Sarah Stratford is a wedding planner with a difference - she doesn't actually believe in love. She is great at her job and loves organising wonderful weddings for people but that's as far as it goes - she's got no love life herself. She's got 2 friends she counts on for help at her weddings - hairdresser and make up lady Bron whose stuck in a loveless relationship, and dressmaker Elsa who likes it behind the scenes.
When Sarah manages to sign herself up for 2 very important weddings on the same day, she needs her friends more than ever and they all have to pull together to pull off the amazing weddings their clients want. They're so busy, they haven't got time to even think about their own love lives, but is love coming out from the most unlikely places?
I've read a few of Katie Fforde's novels before and very much enjoyed them, my favourite so far being "The Rose Revived" which I read a few years ago now. My lovely fiance and 3 year old son bought me this book, Wedding Season, for my birthday last month and I was thrilled as I had been eyeing it up in the shops for a few weeks before then anyway! My to-read pile is getting ever higher, but my little boy was insistent I read this book as soon as possible so I gave into him and started it last week, and I finished within days, it was such an enjoyable read!
As per the title, the book is centred around the wedding industry. This isn't something I know too much about myself, but Katie Fforde has clearly done her research because all aspects of weddings are spoken about here! The 3 leading ladies all have vital roles in the creation of someone's wedding; Sarah the wedding planner, Bron the hairdresser and Elsa the dress designer. They're all unlucky in love themselves and I really liked them for this - they were determined to make the bride's day special even though things weren't great for themselves. They are all likeable ladies, and very real characters as well, you can imagine yourself getting on with them because they are both very real.
The rest of the story is quite a fun read too. Seeing Sarah try to juggle 2 special weddings leads to a few funny moments, and some awkward situations as well. You can fully imagine these things happening at someone's wedding which makes some of the scenarios even funnier. The weddings are not the be all and end all of the book, it also looks at the relationships (or lack of) of the 3 women, and the development of these keeps you hooked as you read on and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. The book travels across the country, into the city and back out into the country and an old country house as well and Fforde's writing really brings these places to life.
Fforde's writing style is very easy to read, and it is one of those books you can pick up and put down easily throughout the day. The story moved at a very good pace, and didn't feel rushed at any point. I really cared about the 3 women by the end and really cared about what happened to them and their individual relationships. The book is a great insight into the wedding industry and just how much goes into the planning of someone's big day, I really had no idea how much was involved! It's a lovely romantic book which is great to curl up on the sofa with, and will leave you with a big smile on your face by the end. Highly recommended, and thank you to my lovely fiance and son for buying me my book!
Rating: 5/5
I've found that all of Fforde's characters read like they're in their fifties.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good book. I really liked Sarah, she was a composed classy lady. But I think Katie's earlier books were better. There was more fire in them.
ReplyDeleteThe following (listed in order) are my favourite Katie Fford books:
1. Stately Pursuits
2.Highland Fling and Living Dangerously. (I like both on the same level)
3. by so-called “friends”
3. Life Skills & Flora's Lot – liked them both on the same level.
4. Artistic Licence
5. Rose Revived, The
6. Thyme Out & Wedding Season (I like both on the same level)