Book Review: White Wedding by Milly Johnson

"It's the day they've always dreamed about. But will it turn out to be a nightmare...? Bel is in the midst of planning her perfect wedding when disaster strikes and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. Can she hold it all together and, with the help of her friends, and a mysterious man she meets unexpectedly, turn disaster into triumph? Bel's friend, ice-cream parlour owner Violet, is engaged to Glyn, who is besotted by her although Violet fell out of love with him long ago. But however trapped she feels in the relationship, she can't quite say the words, 'I don't want to marry you anymore.' Then, just when she's about to give up and resign herself to married life, she finds love in the most surprising of places. Will duty rule her heart or will she allow herself to be swept off her feet? Max was planning a quick registry office do with her fiance Stuart until she sees a TV programme about traveller brides and becomes determined to have the most extravagantly glitzy wedding ever. But in all the excitement has she lost sight of what's really important? Does she want the wedding more than she wants the groom? And as all three friends find the dress of their dreams at the White Wedding bridal shop, its owner, the lovely Freya, guarantees that her gowns will bring them happiness - though maybe not quite in the way they expected ..."

Rating: 5/5

I have read every single book Milly Johnson has written so far, and loved each and every one of them. The warmth in her writing is what makes it so readable, and each time you can't help but fall in love with the characters and be sad when you have to leave them behind when you have finished the book. Somehow, Milly is now releasing 2 books a year, and this is her first release of 2012, White Wedding, and will be followed in October with Winter Flame. The cover is in keeping with the other Milly Johnson books I have on my shelf, and I have to say I do love that they match! The theme of weddings is also pretty relevant to the spring season (although it feels more like autumn at the moment, brrr!), and I couldn't wait to see how the story of all these white weddings was going to pan out!

This book is the story of 3 strangers - Violet, Bel and Max who meet in the White Weddings bridal shop when they are shopping for their own wedding dresses. Max has been with fiancé Stuart for donkey's years, and the pair have finally decided to tie the know, although Max has her heart set on a "big fat gypsy wedding" while Stuart is more hoping for a quiet do at the registry office. Violet is engaged to Glyn, but can't honestly say she is still in love with him after a change of lifestyle has left him a different man from the one she fell in love with, but can't bring herself to tell anyone the dreadful truth. Finally, there's Bel who is engaged to be married to Richard, her dream man, or so she thought, and when a shocking truth is found out by Bel, her whole world begins to fall apart. Which of these white weddings will get the happy-ever-after that the brides crave and deserve?

I have to say this is perhaps one of my favourite Milly Johnson books to date. It has likeable, and realistic characters who aren't skinny, drop dead gorgeous heroines but are real women, with real problems, and real lifestyles. I loved that when I read each of their stories, I could find myself relating to bits and bobs within them, and laughing and crying along with them too. I love how Milly brings 3 strangers together because of their weddings, and they strike up a close bond, like only women can very quickly. My favourite character was definitely Bel, I felt so sorry for her, and really warmed to her, praying that she would see sense in the end (don't want to spoilt it so won't say any more!). She was just so nice, and perhaps the character who gets the most time in the book, although just by a bit. I did like the others but I wanted to tell Violet to get a bit of a backbone, and Max to stop being so rude to her fiance Stuart, even if he was a bit of a wash-out!

The scenarios that happen in the book are all too realistic for some people, but they're written about so well that I found myself completely glued to the book, and not wanting to put it down so that I could find out what the girls were going to do next. I love how Milly managed to write a really funny part and has you laughing out loud, and the next you're sniffling into a tissue with a sad scene, her writing just brings everything to life on the page, and is a joy to read from the first page to the very last. I loved the descriptions of the wedding dresses, especially when they take place in the White Weddings shop, with the owner Freya who was a bit of an enigma. Yes, the weddings are important in the book, of course, but it's really the journey that these characters go on, of self-discovery and self-worth and I found it a wonderful read.

As usual, Milly Johnson has wrapped up a wonderful tale within the pages of White Wedding, and I for one whole-heartedly recommend it. It's a perfect book to snuggle up with in the evening under a blanket, with a glass of wine and big bar of chocolate. It's funny, it's sad and most importantly it's a great read that had me reading it at every spare minute I got. With a cast of likeable characters - although the men could do with a bit of a slap to be honest! - it's got everything you need and want from a fantastic chick lit book. Milly Johnson has definitely become one of my favourite authors, and makes the wait for her next book worthwhile as soon as you dive into it. I loved it, and I'm sure you will too - go read it!

You can buy White Wedding as a paperback or an eBook now!