Milly Monday is here again!
Today I'm reviewing White Wedding, a book I hadn't read previously, and I'm delighted to say that I loved it.
The Blurb
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 ...
The Review
For me, Milly Johnson's forte is her ability to portray the strength that can be found in friendship. White Wedding is no exception, where Violet, Bel and Max are all struggling in the build up to their big day. Whilst it should be a time of happiness and excitement, each girl has her own doubts. It is the support network the girls have which stops White Wedding being overly depressing. Yes, it deals with serious issues such as depression, yet there is a thread of humour woven throughout the story (particularly Max's weddings plans which I found hilarious!) which adds a vibrance and verve .
Some readers may find Violet and Glyn's story hard to read, particularly as the story progresses. I had huge empathy for Violet, moreso than any other character in the book. Her sense of duty and guilt was obvious and weighed heavily on me as a reader.
On a lighter note, Violet's ice cream parlour Carousel is a dreamy shop that I would definitely be frequenting if it were real. And some of those flavours...my mouth was watering just at the thought.
The fringe characters were also well developed and realistic, with the typical Milly Johnson quirks. I especially liked Freya, the bridal shop owner with her sharp observations and Yoda-like wisdom.
Fans of Milly Johnson will not be disappointed by White Wedding. The balance between light hearted humour and the dramas of life is perfectly weighted. Wonderful.
9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment