Book Review: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Pages: 320

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Berkley
Source: Publisher for review

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars 

Goodreads says, " A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.  Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn't normally do. But there's something about Drew Nichols that's too hard to resist.  On the eve of his ex's wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend... After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other...   They're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century--or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want..."

Alexa is a successful female who works for the mayor and while on her way to visit her sister, she ends up stuck in the elevator. Except she isn't alone. She's "stuck" with a hot doctor who just so happens to not only be single, but also be attending a wedding in San Francisco.  While stuck in the elevator, Alexa and Drew actually hit it off and sparks fly.  Somehow Drew convinces Alexa to be his date at this wedding since his previous bailed on him.  This isn't just any wedding though. This is the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and it would really stink if he showed up without a date. Alexa accepts, because what does she have to lose? This leads to a whole fake relationship that turns into something more plot line, but what separates this novel from the usual frothy and overly saccharine plot lines is the fact that it's a pretty real portrayal of a relationship and the big question that hangs over a couples head. Does the couple want to take the next steps and make it an official relationship?  If you like romance novels that will have you blushing and are like your favorite rom-com, then definitely give The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory one a try.

I really liked Alexa from the beginning. She's a successful confidant woman who is witty, charming, and funny. Her relationship with Drew, in the beginning, is just a physical one, but I liked how once they got to know each other better, they developed real feelings for one another.  Drew is sort of a "perfect" guy. He's a good looking pediatric surgeon who is somehow still single.  Like I said, he needs a date for his ex-girlfriend's wedding and spontaneously asks Alexa to go with him.  It was a lot of fun going along for their "fake relationship" ride at the wedding and even after the wedding as they still continued to see each other, but ultimately, the question remains.  To quote Old Dominion, "Are we written in the stars, baby, or are we written in the sand?" Meaning where does their relationship stand? Is it a real one? Can they actually share their true feelings or has this whole thing been a facade?

I rolled my eyes a few times reading The Wedding Date as so many circumstances seemed a little too good to be true, but the novel had some depth. It wasn't just your usual romance. It deals with interracial relationships as well as true relationship issues. I thought that Guillory portrayed the complexities of a new relationship very accurately. But that isn't to say it wasn't romantic. I mean this book got pretty racy and quickly. I wasn't completely expecting it and I didn't mind, but be forewarned, especially if that isn't your thing. 

I think The Wedding Date will appeal to romance fans the most, especially if you are looking for a rom-com type of novel with some depth.  This would be great spring break reading for sure!