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The Wedding Setup
Ryann is thrilled when her friend Stuart asks her to help him plan his last-minute wedding. He moved across the country over a year ago, and she misses him like crazy. As an executive with event planning experience, Ryann’s the best person to help him fulfill his wildest wedding dreams.
However, things in Colorado are not what she expects, especially Maddie, the maid of honor for the other groom. Maddie is attractive, and while she’s certainly Ryann’s type, she has some different ideas about the wedding. Also, flirting with her is incredibly distracting, especially when Ryann just wants to keep things professional. With just two weeks to the big event on Valentine’s Day, can Ryann help Stuart to wedded bliss, and avoid his well-intentioned attempts to set her up with Maddie?
However, things in Colorado are not what she expects, especially Maddie, the maid of honor for the other groom. Maddie is attractive, and while she’s certainly Ryann’s type, she has some different ideas about the wedding. Also, flirting with her is incredibly distracting, especially when Ryann just wants to keep things professional. With just two weeks to the big event on Valentine’s Day, can Ryann help Stuart to wedded bliss, and avoid his well-intentioned attempts to set her up with Maddie?
257 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2022
5 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Greene
13 books41 followersCharlotte Greene grew up in the American West in a loving family that supported her earliest creative endeavors. She began writing as a teenager and has never stopped. She now holds a doctorate in English, and she teaches a wide variety of courses in literature and women’s studies at a regional university in the South. When she’s not teaching or writing her next novel, she enjoys playing video games, traveling, and brewing hard cider. Charlotte is a longtime lover and one-time resident of the City of New Orleans. While she no longer lives in NOLA, she visits as often as possible.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 2, 2022
Maids of honour.
This book has a gay Valentine's Day wedding and two lesbians maids of honour so I like the premise. It sounded lighthearted and festive. And it helped when Ryann, one of the main characters, started out as a power lesbian in the work context, so I was excited to read on.
But I realise after a while that I wasn't able to get into the story and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. One major conflict between the main characters is priorities and it annoys the hell out of me that work versus personal life (friends and romance) is viewed as a zero-sum game. They are not and both are important. I didn't really like how Ryann and Maddie sometimes act like love sick fools too and how their friends are overly invested in their budding romance.
I also realise that some minor things get a bit repetitive at times. Like how the main characters like to spring apart when someone interrupts special moments and how certain emotions like anger get overused.
This book isn't for me but it could be for you, so do check out the other reviews too for a more holistic opinion.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a gay Valentine's Day wedding and two lesbians maids of honour so I like the premise. It sounded lighthearted and festive. And it helped when Ryann, one of the main characters, started out as a power lesbian in the work context, so I was excited to read on.
But I realise after a while that I wasn't able to get into the story and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. One major conflict between the main characters is priorities and it annoys the hell out of me that work versus personal life (friends and romance) is viewed as a zero-sum game. They are not and both are important. I didn't really like how Ryann and Maddie sometimes act like love sick fools too and how their friends are overly invested in their budding romance.
I also realise that some minor things get a bit repetitive at times. Like how the main characters like to spring apart when someone interrupts special moments and how certain emotions like anger get overused.
This book isn't for me but it could be for you, so do check out the other reviews too for a more holistic opinion.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2022
This was not the read for me. It started out well enough as Ryann, CEO of her own company handled what sounded like a major project in several cities around the world and impressed her board with her business acumen. I was thinking okay, this book features an ice queen corporate type with potential for a fish out of water romance at her best friend’s small town gay wedding. I was surprised Ryann would drop everything and agree to spend two weeks in Loveland for Stuart’s wedding when he had been a lousy friend to Ryann in the past year. I was shocked at the audacity of Stuart and Jai leaving Ryann and Maddie to handle ALL their wedding planning.. I’ve had coworkers take eighteen months to plan their perfect wedding and Stuart expects Ryann and Maddie to plan his wedding in two weeks?
Yes, I know the title of the book implies our main characters are being set up. Not many lesbians in Loveland so let’s thrust Stuart’s friend Ryann together with Jai’s best friend Maddie and we can all sit back and watch the sparks fly. Ryann accepts her mission, is attracted to Maddie, overwhelmed by Jai’s many sisters (or maybe that was just me) and sleeps in everyday, forced to rush to get ready for their appointments. I struggled to understand how corporate slayer Ryann morphs into this wing it any way you can Ryann because you don’t want to disappoint your buddy, the same buddy who ignored you all year. I didn’t find it cute, romantic or endearing. Instead it felt underhanded and manipulative.
A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Yes, I know the title of the book implies our main characters are being set up. Not many lesbians in Loveland so let’s thrust Stuart’s friend Ryann together with Jai’s best friend Maddie and we can all sit back and watch the sparks fly. Ryann accepts her mission, is attracted to Maddie, overwhelmed by Jai’s many sisters (or maybe that was just me) and sleeps in everyday, forced to rush to get ready for their appointments. I struggled to understand how corporate slayer Ryann morphs into this wing it any way you can Ryann because you don’t want to disappoint your buddy, the same buddy who ignored you all year. I didn’t find it cute, romantic or endearing. Instead it felt underhanded and manipulative.
A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
January 7, 2022
I like the way Charlotte Greene writes. She always draws me into the story, and makes everything seem real. This can be quite frightening with her paranormal/ghost tales, and very heartwarming when she creates a lovely romance. The Wedding Setup is one of her romantic love stories.
This book is about two couples. One is a gay couple (Stuart and Jai) who are getting married on Valentine’s Day in Loveland, Colorado. The other couple are Ryann and Maddie, the two Maids of Honor. The tale is written in third person limited through Ryann’s eyes. Maddie, an artist living in Loveland, is Jai’s maid of honor. Ryann is Stuart’s best friend, and has come to be his maid of honor even though she is swamped with work at her job in New York. Ryann has no time for love, but she can’t shake the feeling Stuart and Jai are trying to set her up with Maddie.
The setting of this novel, Loveland, Colorado, is ideal for this tale. The town takes advantage of its name to make Valentine’s Day a huge business for the town. The characters are well-developed, and I could see the connection between both couples. I had a little bit of a problem with how Maddie and Ryann sometimes acted and reacted towards each other. I realize that it is part of the conflict in the story, but I kept thinking if they would only sit down and talk to each other instead of letting misunderstandings get in the way, then they could be together much sooner. I absolutely love the ending of this book though! It is a fun and heartstring-tugging romance that will leave you with a warm & fuzzy feeling.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
This book is about two couples. One is a gay couple (Stuart and Jai) who are getting married on Valentine’s Day in Loveland, Colorado. The other couple are Ryann and Maddie, the two Maids of Honor. The tale is written in third person limited through Ryann’s eyes. Maddie, an artist living in Loveland, is Jai’s maid of honor. Ryann is Stuart’s best friend, and has come to be his maid of honor even though she is swamped with work at her job in New York. Ryann has no time for love, but she can’t shake the feeling Stuart and Jai are trying to set her up with Maddie.
The setting of this novel, Loveland, Colorado, is ideal for this tale. The town takes advantage of its name to make Valentine’s Day a huge business for the town. The characters are well-developed, and I could see the connection between both couples. I had a little bit of a problem with how Maddie and Ryann sometimes acted and reacted towards each other. I realize that it is part of the conflict in the story, but I kept thinking if they would only sit down and talk to each other instead of letting misunderstandings get in the way, then they could be together much sooner. I absolutely love the ending of this book though! It is a fun and heartstring-tugging romance that will leave you with a warm & fuzzy feeling.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
January 5, 2022
The premise of this book sounds like it could be great fun. And I think it should have been but I was really bored while reading this. I was bored to the point of distraction.
Let’s start with the things that didn’t work for me. Winking, in the first third of the book there is so much winking. I figured Maddie must have some sort of tic. A wink by the right person at the right time is nice, but it definitely gets old when it happens every single time you catch this person’s eye. Ryann and Maddie are roped into organising both their best friend’s wedding, there is so much “shop talk”, it gets old fast as well. And when they aren’t organising things for the wedding Ryann is doing something for her job. Maddie jumps to conclusion and over apologises after. Ryann is in serious need of some sleep and chill time.
I couldn’t connect with the main characters and the secondary characters that seem to be for comic relief are even worse.
Redeeming qualities of this book? At this point I’m not sure I can name any. I like the idea of the story, the writing is ok enough. The town itself seems pretty nice.
I’m sure there will be people who enjoy this book, but I’m not one of those. Please read other reviews for a more holistic view.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
Let’s start with the things that didn’t work for me. Winking, in the first third of the book there is so much winking. I figured Maddie must have some sort of tic. A wink by the right person at the right time is nice, but it definitely gets old when it happens every single time you catch this person’s eye. Ryann and Maddie are roped into organising both their best friend’s wedding, there is so much “shop talk”, it gets old fast as well. And when they aren’t organising things for the wedding Ryann is doing something for her job. Maddie jumps to conclusion and over apologises after. Ryann is in serious need of some sleep and chill time.
I couldn’t connect with the main characters and the secondary characters that seem to be for comic relief are even worse.
Redeeming qualities of this book? At this point I’m not sure I can name any. I like the idea of the story, the writing is ok enough. The town itself seems pretty nice.
I’m sure there will be people who enjoy this book, but I’m not one of those. Please read other reviews for a more holistic view.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
December 11, 2022
I received a copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
The Wedding Setup opens with our main character Ryann - she is a businesswoman in New York and she is running her own company. She is in the middle of something important regarding her business when her best friend Stuart tells her he is getting married. She heads over to Loveland, Colorado where he now lives to help him plan his last-minute wedding.
This was such a cute book! It was a quick read, and I enjoyed it a lot. When Ryann gets to Colorado, she meets Stuart's fiance, Jai, and his maid of honor, Maddie. It is clear from the beginning that Stuart and Jai are trying to set Maddie and Ryann up, and it's clear that they're attracted to each other. Maddie and Ryann are doing most of the wedding planning, and because of that spend a lot of time together, and I enjoyed their banter and how their relationship evolves. They are both trying to keep it from getting serious (despite wanting that) because they both know that their relationship can't last.
I liked Ryann and Maddie, both as individual characters and as love interests. They are very different, it is clear that both are making effort to understand each other and be there for each other. I liked Stuart and Ryann's friendship, they start the book a bit unsteadily - they've not seen each other for a while, and the distance has affected their relationship, but at the end of the day they are each other's family. As for the side characters, I mostly enjoyed them. Jai has a big family, a lot of sisters, and everyone is in each other's business. While this dynamic is cute, at times it felt like everyone is a bit too invested in Ryann and Maddie's relationship specifically - to the point of it being slightly annoying. But they are for the most part, very wholesome, if sometimes too involved.
My only complaint was that whenever conflict arose, it seemed to get resolved a bit too quickly. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but whether the issue was big or small the characters forgave each other immediately and it felt a tiny bit too unrealistic for my liking. And because of that, to me, the ending seemed a bit too rushed, and while I liked it, I wish there had been some more build-up and some more conflict resolution.
All in all, this was a cute, fast read. The synopsis promised a cute lesbian romance, and it delivered just that. If you want something that's light-hearted, to make you feel happy I would recommend this!
3.5 stars
The Wedding Setup opens with our main character Ryann - she is a businesswoman in New York and she is running her own company. She is in the middle of something important regarding her business when her best friend Stuart tells her he is getting married. She heads over to Loveland, Colorado where he now lives to help him plan his last-minute wedding.
This was such a cute book! It was a quick read, and I enjoyed it a lot. When Ryann gets to Colorado, she meets Stuart's fiance, Jai, and his maid of honor, Maddie. It is clear from the beginning that Stuart and Jai are trying to set Maddie and Ryann up, and it's clear that they're attracted to each other. Maddie and Ryann are doing most of the wedding planning, and because of that spend a lot of time together, and I enjoyed their banter and how their relationship evolves. They are both trying to keep it from getting serious (despite wanting that) because they both know that their relationship can't last.
I liked Ryann and Maddie, both as individual characters and as love interests. They are very different, it is clear that both are making effort to understand each other and be there for each other. I liked Stuart and Ryann's friendship, they start the book a bit unsteadily - they've not seen each other for a while, and the distance has affected their relationship, but at the end of the day they are each other's family. As for the side characters, I mostly enjoyed them. Jai has a big family, a lot of sisters, and everyone is in each other's business. While this dynamic is cute, at times it felt like everyone is a bit too invested in Ryann and Maddie's relationship specifically - to the point of it being slightly annoying. But they are for the most part, very wholesome, if sometimes too involved.
My only complaint was that whenever conflict arose, it seemed to get resolved a bit too quickly. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but whether the issue was big or small the characters forgave each other immediately and it felt a tiny bit too unrealistic for my liking. And because of that, to me, the ending seemed a bit too rushed, and while I liked it, I wish there had been some more build-up and some more conflict resolution.
All in all, this was a cute, fast read. The synopsis promised a cute lesbian romance, and it delivered just that. If you want something that's light-hearted, to make you feel happy I would recommend this!
January 2, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This book is a short and fun romance novel set in a Valentines-themed town in Colorado. Ryann, a marketing CEO from New York is helping organize a wedding for her best friend, with the help of Maddie, the other maid-of-honour. This novel contains lots of flirting during the wedding planning with the relationship decently developed. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for an enjoyable lesbian romance.
Minor spoilers to follow:
However, I did feel like more of the story could have been better developed. One of the main themes seemed to be the work-life balance, and how Ryann needed to put people ahead of her job. This theme was not very subtle and yet in the final stages it felt like we never really got to see Ryann mulling this over or making future decisions. And while people are more important that work, it did frustrate me how little anyone seemed to care about Ryann's job, a business she built. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but the storyline outside of the romance could have been better.
This book is a short and fun romance novel set in a Valentines-themed town in Colorado. Ryann, a marketing CEO from New York is helping organize a wedding for her best friend, with the help of Maddie, the other maid-of-honour. This novel contains lots of flirting during the wedding planning with the relationship decently developed. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for an enjoyable lesbian romance.
Minor spoilers to follow:
However, I did feel like more of the story could have been better developed. One of the main themes seemed to be the work-life balance, and how Ryann needed to put people ahead of her job. This theme was not very subtle and yet in the final stages it felt like we never really got to see Ryann mulling this over or making future decisions. And while people are more important that work, it did frustrate me how little anyone seemed to care about Ryann's job, a business she built. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but the storyline outside of the romance could have been better.
February 16, 2022
Cute!
Event planner, Ryann, is helping her best friend Stuart plan his wedding. When she arrived the last thing she expected was to fall so easily for the other groom’s maid of honor, Maddie. Together Maddie and Ryann embark on the fun tasks maids of honor have to do for the wedding, and partaking in a few fun scenario of pretending it is their wedding they organising options for, they realise they might have something. However, being the workaholic Ryann is, that is all threatened when she can’t imagine how a relationship would work between them with such distance.
Adored this story! The perfect rom-com in the perfect settings. What better place to find unexpected love than when planning a wedding for someone else. I loved that connection that Maddie and Ryann had from the instant they met. There was just something there, even if they didn’t realise at first, you just knew that the moment they entered any of those meetings to plan flowers, cakes, food for the wedding, they were just going to end up either falling for one another or falling out.
I loved each and every moment they shared during the planning. Those meetings were such fun, not only for Ryann and Maddie but for the reader. Each time they could have gone either way, so I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, as you too when something just seems too perfect to be true. Everything about Ryann and Maddie’s story was just the sweetest, from how they were set up by their best friends, to how they just fitted together like puzzle pieces.
As with all good rom-coms, there were those intense moments, the dramatic ones, and the ones of realisation that just made the whole things magical. I really enjoyed the story and can’t recommend it enough to all romance lovers.
Event planner, Ryann, is helping her best friend Stuart plan his wedding. When she arrived the last thing she expected was to fall so easily for the other groom’s maid of honor, Maddie. Together Maddie and Ryann embark on the fun tasks maids of honor have to do for the wedding, and partaking in a few fun scenario of pretending it is their wedding they organising options for, they realise they might have something. However, being the workaholic Ryann is, that is all threatened when she can’t imagine how a relationship would work between them with such distance.
Adored this story! The perfect rom-com in the perfect settings. What better place to find unexpected love than when planning a wedding for someone else. I loved that connection that Maddie and Ryann had from the instant they met. There was just something there, even if they didn’t realise at first, you just knew that the moment they entered any of those meetings to plan flowers, cakes, food for the wedding, they were just going to end up either falling for one another or falling out.
I loved each and every moment they shared during the planning. Those meetings were such fun, not only for Ryann and Maddie but for the reader. Each time they could have gone either way, so I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, as you too when something just seems too perfect to be true. Everything about Ryann and Maddie’s story was just the sweetest, from how they were set up by their best friends, to how they just fitted together like puzzle pieces.
As with all good rom-coms, there were those intense moments, the dramatic ones, and the ones of realisation that just made the whole things magical. I really enjoyed the story and can’t recommend it enough to all romance lovers.
December 29, 2021
Ryann is successfully working on her latest big marketing deal in NYC when her BFF asks her to come to Colorado and be his maid of honor. When she arrives she learns that she and the other grooms maid of honor have been left with much of the wedding planning. And the Valentine themed wedding is in two weeks. It never is really explained why the other groom can't help more, but Ryann's friend is preparing his art for a new show. The two maids spend time together picking out cocktails, cakes and selecting the venue. Even period clothing is all in Valentine color themes. Of course Ryann is drawn to the Maddie. She is flirty, an artist and also teaches at the local college. But Ryann's business world is NYC. It is also an easy, no major ruffles, slow burn romance. This is a sweet Valentine themed romance. It's the kind of book to enjoy and make your day feel less stressful. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)
December 31, 2021
I loved this book.
Watching the love story between Ryann and Madison seemed so natural and effortless. I fell a little bit in love with each of them myself.
What makes this romance better than so many others is the quality of the writing. The characters are believable and none of the overused conflicts or obstacles are a part of the story line.
This is a great winter read. No need to wait until summer to immerse yourself into this lovely romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for allowing me to read an Advanced Reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Watching the love story between Ryann and Madison seemed so natural and effortless. I fell a little bit in love with each of them myself.
What makes this romance better than so many others is the quality of the writing. The characters are believable and none of the overused conflicts or obstacles are a part of the story line.
This is a great winter read. No need to wait until summer to immerse yourself into this lovely romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for allowing me to read an Advanced Reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 4, 2022
High powered corporate beauty finds love in an adorable small town in Colorado when she visits for her best friend’s wedding. This book is bursting at the seams with wedding romance, fun fauxmance, and boiling hot desire.
January 30, 2022
The wedding setup is a good read, but I did expect more I think. It started off good, then it's seemed to just ‘ go on a bit’. Nothing seemed to happen. Maybe more ‘spark’ would help. Ryaan seemed to be a bit self-centred which can be off-putting when it comes to the main character. I've given The Wedding Setup a 3/5. I can't decide on this one
March 23, 2022
Ryann has lost touch with her best friend Stuart but he suddenly appears again and announces that he’s engaged. Also, the wedding is in two weeks halfway across the country, he wants Ryann to be his maid of honor and also needs her to plan the wedding details without him or his fiancée Jai. Maddie, Jai’s best friend, is also roped into the shenanigans and Ryann is forced to plan a Valentine’s Day wedding with Maddie within two weeks.
This was my first book by this author and I thought the characters had great chemistry together. I liked their initial banter when Ryann couldn’t help but accidentally flirt with Maddie. Jai’s family was also pretty entertaining. The writing was well done and I didn’t notice any editing issues. There were a few plot points I didn’t love though. The first being that anyone would force a friend they haven’t spoken to in 6 months plan a wedding for them in two weeks. It just feels incredibly unrealistic and the fact that they don’t really get to why Stuart ghosted Ryann also feels wrong. Another issue was when Ryann had to prioritize a work issue and Maddie and Stuart got upset over it. She dropped everything to travel to Colorado at the drop of a hat but they won’t allow her to handle a work issue without griping about it. This flows through to the end when no one else can think of any other options for Maddie and Ryann to stay together other than Ryann moving, it seems like there would be opportunities for them in New York together but no one even brings that up as an option. Overall it was an enjoyable read but felt a bit too out of touch with reality.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book by this author and I thought the characters had great chemistry together. I liked their initial banter when Ryann couldn’t help but accidentally flirt with Maddie. Jai’s family was also pretty entertaining. The writing was well done and I didn’t notice any editing issues. There were a few plot points I didn’t love though. The first being that anyone would force a friend they haven’t spoken to in 6 months plan a wedding for them in two weeks. It just feels incredibly unrealistic and the fact that they don’t really get to why Stuart ghosted Ryann also feels wrong. Another issue was when Ryann had to prioritize a work issue and Maddie and Stuart got upset over it. She dropped everything to travel to Colorado at the drop of a hat but they won’t allow her to handle a work issue without griping about it. This flows through to the end when no one else can think of any other options for Maddie and Ryann to stay together other than Ryann moving, it seems like there would be opportunities for them in New York together but no one even brings that up as an option. Overall it was an enjoyable read but felt a bit too out of touch with reality.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2021
Ryann lost touch recently with her best friend so when he calls to ask her to be his mai od honour for his incoming wedding she puts her highly demaning job aside and travels to help her friend organise his wedding. Maddie is an artist and a ‘serial” do gooder that volunteers for just about anything and that makes her doubt Ryann’s intentions. But their attraction is hard to ignore. This is a feel good romance that’s bound to make your day better. It’s a low angst, slow burn romance set around Valentine’s day around 2 MCs that have opposite feelings not only about the holiday but also about what should be a priority in life, work or family and friends. Read this book to put a smile on your face.
January 14, 2022
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t read anything else by this author and thought this was ok, but not great.
The basic premise here is that Ryann and Maddie are the respective BFFs of Stuart and Jai, who are getting married in a few weeks, right on Valentines. As the Maids of Honor, Ryann and Maddie are expected to help with the wedding planning.
This was the first issue I had with the book, I could maybe understand it if the two MCs were asked to meet with florists, bars owners and bakers, etc if the two guys lived somewhere else and needed that done before they arrived, but they’re getting married in Jai’s hometown, and it was just ridiculous that they wouldn’t pick that stuff themselves. This also lead to endless passages about trying cakes and drinks, etc that was a little boring.
Maddie and Ryann are also opposites, butch/femme, city/country, artist/workaholic, but instantly attracted to each other. Even though they live in different places and know it’s a bad idea from the start, they still hook up. You could see where this would end up from pretty much the first meeting. Ryan’s character was also hard to pin down, she had (also boring) work drama going on and was supposed to be some ice queen, ruthless corporate type, but was also really sweet, so it was hard to get a read on her. Maddie was supposed to be the sweet one, but was also quite judgemental of Ryann, and that got old too.
I also couldn’t fathom why the author decided to have everyone in Jai’s family have a name that started with ‘J’, it made scenes with his many sisters confusing and I soon gave up on caring who was doing what.
I did enjoy the banter between the MCs and felt they had chemistry but there was just too much other stuff going on and they weren’t together long enough for me to buy into their relationship and HEA. Like I said, and ok read. If you like push/pull and wedding planning, then you’d probably like this. 3 stars.
I haven’t read anything else by this author and thought this was ok, but not great.
The basic premise here is that Ryann and Maddie are the respective BFFs of Stuart and Jai, who are getting married in a few weeks, right on Valentines. As the Maids of Honor, Ryann and Maddie are expected to help with the wedding planning.
This was the first issue I had with the book, I could maybe understand it if the two MCs were asked to meet with florists, bars owners and bakers, etc if the two guys lived somewhere else and needed that done before they arrived, but they’re getting married in Jai’s hometown, and it was just ridiculous that they wouldn’t pick that stuff themselves. This also lead to endless passages about trying cakes and drinks, etc that was a little boring.
Maddie and Ryann are also opposites, butch/femme, city/country, artist/workaholic, but instantly attracted to each other. Even though they live in different places and know it’s a bad idea from the start, they still hook up. You could see where this would end up from pretty much the first meeting. Ryan’s character was also hard to pin down, she had (also boring) work drama going on and was supposed to be some ice queen, ruthless corporate type, but was also really sweet, so it was hard to get a read on her. Maddie was supposed to be the sweet one, but was also quite judgemental of Ryann, and that got old too.
I also couldn’t fathom why the author decided to have everyone in Jai’s family have a name that started with ‘J’, it made scenes with his many sisters confusing and I soon gave up on caring who was doing what.
I did enjoy the banter between the MCs and felt they had chemistry but there was just too much other stuff going on and they weren’t together long enough for me to buy into their relationship and HEA. Like I said, and ok read. If you like push/pull and wedding planning, then you’d probably like this. 3 stars.
January 8, 2022
In The Wedding Setup, hard-nosed Manhattan-based CEO, Ryann takes a trip to Loveland, Colorado, to help plan her friend, Stuart's, wedding at the last minute. She has a major business deal in progress that is not going well so she is nervous about being away from the office for two weeks but plans to work in her downtime.
In Colorado, Ryann meets Maddie, the maid of honor for the other groom, unknowingly at the bus station. There's a spark of attraction when they feast their eyes on each other. They later formally meet when the wedding parties are introduced to each other at a local Loveland bar.
I found the premise of the book, with Stuart and his finance, Jai, setting up Ryann and Maddie to be promising. The execution was generally good, in my opinion, but Ryann was not initially someone that I would want to route for in real life as the rough and tumble CEO. She did begin to grow on me though through her association and eventual relationship with Maddie. The relationship seemed to soften her tough exterior. Overall, the book was 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Colorado, Ryann meets Maddie, the maid of honor for the other groom, unknowingly at the bus station. There's a spark of attraction when they feast their eyes on each other. They later formally meet when the wedding parties are introduced to each other at a local Loveland bar.
I found the premise of the book, with Stuart and his finance, Jai, setting up Ryann and Maddie to be promising. The execution was generally good, in my opinion, but Ryann was not initially someone that I would want to route for in real life as the rough and tumble CEO. She did begin to grow on me though through her association and eventual relationship with Maddie. The relationship seemed to soften her tough exterior. Overall, the book was 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2022
The premise for this book was really good. Getting setup while planning a wedding was intriguing and I was ready for a fun romcom. Maybe that was where I should have adjusted my expectations.
Unfortunately I couldn’t quite connect with the characters in this one. I understood the opposites attract setup and portraying Ryann as an ice queen / boss bitch. But I think the negative behaviors were taken way too far and the redemption portion either didn’t happen or maybe I missed it. I felt Ryann’s character was a bit too shallow and sort of emotionally all over the place. I was getting quite stressed being yanked back and forth between Ryann’s latter half sweetness and weird female rage that befell anyone in her company.
This angsty story of wedding planning and discovering love may appeal to a different audience given all the in your face emotional whiplash but didn’t quite work for me. 3🌟s
Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I couldn’t quite connect with the characters in this one. I understood the opposites attract setup and portraying Ryann as an ice queen / boss bitch. But I think the negative behaviors were taken way too far and the redemption portion either didn’t happen or maybe I missed it. I felt Ryann’s character was a bit too shallow and sort of emotionally all over the place. I was getting quite stressed being yanked back and forth between Ryann’s latter half sweetness and weird female rage that befell anyone in her company.
This angsty story of wedding planning and discovering love may appeal to a different audience given all the in your face emotional whiplash but didn’t quite work for me. 3🌟s
Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2022
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, sweet and just really good. I liked the characters a lot. However, I do wish that we knew a bit more about Maddie. It feels like I barely know her. I wish the author could have elaborated more on Maddie and Ryann's families. The plot was pretty good. I liked how people were so welcoming and open-minded in the town. The side characters were pretty great too. Overall, it was a nice, quick read.
February 8, 2022
A cute wedding romance with a side of enemies to lovers and a dash *at one point* of fake dating.
Let’s start about what I liked. Firstly there’s femme/butch rep which is pretty awesome. Ryann is femme, and Maddie is definitely serving butch with her short hair, muscles and flannel.
Next the opening of the book is actually really strong, I found myself really interested in Ryann whose giving off CEO/overworked vibes that I’m here for ✋🏻
I really wanted to like this because I’m weak for a good wedding themed romance but it didn’t quite hold my interest the rest of the way through though.
I think in part that was due to the character of Maddie; I just didn’t click with her at all. I felt maybe she was kind of immature and I didn’t appreciate her vibe and that grated on me a little the rest of the way through.
The pacing was kinda off for me also; much of the story seemed fairly slow and the ending shot by out of nowhere.
Let’s start about what I liked. Firstly there’s femme/butch rep which is pretty awesome. Ryann is femme, and Maddie is definitely serving butch with her short hair, muscles and flannel.
Next the opening of the book is actually really strong, I found myself really interested in Ryann whose giving off CEO/overworked vibes that I’m here for ✋🏻
I really wanted to like this because I’m weak for a good wedding themed romance but it didn’t quite hold my interest the rest of the way through though.
I think in part that was due to the character of Maddie; I just didn’t click with her at all. I felt maybe she was kind of immature and I didn’t appreciate her vibe and that grated on me a little the rest of the way through.
The pacing was kinda off for me also; much of the story seemed fairly slow and the ending shot by out of nowhere.
August 8, 2022
this was actually really cute and fun...big decisions, great friendships, a fun sweet romance that just makes you smile from page to page!
January 5, 2022
When Ryann was growing up her best friend was Stuart. They even went to college together but when Ryann came out to her parents they did what unfortunately many do, turned their backs leaving her alone. Luckly for her she still had Stuart.
Taking the funds they had given her she started her own company. Now she is the CEO of a very successful business. Now she has a big project that she’s put together a proposal that should make everyone involved richer than they already were. While Ryann had her business Stuart was trying to make his way in the art world and to follow his dream he moved to Colorado.
Now Stuart has asked her to come to Colorado to be his maid of honor. He was getting married and wanted his best friend to stand with him for the most important day for him.
Taking a couple of days to visit with him was one thing but a whole three weeks. But that’s exactly what she does. Never having or making time for any romance in her life she’s surprised when she finds herself planning the big day with Maddie. A local who everyone knows and loves, she seems equally taken by Ryann.
Now Ryann is working with Maddie and finding all kinds of interesting facts. Ms Greene has herself a nice little read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books.
Taking the funds they had given her she started her own company. Now she is the CEO of a very successful business. Now she has a big project that she’s put together a proposal that should make everyone involved richer than they already were. While Ryann had her business Stuart was trying to make his way in the art world and to follow his dream he moved to Colorado.
Now Stuart has asked her to come to Colorado to be his maid of honor. He was getting married and wanted his best friend to stand with him for the most important day for him.
Taking a couple of days to visit with him was one thing but a whole three weeks. But that’s exactly what she does. Never having or making time for any romance in her life she’s surprised when she finds herself planning the big day with Maddie. A local who everyone knows and loves, she seems equally taken by Ryann.
Now Ryann is working with Maddie and finding all kinds of interesting facts. Ms Greene has herself a nice little read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books.
June 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! Ryann is the CEO of her Marketing firm, and in the middle of a big deal. When her best friend Stuart calls to let her know he's getting married in 2 1/2 weeks on Valentine's day to Jai in Loveland, CO. He wants her to plan it with his other BF Maddie.
When she gets there she realizes that she's been set up with Maddie. But they're opposites. This is a cute opposites attract love story.
A gay couple with two lesbian maid of honors, can't go wrong with this story! 5 stars!
When she gets there she realizes that she's been set up with Maddie. But they're opposites. This is a cute opposites attract love story.
A gay couple with two lesbian maid of honors, can't go wrong with this story! 5 stars!
January 16, 2022
If you are looking for a Hallmark-ish romance for Valentine’s, this could be the book for you.
Tasked as the maid of honour for her best friend’s wedding; powerful and aloof CEO Ryann travels to Loveland, Colorado and finds herself falling unexpectedly in love in a town where everything speaks Valentine’s.
While this might not be a book for me - a CEO undergoing a 360 degrees change in temperament and character and swoons over an attractive butch and overcomes long distance for a happy ever after ending, i could certainly see the appeal for some with the setup, location and quick fire romance.
I just reviewed The Wedding Setup by Charlotte Greene. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.
Tasked as the maid of honour for her best friend’s wedding; powerful and aloof CEO Ryann travels to Loveland, Colorado and finds herself falling unexpectedly in love in a town where everything speaks Valentine’s.
While this might not be a book for me - a CEO undergoing a 360 degrees change in temperament and character and swoons over an attractive butch and overcomes long distance for a happy ever after ending, i could certainly see the appeal for some with the setup, location and quick fire romance.
I just reviewed The Wedding Setup by Charlotte Greene. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.
May 11, 2022
This was a fun romantic novel. The main characters are two couples: Stuart and Jai and Maddie and Ryann. There are, of course, a lot of support characters who add depth to this story. The book begins with Stuart, who lives in Colorado, contacting his BFF, Ryann, who lives in NYC, to be his maid of honor and wedding planner. The wedding is to take place in two weeks so she has to drop everything and fly to Colorado.
Jai has asked his BFF, Maddie, to be his maid of honor and also wants her to help in the wedding planning. The fun begins when Maddie and Ryann have to coordinate everything in the short time. Oh, and by the way, Ryann is the CEO of her own company and is also trying to close a huge deal. Pressure, pressure, pressure!
I enjoyed this story. It was interesting and a pleasant way to pass several hours of reading. The characters were well developed. I enjoyed the interaction of the couples and, of course, this interaction also caused the conflict that added drama to the story.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jai has asked his BFF, Maddie, to be his maid of honor and also wants her to help in the wedding planning. The fun begins when Maddie and Ryann have to coordinate everything in the short time. Oh, and by the way, Ryann is the CEO of her own company and is also trying to close a huge deal. Pressure, pressure, pressure!
I enjoyed this story. It was interesting and a pleasant way to pass several hours of reading. The characters were well developed. I enjoyed the interaction of the couples and, of course, this interaction also caused the conflict that added drama to the story.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2022
Ryann is an executive in New York City., She is asked to help with her friend's Stuart's wedding to Jai in Colorado on Valentine's Day. Ryann is in the middle of a big deal but goes anyway and the plot begins. The characters are very good and the plot is also good. Ryann is lonely but rich while Maddie is a lonely artist.
I found the story good and the descriptions of Loveland Colorado also very good. There were good and bad emotions involved but all in all, a warm loving story. My only criticism is that some parts were too wordy and bogged down the story.
I would recommend this book for romance lovers. I received this ARC from Net Galley for an honest review.
I found the story good and the descriptions of Loveland Colorado also very good. There were good and bad emotions involved but all in all, a warm loving story. My only criticism is that some parts were too wordy and bogged down the story.
I would recommend this book for romance lovers. I received this ARC from Net Galley for an honest review.
February 8, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. In the first couple chapters
I was worried that I wouldn’t like ryann’s character. She was harsh, cold, and hard for me to care about, but by
the end I was rooting for her.
This book gave me major Christmas movie vibes, just with queer people and set during Valentine’s Day.
This has easily become a new comfort book to read when I’m feeling sad
I was worried that I wouldn’t like ryann’s character. She was harsh, cold, and hard for me to care about, but by
the end I was rooting for her.
This book gave me major Christmas movie vibes, just with queer people and set during Valentine’s Day.
This has easily become a new comfort book to read when I’m feeling sad
February 8, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. In the first couple chapters I was worried that I wouldn’t like ryann’s character. She was harsh, cold, and hard for me to care about, but by the end I was rooting for her.
This book gave me major Christmas movie vibes, just with queer people and set during Valentine’s Day.
This has easily become a new comfort book to read when I’m feeling sad.
This book gave me major Christmas movie vibes, just with queer people and set during Valentine’s Day.
This has easily become a new comfort book to read when I’m feeling sad.
March 21, 2022
A wonderfully romantic story.
I loved the engaging people and places . Made me feel optimistic about people in general and families of all sorts.
It went by too fast and I can't wait for the next story from this gifted author.
I loved the engaging people and places . Made me feel optimistic about people in general and families of all sorts.
It went by too fast and I can't wait for the next story from this gifted author.
February 19, 2022
A cute and fun story!
February 27, 2022
Despite being a busy business woman Ryann drops everything when her estranged best friend Stuart asks her to spend two weeks in Loveland for his wedding. When she arrives she finds out that she and Maddie, her best friend‘s fiancé‘s maid of honor, and her are in charge of planning the entire wedding (in TWO weeks).
I‘m a fan of the idea, two maids of honor falling in love while helping with wedding preparations, but the execution of this idea was not as great as I had hoped.
First of all: The planning is all on Maddie and Ryann. Jai and Stuart almost plan nothing themselves. I find it frustrating that all the responsibility is on the maids of honor. And why is it so rushed? Stuart and Jai‘s relationship doesn’t even seem to be THAT stable according to their own statements in the book.
Another thing that bothered me is how Ryann was treated. No one seemed to respect her work, what she had achieved. Because ‚Family and love is so much more important‘. She dropped everything for a friend who’s treated her poorly and continues to simply use her as an event planner.
However what I genuinely liked about this book was Maddie and Ryann. Ryann is such a power lesbian, although very focused on her work, she immediately jumps at the chance to help her friend. Maddie is the kindhearted helper around town everyone knows and loves. They both deserve on another, they balance each other out well.
It was a cute, quick and easy read despite all my criticism. I did enjoy the book, most of these things mentioned only bothered me in hindsight.
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I‘m a fan of the idea, two maids of honor falling in love while helping with wedding preparations, but the execution of this idea was not as great as I had hoped.
First of all: The planning is all on Maddie and Ryann. Jai and Stuart almost plan nothing themselves. I find it frustrating that all the responsibility is on the maids of honor. And why is it so rushed? Stuart and Jai‘s relationship doesn’t even seem to be THAT stable according to their own statements in the book.
Another thing that bothered me is how Ryann was treated. No one seemed to respect her work, what she had achieved. Because ‚Family and love is so much more important‘. She dropped everything for a friend who’s treated her poorly and continues to simply use her as an event planner.
However what I genuinely liked about this book was Maddie and Ryann. Ryann is such a power lesbian, although very focused on her work, she immediately jumps at the chance to help her friend. Maddie is the kindhearted helper around town everyone knows and loves. They both deserve on another, they balance each other out well.
It was a cute, quick and easy read despite all my criticism. I did enjoy the book, most of these things mentioned only bothered me in hindsight.
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2022
(First of all, thank you so much NetGalley, publisher, and author, for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review)
Synopsis: Ryann is a CEO of her own company and is handling a major project. She is thrilled when her friend Stuart asks her to help him plan his last-minute wedding. He moved across the country over a year ago, and due to they are lately not talking too much, she misses him a lot. Thanks to her planning experience, Ryann’s the best person to help him fulfill his wildest wedding dreams in a Valentine motive town in Colorado. However, things are not what she expects, especially Maddie, the Stuart's boyfriend maid of honor. Maddie is attractive, and while she’s certainly Ryann’s type, she has some different ideas about the wedding. Also, flirting with her is incredibly distracting, especially when Ryann just wants to keep things professional. With just two weeks to the big event on Valentine’s Day, can Ryann help Stuart to wedded bliss, and avoid his well-intentioned attempts to set her up with Maddie?
The synopsis of this book was promising. I think I would enjoy it and have some fun watching how both of them tried to help with all the wedding stuff. However, I get bored while trying to keep reading and some Ryann's thought were like "REALLY?" to me. I don't get all Ryann's job, it was boring and I don't understand it well. I couldn't empathize with the main characters as well.
I think you can give it a try, but this book was not for me.
Synopsis: Ryann is a CEO of her own company and is handling a major project. She is thrilled when her friend Stuart asks her to help him plan his last-minute wedding. He moved across the country over a year ago, and due to they are lately not talking too much, she misses him a lot. Thanks to her planning experience, Ryann’s the best person to help him fulfill his wildest wedding dreams in a Valentine motive town in Colorado. However, things are not what she expects, especially Maddie, the Stuart's boyfriend maid of honor. Maddie is attractive, and while she’s certainly Ryann’s type, she has some different ideas about the wedding. Also, flirting with her is incredibly distracting, especially when Ryann just wants to keep things professional. With just two weeks to the big event on Valentine’s Day, can Ryann help Stuart to wedded bliss, and avoid his well-intentioned attempts to set her up with Maddie?
The synopsis of this book was promising. I think I would enjoy it and have some fun watching how both of them tried to help with all the wedding stuff. However, I get bored while trying to keep reading and some Ryann's thought were like "REALLY?" to me. I don't get all Ryann's job, it was boring and I don't understand it well. I couldn't empathize with the main characters as well.
I think you can give it a try, but this book was not for me.
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