Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Christmas Wedding

by James Patterson (Goodreads Author), Richard DiLallo

3.24 of 5 stars 3.24 · rating details · 7,297 ratings · 1,189 reviews

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announce...more

Hardcover, 266 pages

Published October 17th 2011 by Little, Brown and Company (first published January 1st 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Best Cover Fall/Winter 2011

138th out of 402 books — 1,492 voters

Best Winter Reads 2011

8th out of 18 books — 46 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 24, 2012 Alicia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: caused-me-rage, disappointing, trees-died-for-this-crap, holiday, wtf-is-this, me-and-ranty-mcgee, drank-the-haterade, i-hope-the-mayans-were-right, judging-you, pathetic-and-or-stupid-female-lead, would-give-zero-stars

8/25/12: Yeah, this is just not going to happen. Every time I look at this book and think about picking it back up I have the same reaction I do to the prospect of drinking prune juice. I'm not going to continue to torture myself with this one.

2/03/12: I just, I don't think I can, guys. I'm not going to rate this (it will be one star) and mark it as flounced…yet. I'll make that decision later, after I attempt to pick it up again. But it is such an unenjoyable read that I'm not sure I can make my...more 8/25/12: Yeah, this is just not going to happen. Every time I look at this book and think about picking it back up I have the same reaction I do to the prospect of drinking prune juice. I'm not going to continue to torture myself with this one.

2/03/12: I just, I don't think I can, guys. I'm not going to rate this (it will be one star) and mark it as flounced…yet. I'll make that decision later, after I attempt to pick it up again. But it is such an unenjoyable read that I'm not sure I can make myself keep reading.

The premise of the story is so stupid. The bride of this Christmas Wedding is Gaby. She's in her fifties and lost her husband four years ago. She has decided it's time to be loved again and how serendipitous! Three, good looking, eligible bachelors of suitable age have asked her to marry them at the same time! So she has decided to use the occasion to manipulate her four children and their families. To find out who Gaby will marry, they must all show up to the wedding – on Christmas day. Which, they haven't been together since her husband died, okay. The problem is, she won't tell the three men who proposed to her who she has chosen until their wedding day. So this supposedly caring, loving person has decided that for her to have something "for her" she has to deal heartbreak and humiliation to two men she claims to love as friends and force them to watch her marry the third in front of a bunch of other people. Nope, not a selfish bitch at all. She's so hip and with it that she makes video messages for her kids…and then sends them Fed Ex to the kids instead of putting them up on YouTube or something. (This was published October of last year.) Gaby is the kind of egotistical woman who makes her grandchildren call her by her first name because grandma "makes her skin itch." Cue my epic eye roll. She's supposed to be such a caring, giving person who has spent her life doing for others and even feeds the homeless in her barn every day (though she actually says she feels like they should pay something for the meal and collects whatever money they can give). Really she completely reminds me of

but she has none of Blanche's wit, charm, and self-awareness.

Then there are her children – we have to jump between all of their stories like a soap opera.

There's Claire, who is dealing with a worthless pothead husband and her burgeoning worthless pothead son. Except she's not dealing with them. Instead she coddles them both and then wonders why her life is the way it is. It's one thing that she can't figure out what to do about her useless, now abusive husband, but everything her son is doing is to be exactly like his father. Would she really not attempt to do anything about him? Reading some of the other one star reviews, there's more messed up stuff with this kid and the pot smoking that will cause me massive amounts of rage.

Gaby's other daughter Emily is basically perfect. Columbia law, law review, published note, big law job out of school, on the partner track and is the firm superstar, she's even perfect at her pro bono work! I can't relate to this woman and I just graduated from a New York law school! I will grant you that there is a lot of bitterness and jealousy working at me on this one, but I cannot be alone in being bored and annoyed with super perfect characters – regardless of profession. To top it off, her husband is a superstar neurosurgeon resident. Of course.

The only characters I like are Gaby's other two children Seth and Lizzie and their families. They're very relatable characters, but of course they're going through really trying and sad times. Still, they were the only ones who kept my interest. If I start reading the book again it will be for them. Unfortunately, not enough time is spent with them, and there appears to be no depth to their stories on the horizon. I suppose the Lizzie/Mark situation is also supposed to give us a glimpse into caring, loving Gaby, and I did like her in those chapters, but it's not enough to change my view of her primary character.(less)

like 11 likes · see review

Oct 17, 2011 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

The Christmas Wedding is the first novel I've read by James Patterson. Starting the novel, I didn't know what to expect. To me, James Patterson isn't synonymous with fiction work with a romantic theme.

The Christmas Wedding is centered around Gaby and her four grown children - Claire, Liz, Emily and Seth. In the first half of the book, there are several chapters dedicated to each child. I thought that this was an interesting way for the reader to learn about Gaby's kids without being told the inf...more The Christmas Wedding is the first novel I've read by James Patterson. Starting the novel, I didn't know what to expect. To me, James Patterson isn't synonymous with fiction work with a romantic theme.

The Christmas Wedding is centered around Gaby and her four grown children - Claire, Liz, Emily and Seth. In the first half of the book, there are several chapters dedicated to each child. I thought that this was an interesting way for the reader to learn about Gaby's kids without being told the information. The book worked best for me when it centered around Gaby's kids and their lives.

Gaby sends her children a video telling them that she is getting married on Christmas Day. She doesn't tell them who she will be marrying and the only way to find out is to come home for Christmas. We are introduced to Gaby's three potential husbands - Tom, Jacob and Marty. I found it hard to believe that these three men were okay with Gaby stringing them along. The supposed romantic element of the story was not believable. If a man proposes marriage, he obviously has feelings for the woman, strong feelings. I don't think any man would be okay with being strung along with two other men. I felt that Gaby was being selfish by not saying who she was going to marry. What were Gaby's motives behind keeping it a secret? It felt like it was a game to her. I wish we were given more background information about Gaby so that I could understand her more. For me, Gaby came off as a flighty, selfish person. She cares about her kids and the men in her life, but I felt like what she did was cruel. When she finally chooses her husband, I wasn't overly surprised or emotional about it.

The Christmas Wedding was a good story but it didn't wow me. It is a quick read and the plot will keep you engaged. Like I said earlier, the story worked best for me when it centered around Gaby's children. I didn't find Gaby endearing or likable and the sections of the book that were devoted to her did not hold my interest. There were parts of Gaby's behavior that were distracting. I found it odd that her kids and grandkids called her by her first name and she was okay with that. There was no explanation as to how she became Gaby and not "Mom" or "Granma". Again, I wish I knew more about Gaby's history because the little odd things about her were distracting to me. I shouldn't focus on why her family called her by her first name but I couldn't not think about it and wonder.

All in all, The Christmas Wedding was an enjoyable read. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon. I'm sure fans of Patterson will love it.

C(less)

like 7 likes · see review

Jan 12, 2012 Becky Hoffman rated it 2 of 5 stars

James Patterson's "Christmas Wedding" is supposed to center around Gaby, a fifty-something widower who is getting married again. She's inviting her family out to the wedding which is going to be held on Christmas. Seems like a nice little Christmas story.

By the first page, the reader is introduced to all the main characters on the playing field; all sixteen of them. For the first 5 to 10 chapters I have to flip back and forth between the list of characters and the page I'm reading to make sure I...more

like 2 likes · see review

Nov 07, 2011 Trudy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

OOOOOOOh! I loved this story! This was a wonderful "very feel good" adventure. I don't normally read James Patterson books because they are not my cup of tea, however it appears that this time he took a completely different turn. Many of his regular fans are not happy with this book because it is just so "sweet and gentle". However, perhaps he's attempting to attract another segment of the reading population. I hope he writes other books like this. The icing on the cake for me is that I was marr...more

like 10 likes · see review

Nov 08, 2011 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

THE CHRSTMAS WEDDING by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
10/11 - Little, Brown & Company - Hardcover, 288 pages

Is it true that either you change your life or it changes for you?

Gaby is old enough to have raised her children to an age where she is now a grandmother. Having lost a husband already she knows the depth that loving one person bring to you and she wants to not replace that love but feel it again with someone else. The only hitch is there are three men that want to marry her and d...more THE CHRSTMAS WEDDING by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
10/11 - Little, Brown & Company - Hardcover, 288 pages

Is it true that either you change your life or it changes for you?

Gaby is old enough to have raised her children to an age where she is now a grandmother. Having lost a husband already she knows the depth that loving one person bring to you and she wants to not replace that love but feel it again with someone else. The only hitch is there are three men that want to marry her and devote the rest of their lives to making her happy and she can only have one.

What Gaby does is accept all three proposals with the intention announcing her decision on her wedding set for Christmas Day. When you have the world at your feet and a man that adores you, well you make sure you are walking on roses up until you say I Do!

With her imperfect family gathering around her for the occasion, Gaby works through the difficulties that your children have after they leave the nest. Everyone is searching for the perfect job, working toward a stable relationship, and trying to get children to cooperate just for one minute of the day. There is no such thing as a normal family just the pretense that you are living as such and embracing your imperfections.

The day is here, everyone is seated, and what could have turned into a comical farce becomes a romantic gesture of enormous proportion. The groom is the perfect match for the bride who knows she has chosen her perfect match, for the second time in her life. Even when additional surprises pop up Gaby says yes to everything that comes at her realizing this moment cannot ever be recaptured.

Gaby has been everything to everybody and always will be her children’s cheerleader. Yet with this one life defining decision, she is taking the forward step of being as much to her as she is to others and no woman ever regrets that decision.

James Patterson can and does write grand slam hits in every genre. He has so many facets to his talent, but his tales of life always touch me, have me wipe away a tear at the end and sigh with the knowledge that love happens at every age.(less)

like · see review

Apr 09, 2013 Daniela Mastropasqua rated it 2 of 5 stars

Lo spot di questo libro è "il maestro del thriller colpisce al cuore con una grande storia romantica".
Ecco, non ho mail letto un thriller di James Patterson, ma questo romanzo tutto ha fatto meno che colpirmi al cuore. Mi ha fatto ridere (per l'assurdità della storia), mi ha fatto storcere il naso (per la banalità di alcune scene) e alla fine mi ha fatto chiudere il libro con il pensiero che è uno di quei libri che se leggi o non leggi è uguale. Insomma, bella solo la copertina.
Ditemi voi se s...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Jeanine rated it 5 of 5 stars

I know James Patterson as an excellent thriller writer. I was really surprised at how well he can also write a romance novel. I really enjoyed "The Christmas Wedding." The chapters are short. Rarely more than 3 pages a chapter. The story is fluff, but once you start to read it you don't want to put it down.

The story is about love, family dynamics and an older Mother, named Gabby, who has been a widow for several years and is now going for a second chance at love. To know Gabby is to love Gabby....more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 19, 2013 Kristinamichael rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the book "The Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson, Gaby is the main character. Her son, Seth is going to marry Andie the same day that Gaby picks who she is going to marry. She's either going to pick Tom, Marty, or Jacob. She is close with them all and loves them a lot. No one knows who she is going to marry until Christmas day when everyone shows up for the wedding. Even the guys don't know. The main message of the book is to wait until you know you have found the right person and to make...more In the book "The Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson, Gaby is the main character. Her son, Seth is going to marry Andie the same day that Gaby picks who she is going to marry. She's either going to pick Tom, Marty, or Jacob. She is close with them all and loves them a lot. No one knows who she is going to marry until Christmas day when everyone shows up for the wedding. Even the guys don't know. The main message of the book is to wait until you know you have found the right person and to make sure they make you happy, like Gaby did. The lucky guy for Gaby will be revealed on Christmas day.

A character that I felt positively strong about is Claire. Claire is one of Gaby's daughters. She is always there for her children and was there for her mother through it all. She helped her mom out with the wedding and all the tough times leading up to it. I connect with this character because my parents are just like Claire. They are always there for us and they're always there for their own parents. They help their parents out with anything they need, just like their parents did for them when they were kids. Claire became even more generous throughout the story as the wedding day got closer and closer. Gaby couldn't see enough of Claire, which of course wasn't a bad thing because Gaby really needed the help. My reaction to Claire is a personal response because not all kids are like Claire. Gaby's other daughters, Lizzie and Emily, weren't as caring to their mother as Claire. They were there for her as much as they could be because they had families of their own.

I liked the book overall. It wasn't the best book I've read but it was interesting and I love James Pattersons' books. I didn't like how the author had Hank act. Hank was Claire's husband. He was a cruel man and would swear at Claire and hit her. He was never happy around his family and only seemed to be happy when he was out with his friends. He hung out with the wrong crowd. He would let all his anger get to him and take it out on Claire the most. I liked how Claire divorced Hank. "Mom, I've decided something...I'm leaving Hank, divorcing him" (203). She didn't deserve to be treated how she was. She was finally happy when she divorced him and it didn't take her long to realize that. She took the kids with her because he didn't even deserve to see them and I'm sure they didn't even want to see him. She moved on very quickly and carried on with her life focusing on her kids and her mother. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone because they would get bored of it very fast. The beginning isn't really exciting and the book doesn't get interesting until close to the end where we find out everything. (less)

like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Briansmom rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: christmas

This book is. totally. stupid. Not just a little stupid. Totally, thoroughly, ridiculously, stupid. Let me start by saying that I have read a fair amount of James Patterson books, both murder mysteries and just plain fiction, and have enjoyed most of them. And I have read a fair amount of Christmas fiction, both the fantasy kind (i.e. takeoffs on "A Christmas Carol," Santa-is-real stuff, etc.) and the fluffy romance kind. But I have never read a book, Christmas or otherwise, quite like this. Oh,...more This book is. totally. stupid. Not just a little stupid. Totally, thoroughly, ridiculously, stupid. Let me start by saying that I have read a fair amount of James Patterson books, both murder mysteries and just plain fiction, and have enjoyed most of them. And I have read a fair amount of Christmas fiction, both the fantasy kind (i.e. takeoffs on "A Christmas Carol," Santa-is-real stuff, etc.) and the fluffy romance kind. But I have never read a book, Christmas or otherwise, quite like this. Oh, I've read (part of) "Twilight," so I thought I knew silly and contrived dialogue. But even "Twilight" didn't come close to being this bad. At least in that book, the (non-vampire) characters are teenagers, so at least they are excused from self-absorbed, navel-gazing behavior, which is the stock-in-trade of teenagers. But the main character here, an adolescent in an adult middle-aged woman's body, a widow/mother/grandmother who is so into herself that she can't stand being called "Grandma," even though she's been one for 14 years. Remember, this book is a work of fiction, but it isn't a fantasy. No flying reindeer, no ghostly apparitions of dead friends. But the reader is expected to suspend reality and believe that 1)Gaby is soooo fascinating, amazing, etc. that all of her friends spend all of their time, free and otherwise, with her, and only her. She is "the sun around which all her friends revolve." Gag me with a spoon. 2)Gaby spends lots of time making videos of herself on DVD and sending them, via snail mail, to all of her adult children. They then immediately watch said DVD and call each other about the contents. Has this woman ever heard of YouTube? Or Facebook? Do her children really care that much about the intricacies of their mom's personal life? Seriously? 3)Gaby feeds unmentioned numbers of the "homeless" breakfast at her suburban farm EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. This one is sooooo silly I won't comment further. 4)Gaby's friends include a female best friend who apparently has been "revolving around" Gaby's sun since the first grade and 3 single guy friends, all in their 50's, all who are gorgeous, and all who WANT TO MARRY HER. None of which has a distiguishable career (except the "adorable" rabbi) and all who spend untold amounts of time "revolving" around Gaby, helping her feed the homeless, and apparently basking in her amazing-ness. The female friend does have a husband, who is mentioned only once but whom she never sees, because she's always at Gaby's. 4)Gaby has cozy relationships with all these hunky post-50-year-olds, so much so that she is able to keep all of them, and her family, in the dark about who she has "chosen" to marry until the ACTUAL WEDDING DAY, which happens to be Christmas Day. 5)Gaby lies to her daughter, with whom she has a good relationship, about not finding a joint in her grandson's wallet, even though she does. I'm not sure why she does this, and this decision does come back to bite her, unless she's wants to be seen as the "cool Grandma" type (but DON'T CALL HER GRANDMA!!)

Gaby would win the prize, were there such a one, of MOST SELF-CENTERED MOTHER in literary history, hands down. A Christmas Day wedding? With an unknown groom? This book not only demands that the readers suspend belief but that they suspend any idea of kindness and decency in how to treat people you supposedly care about.

The ONLY reason I finished this book is because it was sooooo amazingly silly, and I needed a good laugh.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club

My book club reads a Christmas book every year, wraps it up and exchanges it at our meeting. I got this from Heather and wanted to read it before Christmas. I couldn't sleep so I got up, curled up and read the whole book. She's right, it was really quick. I can't remember why I was talking about this book in the car on the way to our Christmas Eve party, but I mentioned that the main character told all of her kids that three guys asked to marry her and she would decide who to marry on Christmas...more

like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Heather McKeon rated it 2 of 5 stars

You guessed it, yet another Christmas book in my desperate attempt to find a good book for December book club. After this one, I think it's time to take a break and reassess my goals and dreams in my quest for the perfect unconventional Christmas book. This one was recommended to my by a library patron while I was getting ideas from the librarian. So I figured, "why not, she liked it, I'll give it a try." And it's not terrible or anything. I mean I did know that I was reading a James Patterson b...more

like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Smitha rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I hear James Patterson, I think ‘crime thriller’, so I was pleasantly surprised to read a James Patterson book, some time back, which was not a crime thriller- and yet, just as captivating – Sundays at Tiffany’s. Mark of a great writer, I suppose. So when I came across The Christmas Wedding, I just had to pick it up.

Gaby Summerhill is getting married on Christmas day – and nobody knows who to. Actually one person does know, Gaby herself, and she is keeping it to herself.

Gaby has sent video...more

like · see review

Aug 31, 2012 Casey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well written, easy to read...but the storyline was pretty laughable. The plot between 2 characters (Claire and her husband) perked my interest the most. I did like Gabbi as a character...her thoughts, etc. Her character really came to life, but it was still a rather stupid storyline. What 3 men are willing to stand at the altar and let someone pick one of them, and the other 2 take that chance at humiliation? Not to mention, shouldn't they know by that point if she really loved them or not--in s...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Of course, as an avid reader of James Patterson's books, I was excited when a new Romance novel was set to come out. He works a lot with suspense and thriller novels, but throws romance novels in there every once in awhile.
And of course, he nailed it once again. I was hooked from the very first page. It is laid out so that you get to understand each character individually, and then they all come together at the end.
It was wonderfully written, humor and romance all in one. Gaby and all of her k...more

like · see review

Jul 05, 2012 KRM rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's been 3 years since the death of Gaby's husband and 3 years since the whole of the family were together, so this Christmas she decides to get married - only no one except her knows who the groom is going to be (not even the grooms themselves).

It's a fairly farfetched story when it comes to three men agreeing and playing along to Gaby's idea where she'll choose her husband at the actual wedding (who would ever go along with this really!?) but it is a Christmas story at the end of the day and...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Liz Collins added it

Shelves: james-patterson

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a story of a mother names Gaby who sends a wedding announcement to her children saying that
she is getting married on Christmas, but she will not reveal who she is marrying. It seems she has 3 suitors, Tom, Jacob and Marty. They all agreed to find out on Christmas day who was going to the be groom. All of the children come to the wedding. Her son, Seth and his girlfriend Andie who must not have any family, end up asking her if they can share the day and get married too. Gaby says that's g...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 14, 2012 Beverly Diehl rated it 1 of 5 stars

Wish I could give it zero stars, although it might be useful for authors to read as an example of What Not To Do.

The Good - it's a very quick read. I didn't notice any typos. The cover is pretty, if you think a slender young women in a sleeveless white dress with a long train "works" to represent a 50-60ish widowed grandmother getting married in a pale purple dress and sneakers.

The Bad - The premise is that Gaby, said grandmother & widow, is getting married. She is sending video DVD's BY MAI...more Wish I could give it zero stars, although it might be useful for authors to read as an example of What Not To Do.

The Good - it's a very quick read. I didn't notice any typos. The cover is pretty, if you think a slender young women in a sleeveless white dress with a long train "works" to represent a 50-60ish widowed grandmother getting married in a pale purple dress and sneakers.

The Bad - The premise is that Gaby, said grandmother & widow, is getting married. She is sending video DVD's BY MAIL (like she wouldn't upload to YouTube and send as e-mail attachments?) bragging on this to her four grown children - with a twist. She won't tell them which of three men she's marrying - in fact, she won't tell the men, either. They have to all meet her at the altar where one gets to "win" her, and the other two are supposed to suck it up and be happy for them.

Right. This doesn't make us like her; doesn't make us like the MEN. What wusses would they be to sign up for this kind of public humiliation?

The four grown children - not enough real estate is spent on any of them to let us know who they are, barest sketches as to their marital and employment situation. No character has a distinct voice.

Claire is married to a deadbeat stoner, and the authors spend a lot of page time trying to staple in a Reefer Madness theme. Said deadbeat goes from being too stoned to enunciate his words or stand up to slapping her across the face. Right. Their 14 year old son is so stoned he stretches out for a nap on the floor of the local mall in front of a busy store. Right. Kid brings a single joint along to Grandma Gaby's wedding because he needs to be stoned all the time; then he inveigles his 8 year old girl cousin whom he rarely sees into the woods to share it with him, because...? I guess because weed makes you crazy. No pay-off for him in either sharing the weed or corrupting this cousin.

Then when grandma catches him and gives him a stern "Just Say No" talkin'-to, all better. Right.

The authors do a great disservice to victims of domestic violence by trying to link it to marijuana use. Ask any cop, they will tell you, stoners aren't violent. *Drinkers* are; those who use cocaine and amphetamines are. People with certain mental illnesses can be. Claire's feelings at being struck by her husband are too quickly glossed over to push to the next plot point. We don't know if this is the first time he's struck her - in which case, she should be WAY more shocked - or the thirty-first, in which case, her reaction and behaviors before and after should be quite different. It's mentioned she doesn't have time to cry (really? like when we cry we check our watches first "okay, I have time, let'r rip") or put ice on her cheek. But there's no pay-off to that, nobody noticing a bruise or red mark and asking her "What happened to you?" She does decide to dump the loser, but she doesn't even ask her lawyer sister about getting a referral to a divorce attorney.

Back to the bride and her three grooms - they may be in their late 50's/early 60's, but they're not supposed to be *dead*. There's no sexual tension in the scenes where they are one-on-one. She spends an hour on a picnic up a tree snuggled with one of the guys, and it's like she's there with a teddy bear. There should be some regret because if she is *not* marrying this guy, watching the sunset while snuggled with him is going to be off the table.

I could go on, but I don't want to spend more time on the review than was spent on the book.(less)

like 7 likes · see review

Jan 29, 2012 Kay rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluff

While reading this I thought someone was yanking my chain! This is the most ridiculous plot I have ever read!!!! Even Danielle Steel on an extremely bad day could not come up with something so outlandish! And to think it was written by two men is beyond my comprehension.

The plot:
middle age widow lady is proposed to by 3 good looking nice middle age single men [now tell me where are 3 good looking nice middle age single men together?????]. That's not the most ridiculous part-- they all propose t...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 28, 2012 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Marty Summerfield asks his sister-in-law, who has been a widow for 3 years, to marry him. However, when they hear that he has proposed, two other men ask Gaby to marry them. Gaby decides she will marry one of them, but won't tell them until Christmas Day....the day of the wedding. (how does this work with the marriage license??) She plans a big, special wedding and invites her 4 children and their families, plus man others. The plot is a little unlikely, but the characters in the book are very l...more

like · see review

Jan 03, 2012 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-literature, bestsellers, realistic-fiction

While I really appreciate having gotten this book as a gift since James Patterson is one of my favorite authors, I was a bit disappointed with the book itself. I think it could be that this is one of Patterson's collaborative efforts with another author, Richard DiLallo, and I felt that the plotline of the story was a bit far fetched and unbelievable. The main character, Gaby, sends her three children video clips inviting her three children and their families to her upcoming wedding at Christmas...more

like · see review

Dec 18, 2011 J rated it 2 of 5 stars

Really 1 1/2 stars ...

I can't say how much I disliked the main character "Gabby" ... I finished reading this book just to get the book point in a reading competition with my husband. Gabby is old enough to have grown children (ages 35 - 26) but incredibly immature. She is bossy, manipulative, self-righteous, inconsistent and demands to be the center of attention. I initially enjoyed reading the story lines that involved her children, but eventually the children just became shades of Gabby.

The la...more

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 13, 2011 Mary rated it 1 of 5 stars

If there was an option of 0 stars for this book, that is what I would have given it. The main character Gaby is a self centered bitch who thinks the world revolves around her. There is nothing about Christmas in this book other than the fact that the wedding takes place on Christmas. Gaby is so self centered that she has 150 people join her for a Christmas eve dinner and even more for a Christmas day wedding so everyone can honor her and pay homage to her. None of these people wanted to share Ch...more

like 12 likes · see review

Dec 08, 2011 Sandra Desjardins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sandra’s Sentiments: I LOVED this book!Though I prefer books that have some kind of supernatural, paranormal, or alien being as the protagonist, I couldn’t get enough of the “normal” characters in The Christmas Wedding. The Summerhill’s issues are deeply personal and relatable, and the love they share is sweet. The suspense leading up to the discovery of the groom nearly killed me!I really did have to refrain from skipping to the end to see if she picked the person I suspected!

I highly recommend...more

like · see review

Dec 07, 2011 Shannon Brennan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Once upon a time, I adored James Patterson's writing. I couldn't get enough of his books from about ten years ago and prior, but as the years have gone by and he has started pumping out a book or two every couple months, the quality of his stories has really plummeted. Most of Patterson's books these days are collaborations, so I am not sure how much he actually writes and how much is just his name printed prominently on the cover to boost sales. Regardless, his older novels are excellent and hi...more

like 5 likes · see review

Nov 28, 2011 Mj rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I would have rated this book a 2 1/2 if available, but rated it a 2 when I thought about how it compared to other books that I have rated a 3.

It was a very light read, an easy read (perhaps too easy) and a very quick read. The book has just over 200 pages counting a page for each chapter heading and a blank page between the chapter heading and the actual start of each chapter. It is also double spaced.

While I enjoyed the book if I hadn't taken it out of the library and purchased it for $30, I wo...more

like 2 likes · see review

Nov 06, 2011 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

In his latest romance "The Christmas Wedding" we meet Gaby Summerhill , who hopes that this year she can get all her family to come and visit for Christmas. When her three best male friends all propose to her , it sparks an idea in Gaby's head. She will get married on Christmas Day to one of the three guys but the catch is no-one will know which one until the actual Wedding - not even the groom. In order to let her family in on the surprise, she makes a series of Videos with the help of her best...more In his latest romance "The Christmas Wedding" we meet Gaby Summerhill , who hopes that this year she can get all her family to come and visit for Christmas. When her three best male friends all propose to her , it sparks an idea in Gaby's head. She will get married on Christmas Day to one of the three guys but the catch is no-one will know which one until the actual Wedding - not even the groom. In order to let her family in on the surprise, she makes a series of Videos with the help of her best friend Stacey-Lee who also has no idea. As the novel continues , we read as a lead-up to the Wedding and the reunion of families - the going-on's of her children's lives leading up to the major event. Gaby's oldest daughter Claire's life is falling apart as her and her husband Hank are having marital problems. When Claire kicks her husband Hank out and he returns in time for Christmas , will the pair rekindle their passion or will it be too late and a divorce be on the cards for this Christmas ? The next daughter Emily , has always strived to achieve the impossible and with her mantra which resembles the famous Forrest Gump line "Run, Emily, Run". When her chances of making Partner in the law firm are compromised , will she take the offer on the table and lower her standards or will she find the courage to stand up for what is right and herself ? Her third daughter , Lizzie has always had everything under control but what will happen when her husband Mike contracts Cancer , will he live to see Christmas ? The story between Lizzie and Mike had a touch of PS I Love You theme to it. Of course, in the Christmas Wedding it does prove to be that Weddings are the reason for the season as Seth -the only son and his girlfriend Andi have some news of their own.
The Christmas Wedding, like James Patterson's other novels, no matter what the genre is will keep you guessing and on your toes with the suspense of finding out who the lucky man is and readers , don't spoil it by turning to the end. Resist the temptation like I Did :).(less)

like · see review

Nov 03, 2011 Jennifer Defoy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was pretty good. The story was interesting - a mysterious wedding, a few unexpected twists and turns, and a good mix of mushy and humorous. The character development was a bit lax, but I think that added to this story a bit. There were so many important characters that had they all been well-developed, like Gaby, this book would have been horrendous to read. And the lax in development added even more to the intrigue of who is Gaby going to marry? I did like the children. Claire was pro...more

like · see review

Oct 17, 2011 Brenda Casto rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gaby Summerhill's family hasn't been together for Christmas since her husband Peter died, but that's about to change. You see Gaby has been proposed to by three men, and the thing is she is going to have a Christmas wedding, and she isn't going to to disclose who the groom will be until the wedding.So the only way her children, Emily, Claire Lizzie and Seth will know who she is marrying is to come home for Christmas.
I loved getting to know Gaby's children. Each of them were dealing with their o...more

like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Delicious Strawberry rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: james-patterson

Let me ask y'all out there a quick question, and raise your hand if it applies to you. Do you know one man, much less three, who will show up at a wedding - potentially their own - and have the bride choose out of the three of them, publicly? No hand raised? Right, that's what I thought.

I don't know of anyone who would stand up to this. It might happen on the Bachelor/Bachelorette, but this is rather different, and these men are setting themselves up to be humiliated, and in front of their poten...more

like 1 like · see review

Dec 13, 2011 Anne Marie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Once upon a time, I was stuck at the library while waiting for my car's oil to be changed. I picked up this book and started reading it and only brought it home because it was free, though I was hoping that any page now, I was going to start caring about the characters and what happened to them. I never did care, and nothing ever did happen to them. The book was trite and predictable and the best thing about it is that it was short and did not take too much time to read. Honestly, the only reaso...more

like 2 likes · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
*~Can't Stop Read...: The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson	11	63	Oct 25, 2012 04:36am

combine
Other Editions (26)

More editions...

Genres

Romance

84 users

Holiday > Christmas

76 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

38 users

Book Club

24 users

Holiday

21 users

Mystery

15 users

Adult

14 users

Adult Fiction

13 users

Contemporary

9 users

Novels

6 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About James Patterson

Offical US Site
Offical UK Site

The subject of a Time magazine feature called, "The Man Who Can't Miss," James Patterson is the bestselling author of the past year, bar none, with more than 16 million books sold in North America alone. In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. In the past three years, James has sold more books than any other author (according...more

More about James Patterson...

Books by James Patterson

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Christmas Wed...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Christmas Wedding

“If you're not reading - with your heart as well as your brain - you will be one stupid grown up. Even worst, you'll be missing out on one of the best experiences you can possibly have. Nowhere will you meet more interesting people than in books.” — 15 people liked it

“Seize what's been handed you. Make smart decisions. Make decisions because life is a temporary situation.” — 11 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Christmas Wedding
avg rating	preview: The Christmas Wedding Goodreads rating: 3.24 (7297 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10844125-the-christmas-wedding?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327889901l/10844125.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10844125-the-christmas-wedding?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson[/url]

The Christmas Wedding

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website