Archie who does manage to confuse both on the page and off as he very much works to his own agenda. There is a stab at genuine depth with both Emily and Tom but it never really comes off and I was pretty much apathetic to the both of them. Everyone else is really just filler and fluff with Alice, Carolyn and Francelia being extremely one dimensional stereotypes. However, the fact I can remember their names a couple of days after finishing the book does mean that they are memorable in their lack of complexity and as I sometimes struggle to remember main protagonist names on the day of finishing that means there must be something right about them.
The plot trots along on it's merry way with the setting being more interesting than the machinations of the various people involved. The options for misunderstanding and revelations about the past are flagged up in almost neon lights so it doesn't really have a page turning factor to it. You do want to keep reading though as it is quite tender and life affirming in it's cliches.
Not a book to set the world on fire but a perfect holiday read that will leave you feeling quite content and not feeling as though you have wasted your time reading it.
February 4, 2018
This is such a good read, full of fun and laughter, wonderful characterisation and several who have had more than their fair share of heartbreak. But the course of true love never did run smooth …
Emily and Alice are housemates and best friends, so when Alice needs a plus one for her sister’s wedding and she can’t take the boyfriend she hasn’t told her family about then Emily is the obvious choice! But this isn’t any ordinary wedding – this is a week full of fun and games at the family castle – which Emily has never heard of before now. As a history buff, she is more than happy with the setting but the family and relations are a bit of an enigma to her and, as it turns out, there are several friends from Alice’s past which Emily has been entirely unaware of. To complicate things further, Alice has decided that this is THE week when she is going to find Emily’s Prince Charming. The choice seems to be between those already committed – but happy to have a dalliance – a grumpy gardener and more than one ‘chinless wonder’. Poor Emily!
This is a fabulous story – complete with wicked stepmother who has THE most terrific name! It is a lively read, with plenty of giggles and a few more sombre moments which all add up to a five star read, and one which I lay in bed reading until the early hours as I could not put it down!
My thanks to publishers HQ Digital for approving my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
Emily and Alice are housemates and best friends, so when Alice needs a plus one for her sister’s wedding and she can’t take the boyfriend she hasn’t told her family about then Emily is the obvious choice! But this isn’t any ordinary wedding – this is a week full of fun and games at the family castle – which Emily has never heard of before now. As a history buff, she is more than happy with the setting but the family and relations are a bit of an enigma to her and, as it turns out, there are several friends from Alice’s past which Emily has been entirely unaware of. To complicate things further, Alice has decided that this is THE week when she is going to find Emily’s Prince Charming. The choice seems to be between those already committed – but happy to have a dalliance – a grumpy gardener and more than one ‘chinless wonder’. Poor Emily!
This is a fabulous story – complete with wicked stepmother who has THE most terrific name! It is a lively read, with plenty of giggles and a few more sombre moments which all add up to a five star read, and one which I lay in bed reading until the early hours as I could not put it down!
My thanks to publishers HQ Digital for approving my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
April 11, 2018
Emily met Alice in Uni, and they’ve been friends ever since, despite their very different views on Happy Ever After. And now, with Alice all loved up: she’s decided that Emily needs to find the romance in her own life. With a wedding at the old ‘family castle’ coming for Alice’s sister, involving a week of “wedding activities’ and avoiding her stepmother in her own complicated family, Alice has decided that Emily will be her ‘plus one’ and she’ll (Alice) make sure that Emily meets several available potential Prince Charmings.
But, what Emily only shares with a few people is the reason she’s not believed in fairy tales or happy ever afters since she was seven. A sad cycle with her mother’s mental illness and addictions, a revolving parade of ‘men du jour’ after her father’s decision to leave the family, and an increasing frustration with her mother’s inability to keep trying to find a man to save and define her: Emily is closed off and removed from the whole ‘searching for love’ train that Alice is driving.
Escape to a wedding week full of games, friendships, pitfalls and a series of reveals that allow you to understand the players, laugh at the antics, and see as Emily, often lost and wandering around trying to find ‘the next event’ actually finds herself and answers to questions (and fears) that she has held onto for years, wielding them as a suit of armor against vulnerability. The stumbling and stuttering, miscommunication and snap judgments are frustrating, yet wholly understandable as years after she’d decided she was grown, independent and content, Emily finds that not everything has to be a reflection of her childhood.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
But, what Emily only shares with a few people is the reason she’s not believed in fairy tales or happy ever afters since she was seven. A sad cycle with her mother’s mental illness and addictions, a revolving parade of ‘men du jour’ after her father’s decision to leave the family, and an increasing frustration with her mother’s inability to keep trying to find a man to save and define her: Emily is closed off and removed from the whole ‘searching for love’ train that Alice is driving.
Escape to a wedding week full of games, friendships, pitfalls and a series of reveals that allow you to understand the players, laugh at the antics, and see as Emily, often lost and wandering around trying to find ‘the next event’ actually finds herself and answers to questions (and fears) that she has held onto for years, wielding them as a suit of armor against vulnerability. The stumbling and stuttering, miscommunication and snap judgments are frustrating, yet wholly understandable as years after she’d decided she was grown, independent and content, Emily finds that not everything has to be a reflection of her childhood.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
March 16, 2018
Emily is very much a product of her childhood, and the result of that is a fear of commitment. She mistrusts the whole concept of romance and the possibility of finding a partner to share her life with. She is so intent on discovering the Mr Wrongs, so she doesn’t get pulled into any romances or possibly find happiness, that she doesn’t see Mr Right when he is stood right in front of her.
Emily agrees to be Alice’s plus one at a family wedding. Alice needs back-up when it comes to her emotional abusive stepmother, her negligent father and old friends with simmering grievances.
There is something I have to get off my chest though. Alice needed to be told to sit down, to shut up and maybe given a shake for good measure. Regardless of whether she is bullied and submissive because of her endearing stepmother, it doesn’t give her free rein to treat Emily with the same dismissive attitude. Emily doesn’t have to fit into the girl meets Prince Charming box and finds her happy ever after, and she certainly doesn’t have to find it just because Alice thinks she has to have it.
Joyce combines a mellow sense of humour with an aura of nostalgia and memorable characters. The result is an amusing, and yet also at times quite an emotional read. The charm of the story is how the subconscious needs of Emily drive her actions, despite her conscious determination to do the complete opposite. This wedding really does change everything.
*I received a copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*
Emily agrees to be Alice’s plus one at a family wedding. Alice needs back-up when it comes to her emotional abusive stepmother, her negligent father and old friends with simmering grievances.
There is something I have to get off my chest though. Alice needed to be told to sit down, to shut up and maybe given a shake for good measure. Regardless of whether she is bullied and submissive because of her endearing stepmother, it doesn’t give her free rein to treat Emily with the same dismissive attitude. Emily doesn’t have to fit into the girl meets Prince Charming box and finds her happy ever after, and she certainly doesn’t have to find it just because Alice thinks she has to have it.
Joyce combines a mellow sense of humour with an aura of nostalgia and memorable characters. The result is an amusing, and yet also at times quite an emotional read. The charm of the story is how the subconscious needs of Emily drive her actions, despite her conscious determination to do the complete opposite. This wedding really does change everything.
*I received a copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*
January 18, 2018
I received The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This is the first I have ever read by Ms. Joyce and I believe a stand alone. A delightful story that kept a smile on my face the whole time I read the book.
Emily Atkinson has walled herself off from feeling anything since the death of her mother. When her best friend drags her to her sister's wedding as her plus one, Emily is forced into meeting a variety of men thrust upon her as match making happy friend Alice searches for Prince Charming.
Tom is head gardener at the castle. Going through his own recent struggles make him moody and he is resistant to change. As he tries to hang on to the bad mood, he continues to meet up with Emily during she stay. As the wedding trip continues into the week, fibs are told, lies are revealed, and a wedding takes place.
This story has no tragedy or sex, and is a quick read. The sarcasm and real life smiles seem genuine. It was refreshing to not have a couple fall into bed after one meeting. The time line is about a week so it makes since there isn't a sex scene. I did have a rough time understanding all the British terminology but: A) I'm American and this takes place in present day Britain and, B) Google. I look forward to reading Jennifer Joyce again. #TheWeddingthatChangedEverything #NetGalley
Emily Atkinson has walled herself off from feeling anything since the death of her mother. When her best friend drags her to her sister's wedding as her plus one, Emily is forced into meeting a variety of men thrust upon her as match making happy friend Alice searches for Prince Charming.
Tom is head gardener at the castle. Going through his own recent struggles make him moody and he is resistant to change. As he tries to hang on to the bad mood, he continues to meet up with Emily during she stay. As the wedding trip continues into the week, fibs are told, lies are revealed, and a wedding takes place.
This story has no tragedy or sex, and is a quick read. The sarcasm and real life smiles seem genuine. It was refreshing to not have a couple fall into bed after one meeting. The time line is about a week so it makes since there isn't a sex scene. I did have a rough time understanding all the British terminology but: A) I'm American and this takes place in present day Britain and, B) Google. I look forward to reading Jennifer Joyce again. #TheWeddingthatChangedEverything #NetGalley
August 5, 2018
As a child Emily believed in fairy tales - but then her childhood changed and her belief in such things disappeared, consigned to the bin or the fire.
As an adult Emily still doesn't believe in fairy tales and is taken a hiatus on finding Mr Perfect, she is having to wade through a lot of Mr Not Much Good and it is getting to her.
Emily's friend Alice has other ideas. As she is now in love thanks to Emily, Alice feels that she should return the favour. And what better place to find that person that at a wedding.
Alice's sister is getting married, in the family castle and the celebrations are running for a week and Alice has decided that Emily is going to be her plus one.
Emily is not so keen, but there is mystery to this castle and the relationship between Alice, her sister and two other friends, Tom and Archie who were all once close but have now drifted apart. While trying to avoid everyone she is paired up with, she keeps bumping into Tom. Which isn't always a bad thing, especially when you get lost in the grounds.
As the past comes to the present and the truth about soured friendships is brought out in the open, perhaps Emily can see that love is quite attainable if you perhaps don't try so much!
This is a lovely escapist read, what more do you want than a wedding, a castle, old feuds, a wicked stepmother and a gorgeous gardener?
I was not sure how this book was going to pan out, it took a while to get going and the prospect of being emerged in wedding preparations for a week did seem a tad odd. But it works well and had me laughing out loud as well as booing and hissing the baddies as if I was almost at a summer pantomime!
A good read in wedding season!
As an adult Emily still doesn't believe in fairy tales and is taken a hiatus on finding Mr Perfect, she is having to wade through a lot of Mr Not Much Good and it is getting to her.
Emily's friend Alice has other ideas. As she is now in love thanks to Emily, Alice feels that she should return the favour. And what better place to find that person that at a wedding.
Alice's sister is getting married, in the family castle and the celebrations are running for a week and Alice has decided that Emily is going to be her plus one.
Emily is not so keen, but there is mystery to this castle and the relationship between Alice, her sister and two other friends, Tom and Archie who were all once close but have now drifted apart. While trying to avoid everyone she is paired up with, she keeps bumping into Tom. Which isn't always a bad thing, especially when you get lost in the grounds.
As the past comes to the present and the truth about soured friendships is brought out in the open, perhaps Emily can see that love is quite attainable if you perhaps don't try so much!
This is a lovely escapist read, what more do you want than a wedding, a castle, old feuds, a wicked stepmother and a gorgeous gardener?
I was not sure how this book was going to pan out, it took a while to get going and the prospect of being emerged in wedding preparations for a week did seem a tad odd. But it works well and had me laughing out loud as well as booing and hissing the baddies as if I was almost at a summer pantomime!
A good read in wedding season!
February 8, 2018
If you are looking for a book that will provide a fun filled escape then look no further The Wedding That Changed Everything had me smiling all the way through as well as giggling in lots of places too. Especially at the part of the book involving Twiggy, it was just such a light and feel good story.
Emily really doesn't believe in happy ever afters anymore and my heart went out to her. I found the friendship between Alice and Emily to be pretty balanced as they are complete opposites. Alice could be a little annoying at times but I guess she was only trying to help her friend. Alice takes it upon herself to find Emily the perfect man whether she agrees to it or not. However this doesn't quite go to plan with Emily getting herself into all sorts of scrapes. Emily has some brilliant one liners but also has a vulnerability to her character that gave her even more depth.
The Wedding That Changed Everything has a lovely fairy tale feel to it especially with it's very own wicked stepmother. Along with secrets from the past that pop right back up and a lovely romance that will make you smile. The pace is good and I found myself nearing the end in no time at all.
Four star from me!
With thanks to HQ Digital & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Emily really doesn't believe in happy ever afters anymore and my heart went out to her. I found the friendship between Alice and Emily to be pretty balanced as they are complete opposites. Alice could be a little annoying at times but I guess she was only trying to help her friend. Alice takes it upon herself to find Emily the perfect man whether she agrees to it or not. However this doesn't quite go to plan with Emily getting herself into all sorts of scrapes. Emily has some brilliant one liners but also has a vulnerability to her character that gave her even more depth.
The Wedding That Changed Everything has a lovely fairy tale feel to it especially with it's very own wicked stepmother. Along with secrets from the past that pop right back up and a lovely romance that will make you smile. The pace is good and I found myself nearing the end in no time at all.
Four star from me!
With thanks to HQ Digital & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 15, 2018
From the very first page I knew I was gonna love the protagonist, Emily. She's a jaded school teacher who has had her heart broken not just by love, but by life itself. Meanwhile, her best friend and roommate, Alice, is a hopeless romantic already shacked up with her own bae and determined to help Emily find her very own Prince Charming. So, Alice drags Emily to her sister's week long wedding extravaganza where there's sure to be plenty of eligible bachelors waiting to sweep the single school teacher off her feet. I was instantly hooked. I really related to both Emily and Alice. Both they and the rest of the cast of characters were highly entertaining and most were quite lovable with the big exception of Alice's evil stepmother. The whole story was a perfectly written modern day fairytale full of love, friendship, lots of laughs and a touch of drama sprinkled in for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend to any of my fellow romcom fans!
February 22, 2018
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book was average to be honest. Alice was annoying, constantly trying to set her friend up with a man. Why couldn’t she take Emily at her word and leave her alone? Despite that, the strong friendship between Alice and Emily was evident and well-written. Emily was likeable but she got lost too many times – it became irritating. Archie and Tom were interesting characters, as was the wicked stepmother! In fact, I found them more entertaining than Alice and Emily. If more time had been spent on Emily's background, I think that would have made her more interesting.
For me the week of pre-wedding activities was too much, and I confess to skimming over some paragraphs just to get to the action. It's a pleasant enough read - perhaps a tad silly - but maybe I've outgrown this sort of story.
I thought this book was average to be honest. Alice was annoying, constantly trying to set her friend up with a man. Why couldn’t she take Emily at her word and leave her alone? Despite that, the strong friendship between Alice and Emily was evident and well-written. Emily was likeable but she got lost too many times – it became irritating. Archie and Tom were interesting characters, as was the wicked stepmother! In fact, I found them more entertaining than Alice and Emily. If more time had been spent on Emily's background, I think that would have made her more interesting.
For me the week of pre-wedding activities was too much, and I confess to skimming over some paragraphs just to get to the action. It's a pleasant enough read - perhaps a tad silly - but maybe I've outgrown this sort of story.
March 27, 2018
This is a sweet romantic comedy set during a wedding at an old castle turned event venue, owned by the bride's uncle. I liked most of the characters (of course there are always a few you love to hate) and the eventual couple were likable if flawed by their personal histories. I enjoyed seeing the villain of the piece get his comeuppance, and there were a couple of nice "happily ever afters" in sight at the end. The only caveat I would give is that the British slang in here is somewhat obscure for us Americans. I usually don't have a problem with it since I read a lot of books set in England and watch British TV shows, but there were a few times when I wasn't sure what they were talking about. Or maybe it's just a younger generation thing? Anyway, not enough to keep me from recommending it.
November 7, 2018
Oh my gosh, what a cute story! It's not just a saying that when someone is in love they want everyone around them to be in love, too. That's the problem Emily Atchinson has when her very best friend Alice falls in love with one of Emily's colleagues. That Alice insists that Emily could find the love of her life if she just wasn't so picky with every man she dates has Emily agreeing to following Alice's lead for one week in exchange for Alice's laying off afterward. Emily is carrying some baggage that prevents her from opening her heart to any love possibility, but when Alice drags her to a wedding in a castle, Emily finds herself torn between the really great guy Alice aims her at and the somewhat temperamental man Emily is attracted to—despite herself. I enjoyed every minute of this book!
January 13, 2019
Emily Atkinson stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago! She’s fed up of dating frogs in order to find her very own Prince Charming and is giving up on men entirely. But then she’s invited to the wedding of the year at the enchanting Durban Castle and realises that perhaps bumping into a real-life knight in shining armour isn’t quite as far away as she thought!
This was a cute read. The characters were delightfully created and there were plenty of funny moments. I really enjoyed it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
This was a cute read. The characters were delightfully created and there were plenty of funny moments. I really enjoyed it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
March 30, 2018
Emily doesn't believe in love and has no intention of finding Mr Right but unfortunately her best friend Alice has other ideas and keeps trying too send her on dates. In one final effort she persuades Emily to be her plus one at a week long wedding celebration at Durban Castle.......... so will she be kissing lots of frogs or will prince charming be there?
A great fun easy reading book, I loved the characters and the humour, perfect for the beach
A great fun easy reading book, I loved the characters and the humour, perfect for the beach
July 31, 2018
A light hearted fun summer read. I enjoyed this book. Fun in parts, sad in others, a well written book. I enjoyed all of the characters and found I could empathise with them. I loved the wicked stepmother who has a fabulously descriptive name. A beautiful setting in a historical castle.
A charming book perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or beach holiday read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
A charming book perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or beach holiday read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2018
I received a copy of The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was intrigued by the summary and I am happy to report that the book did not disappoint. This was a fun read - and a quick read - that made time fly by.
I was intrigued by the summary and I am happy to report that the book did not disappoint. This was a fun read - and a quick read - that made time fly by.
February 25, 2018
I was so engaged by this lovely book that I read it in one sitting. The opening sentence had me hooked, and the author kept me hooked to the very last page.
My younger self (and friend) identify with Emily and Alice, and Francelia sounds just like another friend’s mother-in-law. Emily and Alice rely on and support each other in many ways, as real friends do, and Alice’s insistence on trying to find a boyfriend for Emily is in equal measure annoying and adorable, as are Emily’s reasons for dumping men before or after just three dates.
(full review here :
https://heartshapedbluestocking.com/2...
My younger self (and friend) identify with Emily and Alice, and Francelia sounds just like another friend’s mother-in-law. Emily and Alice rely on and support each other in many ways, as real friends do, and Alice’s insistence on trying to find a boyfriend for Emily is in equal measure annoying and adorable, as are Emily’s reasons for dumping men before or after just three dates.
(full review here :
https://heartshapedbluestocking.com/2...
March 15, 2018
Great story. Secrets, lies and conflicts which most of us can relate to. You can be rich or poor to wish your family was different growing up. Most of us doubts of being loved and giving love. Worth taking the time to start reading. You won’t stop reading.
January 11, 2018
A lovely, romantic, funny, lighthearted chicklit. Perfect for times when you want a break from reality but don’t want to concentrate too much. Lovely.
February 27, 2018
It was alright but not the sort of book I enjoy. The characters were annoying for the most part and not very relatable. I'm sure a lot of people will like the book but it's not one for me.
May 17, 2018
I really liked this slow-burn romance that actually took place in a very condensed time frame. I look forward to more by this author!
June 15, 2018
A lovely read.
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