ARC Review: “A Wedding One Christmas” by Therese Beharrie

“A Wedding One Christmas” by Therese Beharrie

Publishing Date: November 19, 2018

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Fiction

Page Length: 223 pages (electronic edition)

Synopsis: Caledon, South Africa, is supposed to be just a stop on the way to Christmas in Cape Town, part of Angie’s long-avoided homecoming. She never expected to star in a bizarre comedy of errors, but here she is: convincing a handsome stranger to be her fake boyfriend for the day.

Ezra Johnson, the handsome stranger in question, turns out to be a pleasant distraction from both the wedding and thoughts of her first family Christmas without her father. And he seems to loathe weddings just as much as she does. He’s the perfect temporary companion.

But a lot can happen in twenty-four hours. Including a connection so strong it tempts them both into thinking of something more permanent…(description from Goodreads)

Review:

This novel is basically one big Hallmark Christmas movie in novel form. It’s got all the elements of a cozy, romance story which I enjoyed, but in the end the story fell flat because of the characters which I couldn’t connect to.

On a trip back to Cape Town for the holidays, Erza and Angie meet in a small cafe. Both are struggling with their pasts as they are returning home for a long period of time; Erza is reeling over a failed engagement and Angie is still dealing how she left her family to teach in South Korea after her father’s death. Upon meeting each other the two hit things off right away and develop a deeper connection with one another as they help each other to heal from past mistakes and to move towards the future.

All the while, Erza and Angie get pulled into random situations (just like a romantic comedy movie) such as a local Christmas parade, wedding reception, and so much more. It turns out to be a lot of fun for the two and it temporarily helps them to escape from their problems.

I appreciated that the novel does discuss a variety of topics such as heartbreak, finding yourself, coping with loosing a loved one, feminism, and much more. It was nice to see the two have such deep conversations with each other even though they just met. For some reason I did feel Erza and Angie were a bit bland for romantic leads, but in the end they still make a cute couple.

This meet cute novel is fun read for the holiday season, if you’re looking for a book that is lighthearted with a happily ever after.

Final Verdict: