I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Published by Berkley on 2019-01-30
Length: 320 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2018 New Release Challenge
![](https://momwithareadingproblem.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/JDDiBooks-CBS-W-e1531416902596.png")
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...
When I picked up The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, I was expecting a sweet, contemporary romance set over the course of a whirlwind weekend. I based that assumption off the title, having skimmed the blurb. Imagine my disappointment when the wedding date was only the first 20% of the book. Despite this disappointment, there were other factors that detracted from my ability to like the story. But before I get into those, here are the things I really liked about the book:
- Interracial couple: Alexa is black and Drew is white (hence the cover 😉)
- Meet during a power outage on an elevator – seriously this was a cute, flirty scene.
- The texting – cue goofy grin while reading
- Drew needs a date to his ex’s wedding and takes the girl he just met in an elevator.
- Body image and beauty standards discussed at length – Alexa is a big girl so doesn’t fit into the norm.
- Both MCs have jobs that they enjoy (Drew is a pediatric surgeon, Alexa works at the mayor’s office.)
- Dual POVs
Other reviewers are describing this book as “cute” and “charming,” and I guess that fits. Alexa is visiting her sister in her hotel room when she gets stuck in an elevator with Drew. The two strike up a conversation, and by the time the elevator begins moving again, she has a date with Drew to his ex’s wedding. Thinking she will never see this guy again, she throws caution to the wind and does things she wouldn’t normally do, like actually go to the wedding and pretend to be Drew’s girlfriend.
I liked and disliked Alexa. She’s a strong, independent woman who is living her dream working for the mayor. But she has a lot of self-esteem issues. She doesn’t think someone like Drew would like her or think her beautiful. She’s a big, curvy girl, but so am I and I know that while I don’t see myself as beautiful, my husband does. Instead of trusting Drew, she really lets her insecurities take over and I found that annoying.
Drew is not the ideal main love interest in my opinion. About the only thing I found swoon-worthy was his interactions with his patients (remember he’s a pediatric surgeon). There is just something sexy about a man who gets on a child’s level and brightens that child’s day. But I digress, Drew is the epitome of playboys. He “doesn’t date” and likes to keep things casual. He’s so hung up on keeping things casual and worrying about ruining a good thing that he plays into Alexa’s insecurities.
This story really revolves around how Drew and Alexa handle a long-distance relationship/fling and if it will continue. I really struggled to enjoy this book after the initial wedding date. I thought they both acted immaturely (remember these are characters that are my age – late twenties, early thirties). It felt repetitive and I really struggled during the last half of the book to finish it.
Overall The Wedding Date is a cute story bordering on corny at times. I thought it was an okay read. I liked aspects and disliked others equally making it hard to decide how I should rate it. The sex scenes were plentiful but for the most part faded to black without crossing over into erotica. If you enjoy contemporary romance, you may like this one. It just wasn’t for me.
About Jasmine Guillory
Jasmine Guillory is a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School. She is a Bay Area native who has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake recipe for every occasion, and upwards of 50 lipsticks.
Sounds like this could be a good beach read.
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