Friday, March 10, 2023

Mini Reviews: Contemporary Fiction Edition


 

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on two sweet contemporary novels with a touch of romance and family drama. While there's nothing groundbreaking with either of these novels, I still felt they were both solid dramas with family at the heart of the story. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

Wedding of the Season by Lauren Edmondson
Pages: 336
Pub. Date: February 21, 2023
Publisher: Graydon House
Source: Publisher for review
Other Books By Author: Ladies of the House
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
 
 

 

Goodreads says, "It's the wedding of the season and all of Newport is abuzz in this funny, joyous, whip-smart novel about two modern-day society families and the summer wedding that has the whole town talking... Despite its beauty, Newport is a place Cass Coventry would prefer to forget. But after an extended absence, she’s back in her hometown to celebrate her sister’s engagement—even if she’s marrying into the family that famously stole the Gilded Age Coventry mansion out from under them a decade ago. The moment Cass pulls up to the estate, she’s in for one surprise after another. The bride-to-be is hiding a big secret. Her mother has royal-wedding aspirations. And, when the date is set for only three months away, a local gossip blog makes the two families its new favorite subject. It's not long before Cass's weekend in town becomes a full summer of frenzied wedding planning and society drama—but also idyllic sails, starry nights, and a former love. As the grand affair arrives, along with new truths about her family, Cass must finally face her own thorny past in Newport and decide how to honor the Coventry legacy in all its chaotic glory."

 

 

Cass Coventry is back home in Newport for her sister's big society wedding to a rival family. And not just any Newport family, but the family that bought the Coventry ancestral mansion and displaced her family to the measly carriage home. Once Cass returns home, she realizes her parents aren't living in the lap of Newport luxury. Instead the carriage home is falling apart and she finds out that they may be evicted. Plus, her mother has over-the-top wedding plans for Cass's sister and Cass seems to be the only one reining her in. To top it off, sister, Maggie, is hiding a big secret. Lauren Edmondson's Wedding of the Season is a light-hearted family drama that would be perfect for spring break. 

Cass returns home after some time away and is grappling with her own issues, such as a conflict at her job as a photographer as well as the reasons why she left Newport in the first place. She is reunited with an ex-boyfriend, who is now divorced, but there's still a connection there. However, what takes up most of her time is her mother's antics and her sister's wedding. There's so much drama about the wedding, not to mention the issue surrounding her parents possibly being evicted from the carriage house. There's money issues going on with the Coventry family and that's obviously not the norm in wealthy Newport. Cass's mother isn't realistic surrounding Maggie's wedding, Maggie is hiding a life-altering secret, and there's an anonymous influencer on Instagram who is chronicling this entire debacle Gossip Girl style. While some of the problems were clearly first world problems that made me eye roll a bit, Wedding of the Season was still a fun romp through glamorous Newport. Who doesn't love a good society wedding filled to the brim with drama?  


Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein
Pages: 288
Pub. Date: June 7, 2022
Publisher: Atria
Source: Publisher for review
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
 

 

Goodreads says, "What if you knew exactly when you’d meet the love of your life? Edie Meyer knows. When her Grandma Gloria was a young woman, she had a vision of the exact day she would meet her soul mate—and then Grandpa Ray showed up. Since then, Gloria has accurately predicted the day every single member of the family has met their match. Edie’s day arrives on June 24, 2022, when she’s twenty-nine years old. She has been waiting for it half her life. That morning, she boards an airplane to her twin sister’s surprise engagement, and when a handsome musician sits beside her, she knows it’s meant to be. But fate comes with more complications than Edie expected and she can’t fight the nagging suspicion that her perfect guy doesn’t have perfect timing. After a tragedy and a shocking revelation rock Edie’s carefully constructed world, she’s forced to consider whether love chooses us, as simple as destiny, or if we choose it ourselves."

 

 

 

Edie Meyer's grandmother has prophesized that she would meet her true love on June 24, 2022. Her grandmother has accurately predicted other family members for years, so Edie has never questioned it. Meanwhile, she is living the life in New York City as a stylist and dating Jonah, but she knows she will have to break up with him as she didn't meet him on 6/24/22. So, the June day has finally come and she is on a flight and sits next to Theo, a wannabe rock star/musician, and this must be the guy. Right? They start dating, but slowly she realizes that they want different things. She wants to settle down and he doesn't want to be married. But this obviously can't be right. They are destined to be together.....or so she thought! Meant to be Mine by Hannah Orenstein is a frothy romance that reminded me of The Matchmaker's Gift.

My favorite parts of Meant to be Mine were Orenstein's depictions of New York City, which were just wonderful. It was the NYC before COVID and I enjoyed it thoroughly. With the fun depictions of NYC and Edie being a fashionista turned stylist, it was giving me major Carrie Bradshaw vibes and I was here for it. 

Lastly, the themes of destiny were a little bit hokey in Meant to be Mine, but I loved the connection to Edie's grandmother. Once I got over that, I was able to enjoy the story a little bit more. In the end, Edie must ask herself what she really wants out of life and love--not just some prophecy.


So, have you read Wedding of the Season or Meant to be Mine? Are they on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

 

2 comments:

  1. I love stories about weddings, so Wedding of the Season is definitely on my TBR!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes! It's perfect for spring break. Thanks for visting, Angela!

    ReplyDelete

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