Wedding Tiers

by Trisha Ashley

The path of true love never runs smooth. But for some, it's one seriously bumpy ride! A heartwarming new romantic comedy from the bestselling author of A WINTER'S TALE. Growing up in the beautiful Lancashire village of Neatslake, Josie Gray and her childhood sweetheart, Ben Richards, always dreamt of living a life of rural bliss. And when Josie inherits her beloved Grandmother's cottage, it seems they might just have got what they wished for. Josie throws herself into her wedding cake business, whilst Ben gains increasing acclaim as an artist. But the tranquil village turns into a hive of activity when Josie's childhood friend, Libby Martin - now a wealthy widow - returns to the village, planning a lavish wedding to rival any celeb bash. The day goes with a bang, and soon Libby and Josie are hard at work at their fledgling wedding business, hiring out Libby's beautiful Elizabethan home for ceremonies, with Josie creating all manner of wonderful cakes. But amidst all this romance, Josie's fairytale relationship with Ben turns into a nightmare, and she quickly becomes Love's number one cynic - until charming wedding photographer Noah Sephton arrives in Neatslake with a very different outlook on love! Can this hopeless romantic persuade pessimistic Josie to give romance another try? Or will it be a case of always the cake maker, never the bride!? A charming, witty and feelgood novel, ideal for fans of Katie Fforde and Harriet Evans.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Adult, British Literature

414 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Trisha Ashley is now a full-time novelist, but she has been known to work for stained glass makers and/or plumbers. She likes to paint, eat, drink, and read literary biographies. Her previous hobbies included getting divorced and packing to move. She claims to have once actually eaten Bronte burgers at the Branwell café, but her publisher declines to verify this. She lives in North Wales.

Reviews

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm thinking maybe 2.5 on this one. I'm absolutely fucking baffled by this book. There was so much potential, so many smaller plot arcs that could've panned out, but it was entirely lacklustre. The ending was so abrupt that I still feel like there's more, even though the book could've been finished in under 200 pages.

Generally, I'm a fan of books where not much happens, as long as the characters are interesting enough. I like seeing the daily, mundane aspects of life. However, I didn't like any of the main characters at all. Josie seemed like she thought she was better than most women and let people walk all over her, all of her friends her age were garbage in some way (Libby, her "best friend" included - like maybe don't treat her like garbage?), and out of the three guys, only Noah was remotely interesting. The older generation and the couple of younger characters were all lovely, and they (along with the animals) were the only thing I truly enjoyed about this whole book.

The writing style seems like it was supposed to reflect the slow-moving pace of life in this village, but ultimately it was boring as all hell. Scenes ended abruptly so often, it felt uninspired, and it did nothing to hold my attention. Again, it had so much potential but fell so, so short. I'm thinking I may post a longer, spoiler-filled review on my channel at a later date since I'm so annoyed with this book.

[Rachel Cotterill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie, the heroine of Wedding Tiers has a talent with sugarcraft and is enjoying well-deserved success with her wedding cake business. At the start of the book she's also living comfortably with her childhood sweetheart, although it's obvious to everyone except her that there's something out of balance in their relationship.

Unfortunately, I found Josie's character and actions hard to believe in places. She goes from naively optimistic to (supposedly) hardened cynic, and back again, in the course of a few months. I just wasn't convinced by her decisions; the book focused too heavily on the set-up and Josie's collapsing relationship with Ben, and didn't spend enough time building her new relationship with Noah. She also thinks she's unattractive, and then suddenly has men throwing themselves at her the moment she's single, which didn't seem entirely plausible.

However, this has a number of the aspects I've come to enjoy in Trisha Ashley's novels: a small Lancashire village, a project to restore a somewhat dilapidated country house (although unusually this time it doesn't belong to the heroine or her love interest), and characters who enjoy gardening and creative careers. The elderly inhabitants of the village were great fun characters, and Noah was a charming suitor - I just would have liked to see more of him.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book 📖

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wedding Tiers is my first Trisha Ashley novel and tells the story of Josie, a cakemaker, who lives with her childhood sweetheart Ben. Back in the village is Libby, Josie’s best friend and together they start a wedding business. But as the business takes off, Ben & Josie’s relationship falls apart and Josie becomes loves number one cynic. Until Noah Sephton arrives on the scene…

I absolutely loved Wedding Tiers. Katie Fforde is quoted on the back cover saying “One of the best writers around!” and she isn’t far wrong. Wedding Tiers is told in first person and is a very quick and enjoyable read.

I loved reading about the weird and wonderful cakes Josie made, it was a very interesting insight into cake making. I also enjoyed reading snippets of her ‘Cakes & Ale’ column at the beginning of each chapter, it was very well done.

I thought Josie was a brilliant character. I found her likeable and thought her narrative throughout the story was well written. I also loved the character of Libby – in the prologue she seemed as if she just wanted money and lots of it but that was completely wrong and she was a brilliant character.

I enjoyed Noah and how he gradually came into the book more and more. He started out a slowburner and turned into a fully fledged character halfway through the novel and I liked that. I liked the sparring between him and Josie.

I found Ben incredibly irritating and undeserving of Josie. I found him shallow and very annoying.

Then there are all the other character – the three Graces, whom I loved; Uncle Harry who was really great and I was worried for him throughout the whole book! I liked he got his happy ending; Dorrie; Tim; Pia.

I really enjoyed how the novel was centered not only on Josie, Libby, Noah and co. but also on the other villagers in Neatslake. It definitely gives a wider view of village life. Not only do we get to read about those in Neatslake but we also read about characters from Trisha’s previous novel, A Winters Tale.

The only downside is the fact I should have read A Winter’s Tale first as Wedding Tiers does give the ending of A Winter’s Tale away but that’s not really a problem. Aside from that I loved the book.

I loved how Josie was self-sufficient and willing to take on anyone. I wish Josie could have taken on Ben’s mother – she irritated me and she was barely in the novel!

I also like that fact you can try Josie’s recipes as they’re located at the back of the book. A nice touch from the publishers/Trisha.

Overall it was a very enjoyable read and one I would happily read again. I will definitely be looking out for more of Trisha’s novels and can’t wait to read A Winter’s Tale!

Rating: 5/5

I’d like to thank Trisha and her publisher, AVON, for sending me a copy to review!

[Ruth Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let’s get one thing straight. I love Trisha Astley. I LOVE chick lit. I love predictable books.
But this one... it took the biscuit. And the cake. (Bad pun intended)

I really wanted to give this more stars, but I found the plot to plot along very slowly. When I read these kinds of books I want it to hurry to the end so I can see the characters get together and presumably live happily ever after. But this book just went nowhere... slowly.

I have no problem with the predictability of the story. As I said before, nice easy reading. My problem was with the characters. All of them. No one needs friends like the people in this book. Horrible horrible people and I have no idea why the main character doesn’t cut them all from her life and change her number. Insane.

[MB (What she read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last read 6/19/09:
All of Trisha Ashley's books have, more-or-less, the same standard plot. But it's the getting there and the crazy/fun characterization that makes them so enjoyable!

[Ellie ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

What can I say about this book? Honestly, it's a cosy little read. I love Josie and noah also how many times I gasped while reading was unreal.

[Boo (Harriet) Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This certainly got me out of a reading slump. It is genuinely so well written for a trashy holiday read. The ending was super rushed though but I really really enjoyed it

[Jenny Dore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read most of Trisha Ashley's books and this one didn't disappoint. I really enjoy her easy reading style and how all the books have references to other books.
The characters all built the story in their own way and they all came together to make a great story.

[Paula Sealey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie and Ben live a mostly 'green' and idyllic life in rural Neatslake. Josie bakes, makes preserves, looks after Uncle Harry, the chickens and various other people. Ben is an 'on the up' artist, making frequent trips to London. His visits there lead to an event that changes both their lives.

An enjoyable read with interesting characters, although I did want to shake Josie sometimes ;-) I will definitely purchase more Trisha Ashley books based on this.

[Donna Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great romantic romp from one of my favourite authors - just loved Josie and Noah, even though you can see exactly where its going........comfort blanket kinda book!

[PrettyFlamingo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a few Trisha Ashley books and I like how many of them link together by referring to past characters and situations. They’re invariably set in villages in the North West that you’d like to live in yourself and in a community you’d like to be a part of. This follows on from A Winter’s Tale, which I enjoyed very much and again some of the same characters are mentioned so it feels like you are reading the latest instalment of a serial.

Josie lives in Neatslake with her partner Ben. They’ve been together since her first day at the local school 25 years earlier, where she also met her best mate Libby. Josie found herself there through a tragedy back home in St Albans following the death of her parents in an accident, so this possibly explains her staying with Ben so long when it is apparent to all of us that the relationship is on the rocks. They live a sort of “Good Life” which suits her down to the ground, and it’s in marked contrast to that of Libby, who is twice widowed after marriages to much older, wealthy men but is now back in the village. Great pains are taken to point out that these were real love matches and not gold-digging marriages, and it is done well enough to be accepted. When Libby falls madly in love with Tim (which was a bit unrealistic I thought) who lives in the local Elizabethan pile, she and Josie join forces to set up a wedding reception business. Josie’s wacky wedding cakes and Libby’s organisational skills soon make for a very successful business and attract a wide range of characters.

So we follow Josie who talks to us as she would to a friend she was writing a letter to. We learn about her thoughts and feelings, insecurities and real emotions. We see that she can’t tell what is going on right under her nose because she’s either so wrapped up in her village life or is complacent, or a bit of both. But then when it all goes wrong, she’s forced into a different way of life and a different way of looking at love and romance.

I loved listening along whilst she made jams, pickles, cakes and told us all about them. And meeting the supporting cast – though some were a bit too far left of eccentric for me. There’s a comedy of errors contained in the story, suitors falling over themselves for Josie, and an inexplicable family mystery surrounding Libby that to me added nothing and would have been better left out.

I’ve read a few reviews of this book and some are rather scathing about the style of writing, but for me it’s a definite plus. As with a couple of other books by this author, they are written in a kind of blog or journal style. This leads to a lot of musings, thinking aloud and rather mundane thoughts by the narrator which aren’t for everyone, but really work for me. Probably because it feels realistic, whilst not being either great literature or thrill-a-minute. After all, that’s what most of our lives are really like, aren’t they, if we are being honest? Now does Josie show up in a later book? I need to find that out.

And thanks so much for including the recipe for peapod wine! Going to try that one!

4.5

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could come up with some nice things to say about this, other than that I appreciate it for being a nice, light distraction that had me firmly placed in a small village in northern England. Ashley did a good job setting the scene of the book, and it seems like a pleasant place to spend time.

However, I wouldn't want to spend my time there with Josie Gray, the main character. Raised in Neatslake by her grandmother after the death of her parents when she was 13, Josie immediately found a best friend in Libby (whose mother is an alcoholic and slept around and therefore is treated with contempt both by the village and by Josie in her narration--the book is told in the first person) and a love interest in Ben. Years later, Josie is living in her grandmother's house with Ben, an artist who splits his time between London and Neatslake. Josie sells cakes (her cake company is called something like "Weird and Wonderful Cakes," which...no) and spends her time gardening and living a self-sustaining life. She and some local women have a barter system so that Josie can, essentially, support them with her produce (or that she gets from the co-op), firewood, and baked goods.

It's just all so...twee. Josie is over-the-top naive and sanctimonious about her lifestyle that I had a hard time enjoying her. I didn't buy the men falling all over themselves for her. I wish that the book had focused on Libby, who seems much more interesting AND has a falling-down Elizabethan house she's fixing up. Noah, the ultimate love interest, also seems like an interesting character. We just didn't get to spend a ton of time with him.

There were plot points that seemed a bit much (possible incest! a reality show films her!) and then the whole subplot of Josie trying to get her neighbor/uncle figure a medal from the government. It seemed like it would be going somewhere...but it wasn't. I don't know if it was the author or Josie who was oddly judgey about a number of things, but it was off-putting.

Does not make me want to read any of Ashley's other work.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me longer to get engrossed in than others by this author. Usually by the end of the 2nd chapter I'm hooked but this took me well into the 1st 3rd of the book before I really became engrossed in the story. I'm really glad I persevered though as I enjoyed the story and the characters.

Josie, orphaned whilst young was raised by her Grandmother in a village near Sticklepond (this village features in other books by Trisha Ashley and as such some familiar characters appear in this story too). On her 1st day at her new school she becomes friends with Libby, and their friendship grows stronger through the years although their lives are completely different to each other.

Josie fell in love with Ben at school and they lived together trying to be self sufficient, whilst Ben was an artist too. Josie looks after several of the older members of the village and her and Ben live in her Grandmothers cottage. Josie writes an anonymous blog about life in the country and self sufficiency which is very popular, she also makes weird and wonderful wedding cakes

Libby married older, wealthier men who having passed away have left her a wealthy young woman, she ends up back in the village, next door to Josie.

Josie's life is turned upside down after she discovers something so she has to rethink her life. Libby starts a business and ropes Josie into help.

Will Josie live happily ever after like the couples she makes weird and wonderful wedding cakes for? Will Libby get her happy ending too?

I'm so very glad I persevered over the 1st part of the book as I would have missed out on a great story.

[Isidora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, there were several scenes and plot points that intrigued me to keep reading. I thought the book was ok, but perhaps no better than average. The biggest problem with this book is that it's slow. It is a British novel, but I am hoping that the slowness is a coincidence, even though I have read other books that have the same characteristics. Josie only met Noah about half-way through the book, and that was when she was still with Ben (before the cheating). Throughout the whole book, both Ben and Noah are touch and go. They are there fore quick scenes, and then disappear (either in Neatslake or in London). I do think that more (and lengthier) interactions would have helped the plot. The other big thing is that there are almost certainly much more pages with just descriptions but not dialogue. Again, I don't know if this might be because of the country of origin of this book or the author. Realistically, it's not always clear. The point is, there is much more telling then showing. For example, Josie tells the reader when Noah visits, but the actual dialogue between them isn't written into the scene. It isn't true for every scene but it is for most scenes... I'm not a fan of that style. Thankfully, the plot really started to pick up after the main love interest changed (about half-way through the book) but the ending came fairly suddenly.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my least favorite Ashley I've read so far. I really didn't care for Josie, the heroine who is in every scene of this book since it's in first person. She is supposedly "living green" and building imaginative cakes, but a lot of it just isn't plausible. And the story is just no good. At her HEA the hero gives her a diamond engagement ring when he proposes, and she melts for it. Ah any person who lives a sustainable ecological lifestyle would recoil at being offered a "blood diamond". Many instances like this happened throughout the story that took me out of the book. There is also to much wedding and cake building stuff, that I did not care about. Josie interactions and responses to people she comes in contact with is so damned naive that it made her look stupid instead of charming. She took care of the whole village and I could tell that they loved her very much, but she seemed to be apart from them for most of the story it was like she was in service to them and not part of the "family". And....the author never made be believe or understand WHY all these gorgeous men were hot for the frumpy garden hippie. I liked Noah, but I didn't buy his premise for staying in Neatslake. This book was very messy, you know like a newly formed compost pile.

[Susan Peak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable book from Trisha Ashley. She writes credible characters and has intriguing plots. This one, as often, includes weddings and baking - in this case, wedding cakes, thus neatly combining Trisha's main themes! The heroine, Josie, is married (to Ben, an artist) when the book opens, but that breaks up - most dramatically - part way through and the rest of the book is about how she adjusts and her next relationship.

I liked that the book, while mainly about Josie, also included Josie's friend, Libby - Trisha writes very good ensemble books. It's a satisfying read and I enjoyed the drama and the new relationship.

But as always, once I finish this kind of book, I have doubts. After being involved with Ben for so long - since she was 13 - would she really have fallen for and married someone else so quickly? a matter of months? Surely that's a rebound relationship! But they do seem better suited, so who knows? Other questions were more about what might have happened next - Ben moves back to their village after the divorce, what effect might that have? I enjoyed speculating, which, if nothing else, probably shows that Trisha does indeed write convincing characters.

[Avigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trisha Ashley’s Wedding Tiers is a charming British rom-com, though I initially thought I was picking up women’s fiction. What stood out most for me was the warmth of the found family and the reminder of how fulfilling a simpler life can be in today’s consuming world. I especially loved how the author weaves in the idea of living with the seasons, enjoying produce when it’s fresh, and reconnecting with traditions that root us in community and nature. That theme, combined with the cozy village setting and eccentric cast, made the story feel comforting and wholesome.

At the same time, I had mixed feelings that place my rating closer to 3.5 stars. The pacing could have been tighter, and if the book were shorter, I believe it would have been stronger. Certain scenes felt repetitive, more like filler than essential to the plot, and a few twists didn’t seem necessary, distracting from the heart of the story. While some readers may find the slow-burn charm appealing, others might feel bogged down by the length. Finally, I’d note that adultery plays a role in the story, so if that’s not a theme you enjoy, this book may not be for you.

[Pippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having established that this is one of Trisha Ashley’s early works I suppose it is unsurprising that it lacks some of the emotional depth I found in her later books. It is an improvement on A Winter’s Tale (which I lost interest in after 150 pages talking about little else than the house and how dilapidated it was) but the characters weren’t compelling enough for me to wish they were my friends. Josie strikes the right balance between environmentalist and realist but I resented her rejection of surplus money, there are always plenty of worthy causes who can make good use of it if you feel you have too much.

It’s a nice story and still worth reading and I do so agree with Josie’s perspective on extravagant weddings. I think far too many women are swept up in the idea of “getting” married rather than “being” married, I expect the modern day obsession with celebrity has made many aspire to emulating their lives, even if it is just for one day.

[Anne Libera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical for Ashley's work, the minor characters, the lead, the ultimate romantic hero, and the world of the village are well-drawn, cozy, and appealing. The bad guys are so bad, so evil, so mean, so flat and cardboard as to be the equivalent of your own personal characterization of the meanest mean girl you ever knew in fifth grade (without any of the adult retrospection about said girl). Which does put the reader in a bit of a jam about the lead character -- how was it possible that she missed the fact that the man that she was in love with for so long and his friends were essentially and supremely selfish? Is she that stupid? Or gullible? It doesn't add up. But the pleasures of an Ashley novel (descriptions of British cakes, food, gardens, imaginary real estate) are so good that you can agree to ignore the holes and just dive into the coziness.

[Ruth Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although written over a decade ago this book is still very relevant as it is about relationships. It is generally funny throughout and has some great one liners.
Josie Gray is living the good life with Ben Richards her childhood sweetheart. Occasionally he has to go to London for his art but, on the whole they have what appears to be the perfect life in Neatslake. However, appearances can be deceptive. Ben's time in London is increasing and so are the lies to Josie. In fact his secret life in result in a pregnancy and a definite end to Josie and Ben's relationship. With the help of her home made wine she starts to move on attracting attention for quite a few male celebrities!

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was alright but kind of boring. I found Josie's character kind of annoying, like she was a proper 'goodie two shoes' and I just wanted her to have fun and do something reckless and spontaneous instead of being old before her time, which is how it came across. Her naivety with Ben was laughable, I saw that coming a mile off. And putting up with his mother for all that time? Not a chance that most women would put up with that. It hasn't put me off reading another of Trisha Ashley's books but I found this one incredibly slow paced and a bit boring.

[N.W. Moors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Gray starts a wedding cake business when her best friend moves back to her village. Josie is living in the cottage she inherited with the love of her life, Ben, an aspiring artist. But when things go sour with Ben, Josie sours on love.
Trisha Ashley always finds a way to get to a happy ending, but I wasn't sure about this one for quite a while. But it's a grand adventure through the village of Neatslake and I enjoyed every minute of the journey.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this story was a bit long winded and drawn out, for my liking. I wished the last 3 chapters had been longer, as I feel this would have made the story more entertaining. I didn't like being left not knowing whether Josie and Noah did get to see Harry in New Zealand, and what child did they have a boy or a girl? It would have been nice to have known these details.

[Shirisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the overall synopsis but felt it is too lengthy at places. I believe editing and removing few parts would have made the story more interesting and make the readers connected.

The kind of feeling one gets from a chic list and feel-good stories is lost due to the dragging parts in the book. This is not up-to the Trisha Ashley usual standard.

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I really loved this book, it was a bit rushed and at times I just couldn't understand how Josie didn't explode at some of the horrible characters. But it was a lovely story, one that got me yearning for the same kind of love 😍

[Kerry-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story with delightful characters. Sadly there was a bit too much unnecessary waffle and providing of facts that weren’t necessary (in my opinion) and the result was that my mind would wander and I didn’t remain focused on the story.

[Jennie Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Trisha Ashley books! A little village, gardening, cooking, baking, hens, a wedding reception business with lots of cute, quirky weddings...plus a dashing photographer and quite a few babies for happily ever after.

[Mandy Marr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well apparently I've read this before. Bit miffed as I read so much that I go on published date and if this year, I know it's safe to buy, this was 2024 BUT originally published 2014 so I fell for it.
Anyway, I still enjoyed a second read even though knew what was coming

[Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous