Book Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Synopsis (from Chapters.ca):
Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during lunch at one of London’s fanciest restaurants. But when his big question involves a trip abroad, not a trip down the aisle, she’s completely crushed. So when Ben, an old flame, calls her out of the blue and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. No formal dates-just a quick march to the altar and a honeymoon on Ikonos, the sun-drenched Greek island where they first met years ago.

Their family and friends are horrified. Fliss, Lottie’s older sister, knows that Lottie can be impulsive-but surely this is her worst decision yet. And Ben’s colleague Lorcan fears that this hasty marriage will ruin his friend’s career. To keep Lottie and Ben from making a terrible mistake, Fliss concocts an elaborate scheme to sabotage their wedding night. As she and Lorcan jet off to Ikonos in pursuit, Lottie and Ben are in for a honeymoon to remember, for better . . . or worse.

Review:

I have read most of Sophie Kinsella’s novels and have enjoyed them immensely so needless to say, I was excited for this one. I only became hesitant when I started to read some people’s reviews here and saw the low star rating.

As a fan, I can understand why people might not like this one because of the characters. They are flawed in some way that makes you not like them. I did not care for Lottie at all. She is everything I dislike in a “heroine” but without her, the story wouldn’t be what it is. I actually really liked Fliss–I thought she was hilarious and I wish that more of the story was from her perspective. Without spoilers the love interests were also flawed but I feel like main issue was that all the characters in this are stubborn and set in their ways and that is what frustrates the reader.

Why I gave this book the rating I did was because I did enjoy it despite my initial impressions of the characters. It made me laugh and I enjoyed the plot and all the shenanigans that happened along the way. Like I said before, Fliss really made this book for me, but I can understand why some people might not like her or get her style and humour.

The only thing I disliked about the book was the lack of an epilogue. I’m sure it is implied about how things end, but I really could have used that last bit of closure (hence the rushed ending tag because I felt like I was lacking that closure).

Conclusion:

So if you enjoyed I’ve Got Your Number, don’t mind stubborn characters and can find humour amidst bitter and frustrating situations, you will enjoy this latest offering from Sophie Kinsella.

Rating: 4/5

Shorthand Stats:
Genre: British Literature; Chick Lit; Comedy; Romance
Heat Rating:  lukewarm
Recommended for: anyone who enjoys Sophie Kinsella’s novels or British Humour
Similar Books: I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella